Think scientific evidence is going to give you a clear a 'best' path forward in your birth decision making? Unfortunately, it's rarely that simple. With midwife Beth Russell, we explore the messy middle where numbers meet lived experience: why absolute risk matters more than scary “your risk doubles” headlines, how studies like the Big Baby Trial get misread, and why nuance changes everything. In this episode you will understand: How 'evidence' is created in the first place.What to cons...

What happens when your birth experience completely contradicts everything you prepared for? For author Hannah Marsh, an emergency cesarean section after 30 grueling hours of labor left her feeling not just physically scarred, but emotionally devastated. Despite cesarean sections accounting for roughly 43% of UK births today, Hannah found herself woefully unprepared for this possibility – having focused exclusively on hypnobirthing techniques and natural birth preparation. In the years that f...

Davina McCall joins the Birth-ed Podcast to share her transformative journey from anxious first-time mum to empowered birth advocate. Celebrating the launch of Davina's new book "Birthing," co-written with midwife Marley Henry – a judgment-free guide that supports women through conception, pregnancy, birth and beyond. Davina and I explore what's missing from modern maternity care, celebrate the wonder of pregnancy and birth and empower you to navigate you rbirth choices with confidence and a...

Season 5 of The Birth-ed Podcast launches THIS WEEK. On Friday 26th September (and every Friday thereafter), we are back with world leading expert guests, heart warming wisdom, fascinating science and the warm hug you need every week during pregnancy! Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode, and come join the weekly chats over on Instagram @birth_ed. Support the show

When to clamp the cord that leads from placenta to baby has become a contested issue in recent years. Today’s guest, Amanda Burleigh, has fought long and hard to introduce evidence-based practice and advocates delayed cord clamping for better baby health.Amanda talks openly about her personal journey to discover the benefits of delay and how it works in practice. We also bust some myths that women have encountered during delivery, including the facts behind cord blood donation and storage. An...

Some women choose to labour in hospital, others feel they arrive there through the course of their care. If you find yourself in a delivery suite or labour ward for your birth, this episode aims to help you feel the most comfortable and prepared to be there. I’m speaking to Lily Brockenhurst, a midwife who specialises in holistic care in a hospital setting, about what your expectations should be on a ward, what is in your control, and how you can make your birthing experience a positive one. ...

Why is so much importance placed on how much you weigh in pregnancy? Is a mother with over 30 BMI really at a high risk of complications in birth?This week, I’m speaking to Alice Keely, the Heavyweight Midwife, about the stigma attached to plus size parents, what to expect in pregnancy and labour if you’ve been labelled high risk, and how to approach interactions with healthcare professionals so that you feel more cared for and in control.Find more from Alice at www.theheavyweightmidwife.comJ...

Our culture surrounds us with pressure to look a certain way and be a certain way, and no more so than after pregnancy. The focus on whether you ‘bounce back’ after birth can be overwhelming. My guest this week challenges us instead to focus on postnatal rehab, functional movement and enjoyment. Hollie Grant is a Pilates PT and founder of The Bump Plan. Together we talk about when you can start moving your body after birth, where to start if it’s been a while, and what to look out for in...

If you’re a regular listener to the show, or you’ve done a Birth-ed course, you’ll know that I really value breathwork in labour, but I hadn’t realised the calm that breathwork can bring to pregnancy until I read today’s guest’s book. This week I’m talking to Carolyn Cowan, embodied psychotherapist, yoga teacher and author of Breathing for Pregnancy. Carolyn explains why and how conscious breathing works, gives a short breathwork demonstration and shows how to integrate the practice into...

C-section recovery is one of those subjects that is rarely mentioned before you experience it. So this week, I’ve got together with Clare Bourne, a pelvic health physiotherapist, to talk you through what you need to know to recover well. We cover everything from how to get out of bed in those first few hours, to exercise, to long term recovery and scar massage. For more information on Caesarean Sections, see Season 2 Episode 6 - Caesarean Birth with Consultant Obstetrician, Florence Wilc...

This episode is essential listening if you’re trying to decide whether to labour in a birth centre or midwife-led unit.I’m exploring everything birth centres, with my friend, midwife, Issy Bourton. Issy and I look at what a birth centre/midwife-led unit is, how your experience there can differ from a hospital birth, what you can expect to happen during your labour, how to request a birth centre labour if you are not low risk, and transferring to a labour ward.For more information about s...

Many parents feel that they have to pick a side on the feeding debate - breast or bottle. But the reality is that often families find themselves a compromise, whether that is adding an occasional bottle to their routine, or switching to formula during the day, and breastfeeds when mum gets home from work. Despite this, information about how to go about mixed or combination feeding has been scarce, until now. My guest this week, Lucy Ruddle IBCLC, is author of a guide to mixed feeding, Mixed U...

With social media platforms increasingly censoring candid images of birth and women’s bodies, I got together this week with The Naked Doula, Emma Armstrong, to talk about why we need to see real women’s experiences online. Our wide-ranging chat touches on using the correct words for female anatomy in schools, how we set realistic expectations for birth, and how reconnecting with your body through periods, birth and the menopause is truly empowering.Emma Armstrong is a mother, a birth coach an...

Continuous Foetal Monitoring can be uncomfortable, anxiety-inducing or misleading, but there’s plenty of evidence for its use, right? That’s the question Dr. Kirsten Small set out to answer after her long career in obstetrics. Her research led her to question everything about trace monitoring, from the case for low and high risk differentials to how centralised monitoring changes care in the birth room.In this episode, I’m speaking to Kirsten about her findings, and how you can make an inform...

The Birth-ed Method is finally here. After years of supporting 10,000s of families preparing for their births using hypnobirthing, it’s time for birth-ed to wave that chapter goodbye, and introduce- The Birth-ed Method.The 4 pillars of the Birth-ed Method, Mind, Body, Choices & Communication provide you with a deep & holistic preparation for birth and early parenthood. There’s no point in knowing your choices, if you don’t feel confident enough to communicate what you want. ...

Modern Maternity Care has a tendency to separate conception, pregnancy, birth, feeding & parenting. But there is a thread that runs from one through to another. The choices you make and experiences you have during and prior to birth have a direct impact on your postnatal experience.In this episode, we join the dots. What can we do or consider now, ahead of birth, to prepare for the 'fourth trimester' and beyond?An important aspect of the new Birth-ed Method, start here to get yourself thi...

Decision making is a guaranteed part of your pregnancy, birth and postnatal experience. But it can feel like a massive responsibility when you're not really sure where to start. It's often much easier to just 'do as you're told.. often, you don't even realise you've GOT a choice in the first place.This episode is one you can come back to, time and time again, any time you're feeling stuck, any time you're facing a big decision.. And use it to guide you to make confident choices that feel righ...

I was once told that we should only be sharing with women 'positive birth stories'.. But as the years have gone by, I've supported 10,000s of families in their birth prep, I realised that perhaps it's not quite that simple. Dive with me into the nuances of this conversation, discover how to use birth stories as a way of deepening your understanding of birth, building your confidence and helping you to make choices for your own experience. Consider the clarity, processing and freedom sharing y...

BIG NEWS.I'm expecting!Expecting a NEW SEASON of The Birth-ed Podcast (and hey, did you spot the new look?)A season that once again dives deep into the things you'd expect to learn in your antenatal appointments.. but don't! C-section recovery, fetal monitoring, mixed feeding, hospital birth.. there's so much incoming and it's going to be GOOD.Launching with a MINI series on Monday 22nd April and Season 4 launching proper on Friday 26th.. make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss a thing....

It's a solo episode from me this week, talking in detail about birth plans.. let's explore together-Can you really plan for birth?Why bother?What to include?How to write one?What to do with it?Please subscribe, rate and review! So we can get this vital info to as many parents to be as we can!______________________SPONSORSThis episode is sponsored by Little List Start your list with Little List today!Join the Birth-ed Online CourseJoin the BUMP CLUB FREEFollow us on Instagram____________...