The Empowered Birthing Toolkit and why it exists

I did a lot of birth preparation in the lead-up to both my intervention-free hospital birth and home birth. I felt the preparation was equally important in both. My births were so incredibly empowering and had me buzzing throughout my postpartum. I put that down to the fact that I knew what I wanted and knew how to advocate and support myself to get it. I wanted to make that preparation accessible to everyone because we all deserve to feel heard and in control during one of the most memorable days of our lives.

My first birth was focused on "making it through" the hospital system without a cascade of intervention. It was so valuable for me to see the "red tape" from a professional and patient point of view. It drove my passion to advocate for women while working in the maternity sector and my local ED.

My second birth at home was very much about preparing my mindset and working on myself emotionally. Trusting that both my baby and I had the skill set and innate wisdom to birth together. It felt so non-eventful in the best way possible.

Both of my labours, in different ways, were the most strengthening, self-affirming experiences of my life. My hopes are for that feeling to be accessible to all.