The birth-ed podcast

Vaginal Examinations, par for the course of giving birth.. or something you have a choice over? In today’s episode I am joined by Emma Ashworth. Emma is Birth Rights consultant, a retired doula & breastfeeding counsellor, former Trustee of AIMS (The Association of Improvement for the Maternity Services), Maternity Rights Activist, Author of ‘The AIMS Guide to your rights in pregnancy and birth...

If you are hoping to breastfeed your baby, it's really important to prepare yourself for what to expect. In this episode I am joined by Breastfeeding Specialist Midwife, Shaheda Khan. Shaheda provides one to one support in person and online and offers tons of free support via her website and social media ‘Mother Shaheda’. In this episode, Shaheda and I explore: What can you do to prepare for...

Matresence is the period of growth and transition in the early years in becoming a mother. Whilst turmoil and identity shifts are expected in 'adolescence', it's only recently that such shifts have been recognised and validated in our becoming of a mother too.  In this episode I am joined by Zoe Blaskey, transformational coach, founder of Motherkind and host of The Motherkind Podcas...

If you're pregnant after a previous caesarean birth, you might be starting to explore your options for birth this time around. In this episode I am joined by midwife Dr Hazel Keedle who specialises in supporting birth after caesarean choices. This episode focuses on vaginal birth after a caesarean, complimented by S2E6 - episode on caesarean birth, including planned repeat caesarean birth. In...

We talk a lot about decision making for birth- Where might you choose to birth your baby? Do you want an epidural? Should you have an induction? etc etc.. but the decision making (and the impact of those decisions) actually starts MUCH earlier on in pregnancy. This week I am exploring all of this with friend and community midwife Laura Green, whose approach to informed choice, birth education and...

It's a SOLO episode from me today! Actually our first ever solo episode of the podcast! Exploring what 'hypnobirthing' actually is? How can it support you in your pregnancy, your birth and beyond? How does it work? What does it involve? Listen up for some myth busting, take away tools and tips and the next steps to feeling more confident and prepared ahead of your baby's birth....

In this episode, Dr Sara Wickham shares her insight and wisdom into all things 'Induction of Labour'. Sara is a World Leading Midwifery expert in the area of induction and has dedicated her life's work to disseminating, unpicking and making accessible the evidence around induction of labour. Sara and I explore the landscape of the maternity system, the rising rates of induction and...

A sneaky peek of some of the fascinating conversations coming in series 3 of the birth-ed podcast.  Make sure you are subscribed so you don't miss an episode!! Support the show

Series 3 of the birth-ed podcast is DUE to arrive on Friday 6th October. Bringing together the world leading experts in pregnancy, birth, parenting & women's health.. with some CORKER episodes this series- from Induction to VBAC, Hypnobirthing to Breastfeeding.  Double check that you're subscribed and we will see you every Friday right here in your usual podcast app. Support the show

Advocating for yourself (or other people) or knowing how to make decisions can be really difficult when it comes to maternity care. In this episode I'm joined by birth trauma specialist midwife, Illiyin Morrison to discuss how we can ensure we are advocated for throughout the perinatal period. Speaking from a trauma informed perspective, listen to this episode for practical decision making ti...

Did you know 1 in 7 babies will access care in NICU when they are born and 60% of those are born at full term. So why don't we ever talk about what it's like to have a baby in the NICU? This week I am joined by Clinical Psychologist (And NICU Mum) Dr Frankie Harrison, who specialises in supporting families during and after time spent in NICU through her work as a psychologist and organis...

The Mind, The Body, The Heart: 3 pillars of holistic birth preparation. A way of approaching birth that you might not yet have considered. Taking a look how you can prepare yourself emotionally, spiritually and physically for birth; and how the three things are more closely interconnected than you first realise. In this episode I am join by Pre and Postnatal yoga specialist and antenatal educator...

When journeying through pregnancy we tend to just hand ourselves over to our care providers, on whom we rely to tell us if we are healthy and well and what we should do to bring our babies into the world safely. But is this really the best way to be navigating pregnancy, birth and parenthood? Self trust is a vitally important quality in birth. How much do we trust ourselves to know what is going o...

Around 1/3 births in the UK happen by caesarean, so it's certainly something you might like to learn about during pregnancy. The prospect of major abdominal surgery whilst awake can be quite daunting for many of us, so in this episode we talk through exactly what you can expect from a caesarean birth. Not just that, but thinking about- what are your options and what considerations might you m...

What kind of parents do you want to be? So much of pregnancy is taken up researching prams and cots and car seats and preparing the nursery.. Or considering birth plans and pregnancy complications and baby names.. It's not often that anyone actually consciously considers parenting until they are in it. Is parenting something you can prepare for? We think YES! This week I am joined by Dr Maryh...

"What if the blanket covers baby's face and I don't notice" "Imagine if I threw my baby down the stairs" "I could shake you right now" Intrusive thoughts affect around half of new mums. These thoughts of harm can feel quite terrifying, but are they anything to worry about? What can you do to manage them or where can you seek support? In this episode I am joi...

Ever heard of a back to back baby, but not sure what it means? When is a long labour TOO long and what might be causing it? Do we have influence over the unfolding of our births, even in pregnancy? The answers to these questions and more as I'm joined by the wonderful Molly O'Brien to discuss all things 'Biomechanics for Birth'. Put simply, it's the process of your baby fi...

Does Tongue Tie just affect breastfeeding? Can a baby actually have a tongue that that DOESN'T affect feeding? Is there a link between Folic Acid and Tongue Tie? I challenge anyone that's encountered more than a handful of babies to have encountered Tongue Tie at some point in conversation. But there is so much misinformation about it. Midwife, IBCLC, Founder of The Tongue Tie Centre for...

How do second labours differ from firsts? How do you prepare older children? How do you prepare after both a wonderful or a difficult birth first time? Natalie  Meddings is an experienced doula of 20 years, Author of my FAVOURITE birth book 'How to Have a Baby' and 'Why Homebirth Matters' and you may remember her from Series One, where talked about Doulas and Understanding Labo...

A sneak peek at what you can expect from Series 2 of The Birth-ed Podcast! Snippets from just a handful the episodes coming up over the coming months. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Birth-ed Links Join free-  BUMP CLUB- expert  week by week support throughout your pregnancy Online Course from £40/$49 Group and Private Antenatal/Hypnobirthing Cou...

Series 2 of The Birth-ed Podcast Launches on Tuesday 17th May 2022 Find out what to expect in this trailer! Hit Follow/ Subscribe NOW, so the episode lands in your Podcast App before you wake up on Tuesday! SIGN UP TO THE BUMP CLUB for more tips, information and support https://birth-ed.co.uk/bump-club Support the show

From booking to after your birth, your midwife is there to support you throughout pregnancy, birth and beyond. But what can you expect from midwifery led care? This week I am joined by Midwives May Bourne (Founder of Positive Birth Jersey) and Sophie Hiscock (Founder of Village Midwife) where we discuss exactly what your midwife is there for and how to make the most of your care. We chat through t...

And in a single moment, your entire life changes. Your baby who has spent the last 9 months curled up inside, is earthside. WHAT NOW? In this episode I'm join by Midwife Marie Louise and we discuss what to expect in those first 24 hours after birth. Both physically and emotionally, for both mum and baby. You can follow Marie Louise on instagram @themodernmidwife and her new books is available...

In this episode, Independent Midwife Kemi Johnson and I discuss all thing Home Birth. The benefits, what if’s, practicalities, everything you may want to know about having your baby at home. Something important to consider, is that regardless of where you choose to give birth, if you go into spontaneous labour, at least part of your labour will be in your home environment. So understanding how bir...

Does the way you exercise need to change because you fall pregnant? What about if you've never exercised before? Is now a good time to start? This week we're bring you an up beat episode chatting through all things exercise when it comes to having a baby! From the physical and mental benefits, the impact on birth itself, things to be aware of and building it into your recovery for birth....