What if feeling safe, calm, and heard was the most powerful tool you had in labour?Jenny Smith tells Yalda why listening to a mother’s instincts can completely change the birth experience.In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Yalda speaks with midwife Jenny Smith about instinct, calm, and choice in labour. Drawing on over 35 years of experience, Jenny explains why birth should be led by women, not systems, and how stress, adrenaline, and environment can directly influence labour progression.They explore positioning, privacy, and the importance of feeling heard, while also addressing guilt and fear around different birth outcomes. This conversation is a reminder that every birth is unique, and that informed, supported choice matters.Jenny Smith is a clinical NHS and private midwife with over 35 years of experience across hospitals, community settings, and home births. She has transformed mainstream labour wards, raising awareness of how infrastructure shapes birth culture, coining the term “Maternity Architecture.”She has received awards for her work, lectured internationally, and is the author of Your Body, Your Baby, Your Birth and co-author of The Natural Caesarean: A Women-Centred Technique. Jenny founded the Jentle Childbirth Foundation and later established BirthContinua to empower and prepare parents for pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.Jenny is currently raising funds through her Walking the Circuit campaign to support her ongoing work improving maternity environments and birth experiences for families. You can support her fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/walkingthecircuitYou can find out about Jenny at birthcontinua.com/

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