Birth Myths

In the lead-up to birth, there are often mixed feelings about it:

Looking forward to it – and feeling nervous about it.

Being apprehensive – and excited.

Feeling delighted to welcome your darling into the world – and dread about the process of labour.

Wanting birth to happen yesterday – and not wanting to wish time away.

After birth, your emotions can still be going through the wringer (like your body just did) – and often more so, when you throw in the steep learning curve of your new little person and sleep deprivation.

All of these feelings (and many more) are coloured by birth myths, like:

• You should look forward to birth
• Natural births are best
• Birth is horribly painful
• Bonding will happen instantly and naturally with your baby at birth.
• A healthy baby is what matters most

…and many more.

It’s not just you.

This is why the The Birth Myths Guide exists. 

Downloads and Supporting Resources

If you’re looking for the downloads mentioned in The Birth Myths Guide, these are here.

Advance Praise for The Birth Myths Guide

“A breath of fresh air, Dr Emma Black brings much-needed positivity and vital facts to women in The Birth Myths Guide, just when they need them.”

—Milli Hill, author of The Positive Birth Book, freelance journalist, founder of the Positive Birth Movement, mum of three, and Substack bestselling writer

 

“In the current climate of AI generated advice and social media, providing new parents with myth-busting information is needed more than ever. The Birth Myths Guide serves to empower parents with the right information and ensure their confidence is not undermined.”

—Dr Nicole Highet, COPE Founder and Executive Director

 

“As an experienced Midwife, reading The Birth Myths Guide was an unexpectedly emotional experience for me. Not only from a professional view, from a personal view as a mother who has birthed 4 children. As someone who entered my first birth with hopes, expectations, and a vision of how things “should” unfold, when they didn’t follow my ideal plan, It was difficult to deal with postpartum. Even with my medical knowledge I was not prepared for the feeling of disappointment. Why did I feel this way when I had a perfect newborn in my arms. This is such a common, unspoken feeling of overwhelm, that as a Midwife and Mother is hard to dissect. I deeply resonated with this book’s core message: birth rarely follows a script, and that doesn’t make your experience any less valid or meaningful.

This book gave language to those feelings in a way that felt both compassionate and grounding. It gently dismantles the myths we often internalise about birth, particularly the idea that there is a “right” way to do it, and replaces them with something far more helpful: understanding, flexibility, and self-compassion.

What stood out most to me was how validating it felt to read experiences like mine reflected without judgement. The message that our unmet expectations can shape how we feel long after birth, really hit home. This book doesn’t dismiss those emotions, it honours them, while also helping you feel validated.

I feel The Birth Myths Guide is not just a book for expectant mothers; it’s for professionals in the field, partners, family members and anyone who has navigated or is about to navigate the complex emotional rollercoaster of birth personally or along side a loved one, especially when things didn’t go to plan. It offers reassurance that your experience is real, your feelings are valid, and that there is space to find peace within your own story. It normalises different birthing experiences and emotional feelings associated with such a sacred time and takes away the expectation and pressure of the ‘textbook birth’. I feel this book will not only educate, it will take some pressure off women and allow them to lean into their own birthing experience with greater knowledge and less expectation of perfection.“

—Natasha Johnston, Registered Nurse/Registered Midwife

 

“The Birth Myths Guide by Dr. Emma Black is a valuable and accessible resource for anyone navigating pregnancy, whether preparing for birth for the first time or approaching a subsequent experience with a desire for greater agency, understanding, and informed choice.

From a matrescence perspective, The Birth Myths Guide gently supports a woman’s becoming — encouraging self-awareness, confidence, and a willingness to challenge default thought patterns and generational or societal expectations.

Thoughtful, compassionate, and practical, this book is a meaningful companion for modern mothers.”

—Louise Thornton, Midwife, Matrescence Coach, and Director of Shine Birth