In this episode Dr Melanie Jackson and Prof Hannah Dahlen explain The 5 BIG Induction studies that often get used to encourage the use of induction for suspected big babies, women over the age of 35 and over 41 weeks pregnant - The BIG BABY trail, The SWEPIS study, the ARRIVE trial, The INDEX trial and the 35/39 trial. If your clinician is using any of these studies and you want to look into them further, this episode is for you. Our guest on this episode was Professor Hannah Dahlen <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hannah.dahlen/" rel="noopener noreferrer">@hannah.dahlen</a>
Preparing for birth? Get Mel’s <a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/GqRkAjeD/checkout" rel="noopener noreferrer">guide to giving birth without pain medication here</a>.
This episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer">@popthatmumma</a>. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to <a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer">hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox</a>.
Other related episodes include:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2147917186" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 33 - Induction</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149131125" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 181 - Induction of Labour Part 1</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149133374" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 182 - Induction of Labour Part 2</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148991119" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode141 - Big Babies Small Babies</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149000686" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 143 - Declining medical recommendations</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149218451" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 208 - Beyond 40 weeks pregnant</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://youtu.be/TuQeLDaj7I8" rel="noopener noreferrer">You can watch this episode on YouTube here.</a>
Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast<ul><li>Join&nbsp;the podcast mailing list&nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/">www.melaniethemidwife.com</a></li><li>Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at <a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/">www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com</a></li><li>Follow us on social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/">@thegreatbirthrebellion</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/">@melaniethemidwife</a></li><li>If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially<a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"> by leaving a tip</a> to support the ongoing work of this podcast.</li></ul>&nbsp;DisclaimerThe information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode Dr Melanie Jackson and Prof Hannah Dahlen explain The 5 BIG Induction studies that often get used to encourage the use of induction for suspected big babies, women over the age of 35 and over 41 weeks pregnant - The BIG BABY trail, The SWEPIS study, the ARRIVE trial, The INDEX trial and the 35/39 trial. If your clinician is using any of these studies and you want to look into them further, this episode is for you. Our guest on this episode was Professor Hannah Dahlen &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/hannah.dahlen/" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;@hannah.dahlen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Preparing for birth? Get Mel’s &lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/GqRkAjeD/checkout" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;guide to giving birth without pain medication here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;@popthatmumma&lt;/a&gt;. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to &lt;a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other related episodes include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2147917186" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 33 - Induction&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149131125" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 181 - Induction of Labour Part 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149133374" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 182 - Induction of Labour Part 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148991119" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode141 - Big Babies Small Babies&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149000686" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 143 - Declining medical recommendations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149218451" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 208 - Beyond 40 weeks pregnant&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://youtu.be/TuQeLDaj7I8" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;You can watch this episode on YouTube here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join&amp;nbsp;the podcast mailing list&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/"&gt;www.melaniethemidwife.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your &lt;strong&gt;Great Birth Rebellion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;merchandise&lt;/strong&gt; now at &lt;a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/"&gt;www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow us on social media&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/"&gt;@thegreatbirthrebellion&lt;/a&gt; and&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/"&gt;@melaniethemidwife&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey &lt;strong&gt;please consider&lt;/strong&gt; thanking us financially&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"&gt; by leaving a tip&lt;/a&gt; to support the ongoing work of this podcast.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, Dr Melanie Jackson and Professor Hannah Dahlen unpack the five major research studies that are commonly used to support induction of labour for suspected big babies, pregnancies beyond 41 weeks, and women over 35. They explore the strengths, limitations and clinical implications of each study, helping listeners better understand the evidence and make informed decisions about induction.

The Great Birth Rebellion

Episode 209 - The 5 BIG induction studies

The concept of a rigid 40-week due date is one of the most deeply entrenched myths in modern maternity care. Today I cast a critical eye over the historical and mathematical flaws behind how Estimated Due Dates (EDDs) are calculated, and why treating day 280 as a strict deadline creates unnecessary interventions. 
<h3>Related episodes to queue up next:</h3>
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149131125" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 181 - Induction of Labour Part 1</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149133374" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 182 - Induction of Labour Part 2</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149000686" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 143 - Declining medical recommendations</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149134569" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 186 - Is your baby too big or too small?</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148615115" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 84 - The myth of the failing placenta</a></li>
</ul>
This episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer">@popthatmumma</a>. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to <a href="http://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer">hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox</a>.
You can watch this episode on <a href="https://youtu.be/41GxGGRdAqs" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube here</a>
Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast<ul><li>Join&nbsp;the podcast mailing list&nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/">www.melaniethemidwife.com</a></li><li>Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at <a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/">www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com</a></li><li>Follow us on social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/">@thegreatbirthrebellion</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/">@melaniethemidwife</a></li><li>If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially<a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"> by leaving a tip</a> to support the ongoing work of this podcast.</li></ul>&nbsp;DisclaimerThe information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors

<description>&lt;p&gt;The concept of a rigid 40-week due date is one of the most deeply entrenched myths in modern maternity care. Today I cast a critical eye over the historical and mathematical flaws behind how Estimated Due Dates (EDDs) are calculated, and why treating day 280 as a strict deadline creates unnecessary interventions. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Related episodes to queue up next:&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149131125" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 181 - Induction of Labour Part 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149133374" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 182 - Induction of Labour Part 2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149000686" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 143 - Declining medical recommendations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2149134569" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 186 - Is your baby too big or too small?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148615115" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 84 - The myth of the failing placenta&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;@popthatmumma&lt;/a&gt;. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to &lt;a href="http://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can watch this episode on &lt;a href="https://youtu.be/41GxGGRdAqs" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;YouTube here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join&amp;nbsp;the podcast mailing list&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/"&gt;www.melaniethemidwife.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your &lt;strong&gt;Great Birth Rebellion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;merchandise&lt;/strong&gt; now at &lt;a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/"&gt;www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow us on social media&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/"&gt;@thegreatbirthrebellion&lt;/a&gt; and&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/"&gt;@melaniethemidwife&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey &lt;strong&gt;please consider&lt;/strong&gt; thanking us financially&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"&gt; by leaving a tip&lt;/a&gt; to support the ongoing work of this podcast.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Mel explores the history and mathematics behind estimated due dates, challenging the idea that pregnancy should end precisely at 40 weeks. She examines why treating day 280 as a strict deadline can lead to unnecessary interventions and encourages a more nuanced understanding of pregnancy length, risk, and decision-making around induction.

Episode 208 - Beyond 40 weeks pregnant

Get practical ways to support recovery in the first 2 weeks after birth. Learn how to prepare your home for easier access to supplies, early breastfeeding patterns, and what to expect as milk comes in during the first few days.
Expect huge emotional changes around day three, including crying and feeling overwhelmed, and discover how to distinguish these from postpartum depression and the rarer postpartum psychosis.
Mel also discusses safe sleep, normal newborn care, rest, managing visitors, and common postpartum experiences such as sweating, soreness, fatigue, and intrusive thoughts.
<a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/mel-s-free-stuff" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here to join the podcast mailing list and access the podcast resource folder.</a>
Episodes Mentioned:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148890986" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 122 - Getting your baby to sleep</a></li>
</ul>
This Great Birth Rebellion podcast episode is generously sponsored by my dear friend and birth prep extraordinaire, Poppy Child from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer">@popthatmumma</a>. She is a doula and hypnobirthing practitioner whose online hypnobirthing course, The Birth Box, has already helped thousands of women get ready for labour by teaching tools to manage intensity, surrender to the ride, and reframe labour as a purposeful pain rather than a harmful one. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box, which includes the oxytocin bubble tracks. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to <a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer">hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox</a>.
<a href="https://youtu.be/_9LH0ZQM5ps" rel="noopener noreferrer">You can watch this episode on YouTube here.</a>
Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast<ul><li>Join&nbsp;the podcast mailing list&nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/">www.melaniethemidwife.com</a></li><li>Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at <a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/">www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com</a></li><li>Follow us on social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/">@thegreatbirthrebellion</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/">@melaniethemidwife</a></li><li>If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially<a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"> by leaving a tip</a> to support the ongoing work of this podcast.</li></ul>&nbsp;DisclaimerThe information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors

<description>&lt;p&gt;Get practical ways to support recovery in the first 2 weeks after birth. Learn how to prepare your home for easier access to supplies, early breastfeeding patterns, and what to expect as milk comes in during the first few days.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Expect huge emotional changes around day three, including crying and feeling overwhelmed, and discover how to distinguish these from postpartum depression and the rarer postpartum psychosis.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mel also discusses safe sleep, normal newborn care, rest, managing visitors, and common postpartum experiences such as sweating, soreness, fatigue, and intrusive thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/mel-s-free-stuff" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Click here to join the podcast mailing list and access the podcast resource folder.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Episodes Mentioned:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148890986" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 122 - Getting your baby to sleep&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This Great Birth Rebellion podcast episode is generously sponsored by my dear friend and birth prep extraordinaire, Poppy Child from &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;@popthatmumma&lt;/a&gt;. She is a doula and hypnobirthing practitioner whose online hypnobirthing course, The Birth Box, has already helped thousands of women get ready for labour by teaching tools to manage intensity, surrender to the ride, and reframe labour as a purposeful pain rather than a harmful one. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box, which includes the oxytocin bubble tracks. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to &lt;a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://youtu.be/_9LH0ZQM5ps" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;You can watch this episode on YouTube here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join&amp;nbsp;the podcast mailing list&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/"&gt;www.melaniethemidwife.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your &lt;strong&gt;Great Birth Rebellion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;merchandise&lt;/strong&gt; now at &lt;a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/"&gt;www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow us on social media&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/"&gt;@thegreatbirthrebellion&lt;/a&gt; and&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/"&gt;@melaniethemidwife&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey &lt;strong&gt;please consider&lt;/strong&gt; thanking us financially&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"&gt; by leaving a tip&lt;/a&gt; to support the ongoing work of this podcast.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Mel explores what recovery can look like in the first two weeks after birth, including breastfeeding in the early days, preparing your home for postpartum, emotional changes, safe sleep, visitor management, and common physical recovery experiences. She also discusses the difference between the baby blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis, helping families understand what is normal and when to seek support.

Episode 207 - The First 2 Weeks Postpartum (part 2)

The first two weeks after birth have a lot going on… So I'm doing 2 episodes on it. Here you will learn what recovery can look like for both mother and baby. I discuss the wide range of postpartum experiences, the care gap that can exist after birth, and how support from midwives, nurses, GPs, partners, family, friends, and the wider community can help with feeding, recovery, and emotional wellbeing.
I’m also going to explain matrescence, the transition into motherhood, and the physical, emotional, and identity changes that can happen after birth. This episode covers practical early postpartum advice, including skin-to-skin contact, feeding, rest, wound healing, bleeding, swelling, afterbirth pains, and what to watch for if there are signs of infection or heavier-than-expected blood loss.
I give guidance on the first wee and first poo postpartum, as well as the importance of food, fluids, and support in the early days. The first days can feel intense, but we adjust and things usually become more manageable.
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/mel-s-free-stuff" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here to join the podcast mailing list and access the podcast resource folder</a></li>
 <li>Get yourself a ceramic travel mug or 1L drink bottle <a href="https://thegreatbirthrebellion.com/collections/all" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></li>
 <li>Get the <a href="https://amzn.to/4vsQBTM" rel="noopener noreferrer">First 40 Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother</a> on Amazon.</li>
</ul>
Episodes Mentioned in this episode
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148890986" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 122 - Getting your baby to sleep</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148910519" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode 127 - Do I need stitches if I tear at birth?</a></li>
</ul>
This Great Birth Rebellion podcast episode is generously sponsored by my dear friend and birth prep extraordinaire, Poppy Child from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer">@popthatmumma</a>. She is a doula and hypnobirthing practitioner whose online hypnobirthing course, The Birth Box, has already helped thousands of women get ready for labour by teaching tools to manage intensity, surrender to the ride, and reframe labour as a purposeful pain rather than a harmful one. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box, which includes the oxytocin bubble tracks. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to <a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer">hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox</a>.
You can watch this episode on <a href="https://youtu.be/7GZhW_uoi1M" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube here</a>
Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast<ul><li>Join&nbsp;the podcast mailing list&nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/">www.melaniethemidwife.com</a></li><li>Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at <a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/">www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com</a></li><li>Follow us on social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/">@thegreatbirthrebellion</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/">@melaniethemidwife</a></li><li>If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially<a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"> by leaving a tip</a> to support the ongoing work of this podcast.</li></ul>&nbsp;DisclaimerThe information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors

<description>&lt;p&gt;The first two weeks after birth have a lot going on… So I'm doing 2 episodes on it. Here you will learn what recovery can look like for both mother and baby. I discuss the wide range of postpartum experiences, the care gap that can exist after birth, and how support from midwives, nurses, GPs, partners, family, friends, and the wider community can help with feeding, recovery, and emotional wellbeing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I’m also going to explain matrescence, the transition into motherhood, and the physical, emotional, and identity changes that can happen after birth. This episode covers practical early postpartum advice, including skin-to-skin contact, feeding, rest, wound healing, bleeding, swelling, afterbirth pains, and what to watch for if there are signs of infection or heavier-than-expected blood loss.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I give guidance on the first wee and first poo postpartum, as well as the importance of food, fluids, and support in the early days. The first days can feel intense, but we adjust and things usually become more manageable.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/mel-s-free-stuff" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Click here to join the podcast mailing list and access the podcast resource folder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;Get yourself a ceramic travel mug or 1L drink bottle &lt;a href="https://thegreatbirthrebellion.com/collections/all" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;Get the &lt;a href="https://amzn.to/4vsQBTM" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;First 40 Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother&lt;/a&gt; on Amazon.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Episodes Mentioned in this episode&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148890986" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 122 - Getting your baby to sleep&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148910519" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Episode 127 - Do I need stitches if I tear at birth?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This Great Birth Rebellion podcast episode is generously sponsored by my dear friend and birth prep extraordinaire, Poppy Child from &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;@popthatmumma&lt;/a&gt;. She is a doula and hypnobirthing practitioner whose online hypnobirthing course, The Birth Box, has already helped thousands of women get ready for labour by teaching tools to manage intensity, surrender to the ride, and reframe labour as a purposeful pain rather than a harmful one. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box, which includes the oxytocin bubble tracks. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to &lt;a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can watch this episode on &lt;a href="https://youtu.be/7GZhW_uoi1M" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;YouTube here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join&amp;nbsp;the podcast mailing list&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/"&gt;www.melaniethemidwife.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your &lt;strong&gt;Great Birth Rebellion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;merchandise&lt;/strong&gt; now at &lt;a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/"&gt;www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow us on social media&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/"&gt;@thegreatbirthrebellion&lt;/a&gt; and&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/"&gt;@melaniethemidwife&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey &lt;strong&gt;please consider&lt;/strong&gt; thanking us financially&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"&gt; by leaving a tip&lt;/a&gt; to support the ongoing work of this podcast.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, Mel explores what to expect during the first two weeks after birth for both mothers and babies. She discusses the realities of postpartum recovery, the often-overlooked care gap after birth, and the importance of practical and emotional support from partners, family, friends, midwives, nurses, and GPs.

Episode 206 - The First 2 Weeks Postpartum (Part 1)

Women with negative blood groups are routinely offered at least 3 doses of anti-D throughout pregnancy. The question is, what is anti-D, do you really need it? What happens if you choose not to take it? And how do you make wise decisions about anti-D. In this episode, Mel explains it all along with all the different tests and screening options that you can choose to help you make decisions about anti-D in pregnancy
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/mel-s-free-stuff" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here to join the podcast mailing list and access the podcast resource folder</a></li>
 <li>For clinicians who want to be even more exceptional, <a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/assembly-sales" rel="noopener noreferrer">join the assembly of rebellious midwives</a>, a collective of tapped in clinicians learning from each other so that we can provide women with evidence-based, woman centred and respectful maternity care </li>
</ul>
This great birth rebellion podcast episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer">@popthatmumma</a>. She is offering great birth rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth box which includes the oxytocin bubble tracks. Use the code Melanie at the check out to claim your discount. Just go to <a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox</a>
You can watch this <a href="https://youtu.be/JVn6vxn-0YM" rel="noopener noreferrer">episode on YouTube.</a>
Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast<ul><li>Join&nbsp;the podcast mailing list&nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/">www.melaniethemidwife.com</a></li><li>Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at <a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/">www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com</a></li><li>Follow us on social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/">@thegreatbirthrebellion</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/">@melaniethemidwife</a></li><li>If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially<a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"> by leaving a tip</a> to support the ongoing work of this podcast.</li></ul>&nbsp;DisclaimerThe information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors

<description>&lt;p&gt;Women with negative blood groups are routinely offered at least 3 doses of anti-D throughout pregnancy. The question is, what is anti-D, do you really need it? What happens if you choose not to take it? And how do you make wise decisions about anti-D. In this episode, Mel explains it all along with all the different tests and screening options that you can choose to help you make decisions about anti-D in pregnancy&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/mel-s-free-stuff" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Click here to join the podcast mailing list and access the podcast resource folder&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;For clinicians who want to be even more exceptional, &lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/assembly-sales" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;join the assembly of rebellious midwives&lt;/a&gt;, a collective of tapped in clinicians learning from each other so that we can provide women with evidence-based, woman centred and respectful maternity care &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This great birth rebellion podcast episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/popthatmumma/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;@popthatmumma&lt;/a&gt;. She is offering great birth rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth box which includes the oxytocin bubble tracks. Use the code Melanie at the check out to claim your discount. Just go to &lt;a href="https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can watch this &lt;a href="https://youtu.be/JVn6vxn-0YM" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;episode on YouTube.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join&amp;nbsp;the podcast mailing list&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;to access the resource folder from each episode at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://www.melaniethemidwife.com/"&gt;www.melaniethemidwife.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your &lt;strong&gt;Great Birth Rebellion&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;merchandise&lt;/strong&gt; now at &lt;a href="http://www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com/"&gt;www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow us on social media&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbirthrebellion/"&gt;@thegreatbirthrebellion&lt;/a&gt; and&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/melaniethemidwife/"&gt;@melaniethemidwife&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey &lt;strong&gt;please consider&lt;/strong&gt; thanking us financially&lt;a href="https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/offers/daGzmvGr"&gt; by leaving a tip&lt;/a&gt; to support the ongoing work of this podcast.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disclaimer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it’s application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode, Mel unpacks what anti-D is, why it’s routinely offered during pregnancy to women with negative blood groups, and the different testing and screening options available. She explores the evidence, risks, benefits, and considerations around accepting or declining anti-D, helping listeners make informed decisions that feel right for them.

Episode 205 - Anti-D for Rh Negative women

You can have a GREAT pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience. You just need the information and strategies to make it happen. The Great Birth Rebellion podcast, hosted by Midwife Dr Melanie Jackson offers evidence- based information to help you make informed decisions about your maternity care. The Great Birth Birth Rebellion helps you get the best out of your pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey.
Want more? Follow along at @melaniethemidwife and @thegreatbirthrebellion on SM
Subscribe to get access to the resources behind the episodes at melaniethemidwife.com and get your merch at thegreatbirthrebellion.com.

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