Expert information on all things pregnancy, birth, postpartum, woman's health and fitness

The Mother Load: Why Maternal Health Does Not End at Six Weeks Postpartum Motherhood is often discussed in terms of everything a woman gives to her baby. Far less attention is paid to what she continues to carry physically, mentally and emotionally long after birth. There is the visible work of feeding, soothing, dressing, organising and caring for children. Then there is everything that happens quietly in the background. Remembering appointments, anticipating everyone’

Postpartum Fitness: Why Your Body Does Not Need to Bounce Back Motherhood changes your body, your priorities, your routines and often your entire sense of identity. Yet women are still surrounded by messages telling them they should somehow return to who they were before pregnancy as quickly as possible.

Motherhood Rage: Why You Feel So Angry and What It Is Trying to Tell You Motherhood is often described as a time of overwhelming love, joy and connection. While all of those things can be true, they are not the whole story. There can also be frustration, irritability and moments of anger so intense that they leave you wondering who you have become. You may snap over something small, shout when you wanted to stay calm or reach the end of the day feeling ashamed about how y

Becoming a parent changes almost everything. Your routines change, your relationship changes, your priorities shift and suddenly you are responsible for a tiny person who depends on you completely. For new dads and birth partners, that transition can feel especially complicated. There is often a strong desire to be involved, supportive and useful, but very little practical guidance about what that role actually looks like. In a recent episode of the Midwife Pip Podcast,

Newborn Sleep: What I Wish Every Parent Knew Before Their Baby Arrived One of the biggest myths about birth is that the pregnant woman is the only person who needs to prepare. In reality, birth is very much a team effort.

What Every Birth Partner Needs to Know Before Labour Begins. One of the biggest myths about birth is that the pregnant woman is the only person who needs to prepare. In reality, birth is very much a team effort.

Preparing for Birth Means Preparing for Recovery Too. When most women think about preparing for birth, they often focus on labour itself. Will contractions start naturally? What will birth feel like? Should I write a birth plan? Will I need pain relief? These are all important questions. But during a recent episode of the Midwife Pip Podcast with specialist pelvic health physiotherapist Aby Tobin, we explored a topic that deserves far more attention during pregnancy. P

When I recently welcomed Davina McCall onto the Midwife Pip Podcast, I knew we would have an honest conversation about pregnancy, birth and women's health. What I didn't expect was just how many important themes emerged that I hear every single day in my work as a Midwife. We talked about trusting your body, making informed choices, positive birth experiences, birth trauma, pelvic health and why women deserve to feel seen, heard and supported throughout pregnancy and labo

If you are wondering what postpartum recovery in the first week actually looks like, here is what to expect.

Biomechanics for Birth teaching women how to creating space and balance for a smoother labour and birth.

Like so many people, I’d imagined a spontaneous labour and relaxing water birth. I hadn’t done a course, but I’d read a good book about...

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to try to have a home birth. Both my sisters have had their babies at home,...

I should have twigged what lay in store later that night when at 2pm, six days into my maternity leave, I got a sudden urge to paint a...

The day before my due date (Easter Sunday!), I woke up at around 6am, feeling irregular but definite tightening sensations. I wasn’t...

On the night of Monday 16 January I thought I could feel my waters slowly start to trickle, but it was hard to tell.Waking up in the...

My journey started with fertility difficulties and, after a failed first round of IVF, we were successful on round two! We had been...

The female body is incredible. I ended up in the first stage of labour for circa 36 hours which was fairly long but manageable as we did...

It was the heatwave of 2020 lockdown and, quite frankly, I was desperate to get this baby out, but of course my due date went by without...

If I told you the day I had major abdominal surgery was the best day of my entire life, would you believe me? Not only because we got to...

When will I first feel my baby move? When should you expect to feel your baby kick for the first time during pregnancy and what will it...