I’ve had three babies.

Each birth was different. One came on her own, my other two were inductions.
But every single one of them was empowering and beautiful in its own way.

I know that’s not always the story people hear when it comes to birth.
I know that fear, anxiety, and uncertainty can take up so much space in the lead-up (especially if it’s your first baby, or if you’ve had a previous birth that left you shaken.)

But I want you to know something really important:
Birth doesn’t have to be something you fear.
It can be a deeply calm, powerful, positive experience, even if it doesn’t go exactly to plan.

What Helped Me Feel Calm and Empowered

Here are a few things that helped me prepare - emotionally and physically - for the kind of birth I wanted:

1. Hypnobirthing techniques

I used hypnobirthing tools for two of my births and they made such a difference. The breathing, the mindset work, the visualisations — they helped me stay grounded, calm and focused through every stage.

2. Understanding the physiology of birth

Once I truly understood what my body was doing during labour — and how every surge was working with me, not against me — I felt so much less afraid of the process.

3. Letting go of control

I learned that I could prepare, educate myself, and visualise the birth I hoped for — while also staying open to the fact that babies and birth are unpredictable. Letting go of the perfect plan helped me stay in the moment.

4. Creating a calm environment

Dim lighting, candles, birth affirmations, a playlist of my fave songs made a huge difference. These small things helped me feel safe, which made it easier to let my body do what it needed to do.

5. A supportive team

Having people around me who respected my choices and reminded me that I was the one birthing this baby gave me strength and confidence I didn’t know I had.

If You’re Feeling Nervous, You’re Not Alone

Birth is big. It’s transformative. And yes, it’s completely normal to feel nervous.

But please know: You don’t have to go into it feeling powerless.

There are tools, support systems, and choices you can make that will help you feel calm, confident and connected to your baby throughout.

Whatever your birth ends up looking like, I want you to walk away from it feeling proud. Not because it was perfect, but because you did it - with strength, love and intention.

Gentle Affirmations to Carry Into Birth

Here are some affirmations that helped me (feel free to save them, screenshot them, write them on your bathroom mirror).

🌿 My body knows how to birth my baby.
🌿 Each wave brings me closer to meeting my baby.
🌿 I am safe. I am supported. I am strong.
🌿 There is no right way to birth — only my way.
🌿 I soften. I surrender. I breathe.

You’ve got this, mama. Truly.
Birth is not just about bringing a baby into the world, it’s about becoming.
And no matter how it unfolds, it will be the beginning of something beautiful.