Send us a text Welcome back to the podcast after the summer break. In this episode, I am talking to the wonderful Alex Burner, who is sharing with us her experience of prodromal labour. This is when labour starts and stops before switching into active labour - often lasting days or weeks in some cases. Alex talks us through her 3 births, and explains why she thinks this happened to her. We also explore other reasons why it can happen so that anyone listening can prepare in advance if they feel t...
Sep 05, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Send us a text During the summer break, I thought it might be nice to release a bonus episode. I was so happy to be able to talk to the lovely Keira, from the multi-award-winning Mama Designs, about the amazing business she set up when her eldest was a small baby. She now makes a wide range of baby and toddler products and has over 66k followers on Instagram. Keira also shares with us the brief story of her 3 births, and her top tips for birth partners. You can find all of these brilliant produc...
Aug 15, 2021•33 min•Ep. 31
Send us a text In this episode, I talk to Amy from the Lily Mae Foundation - a charity which works tirelessly to provide support to anyone who experiences stillbirth, miscarriage, neonatal death or medical termination. Amy shares what it feels like to find out that your baby has no heartbeat, and her experience of going through the loss of a stillborn baby. She talks about the decision making process that comes with that awful news, and her subsequent labour and birth. We also talk about decidin...
Jul 18, 2021•48 min•Ep. 30
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking to Scott Mair about Paternal Mental Health!! We get into a discussion about why it is important that all pregnant women and their birth partners should know that if the birth doesn't go according to plan, especially if interventions occur, then it is not uncommon for one or both parents to feel traumatised. While there is typically support available for the postnatal woman, there is little consideration for the birth partner or dad, who may have been ...
Jul 11, 2021•53 min•Ep. 29
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking with Emma - AKA @thenakeddoula, who shares with us her very raw and painful story of the loss of her mother during pregnancy and her subsequent birth of her son by planned c-section. In early motherhood, she decided to train as a doula and hypnobirthing teacher, and she speaks about how she had a desire to create strong colourful messages to educate and empower pregnant women using visual images. Her popular Instagram page is a great source of knowled...
Jul 04, 2021•52 min•Ep. 28
Send us a text This is the first episode of my birth story series. I am so excited to be talking with the lovely Megan Rossiter, who shares her journey through the birth of her two children. The first was an Induction, and the second was a homebirth. Megan talks about her journey from midwifery to motherhood, and about how she has moved on to teach antenatal courses. Her speciality is to help support new, soon-to-be families to have a positive birth experience by learning evidence-based informat...
Jun 27, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 27
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking with Cara, an NHS community midwife who talks about her journey to becoming a popular Instagram midwife, and how she shares her knowledge with 1000’s of families who are looking to achieve a positive birth experience. Her bubbly personality and honest, woman-centered approach leads us into a great discussion about some of the issues that pregnant women and birthing people are facing when giving birth within the NHS. You can find Cara on Instagram - @t...
Jun 20, 2021•50 min•Ep. 26
Send us a text During this episode, I speak with Carmelle Gentle, a midwife who is amongst many things, a feeding and lactation expert who specialises in babies with tongue-tie. Carmelle, who truly does live up to her name - Gentle by name, Gentle by nature - gave up some of her very busy time to share with us exactly what you might need to look out for when spotting a tongue tie in both a breast and bottle-fed baby. She can not only assess babies for tongue tie but is also qualified to divide t...
Jun 13, 2021•58 min•Ep. 25
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking with Gordon from Mantenatal. An antenatal company providing educational information to prepare dads-to-be for birth and fatherhood. https://www.mantenatal.co.uk Instagram - @mantenatal If you would like to buy a copy of the book that accompanies this podcast - click here:- Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner — https://bit.ly/Labouroflove Or purchase a copy via my website - www.birthability.co.uk Follow me on Instagram @theulti...
Jun 06, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 24
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking with fellow pregnancy yoga teacher Daisy Dinwoodie. We met in the physiological birth club on Clubhouse, discussing and sharing our very similar philosophies about pregnancy and childbirth. Daisy shares her knowledge of pregnancy yoga and the many benefits from her classes, which are run by a local charity in Edinburgh. She talks about working with the breath, body autonomy, helping to develop a deep understanding around birth options, and includes gr...
May 30, 2021•54 min•Ep. 23
Send us a text During this episode, I am speaking with the incredible Kemi Johnson, a fully trained midwife, and birth keeper, who dedicates her time to calling out bad practice within the NHS maternity system, and speaking up for pregnant women and birthing people to help them to discover the benefits of physiological birth. Kemi is currently in Dara Salaam in Tanzania, so the sound quality reflects this. Like many of us, her aim is to ensure that not only are new parents having positive birth ...
May 22, 2021•52 min•Ep. 22
Send us a text Today I am talking to Maddie McMahon, a breastfeeding councillor with a passion to travel the country and provide breastfeeding support to areas of deprivation on her Boobie Bus, with other members from her amazing charity Maddie’s Miracle. I am delighted to share this incredible conversation that will support so many families on their breastfeeding journey. You can find Maddie - developingdoulas.co.uk thebirthhub.co.uk maddiemcmahon.com Breastfeeding helplines:- National Breastfe...
May 15, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 21
Send us a text In this week's episode, I am chatting to the lovely Zare de Candole who is a birth and postnatal doula amongst many other things. She shares her great wisdom of what is required when preparing for the baby's arrival during pregnancy. She makes many recommendations about using a planning journal to ensure that anyone expecting a baby considers the wide variety of issues that may arise in the early days with a newborn, and how to ensure that you are all cared for and the new mother ...
May 09, 2021•49 min•Ep. 20
Send us a text In this episode, I am really happy to be introducing you to my wonderful friend Victoria Heath. Victoria is a Hypnotherapist who offers a wide range of services including Hypnobirthing, Life Coaching, and EMDR. I was delighted that she agreed to come and share her wisdom with you all so that you can learn lots of information about hypnobirthing and tips for supporting birth in general. This conversation is bursting with wonderful tips for all, and I hope you enjoy it. If you would...
May 02, 2021•52 min•Ep. 19
Send us a text In this episode, I have an in-depth conversation about birth trauma with Midwife Catherine Cooper. We discuss why birth trauma happens and what you can do if you suspect you have experienced trauma at your birth or a birth you attended. Catherine uses a process called the 3 step rewind which she talks about in detail. This episode is essential listening for anyone who is planning to have a baby, currently pregnant or has had a child in the past, where the experience may have left ...
Apr 25, 2021•48 min•Ep. 18
Send us a text In this episode, I am pleased to welcome NHS Midwife Eleanor Copp. Eleanor is talking to us about working in a Midwife Led Unit or MLU which is a really great option to give birth in for many couples, offering a home from home style birth facility that is a step down from high-level medical care. This more natural setting gives pregnant women and birthing people the opportunity to achieve a birth with little or no interventions - simply because of the environment and the philosoph...
Apr 17, 2021•41 min•Ep. 17
Send us a text In this episode, I am joined by doula and birth activist Samantha Gadsden, who runs the popular Facebook group Homebirth Support Group UK- amongst others. Our discussion takes us on a journey through the layers of what it is like to give birth in modern times with issues that pregnant people and their birth partners face all the time. Since Covid 19 and the start of lockdowns, birth at home was either banned or became more popular, often with couples choosing to give birth without...
Apr 11, 2021•42 min•Ep. 16
Send us a text This week, in a continuation of the discussion about the birth process, I am incredibly privileged to have been joined by Midwife Amanda Burleigh. I am a huge fan of Amanda's work and all that she has achieved in maternity services, because she has really opened our eyes to the benefits of optimal cord clamping, which is the process of leaving a baby’s umbilical cord alone at the point of birth, enabling it to pulsate and pump into the baby all the blood that belongs to them to en...
Mar 28, 2021•51 min•Ep. 15
Send us a text In this episode, I was delighted to be joined by the very knowledgeable Bridget Supple from My Baby’s Biome. Bridget is an experienced antenatal teacher who wears many hats, but in today’s episode, she is talking about gut health and the immune system. The baby’s microbiome is designed to be ‘seeded’ at birth and in the early days and months of life. If a baby is born by caesarean section, is unable to have skin to skin, unable to breastfeed, or is given antibiotics - it may miss ...
Mar 21, 2021•46 min•Ep. 14
Send us a text In this episode, I am taking to Alyson Hewitt, a mother of two girls who conceived using IVF - In Vitro Fertilisation. We get into a conversation about what it was like for Aly when she was pregnant, how she felt emotionally and what it was like planning her birth. She gives us an insight into the way her birth partner felt, and she also gives many tips for all birth partners out there to offer the right support in this scenario. You can follow Aly on instagram @lady_hewitt If you...
Mar 14, 2021•53 min•Ep. 13
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking to the very lovely Matthew Clarke, Otherwise known as The Male Doula. Matt is a Bowen therapist who specialises in birth work. He is also a birth and postnatal doula who is able to bring his wide range of skills to the birth room and support pregnant people and their partners throughout their journey. We get into an incredible conversation about how Matt found himself on a training course in Brighton with other doulas, how he was thrown in at the deep...
Mar 07, 2021•46 min•Ep. 12
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking to my very first guest - Michelle Mayefske, otherwise known as The Limerick Doula. Michelle is the mother of 5 children and advocates for others through her website and social media platforms called - Fat and Pregnant. Michelle is also in the process of writing her first book. We get into an incredible conversation about what it is like to be plus-sized and pregnant, and Michelle will tell you about how important it is for any pregnant person to recog...
Feb 28, 2021•56 min•Ep. 11
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking about birth plans. An essential tool for all birth partners to have to hand during the labour. The real power of a birth plan is the writing of the plan, where the pregnant woman or birthing person learns to understand what their preferences are for the birth, and how to get these across to her care providers. I also touch on the difficult subject of coercion, where a woman may be told she has to make a particular decision in labour, because otherwise...
Feb 21, 2021•19 min•Ep. 10
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking about breathing and relaxation skills for labour and birth. I also cover the types of sounds you can expect to hear her make. It is important to discuss these in advance and encourage her to practice various breathing techniques when possible, especially as the birth gets closer. To purchase copies of my various guided relaxations - contact me: sallyann@birthability.co.uk For a more in-depth look at this topic, please read the entire chapter on pushin...
Feb 14, 2021•19 min•Ep. 9
Send us a text This episode covers the nitty gritty of what it entails to be a birth partner. There is more to come in the future, but for me, discussing these points seemed important, especially when we start looking into advocacy. It is so important for any birth partner to get a good understanding of the complexity of supporting a pregnant woman to achieve a positive birth and this episode gives you tons of information. If you would like to buy a copy of the book that accompanies this podcast...
Feb 07, 2021•20 min•Ep. 8
Send us a text During labour and birth, the baby passes through it’s mothers pelvis on the way out. The positions that a woman adopts during this time should ideally be upright and gravity-assisted to maximise space in the pelvis. For this reason, it is essential to practice positions in advance of the birth, and to understand the best ones to choose - giving the baby as much room as possible. If you would like to buy a copy of the book that accompanies this podcast - click here:- Labour of Love...
Jan 31, 2021•16 min•Ep. 7
Send us a text In this episode, I am talking about the 2nd stage of labour - the pushing stage. This is a really important time which can easily go wrong. As the birth partner, you need to learn about what to look out for when a woman is entering this stage, and to ensure that she follows her body at all times. It is essential to also be able to discuss this in pregnancy, so that she knows that she should only push when she feels an overwhelming urge to prevent the need for intervention. For a m...
Jan 24, 2021•19 min•Ep. 6
Send us a text In this episode I wanted to share a top tip with you that I use with my birth clients. I like to recommend that a pregnant woman chooses a safety word as part of her birth plan. This will help you as her birth partner to offer completely unbiased support. When a safety word is agreed upon, she can then feel free to vocalise as much as she wants and will know that no matter how much she doubts her ability to give birth, you will always keep encouraging her in the way you discuss in...
Jan 16, 2021•17 min•Ep. 5
Send us a text In this episode I am talking about the first stage of labour - where the woman experiences contractions to help her cervix dilate to approx 10 cm. There are 3 phases to this stage: - The latent phase is early labour where the cervix is softening and ripening in preparation for dilation. The established phase is the time when labour is intense and she will need extra support from you. Transition is the final phase, that is reached when a woman is at or nearing full dilation. During...
Jan 09, 2021•18 min•Ep. 4
Send us a text This episode focuses on two very important hormones that a birth partner should know and understand in depth - Oxytocin and Adrenaline. Both are equally as important to the birth process, but in very different ways. In this example, I am looking at the 1st stage of labour, when a woman is beginning to dilate. This is the time when she needs high levels of Oxytocin to produce contractions/surges. I share how the production of Adrenaline at this time can literally knock a woman out ...
Jan 01, 2021•20 min•Ep. 3
