Becoming a Birthkeeper
My initiation into this work was intentionally slow, gradual and then divinely rapid and immense. I spent years reading, listening, immersing myself in everything birth, pregnancy, postpartum & womb. Then in January 2025 I had the honour of sitting alongside two incredible women as they brought their babies onto the Earth. These stories belong to the women, and their babies, and are not mine to share. But what I can share is how it made me feel.
As the waves of opening & softening fell over these women I felt so still, so calm. I knew as I sat with them offering a hand, a drink, a co-vocalisation or nothing at all, that they were drawing from the deepest Source power. That they were reaching into the cosmic womb and bringing forth life from their yoni ~ not a simple task but my goddess is it an embodied one.
Birthing this way takes re-membering. It takes reintegrating all the parts of oneself that have been cut up and scattered by patriarchy, witch wounds, colonialism, dualism… and gently bringing them back into the body. It takes honouring one’s vessel for the incredibly powerful life giving body that it is, and then offering that body to the alter of Spirit. Because birth changes you. Every cell is altered as they integrate this other worldly experience. It is a holy sanctuary. An ultimate sacrifice.
As I witnessed these women journey through the labyrinth of the birth dance I knew deep in my bones that this is the way I want to serve in this human realm. Supporting women to journey through the birth dance is how we birth the new world. But it doesn’t start when surges begin. Its roots are much deeper, far before conception, far before menarche (the first bleed) and perhaps even with your ancestors. The patterns we carry into birth have been printed upon us during all rites of passage (or lack there of) across lifetimes. Your mother’s birth, your birth, your first bleed, your early sexual experiences, any experiences of abuse or violence, your previous births and pregnancies ~ they all matter. They all call to be felt. They call to be re-membered and reintegrated back into the body.
Birthing is instinctive. Birthing in power is your divine right as a being with a womb. And if you desire to birth in this way then journeying with these elements will support you immensely.
This is the type of birth work I am offering. It is cosmic, it is deeply elemental, it is a sacred honouring of every story that makes you, you. I am honoured to be offering birth work to womb bearers in South Devon. You are so welcome to reach out if this type of journeying speaks to you.
The Spiral Journey
The journey we will take together follows a spiral path. During the spiral/labyrinthine journey of pregnancy we will explore the stories held within your womb space: menarche, early sexual experience, your birth blueprint, any previous experience pregnancies, births and post-partum experience.
These story-telling sessions will be held within a framework or massage/body work & creative expression that facilitates somatic relaxation and builds trust between you and your support team.
From there we will begin to explore the dreams and fears around your upcoming birth. We will use creative modalities to permeate into the depths of where these beliefs, fears and aspirations come from. Sessions with me may also be infused with prayer & light language if these channels feel resourcing for you.
Testimonials
Jasmine supported me through my pregnancy, birth and postpartum, and even up to writing this when my daughter is now 7 months old!
Since the beginning I have felt heard and supported by Jas - she always reminded me that I know best what me and my baby need.
My pregnancy was unplanned and working with Jas from the very beginning helped me process the sudden change in my path. She held space SO beautifully for everything I brought - the sweet and not so sweet, the tears, the laughter and excitement, the fears and doubts. Our sessions were different each time depending on what was alive in me and what I needed. And she was always flexible. Sometimes we just talked, often we worked with oracle cards, sometimes she guided me on deep journeys and in meditation, there was always touch and always plenty of space just to see what would arise.
We explored my relationship with my maiden, mother and crone energies. We looked at my red thread, my own birth, my relationship with my mother and my own blood. Our sessions helped me look at the parts of myself that need acknowledgment and transformation as I bring another girl into the world. I’m so grateful for the container we had for these explorations.
During my birth, Jasmine kept me going with coconut water through a straw over the side of the birthing pool! I always felt her presence and calm holding of the space. The morning after my daughter was born, she cleaned up and helped us get cosy and fed so we could go to bed with our new baby. I think we saw Jas almost every day for a while after the birth! She would drop round supplies like dates and healing herbs, check how we’re doing and give me some massage. I loved having Jas coming by in those precious first days, when time was moving strangely and the emotions were like big beautiful waves.
Something worth mentioning is the experience of my partner, baby’s dad - he felt seen and heard too which was so important to him. Jasmine would simply ask how he was doing and it gave him a chance to communicate how my pregnancy was feeling for him too.
So thank you Jas, from the bottom of our hearts, for being a part of my family’s journey. I’ll let you know when the next one is coming!
Annie & Nick
Offerings
The Pregnancy Portal
Your spiral journey can begin either before conception, at the start of your pregnancy or further into your blooming. The complete journey covers 6 elements which we work through together to allow s p a c e for somatic embodiment, emergence & deep listening. To enable the voice of your womb to speak through you requires time and space.
During this portal we will also explore what you want your birth and your post-partum to feel like. We will learn together certain techniques or allies that will support those ideas and how as a couple you can take radical responsibility for how you bring your child into the world.
Exchange: My emerging rate is £20/hour (approximately 6-8x sessions of 2-3x hours)
The Birth Portal
As your doula, there is no requirement for me to be with you during your birth dance. You can birth your baby without my presence, wherever and however you choose. If you would like the support of soft feminine hands for both you and your partner during this time, I will go on call 24/7 from week 38 onwards.
At this time in my journey, I am only looking to support families that are intentionally choosing to birth at home. I will of course join you, if a transfer to hospital occurs and support you entirely in your decision-making.
If you feel called to work with me, but are choosing to birth in a hospital or birthing centre, we may still journey together for pregnancy & post-partum sessions.
Exchange: My emerging rate is £250 to be present for your birth and remain present until the family is fully supported.
The Post-Partum Portal
Unless you have other visions for your post-partum I will be there to support you daily (where possible) for the first week after your birth. This support may look like nourishing your body with food or massage, processing your birth story, tending to the house or supporting you with childcare.
This is a time for deep rest for you and your baby. During our journey together we will identify your support network and how they may or may not be present during this sacred time of healing, integration and re-integration.
Exchange: Post-partum visits daily for the first week (approx 2 hours), then as needed for the following weeks £20/hour.
Resources
These resources have support my journey into birthkeeping and they may support yours as a womb holder, Mother, Father or human being.
-
Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum:
Birthing From Within Pam England; Labyrinth of Birth Pam England; Spiritual Midwifery Ina May Gaskin; Birth Reborn Michel Odent; Placenta: The Forgotten Chakra Robin Lim; The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother Heng Ou and Marisa Belger; The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality Kimberly Ann Johnson.
Sacred Feminine & The Womb:
Womb Awakening: Initiatory Wisdom from the Creatrix of All Life Azra Bertrand and Seren Bertrand; The Madonna Secret Sophie Strand; Yoni Shakti: A Woman’s Guide to Power and Freedom through Yoga and Tantra Uma Dinsmore-Tuli.
Sacred Masculine:
The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine Sophie Strand -
Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum:
Birth A New Story; The Way of the Womb Podcast; The Great Birth RebellionSacred Feminine & Ecology:
Rooted Healing; Weaving the Wild; The Emerald -
Micro-Birth; Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives; Doula! The Ultimate Birth Companion
-
@bekoakaiah @wellspring_postpartum @devapathways @birthanewstory @ayurmama_ @moonandhoneymama @livewildbirthfree @naolivinaver_oficial @carla.sage.birthwork

