Have you ever been offered something in your business that looked brilliant on paper — but felt wrong in your gut?

A collaboration, a speaking gig, a brand opportunity, a new direction for your work — and instead of excitement, you felt unsettled, conflicted or quietly uncomfortable.

If you’re a doula, lactation consultant, antenatal educator or birth worker, this experience is far more common than you might realise.

In this episode, I’m talking about mission, principles and values in your birth work business — what they actually are (not the fluffy corporate version) and why they quietly shape every decision you make, whether you realise it or not.

This is not about branding or writing something pretty for your website.
It’s about clarity, alignment and confidence in how you run your business.

Episode Timestamps: Mission, Principles & Values in Your Birth Work Business

01:10 – “It looks good on paper but feels wrong”
Why so many birth workers struggle with business decisions despite being highly skilled

02:40 – Why strategy alone isn’t enough in a birth work business
The missing foundations beneath marketing, pricing and Instagram tactics

04:10 – What mission, principles and values really are (not the fluffy version)
Why this is about clarity and alignment, not branding

06:00 – What happens when your business feels misaligned
How saying yes to the wrong things slowly disconnects you from your calling

07:30 – Using your mission and values as a decision filter in business
How to decide what to say yes and no to as a birth worker

11:10 – My own mission statement as a birth worker
How evidence-based care, human rights and social justice shape my work

13:30 – Why your mission is more than a website statement
How it guides your services, marketing and long-term direction

15:10 – What values are (and what they are not)
Why values are not personality traits or buzzwords

18:40 – Fear vs misalignment in business decisions
How to tell the difference between nerves and true value conflict

20:30 – What happens when you ignore your values
Cognitive dissonance, regret and ethical drift in business

22:40 – What a values-driven organisation looks like in real life
Lessons from working in a homeless charity with lived organisational values

25:10 – Stewardship and quality as working business values
How real values guide everyday decisions, not just big ones

27:30 – How this shaped how I run my own business today
Applying organisational values to a solo birth work business

29:00 – Saying no to misaligned opportunities (even good ones)
Why I declined a major speaking opportunity on ethical grounds

34:00 – How values guide content and visibility decisions
Why I sometimes don’t post things that don’t align, even if they’d perform well

36:20 – Why mission and values make business simpler, not harder
Reducing decision fatigue and overwhelm in self-employed birth work

38:00 – Using your mission and values when you feel unsu

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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As birthworkers, visualisation is something we trust deeply. We use it every day with clients to prepare for birth, reduce fear, build confidence, and support emotional and physical readiness.

But when it comes to our own businesses, many of us stop using this powerful tool altogether.

In this episode, I explore how visualisation can support you as a birth worker not just in birth preparation, but in business growth, confidence, decision-making and sustainability. We look at why so many of us under-utilise visualisation in business, how it’s used in sports psychology, and how belief often needs to come before evidence.

The episode finishes with a guided future visualisation designed specifically for birthworkers, helping you connect with your future self and the business you’re building.

In this episode, we explore:

Why visualisation already works in birth work

• How birthworkers use visualisation to support confidence, reduce fear and build trust in the body
• Why “the mind rehearses and the body follows” is something we already believe in
• The parallels between birth preparation and business growth

Why birthworkers often abandon visualisation in business

• The pull towards logic, strategy and constant action
• Waiting for proof before believing in ourselves
• Confidence being tied to bookings, income or external validation

Visualisation is a core, evidence-based tool in sports psychology – not something considered “woo” or vague.

We discuss:

• Mental rehearsal and neural pathways
• Why athletes visualise the process, not just the win
• How the brain responds to imagined experience as if it were real

Why this matters for birthworkers in business

• Visualising staying grounded when things don’t go to plan
• Preparing your nervous system for visibility, pricing, launches and quieter periods
• Moving from hoping things will work out to trusting that they will

Visualisation as identity work, not wishful thinking

Guided visualisation for birthworkers

The final part of this episode is a guided future visualisation created specifically for birthworkers building their businesses.

You’ll be invited to:

• Gently move one year into the future
• Connect with the version of you whose business feels aligned, sustainable and abundant
• Notice what matters most to you – values, impact, ease and fulfilment

This is a practice you can return to again and again:

• before launching a new service
• during periods of uncertainty
• when confidence dips
• or whenever you need clarity and grounding

Just like birth preparation, repetition matters.

Key takeaways

• Visualisation is not about pretending or bypassing reality
• It’s about training your nervous system and decision-making for where you’re going
• Birthworkers already know how powerful this tool is – this episode invites you to use it for yourself

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love to hear what came up for you during the visualisation.
You can always pop

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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As we step into a new year, there’s often pressure to move straight into goal-setting, planning and “big energy” — without taking time to pause and reflect on what the year actually held.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing an honest reflection on my 2025: the moments that nourished me, one major low point that changed the pace of everything, the lessons I didn’t expect to learn, and the intentions I’m carrying forward into 2026.

This isn’t a strategy episode or a highlight reel. It’s a conversation about connection, ethical business, nervous system regulation, and what happens when we do too much doing and not enough being — something I know many birth and postpartum professionals will resonate with.

If you’re feeling tired, reflective, or unsure how you want to move into the new year, this episode offers space to slow down and take stock.

In This Episode, I Talk About:

• Why reflection matters more than rushing into goals
• What genuinely nourished me in 2025 — travel, creativity, community and strength
• Launching the Your Birth Biz membership and building meaningful visibility
• Navigating a major personal crisis when my husband was seriously injured
• What happens when business growth doesn’t match effort
• Hustle, nervous system dysregulation, and feeling disconnected from your work
• My honest reflections on over-relying on AI instead of my own thinking
• Why output doesn’t equal service — and visibility doesn’t equal connection
• Reconnecting with my body, mind and intuition
• My 2026 intention: connection is key
• Creating content as service, not obligation
• Why the podcast is becoming my primary way of supporting birth workers

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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In this episode of The Pregnancy & Postnatal Entrepreneurs Collective Podcast, I’m joined by the brilliant Brónagh Davidson, founder of My Pregnancy Journals — a beautiful Irish brand born from one mam’s real-life experience, frustration and deep desire to create something meaningful for her own children.

Brónagh shares openly about the surprising path that led her here:
– her background in psychology, coaching, fitness and even cybersecurity
– the fertility scare that changed everything
– the shift from service-based work to launching her very first product
– building a business between nap times
– and how a simple personal need became a product hundreds of parents now treasure

We dive into the realities of creating a physical product — the costs, the risks, the samples, the trial and error — and the mindset that kept her going when most people would have backed away. If you’ve ever wondered whether you could sell a product alongside your services, or you’re curious about how “ordinary moments” can spark extraordinary businesses, this is a gorgeous episode to soak up.

In this episode, we cover:

• The moment a fertility appointment shifted the direction of Brónagh’s life and future business
• How journaling during pregnancy helped her connect deeply with her babies before they were even born
• The behind-the-scenes of creating a physical product from scratch (what no one tells you!)
• Navigating fear, finances and the early investment that product-based businesses require
• Why community and collaboration matter more than ever when launching something new
• The mindset shifts that supported her through uncertainty, change and early motherhood
• Practical advice for birthworkers or service providers who are thinking about developing a product
• The power of trusting your own story — and letting that guide your business decisions

Who this episode is for

Birthworkers, mums in business, creative entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about how real-life experiences can spark beautiful, sustainable businesses. If you’ve ever felt the pull toward creating something that’s missing in the world, this conversation will light a gentle fire under you.

Connect with Brónagh

Website: mypregnancyjournals.com
Instagram: @mypregnancyjournals

Listen Now

Tune in for an honest, heart-led conversation about motherhood, mindset and making something meaningful and leave feeling inspired to follow that little nudge of your own.

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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In this episode of The Pregnancy & Postnatal Entrepreneurs Collective Podcast, we’re diving into something every birthworker needs — a simple, supportive way to plan your year without burning out.

Most traditional business planning frameworks just don’t land for us in birthwork. Our schedules are unpredictable, our lives are full, and the work is deeply seasonal. This episode walks you through a more realistic, more humane way to map out your year so you feel grounded, focused and ready — not frazzled before January even arrives.

Whether you're a doula, lactation consultant, antenatal teacher or any other birth and postpartum professional, you'll take away a framework you can actually use.

What We Cover in This Episode

✨ Why planning ahead matters for birthworkers

How getting organised before January helps you feel grounded, motivated and ready to start the year strong.

✨ The real planning challenges in birthwork

We look at seasonality, on-call unpredictability, childcare, and why standard business calendars rarely work for doulas, LCs and antenatal educators.

✨ A simple reflection process

The key questions to review what worked this year, what didn’t, and what you want more (or less) of next year.

✨ Choosing meaningful priorities

Instead of creating dozens of goals, we narrow it down to 2–3 priorities that actually move your birthwork business forward.

✨ Understanding your capacity

How to map out the year based on your real availability — emotional, energetic and logistical — so you’re not setting yourself up for overwhelm.

✨ The Four-Month Planning Framework

Why quarterly planning fails for most birthworkers and how a gentler four-month structure keeps you consistent and flexible.

✨ Planning with flexibility

Your plan is a guide, not a rulebook. You’ll learn how to stay aligned while life, clients or seasons shift.

If You Want to Take This Further…

This episode shares the high-level framework. But if you want the practical, sit-down-and-get-it-done version of this planning process — with guidance, accountability and a workbook — this is the next live training inside Your Birth Biz The Membership.

Members will:

• Map out their full year
• Create a detailed plan for the first four months
• Get support, feedback and accountability
• Leave with a personalised, sustainable plan

If you’re listening before the live session in early December, you can join us in real time. If you’re listening afterwards, the full workshop lives in the Training Library for you.

Full details on joining the membership are here.

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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In this episode, I’m joined by Carson J. Wagner, founder of Lifetime of Love Nannies, a US-based childcare agency offering inclusive, personalised, 24/7 in-home care. Carson started her business at just 19, left college, ignored every voice telling her she was crazy… and went on to build a company with over 75 employees across three locations (and more on the way).

Her story is powerful for anyone working in the birth, postpartum, and family support industries — especially if you’ve ever wondered:

• Am I ready to grow?
• Who am I to hire help?
• How do I charge properly for the care work I do?
• What would it look like to expand while staying ethical and values-led?

We talk about:

✨ The bravery it takes to start before you feel ready
✨ Building a business model based on actual community need
✨ Why she chose to hire nannies as employees, not contractors
✨ The link between care work being undervalued and feminism
✨ How to charge your worth when your work feels “heart-led”
✨ The importance of company culture when building a team
✨ How she scaled to multiple locations without burning out
✨ Why community, mentorship + support matter at every stage

This conversation is especially relevant for doulas, lactation consultants, childbirth educators, postpartum doulas, nanny agency owners, newborn care specialists, and anyone offering hands-on care.

If you're currently working solo but feel the nudge that something bigger is possible — this one will speak to you.

Connect with Carson

Website: https://lifetimeoflovenannies.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carson-wagner-17a96b197/

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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Do you ever sit staring at your website or Instagram post wondering how to actually put into words what you do? Or maybe you’ve been told to “share your story” but aren’t sure how to do that without feeling boastful?

In this week’s episode of the Pregnancy & Postnatal Entrepreneurs Collective Podcast, I’m joined by Sarah Davis — The Parenting Copywriter. Sarah is the author of Baby Daze and a former teacher turned copywriter who now helps small business owners whose clients are parents.

Together we chat about:

• What copywriting really is (and why it’s not just for big brands).
• The most common mistakes birthworkers make when writing copy for parents.
• Why your story matters — and how to share it without feeling like you’re bragging.
• How to keep your website and social media clear, concise and parent-friendly.
• Practical tips for writing promotional posts and class descriptions that actually connect.
• The power of passion and personality in your copy (and why that builds trust).

Whether you’re a doula, IBCLC, antenatal educator or baby massage teacher, this episode will give you practical advice to help your words feel natural, authentic, and clear — so parents know exactly how you can support them.

🔗 Connect with Sarah Davis:

• Website: theparentingcopywriter.co.uk
  
  
• Facebook group: Parenting Business Connections
• Instagram: @sarahdavis_writer
  
  
• LinkedIn: The Parenting Copywriter

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

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If your summer felt slow, you’re not alone. Many birthworkers experience a summer slump — enquiries dip, classes don’t fill, clients go quiet, and social media engagement drops. It can feel like you’ve lost momentum or even failed… but the truth is, this is simply the rhythm of birthwork.

In this episode, I’m catching you up with a quick life update, before diving into:
✨ Why the summer slump is normal (and not a sign your business is broken)
✨ How to create stability by paying yourself consistently, even when income dips
✨ Why September has that “mini new year” energy — and how to harness it without burning out
✨ The one-thing rule for rebuilding momentum gently and sustainably
✨ My brand-new 4-Month Planning Framework — designed to help you set goals, reflect, and take action in a way that actually works for birthworkers

This is your invitation to reset, refocus, and set yourself up for the rest of the year — without the overwhelm.

💡 I’d love to hear from you: after listening, DM me on Instagram @preg_and_postnatal_collective
and tell me your one focus for the next 4 months.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Join the waitlist for The NEST Programme (my 6-month small group coaching for birthworkers)
• Follow me on Instagram for more free resources → @preg_and_postnatal_collective
  
  

🎧 Download The Birth Workers Business Mindset Toolkit — a free resource with affirmations, guided visualisations, and a supportive guide to help you shift your mindset and grow a sustainable, aligned business.
✨ Perfect for doulas, IBCLCs, antenatal educators and all birthworkers ready to feel more confident, abundant and grounded in their work.

Connect with Me

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Facebook

Linked In