What an episode! This one had me hooked! Did you realise we have tiny organisms that live on and in every part of our body; collectively it’s called the ‘microbiome’. A healthy microbiome directly links with health benefits in pregnancy for you and the lifetime health of your baby (way more than you think!). This week, microbiome expert Rebecca Edwards from @activatedprobiotics explains how to protect and enhance your microbiome to help keep you (your vagina) and your baby healthy in the long and short term. This episode feels like a fundamental life hack that is relevant not only for pregnancy but for your whole life! This one is for you is you are thinking of pregnancy, pregnant or your babies are already born.

You can learn more about Activated Probiotics:

• @activatedprobiotics
• @activatedprobiotics_europe
• Activated Probiotics website

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

Doulas play a specific role at birth, but what is it? I interviewed Doula Poppy Child from @popthatmumma about what a doula is, what they do, how much they cost and questions to ask when hiring one.

Poppy is also a Hypnobirthing practitioner. You can see more of Poppy’s work here and Poppy would love to give you 20% off at the check out when you use the code MELANIE.

We also interviewed Poppy about Hypnobirthing on Episode 156. Hypnobirthing! Can it really help?

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

Having a vaginal birth after caesarean can be a tricky thing to navigate BUT there are some strategies that will increase your chances of having a vaginal birth if that’s what you are planning for. This week I spoke with Marissa from @twiceblessed about what she did to have the VBAC she hoped for and I also add my top tips and educational pops as we went. This one is for you if you are planning a vaginal birth after caesarean or love a woman who is.

In this episode Mel invites you to the Great Birth Masterclass here where you can get Mel's Tricks and tips for a great birth.

Other Episodes that relate to this conversation:

• 86. Internal pelvic release work
• 93. vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC)
• CTG monitoring in labour and birth Youtube Playlist

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

Hypnobirthing is a powerful technique that you can use to work with pain in labour. It’s easy to learn and adds to your tool kit if you are gathering strategies to help you feel calmer in labour and improve your chances of avoiding unwanted interventions and pain medications.

Registration for the great birth masterclass that Mel spoke about is at www.melaniethemidwife.com/great sign up now

The guest for todays episode was Poppy Child from @popthatmumma

You can find out more about Poppy and her hypnobirthing tracks at her website www.hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com get a 20% discount by using the coupon code MELANIE.

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

A great birth doesn’t happen by accident, there are things that you can do to influence the events of your birth. In this episode Mel shares some strategies that you can apply to increase your chances of having a GREAT birth.

For more strategies you can join Mel’s free masterclass www.melaniethemidwife.com/great

This masterclass is live on June 27th 2025 and those registered for the live event will also receive the recording afterwards. If you are listening to this episode as a back catalogue and want to see the masterclass beyond 27th of June 2025, it will be available at www.melaniethemidwife.com for you too.

Episodes that complement this episode include:

Ep. 149 - Increase your chance of vaginal birth in hospital

Ep. 143 - Declining medical recommendations

Ep. 133 - The Risk of Induction part 1

Ep. 134 - The risks of induction Part 2

Ep. 125 - the medicalisation spectrum

Ep. 101 The Brain and Body in labour

Ep. 85 - Light messes with labour

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

You can be the mistress of your birth experience. Let’s talk about what part YOU play in what happens to you during your birth. This week I speak to Alice Bleathman and we derive lessons from her birth story about what steps you can take to increase the chances of experiencing a birth without regrets. There are things you can do to increase your chances of a great birth and we explore these today through Alices story.

To access the FREE MASTERCLASS www.melaniethemidwife.com/great

Meet Alice @alicebleathman_

Complementary episodes for you to explore:

Ep. 125 The Medicalisation spectrum

Ep. 44 pre-labour rupture of membranes

Ep. 47 Managing labour pain without medicine

Ep. 129 Giving Birth to your placenta

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

There are controllable factors that you can start using today that will reduce the chances of your vulva or vagina tearing during childbirth. This episode lists the strategies that you, your care team and partner can help with to try and increase the chance of your vulva remaining intact.

Episodes that complement this episode:

72 - Episiotomy Part 1 & 73 - Episiotomy Part 2

127 - Do I need stitches if I tear at birth

143 - Declining Medical recommendations

19 - The Perineal Bundle

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

The BIG BABY trail, The SWEPIS study, the ARRIVE trial, The INDEX trial and the 35/39 trial. The 5 BIG studies that often get used to endorse the use of induction for suspected big babies, women over the age of 35 and over 41 weeks pregnant. Mel and Hannah Dahlen pick apart the studies to help you understand them and use them to inform your decisions around induction of labour.

Our guest on this episode was Professor Hannah Dahlen @hannah.dahlen

Other related episodes include:

• Episode 33 - Induction
• Episode 133 - The risks of induction - Part 1
• Episode 134 - The risks of induction - Part 2
• Episode141 - Big Babies Small Babies

• Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com
• Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com
• Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife or watch this podcast on Youtube here
• If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by donating to support the ongoing work of this podcast.

Disclaimer

The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with its application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.

The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, or delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain the accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.