Preparing for Childbirth with Anna Watts

11/16/17 • 28 min

Looking at the Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual aspects of preparing for childbirth, with Anna Watts.
Founder of Celebration of Birth Doula Academy, Anna Watts, is affectionately known as the 'Wise Woman of Doulas' or 'Mama Doula', she has been guiding women and their partners through the journey of pregnancy and birth for over 28 years. Anna believes in honouring and celebrating birth as a ‘rite of passage’ for mother, father and baby, supporting empowered birthing choices and strengthening the spiritual connection in pregnancy and birth.
The Celebration of Birth Doula Academy teaches from a holistic perspective, including educational, creative, experiential and spiritual. If you are looking for Doula Training that offers personal as well as professional learning and growth, with on-going mentoring and guidance as you launch your doula career please visit the following pages for more information - Sacred Birth Doula Training and Sacred Beginnings Post-natal Training.
Produced by Annalee Atia
Presenter: Annalee Atia
Guest: Anna Watts
Links:
https://celebrationofbirth.com
www.pbbmedia.org
Credits:
Fields of Gold by Sting

Previous Episode

Taking Birth to a Positive place

For people listening in today or if you have friends or family with unresolved birth trauma, no matter how long ago, there are birth trauma specific resources such as birthtalk.org, birthing from within, and PANDA.org.au which are dedicate to supporting women, birthers and thier families.
Our guest today is Milli Hill, founder of the Positve Birth Movement, Milli set up the Positive Birth Movement from her living room in 2012, motivated by both her own birth experiences, and her growing frustration whenever she heard the words, "They didn't let me" in a birth story. She has since gone on to become a well recognised voice for women in the birth world, writing extensively in the mainstream press (BestDaily, Telegraph, Guardian) and apearing at various confrences and talks. She has three small children and lives in Somerset.
The positive birth movement is a grass roots movement, spreading positivity about childbirth via a global network of free Positive Birth groups, linked up by social media.
What began in 2012 as one small meeting in the living room of writer and campaigner Milli Hill, is now a global network of over 450 'real life' groups, with a massive social media presence too.
And they just keep on growing. They think this is because they break down the walls that the so-called 'birth wars' try to build between women. They don't hold any one kind of birth up above another. They are just concerned with every woman getting the best possible birth experience, for her, on that day.
About Milli:
Milli Hill is the Founder and Director of the positive birth movement.
Milli set up the Positive Birth Movement in 2013 and has since run it from her laptop whilst her three small children sit on her arms. She is passionate about positive birth as a human right for all women and campaigns and speaks on this issue in the media and at high profile conferences and events. She is a Columnist for Telegraph Women and the author of The Positive Birth Book. Milli lives in Somerset and is happy to be contacted on 077 391 391 15 or via [email protected].
Links:
www.pbbmedia.org
http://www.positivebirthmovement.org
Copyright
Producer/Host: Annalee Atia
Interviewee: Milli Hill
Music: Deva Premal and Miten, 'Ida Were Were' (African folk song)

Next Episode

Capturing the moment: The rise and rise of birth photography

Even though the camera was invented over 130 years ago, only in the last 20-30 years has the camera made its way into the birth room, and most of those images were captured by amateurs. But in the last few years we have seen an explosion of professional taken photos, and shared widely on social media. What is motivating families to invite birth photographers into such an intimate occasion? Is seeing these images changing how we view birth?
Sally speaks with birth photographer Alex Warland and four mothers who have used professional photographers at their births: Luna, Rhiannon, Anita and Varesha.
For more info and to see the photos the women mention, go to: http://www.pbbmedia.org/ne-plus-ultra/capturing-the-moment
References:
www.zandrawarland.com.au
"The Art of Birth" film by Shea Caplice
Image from Zandra Warland Photography
First aired on 99.9 BayFM Byron Bay, Australia on 20 November 2017.
Copyright PBB Media 2017
Presenter: Sally Cusack