Transform Your Birth

In this episode, I will guide you through some practical tips on preparing for birth, with an intention to reduce the likelihood of birth trauma. For anyone preparing for birth, this episode is worth listening to.

We will also be taking a break in releasing the podcast, but please stay connected we will be back on board with more inspiring and educational stories. We have loved getting your feedback - and so please feel free to contact us - at [email protected].

In the meantime - enjoy this episode.

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/2965/FINAL%20Birth%20Trauma%20Report%20-%2029%20April%202024.pdf

Australian and international research suggests that up to 1 in 3 women identify their birth experience as traumatic (Heyne et al, 2022; Watson et al., 2021). Psychological birth trauma is estimated to affect between 10% to 44% of women (Pidd et al., 2023).

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Better Birth: Mini Gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

I have for you today Dr Hazel Keedle who is a Senior Lecturer of Midwifery at The School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University. Hazel has more than two decades of experience as a clinician in nursing and midwifery, educator and researcher. Hazel's research interests are vaginal birth after caesarean, birth trauma and maternity experiences explored primarily using mixed methodologies. Hazel's work is recognised nationally and internationally, with many invited conference and seminar presentations including academic publications and a book for women based on her PhD findings 'Birth after Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth'. Hazel is the lead researcher on the largest maternity experiences survey, The Birth Experience Study.

She starts by discussing the 4 factors that will impact the birth experience, and how we can ensure we create the best possible conditions for birth to unfold. Hazel looked at the experiences of women attempting to have a VBAC. She assumed the most important part of their experience would be pushing a baby out of their vagina. Instead what she discovered were 4 important factors that directly influenced how they felt about their birth experience. She then goes on to share with us some of the evidence around the risks of VBAC and the real risks of uterine rupture. and leaves us with some very encouraging advice. This is a fabulous episode for those women planning a VBAC. or any woman who wants to appreciate the conditions necessary to have a good birth experience, regardless of what unfolds on the day.

Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery

• Birth trauma

• Midwifery

• Pregnancy, birth and postnatal period

• Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC)

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Better Birth: Mini Gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Maryn Green has been attending women as a midwife since 2009; first as a licensed midwife and now as a spiritual midwife that helps facilitate the ceremonies of birth and mothering. Maryn is well known for being the founder of the Indie Birth Association and Indie Birth midwifery school, which educates women and midwives all over the world. She has her own podcast, "Taking Back Birth," that encourages women and midwives to rethink what they have been taught, and re-connect with ancient wisdom and the spiritual journey of birth. She is also the author of the book Indie Birth: A Story of Radical Birth Love in 2019. Maryn has given birth to 10 children and currently lives in Hawai'i.

Today we look at how birth is a rite of passage, how we can prepare for birth through ceremony and ritual, and she shares some great insights through her own birth experiences. I truly loved having a conversation about birth that goes beyond the things that can happen, to exploring the greater meaning of birth as a transformational process for the birthing woman and the baby - and the intricate dance between the two. A fresh new perspective. Enjoy dear ones.

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Better Birth: Mini Gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Maryn's Links:

Indie Birth

Indie Birth Midwifery School

Sacred Sisterhood Doula

Full "Taking Back Birth" podcast archive

You can also find Maryn @indiebirth on Instagram and on Rumble and Youtube

I am so excited to bring you Catherine Bell, the developer of the Birth Mapping process. Decision making during pregnancy and birth will have the most profound and significant influence on how your birth unfolds. The biggest mistake people make during pregnancy and birth is completely handing over the decision making process to their carers. Your job is to step up, understand the landscape, and decide what your needs are in any given situation from pregnancy, birth and after the baby arrives.

There are many potential things that can happen, by mapping your chosen options, you are more likely to be able to adapt to the many paths that this experience can take a birthing family. Catherine will help us to understand how to do this through her PHD research on birth mapping. She also brings to us some of the recommendations from the recent release of NSW Birth Trauma report. From Catherine's research, she can see that this process can contribute to the prevention of birth trauma. This is a 'must listen,' episode for all pregnant women.

You will find Catherine's contact details in the show notes below this episode.

Catherine Bell is a Mother, consumer advocate, and Master of Science Communication about to complete her PhD evaluating her book, The Birth Map.

You can find her on instagram @birthmapping and on Facebook @TheBirthMap

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Better Birth: Mini Gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

This week on the podcast we have Lauren and Dan. They share the shift in mindset they experienced when preparing for birth, through the 'Transform Your Birth' course. Lauren really enjoyed her birth, largely due to the incredible team of midwives from the birth centre and her student midwife. With Dan well prepared and providing loving and practical support, she stayed completely in labour land and experienced that beautiful high after birth. She goes on to have a long pushing stage, a little problem getting the placenta out, and a post-partum haemorrhage, however with the wonderful team around her, she knew she was in the right place for them to manage this - and stayed completely calm through these challenges. A perfect example of great preparation, and a great team to manage whatever unfolds on the day.

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Free pregnancy gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Jennifer Summerfeldt from Canada.

Jennifer holds an MA in counselling psychology and is a Certified Canadian Counsellor. She is the Chief Empathy Officer of ASK Therapy. She is the creator of the Flowing Fears Process. With over 20 years of experience within the fields of maternal health, childbirth, psychology studies, and the transpersonal, she uses her expertise and voice to help advance the dialogue on trauma-informed care, maternal mental health, and healing in general.

We are going to speak about her own personal experience of overcoming trauma, as the gateway into her current work of helping others transform through trauma, using her modality, called the Flowing fears process.

I found our conversation fascinating, in that it broke down the places where the nervous system can get stuck in the story, and when we move to the somatic experience, we have a doorway into exploring much deeper patterns that can unlock our own potential. There are links to Jennifer's work in the show notes below.

Put on your seatbelts people, we are going for a ride.

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Free pregnancy gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Jennifer's Links:

Mastering the Art of Perinatal Therapy Mentorship Program

Flowing Fears Audio Course + Coaching

All other links

Lynn Schulte has been a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist for over 30 years and she is the Founder and principal instructor of the Institute for Birth Healing. Lynn helps pregnant women to balance their body, both before and after birth. She is on a mission to help women prevent and avoid birth complexity, injury and wounding, by promoting optimal physiology for the labour and pushing stages of birth. Knowing we are more than just our bodies, Lynn works on all levels, physically, energetically, and spiritually with women to help them access their full potential. She offers a certification process to help birth professionals become Birth Healing Practitioners.

In this episode, we talk specifically about 3 areas of the body worth focusing on. Balancing the body, promoting good positioning of the baby and avoiding tearing are all great goals and worth preparing for. Fascinating insights from a woman who knows her trade. Also included in the show notes are links that include her programs, a directory of body workers and some wonderful resources that will support the preparation for birth. I feel so proud to bring you this episode.

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Free pregnancy gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Lynn's Links:

Institute for Birth Healing Educational Platform

Clinical Practice

Directory

ONLINE COURSE: Confidence in your Core, Pelvic Floor and More

YouTube: How to Massage your C-Section Scar

YouTube: Closing the Pelvic Bones After

Alicia in her pregnancy didn't really believe she could have an unmedicated birth, but after doing the 'Transform Your Birth' course she starts to open her mind to new ways of thinking. She ends up not even wanting the drugs during her labour. I loved the level of detail Alicia goes into when sharing her story. She weaves together the different twists and turns of her birth experience and the impact it had on her mindstate.

She was exceptional in how she adapted, from going in to have an induction, and being sent home because they were too busy. This happened twice! She was incredibly gracious, and on the third attempt they were able to get the labour going. She shares how she managed the intensity of labour, vaginal examinations and how she made the different decisions by asking questions. Such great wisdom in this episode. Enjoy listening to Alicia's story.

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Free pregnancy gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Emily and Brad join us today to share the story of Isabelle's arrival. We often don't expect first births to be quick, and yet it can indeed happen. Quick births are often intense, and pushing out a baby who is face up can also be difficult. Emily, with the help of Brad, managed it beautifully, as she had learnt to trust her body and relax deeply. Emily shares her advice, that your body knows what to do - just trust it. Another great episode to help us all to learn to respect the birth process.

Links:

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Free pregnancy gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice

Today I had a conversation with a Mega parent of 8 children and grandparent of 15, and great grandparent of 2 - Penny. We discuss what new parents need and the role of grandparents. This episode will give you a great insight into how you might change when your baby lands and what your needs might be. It is a great episode worth sharing with emerging grandparents as this role is vital and doesn't come with a handbook. We have also attached a popular blog to the show notes.

Links:

Read the blog

Transform Parenting website

Transform Your Birth Today

Free pregnancy gift

Free resource: Medical Necessity vs Choice