From Mandated Midwife to Sovereign Birth Keeper - Nell’s Story

Nell was one of a number of wonderful, and sorely needed, home birth midwives who was mandated out of her job when the Covid epidemic swept the world. When she was legally allowed to re-enter her profession, she chose not to, instead asking the Midwifery Council to remove her from the register altogether. 

Nell had not lost her passion for supporting women to birth their babies, their way, but she had lost trust in the professional midwifery bodies to enable her to work as a midwife, in the truest sense of the word. Instead, Nell became a sovereign birth keeper, perhaps better known as a doula, and focuses on working with families who are seeking out home birth or free birth. 

In this podcast episode we are two friends, two former midwives, two women who know that birth belongs with women, and that true midwifery is an endangered profession, discussing the in-and-outs of what this all means.

Also discussed in this episode:

* NZ maternity care model

* what is ‘true midwifery’?

* impacts of Covid lockdowns and mandates on birthing families

* doula support for partners at birth

* mind-body connection - impacts of birth place and birth companions

Check out Nell’s website: https://nurturingmamas.co.nz/

Or follow Nell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nurturing_mamas22

And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nurturingmamasnz

Check out my (Carla’s) webpage on Healing Birth Practitioner Training: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training