Articles
Here I share what I have gathered through almost 2 decades of learning, teaching and supporting women and families, studying birth and listening closely to women’s experiences.
You’ll find writing about pregnancy, birth preparation, hormones, movement, breastfeeding, postnatal recovery and emotional wellbeing — alongside deeper explorations of maternity culture, autonomy and birth in the news.
My work brings together evidence, traditional wisdom, practical experience and a deep trust in women’s bodies.
Take your time here, use the index, follow what speaks to you. And if you would like someone beside you as you prepare for pregnancy, birth or the months beyond, you can explore my classes and support here in the Forest of Dean and online.
Topic Index
These articles have been categorised to the best of my ability!
Open one of the topics below to explore, continue on to explore in date order, or if you’re after something particular and can’t find it let me know here
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Personal Stories, Reflections & Local Advocacy | Birth Stories | Home Birth Suspension | Community & Events | Personal Reflections | Self-Care | Herbal Wisdom | Womb Wisdom | Hormones | Rites of Passage | Menopause |
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All Pregnancy Wellness Topics | Pregnancy Yoga | Nutrition | Supplements | Vegan Pregnancy | Keto Pregnancy | GBS | Microbiome |
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All Pregnancy Risk Factors, Monitoring & Complications Topics | Low Iron | Blood Tests Older Mothers | Young Mothers | Diabetes | Gestational Diabetes | Graves Disease | Twins & Multiples | Breech Baby | Posterior Baby | Small for Gestational Age | PROM - Premature Rupture of Membranes | Pre-eclampsia | Growth Scans | PAPP-A | PCOS | Thyroid Conditions | Worms in Pregnancy | Preterm Birth |
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All Normal Labour & Birth Topics | Baby Positioning | Birth Biomechanics Doulas | Birth Companion | Antenatal Classes | Partners | Birth Partners | Relaxation | Pregnancy Massage | Shiatsu | Reflexology | Hormones | Oxytocin | Rebozo | Breech Birth | Twin Birth
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Postnatal & Baby | Breastfeeding | Babywearing | Sling Support | Postnatal Support | Postnatal Recovery | Bonding | Fourth Trimester | Birth Trauma
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All Baby Loss | Miscarriage | Stillbirth | Abortion | Death | Rites of Passage | Rituals
Blog of The Week: Great Birth Rebellion - Microbes & Vagina’s
I dare you to listen and tell me you’re not inspired!
PCOS, Pregnancy & Insulin Resistance: What It Means and How to Support Yourself
Living with PCOS can make pregnancy feel full of questions. What does it mean for your health, your baby, and your birth choices? In this blog I explain what PCOS is, how it can affect pregnancy (including a slightly higher chance of complications like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes), and — most importantly — the gentle, practical steps including yoga for pcos pregnancy, you can take to support your body.
Shrouding - An Ancient Ritual
This week I experienced something profound — being shrouded. For thousands of years, families cared for their loved ones in this way at home, just as naturally as we swaddle our babies or wrap women during pregnancy and after birth. These simple acts of wrapping are not just rituals, they are deeply human ways of offering support, love, and closure.
Real Nutrition in Pregnancy: Beyond Supplements, Towards Real Food
Pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding times in life. Your body is building not only a baby, but also a placenta, an expanded blood supply, and the reserves you’ll need for birth and breastfeeding. While modern advice often says “just take a prenatal,” the truth is deeper: nutrient density and bioavailability matter most.
In this blog, I explore why certain nutrients — like choline, DHA, iron, zinc, and collagen — are almost impossible to get in sufficient amounts from a vegan diet, and why cravings for animal foods during pregnancy are signs of your body’s wisdom, not weakness. We’ll look at the gaps in vegan nutrition research, the dangers of modern monocropped grains, and how ancestral, wild, and locally-sourced foods can provide everything you and your baby need to thrive.
✨ Plus: a free Yoga Nidra meditation to help you release food guilt, trust your cravings, and reconnect with your body’s instincts.
Maternity Rights - Paid Time Off Work for Antenatal Classes
It’s often seen as strong to carry on performing at work during pregnancy — but it takes even greater strength to pause, say no, and put your health and your baby’s wellbeing first.
Pregnancy Yoga: The Evidence Every Midwife Should Know
Pregnancy yoga isn’t just stretching — evidence shows it reduces stress, improves sleep, and can even shorten labour. This blog brings together key research midwives should know, with a free evidence PDF to download.
🩸Effective Iron Support🤰🏽
Tiredness in pregnancy doesn’t always mean low iron — sometimes it’s just your body adjusting. Standard iron tablets are often poorly absorbed and hard on digestion, but there are kinder, more effective options. In this blog, I explore Spatone, Floradix, nettle tea, and iron-rich foods, plus other causes of fatigue in pregnancy, and how practices like yoga, massage, and relaxation can help you feel more energised and supported.
Biomechanics & Birth: How Spinning Babies® and Rebozo Work to Support, Not Treat
Biomechanics is the study of how the body moves and functions, particularly in response to external forces. In pregnancy and birth, this means understanding how the pelvis, muscles, ligaments, and baby work together to create the conditions for an easier, more efficient labor…..
Seasons and Cycles: A Transformational Weekend Exploring Womanhood
This past weekend, I crossed a profound threshold during an experiential workshop led by Samara Hawthorn of Wellmama CIC. Among the many powerful rituals, the women-only sweat lodge stood out as a sacred space to explore the seasons and cycles of our lives as women.
It’s hard to put into words the transformation that happens when women come together in this way. Perhaps that’s why it’s referred to as the “blood mysteries.”
Empowering Mothers to Make Informed Choices: Considering a Caesarean for a Healthy, Older Mum
For many women, becoming a mother is one of life’s most precious journeys—especially when it’s a long-awaited pregnancy. Older mums, in particular, often face added layers of advice and medical recommendations, frequently framed around reducing perceived risks. If you’ve been advised to have a planned caesarean section, it’s completely natural to want to take the safest route for your baby. However, stepping into motherhood also means stepping into your power. You are the one growing this baby inside your body, and no one else shares that unique bond.
Take Ownership of Your Pregnancy Care: Why Personalised, Caseload Midwifery Matters
A recent BBC article highlights an ongoing crisis in maternity services. Despite years of warnings and recommendations, little has changed. Depersonalised, intervention-heavy approaches dominate, leaving many women feeling unsupported during pregnancy and birth. The result? Rising intervention rates, birth trauma, and an overall lack of trust in the system.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Healing from Birth Trauma: My Journey and How You Can Start Yours
After my first birth, I found myself replaying the events over and over in my mind. I had felt like a rabbit stuck in the headlights—surrounded by watching eyes, unsupported, and unable to communicate. I didn’t know that wasn’t normal, and on paper, everything about the birth looked fine.
The notes, the outcome—it all seemed like a completely normal birth, like those I’d been reading in the home birth group!
I was delighted to have achieved a home birth, but inside, I felt stuck and didn’t feel able to reach out for support.
From Burnout to Renewal: My Journey Back to Supporting Parents
For those of you who knew me before, you’ll know how passionate I was about making meaningful changes to maternity services. Becoming a parent opened my eyes to so much, and I threw myself into spreading evidence-based information, training, and networking. I truly believed it would make a difference.
Emma’s Top 6 Ways to Get Breastfeeding Off to a Flying Start
Yes, breastfeeding is natural, but we’re social creatures. Historically, we would have grown up seeing our mothers, aunties, sisters, and friends breastfeeding—and they would have been on hand to guide and support us. In today’s world, however, we’re often surrounded by bottle-feeding imagery and clever formula marketing that can misinform and confuse us….
Read my top tips for a successful start, with the best places to go for support and information…
Do Growth Scans Improve Outcomes for Older Mothers? Examining the Evidence
As a birth professional, I often get asked about growth scans, or fetal growth assessments, especially for older mothers.
Every scan, test, or procedure offered during pregnancy is just that—offered. It is not mandatory. Women are best placed to make decisions for themselves and their babies, provided they are fully informed about the benefits and risks of each procedure. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. To help bridge that gap, here is a summary of the evidence.
A Moment of Calm: 5-Minute Relaxation Practice
A few years ago, I created this simple 5-minute relaxation and breathing practice as a way to bring a little calm into a busy day. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a lovely little tool to help you pause, reset, and reconnect with your breath when life feels overwhelming.
The Evidence for Having a Doula
In a world where childbirth has increasingly shifted into hospitals and medical settings, the role of continuous, non-judgmental support during labour has never been more crucial. For centuries, women were surrounded by other women during birth—offering reassurance, guidance, and care. Today, doulas are reclaiming this vital role, and the evidence for their impact on birth outcomes is clear and compelling.
Embracing the Last Few Weeks of Pregnancy
The last stretch of pregnancy is often packed with a mix of emotions—excitement, impatience, and a touch of stress. With your due date just around the corner, it feels like everyone is asking, “Have you had the baby yet?” While their curiosity comes from a good place, it can feel a little overwhelming. Instead of letting that pressure get to you, let’s reframe this time as a chance to slow down, connect with yourself, and prepare for the big day.
A Modern Take on the Blessingway Ceremony: Honoring Motherhood with Heart
When we think of celebrating an expectant mother, our minds often jump to baby showers.
But what if there were a way to focus more on nurturing the mom-to-be rather than just showering gifts for the baby? Enter the Blessingway Ceremony—a thoughtful, heartfelt tradition centered on uplifting, empowering, and connecting the mother with her closest circle of women.