The Soulful Midwife

Holy moly what a crazy few weeks it has been, I've had to take myself away from social media to fit it all in...but guess what... I'm back!! 🧡

In the past two weeks I've...

🏠 Helped my parents clear out the past 25 years of their lives and move house (local charity shops are now fully restocked and I'm definitely taking some credit for the local Tip improving their recycling stats!)

🏘 Packed up my own life and moved to Manchester!

🐈 Acquired a couple of Beautiful Cat-mates (like a flatmate but more floofy!) ...who seem to have claimed my bed as their own, boundaries must be set!!🤨

🏃‍♀️ Ran my first ever 6k! Not gonna lie, it was a bit sweaty, but I Loved it! Never ceases to amaze me what my body can achieve when I get out of my own way!

🏨 And even managed to squeeze in a few hospital shifts, in the hopes of a little rest from the house moving fun...and in true unpredictable maternity style, it was manic!!!

I'm exhausted, but super excited!!!

I can't wait to get immersed in my new life in Manchester, and be able to fully resume 'business as usual' for The Soulful Midwife! 🤓

Hope you've all had a great few weeks, enjoyed a fabulous sunny Bank Holiday weekend and are striving to always achieve the best you can and make the most of this wonderous journey of life!

🧡💛🧡

In so many aspects of our lives we would enlist the support and knowledge of a professional in that field.

Why should having a baby be any different??

Will you put the same level of self-importance to your pregnancy as you would your business, fitness or mental health?

Having additional support during this beautiful time of your life can help you to really appreciate and optimize your experience.

Personalised sessions with me will help you understand your options, make sense of the medical minefield, ease your anxieties and give you a sounding board for all of those little questions that you never dared ask!

DM me today to start your journey to a truly wonderful and empowered pregnancy, birth and beyond.


Much Love
Jas

🧡💛🧡

🧡

Why go upside down in pregnancy? In the last two trimesters of pregnancy (not the first!) the uterus may position itself better in the body after the ligaments supporting the uterus have this gentle stretch and release. Then the improvements in uterine space may allow baby to get into a better position.

It's official....I'm a geek!! 🤓

Absolutely loving the learning opportunities this January has brought me!

📒I'm currently studying the 3 Step Rewind, to help women and families restructure the memories of their birth in order to find their peace and move forward.

💻I'm also having my mind a little bit blown by The Thompson Method of breastfeeding!!

Both services will be available later in the year!! 🥳

Drop me a DM if you're interested to know more...or perhaps if you might fancy being a guinea-pig for me! I will be looking for a few ladies for a 3 Step Rewind case study to consolidate my learning, and hopefully help you move towards a brighter future.

🧡💛🧡

Yes!!!

Want to post this early in year again, as this might be the most important sentence I've ever written.

Your birth decisions and experiences are nobody's business but yours.

You have the right to make the decisions that are right for you and your baby.

No matter whether that's to do with where you give birth, who you have with you or what you want going on around that.

We need to ensure that ALL birth decisions are respected.

No-one should be hassled, groomed, shamed, coerced or bullied about pregnancy and birth decisions.

Before, during OR afterwards.

This quote comes from my book, "What's Right For Me? Making decisions in pregnancy and childbirth."

That and my other books have helped tens of thousands of women and families for more than 20 years.

If you need information on induction of labour, having a higher BMI, Anti-D (RhoGAM), group B strep, vitamin K, placental birth or any other birth decision, I have a website full of information at www.sarawickham.com

I also have books on each of these topics, which are written to help you make the decisions that are right for you.

Your body. Your baby. Your decisions. 💜💜

I appreciate I may open a whole can of worms here but...

I'd absolutely love any insight or knowledge anyone else could share on this one...I have yet again been left feeling upset with the system and all those darn policies, and the way colleagues just assume women will do as they are told!

On a recent shift in a UK hospital, I cared for a lady having a completely 'low risk' first pregnancy, at 40 weeks gestation exactly.

👶She came in for reassurance as her baby had had slightly reduced movements, for the first time.

🏨 Policy was to offer induction, but there wasn't availability until 4 days later, they wanted to admit her (an intervention in itself affecting the optimal labour hormones!) and monitor until then, or induce sooner if staffing allowed.

⁉️They asked me to do a vaginal examination, just to see if her cervix might be 'favourable' for the induction.

🚫My internal reaction was 'HELL NO' ... this was so unjustified!

☑️I spoke with the woman, gave her all options and ensured she was aware of all risks and benefits. After monitoring she felt reassured that baby was well and she was now feeling good movement.

😕Long story short...I was taken off this case as I clearly wasn't encouraging enough, and the senior Midwife went ahead and convinved/press ganged her into an examination and induction!

I am utterly bewildered and crestfallen that midwives are just trotting along following these 'guidelines' and women feel obliged go along with it...I feel this to be incredibly unnecessary intervention.

Very much open to any thoughts on this..?

🧡💛🧡

I am officially LIVE!!!!

www.thesoulfulmidwife.co.uk

Check out how I can help enhance your experience of pregnancy, empower you to birth your way or support you following unexpected events.

Contact me via the website or DM on insta/facebook for further information or to book your FREE 10 minute initial consultation!

Have an awesome weekend everyone!!

🧡💛🧡

For all of you soon to be mummas, Mana Hub Whitby is bringing you an empowerment workshop with The Soulful Midwife

Jas Lodge is an NMC registered midwife who is on a mission to help women reclaim their bodily autonomy and experience more empowered births.

In this 90 minute workshop you'll have the opportunity to learn about your rights within the system, improve your intuition and set an affirmation for your birthing journey.

There will also be an opportunity to ask any of those burning questions you've perhaps not had time, or been too afraid to ask your midwife!

Whats included:

Empowerment talk by midwife Jas

Clay workshop to craft your own 'affirmation plaque'

Light refreshments

Q&A

If you have any questions please contact The Soulful Midwife or Mana Hub Whitby
Limited Spaces, book via messenger or call 07519915856

Investment £25
Date: 24th November
Time: 18:30 - 20:00

As I sit here treating myself to brunch and working on some self improvement (never ending isn't it!) I have come accross a quote by James Clear...

🧡🧡🧡

'Whatever habits are normal in your culture are among the most attractive behaviours you'll find'
🧡🧡🧡

It made me think that 'normal' childbirth, certainly in western societies, has become hospital based, lying in a bed, ideally with all the drugs going! This new 'normal' has appeared in less than 100 years and now, to most women, the thought of anything else would be abnormal, hippie, woowoo, alternative, or if you request something different from the systems offerings, you're now the 'difficult one'.

Hospital birth is the formed habit, heavily influenced by our society, friends & family, media, medical advisories...

Perhaps it's time to demand a new 'new normal', by reverting back to the original way of doing things, safe, calm and at home. Just as nature intended!

What do you think? If your friends were having beautiful, empowered home births, would you feel more confident doing it yourself?

💛🧡💛

🧡💛🧡

Did you have an NHS supported homebirth?

🧡💛🧡

It saddens me to hear stories of women being told they are 'not allowed' to birth their baby in any what they feel comfortable.

Less than 1% of babies in the UK are born at home; and yet... homebirth services repeatedly see more positive outcomes for mums and babies, lower rates of interventions and fewer birth complications.

So why then is there such low importance placed on the provision of home birth services?

No woman should face the threat of birthing her baby at home, without the support of a midwife, because there isn't enough staff on that particular shift to come out to support her!

Women deserve better!

Our gut microbiome is responsible for so many aspects of our health! At its best, our gut microbiome helps us with everything from supporting the immune system, improving depression & anxiety symptoms, as well as reducing the risk of obesity and associated conditions.

A study carried out by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that regularly consuming probiotic containing foods can reduce the chances of going into preterm labour.

(There are also some thoughts that probiotics can reduce risks of preterm rupture of membranes, Group B Strep and possibly even pre-eclampsia!)

Incorporating the below foods into your daily diet is an easy, cost effective and harm free way of reducing these risks:

🧡Kefir
🧡Live Yogurt
🧡Saurkraut
🧡Kimchi
🧡Kombucha
🧡Eat the rainbow 🌈

Find the easy wins to a happier, healthier pregnancy, giving your baby the best start in life!

🧡 What do you think? 🧡

I Absolutely love this!

I have been thinking a lot lately about the significance of a due date, and if we should even be dishing them out, the impact of the due date resulting in 'post dates' inductions and perfectly formed.babies being classed as being premature all because of this magic date that an ultrasound machine and its practitioner deemed to be THE day!


🧡💛🧡

In a world where we rush around and try to fit too much in, a baby’s ‘due date’ has come to be seen by some people as a kind of appointment.

Statistically, only 5% of babies are born on their due date and many healthy babies are born after this.

I sometimes suggest that people plan to do something nice on their baby’s due date; there’s a really high chance that you’ll be free to do it!

But the important thing to remember is that, on the whole, our bodies and our babies’ bodies know what they’re doing.

If you’d like more information about due dates, induction or birth in general, see www.sarawickham.com/iol

Yes, feel free to repost. We just ask that you keep the original pic, words and credit intact and don’t put Sara’s words into your own branding 💜

🧡💛🧡

Every day is a school day!🤓

So very excited to be here in the beautiful Bad Wildbad, Germany, at the
Today conference.

Forever learning, and striving to be a better midwife, sharing wisdom and knowledge of amazing international midwives, to help women have more loving birthing experiences.

🧡💛🧡

Start believing in your body's ability to carry, birth and feed your baby!...Just as nature designed it to! 🧡

While the internet has brought endless knowledge to our fingertips, it can also provide a whole host of exaggerated and negative information, leaving mums to be confused, scared and ultimately convinced that their body might fail them!

Medical terminology suggesting 'failure to progress' when you don't advance at a rate determined by hospital policies, or go into labour dead on your 'due' date can be psychologically harmful. Our minds control our bodies, if we don't believe we can do it, how can we expect positive outcomes?

Positive thoughts breed positive actions and reactions; educating yourself and believing in your body's natural processes can make the world of difference to your birthing journey!

Believe in yourself!

🧡💛🧡

🧡💛🧡

With the summer festival season in full swing, I am so very excited to announce that I will be hosting talks/workshops at these absolutely incredible events over the coming months!

🧡 Burning Woman Festival 🧡 21-23 July: Natural Birthing, helping you understand your anatomy and the physiology of birth so that you can take control and have Your birth, Your way!

🧡 Carry on Camping 🧡 25th-27th August: How to catch a baby! A humorous and educational talk about what to do if you're faced with a birthing woman out in the 'wild'. With additional Q&A on navigating the NHS!

🧡 Mana Empowerment Retreat 🧡 15-17th September: Birth Stories sharing circles for women and men, helping you to process, understandand make peace with your own or observed birthing journeys

If you're interested in any of these events or want to know more about how I can help you through your pregnancy, birth and postnatal period, feel free to drop me a DM!

🧡💛🧡

I have just received an email containing this statement and feel a deep sadness that this is what we are taught, this is what we should be standing up and fighting for and yet, my experience of working in UK hospitals has shown me that this is not happening. The System is so very damaging.

We start our journey as enthusiastic advocates for natural birth, and within such a short period of time we become downtrodden, over worked pencil pushers, fearing the wrath of legal action or going against policy.

Many midwives aren't advocating for women, if a women dares to decline 'treatment' she is bullied and coerced. Pregnancy and birth are some of the most natural processes, and yet modern medicine has made it such a battle, instilling fear instead of empowerment.

The only way to force change is to take back control! Educate yourselves and stand strong in your belief in your body to do just as nature intended it. Find the midwives, doulas and birth keepers to support you on the journey you want to take!

Stay strong beautiful women, and may you always have supportive partners, families and birth workers in your corner!

🧡💛🧡

🧡💛🧡

“It’s hard to be pregnant with other kids at home.⁣
⁣
Because the expectations as a mother are still the same, but you're doing it with half the energy.⁣
⁣
And no one else is going to clean the house and tackle that huge pile of laundry because your joints hurt, and your ankles are swollen,⁣
or bathe your kids because you feel so much pressure in your nether regions.⁣
⁣
And no one’s taking care of ALL THE THINGS for you, so you’re spending most of the day on your feet: playing chase, carrying everything and them, and keeping up with your elder kids' busy schedules.⁣
⁣
And when one of your children is on the ground at the store having a tantrum, no one will lift him for you. You'll have to pull him over your big belly while he's kicking, crying, and screaming, all while trying to calm him down.⁣
⁣
But you’re not alone,⁣
every part of mothering becomes harder when you’re pregnant: mentally and physically.⁣
⁣
Because both pregnancy and parenting are hard work, so when combined, it can feel like you’re doing everything wrong at times.⁣
⁣
But give yourself grace.⁣
⁣
Because it’s okay to put your children in front of a screen so you can take a midday nap.⁣
It’s okay to give them mini muffins as you rush them out the door for school because you overslept.⁣
⁣
Plus, your children won’t remember what you didn’t do during this time.⁣
⁣
They’ll only remember you loving them,⁣
trying,⁣
and showing up—⁣
and that’s what matters most,⁣
through every stage of motherhood.”⁣
⁣
📸: angelica.ch.r

Find your voice, take back control.

🧡💛🧡

I confidently and assertively use my voice to express my needs and wishes for birth.

In health care, there is a lot of talk of informed consent, but what does this really mean?

In order for you to give your truly informed consent (implied, verbal or written), you must be made aware of the benefits, risks, alternatives and what happens if you do nothing. Simply being told by your health care practitioner to have an intervention or take a medication, isn't enough.

Medical advice is often based on a ' benefits the population' basis, its up to you to decide what is best for yourself.

Do your own research, listen to your body and make sure you make the best decision that works for you.

You have the right to decline or refuse ANY care, treatment or medication offered.

Knowledge is power - make sure YOU are in control of what happens to you and your baby.

🧡💛🧡

🙌

Powerful words from Developing Doulas. It really is so sad to see the devastation caused by over intervention, and the devaluation of midwives, downtrodden by the system.

No midwife fought their way into the profession to be promoting intervention over normality; but the system is strong, the fear of litigation is a driving force and the long hours, understaffing and minimal wages can grind anyone into compliance.

I fear the problems are too deep routed to expect a systemic change any time soon.

We need to take back the power, educate and learn from eachother, and ultimately be responsible for our own health, pregnancy and birthing journey.

DM me to find out how I can help you navigate the minefield of interventions, so that you can have the empowered, beautiful birth you deserve!

🧡💛🧡

🧡💛🧡

Love this!!

So easy to forget that this big wide world is a scary place for your newly birthed tiny human.

🧡💛🧡

Cluster feeding - a new baby's perspective (night 2 and beyond)

Well what was that all about? Where am I? What are these bright lights and loud noises? Why am a wrapped up in these scratchy clothes? I don't like it. Waaaah! Ah there's mummy. She has such soft skin. And I can hear her heartbeat just like when I was inside. That feels a bit better. I can smell that milk I had. Mmm that smells good, now where is it? Oops, where is it, can't find it, oh that's my hand, none in there, can't quite get it in my mouth, argh, oh there we go, mmmm... zzz.....
Oh no where am I again? Help. I can't see mummy, so many noises and lights ... Ah there's mummy. She's a bit fuzzy, ah that's better I can see her. Oo some more of that yummy milk would be nice. Where is it, I can't quite, no that's my hand again ... ah there we go mmm... zzz.
Help, where is mummy? I can't see her! Waaah! Oh there she is. Mmmm some more milk, there, oo first time Yes! .....
Ah this is nice, snuggled up to mummy, I can feel her warmth, her soft skin, and can hear her voice and her heart beat. I feel safe here. I might have a bit more milk... Actually I'm ok for a minute to just have cuddles, the milk is just over there if I need it. This is so nice ... zzz....
Now, I need it right now, I was wrong I NEED it absolutely right away! Come on what is this silly bra thing in the way, hurry up! I'm STARVING! Ah there we go, mmmm ....
Oh my goodness, what is happening? My tummy feels weird. I need to strain .... oooof oh that feels better. 💩 But now I feel all sticky. Waaah MUUUMMM! Oo my bottom is cold, what's that wet feeling? Ah let's do a wee whilst we are here. Why is mum shouting Noooo!? Ah that's better, nice and clean and dry. Better have some more milk and cuddles to recover .... mmmm...zzz

🧡 Hydration 🧡

Maintaining good hydration in pregnancy has so many health benefits!

Water makes up approximately 70% of your body, every cell, tissue and organ needs hydration to function. If you're starting to feel thirsty, dehydration is already starting!

The additional demands in pregnancy include:

💦 Providing adequate hydration to baby

💦 Supporting amniotic fluid production

💦 Efficient functioning of the placenta

💦 Supporting YOUR system with its increased blood volume

💦 Regularly flushing the urinary tract system to help keep those pesky infections at bay and eliminate waste products - your wee should be a light yellow colour with no strong smells

💦 Keeping you cool as your core temperature rises later in pregnancy

There are limited studies on how much is the right amount, and we all have different requirements. But at least 2-3 litres clear fluids daily. If its a super hot day or you've been doing more exercise, then drink more!

Try to keep caffeine, fizzy drinks, energy drinks to a minimum....or none at all if you can manage it! These drinks result in further dehydration and sugar overload!

💛 Top Tip 💛

Treat yourself to a cute water bottle, I find I always drink more if I've got a nice bottle with a built in straw! This will come in super hand for easy sipping in labour too!

Stay hydrated Beautiful Souls

🧡💛🧡

🧡 Let's talk nutrition 🧡

Vitamin D

It is estimated that almost 3/4 of the UK population have insufficient levels of Vitamin D*. Predominantly this is due to low sunlight levels through winter, but with ever increasing rates of people spending time indoors, working in offices, watching TV to unwind in the evening, essentially winter hibernating, we just aren't helping ourselves!

Good news is, it's FREE!! Getting outdoors on those sunny winter days and feeling those rays on your face is the best way to help boost your levels.

If you're struggling with this and notice some of the common symptoms (such as low mood, fatigue & muscle pain), you can easily, and fairly cheaply, supplement with vitamins. A recommended dose of 1000 -2000iu daily has no know risk factors and boosts your levels safely.

Vitamin D is fat soluble, so taking those supplements with your main meal, containing loads of healthy fats will help with absorption (avocado, nuts, eggs, olive oil).

So why is this important? Why do we need vitamin D?

🤰Boosts immune system - keeping you and your precious passenger safe from winter viruses and particularly respiratory infections

🤰Improves bone density - reduces risk of conditions such as rickets (cases increasing in recent years!)

🤰May help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes

🤰 May help reduce high blood pressure

🤰 Low levels have also been linked with low mood and depression

Stay healthy beautiful souls

🧡💛🧡

*https://www.forthwithlife.co.uk/blog/vitamin-deficiency-statistics-uk/

What an incredible story!!

Such inspiration and motivation to work towards normalising twin birth! No inductions, no fuss! Just strong mummas doing it their way!

Well done mum and midwives!

🧡💛🧡

A positive mental attitude can go a long way!

Believe in yourself, trust your body and your baby. When the time comes you'll know what to do, YOU have the power to help your precious passenger into this world safely and naturally.

When you start to doubt yourself, fear creeps in. Fear and anxiety change your whole hormone profile, inhibiting your natural flow of oxytocin*, which can slow down your labour by reducing contractions as your body moves into 'Fight or Flight' mode.

YOU are in control! Relax, breathe, laugh, love and remeber to enjoy your beautiful journey.

🧡💛🧡

*oxytocin is the love hormone, that very same one that was present at conception is the hormone that will flow with abundance as you labour and birth your baby.

Myth Busting!

An often heard phrase in pregnancy is that you're 'eating for two'.

Reality is that your baby is perfectly designed to take what they need from your body, and you only need an extra 200-300 calories per day in the third trimester (28+ weeks). 'Eating for two' for your entire pregnancy will mainly result in you gaining weight, which you'll be challenged to want to lose again post pregnancy!

Chances are, as your pregnancy progresses, the reality of eating full meals is rather uncomfortable anyway! Quite simply, there's just no room. Think about eating little and often and making sure your precious passenger receives all the nutrition they need from your natural diet.

🌟 Nutrition Tips 🌟

🤰Eat the Rainbow (Whole foods)🍑🥑🥕🍠🫐
🤰Top up your Iron with green leafy veg and legumes
🤰Vitamin C - It's not just oranges - try things like red peppers & kiwis
🤰Vitamin D - Don't forget to get outside and feel the sun on your face 🌞 Supplement with oily fish, eggs and mushrooms
🤰Calcium - it's not just in dairy! Try incorporating edamame beans, tofu, nuts and seeds into your diet
🤰Reduce your caffeine intake (It slows the absorption of other nutrients!)

🧡💛🧡

Hello Beautiful Souls!

I'm Jas; The Soulful Midwife, I'm an NMC registered midwife in the UK.

It was a beautiful sunny day in north London almost 5 years ago that it all became real, it was official, I was a midwife!! Eek. I was so full of knowledge, enthusiasm and excitement to be embarking on this journey of empowering women, advocating for rights and helping welcome the next generations into this world.

Fast forward to today; I've worked through one of the toughest times in modern medical history and find myself ticking boxes and dutifully following policies; with very little time for all that advocating and empowering I was planning to do!

So here I am, taking an excited step into the next chapter. I am here to provide support, advice, empathy, advocacy and love, to help you on your own journey to parenthood.

I will be offering workshops at various events over the summer (details coming soon!) as well as one to one sessions for those in need of help navigating the mind boggling medical systems, or understanding their past experiences.

I am passionate about providing people with the knowledge they need to achieve peaceful and positive birthing experiences that work for them.

I'm feeling ever so excited to meet and learn from you all, and grow a beautiful supportive community together.

🧡💛🧡