I met Pinar in 2022 when she attended my Mother Nurture Postpartum Training. Pinar shared a poem with me, previously written as part a doula course and her final project. This poem moved me deeply then and again recently when I saw it for the second time on her Instagram page. It prompted me to ask Pinar if I could share it here on Her Place. For too long, we women have not been encouraged to honour our wombs ourselves. This poem may inspire you to explore the stories held deep within you.

Rose’s story involves trauma but is ultimitaly a love story, it includes a description of her challenging birth & postpartum experiences, those of you awaiting the imminent birth of your baby may prefer not to read it just yet. The positive message here is how we can overcome perinatal trauma with a simple and effective programme with the support of a trained practioner. Sharing our stories can be helpful in removing stigma or shame attached to issues surrounding childbirth and parenting so thank you, Rose for sharing your family’s story.

I met Alissa initially at my pregnancy yoga at Womb & Bloom, during her second pregnancy. After her baby arrived, she joined my postpartum circles, Baby & Me Nurture and The Motherhood. Here she shares her story of her own breastfeeding experience and what she wished she’d known before motherhood. She also looks at the importance of being well nourished as new mothers. I believe it will be helpful to all new mothers, regardless of the choices they make.

I met Lyndsay during the covid pandemic. She attended my Baby & me circle, which is primarily for mothers and babies in the fourth trimester, it transitioned online early in 2020, amidst those challenging times. Lyndsay shares beautifully with us here, her experience of the early months of motherhood, and how during these extraordinary days she found a way back to herself and creativity as she discovered her way to mother within the backdrop of nature.

I am delighted to share that I recently had a work selected for an online exhibition and zine called 'Cut, Torn & Mended,' which launched on May 16, 2023 (World Collage Day) at Spilt Milk Gallery, a social enterprise based in Edinburgh with a mission to make motherhood more visible by promoting the work of artists who identify as mothers and empowering mothers within the community through artist-led activities.

Our skin is a responsive, tactile boundary between ourselves and others. It functions to protect and cushion us and is elastic, breathable, and washable - a truly amazing organ. It is through our skin that we sense touch, which is possibly the most important sense in a newborn. A baby’s first sense is developed within the womb as waves of amniotic fluid caress their skin along with the hugging of their mother's womb.

I met Grace when she attended my ‘New Baby & Me Nurture” course online. Be aware that Grace’s story does include a brief description of her challenging birth experience which those of you awaiting the imminent birth of your baby may prefer not to read just yet. Importantly this story is one of overcoming difficulties and the strength we develop doing so, sharing our stories can be helpful in removing stigma or shame that can be attached to many issues surrounding childbirth and parenting so thank you, Grace.

Victoria originally came to my pregnancy yoga classes and over some years I observed her experiences of becoming a mother for a second time. Her story is inspirational in how she turned the most difficult of experiences into her strength and how it has led her into doing what she does now - supporting other women on their journey into motherhood as a birth & postnatal doula. Lucky women they are! Its an honour to share her story here.

This time last year, I was just about to take my first class on Zoom, a medium that like many of you I had not used before! This would also be the last class I taught in the beautiful space that was the Active Birth Centre. I returned home that evening to Boris Johnson on TV announcing lockdown.

A little of my own journey from independence into motherhood. This is a time of transition for us all on becoming mothers and can transform life as you have so far known it.

Last July my first grandchild was born. Those early days and weeks were filled with awe and wonder. Slowly a love for this little new being that began tentatively grew and grew, now 8 months on my heart feels like its about to burst when I set eyes on him.

Breastfeeding Week is a time for us to think as a society about how we can support new mothers & their families better.