I was called to birth work in my early 20s when I qualified as a midwife in the NHS. I saw women being undermined, disrespected, lied to and corraled into unnecessary, traumatic birth experiences. A decade later, I have walked a path rich in teachings and believe that birth works best when it is handed to the mother, not taken away from her by regulated midwives and doctors following hospital policies.

In 2021, I furthered my studies with the Original Birth Connection, a very thorough doula training course, which further opened my eyes to how I could walk with women in a holistic and nurturing capacity and I supported women in the system as a doula. It felt great to be able to give that unwavering and loving support to women in the hospital setting, something I didn't feel the role of registered midwife allowed me to do. Yet, I still wondered if all this talk of 'risk' and the fear mongering was really necessary. When you are in the system, everyone around you is telling the same stories and living the in the same (limiting) paradigm.

Then, I became pregnant with my first child, and everything changed. I knew I wanted a homebirth - but at the time homebirth services were suspended 'due to staffing shortages'. The options offered to me were: hospital or hospital. Not much of a choice! It felt like a massive kick in the teeth. I toyed with going to hospital but listened to how tense my body felt when I was there. How would I give birth naturally & beautifully if my body felt tense? I KNEW that for birth to work I had to feel relaxed and safe, so this wasn't the place for me.

In 2022 I gave birth to my daughter, at home, with my birthkeeper, partner and dog - it was powerful, beautiful and smooth. Needless to say, I did a lot of preparation - it was mainly a matter of UNDOING the fear instiled into me from working in the system and from just being in society. It confirmed what I always suspected deep down to be true: that birth works best when the mother is left alone. The ripple effects of this experience have been subtle yet monumental and a huge part of my journey into becoming a radical birth keeper. After the birth of my baby I was approached by many women wanting to give birth in a similar way - at home, in their power. I enrolled onto the Radical Birth Keeper school in order to enhance the support I offer to these women and am loving every moment of it...it's a vast unravelling of fears that are leftover from a redundant paradigm. I now live in a reality where birth works best when women are supported by those who deeply respect, love and trust her, and when she is in a safe loving environment free of distractions and interruption.

When I'm not doing birth work I am working with the cycles of the land - growing vegetables, flowers and herbs at our land project, and being a devoted mother.