The one idea that inspired and motivated me when I started working in the birth and pregnancy space was this: the birth moment is a sacred one that has ripple effects that impacts so many people.
The moment of birth creates a ripple that affects many
Birth doesn't just affect the mother and the baby being born, it affects the father and/or the mother's partner too. And it affects the professionals present; the midwives, the doctors or OB-GYNs, the consultants, the doulas, and the nurses.

But it doesn't stop there. Depending on how the birth goes, it will will also affect the baby's siblings, and other family members.

Then there's the life of the baby as he or she grows up. Our births create an emotional blueprint that we carry with us our whole lives. Our fears, our patterns of behaviour, our stresses and our anxieties are all rooted in our birth experience. If we experienced a traumatic birth, then this will affect in all sorts of mysterious ways as our fears and traumas play out.

I say 'mysterious' because many people don't realise that the struggles they are afflicted with as adults probably have their roots in their birth experience. The WAY we are born - c-cection, vaginal birth, ventouse etc - can impact us too, as I've covered already quite a bit on the podcast. Anna Verwahl has done incredible work in this area if you're interested in finding out more.

If, as a baby, we experience our birth as challenging or traumatic then as adults we might not go on to have children as our trauma creates fears or phobias in us. In my work supporting women in overcoming tokophobia, for many of my clients the trauma of their arrival in the world is often the trauma that is at the root of their phobia.

The moment of birth has far-reaching consequences. And it's for this reason that I want to help people to improve the chances or that moment being as wonderful as possible.
Birth is sacred
You see, when you take a closer look, the moment of birth is a sacred one. But it's not simply because it affects so many. It's because it is the creation of life. It's the moment when we exist for the first time outside of our mother and it carries such potency. The first time we look into our babies eyes is a powerful moment that can stay with you forever. Those first few hours with your baby can be like nothing you've ever experienced. But sadly, these are experiences that can be missing for those whose births are difficult.

When a birth experience is a difficult one, the impact of this is far-reaching and does not only affect the mother and child. The father or partner is affected, as are the professionals present. And so the ripple expands. By focusing our energy on preparing to create the space for a wonderful birth experience to take place, we are creating the possibility for lots of people to benefit in important ways from this one birth.
Conscious preparation is not just for mothers-to-be
But this conscious preparation is not limited to the mother-to-be, although she can often feel like it's all on her shoulders. The father or partner also needs to be part of this, and while they might know that, it might not always be immediately obvious HOW they can support the mother.

If this is you - wondering how you can best support your partner as you prepare for the arrival of your baby - then this interview is a must listen.
Conversation with Souvereign
In this interview I chat with Souvereign who helps dads to prepare for the arrival of their baby. During this conversation Souvereign shares;

how his experience of the arrival of his first child made him decide to do things differently for his second
how he views birth and its sacred nature
practical ways on how men can support their partners during pregnancy
his experience on being asked to cut the cord made him feel
his fascinating perspective on the cutting of the cord and why we need to wait as long as possible