Claim OwnershipThe Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast
Subscribed: 76Played: 3,502
Subscribe
© 2026 The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast
Description
Everything a pregnant woman and her partner need to know to support them in preparation for labour, birth, and the early days with a new baby. This podcast gives both you and your partner the confidence and knowledge about the role they play throughout your birth, so they don't undermine or ruin the birth for you. Throughout these episodes, my guests and I will share with you our experience of being a birth keeper and advocate for women across the globe. This podcast is inclusive and invites guests from all backgrounds to enable you to hear a wide range of experiences.
173 Episodes
Reverse
Send a text 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...
Send a text 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 ...
Send a text 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 f...
Send a text 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 yo...
Send a text 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 ...
Send a text 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...
Send a text 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 preparat...
Send a text 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 —...
Send a text 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 L...
Send a text 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. ...
Send a text 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 unpack...
Send a text 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 b...
Send a text 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 care — the tone of a conversation, the attentiveness of a practitioner, the questions asked — can ...
Send a text 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 make you broken. It makes you wiser, clearer, and stronger as you prepare for your nex...
Send a text 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, Questioner, Obliger, Rebel) might prepare for birth, how they may respond in the momen...
Send a text 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 that deserves our attention. I explore: How paracetamol impacts the body: glutathione dep...
Send a text 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 itWhy it’s not a crisis, but a turning point in labourWhat partners can do in the moment to suppo...
Send a text In light of the recent NMC and Doula UK video, I decided to record this special episode as I felt it relates this this season's theme: The Reality of Birth. The video tried to define the role of a doula but missed the mark — suggesting we simply reinforce what midwives advise. That’s not the truth. You can watch it here - https://youtu.be/bXqIBMTZHDs Many care providers still remain confused about the role of a doula — despite us providing care for 25 years or more in some cases. ...
Send a text In this episode of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast, I’m joined by Poppy Child from Pop That Mumma, who shares parts of her second birth story that she has never spoken about publicly before. Poppy went into her pregnancy journey believing that a pain-free birth was achievable, but the reality unfolded in ways she hadn’t expected. In this conversation, she opens up about the untold elements of her experience, offering an honest reflection on how expectations can differ from real...
Send a text Season Six - The Reality of Birth Today Welcome to a brand-new series of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast In this first episode, I am exploring the romanticised idea of birth that we can sometimes hold. I share Where the romantic image of birth comes fromWhy relying only on a partner can be overwhelmingHow the 'bubble' can burst in labour and postpartumPractical preparation tips for birth partnersA listener’s question on intimacy vs. supportReflection prompts to help you prepare...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States