by Sallyann Beresford | Apr 9, 2025 | Breastfeeding, Colostrum, Delayed Cord Clamping, Human Microbiome, Informed Decision Making, Labour and Birth, Optimal Cord Clamping, Physiological Birth, Postpartum, Sovereign Birth, Temperature Regulation
We often think of birth as the end of pregnancy, but in reality, it’s the beginning of an incredible transition. In those first moments, your baby is undergoing huge physiological changes – taking their first breath, being colonised by essential microbes,...
by Sallyann Beresford | Mar 31, 2025 | Back to Back baby, Birth Partner, Breastfeeding, Breathing and Relaxation, Doula, Empowered Birth, Homebirth, Hormones, Hypnobirthing, Informed Decision Making, Instincts, Labour and Birth, Latent Labour, Long Labour, Posterior Birth, Prodromal Labour, Sovereign Birth
Many people hire a doula, believing that our role is to shield them from the broken maternity system. I understand why. The system is flawed – riddled with coercion, unnecessary interventions, and a culture that often strips pregnant women of their autonomy. But...
by Sallyann Beresford | Mar 16, 2025 | Empowered Birth, Homebirth, Hospital Birth, Hypnobirthing, Informed Decision Making, Instincts, Intentional Birth, Labour and Birth, Normal Birth, Physiological Birth, Sovereign Birth
There is an unspoken expectation in maternity care that women will comply. That they will nod in agreement, follow instructions, and place their trust entirely in the hands of those deemed more knowledgeable. But what happens when a woman dares to challenge this...
by Sallyann Beresford | Mar 14, 2025 | Antenatal Course, congestion line, consultant obstetrician, dilation, Homebirth, Hormones, Hospital Birth, Hypnobirthing, Informed Decision Making, Labour and Birth, labour assessment, Midwife Led Unit, Physiological Birth, purple line, Uncategorized
Among the many physiological signs of labour progress, the purple line – as it is currently known – has been widely noted by birth professionals. Observed as a darkened streak extending from the anus upward along the natal cleft (the crease between the...
by Sallyann Beresford | Mar 12, 2025 | Antenatal Course, Birth Compass, Birth Manifesto, Birth Partner, Breathing and Relaxation, Discover Your North Star Course, Doula, Empowered Birth, Informed Decision Making, Instincts, Intentional Birth, Labour and Birth, North Star, Physiological Birth, Sovereign Birth
As a doula, I’ve walked alongside countless women as they navigate the intensity, beauty, and raw power of birth. I’ve seen it all – the quiet, instinctual labours that unfold like poetry, and the births that are clouded by fear, doubt, and external pressures....
by Sallyann Beresford | Mar 6, 2025 | Antenatal Course, Back to Back baby, Birth Compass, Birth Partner, Breathing and Relaxation, Doula, Empowered Birth, Homebirth, Hormones, Labour and Birth, Latent Labour, Posterior Birth, Prodromal Labour
Labour can be full of surprises, especially when it comes to early contractions. Prodromal labour, often called ‘false labour,’ involves contractions that can feel intense but don’t lead to dilation of the cervix. It can go on for days or sometimes even...
by Sallyann Beresford | Mar 5, 2025 | Empowered Birth, Hormones, Hospital Birth, Informed Decision Making, Instincts, Intentional Birth, Labour and Birth, Midwife Led Unit, Natural Birth, Normal Birth, Physiological Birth
When it comes to planning your birth, choosing where you will feel safe, is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Many parents-to-be assume that once they’ve selected a hospital or midwife-led unit (MLU), they can relax, trusting that their chosen setting...
by Sallyann Beresford | Feb 21, 2025 | Antibiotics, Baby Blues, Family Support, Informed Decision Making, Mental Health, Postpartum, Postpartum Depression, Side Effects
The postpartum period is a time of immense change – emotionally, mentally, and physically. New mothers often experience a wide range of feelings as they recover from birth, bond with their baby, and adjust to a new phase of life. While it’s common to focus on...
by Sallyann Beresford | Feb 15, 2025 | Antenatal Course, Birth Compass, Birth Manifesto, Birth Partner, Breathing and Relaxation, Discover Your North Star Course, Doula, Hormones, Hypnobirthing, Informed Decision Making, Instincts, Labour and Birth, Natural Birth, Normal Birth, Physiological Birth, Sovereign Birth
Over the years, supporting women through pregnancy and birth, I’ve found myself repeating the same key truths. My quotes have become powerful mantras that have helped thousands of couples prepare for a physiological birth with confidence. Birth is a...
by Sallyann Beresford | Feb 9, 2025 | Antenatal Course, Birth Compass, Birth Manifesto, Birth Partner, Discover Your North Star Course, Empowered Birth, Homebirth, Hypnobirthing, Informed Decision Making, Instincts, Intentional Birth, Labour and Birth, Natural Birth, Normal Birth, Physiological Birth, Sovereign Birth
In birth, a labouring woman is often seen as either the most powerful person in the room or the most vulnerable. But what if the truth is that she can be both? Birth is an experience that calls for vulnerability, forcing us to face our deepest instincts. In that...
