The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast

In this final episode of the season, I’m bringing together many of the themes we’ve explored over recent weeks and looking at one central idea: birth is not just about the destination — it’s about the journey as well. So often, birth conversations are reduced to outcomes. Was the baby healthy? Did everything go okay? Was everyone safe? And while those things absolutely matter, they are not the ful...

In this episode, I take a deeper look at breathing and relaxation in preparation for labour — going beyond the simple advice to “just breathe” or “try to relax.” These are not magic fixes, but skills that reflect how your nervous system responds to stress, intensity, and the sensations of labour. I talk about how the modern world keeps our bodies in a constant state of alert. Our bodies are always...

Why do so many women leave their birth experience wondering, “Why did I agree to that?” In this episode, we explore a rarely discussed but deeply important aspect of childbirth — the body’s survival response, and how it can shape decision-making in labour in ways we don’t always recognise at the time. Through a powerful listener story, this conversation gently unpacks what can happen when a woman...

I’m taking a little break over the Easter holidays, but I didn’t want you to miss this episode, because it’s the final one in our postpartum series , part of this season on The Reality of Birth .  Across this series, we’ve explored what life is really like after birth—the joys, the challenges, the surprises, and all the moments in between. We’ve talked about sleep, emotional shifts, body changes,...

Motherhood is more than a role—it’s a profound transformation. In this episode, I explore matrescence , the process of becoming a mother, and what it really means for your body, your relationships, and your sense of self. I talk openly about reconnecting with your postpartum body, navigating intimacy and sex after birth, and adjusting to the new dynamics in your relationship. I share reflections o...

Bringing a new baby into your family is often described as a joyful and exciting time — but the reality is far more complex. In this episode, I share an honest, real-world look at what it’s like to welcome a newborn into your home and your family , whether this is your first baby or you already have children. We explore the emotional, physical, and practical realities of the early weeks — from sle...

Since last week’s episode was released, I’ve received so many messages from listeners asking for more information about the fourth trimester and postpartum planning that I decided to record this extra episode to explore these topics in more depth. The weeks after birth are often overlooked in birth preparation, yet they represent one of the most significant transitions for both mother and baby. In...

In this episode, I’m joined by specialist postpartum midwife Lara for a thoughtful and honest conversation about what really happens after birth. Recorded last summer, this discussion explores the often-overlooked realities of the postpartum period — not just physically, but emotionally, relationally and hormonally. Together, we unpack: Why the fourth trimester deserves as much preparation as labo...

Preparing for birth is only half the story. What happens in the weeks after your baby arrives can be just as challenging — and often more overwhelming than labour itself. That’s why I teach the Relationship Circle in my antenatal classes, a practical way to map your support network, set boundaries, and clarify who does what. At the heart of the circle is Mother + Partner + Baby , because postpartu...

Last week I talked about hypervigilance — what happens when a woman’s nervous system doesn’t feel safe in pregnancy, birth or postpartum. This week, I explore one of the most evidence-based ways to reduce it: continuity of carer. Continuity is not just about seeing the same service. It’s about being known. It’s about relationship. And decades of research show that when women receive continuity of...

Hyper-vigilance is common in pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period — but rarely named. In this episode, we explore what hyper-vigilance really is, why so many women experience it, and how it impacts mothers, partners, and babies. We talk about nervous system safety, surveillance culture in maternity care, why reassurance often doesn’t help, and what truly supports healing — without pathologi...

This episode is a little different!  I decided to answer a batch of listener questions that were shorter than the single-question episodes, and they fit perfectly with what’s coming up in the coming weeks.  As I went through them, I noticed quite a few shared a common theme, and it reminded me just how important it is to dedicate some episodes specifically to postpartum experiences, because there...

In this episode, I’m joined by Fenja , who shares her freebirth story with honesty, depth, and clarity. At a time when freebirth is being widely discussed — and often misunderstood — Fenja’s experience offers a grounded and much-needed perspective on what informed, conscious birth preparation can look like. Fenja speaks openly about the extensive work she did during pregnancy : building physiologi...

In this episode, I am exploring the hidden and often overlooked phenomenon of self-gaslighting —when women dismiss their own instincts, feelings, or inner knowing. Self-gaslighting can show up during pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood, quietly eroding confidence and disconnecting women from their power. I will break down: What self-gaslighting is and how to recognise it Where it comes from and...

So much of birth preparation focuses on what to do — how to breathe, how to move, how to plan. But none of that works if a woman doesn’t trust herself. In this episode, I’m sharing my Ten Commandments of Birth and explaining why I believe inner work is the missing piece in so much birth preparation. I talk honestly about what I’ve seen shift in women since creating Discover Your North Star , and w...

In this final episode of the year, I’m talking about something I see all the time in my work — but something women rarely feel able to admit out loud: that the desperate longing for a baby doesn’t always match how they feel once they are actually here. After more than two decades supporting women through pregnancy, birth, and those early vulnerable weeks, I’ve heard this story in so many different...

In this episode, we dive deep into communication in the birth room — going beyond the widely taught BRAIN acronym. While BRAIN (Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing) can be a helpful tool, waiting until labour to rely on it often means you’ve already been pulled into reactive decision-making. We discuss how true advocacy, sovereignty, and physiological birth are protected long before...

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and fellow birth worker Jen Culley to talk about the reality that early labour is often overlooked in modern birth preparation. We explore how early labour is represented on social media and how these portrayals can unintentionally shape women’s expectations in unhelpful ways. While short clips and reels can beautifully capture the moment a baby is born,...

In this episode, I explore one of the most delicate and important questions in birth work: Is my lived experience more important than your future one? So many women feel torn between wanting to share their birth story — whether it was empowering, challenging, or deeply traumatic — and wanting to protect others from fear or unrealistic expectations. But how do we find the balance? How do we share t...

In this episode, I talk about one of the most emotionally testing times in pregnancy — the waiting game . When your due date is approaching, or has come and gone, it can feel as though the world is on pause while everyone keeps asking, 'Have you had the baby yet?'  I explore what this waiting period can really feel like — the impatience, the frustration, and the mental tug of war that ha...

Have you ever wondered why two women can walk into the same antenatal clinic and have completely different experiences? In this episode, I explore what I call the ' Sliding Doors' effect in maternity care — how the door you walk through, quite literally or metaphorically, can shape your confidence, choices, and ultimately your birth outcome. I unpack how seemingly small differences in ca...

In this episode of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast , I am exploring the Japanese art of kintsugi — repairing broken pottery with gold — as a powerful metaphor for healing after a difficult or traumatic birth. Instead of hiding the cracks, kintsugi honours them, turning them into the most beautiful part of the story. And birth can be the same. Your previous experience, however painful, does not...

The Four Tendencies in Birth: How Knowing Yourself Shapes Your Experience In this episode of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast , I explore how Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies framework can help women, partners, and birth professionals better understand how we respond to expectations — and why that matters so much in pregnancy and birth. I share real-life examples of how each Tendency (Upholder,...

In this episode, I’m speaking openly about the ongoing debate around paracetamol (Tylenol) , especially its use during pregnancy and in young children. Headlines and politics — including Donald Trump jumping on a microphone with bold claims — have left many people either dismissing concerns outright or panicking. But if we throw the baby out with the bathwater, we risk missing the real science tha...

Every birth has a moment that feels impossible. For many women, it comes right before the pushing stage — a sudden rush of overwhelm, doubt, or fear. This is what I call ' The Wobble'. In this episode of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast , I’m diving deep into this essential topic. You’ll learn: What the Wobble really is — why it happens, when it usually shows up, and how to recognise i...