Stories are teachers. Stories are guides.
Last week I found myself immersed in stories. Within the Ubuntu Birth Attendant Reflection Spiral we began sharing the stories that have shaped us as birth attendants. A few days later, within the Silent Birthkeeper, we spent our session reflecting on birth stories themselves and the many ways they continue to teach us. It reminded me that stories are one of the oldest ways knowledge has been passed from one birth attendant to another. Stories are teachers. And they are guides. Long before textbooks and research papers, there were stories. The woman who laboured for days before her baby was born. The breech baby who suddenly flipped in mid labour and surprised everyone by being born head first. The haemorrhage that looked frightening but resolved beautifully. The births that changed everything we thought we knew… These stories become part of us. They quietly shape how we think, how we respond, and what we notice when we sit beside another woman. They feed our intuition: that quiet, embodied knowing that cannot be taught in a classroom but only by sitting with birth. They deepen our gut sense as birth attendants. And they expand our understanding of what is possible. Like a tree that is slowly shaped by the elements, so too are we, as birth attendants, shaped by the births we attend. Over the years, I have learnt as much from the births that unfolded gently as I have from those that ended in heartbreak. Both have been my teachers. But stories ask something important of us. They ask us to learn without projecting. To remain open to the uniqueness of each mother and baby. To allow every birth to unfold on its own terms, rather than through the lens of the last one we witnessed. Perhaps this is why gathering together matters so much. When we share our stories, we preserve knowledge that might otherwise be lost. We remind one another that we are not carrying this work alone. And together we slowly grow not only in knowledge, but in discernment. I feel deeply grateful that the True Midwifery community continues to create spaces where these stories can be spoken, witnessed, and held with great...
Read MoreReturning Home with Salt in My Hair and New Seeds Planted
After a meaningful trip to Spain, I’ve just arrived home—blessed with a stretch of warm weather that gently welcomed me back. The heat of early Spanish summer is still lingering in my body, but the cooler air has helped soften the transition. My time in Málaga was precious. The Birth First Aid course we held there was small, intimate, and deeply connecting. I felt that we weren’t just learning skills, but weaving threads of something much larger—something that may blossom into future collaborations and community roots. Before heading home, I took my first-ever swim in the Mediterranean. As I floated in that salt-laced water, I imagined it absorbing into my skin like a protective layer of amniotic fluid from Mother Earth—a sacred cloak for the journey home. Breech as a Variation of Normal: A Study Spiral The first birth my mother ever attended was a breech birth. It was the experience that sparked her path as a local birthkeeper and wise woman for the women in our community. Years later, when I was 28 weeks pregnant with my second daughter, I was told at a routine hospital check-up that she was breech—and that I would need a caesarean. I was shocked.“What?” I exclaimed. I’d never heard of this variation of normal being met with such rigidity and invasive intervention. With time, support, and gentle encouragement—using inversions and homeopathics—my daughter turned head-down at 36 weeks. She was born sunny-side up at the Southern Spring Equinox, a radiant and powerful entrance. These experiences will guide our next Study Spiral on 26 June, where we’ll explore breech birth as a variation of normal. I’m honoured to be joined by wise woman Joy Horner, whose presence is sure to ground and inspire us. Learn more or book your place here The Self Sufficiency in Childbirth Course – Begins 3 July This 4-week online course was born in response to a deep call from our community:A longing for a space where pregnant couples can truly connect, explore, and prepare for autonomous, soulful birth. This isn’t just another antenatal class. It’s a guided journey of self-inquiry, awareness, and connection—where your inner knowing is honoured, and your questions are held with care. We’ll explore topics such as: What self sufficiency in childbirth means to youAligning as a couple during this transformative timeProtecting your birth space and making empowered choicesEngaging with systems (when needed) with clarity and strengthSharing stories, learning birth basics, and weaving community Limited to 6 couplesLive Zoom sessions on Thursdays: 3, 10, 17 & 24 JulyRecordings available for a month afterwards€240 / $250 USD / £205 / R2500 per couple Book your place hereQuestions? Write to us at truemidwife@gmail.com Birth First Aid: Blossoming with Every Circle After hosting two Birth First Aid workshops in Europe, I feel newly inspired by this ever-evolving offering. What I love most is how each person brings something of their own—how each session feels like a living organism, shifting and growing with every new group. As we prepare for the next online series, I feel excitement and curiosity for who will gather this time—and what wisdom will unfold. Join the next course Thank you for being part of this ever-growing circle. Whether you’re walking beside us already, or feeling the pull to join, you’re held with warmth and reverence. With love,Ruth True...
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