Instinctive Birth

Birth is being Reclaimed!  Following several local births where a group of women have made conscious choices about their pregnancies and births, we are seeing first hand the intersection of the medical model and the those choosing undisturbed physiological birth. Making choices that do not align with guidelines and expectations around 'safe' birth may create anxiety and potential friction. But does it really need to be this way?

Join me and experienced birthkeeper Julie as we share what we are witnessing and experiencing as birthkeepers down here in West Cornwall and consider how we create bridges for everyone.

Resources to explore:

Supporting Physiological Birth Choices in Midwifery Practice by Claire Feeley

Dr Sara Wickham - Freebirth

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In this episode I explore the medical model and how understanding my own values helped me understand my struggles within the system.

I also talk about although my work is centred on physiological birth, I don't have a dogmatic approach and that being balanced is important to me and my teaching.

My ethos is centred on my values of freedom, integrity, humility, and compassion and intelligence.

• You are free to create your own way - there's no dogma here.
• To practise with humilty and integrity - always learning
• To show compassion to others and the journey they are on - no judgement
• To be balanced - I believe in the power of birth, yet I respect that both pregnancy and birth canbe unpredictable. Sometimes medical support can supplement a holistic approach.

What are your values and are you living and working in alignment with them?

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Email me or DM me on Instagram!

Love Evony x

I'm back with a new name, a new look, and fired up to tell the truth about birth. Join me as I explain the reason behind 'Birth Truths', my mission and why we all have been corrupted to believe that physiological birth is just game of chance that we all need saving from...

The breech research that closed the door on vaginal breech birth... (although some places, 20 years later, are slowly reclaiming the skills)

The Term Breech Trial, 2000.

Follow me on Instagram: @evony.lynch

About me: https://wayofthebirthkeeper.org/

Sign up for my newsletter - get my Birth Truths guide.

Kemi Johnson - outspoken birth activist, former independent midwife turned birthkeeper, speaker and educator - dives into the truth about birth in our society today. With swearing included we explore...

• Whether the birth trauma report inadvertently produces more fear and like a snake eating its own tail; more medicalisation?
• Why serving the system is not the answer
• Why women are choosing to have a wise woman at their birth - not a midwife

Plus, listen to us two elder - but hot (Kemi's words!) - experienced birthkeepers tell you how f$cking awesome birth is across the spectrum of 'risk'.

Follow her and her work here - from pregnancy Power Hours ("the antidote to the grooming of the medical system") to birthkeeper mentoring:

Instagram: @kemibirthjoyjohnson

https://www.kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/

Feeling the call to birthwork?

Join me on my next intake of the Birthkeeper Programme!

https://wayofthebirthkeeper.org/birthkeeper-course/

Summary

In this conversation, Evony discusses the concept of free birth, emphasising the importance of personal choice and the narratives surrounding birth experiences. She critiques the medical model of birth, highlighting the need for support and integrity in the birthing process. Evony advocates for creating safe spaces for discussions about birth, encouraging individuals to trust their intuition and make informed choices about their birthing experiences.

Key Takeaways

• Free birth is defined by personal choice and autonomy.
• Many people choose free birth to avoid trauma from previous experiences.
• The medical model often fails to respect physiological birth.
• Support from midwives and birth keepers is crucial.
• There is a need for more education on physiological birth.
• Integrity and transparency are essential in birth support.
• Respect for diverse birth experiences is necessary.
• Creating safe spaces for birth discussions fosters growth.
• Pregnancy and birth should be viewed as beautiful experiences.
• Access to medical support varies, but is a privilege in the UK.

Keywords

free birth, birth choices, medical model, birth support, physiological birth, birth narratives, home birth, birth trauma, birth integrity, birth community

As I currently wait for a baby let's just explore a little around this and what clients might need past 40 weeks of pregnancy - and I'm not talking books and podcasts.

This is just the beginning of the conversation.

If this episode stirred something in you, don't stop here.

Come learn how actually to prepare for the birth you want. Undisturbed. Instinctive. Led by you.

Join the free monthly birth class

If you want to go deeper, the community is where the real work happens. Whole Birth Community

I'm not a doula who gives endless back rubs. I'm the one who sits outside your door while you birth your baby. 20 years as a midwife taught me how to be the quiet presence that someone actually needs.

Listen in to my honest thoughts around 'natural birth' and how we can really support it.

00:00 The Role of a Doula: A Unique Perspective

06:42 Understanding Physiological Birth

09:51 Navigating the Birth Experience: Planning and Instincts

This is just the beginning of the conversation.

If this episode stirred something in you, don't stop here.

Come learn how actually to prepare for the birth you want. Undisturbed. Instinctive. Led by you.

Join the ⁠free monthly birth class⁠

If you want to go deeper, the community is where the real work happens. ⁠Whole Birth Community⁠

In this first episode, I draw on 25 years as an NHS midwife and doula to ask why, despite most women quietly hoping for a 'natural' birth, it often ends up being quite different.

This episode unpacks how we are being quietly shaped long before we walk into a labour ward. I explore why we find it so hard to have a natural birth in 2026, and how getting even close to that starts with listening to your own voice.

This is just the beginning of the conversation.

If this episode stirred something in you, don't stop here.

Come learn how actually to prepare for the birth you want. Undisturbed. Instinctive. Led by you.

Join the ⁠free monthly birth class⁠

If you want to go deeper, the community is where the real work happens. ⁠Whole Birth Community⁠

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Come and find me on Instagram at @evonylynchbirth - send me a DM or share what resonated for you. And if you know someone who's pregnant and needs to hear this, share the episode with them. That's how this work reaches those who need it the most.

evonylynch.uk

In this episode, I share my transformative journey into witnessing undisturbed birth as I tell the story of my experience attending my first homebirth in Spain. I discuss the challenge of the medical system there, how Michel Odent won my heart and why being in another room is a great place for midwives AND doulas to be!

Interested in becoming a birthkeeper or doula? Check out my low cost ⁠Sacred Foundations Online Introductory Course⁠

Get my⁠ free guide to becoming a birthkeeper: ⁠

Find me at ⁠Sacred Womancraft⁠