The She Births® Podcast

The spiral of fear and faithWelcome to a new episode of the She Births podcast. Today I am with Innes and Hadley who share their birth story.Innes Heywood @innes_lauren is the founder of sustainable swimwear label Innes Lauren. She lives in the Byron Bay hinterland with her partner Hadley and daughter Flo. Hadley @hadleyperkins is a local filmmaker whose narrative films explore our human relationship with technology and nature.Flo was born at home after a couple of epic days of labour and an unusually magical prelabour across the Christmas holidays - which is very rare indeed. Most people experience a lot of pressure from hospital systems towards induction across this time due to lack of staff etc so it was refreshing to hear.They share their experiences of the physical, psychological and emotional challenges. And Innes shares the threads that have played out across her lifetime - that we all so often have to face again and again. Birth can be the opportunity to face our fears and the shadows - as we transition from maiden to mother, man to prince.I hope you enjoy.If you enjoyed this episode please leave a comment or review - we love hearing from you. Join our online course at: https://shebirths.com/online-birthing-classes/full-online-course/Get your free release the fear visualisation here: ⁠https://shebirths.com/release-fear/⁠

Hello dear listeners This podcast today is very close to my heart.A few weeks ago we held the very first of the She Births book tour event, at Gertrude and Alice in Bondi. My family was there. So many beautiful she births families as well, some of you I've known for close to two decades now. Plus Colleagues and collaborators.It was one of those nights where you look around and think — OMG this is it -  I have been working 4 solid years on this book and it's taken even longer than that to get here. It was incredibly special - I spent a lot of the day crying. Jessy and I had a cup of tea before and both felt like we were in an altered pre labour state - like waters were about to break. Then somehow we carried it and it was an amazing night. I shared the stage with one of my dearest friends — Jessica Chapnik Kahn.Jessy is a writer, musician and performer who has spent more than twenty years working across theatre, television, film, music and literature. She's the co-author of A Repurposed Life with Ronni Kahn of OzHarvest, the author of the children's book Lenny and the Ants, and the poet behind MADRE — a collection born out of the birth of her son. She lives in Sydney with her husband, musician Nadav Kahn, and their children.I was doula at both of Jessy's births - both very different experiences that we talk about in a separate podcast called “can birth be spiritual”..Our conversation was focused on the book of course but also very personal - and we laugh a lot, well everyone does, so I hope you do too. We talk not about she births and the inner work to create something so magicalI share my mission and values, my future dreams and more.So — settle in and enjoy.___________________________________________________📖 She Births: Your practical guide to a beautiful birth - is out now - at all great book stores - https://shebirths.com/she-births-book/Written by @nadine_shebirths  Published by @murdochbooks 🌿 Explore our online program, in-person masterclasses at shebirths.comSubscribe for more conversations on birth, motherhood.

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and my gift to you is my book baby.I feel incredibly vulnerable sharing this book and even more so the latest podcast I am sharing today, but I hope you hear something inspiring and relatable. Even if you have done She Births and had all your babies, this book will reveal aspects about your journey as a woman and birth you did not think about before.I wanted to share a bit of the why, how and what about the book. My heart and my soul with you all. I've been completely guided to write this book over the last 3 years.  After more than twenty years as a doula and almost eighteen years teaching She Births, I've watched what women need shift. Our OG program is extraordinary, but families need more now. We need to understand ourselves on a deeper level to make decisions that are truly right for our family. So I wrote She Births: Your Practical Guide to a Beautiful BirthWhy now?Almost 50% of first-time mums in Australia are being induced. C-section rates are over 40%. Tokophobia (disgust and fear of pregnancy and birth) is rising. And yet information alone isn't making birth easier -it's making it harder.What women actually need is a way to come back to themselves. To their HELL yes and their no. To understand the nuance in research, to embrace all people in the birthing room and without blame or anger towards the system, so we can make conscious decisions they won't regret.What's in it?Eleven chapters. 100,000 words. Over 300 research citations. Real birth stories. Science and soul. I really wanted the book to feel like we were sitting in the lounge together at a doula session.It's for pregnant families and birth professionals. I hope it makes it into every hospital, birth centre, yoga class, physiotherapy room and household.Come celebrate and join me with some very special peopleThe book launches on June 2nd through Murdoch Books. Events across Australia — Bondi, Annandale, Mid-North Coast, Byron, and my home at Main Arm.If you believe families deserve better births, please share this book. It's available through Booktopia, Big W, Waterstones, and Amazon.This is written from my heart. Thank you. 🌿Nadine xx💛Have you ever had your birth preferences dismissed? Share below 👇💛 The right education is the most powerful tool we have to prevent birth trauma. My new book She Births — out 2nd June — pre-order now 👉 link in bio.

Today on the She Births podcast, I’m joined by Jacqui Minell — She Births mum, Pilates, barre and yoga teacher, and mother to three boys: Will, Ed and Tom. This is not just one birth story. It’s three.And woven through them is fertility, loss, resilience, and the powerful realisation that birth can feel both familiar and completely different — even in the same body.If you’re preparing for birth again — or even reflecting on a previous experience — this episode is essential listening.We talk about fertility challenges and conceiving naturally after assisted cycles. We explore what changes when you truly prepare the body and the mind — and why no two labours are ever the same.There’s also a very honest, practical birth conversation covering:✨Castor oil smoothies✨Crazy curries✨Curb walking✨A posterior baby✨A frank breech babyWe discuss how Jacqui used chiropractic neuro-emotional techniques to help clear beliefs from the body — processing gender disappointment and even supporting her baby to turn.We dive into what Jacqui calls “training James” — how she intentionally prepared her partner differently for each birth, and how that shifted everything.Beyond birth, we explore postpartum recovery, newborn feeding challenges, including tongue and lip ties, and the deeper relationship and identity shifts that come with matrescence.We believe this is the reason why women need spaces to be witnessed. Why community matters and how Soul Mama Circles can support integration in that tender season. This is a conversation about preparing for all, but expecting the best, and about how birth becomes more powerful each time you meet it consciously.Jacqui’s story is also a reminder that how you prepare your body matters.We hope this episode inspires you to prepare deeply, trust your body, and surround yourself with the right support. If you loved this episode, please subscribe to the She Births podcast so you never miss a conversation that could support your birth journey. Thanks for listeningNadine xxPS...If you’re looking for beautiful, aligned support during pregnancy and postpartum, here are some of our trusted recommendations we talk about in this podcast:✨ Body Love Pilates – gentle, intelligent movement to support strength, connection and recovery. Use our She Births® community discount SHEBIRTHSLOVES to receive one month FREE.✨ Birth Sling – designed to support movement, positioning and comfort in labour.Use our She Births® community discount SHEBIRTHSLOVES for a $10 discount.✨ Made for Mothers – thoughtfully designed postpartum essentials to nurture recovery and confidence. Use our She Births® community discount SHEBIRTHSLOVES for a 10% discount on Postpartum Packages.✨ Obstetrician - Dr Bobby Teoh✨ Chiropractic Neuro Emotional Technique – Pollie Wilkie, Bondi Junction✨ You Tube - Jacqui's online birth prep classPrepare for birth fearlessly with our in-person and online courses.

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