In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Emma, a former registered midwife who has transitioned into independent birth work as a birth keeper. Her story is one of courage, clarity, and returning to the heart of what birth work truly is. We begin with what first drew her to midwifery and what it felt like to answer that calling. Emma shares openly about her years inside the system, what she witnessed, what she learned, and how she navigated the realities of working as a midwife within the medical model. She takes us into the moment everything shifted and she knew it was time to walk another path. Emma speaks beautifully about the emotional and spiritual process of deregistering, letting go of her title, and reclaiming her identity as a woman, a space holder, and a birth worker outside the system. We explore what she loves most about being a birth worker today and how her relationship with birth has transformed since stepping into independent practice. Emma also shares about her journey as a solo entrepreneur, how she built her birth business, what has surprised her along the way, and how she has learnt to not just be a birth worker but a business woman as well. One of the highlights of this conversation is when Emma paints a picture of what it feels like to attend a birth now. She shares her presence, her intuition, her role, and the way the entire experience shifts when a woman births without institutional interference. Emma offers grounded advice for those considering becoming registered midwives, for those feeling the pull toward independent practice but unsure if they are ready, and for those dreaming of deregistering and stepping into birth work on their own terms. We close with her hopes and vision for the year ahead, her dreams for her birth work, and what she sees unfolding in the next chapter of her journey. If you are a midwife, a doula, a student birth worker or thinking about stepping into birth work this will be a fascinating conversation for you! Curious about Emma? Find her on instagram as _sage_beginnings_ or on her website https://sagebeginnings.com/ Want to join The Sacred Birth Worker Mentorship, The Business Course for Birth Workers or get in contact with Anna for any of her offerings find more info at www.sacredbirthinternational.com

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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