Elizabeth Jinks is a midwife, mother of seven, seed saver and a syntropic food forester. With a Masters' in Primary Maternity Care, she is committed to delivering informed, personalised care that empowers women to birth well, whether in a hospital, birth centre or from the comfort of home. From birthing six of her babies at home with the same midwife, Beth is passionate about offering this continuation of care for other women.

Our discussion includes some insightful chats about placenta planting in her garden, her vision for birthing 'on country', and Beth's inspiring Permaculture journey on her property in Koah in Far North Queensland. She shares how she was chosen by the land, and her humble beginnings of a shipping container and caravan that evolved into earth shaping to make swales and a small dam for water harvesting, to an established tropical syntropic food forest which provides most of her sustenance. 

Beth explains how she uses herbs in her daily life and, specifically, the four essential herbs; Shepards Purse, Angelica Root, Rasberry Leaf and Black Cohosh that she takes to every birth to support women, as well as her love of Motherwort and Mugwort Moxas as supportive plants for women. The story of how Beth supported Tonielle in her personal home birthing experience is shared in this interview, and how permaculture brought them together and continues to evolve with students visiting and participating in planting in her evolving garden of abundance. 

She speaks of her regular use of Aloe Vera and Sacred Basil and lists what is flourishing in her summer garden, and we touch on various plants that can and can't be eaten during and after pregnancy. From Moxa's for Breach babies to Mayan Abdominal Massage to treating Placentas as sacred rather than medical waste...I trust you'll find value in this interview!

Show Notes & Links:

- Life In Syntropy video - https://youtu.be/gSPNRu4ZPvE

- Mugwort and Moxa - https://daoisttraditions.edu/healing-power-moxa/

- Mayan abdominal massage - https://www.rebirthmayamassage.com/post/what-is-maya-abdominal-massage

- Sacred Placentas or Medical Waste? - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319806#Treading-on-unknown-territory

- Eucalyptus Grandis - syntropic support specie

Connect with Tropical Babies Midwifery: 

Website: http://www.tropicalbabiesmidwifery.com.au/services.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tropicalbabiesmidwife

To learn more about The Elder Tree, visit the website here and donate to the crowdfunding campaign here.

You can also follow The Elder Tree on Facebook and Instagram and sign up to the newsletter. Find out more about this podcast and the presenters here.

Get in touch with The Elder Tree at:  [email protected]The intro and outro song is "Sing for the Earth" and was kindly donated by Chad Wilkins.  You can find Chad's music here and here.