Advocating for yourself (or other people) or knowing how to make decisions can be really difficult when it comes to maternity care. In this episode I'm joined by birth trauma specialist midwife, Illiyin Morrison to discuss how we can ensure we are advocated for throughout the perinatal period. Speaking from a trauma informed perspective, listen to this episode for practical decision making tips, a deeper understanding of navigating maternity services and a holistic conversation about birth advocacy. Please note, no specific traumatic events are discussed in this episode. We discuss trauma with a focus on what may cause it, how to navigate birth after it and what steps could sometimes be taken to minimise the occurrence of it._______________________________________________Illiyin MorrisonIlly is a Birth Trauma Specialist Midwife, Perinatal Trauma Debrief facilitator, Author and Mum to two. Follow Illy on Instagram hereVisit Illy's website hereBirth-ed LinksJoin free- BUMP CLUB- expert  week by week support throughout your pregnancyOnline Course from £40/$49Group and Private Antenatal/Hypnobirthing Courses with podcast host and birth expert Megan RossiterSupport the show

Did you know 1 in 7 babies will access care in NICU when they are born and 60% of those are born at full term.So why don't we ever talk about what it's like to have a baby in the NICU?This week I am joined by Clinical Psychologist (And NICU Mum) Dr Frankie Harrison, who specialises in supporting families during and after time spent in NICU through her work as a psychologist and organisation Miracle Moon.We discuss the practicalities of caring for a baby on NICU from feeding to dressing them, bonding to going home; but with a strong focus on the emotional experience of being a NICU parent, both in the short and longer term.This September is NICU awareness month, given just how common it is to experience time on NICU, this episode is a must listen for all parents to be- just in case you ever need it!_______________________________________________Dr Frankie Harrison Miracle Moon WebsiteMiracle Moon InstagramBirth-ed LinksJoin free- BUMP CLUB- expert  week by week support throughout your pregnancyOnline Course from £40/$49Group and Private Antenatal/Hypnobirthing Courses with podcast host and birth expert Megan Rossiter_____________________________________This episode is proud to be Sponsored by Elvie.Get 15% off Elvie Pump Single & Double until 30th September 2022 using the code BIRTHEDVisit www.elvie.com/birth-ed for more informationDiscount not available in conjunction with any other offer.Support the show

The Mind, The Body, The Heart: 3 pillars of holistic birth preparation. A way of approaching birth that you might not yet have considered. Taking a look how you can prepare yourself emotionally, spiritually and physically for birth; and how the three things are more closely interconnected than you first realise.In this episode I am join by Pre and Postnatal yoga specialist and antenatal educator Aimee Strongman, who shares her insight into matresence, building self trust, physiological birth and power in the birth room.Join us for an inspiring, gentle and reassuring conversation full of wisdom, learning and ideas to take forward into your birth!_____________________________________This episode is proud to be Sponsored by Elvie. Get 15% off Elvie Pump Single & Double until 7th September 2022 using the code BIRTHEDVisit www.elvie.com/birth-ed for more informationDiscount not available in conjunction with any other offer. _________________________________________Aimee Strongman Aimee is founder of Glow Yoga Studio, Pre and Postnatal yoga specialist, Antenatal Educator and mother to two.Birth-ed LinksJoin free- BUMP CLUB- expert  week by week support throughout your pregnancyOnline Course from £40/$49Group and Private Antenatal/Hypnobirthing Courses with podcast host and birth expert Megan RossiterSupport the show

When journeying through pregnancy we tend to just hand ourselves over to our care providers, on whom we rely to tell us if we are healthy and well and what we should do to bring our babies into the world safely. But is this really the best way to be navigating pregnancy, birth and parenthood?Self trust is a vitally important quality in birth.How much do we trust ourselves to know what is going on for us.. and if not much, what can we do to cultivate a sense of self trust?Dr Rachel Reed (Midwife, Author, Researcher, Educator and Podcast Host) joins me to answer these questions and more.______________________________________________________________________________________Birth-ed LinksJoin free- BUMP CLUB- expert  week by week support throughout your pregnancyOnline Course from £40/$49Group and Private Antenatal/Hypnobirthing Courses with podcast host and birth expert Megan Rossiter______________________________________________________________________________________Dr Rachel Reed LinksThe Midwives Cauldron PodcastRachel Reed WebsiteMeconium BlogBig Babies BlogMidwife Thinking InstagramWhy Induction Matters BookReclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage BookSupport the show

Around 1/3 births in the UK happen by caesarean, so it's certainly something you might like to learn about during pregnancy.The prospect of major abdominal surgery whilst awake can be quite daunting for many of us, so in this episode we talk through exactly what you can expect from a caesarean birth.Not just that, but thinking about- what are your options and what considerations might you make to support yourself and your baby and mark this as a positive, transformative, special way of giving birth.I am joined by Consultant Obstetrician Florence Wilcock to shine a light on caesarean birth and hopefully leave you feeling more prepared, more confident and more empowered if you birth your baby by caesarean.______________________________________________________________________________________Birth-ed LinksJoin free- BUMP CLUB- expert  week by week support throughout your pregnancyOnline Course from £40/$49Group and Private Antenatal/Hypnobirthing Courses with podcast host and birth expert Megan Rossiter______________________________________________________________________________________Florence Wilcock LinksThe Obs PodMat ExpSupport the show