S2 E8: Autistic and Pregnant with Stacie Pollard

In this, the last episode of season 3, we are joined by Guen and Lucy who both chose to freebirth. We discuss how they came to their decisions, how they prepared themselves and (TW) we also touch on miscarriage and babyloss. Lucy and Guen both invested in Sam's paid 'course in a group' Freebirth and Emergency Childbirth Support Group UK and found great support in the Homebirth Support Group UK. Guen is a veterinary surgeon who now works in innovation consultancy, where she helps big multinational companies plan for the future, and she teaches veterinary students at the University of Cambridge. She has three children, all born at home. The last was a planned free birth because home birth services were often suspended and the local hospital frequently on divert. She’s very familiar with physiological freebirths having quietly observed many mammals birthing!  Links on premature rupture of membranes (PROM) mentioned in the episode:  https://midwifethinking.com/2017/01/11/pre-labour-rupture-of-membranes-impatience-and-risk/   https://www.lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/Post/exclusive-qa-with-rebecca-dekker-on-evidence-for-inducing-labor-if-the-water-breaks-prom Lucy is a PR Director helping to build the reputation of tech companies and their CEOs in the global media, for brands including Amazon, Revolut, Monzo, Seedrs, Dot Residential and Atlantic Money.   She has two children, both born at home. The last (in May 2022) was a planned freebirth following multiple miscarriages. As a 39 year old ‘geriatric’ mum, Lucy wanted to take control of her last pregnancy and make some memories to cherish without any medical intervention. Her experience left her in awe of the female body and it’s ability to birth instinctively when left unobserved. A huge thank you to both Guen and Lucy for their time and for sharing their experiences so freely xxx

A little bonus episode for you all! Sam & I couldn't let the utter fuckwittery happening in the US slide by without talking about it... which morphed into a rant about the Schools Bill and the erosion of human rights in general that seems to be happening around every corner at the moment. Not a light and fluffy episode, but essential listening nonetheless. Resources (otherwise known as complete fuckwittery happening in the UK at the moment): The Schools Bill Stop The Schools Bill Facebook Group Human Rights Act reform Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act Debs Neiger lovingly designed and made my tee - you can check her out on facebook here

We absolutely LOVED this interview with Jenna from Tribe Psychology - the conversation was rich and diverse! Delve into this episode with a brew and listen to a psychologist's view on birth, parenting and coercion. Dr Jenna Brough is a Perinatal Clinical Psychologist supporting people on their journeys surrounding growing their families. Jenna has 14 years experience working therapeutically in the NHS, private sector, and private practice, and has personal experience of infertility, pregnancy loss, over-medicalised birth, and physiological birth. Check Jenna and her work out on Facebook here and on Instagram here - go give her a follow!

Heather joins us on the podcast for this episode to talk about her experience having her first baby, Ted. Heather wrote an 'Open Letter to my Midwives' which was featured in a recent AIMS article here> https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/index/33/3 in which she describes being kept hostage by the hospital. Heather is a self-proclaimed fledgling birth activist - drawn to the cause by her beautiful and empowering homebirth, followed by traumatic encounters with the medical services. Heather is a diplomat recently returned from Afghanistan and currently lives in South Wales, where she enjoys spending lots of time outside with her son, partner and two labradors. Heather and her partner will soon be welcoming their second baby.

In this episode we chat to Amy (AKA Doula Alqabalia) about her work as a muslim doula: "Amy has been doula-ing for a few years; supporting women during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. On the back of the pandemic, following the birth of her third baby, she decided to train officially as a doula and enrolled on the ‘Side By Side’ course with Leila Baker.  Since then, she has been actively involved with all things birth and birthwork and even has her own Podcast channel; ‘Muslim Birthworld’ in which she explores Islamic perspectives of birth, lifestyle, shares interviews and reviews weekly clubhouse themes. She hosts the clubhouse group every Thursday at 1pm; ‘Diversity Birth World’, for birthworkers, pregnant mamas and mamas to be. The group is closed to members only (to maintain confidentiality) and promotes cultural awareness and competency. It is a safe space for everyone to bring and/or share their questions, concerns and experiences.  Alongside home-educating her children and running another small business (Sunnah Shifa), Amy also volunteers for Doulas Without Borders on the social media and campaigns team, for AIMS as a social media co-ordinator and for her local MNVP. " Check out Amy's work here: Website: https://doulaalqabalia.com Sunnah Shifa Store: https://sunnahshifa.com Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/diversity-doulas Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/muslim-birthwork-with-doula-alqabalia/id1610910364

So this season Sam and I are going to be featuring more real-life birth stories on the podcast and this is the first: it's Brighde's story of her birth experience of her daughter, Rebel, when a planned home birth turned into an empowering hospital birth! Brighde is mum to two beautiful children, Niko and Rebel and step-mum to Emmie and Teddy. She lives in Doncaster with her best friend and soul-mate, Matt. When Brighde isn't being a 'full time badass bitch' (her words, not mine!) she is an Activities Coordinator working with adults with learning difficulties. Brighde found a lot of information and support from Sam's group really made a difference to her birth experience. You can join them too, here: Home Birth Support Group UK - A group for anyone curious about or planning a home birth The Village - A gentle parenting group for support from baby to toddler to teen Freebirth And Emergency Childbirth Support Group UK - A course in a group for anyone looking for information and support to prepare for birthing without a midwife. This is a paid course for parents and birthworkers. Big thank you to Brighde for sharing her story, it was an absolute blast!

This one was such a delight to record with the amazing Michelle Quashie!  We chew the cud for over an hour and a half discussing Maternity Voice Partnerships: how they came to be, what are they for and how they work (or not as the case is in many areas).  You'll need a huge mug of something hot and satisfying to get through this one (and maybe a cake) but I promise you, it'll be worth it! And a word of warning for those of you with delicate constitutions... this one's a bit sweary!

In the first episode of series 3, Sam and I return for a catchup and to discuss toxicity in the birthworld (amongst MANY other things!).  Grab a cuppa and get comfy...

In this podcast, the second of the March With Midwives episodes, I am joined by Milly Morris, Maryla Crosski and Elsie Gayle - all midwives - who joined the Steering Group of the MWM campaign to have their voices heard and to raise the voices of midwives suffering in Maternity Services across the UK right now. Nationwide vigils are being organised for Sunday 21st of November at 2pm. Join our national Facebook group here and find your local vigil: www.facebook.com/groups/marchwithmidwivesuk Read the MWM manifesto and access loads of resources here: www.linktr.ee/marchwithmidwivesuk Follow #MarchWithMidwives on social media to see what people are saying! Follow MWM on social media here: Facebook: www.facebook.com/marchwithmidwives Instagram: www.instagram.com/marchwithmidwives Twitter: www.twitter.com/midwivesmarch

In this special episode, I talk to fellow Doulas Maddie McMahon, Verina Henchy and Paula Cleary about the grassroots movement that is making waves in the birth world, March with Midwives UK. Nationwide vigils are being organised for Sunday 21st of November at 2pm.  Join our national Facebook group here and find your local vigil: www.facebook.com/groups/marchwithmidwivesuk Read the MWM manifesto and access loads of resources here: www.linktr.ee/marchwithmidwivesuk Follow #MarchWithMidwives on social media to see what people are saying! Follow MWM on social media here: Facebook: www.facebook.com/marchwithmidwives Instagram: www.instagram.com/marchwithmidwives Twitter: www.twitter.com/midwivesmarch