The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast

Afleveringen

• Episode 180 - It’s Not Just About the Destination – It’s About the Journey as Well 26.04.2026 28min

  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 full story. In this episode, I explore what gets lost when birth is viewed only as a medical event. ...
• Episode 179 - The Truth About Breathing and Relaxation for Birth 19.04.2026 45min

  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 scanning for threat, and for many of us, a slight state of tension has become normal. This affec...
• Episode 178 - The Survival Response in Birth: Fawning and Cognitive Dissonance Explained 12.04.2026 37min

  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 is in a highly vulnerable, hormonally driven state, and how her nervous system may respond to pre...
• Episode 177 - Breastfeeding - Essential information for supporting a new parent with Maddie McMahon (Replay) 05.04.2026 1u 5min

  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, identity, and the real realities of those first few weeks with a newborn. For this final episo...
• Episode 176 - Becoming a Mother: Understanding Matrescence 29.03.2026 42min

  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 on shifting priorities, managing guilt when taking time for yourself, and learning to let go of con...
• Episode 175 - Welcoming a New Baby – Preparing Your Family and Supporting Your Older Child 22.03.2026 55min

  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 sleep deprivation and feeding challenges to the intense sense of responsibility and constant worry th...
• Episode 174 - The Fourth Trimester and Postpartum Planning 15.03.2026 48min

  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 this episode, I talk about the biological realities of the fourth trimester, why newborn behavio...
• Episode 173 - Specialist Midwife Lara - The Postpartum Period 08.03.2026 55min

  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 labour itselfThe importance of debriefing your birth experienceThe embodied transition women move thr...
• Episode 172 - Relationship Circles – Planning Postpartum Support 01.03.2026 31min

  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 postpartum is a shared journey. Around that centre, the circles show both parents’ families and friends, ma...
• Episode 171 - Safety: Why Continuity of Carer Changes Everything 22.02.2026 31min

  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 midwifery care, outcomes improve across the board — including lower rates of preterm birth, fewer...
• Episode 170 - Hyper‑Vigilance in Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum 15.02.2026 41min

  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 pathologising women or telling them to 'just relax'. This episode is for: Pregnant women who feel unable t...
• Episode 169 - Your Questions Answered: Birth, Babies & Early Parenthood Q&A 08.02.2026 45min

  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 is so much to unpack in those first days, weeks and months. I hope you enjoy this...
• Episode 168 - Beyond the Headlines: Freebirth, Preparation, and Choice — Fenja’s Story 01.02.2026 1u 23min

  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 physiological understanding, engaging in emotional and mental preparation, and developing a deep trust in her...
• Episode 167 - Self-Gaslighting – When You Silence Your Own Instincts 25.01.2026 30min

  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 itWhere it comes from and why it’s so commonHow it shows up in pregnancy, birth, and postpartumThe emotional and physical co...
• Episode 166 - The Ten Commandments of Birth: Why Inner Work Matters More Than Technique 18.01.2026 32min

  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 why no breathing technique can undo years of self-doubt. This episode is about preparation that goe...
• Episode 165 - The Baby I Dreamed Of — And the Feelings I Didn’t Expect 30.11.2025 34min

  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 forms. Today, I’m sharing the experience of a mum I met at a recent coffee morning — Emma — who ...
• Episode 164 - Beyond the BRAIN Acronym – Rethinking Communication in the Birth Room 23.11.2025 22min

  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 labour begins, through preparation, clear values, and embodied support. What You’ll Learn in This...
• Episode 163 - Why Early Labour Matters More Than You Think with Jen Culley 16.11.2025 1u 9min

  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, they rarely show the quiet, powerful, and often lengthy process that leads up to it. Early labour...
• Episode 162 - Is My Lived Experience More Important Than Your Future One? 09.11.2025 24min

  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 truthfully without limiting what’s possible for someone else? This conversation unpacks the tensio...
• Episode 161 - The Waiting Game – Why Patience in Late Pregnancy Matters More Than Ever 02.11.2025 45min

  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 happens when your baby still isn’t ready to arrive. I also talk about the pressure that can build when co...