More Than Birth
Preparing you for birth. Supporting you into parenthood.
Paperback coming soon
More Than Birth
Preparing you for birth. Supporting you into parenthood.
There’s plenty of advice about having a baby. But sometimes what you need is someone to explain things clearly, talk honestly about the possibilities and help you work out what matters to you.
More Than Birth brings together what I’ve learned from more than 20 years of supporting parents through pregnancy, birth and those early weeks with their baby.
Inside, you’ll find practical information about pregnancy, labour, birth, feeding, recovery and life with a newborn, alongside real stories from parents who have been there. There’s space for the questions, feelings and decisions that don’t always get enough attention before a baby arrives, including the important role of partners and support people.
My hope is that you’ll come away feeling more informed, more prepared and reassured that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin.
Available now on Kindle.
Paperback coming soon.
A Little Look Inside.
Chapter 1:
It Begins Here - The First Steps After Two Little Lines
From positive test to your first appointments
Maybe you've been trying for years.
Maybe this happened much sooner than you expected.
Maybe you're holding a positive pregnancy test in disbelief.
Maybe you've laughed.
Maybe you've cried.
Maybe you're terrified.
Maybe you've already started imagining tiny fingers wrapped around yours.
Maybe you've been through loss before, and this pregnancy feels different.
Maybe this is your first baby.
Maybe it's your fourth.
However you've arrived here...
Welcome.
Pregnancy has a way of changing everything in a single moment. One tiny line on a test can suddenly fill your mind with excitement, hope, questions, uncertainty and more love than you knew was possible. It can also bring worry, doubt and the overwhelming feeling that there is so much to learn.
If you're anything like the thousands of parents I've met over the past 21 years, you've probably already discovered something surprising.
Everyone has advice.
Family.
Friends.
Social media.
Books.
Podcasts.
Healthcare professionals.
Even complete strangers in the supermarket!
Some advice will be helpful. Some won't. Some will leave you feeling more confused than when you started.
It can be hard to know who to listen to.
My hope is that this book becomes the quiet voice amongst all the noise.
Not a book that tells you there's only one right way.
Not a book that expects perfection.
But one that helps you understand what's happening, feel confident asking questions, and make decisions that feel right for you and your family.
Because that's what preparing for birth is really about.
Not memorising every detail.
Not creating the perfect birth plan.
Not ticking every box.
It's about building confidence.
It's about understanding your options.
It's about learning to trust your instincts while knowing when to seek support.
It's about walking into birth and early parenthood feeling informed rather than overwhelmed.
You don't need to have all the answers today.
You don't need to know exactly how your birth will unfold.
You don't need to be the perfect parent.
You simply need somewhere to begin.
What’s Inside
More Than Birth takes you from the beginning of pregnancy through birth and into life with your baby, with practical information you can return to as you need it.
Pregnancy, trimester by trimester: Understanding changes in your body, navigating appointments and preparing for what comes next.
Labour and birth: What happens during labour, comfort measures, pain relief and making informed decisions.
When birth takes a different path: Understanding induction, assisted birth and caesarean birth, with space for the feelings that can come with a change of plans.
The first days and weeks: Feeding, newborn care, recovery and getting to know your baby.
Looking after you: Emotional wellbeing, changing relationships and finding support as you settle into parenthood.
Partners and support people: Practical ways to be involved, offer reassurance and support you through birth and beyond.
Throughout the book, real parent stories sit alongside the information, with space to reflect, make notes and work out what matters to you and your family.
