Instagram story viewer> @empoweredwitherin> Posts

𝙀𝙧𝙞𝙣 | 𝙈𝙞𝙙𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚 · 𝙃𝙮𝙥𝙣𝙤𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 · 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙔𝙤𝙜𝙖

@empoweredwitherin

1.4K

followers

246

following

👑 Preparing you for a calm, empowered birth
⭐ Midwife 12+ years
💻 Online & 1:1 courses. DM "birth" to start

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Trigger warning: Baby Loss

Baby Brown 🪽 09/10/26
14+5 weeks of you with us.
You blessed us with more happiness than we could ever have imagined.
And now sadly, the most raw pain that we have ever felt.
Crazy how much I love you and I never got to say hello, only goodbye 💔 but I still birthed you and that connection, I will never forget.
Your perfect face will never leave my mind and you will forever be a part of our life story.
Mummy and Daddy love you so much, our little orange 🍊

Holding so much gratitude for the love, support, and care we’ve received in this time.
To our amazing family and friends, we feel your love and your msgs of support are much appreciated.

To the wonderful obstetricians who supported me on a personal and professional level, you know who you are, we are so grateful for you making this devastating time as seamless as possible.
And the midwives in my beloved Princess Royal Maternity Hospital back in Glasgow. Being cared for by familiar faces has brought a lot of comfort in this time.

To my Robbie. My rock. My literal other half. I always think it’s impossible to love you any more but life keeps showing me that somehow, it is possible.
2026 alone has shown me that no matter what life throws at us, we’ll not only get through it but become stronger for it.
I love you endlessly.

And my Mama, who held me perfectly the way I needed through it all.

Hoping times a healer.

❤️💔❤️ by @empoweredwitherin

395

202

20 hours ago

I loveee supporting breastfeeding and these are just some of the things that I want you to know are KINDA CHIC 😘🥰

My “Breastfeeding 101” class set you up with all you need to know before baby is born, whilst practical consultations after baby is born supports you in the time you need it most 💫

💛💛 by @empoweredwitherin

27

4

2 months ago

Just saying 🥰💫✨

Each one has meaning and they’re all your rights, Mama 💛

Save this for when you need the reminder 😘

P.s number 1 is the most underrated bit of advice I could ever give you 🫶🏼

Follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed preparation that supports your mind, body and nervous system for birth and beyond ✨

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy.| Birth Preparation | Labour | Prenatal Yoga by @empoweredwitherin

47

1

2 months ago

I need to say something that’s been on my mind lately…

I’ve been feeling a bit uneasy with what my social media feed has become.

It feels like every other post is telling women that the maternity system is against them and that they need to go into hospital ready for a fight.

Before anyone comes for me, I’m not saying the system is perfect. It isn’t.

Women should absolutely ask questions, understand their options and advocate for themselves.

But can we just flip the perspective for a second?

If you’re planning to have your baby in hospital, and you’ve spent months consuming content that’s left you feeling fearful, defensive and expecting the worst… what do you think that’s doing to your nervous system?

One of the biggest contributors to physiological labour is feeling safe.

I’ve worked alongside some truly incredible midwives and obstetricians out there.

Compassionate, skilled people who genuinely care about the women they’re looking after.

Of course, you don’t usually get to choose who’s on shift when you go into labour.

So instead of putting all your energy into worrying about who you might get, put that energy into preparing for what you can control.

Learn how your body works during labour.
Understand your options.
Practise advocating for yourself.
Build your confidence.

And fill your feed with POSITIVE birth stories!

They exist, believe me, and women have respectful, empowering birth experiences every single day. I’ve spent over a decade in the labour room witnessing it.

Let’s prepare ourselves to feel informed, confident and empowered… not like we’re walking into a battle 🤍

Erin 💛

Follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed preparation that supports your mind, body and nervous system for birth and beyond ✨

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Labour | Birth by @empoweredwitherin

24

4

3 months ago

Okay, let’s talk about the birth ball, mama 🤍

If you’ve ever been told bouncing on it is pointless, or just something to keep you busy, here’s what’s actually happening.

When you’re upright and gently bouncing, gravity helps your baby move further down onto your cervix.

Your cervix is full of tiny pressure receptors. As your baby’s head applies pressure, those receptors send a message to your brain.

Your brain responds by releasing oxytocin, the hormone that powers your contractions.

That contraction helps your baby move down a little more. This creates more pressure, which releases more oxytocin, and the cycle continues. 🔁

This is one of the beautiful positive feedback loops that helps labour progress.

So no, bouncing on the birth ball isn’t “doing nothing.”

It’s a simple way of working with your body and supporting your physiology, on purpose. 🤍

And this is exactly why birth preparation matters.

If there’s something that can support your labour, whether it’s breathing, movement, positions, relaxation, or using a birth ball, it’s worth learning and practising before the day arrives.

Birth isn’t the time to try it for the first time.

Follow for more of the things nobody explains to you, from a midwife who’s spent over a decade supporting women through labour and birth.

Save this for your labour day, and send it to a mama who needs to hear it.

Erin 💛

Pregnancy | Hypnobirthing | Midwife | Labour | Birth | Birth Prep by @empoweredwitherin

32

4

3 months ago

Daddy, this is for you for the hardest part 🤍

I’m Erin, a midwife of over ten years, and here’s what I tell every birth partner…

You can’t breastfeed, you can’t heal her body, and you can’t take the hormones away, so stop trying to fix the fourth trimester, and just be in it with her instead.

Get skin-to-skin with your baby. It calms their heart rate and breathing and starts your bond from the very first day. And btw, this can be done anytime even out with the newborn period!

Own everything around the feed…the winding, the settling, the rocking back to sleep.

Take the nappy changes! Every one is a change Mama doesn’t have to get up for, and time with your baby that’s yours.

Bring her water and a snack before she asks, every single time, because she’s recovering and usually pinned under a sleeping baby.

Take the night stretches that aren’t feeds so she gets one unbroken block of sleep.

And be the calm in the house… A newborn and a recovering mum both settle when the person holding them is settled. If you’re stressed, so is Mama!

You don’t have to fix any of it, and you’re allowed to find these weeks hard too 💛

You just have to be in it with her, and you’re already enough for that 💛

Save this and send it to a daddy-to-be or a new dad who needs to hear it.

Erin 🤍

Follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed preparation that supports your mind, body and nervous system for birth and beyond ✨

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Birth Preparation | Labour | New Dad | Fatherhood by @empoweredwitherin

28

4

3 months ago

If there’s one breastfeeding skill I’d love every mum to know, it’s this… 🤍

Hand expressing is such a simple skill, but it can be incredibly helpful.

You can use it to:
✨ Harvest colostrum during pregnancy
✨ Encourage your milk to start flowing in the early days
✨ Soften full, engorged breasts before a feed
✨ Relieve pressure if you’re gradually weaning

A few things to remember:
🤍 Make a C-shape with your thumb and forefinger, thumb being around 2–3 cm above the nipple.
🤍 Compress, pause, then release - don’t slide over the skin or squeeze the nipple ❌
🤍 Think of your breast like a clock face and rotate your hand position to express from different milk ducts.

And if you’re collecting colostrum before birth and nothing comes out… please don’t panic.

That is completely normal and doesn’t predict your milk supply or your breastfeeding journey after your baby arrives.

This is one of those skills that’s simple to learn but can make such a difference when you need it most.

Save this reel so you’ve got it when the time comes, and follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding education from a midwife 🤍

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding | Hand Expressing by @empoweredwitherin

31

2

3 months ago

Have many times have you been told to “do your pelvic floor exercises”… but never actually been shown how to find those muscles?

You’re not alone.

For many women, the hardest part isn’t doing pelvic floor exercises…

It’s knowing whether you’re actually using the right muscles.

A gentle squeeze of a Pilates ball between your thighs can provide extra feedback, helping your brain connect with your pelvic floor.

Pair that with your breath, and it can become much easier to feel a gentle lift and, just as importantly, a full release.

A few things to remember:
🤍 Gently hug the ball…you’re not trying to crush it.
🤍 Breathe naturally. Inhale to soften, exhale to gently lift.
🤍 If you’re struggling to connect with your pelvic floor, try lying down before progressing to standing.
🤍 During pregnancy, learning to relax your pelvic floor is just asimportant as learning to contract it.

Remember, we’re not aiming for the strongest squeeze, we’re aiming for awareness, coordination, and confidence in how your body moves.

✨ Save this reel so you can come back and practice with me.

Follow @empoweredwitherin for simple, evidence-informed pregnancy, birth and postpartum education for your mind, body and nervous system 🧘🏼‍♀️🧠🤰🏼

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Labour | Birth Prep | Postpartum | Pelvic Floor by @empoweredwitherin

35

2

3 months ago

Most people think the point of perineal massage is simply to stretch the tissues.

And yes, that is one of the benefits. It can help improve tissue flexibility and reduce resistance.

But there’s another reason I encourage it, and I actually think it’s just as important.

That stretching, burning, slightly intense sensation you feel?

That’s very similar to the sensation of crowning as your baby’s head is close to being born.

When your body experiences an unfamiliar sensation, it’s much more likely to tense against it.

But when you’ve practised sitting with that feeling, breathing through it and consciously softening, you’re teaching your nervous system that this sensation isn’t something to fear.

You’re making the unfamiliar feel familiar.

Birth isn’t just about learning information.

It’s about preparing your mind, body and nervous system to respond in a way that supports the physiological process.

That’s what I mean when I say birth preparation is embodiment, not just education.

You don’t just suddenly know how to soften in the biggest moment of your life.

You practise it beforehand, one breath at a time 🤍

I’ve already shared a reel on exactly how to do perineal massage, when to start, and the best positions to use, so have a little scroll through my page if you want the practical how-to 💛

Follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed preparation that supports your mind, body and nervous system for birth and beyond ✨

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Birth Preparation | Labour | Perineal Massage by @empoweredwitherin

25

1

3 months ago

Your body can’t relax if it doesn’t realise it’s holding tension.

Tension = ineffective contractions 🥲

One of the simplest things you can start practising during pregnancy is a quick body scan.

✨ Drop your shoulders.
✨ Relax your jaw.
✨ Let your tongue rest at the bottom of your mouth.
✨ Take a slow breath.

These tiny moments of awareness help teach your nervous system how to soften instead of brace.

The more you practice now, the more likely it is to become an automatic response during antenatal appointments, labour, or any stressful moment.

Remember, your uterus is a muscle doing an incredible amount of work during labour 💫

Releasing unnecessary tension in the rest of your body helps you work with your contractions rather than against them.

I still catch myself throughout the day with my shoulders up by my ears. The difference is that now I notice it, soften, reset, and move on.

Birth preparation isn’t just about what you know. It’s also about what your body practices.

🤍 Follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed birth education, hypnobirthing and practical tools to help you prepare for birth and beyond, with confidence ✨✨

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Labour | Birth Prep by @empoweredwitherin

18

0

3 months ago

Mama, the recipe for a comfortable breastfeed isn’t a special chair 👀

It’s the right ingredients (okay yes, the chair might be one of them 🤭) but…

👶🏼 Baby’s position
🤍 Mum’s comfort

Get both right, and you’ve given yourself the best foundation for a deep, comfortable latch.

Save this one for the early days ✨

✨ Follow @empoweredwitherin for practical breastfeeding, birth and newborn support from an experienced midwife 🤍

Midwife | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding | Newborn | Postpartum by @empoweredwitherin

16

0

3 months ago

As a midwife, I’ve had the privilege of caring for thousands of women.

But there are two whose births will stay with me forever.

One experienced a beautiful physiological birth. The other needed a true emergency caesarean section.

Their births looked completely different.

Yet they both walked away feeling positive.

That’s when I truly understood that hypnobirthing isn’t about achieving one specific type of birth.

It’s about preparing your mind, understanding your body, trusting yourself, and having the tools to navigate birth, whatever path it takes.

Birth isn’t always predictable.

But how you feel during your birth can be 1000% influenced by how you prepare.

Follow @empoweredwitherin for evidence-informed preparation that supports your mind, body and nervous system for birth and beyond ✨

Midwife | Hypnobirthing | Pregnancy | Labour | Positive Birth by @empoweredwitherin

36

3

3 months ago