The She Births® Podcast

In this final episode of the She Births® Podcast for 2025, we close the year with a deeply meaningful and expansive conversation.I sit down with She Births® dad, Aaron Tait—educator, humanitarian, former Navy serviceman, and author of the powerful new book Far Horizons. Together, we explore the rich tapestry of Aaron’s life and his remarkable journey through fatherhood, identity, birth, and masculine transformation.At just 17, Aaron was deployed to Iraq—one of the youngest Australian men sent after September 11. Years later, he purchased a one-way ticket to Africa with his partner, Kaitlin, dedicating his life to humanitarian work. Through all of this, birth became one of his greatest initiations.In this conversation, we dive into:✨ His two epic birth experiences and how they reshaped his understanding of love, responsibility, and partnership✨ Masculinity today — what’s working, what’s hurting men, and what desperately needs to evolve✨ The three phases of masculine growth: Knight, Prince, King✨ Why birth profoundly impacts men (even though we rarely talk about it)✨ How men can move through rites of passage with integrity, courage, and heartAaron’s story is one of depth, service, humility and awakening.And his book Far Horizons is a game-changer — I highly recommend gifting it to the men and boys in your life this Christmas. (Especially since only 10% of men read! Let’s help change that.)A beautiful, important conversation to wrap up the year.Tune in, share it with your community, and let’s continue building a culture where all parents are supported, seen, and transformed through birth.Love Nadine xxTakeaways80% of readers of my book are women.Birth is a rite of passage for both parents.The presence of a doula can be invaluable during labor.Ayahuasca can lead to profound personal transformation.Men often struggle with proving their worth through actions.The military experience can shape a man's identity.Forgiveness can come from unexpected places.Parenting requires continuous learning and adaptation.Books can foster empathy and understanding in men.Traveling can be a powerful way to reset one's life.TitlesExploring Fatherhood Through BirthThe Journey of TransformationSound bites"I was blown away by Kaitlin during birth.""I want people to see a far horizon and go for it."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Book Overview01:59 Birth Experiences and the Role of Doulas11:34 Fatherhood as an Initiation16:51 Transformation Through Ayahuasca18:14 Exploring the Themes of 'Far Horizons'21:18 Exploring Masculinity and Parenting Dynamics29:31 The Journey of Healing and Forgiveness36:36 Transformative Experiences in Africa40:46 Inspiring Change and Future Aspirations

The Dance of Motherhood: Navigating Relationships with DaughtersSeason 11 Episode 2.Welcome to a new episode of the She Births podcast. I am a huge fan of Dr Shefali, as you might be too. However, if you are new to parenting, you may not have read her amazing books yet.Dr Shefali is a New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned clinical psychologist. She has appeared on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, with Oprah calling her book, The Conscious Parent, one of the most important parenting books of our time. Her approach is grounded in psychology but deeply informed by Eastern mindfulness. She writes and speaks about breaking generational cycles and inherited trauma, building emotional resilience in children and much more.She will be in Australia in March 2026 for a live speaking tour in Melbourne and Sydney - speaking on conscious parenting, emotional trauma, self-awareness and mental health in the modern age. Details are in the show notes. Come and say hi to me too at her talk in Sydney. Go to drshefali.com or @doctorshefali on Instagram.I especially love how Shefali explains that conscious parenting is always happening - whether you are a parent or not. I love her invitation to see parenting as a mirror - and an opportunity to awaken. She makes conscious parenting so simple and grounded, but also enlightening.In our conversation, we answer questions from our She Births families - discussing the significance of the mother-daughter dynamic. How teenage children push our boundaries as part of their individuation. And she describes the Parenting Map and different archetypes we fall into. We delve into practical strategies for building self-worth in our children, managing anxiety in a chaotic world, and daily practices that can help us slow down and connect.Ultimately, we highlight the spiritual awakening that comes through parenting, encouraging us to embrace imperfections and cultivate compassion for ourselves and our children.Thank you for being here and for tuning in to She Births®. I hope this latest episode nourishes and empowers you in some way. If it does, please consider subscribing or leaving a heartfelt review — your support helps more families find their way to a beautiful birth.Nadine xxLinksDr Shefali website https://www.drshefali.com/She Births website https://shebirths.com/

Welcome to a brand new episode of the She Births® Podcast.I felt that this story would make a great Father’s Day episode. It is a story that involves many threads, including trauma and healing - but also a wonderful Dad, Chris. Chris shares beautiful and heartfelt words about birth from a man’s perspective - helping us to change the standard narrative of the incompetent dad in the room!The amazing mumma, Tess, by way of background, suffered a spinal cord injury in 2018 and spent months in and out of the hospital. She knew that she could go into spinal shock or experience AD, similar to a stroke, due to the stress of experiencing labour. It was always a potential for her to have a general anaesthetic and C-section. I will let Tess tell the rest of the story about how she created a path of empowerment for herself.Tess Brouwer is also a bestselling co-author with world champion surfer, Layne Beachley, of Awake Academy; Know Yourself to Grow Yourself to live a happier, more purposeful life.I am loving it as an audiobook - it blends science-backed strategies and soul-deep wisdom to help people navigate some of our most defining chapters, such as birth and parenthood. So check it out!Within this conversation, Tess speaks to the importance of building trust with your OB, the power of rewriting your story - even mid-birth - and how masculine partners can lead through presence.This is a conversation about surrender, preparation, and stepping into your inner strength. I hope you enjoy the inspiration. xxx NadineKey Takeaways:The importance of practical support and preparation in creating a positive birth experienceHow doulas provide emotional and physical guidance through labourWhy trusting your body can be one of the most empowering decisions you makeThe role of communication between partners during labour and postpartumHow building a supportive community helps new parents thriveMental health, yoga, and emotional readiness as vital components of birth preparationUnderstanding medical interventions as a way to feel more in controlThe deepening of intimacy and connection between partners during shared experiencesEmbracing both masculine and feminine energies during birthPostpartum care and bonding are an essential part of the journeyHighlight chapters05:07 Tess's Journey: Overcoming Trauma and Injury10:22 The Impact of Spinal Cord Injury on Life16:45 Rebuilding Through Yoga and Community26:53 Navigating Relationships and Parenthood47:45 The Birth Plan: From C-Section to Natural Birth56:16 Navigating the Birth Plan Amidst Uncertainty01:25:37 The Importance of Support and Communication in BirthLinks@awake_academy@tessbrouwer@shebirths

Welcome to a brand new episode of the She Births® Podcast. In this episode, Jessica and I discuss the journey of childbirth, focusing on her personal experiences with her 3 births.We explore the emotional and physical challenges of labour, the importance of education and support systems, and the impact of the environment on the birthing process. Jessica shares her fears, lessons learned from each birth, highlighting the unique challenges faced during her third pregnancy amidst a cyclone - and after an almost 4 hour second stage!We emphasise the healing power of discussing birth stories and the sense of achievement that comes with bringing new life into the world. Jess shares the challenges of juggling motherhood, alongside her new creation of leak-proof bras for breastfeeding mother's MILK.She also highlights the importance of community support during postpartum recovery and encourages mothers to trust their intuition and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.We love helping second-time families get back in their birthing zone. Reach out for our ALUMNI discount codes for online courses and to learn more about short private sessions.Look forward to sharing more with you soon.Nadine xxLinks https://shebirths.com/https://www.instagram.com/itsmilklabel/

Today I share a conversation with a beautiful mum and midwife, Corina Fitch. She is a midwife of birth and a midwife of matrescence, deeply passionate about both of those things.  In fact, Corina was born into midwifery. She was born in the back of a bus, on The Farm in Tennessee. If you are new to the birth world or just pregnant - The Farm, was founded by Steven and Ina May Gaskin,  It was set up as a commune that just kind of birthed itself. The midwives were self taught and ended up becoming the world's best midwives that we know of. And Ina May is the most famous. She has written many books still in print, the most popular is Spiritual Midwifery, and it's beautiful, such a wonderful collection of stories and such an extraordinary amount of knowledge, not just for midwives, but for pregnant mums and doulas too.  So I hope you enjoy our conversation today. We talk a lot about what The Farm and how it was, how it is now. Their amazing statistics - a c-section rate of 1.4%. We also talk about the importance of matrescence and making that word and mother’s struggles more visible. Want to feel empowered, inspired, and deeply prepared for birth and motherhood? The She Births podcast brings you expert wisdom, real birth stories, and transformative insights to help you navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond with confidence. Subscribe now and join our community of conscious parents creating beautiful beginnings. This podcast is proudly SPONSORED by the amazing @itsmilklabelThe creators of leakproof bras made with ultra soft and stretchy merino fabric. Fast-absorbing and fast-drying. Perfect for your baby feeding journey.MILK is about supporting and empowering mums just like you.Make sure you are wearing MILK by using code SHEBIRTHSLOVES at the checkout to get 15% off any purchase LINKS https://thefarmmidwives.org/ https://motherflytribe.myshopify.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOOBNKYUbXohttps://thefarmcommunity.com/stephen-ina-may-interview-midwifery/

Welcome to Season 10, Episode 5 of the She Births® Podcast.  Today, I talk with the pioneer, author and founder of Active Birth, Janet Balaskas. If you have done She Births®, you will have heard me say how essential it is to understand and even criminal to not include active birthing in birth education. Janet began her work as a pioneering birth educator and author in the late 1970s. In the 1980s, she founded the Active Birth Movement and published the Active Birth Manifesto. To this day, Janet is a leading voice in the global campaign to transform birthing practices. Her innovative ideas have spread throughout the world, inspiring parents, birth educators, yoga teachers, midwives, obstetricians, and doulas. She has even created new designs for birthing centres. She has published multiple books and a film. Her Active Birth Centre was founded in the early 1980s in London, England, and continues to this day.  It was an honour to have Janet. You can discover more about her at https://www.activebirthcentre.com/ Our conversation covers the origins of active birthing. We discuss Janet's personal birthing experiences, the evolution of childbirth practices, and the importance of understanding the physiological processes involved in labour.  Janet emphasises the significance of gravity, hormonal interactions, and the role of fear in childbirth while also highlighting the benefits of yoga as a preparation tool for expectant mothers.  The conversation delves into the need for informed consent and the empowerment of women in their birthing choices.  We chat about the profound spiritual experience of birth, emphasizing the importance of presence and surrender. We highlight the evolving role of partners in the birthing process, advocating for their active participation and emotional connection with the baby.  We discuss the Active Birth Movement, detailing its revolutionary impact on birthing practices and environments.  Finally, we conclude with reflections on motherhood, matrescence, and the essential qualities of nurturing and love in parenting. I hope this podcast has been inspiring and empowering for you and helps you create your own beautiful birth. Remember, you can learn and embody the power of active birthing in all of our She Births® Courses online or face-to-face. Prepare today at the website shebirths.com Our sponsor today is the amazing MILK LABEL. www.itsmilklabel.com⁠  Did you know that Milk Label uses only sustainable and natural materials that care for your body, your milk, and your baby. So you can be totally rest assured that there are no plastic fabrics on your skin or near your baby.  Milk has patented their amazing leakproof technology in all their bras and utilise Australian Merino to wick any moisture into a leakproof core, keeping you dry and feeling good all the time. Make sure you are wearing MILK by using code SHEBIRTHSLOVES at the checkout to get 15% off any purchase. Simply go to www.itsmilklabel.com           

Welcome to Season 10 Episode 4 of the She Births® Podcast. Today I talk with She Births mum and opera singer Emily Edmonds.  Emily is a mezzo-soprano who has worked extensively overseas. She is sought out for her interpretations of both contemporary and traditional work. She has worked with the Royal Ballet and Opera, Komische Oper Berlin, Opera Philadelphia. This year she is making an exciting Opera Australia debut, in the role of Cinderella. I can’t wait to go and see it this Summer in Sydney. Our conversation touches on the raw, transformative, and often uncomfortable experiences of matrescence. And how we enter that portal of change, from maiden to mother, even before we conceive. We talk about how matrescence can encompass an entire identity shift. Emily shares how her birth was powerful, connecting her to nature.  We discuss how women have been gaslit and often underestimate their capacity to handle the challenges of motherhood. The journey of motherhood is unique for each individual, shaped by personal experiences. There is actually a gift in juggling work and motherhood and a reciprocal enrichment I believe. It's so important to discuss taboo truths about motherhood. We also chat about Experiencing a miscarriage before birth Great challenges in postpartum with feeding How creative expression can flourish through the experiences of motherhood How creative identity can be deeply intertwined with motherhood Sensuality and desire  Communication with partners  Finding your voice in postpartum How motherhood is a season, and each moment is temporary Letting go of the idea of 'bouncing back’ with career, not just bodies The process of becoming less afraid is a vital gift of motherhood Stay tuned to the very end when we summarise both birth and matrescence - taboos and truths - into 3 words. Words that I hope stay with you and offer you the hope and power for your own process. Remember you can join a Soul Mama Circle and be within the safe container for matrescence and of course a She Births® Course to prepare for your beautiful birth either online or face to face via our website shebirths.com

Why breastfeeding is hard & how to make it easier Welcome to Season 10 Episode 2 of the She Births® Podcast. Today I talk with midwife and lactation consultant, Katie James from The Midwives' Cauldron & The Feeding Couch.  Katie has been a midwife for over 23 years and Lactation Consultant for more than 17 years. She teaches midwives, doctors and doulas; as well as thousands of pregnant women and parents. Together we talk about how amazing breastfeeding, lactation and human milk really is. And, we talk about the most common issues women have with feeding and why it is so goddamn hard! There can be so much grief with our feeding journeys for so many women. I recently did a podcast for Katie's show and shared my journey with her and wow…it brought up so much maternal guilt and shame. It was really uncomfortable and felt so important. I really love what she is doing at The Feeding Couch by sharing stories, just like we do birth stories. If you have finished your journey or if you are about to begin your feeding journey, I am sure that you will experience at least one of the issues we discuss. I promise you it will help to be informed now. Make sure you share this with all of your pregnant or wanna be pregnant friends and partners too. Did you know that by the time a baby is 6 months old, more than 80% of mothers have ended their breastfeeding journey and this is not b/c they want to stop Together we talk about the most common issue women stop, nipple pain and trauma plus all the other challenges. How to avoid them all and say no to the extremely common non evidence based forceful techniques and mother baby separation that happens every day in hospitals. Cultural forces and interruptions Low milk supply Tongue ties and lip ties Cracked nipples and how to use nipple shields The importance of skin to skin contact and proper support in the first few hours and first few days Rituals for a gentler approach to weaning I really hope wherever you are on your journey with feeding that this podcast helps to alleviate any of the maternal guilt and shame and allows you to celebrate how amazing we all are in whatever we are able to do. Please share with a friend, review and subscribe as it really helps us deliver more podcasts to more families. You can find Katie at her website. katiejames.site on instagram @katiejameslactation @themidwivescauldron and @thefeedingcouchpodcast.

How you can take ownership of your pelvic health with special guest Anna Scammell. Welcome to our first episode of Season 10 of the She Births® Podcast.This season is all about Taboos and Truths. We have got some really juicy conversations for you about all things us women go through. Todays episode is about prolapse and your pelvic floor. I talk with women’s health physiotherapist and continence specialist Anna Scammell from The Whole Mother. She is also a She Births® mum, of course. There are a lot of myths and fear mongering about birth and pelvic floors that we need to address. And, there are many things we can do to take care of this sacred and extremely important part of the body, if you know how.  We cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time and honestly I felt like a women’s health physio after the interview!  This is definitely a pod to share with your friends no matter what age they are because pelvic health matters at every age and will change with your stage of life, as I share personally about perimenopause too.  Knowing how a women’s health physio works could be key to helping someone make an appointment or detect an issue that is arising, be free of embarrassment and pain.50% of us will experience POP, pelvic organ prolapse after giving birth or later in our lifetime. So please share the love. At She Births® we have always recommended that every woman work with a women’s health physiotherapist.It is so important to get individualised care, assessments and support.  I believe a women’s health physio is something that should be compulsory and paid for by our government - as it is in France. Today we talk about the most common issues that arise and of course really unpack POP or pelvic organ prolapse, fears, preventions and solutions.We discuss: How to prepare your pelvic floor for childbirth  The most important things you need to know for better recovery The different types of pelvic organ prolapse - how they typically present in postpartum women? Preventative measures you can take to reduce the risk of pelvic floor issues  Effective rehabilitation techniques for women experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction How mode of delivery (vaginal birth vs. caesarean section) impacts pelvic floor health Tears versus episiotomy Painful sex and the emotional aspect of returning to sex Diastasis and what you can do postpartum to repair abdominal separation  What a truly holistic approach looks like, how critical that is and how we can engage our partners help in recovery Please share with a friend, review and subscribe as it really helps us deliver more podcasts to more families.You can find Anna and her online pregnancy and postpartum programs, that I have also contributed to, at website: www.thewholemother.com and IG: @the.whole.mother You might notice I created a new introduction for our Podcast this season as I will be sharing not only interviews with experts and of course more birth stories but also stories of matresence - the unravelling and becoming journey of motherhood.Look forward to sharing more with you soon.Nadine xx   Links: Website https://shebirths.com/ Weekend courses https://shebirths.com/weekend-birthing-classes/ Online course's: https://shebirths.com/online-birthing-classes/ Insta https://www.instagram.com/shebirths/                    

Today's episode is extra special because it is a conversation with my beautiful son Leroy, who is now 22 years old.  We start our dialogue about what constitutes a good relationship and then explore what fosters that.  We ended up going into some deep dives about education and values at home, the importance of community and teachers, the importance of self expression and freedom that we give to our children. We discuss in reflection the priorities that I have endeavored to bring into my parenting with Leroy - to see if he also thinks they were a good idea.  We were going to talk about intuition, and Leroy mentions intuition a couple of times, but these topics seemed a lot more relevant to you and our audience. I will have more conversations with Leroy I hope on the show because a parent child relationship is always in the process of change and growth. As he talked about adolescence and his experience of identity changes, it felt so relevant to our new understanding of matresence and patresence (and even menopause and andropause too). I wonder if we can, as a society, be more compassionate for all of these phases of change. Then, we can also connect and feel the privilege of having so many deep feelings during these times—as Leroy explains, he even misses them.  We chat about my regrets as a mum and the regulation of the nervous system. Plus, the latest research and discoveries about our awakened brain, the protection of spirituality, connection, and perspective in our lives. As you will hear, he is a very intelligent and very insightful young man, if I do say so myself. He is my greatest gift, and I couldn't be prouder. But we certainly are not perfect, as you will hear in the conversation. (There is some swearing, so only for adult ears.) I hope you have a few laughs, and I look forward to sharing more conversations with you next season, where we're going to launch with an amazing chat about boobs and feeding our babies.  It is winter here in Australia, so it feels like time to be a little quieter and more inward. I'm finding my energy is deeply creative right now, during the cooler months. As I dive into the finer details of editing my book, I just changed the title. Funnily enough, I was reminded that this was the title I had five years ago when I first sparked the idea. The creative process is a wild one, and I feel really grateful to be in it as grateful as I am almost to being a mum. Sending lots of love to you and your tribe. Please help others by sharing or reviewing this episode - as we'd love to hear from you, too. What touched you and what do you want to hear more of? Have a beautiful birth, enjoy your parenting and live a life you love. Nadine xx Links: Website https://shebirths.com/ Weekend courses https://shebirths.com/weekend-birthing-classes/ Online course's: https://shebirths.com/online-birthing-classes/ Insta https://www.instagram.com/shebirths/                          

Hannah’s successful VBAC after 2 c-sections In a world where VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section) seems like an insurmountable challenge, Hannah took a leap of faith.  Listen in as we explore her journey, filled with lots of learning, determination, resilience, and the unwavering belief in her instinct and intuition. Today I am talking with She Births mum Hannah Rodger @hannahrodgerchaimama about her 3 birth experiences. Across those stories, there are 2 hospital births, 2 c-sections and 1 Homebirth transfer. We allow space for Hannah to really harvest her birth experiences. To understand the growth and journey, the lessons and the gifts.  The gift of awe really stood out to me, as you will see in her photos, too. And awe cannot be underestimated in life. Awe is profound and brings with it a deep sense of belonging to the expansive universe. It can change and heal us. According to some researchers, awe is even an antidote to loneliness.  On socials, you can enjoy the wonderful birth photos taken by She Births mum, Tessa Tran @iamtessatran, who has also shared her amazing birth story with us on the show. This podcast is an epic unfolding, like our motherhood journeys are, and it seems like Hannah is never going to achieve her natural birth, even up to the last minute when she starts to feel her c-section scar. Stay tuned to the end, where Hannah shares her intuition across the birth experiences. I know you will find it insightful and probably resonate deeply. I hope you enjoy it. Nadine xx Links https://www.instagram.com/shebirths/ https://www.facebook.com/shebirths https://shebirths.com/ #whatworkedforyou #childbirtheducation #shebirths #nadinerichardson #pregnancytips #labourtips #childbirtheducation #pregnancy #childbirth #birth #doula #pregnant #birthdoula #empoweredbirth #birthwithoutfear #birthsupport #postpartum #birthmatters #breastfeeding #childbirtheducator #positivebirth #motherhood #laboranddelivery #doulalife #doulasupport #prenatal #newborn #gentlebirth #pregnantlife

How intuition expands talent, creativity, confidence & happiness I have been waiting a long time to record this podcast! To say I am excited about the Intuition Process for children is putting it mildly. I believe this program, with its teachings and the power and integrity of the organisation behind it, has the ability to change the world and, as my guests say, contribute to world peace. The documentary and the Australian research are also going to be amazingly powerful. So, let me begin by asking you a few questions… Do you believe in intuition? How often do you access it? Are your children more intuitive than you? Do you think it is important for them to harness their intuition? Today, I have Mala Sundareshan, International Program Director of the Intuition Process, with me. Mala works for the global Art of Living non-profit organisation founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and is currently leading the teacher training and rollout of the Intuition Process worldwide. I also have a dear friend and documentary filmmaker, Michael Collins. Michael is a four-time Emmy-nominated director and producer and the founder of Thoughtful Robot Productions. His films are highly impactful, have been screened globally over the last two decades, and have even changed laws! Mala and Michael share their experiences and insights into following and teaching children aged 5 to 18 techniques to harness what seems like magic or superpowers. The Art of Living says the Intuition Process wakes up our latent intuitive potentials through specific techniques of brain activation and meditation. Allowing children to access, cultivate and maintain their inherent intuitive capacity. “Intuition is the faculty of knowing or understanding something without the need for conscious reasoning or proof. As a culture, we have learned to follow our rational thinking as we go through our daily lives. We pay little attention to our inner voice, our gut feeling, that instinctual form that goes beyond our reasoning layers. We were all born with a naturally intuitive ability to perceive beyond our senses. As we grow, our culture and education obstruct us from developing our capacity to access our inner potential, especially when we need them most.” Today, we talk about: If intuition is an essential aspect of human experience? If intuition can be developed and honed over time? How intuition differs from coincidence How intuition might change the education system? (Fingers crossed for this one!) What children are gaining from learning the process of intuition and how that unique expression occurs in each child. And the research into the mechanisms of intuition by Joel Pearson, world leading neuroscientist based at UNSW, Sydney, Australia. This will create a revolution in not only Artificial Intelligence but Absolute Intelligence! I hope you enjoy. Nadine x #intiution #shebirths #podcast #newepisode Links https://thoughtfulrobot.com https://www.artofliving.org/au-en/intuition-process https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/joel-pearson

Hello, and thank you for joining me for today's podcast.  Whether you're pregnant, you've got a baby in your arms or a child at school. Whether you are a birth worker or an allied health practitioner, you will find this conversation very interesting.  I believe it is important to have conversations with people who think differently, especially those who are curious. People who speak their minds and research outside the mainstream narrative.  Dr. Stuart Fischbein has been an obstetrician in America since 1986. After working in the standard medical model at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, California, he now practices community-based birthing. He works directly with home birthing midwives through www.birthinginstincts.com to offer hope for those women who prefer and respect a natural birthing environment and cannot find supportive practitioners for VBAC, twin and breech deliveries. He is an outspoken advocate of informed decision-making, the midwifery model of care and human rights in childbirth, receiving the 2016 “Most Audacious” award from HRIC.  He has spoken internationally on breech and vaginal birth after cesarean section. He has appeared in many documentaries, including: “More Business of Being Born”, “Happy Healthy Child”, “Reducing Infant Mortality”, “Heads Up: The Disappearing Art of Vaginal Breech Delivery” and multiple YouTube videos discussing birth choices and respect for patient autonomy and decision making. He has the goals of improving collaboration amongst the differing professions in the birthing world and the re-teaching of the core skills, such as breech and twin vaginal birth, that make the speciality of obstetrics unique. One of the most challenging conversations I have during She Births is informing people that your body is your own and only you can decide what to do with it, even during pregnancy and birth. The second uncomfortable truth is that so-called evidence-based care is a term that gets bandied about a lot in search of status and prestige and power, but in truth, health care varies from practitioner to practitioner. From hospital to hospital. From country to country. In today's conversation, Dr Stu and I explore how the medico-industrial complex is more likely to be influencing the policy and therefore the suggestions, trickling down into advice and maybe even coercion that is given to us during pregnancy and birth.  Different policies flow down to us as consumers from the private companies that own the hospital as to whether we are allowed to birth in water for example. An insurance company that covers an OB may be the determining factor as to whether you are offered a VBAC.  We need to do our own research and choose. Just because someone says so, does not make it so for you.  Right now we are living in an age of disinformation and misinformation, and as the powers that be seem to continually try to confuse us and divide us. We're going to have to come back to ourselves.  We talk about the medico-industrial complex  How informed consent is not able to happen in our current model of healthcare Medical induction, the reality of due dates and the ARRIVE trial Natural breech births and other so called high risk mums being offered more choice The risks of multiple ultrasounds, the label of growth restriction and realising what ais happening redefining risks within maternal foetal medicine How continuous monitoring of labour and tracking the time of labour increases c-section rates And finally my favourite part is seeing this system vs consumers as a Star Wars battle. We also lean into a vision that has hope. I hope you enjoy today’s conversation with Dr. Stu - sending lots of love across the ethers to you and your family. If you feel passionate like I do, and you want to help families have better births then reach out and join me in our upcoming training. Become a wise woman of birth and help others find their own way. I also will be holding a Wise Woman Retreat towards the end of the year. wJVAgTEo9Q0AbiDWL3fB

What happens to your brain as a mother or father? ‘Intuition is the parental brain working’ with Neuroscientist Rocio Zunini Welcome, dear listeners, to 2024. I am so happy that this season of the podcast has decided to be about intuition. It is one of my favourite topics, and I believe it is also one of our superpowers as mums.  This season I will be exploring intuition and of course other topics with professionals and parents around the world.  Today's podcast is with Rocio Zunini, a neuroscientist with a Ph.D. from the University of Ottawa and a mother of two. She is the founder of Newborn Parents, which was born out of a fusion of her two passions: the brain and the relationship between parents and their infants.  She educates parents and professionals about parental brain science so that they can take advantage of the profound brain changes that accompany matrescence and patrescence.  She is also an advocate for nurturing infant sleep. She firmly believes that when parents and professionals learn about the power of the parental brain, they can create a path for a lifelong nurturing relationship between families and their babies. I couldn’t agree more! And birth is the big bang beginning of this relationship. Today with Rocio we explore the parental brain and the amazing changes that occur across pregnancy, birth and postpartum…And I mean in my experience, when does matrescence ever end? Our children, if we maintain a relationship with them and want to have quality connection then we have to continue adapting and growing. They continue to keep us on our toes. I'm hoping I might even convince Leroy to come on this season, even though as a philosopher, he doesn’t actually believe in intuition I think it would be fabulous to hear about quarter-life and his 21st birthday experience. Let me know if you would like to hear about that. For me I was so emotional I could hardly give the speech.  Anyhoo! Today we discuss How the parental brain is highly dependent upon experience and environment How parents and infants synchronise, and children borrow our nervous systems How we can nurture, embrace and help this process of brain development Why it is so important to take care of the Information we are putting in, not just food Why we often feel anxious as new mums, and how to manage this Did you know that because the brain is more malleable, you can actually benefit more from yoga and mindfulness We also describe the brain networks that change during matrescence, which are: reward, protector, emotional and empathy systems The importance of joy and mutual delight! I love how brain science reiterates so much of what we practice in our Soul Mama Circles, which start up again in February. 100% of mums say that they loved the process and found it priceless btw. Also, the wisdom and importance of She Births to utilise both bottom-up and top-down approaches in education. So I hope that there will be joy in your new year, whenever or wherever you are listening to this podcast. I love hearing from you. Leave us a review, send us an email and let us know what you think and feel, please. We have so many exciting things to share this year. My new one-day Masterclass is a hybrid learning program with an online course. It is a one-day live program plus Zoom workshops for Q&A and allows me to include some of my new teachings about intuition, embodiment and matrescence. Our new She Births® Guide and Educator training is launching again. We have a vision to reach so many more families, but we need your help. If you are passionate about helping restore the sacredness of birth in your community and helping others have beautiful births, then reach out. Links Rocio Website www.newbornparents.net Weekend and Masterclass dates: https://shebirths.com/weekend-birthing-classes/events/ Soul Mama Circles https://shebirths.com/mothers-groups/ Guide and educator training https://shebirths.com/birth-professionals/ Email support@shebirths.com

Connections between birthing and menopause Stop people-pleasing and discover authentic self-care Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 6, our Rise of the Feminine season. This collection of podcasts talks about how the feminine rises within us during pregnancy, birth and beyond. I’m so grateful you are listening to these conversations about living in a way that fully honours our feminine journey and strength. I absolutely loved talking to this remarkable woman, Alison Brahe Daddo. Her honesty and generosity are so refreshing. Alison is a screenwriter, podcaster, teacher and former model who appeared regularly on the cover of Cosmopolitan, Dolly and Cleo magazines in the ‘90s. She grew up alongside a generation of Australians. Now, she’s all grown up and has gone through menopause, an experience she shares in her new fantastic book Queen Menopause Finding your majesty in the mayhem. Menopause changed Ali’s perspective on life, relationships and body image. It made her realise the implications of being silent, speaking up, consent, boundaries, and the importance of feeling, of being and of anger. She reveals how all the shifting within gave birth to a new sense of self and her life. In this episode, we chat about the following:  Menstruation, pregnancy, birth, sex and menopause. How the lessons, opportunities and gifts can be so similar. Wherever you are along the journey of womanhood, it is time to practice deep self-awareness and authentic self-care. Pull together a team of practitioners that can help you the way you want. Invest in your health of body, mind and soul.  Remember, we can’t stay busy forever! As we continue with our Rise of the Feminine season, stay tuned at the end when Alison shares her vision of what the world would look like with restored feminine power and wisdom. I highly recommend Alison’s book so that you can become the Queen of your life, whatever stage you are in. I hope you enjoy it. Nadine x She Births® Episode Resources: Follow Ali on Instagram at @alidaddo Her book is available everywhere, and I highly recommend it.  She Births Doula service can be found at https://shebirths.com/doula. Free 7-Day Introduction to prenatal yoga: https://shebirths.com/prenatal-yoga Tags: motherhood, matrescence, prenatal yoga, pregnancy yoga, Birth, Childbirth, Antenatal, birth education, Birth stories, Australian birth stories, positive birth stories, challenging birth stories, Pregnancy, Nadine Richardson, Birthclass, She Births, Birth class, Doula, Midwives, Midwife, Home birth, Australian college of midwives, Hospital birth, Pregnant, Mother, Father, Natural birth, menopause, menstruation, 

A special bonus episode where you can Ask Us Anything. Featuring Nadine Richardson x She Births® Educators Caitlin Siboulet and Sarah Beale Resources: Free Holistic Pregnancy Guide Free Release The Fear Visualisation Prepare for birth with She Births®: Online Course Weekend Course Follow us on @shebirths to ask your question at the next Ask Us Anything live stream xxx #birth #childbirth #birthcourse #birthclass #onlinebirthclass #onlinebirthcourse #sydneybirthclass #sydneybirthcourse  #midwife #doula #shebirths

shebirths.com How to heal birth trauma and have a VBAC in the hospital system. Janneke's vaginal birth after cesarean birth stories in Australia and Abu Dhabi. VBAC stands for vaginal birth after cesarean or as I like to sometimes call it ‘the near miracle birth’ in this day and age. Before we begin I think it's helpful to hear some of the statistics and then we will jump into a truly inspiring VBAC story from Janneke. Around the world successful VBAC stats are extremely low. The BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth in 2020 stated that: VBAC rates are quite high in countries such as Finland, Norway and The Netherlands (38–55%) and low in Australia and the US (12%) [2,3,4]. In Australia the vast majority of caesareans undertaken are due to repeat caesareans [2]. In New South Wales (NSW) the VBAC rate varies from 6% in private hospitals to 19% in public hospitals. So, it is no small feat to psychologically prepare and often push hard for a VBAC within our systems. It really helps us to understand why so many great doulas, educators and midwives are pushing so hard to help prevent that first caesarean too! I would like to warn some of you that this podcast could be triggering if you have specific birth trauma. It could also be incredibly empowering and healing if you are preparing for a VBAC. In this episode we chat about: How Janneke prepared for and managed to avoid not only another cesarean but the trauma and triggers from her first labour. Her general anaesthetic emergency c-section and the first labour with very little encouragement from providers in Abu Dhabi. The two different types of induction she had with each labour. We discuss working with a psychologist and becoming more mindful and more selfish (in a healthy way). How She Births prepares both parents How She Births helps the healing and processing of previous trauma. My favourite takeaway that I think we can all benefit from is “NO is a full sentence”. Episode Resources: Get your FREE She Births Holistic Pregnancy Guide here: shebirths.com/pg For more information about She Births Weekend birth classes and Online antenatal education: shebirths.com Access the She Births Doula service here shebirths.com/doula BMC Pregnancy and childbirth, 2020 Tags: VBAC, Vaginal birth, hospital system, c-section, birth trauma, healing birth trauma, Birth, Childbirth, Antenatal, birth education, Birth stories, Australian birth stories, Abu Dhabi birth stories, positive birth stories, challenging birth stories, Pregnancy, Nadine richardson, Birthclass, , Birth class, Doula, Midwives, Midwife, prenatal yoga, Home birth, Australian college of midwives, Hospital birth, Pregnant, Natural birth, She Births

Welcome to Season 10 Episode 3 of the She Births® Podcast. This is our Taboos and Truths season. And today holds a bit of both, like our previous episodes.  In episode 1 and 2 we covered conversations about our pelvic floor and our boobs. Two essential parts of the body as we birth are often filled with taboo, shame and confusion. So I hope those previous chats have helped bring more awareness, truth, and empowerment into your field in relationship with your body and mind. Today I talk with Sharon Settecasse, a mother and community advocate from Better Births Illawarra @betterbirthsillawarra  Sharon is a space holder whose work is rooted in reclaiming and healing self, community and culture. Her ancestry is Argentinean and her story and responsibilities are now interwoven on Dharawal Country, south of Sydney.  Sharon’s work involves visioning collective liberation, connecting with each other, and dismantling colonial and patriarchal systems while honoring the intergenerational strength and collective resilience of marginalised peoples. Sharon is the president and co-founder of Better Births Illawarra, a fierce grassroots community advocacy organisation committed to ensuring every mother and birthing parent has access to an empowered birth through respectful, just and humane maternity care. In my chat today, we get to celebrate something rare yet powerful—triumph in the birthing space. For decades, we've seen choices taken away from women and their families, interventions on the rise, and far too much trauma as well. But amidst all this, a group of incredible women from the Wollongong area have been fighting for better births, not just for themselves, but for all of us. I'm honored to be joined by one of these trailblazers, Sharon as she shares with us their recent victory in expanding the Midwifery Group Practice at Wollongong Hospital’s Birth Centre, and how this win is not just a triumph for the Illawarra, but represents even more in terms of the power of community, advocacy and the powerful ripple effects of writing to our ministers and recent birth trauma inquiry. I have spoken about it before but we'll dive into the groundbreaking parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma—a victory that’s already igniting action in New Zealand, the UK, and beyond. Truths, when they are spoken and come into the open work like wildfire—each triumph fuels the next. Truths and healing on a collective level is one of the most powerful ways we can help ourselves and our sisters and children. Speaking the truth, breaking taboo, releasing pain and shame is actually helping us move toward a world where birth is safer, more empowering, and filled with choice. I hope this conversation inspires you as much as it has inspired me. Let's celebrate these victories and continue pushing for change together! I hope wherever you are on your journey as a parent or birthworker that this podcast helps to have a beautiful birth and create more beautiful births for others. Please share with a friend, review and subscribe as it really helps us deliver more podcasts to more families.  You can find Sharon and her crew @betterbirthsillawarra 

⁠SheBirths.com.au ⁠ | ⁠She Births® Online Courses⁠ | ⁠ She Births® Weekend Courses Maiden to Mother Birth Story : The power of slowing down with Tayla & Jaime Today's podcast is with Tayla and Jaime, a She Births® couple who gave birth on the south coast of NSW about 10 minutes before their midwife arrived. We share a lot of laughs in this podcast and a lot of insights and truths. They are a really fun and playful couple. I was recently inspired by their rewilding of their relationship recently. Tayla took pregnancy as a time for really slowing down. Which I believe is one of the most important things we can do, in resistance to our hyper productivity culture but also because it is a step towards being able to listen and receive all the wisdom and gifts from both our instinctual bodies and our intuitive higher self during pregnancy. As we move into more being and less doing there is more stillness and therefore silence. We can tune in and listen to the way our bodies and all of Nature around us communicates with us continually  I love how Tayla could feel the subtle moments when her maiden self was arising and dying throughout labour. And I love how much laughter these two bring to their life. Why can’t birth also be fun and playful? We talk about The shadow and light sides of our maiden selves The victim and drama triangle we can get caught up into Making love to initiate labour Creating a birth altar that connects us with our red thread and the power of mother blessing ceremonies The different type of support we receive from dads and doulas, especially during pushing  My knowledge of the psychic imprint on a child at crowning from the atmosphere in the room We also discuss the superpowers and gifts from birth such as intuition, intimacy and the awesome strength and competency as a mother all of which I am writing more about in my upcoming book. As this is our final podcast episode for 2023 I want to thank you all for listening and engaging with my work here at She Births.  It has been so nourishing to meet mums post partum who said they learnt and were so inspired by the birth stories we share here. Also, by the openness and vulnerability I share too. I look forward to a new year ahead and sharing some very new and exciting projects and offerings. 

SheBirths.com.au | She Births® Online Courses | She Births® Weekend Courses What is a Private Midwife? Should you have one? What is relational based care? How to choose a provider for your beautiful birth... Today's podcast is with Liz Wilkes who is the Managing Director and Founder of My Midwives.My Midwives was established in 2010 and has supported thousands of families. They are change agents in the maternity system offering true individualised care that we so often talk about at She Births.My Midwives is the first midwifery practice in Australia to admit women to hospital with Medicare rebates and also the largest private midwifery practice.They provide continuity of care through pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum. Their care covers all the normal visits and aspects from booking into hospital, doing blood tests and scans etc.They will remain a mothers primary care provider but work autonomously and collaboratively with a range of hospitals and practitioners. They have exceptional outcomes and their data will be published very soon.Liz Wilkes was one of the first Medicare provider midwives in Australia and conducted the first Medicare rebated birth.LISTEN ON APPLE  |  LISTEN ON SPOTIFYMost women I know will make a phone call quickly after they pee on a stick and choose whatever care provider their latest friend or perhaps their GP tells them, without actually knowing that outcomes can vary greatly in different models of care. This podcast is designed to help you and any of your pregnant friends out there understand the different models of care and guide you in choosing the best place for you. Because finding out midway through pregnancy at a She Births course can sometimes feel really deflating and frustrating.Today we talk about...→ The spectrum of care→ The importance of relational care→ What research tells us is gold standard→ How midwifery continuity is different to obstetric continuity→ How Liz started My Midwives and what makes it so unique→ How collaboration and advocacy are key to your better birth. How midwives, doulas, and hospitals interact well together to help avoid unnecessary inductions or other medical interventions.→ Birthing on Country care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families→ Freebirthing - what it is and isn't→ Giving yourself permission to shop around and trusting what you feel is the best care for youI hope you enjoy this very special episode.Nadine xx She Births®PS. Join me this month in Sydney for an in-person She Births® Weekend Course! Only TWO spaces left!  LINKS My Midwives : https://www.mymidwives.com.au/ Instagram My Midwives : https://www.instagram.com/mymidwives/ She Births® Holistic Pregnancy Guide : https://shebirths.com/pg