The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast

Risk is a word that is often used to describe a particular type of pregnancy, but how often do we actually stop to think about what that word means, and what it really tells us about the pregnancy?

In this episode, I explore what happens when a pregnancy is described as high risk or low risk, and how easily these labels can begin to influence the way we think about pregnancy and birth. Once a pregnancy has been given a particular risk label, it can be very easy to hear that label as a prediction of what is going to happen, rather than an assessment of the likelihood of particular outcomes.

I look at the difference between possibility, probability and certainty, and why being told that something is more likely does not mean that it is inevitable. I also explore why the word risk can feel particularly powerful during pregnancy, when the possibility of something happening to your baby can carry an enormous emotional weight.

A significant part of the episode looks at absolute risk and relative risk, including why the phrase “double the risk” doesn't tell you enough on its own. I share a few examples to understand why the starting point matters, how the same relative increase can represent very different absolute changes, and why asking “doubled from what to what?” can be such a useful question.

Another important question throughout the episode is risk compared with what? Pregnancy and birth rarely present us with a completely risk-free option. An intervention may reduce one particular possibility while introducing other potential consequences, while choosing to wait or continue with physiological processes also involves uncertainty. Understanding the risks and benefits of the different options allows you to see the whole picture rather than focusing on one possibility in isolation.

Because risk is not a prediction of what will happen. It is information about what might happen, and understanding the difference matters.

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

Where you give birth matters — but environment is about much more than the room you give birth in.

In this episode, I’m looking at what Environment really means within the SPACE Framework™ and how the physical and emotional environment around you can influence how you feel, respond and participate during labour.

The people in the room, the atmosphere, privacy, noise, interruptions, lighting, equipment and the way you are spoken to can all become part of your birth environment.

And sometimes that environment will change during labour. Knowing what matters to you, and understanding what you can ask for, can help you remain involved even when circumstances change.

This is the final episode in the five-part SPACE series:

Safety. Privacy. Advocacy. Conditions. Environment.

You can find the 28-page SPACE Framework™ document via the link in my bio or in the podcast show notes.

Listen to the episode and consider: what kind of environment helps you feel safe, informed and able to respond to what is happening?

Explore the SPACE Framework™ - https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/the-space-framework--digital-pdf 

(This is FREE within the Discover Your North Star Course)

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

CONDITIONS - What are we asking your body to do within?

In this episode, we're exploring the fourth word in my SPACE Framework™: Conditions.

When we talk about preparing for birth, much of the focus is placed on what you can do. You can learn about the physiology of labour, understand what your body is doing, practise breathing and relaxation, think about movement, explore your options and prepare yourself for the experience ahead.

But your body doesn't experience labour in isolation from everything around you. It is doing the work of labour within a set of circumstances, and those circumstances can influence the way you experience what is happening.

The people around you, the language being used, whether you feel safe or exposed, whether you are being interrupted, whether you understand what is happening and whether you feel rushed or supported all become part of the conditions in which you are experiencing labour.

The question I want you to take away from this episode is:

Are the conditions around you supporting what you're asking your body to do?

Because we can spend a great deal of time preparing for labour, learning about physiology and thinking about how we want to approach birth, but it is also worth considering the circumstances surrounding you while you're asking your body to do that work.

Your body doesn't labour separately from you, and you don't experience labour separately from the conditions surrounding you.

Explore the SPACE Framework™ - https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/the-space-framework--digital-pdf 

(This is FREE within the Discover Your North Star Course)

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

ADVOCACY - Who protects your space when you can't? And why does that matter?

In this episode, we're exploring the third word in my SPACE Framework™: Advocacy.

When we think about advocacy in birth, it can be easy to imagine confrontation, challenging every decision or having a birth partner who is prepared to fight the maternity system. But advocacy is about something much more important than being the loudest person in the room.

It is about protecting your autonomy.

During labour, there may come a point when you are deeply absorbed in what your body is doing and simply don't want to manage the conversations happening around you. You may still want to understand what is being proposed and remain involved in decisions about your care, but you may need someone beside you who can help create the time, space and opportunity for you to do that without taking over or making decisions for you.

Therefore the question I want you to think about this week is:

Who protects your space when you can't? And why does that matter?

Explore the SPACE Framework™ - https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/the-space-framework--digital-pdf 

(This is FREE within the Discover Your North Star Course)

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

PRIVACY: What Do You Need to Stop Feeling Observed?

What does privacy actually mean during labour?

In this episode, we move to the second word in the SPACE Framework™: Privacy.

Privacy isn't simply about being alone or having a closed door. A woman can have people she trusts around her and still feel completely private, while being physically alone doesn't necessarily mean she feels unobserved or protected from interruption.

During labour, a woman may gradually become less socially aware and more absorbed in what is happening within her body. She may become quieter, close her eyes, move instinctively, make sounds without thinking about how she appears, and become far less interested in conversation or what is happening around her.

So what happens when she is continually brought back into the outside world?

The question I leave you with this week is:

What do I need in order to stop feeling observed?

Explore the SPACE Framework™ - https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/the-space-framework--digital-pdf 

(This is FREE within the Discover Your North Star Course)

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

SAFETY: What Does Safety Actually Feel Like?

What do we really mean when we talk about safety in birth?

In this episode, I introduce the first word in the SPACE Framework™: Safety.

When we talk about safe birth, we often think about physical or clinical safety, and of course, the wellbeing of both mother and baby matters enormously. But safety is not only about clinical observations, equipment or the ability to respond if something changes.

A woman is also experiencing birth through her nervous system.

She is constantly responding to the people around her, the information she receives, the way she is spoken to and whether she feels able to relax, ask questions and let go.

The question I leave you with this week is:

What will I need to feel safe enough to let go?

Explore the SPACE Framework™ - https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/the-space-framework--digital-pdf 

(This is FREE within the Discover Your North Star Course)

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

CURIOSITY: What Don't You Know Yet?

How do we prepare for birth when we don't yet know what we don't know?

In the first episode of Season 7, I'm exploring the word Curiosity and why I believe it may be one of the most valuable things you can bring into pregnancy and birth.

We are surrounded by information, advice, opinions, recommendations and stories, but being given information isn't always the same as understanding it. Curiosity allows us to look a little deeper, ask better questions and remain open to learning something new, even when that new information challenges something we previously believed.

I also reflect on these words from Maya Angelou: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."

Perhaps we don't need to know everything before we begin preparing for birth.

Perhaps we simply need to remain curious enough to keep learning.

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

Words

Welcome to Season 7 of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast.

This season is a little different.

Rather than focusing on one particular aspect of pregnancy, labour or birth in each episode, I’m taking a single word and using it as the starting point for a much bigger conversation.

The words I’ve chosen have come from decades of experience as a doula and antenatal educator, as well as from everything I have learned from the women, partners and families I have supported over the years.

Because sometimes one word can change the way we think about something.

A word can challenge an assumption. It can open up a new perspective. It can give us language for something we have experienced but never quite understood. And sometimes it can make us question something we have simply accepted as normal.

That is what I want Season 7 to do.

These episodes are not about giving you a list of things you should or shouldn’t do. They are about thinking more deeply about birth, about the systems and environments in which birth takes place, and about the experiences of the women and partners at the heart of it.

My hope is that these conversations bring wisdom, encourage curiosity and develop your thinking.

Because preparing for birth is about much more than knowing what happens during labour. It is also about understanding yourself, understanding your choices, recognising what influences the way you experience birth, and thinking carefully about the conditions that can support you.

So, this season, we are going to slow things down.

One word.

One conversation.

And perhaps one new way of thinking about birth.

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

In this final episode of the season, I’m bringing together many of the themes we’ve explored over recent weeks and looking at one central idea: birth is not just about the destination — it’s about the journey as well.

So often, birth conversations are reduced to outcomes. Was the baby healthy? Did everything go okay? Was everyone safe? And while those things absolutely matter, they are not the full story.

In this episode, I explore what gets lost when birth is viewed only as a medical event. When the focus stays solely on monitoring, managing and achieving an outcome, women can disappear from the centre of their own experience. Birth can start to feel like something that happens around them rather than something they are actively moving through.

I reflect on how this links to many of the topics we’ve covered this season, including decision-making in labour, consent, subtle pressure, nervous system responses and what it means to feel safe, informed and included during birth.

I also explore why two women can experience similar births on paper and walk away feeling completely differently about them. Our previous experiences, beliefs, fears, nervous system responses and sense of self all shape how birth is experienced in real time.

We also touch on the idea of birth as a rite of passage and how this connects to matrescence — the transition into motherhood. Birth is not simply an event to complete. It is part of a much bigger identity shift, and how women move through that process can shape how they step into motherhood afterwards.

This episode is a reminder to prepare for more than just the outcome. To understand yourself. To recognise how you respond under pressure. To stay connected to what matters to you.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s an invitation to stop treating birth as something to simply get through.

Because how you experience birth matters.

And that experience stays with you long after the baby is born.

Thank you for listening this season.

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...

In this episode, I take a deeper look at breathing and relaxation in preparation for labour — going beyond the simple advice to “just breathe” or “try to relax.” These are not magic fixes, but skills that reflect how your nervous system responds to stress, intensity, and the sensations of labour.

I talk about how the modern world keeps our bodies in a constant state of alert. Our bodies are always scanning for threat, and for many of us, a slight state of tension has become normal. This affects how we experience birth, because labour is a deeply mammalian process that relies on the body feeling safe, supported, and able to drop into an instinctive state.

I explain the difference between physiological pain, which is expected and manageable, and pathological pain, which indicates that something in the body or the baby’s position is creating extra intensity. The baby is navigating your body’s infrastructure — the uterus, musculoskeletal system, fascia, emotional state, and even placental position — and sometimes that can lead to sensations that cannot be handled by breathing alone. I also explore how the mind interacts with the body during labour. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand that breathing and relaxation are part of a bigger picture — a skill set that develops over time, incorporating your body, mind, and nervous system — giving you confidence and practical tools to navigate labour more effectively.

Purchase my 1 hour track Breathe 

Episode 9 - Breathing and Relaxation Skills for labour  

Episode 107 - More Breathing and Relaxation Skills for labour

Episode 121 - FREE Somatic Guided Relaxation for your nervous system 

Episode 141 - Simple strategies for a calm and empowered labour 

Send me a message

If you want to access any of my free resources click here:-https://stan.store/sallyannberesford

If you want to learn more about my Discover Your North Star Course then read more here:- https://stan.store/sallyannberesford/p/discover-your-north-star-

If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesford

If you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-

Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner  - click here:-https://bit.ly/Labouroflove

The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9df

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmO

Pregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'
- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPF

You can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk

Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpar...