During my time as a naturopath and childbirth educator, I have accrued many resources that I like to share with my patients, to ensure they are well-equipped to navigate their own journey through pregnancy and birth. Information is your greatest tool for making informed decisions and working collaboratively with your healthcare team, so as always, I encourage you to read far and wide, seek reputable sources and discuss your questions, concerns and ideas with your care providers along the way.

On this page, I’ve provided descriptions of the various resources to help guide your reading, however if you would prefer a summarised version (e.g. for printing), you can click here.

This page is an evolving document, so check back regularly as I continue to find and share more useful resources. I hope you find them helpful x

Websites

In the age of information, we are fortunate to have an abundance of knowledge at our fingertips at any point in time, but it is incredibly important we ensure our informations comes from reputable and well-researched sources. I've included a few for you below:

  • Midwife Thinking, by Dr Rachel Reed: Dr Reed is a PhD-qualified midwife and researcher, and an authority on the topic of physiological birth. Her blog posts and books provide a balanced, thoughtful and extensively well-researched discourse on a variety of topics relating to pregnancy and birth, including the best ways to support and promote physiological birth, as well as a look at the evidence surrounding topics like induction, suspected big babies, delivery of the placenta, perineal care and gestational diabetes.

  • Dr Sara Wickham: Like Dr Reed, Dr Wickham is a PhD-qualified midwife, researcher and commentator on all things pregnancy and birth-related. She is a respected authority on topics such as anti-D, Group B strep, vitamin K and induction of labour, and her books, blogs and website provide a wealth of in-depth, evidence-based information.

  • Evidence Based Birth: This website is run by Dr Rebecca Dekker, a nurse researcher and professor with a PhD. Her website is incredibly comprehensive, providing resources, information and research in a clear and easy-to-interpret manner for parents, parents-to-be and health professionals. She presents information from an objective and well-informed perspective, and covers everything from birthing positions, to pain management, inductions, due dates, water births, suspected big babies and more.

  • Childbirth Connection: Childbirth Connection is a non-profit organisation that provides evidence-based information, on topics such as pregnancy, childbirth, maternity care and pain relief in labour.

  • Breech Without Borders: Breech Without Borders helps provide women and their care providers with evidence-based information on breech birth. Dedicated to breech training and advocacy, they help make information about breech babies more accessible to both healthcare providers and the wider public, aiming to improve care options for women experiencing a breech presentation.

  • Spinning Babies: The Spinning Babies website provides a wealth of information about maternal positioning, belly mapping and how you can help encourage your baby into a more optional position for birth. Their exercises are known to be particularly helpful for women with breech or posterior babies.

  • Birthing Instincts, with Dr Stu: Dr Stu is an OB-GYN and advocate for birth choices, informed consent and holistic, women-centred maternity care. He is a world-renowned expert in vaginal breech and twin birth, and a supporter of a midwifery model of care. His website is full of great videos, blog posts, workshops and other helpful resources.

Books

Books on Birth Preparation

  • Birth Skills, by Juju Sundin: A wonderful book to help prepare both you and your partner for labour and birth. Juju is a physiotherapist who specialises in pregnancy care and birth preparation. She is a wealth of knowledge, and her books have helped guide both myself and many of my patients to a positive birth experience.

  • Birth with Confidence, by Rhea Dempsey: Rhea is a childbirth educator and birth attendant, and her book has been written for women pursuing a physiological childbirth, to help them navigate the maternity system, choose their birth team and create strategies to help them work through a ‘crisis of confidence’ during labour.

  • Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin: Written by leading American midwife, Ina May Gaskin, Guide to Childbirth explores the benefits of physiological childbirth and the incredible way in which women’s bodies are so aptly designed to birth their babies. Her book provides useful information to help women create a safe and positive environment for their birth experience and to formulate strategies to help them manage the pain of labour.

  • Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, by Dr Sarah Buckley: Dr Sarah Buckley is a medical doctor and mother of four. She is an internationally recognised authority on the subject of physiological birth and her book, Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, is a beautiful guide to natural birth and early parenting.

  • Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage, by Dr Rachel Reed: Dr Reed’s book on childbirth as a rite of passage weaves science, history, physiology and the experiences of women to examine the practices and beliefs that underpin our birth culture today, and to help women recognise their power and expertise when it comes to birthing their babies.

Books on Induction

  • Why Induction Matters, by Dr Rachel Reed: This book has been written for women who have been recommended an induction, or those who have chosen to pursue one, providing a comprehensive look at the induction process. It explores reasons for which women may be offered or recommended an induction, as well as the evidence underpinning these recommendations, and how the induction process may positively or negatively influence birth outcomes. Importantly, it provides a helpful framework for the decision-making process, as well as valuable points to consider when planning a positive induction experiences.

  • In Your Own Time, by Dr Sara Wickham: As more and more women are being offered inductions, Dr Wickham’s book In Your Own Time explores and demystifies the evidence surrounding induction, exploring questions like, how accurate are due dates?, does induction improve outcomes for the mother and baby (and under which circumstances)?, and importantly, how can we best navigate the induction epidemic?

Books on VBAC

  • Birth After Caesarean - Your Journey to a Better Birth, by Dr Hazel Keedle: Dr Keedle’s book, Birth After Caesarean, provides a comprehensive look at the research around vaginal birth after caesarean, as well as the experiences of women who have pursued a VBAC. She includes practical advice for women planning what she calls a ‘better birth after caesarean’, whether that ends in a VBAC or a repeat caesarean.

Books on Other Birth and Pregnancy-Related Topics

  • Real Food for Pregnancy, by Lily Nichols (pregnancy nutrition)

  • Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, by Lily Nichols (nutrition and gestational diabetes)

  • GBS Explained, by Dr Sara Wickham (Group B Strep)

  • Birthing Your Placenta, by Dr Sara Wickham (placental birth)

  • Anti-D Explained, Dr Sara Wickham (anti-D and rhesus factor)

  • Vitamin K and the Newborn, by Dr Sara Wickham (Vitamin K injection for newborns)

  • Informed is Best, Dr Amy Brown (interpreting information and making informed decisions in pregnancy)

  • The First Forty Days, by Heng Ou (postpartum nourishment and the Fourth Trimester)

  • Adventures in Tandem Feeding: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Beyond, by Dr Hilary Flower (tandem breastfeeding)

Podcasts

  • The Midwives Cauldron: Hosted by IBCLC Katie James, and midwife/researcher Dr Rachel Reed, this podcast takes you on a journey as Katie and Rachel explore topics like gestational diabetes, breastfeeding, low milk supply, ‘the golden hour’, perineal care and the ‘pushing stage’. This podcast is a valuable resource for any pregnant woman, mother or person involved in the care of women during pregnancy or childbirth.

  • The Great Birth Rebellion: In their own words, The Great Birth Rebellion ‘dismantles western beliefs’ around the management of birth and ‘presents an evidence-based alternative to modern birth practices’. Hosted by Melanie the Midwife and B, from Core and Floor Restore, this podcast aims to share evidence-based information in a light and informative manner, to help women make decisions that are right for them in pregnancy and birth.

  • Australian Birth Stories: Hosted by Sophie Walker, ABS is a beautiful podcast of women sharing personal stories of preconception, fertility challenges, pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Sophie also has some lovely resources available on her website, such as her guide to Perineal Massage. On her website, you can also sort through her podcast episodes by category, such as twin birth, VBAC, caesarean section, fertility treatments and so on.

  • Evidence Based Birth: Adapted from her website, the Evidence Based Birth podcast is also run by Rebecca Dekker, and is great to listen to whilst in the car or out walking. It’s a bit heavier on the research side of things and always gives a deep dive into whatever topic they are covering that day.

  • Birthing Instincts, with Dr Stu: The Birthing Instincts podcast is hosted by Dr Stu (OBGYN and expert in vaginal breech and twin birth) and midwife Blyss Young. They cover a huge range of topics, such as vaginal birth, induction, caesarean section, low lying placentas, twin births, breech births, posterior babies, modern obstetrics, high risk pregnancies, informed refusal and more.

Other Online Resources (Documentaries, Youtube Videos etc)

  • Birth Time Documentary: Available to stream online, the Birth Time documentary took the maternity world by storm, forging a birth revolution that aims to uncover why an increasing number of women describe their birth experience as traumatic, whilst re-empowering women and changing the way they are cared for during their pregnancies, birth and postpartum.

  • Birth-Ed: Run by Megan Rossiter (a midwife and hypnobirthing consultant), the Birth-Ed website is all about helping you have a positive and informed birth experience. Whilst we can’t always plan for what happens in birth, Megan’s work is designed to give you the tools to make informed decisions throughout the journey, to reduce fear and help you feel calm and prepared at the prospect of giving birth. She also has a Youtube channel or Instagram, which are also great resources.

  • The Positive Birth Company: The Positive Birth Company is run by a lovely lady called Siobhan, who is a mother and hypnobirthing coach. Whilst they are based in the UK, they offer a digital hypnobirthing program, as well as many informative videos on her Youtube channel. The media portrayal of birth is often based in fear and drama, so if you’re nervous about birth, I encourage you to follow her Instagram for some positive and inspiring birth stories.  

  • Core & Floor Restore - Free online antenatal classes: B, from Core and Floor Restore, is a midwife who put together these free online antenatal classes during the COVID lockdowns. It’s a brilliant, comprehensive series and a great option if you are unable to attend in-person antenatal education.


Perinatal Mental Health Services

  • PANDA: PANDA offers free perinatal mental health support services in pregnancy and postpartum. They specialise in perinatal anxiety and depression and they support individuals and families on their journey through pregnancy and new parenthood. They have a national helpline (Mon-Sat) on 1300 726 306, as well as online support services.

  • Gidget Foundation: Like PANDA, the Gidget Foundation offer free support and counselling in pregnancy and postpartum. They have a wealth of resources on their website, as well as a podcast.

  • ForWhen: ForWhen offers mental health support for expecting and new parents. They have a national helpline (available Monday-Friday on 1300 24 23 22), and they can help connect you with mental health services in your area.

  • Lifeline: Lifeline offer 24/7 crisis support on their national helpline (13 11 14). They also have text and online chat options on their website.