Today we meet fellow podcasters Becki Scott and Sam Gadsden AKA The Birth Activists. We discuss the dire situation of support in labour during these pandemic days. There has been a marked increase in reported incidences of trauma from women shocked to find their experiences are falling far, far from their very much lowered expectations.

Amity Reed is a midwife who has written a book about her experience of training and working as a midwife. Amity had approached her career change from editor to midwifery student, like the rest of us, with great passion and excitement. Sadly the painfully predictable journey she was forced to endure saw her leave the NHS in order to protect her mental health. She does, however, have some thoughts to share on her experiences and the way forward for a service that better serves women AND midwives, its been rather "Overdue".

What do you do when life throws hurdle after hurdle in your path and falling over isn't an option? You learn to jump and you build your strength. Chloe is a beautiful woman who captures the hearts and minds of all who know her, she is THE woman. She tells us the little-told story of a woman meeting herself for the first time, its impossible to not be amazed and awed because it just is!

Women have culturally and socially had to to apologise for their existence and ensure they take up the smallest amount of space for hundreds of years. Of course women have not always been compliant, and todays women are a tad more fortunate to be more successful at breaking out and taking their place as equals in the world, sort of!

Sam is a doula who is leading this charge and is unapologetically unapologetic.

Today's guest is a breath of fresh air. Freya Kellet lives and works in Canada. She describes herself as a radical birth keeper and a regenerative farmer. Make a cuppa and settle down for the conversation that explains...

During the 2020 pandemic, lots of crazy things happened across the globe. In the UK , the NHS decided that homebirth services had to be withdrawn in a very random way. Mostly due to the willingness of local heads of midwifery to use their initiative to engage with their local and willing independent midwives. Largely though this wasn't happening...women on the otherhand were devastated to be seperated from their partners and their support, as well as anxious as they suddenly saw the folly of birthing in an infection zone.

At the same time IMs lost their professional indemnity insurance as general business claims jammed up the already slow insurance industry wheels and scared some of them off - exiting the market altogether.

So now faced with a withdrawn NHS option and NO independent options ( thats another pod! ) the only option for some was "freebirthing ". Suzanna tells us how this crazy situation has made her determined to highlight this craziness and encourage other women to demand better!

Death in pregnancy and childbirth is rare. But according to one report, there is a proportionally higher risk to black women than white. The chance of death is 1 in 2500 for black women according to the UK confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths. But the rate was five times smaller for white women between 2014 and 2016. The striking figures prompted a warning from the report's author: 'The almost fivefold higher mortality rate amongst black women compared with white women requires urgent explanation and action.'

Harriet is a young parent consultant, public speaker, researcher and entrepreneur. Her focus is on the issues that impact young parents who are 25 and under, however she has several stories to share that take us on her journey to superwomanhood - We will be hearing more from Harriet - stay tuned!

Heloise started her pregnancy and birth journey thinking and planning for the big day - like everyone else - but the real journey revealed itself to be the road to motherhood through the support needed once the baby had arrived. Mothering the mother enables the transition to confident mothering to be relatively effortless with the huge payoff of protective mental health, family health and child welfare.

Lili is a singer, an actor, and a celebrant. She has a zest for life that is exuberant and joyful all skills that have served her well in her life. She has found them invaluable when offering comfort to grieving families, engaging an audience and capturing hearts and minds through song. Lili has experienced a grief of her own when she suffered a pregnancy loss and has some insightful things to share from that experience. And highlights the conspiracy of silence imposed on women and families to never mention it.