For this episode, I had a heart-to-heart conversation with Jenny Vandewinkel, a private home birth midwife who serves women in the Northern Rivers, NSW.

We spoke about life as a home birth midwife, the importance of continuity of care, and the gift of having someone beside you who truly knows you and your journey.

We also had an intimate conversation about bodywork and how creating openness, space and softness in the pelvis can support the birth process. I loved our time together as we spoke about supporting women to trust the wisdom of their bodies and to birth where they feel safest.

Jenny Vandewinkel — @threemoonsmidwifery

With thanks to Orlando Hudson for podcast support, and to Prema Margot for the beautiful music that accompanies the Birth Wellness Podcast.

In this episode, I speak with Anna Watts about her extraordinary, unbroken lineage of home birth and the deep trust in women’s bodies that has been passed down through her family.

We talk about Anna’s own journey through birth, prenatal yoga and more than three decades of supporting women and families. Anna also shares how she trains doulas to recognise and honour the spiritual dimension of birth, supportingwomen not only physically and emotionally, but through one of life’s most profound rites of passage.

Anna also gives us a glimpse of what she will be presenting at the Birth Wellness Festival: A Celebration of Oxytocin — The Sacred Art of Birth Support.

This is a heartfelt conversation about creating the conditions in which Oxytocin can flow, women can feel safe and supported, and birth can be honoured as the profound rite of passage it truly is.

You can reach Anna @sacredbirthsacred earth.

Watch out for her new book Birthing Shakti

A heartfelt thank you to Orlando Hudson, who has patiently guided me through the creation of this podcast and helped bring each episode to life.

The beautiful music featured in the podcast is Birth into Being by Prema Margot, shared with deep gratitude.

In this episode of the Birth Wellness Podcast, I speak with Jamie Brennan about her personal journey, why birth matters so deeply to her, and the role she plays in bringing the Birth Wellness Festival to life.

 Jamie brings enormous commitment, heart and energy to the festival whilst being a full-time student of Chinese medicine and craniosacral therapy, always deepening her understanding of the body, health and wellbeing.

We talk about what happens behind the scenes of creating a community event like this—the planning, teamwork, challenges and devotion that people may not always see.

Jamie shares what drew her to this work, what she has learned along the way, and why creating spaces for honest conversations, education and connection around birth is so important.

This is an uplifting conversation about community, shared vision, the many hands and hearts it takes to bring the festival to life and what to expect over the weekend.

The Birth Wellness Festival will be held on 8–9 August 2026 at the Murwillumbah Showgrounds.

Learn more and book your ticket at:
www.birthwellnessfestival.com

Because when birth is well, we are all well.

In this episode of the Birth Wellness Podcast, I speak with Tania Llanes — a much-loved friend and sister in our birth community, and one of the key hearth keepers of the Birth Wellness Festival.

Tania is a Colombian woman, traditional healer and womb whisperer whose work is deeply informed by the ancestral traditions of Abya Yala, Latin America, and by the knowledge she has received from traditional healers in Colombia.

In this conversation, we focus on the Birth Wellness Festival and the important role volunteers play in bringing it to life.

Tania is our volunteer coordinator and has gathered an amazing team of people for this year’s festival. She coordinates the many roles and tasks needed, supports the volunteers, and helps make sure the festival runs smoothly.

We also speak about Tania’s role as a deeply grounded keeper of traditional wisdom, helping to guide the altars and ceremonies woven throughout the gathering and closing the festival with song, reverence and connection to the four directions.

We have saved a deeper conversation about Tania’s work with women, traditional practices and postpartum care for a future episode.

Connect with Tania:

Instagram: @tania.luz_

Website: ⁠https://tanialuzmedicina.com/⁠

Birth Wellness Festival 8–9 August 2026

MurwillumbahShowgrounds

Join us as we change the Conversation about Birth.

The Birth Wellness Podcast is hosted by Sali McIntyre and recorded at Heart and Soul of Wellness in Murwillumbah onBundjalung Country.

A heartfelt thank you to Orlando Hudson, who has patiently guided me through the setup of this podcast and helped me birth it to the airwaves.

Intro and Outro music: Birth into Being by Prema Margot.

In this episode of the Birth Wellness Podcast, I speak with Barbara Prestia, Vocal Reconnection Guide, singer, vocal production coach and facilitator.

Barbara shares her story and the journey that led her to the work she now offers through Vocal Reconnection. We talk about voice, birth, motherhood, self-expression and the importance of being able to speak up for ourselves.

Barbara’s work is such a beautiful fit for the Birth Wellness Festival. Her Vocal Reconnection workshop invites women to explore breath, sound, vibration and authentic expression as part of preparing for birth — helping them find their voice, say no when they need to, and stand more fully in their own power.

You can connect with Barbara and explore her work at @barbara_prestia.

In this first conversation on the Birth Wellness Podcast, I speak with Stephanie Jane about Birth imprints and the lasting influence our earliest experiences can have on the way we feel, relate and move through the world.

We explore the idea that birth is not simply something that happens to us physically, but may also shape our very first impressions of life — of safety, connection, trust and belonging.

Stephanie Jane will be joining us at the 2026 Birth Wellness Festival, where she will continue this important conversation around birth imprints and awareness.

The Birth Wellness Podcast brings together heartfelt conversations about birth, motherhood, community and the many ways we can support women and families through pregnancy, birth and beyond.

Recorded in Murwillumbah in the Northern Rivers of NSW, these conversations explore new possibilities, challenge old beliefs and celebrate the wisdom, courage and strength of women.

As we journey towards the Birth Wellness Festival, you’ll meet some of the remarkable people helping to change the conversation around birth — one story, one conversation and one community at a time.