MOTHERWISE: Pregnancy, Birth, Babies & Real Birth Stories with midwife Kathy Fray
MOTHERWISE is a podcast hosted by midwife and best-selling maternity author Kathy Fray. It offers practical, evidence-informed guidance on pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum care. The show features authentic Real Birth Stories that review clinical notes from Kathy's years as a caseloading midwife, with details changed to protect privacy. Listeners can learn what to expect during pregnancy and newborn care, aiming for a less traumatic and more empowering birth experience. Knowledge changes outcomes, and the podcast encourages investing in the best possible journey for both baby and parent.
Episodes
Real Birth Stories | Ep-4 | “Karmen” | Increased-Risk Fetal Screen & Posterior Baby | Ventouse vacuum-assisted delivery
“Karmen” (Pseudonym) – G2P0: Second Pregnancy, First BirthFollowing a previous miscarriage, Karmen was pregnant for the second time and preparing for her first birth. With borderline advanced maternal age (AMA) at 39yrs of age, and mild obesity, her First Trimester Screening returned an “increased risk” result - not a diagnosis - for possible fetal chromosomal anomalies, as well as indicating incr
Real Birth Stories | Ep-3 | “Susie & Dean” | Her 1st Labor & Birth, His 2nd-Haunted by a first
Meet “Susie & Dean” - pseudonyms, with personal details disguised to protect their identities.For Susie, this is her first birth. For Dean, it isn't. He has previously experienced the birth of a child by Caesarean section - an experience he found traumatic and still really doesn't want to talk about.And Dean is ANXIOUS+++ by nature.So while Susie is approaching birth for the first ti
Real Birth Stories | Ep-2 | "Lucy" | 2nd-time Giving Birth, but 1st-time Being a Mother
Meet “Lucy” — a pseudonym, with personal details disguised to protect her identity.Lucy is in her late 20s, an immigrant with good conversational English (who chooses not to use an interpreter). She is expecting her second baby - but the first baby she will raise herself in her new homeland. Her first child lives in her original country in Southeast Asia, being raised by family. This creates a fas
Real Birth Stories | Ep-1 | “Jaqui” | A Beautiful Due-Date Birth with a Hep B Twist
Meet “Jaqui” - a pseudonym, with personal details disguised to protect her identity.Welcome to one of those wonderfully “textbook perfect” birth journeys very common to my caseload.Jaqui is in her late 20s and having her first baby. Labor begins spontaneously right on her Estimated Due Date - something that actually happens to only a minority of babies, despite our obsession with that magical 40-w
Ep21 Labor Pharmaceutical Analgesia Part 2_ Epidurals
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Ep20 Labor Pharmaceutical Analgesia Part 1_ Nitrous Oxide _ Opioids
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Ep19_ 4 Stages of Childbirth and 3 Phases of Labor
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 18 Postnatal Ep7 Week 4-5 A Month Gone By
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 17 Postnatal Ep6 Day20-21 What You Need to Know by this Time with You and your Baby
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 16 Postnatal Ep5 Day10-14 What is Normal for your Baby at this Stage
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 15 Postnatal Ep4 Day5-7 What You Need to Know by the End of the First Week
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 14 Postnatal Ep3 Day3-4 What You Need to Know at this Stage Postpartum
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 13 Postnatal Ep2 Day2 What You Need to Know at 40-70hours postnatal
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 12 Postnatal Ep1 Day1 What You Need to Know in the First 24hours
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 11 What Occurs Once Overdue At Over 40 Weeks Pregnant
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 10 So Ready To Go Into Labor At 37-40 Weeks Pregnant
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 09 What You Need To Be Thinking At 36 Weeks Pregnant
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 08 What You Need To Be Doing At 34-35 Weeks Pregnant
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 07_30-32-WEEKS’S PREGNANT–What You Need to be Doing at this Gestation
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 06 What You Need To Know About at 29-31 Weeks Pregnant
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 05 What You Need To Know About At The Beginning Of Your 3rd Trimester
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 04 What You Need To Do _ Know at 20-24 Weeks Gestation
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 03 The To-do-List When You_re 14-17 Weeks Pregnant
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 02 Newly Pregnant Need To Knows Part 2
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
Episode 01 Newly Pregnant Need To Knows Part 1
WANT TO FEEL GENUINELY PREPARED FOR BIRTH & BABY?Explore my premium MotherWise MasterClass - an extraordinarily comprehensive pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum & newborn education program at www.MotherWise.appWANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?I'm a retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author. Discover my books, articles and other pregnancy, birth & baby resources at www.
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