Building Your Birth Team

All the internal preparation in the world is harder to access when you are in the middle of labour and the people around you do not know what you need. In this episode, Katie turns outward and talks about who belongs in your birth team, what they need to know, and how to prepare them properly. This includes the conversations worth having with your midwife, what to ask for in terms of specialist support, and the specific preparation most birth partners never receive but genuinely need. In This EpisodeWhy the quality of support around you during labour is one of the most significant factors in how you experience your birth, and why this matters even more when you have a traumatic historyWho belongs in your birth team: your community midwife and care team, a mental health midwife, your birth partner, and anyone else whose presence would help you feel saferHow to ask for a referral to a mental health midwife and what that support can look like, including what to say at your next appointment if you have not asked yetHow to prepare your birth partner properly: what to tell them you need when fear shows up, what does not help, and how to give them something concrete to do so they are not just going on instinctHow to have the conversation about your previous birth with your midwife, including a script for what to actually say if you are not sure how to start it Practical Tool This WeekTwo things to do this week. First, have the conversation with your birth partner. Tell them specifically what helps you when you are frightened, what does not help, and give them one or two concrete things they can do. It does not have to be long. A short, honest conversation makes a real difference, and going through the birth plan guide together is a good way to structure it. Second, if you have not yet asked for a referral to a mental health midwife, do that this week. It can be a question at your next appointment or a message to your community midwife. You are entitled to that support and it is worth asking for.Resources Mentioned:Free Trauma-Informed Birth Plan Workbook | Birthcare with Katie30-Day Calm & Confident Birth Challenge (free)https://birthcare.co.uk/30-day-mindset-challengeBetter Birth Anxiety Workbook — The Birthcare Collectionhttps://birthcare.co.uk/products-listBirth Without Fear: Essentials for a Better Birthhttps://birthcare.co.uk/birth-without-fearCONNECT WITH KATIE:Instagram: @birthcarewithkatieWebsite: https://birthcare.co.uk/