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 consider and what to ask when evidence is being shared with you.

• What other facts influence the gathering of evidence and creation of clinical guidelines, so you can think critically about the choices you are making.

• What practical steps you can take to hold power in the choices youre making for you birth.

An incredibly helpful episode for you to understand birth within the context of the system in which it's happening. 

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 this episode we explore how understanding the rich history and stories of years gone by might aid women in their healing from experiences like Hannah’s

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 sense of self. 

A gorgeous listen if you're having a pregnancy wobble, need a lift or a nudge to remember just what a fantastic job you're doing already. 

Listen now to discover how finding your voice in pregnancy can transform not just your birth experience, but your entire parenting journey.

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. And finally we give you the tools you need to advocate for delayed cord clamping.

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, on The Birth-ed Podcast, 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.

My guest on The Birth-ed Podcast 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 your body to ensure that you don’t go too far too quickly.

This week on The Birth-ed Podcast, 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 your life.

This episode is essential preparation for recovery from a caesarean birth. Women’s health Physio Clare Bourne shares her insight and support in how to navigate the early days and beyond following a caesarean section.

This episode is essential listening if you’re trying to decide whether to labour in a birth centre or midwife-led unit. Guess Midwife Issy Bourton and I explore 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.

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 Up, which guides you through all you need to know.

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.

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. In this episode she shares everything you need to know, and it’s pretty revealing!

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. Find out what’s involved in this episode…

We have 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 & experiences you have during and prior to birth have a direct impact on your postpartum. In this episode, we join the dots.

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 right for you, your baby and your circumstances.

It's a solo episode from me this week, talking in detail about pain in birth.. let's explore together- What causes pain in labour? What does birth feel like? What is the purpose of pain in birth? Why most conversations about pain relief have got totally the wrong angle! Which elements of this are within our control?