An experienced midwife who has attended about 700 births, Linda tells how her heart is filled by the process of educating and empowering women to own their birth experience.   She shares her wisdom and tips in her friendlly and passionate style, including the benefits of pregnancy massage and caesarean scar massage.

Notes:

Linda's Road Map.  Introducing Linda and explaining why birth planning and making a 'birth proposal is so important.

3.55 Do you ask more questions buying a new kitchen than you do preparing for birth? Linda talks about the changes over years to a more medicalised system and the need to educate and empower women for different scenarios

5.33 Your body births your baby when its ready. Loving the confidence when she witnesses women who are able to say no and push back to get what they want in birth. 

6.50 Linda's ethos. Having kindness and empathy with the women she supports. How simple touches and listening being with a woman is transformational and can make a huge difference form overwhelm to a much better stronger place.

8.11 The transformational possibiliites and benefits of massage in pregnancy.   Works well with hypnobirthing and creates connection with the woman and her body. Eases aches and pains. A chance to connect deeper and see what is going on. Loving the way you leave after a massage 'floating on a cloud'

11.25   Massage of the scar after a caesarian section.  Linda has learnt to look deeper than the surface look of the scar and the massage helps the way the scar heals. Be mindful of what is going on under the scar inparticular adhesions like the spiderman web! The massage can release these and even prevent them from laying down

14.45  Freedom rather than restriction in later years when you massage the scar and it is never too late to start if this is new to you.

15.46. More than just a one off treat and how much you as the woman matters at the centre of this birth. Linda shares how she sees this particularly in women who have been focused on their career and leave the preparation until very late or until they have finishes work when it would be much more beneficial to do gently and regularly throughout pregnancy. Linda suggests putting the birth more centrally in your life and not leaving it too late. Take time to be prepared.

18.23   Paradigm shift of putting you at the centre of your experience in all areas of your life and how much you need to do this during pregnancy. 

19.38   Being moved to tears with the awe of a recent birth. Particularly inspiring as she journeyed from choosing a casearean to a water birth at 42 weeks having reisited pressure to induce. 

21.28   The amount of unnecesary interference that happens currently is breaking Linda's heart and watching women be coerced into certain procedures and sometimes separated from their partners and watching it escalate to a caesarean. Linda is on a mission to educate women to know their rights and ask questions.

23.10   The mind body continuum.  Get your mind into the right place, a place of calm and your body will follow.  Keep your adrenalin low and your oxytocin high then your experience will be so much better

The Passion and Possibilities in Birth Interivew Series showcases the who's how's and why's of creating a community of support around you as you prepare and create your best birth experience.  Intended to inspire you and open you to new and old ideas there are 11 different birth profesisonals sharing their passion and wisdom. We kick off here with experienced independent midwife Janie Al Alawi.

Watch the video or listen to the  audio only version below the video.  If you are limited for time use the notes underneath to skip to what most interests.

Notes: 

Janie Al Alawi discovered her passion for midwifery during a 4 week placement to the Jessop Hospital for Women during her nursing training that she completed in 1985. It was here she returned to become a 'Jessop girl' with 18 month training to become a midwife.  She experienced labour ward and community midwifery before moving to Abu Dhabi in 1990 to the Corniche Hospital. 12 years, 4 different jobs including the busy delivery suite where 100,000 babies were born annually, Janie returned to the Uk to work as a community midwife. where she remained untili 2014.  2014 saw her creating acorn birth services as an independent midwife.

4.10 Janie describes why she loves midwifery so much -"Being a midwife for Janie is not a job it is something in you".

6.40 The difference between working for the NHS and working indpendently.

9.32  All about choice and the mantra " guidelines not tramlines" when arranging  your birth plan with your care providers. 

10.30 Why you are the expert in your own birth.  The importance of communication especially listening to the woman, the mother. REmember 'The customer is always right' is the mindset to cultivate.

20.15  As a population we are healthier than ever so why are we having so many more problems? Discussing the need to trust women and their bodies, with a special mention of big babies as an example of how planting fears that weren't there can affect you.

23.30  What Janie would like to see women doing to prepare for the birth of their child- including slowing down in the third trimester particularly.  How she sees 'wired babies' when the mother hasn't slowed down, babies reflecting their mothers state of being.

26.40 Janie shares some tales from her travels to other cultures including the Emiratesand Angola  where she witnessed the elder traditional midwives working alongside her in the hospital and mothers being looked after round the clockin the postnatal period.  

31.44 Discussing easy to implement tips and techniques to support baby into the best position inlabour including using the stairs and the racing start.

33.30   A saddening tale of how quickly traditional skills and home birth/active birth preference were lost in the Emirates as an overmedicalised model took over in this nation which today sees 50% c sectoins. On her first visit she used 1 epidural in 12 years and very low c-section rates so the change is astonishing and quick. Janies mission and passion (one of many!) is to bring back home birth to th Emirates.

40.27 How you speak to a woman in pregnancy and birth will stay with her for life- so be mindful.  And a reminder that YOU are superwoman! As Janie describes how she is still excited at every birth after 31 years as a midwife.

43 The heartbreak Janie feels when women are only given one option when there is almost always more choice than that. ( Check out this blog for more skills on how to get offered the choices available )

44  Mary Cronk Exclusive! Midwives on a mission of mercy.  Janie shares a story from a trailblazing midwife who has done much to support women's choices in childbirth and to preserve skills such as birthing a breech baby.
You can read about her legacy  here .

Final thought: Women are amazing, brilliant, and we are  doing what are bodies are designed to do.

Find Janie at Acorn Birth Services.
Find a local independent midwife in the Uk here.

The Whos, Hows and Whys of creating a community of support around you as you create your best birth experience.

Back when I was first pregnant I was a fairly typical first time mother to be; anxious and excited in equal meassures yet simultaneiously overwhelmed with all the changes to my body and new information to absorb.  I did pretty well, discovering hypnobirthing, and pregnancy yoga and utilising my skills as a therpaist to release fears and old cellular memories.

Still with the wisdom of hindsight I thought it could have been so much easier if I had known more what to even look for and include as self care and birth prepraration.  Time is precious and I wasted plenty of it on fruitless, frustrating searches in googleland.

In a bid to help you avoid wasting those hours,  I have gathered together 11 different birth professionals to chat and share their wisdom.  It is my hope that you will feel inspired and confident to ask for what you need to create your best birth experience. I hope that listening to these passionate voices you will find your own voice and joy as you become a mother.   

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Full Interview List:

​Week 1:  ​Janie Al Alawi, Independent Midwife from Acorn Birth Services

Week 2:   Lorna Phillip, Doula from Birmingham Doula

Week 3:  Awen Clement. Sacred Celebrant

Week 4:  Mandy Rees, Yoga Teacher from Blossom Yoga and Wellbeing

​Week 5: Arty Thukral, Reflexologist,  Matrix Reimprinting and Bach Flower Remedies.

​​Week 6: Heidi Danaher: Hypnobirthing Instructor and Pregnancy Yoga Teacher. 

​Week 7:Gulara Vincent, Writer and Healer specialising in childhood and sexual trauma  

​Week 8: Janet Eastwood, from Birmingham Community Acupuncture

​Week 9: Worcestershire Doulas talking about  The Positive Birth Movement.

​Week 10: Linda Lillwall, From Bumps 2 babies -midwife, and massage therapis.

​Week 11:( Coming Soon)​