What does it really take to get started in birth work — and stay there?

In this episode, I’m joined by Jen Crawford, life and business coach, parent educator, mentor and doula trainer, with over 15 years’ experience supporting families and shaping skilled, grounded birth workers across Ireland. Between us, we’ve:

• trained and mentored hundreds of birth workers
• supported thousands of families
• built and scaled sustainable birth-work businesses
• and seen far too many brilliant practitioners leave this work unnecessarily due to burnout, lack of support, or unrealistic expectations.

In this honest, grounded and at times possibly controversial conversation, we’re coming together as two of Ireland and Europe’s leading voices in birth work and birth-business to share what we both wish we’d known when we were starting out, and what we now know makes the biggest difference.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why birth work may be a calling, but it still needs to be a viable career
• The foundations every birth worker needs before worrying about visibility or marketing
• Mindset shifts that help you move from passion to sustainability
• Values, boundaries and energy management in emotionally demanding work
• Why “there’s not enough work” is a myth, and what actually matters instead
• The dangers of black-and-white thinking and fear-based narratives in birth work
• Collaboration vs conflict within maternity systems
• How to protect yourself from burnout and stay in this work long-term
• The role of support, community and professional guidance when you’re starting out

This episode is for you if:

• You’re considering training as a doula, lactation consultant, antenatal educator or other birth worker
• You’re newly qualified and wondering “Why is this harder than I thought?”
• You love the work but feel unsure about how to make it sustainable
• You want a values-led, ethical approach to birth work and business
• You’re tired of absolutist advice and want nuance, realism and encouragement

Jen and I both believe that there is plenty of work for everyone and that birth work is really just a fledgling industry with so much more growth potential. We are both hurt by seeing good birth workers quit and this conversation is about changing that, starting from the very beginning.

About Jen Crawford

Jen is a life and business coach, parent educator, mentor and doula trainer with over 15 years’ experience. She has trained and mentored hundreds of doulas, supported thousands of families, and co-founded Ireland’s first national doula agency. In 2026, she continues to lead group doula trainings and coach birth workers across Ireland and internationally.

You can connect with Jen here:

Website: jen-crawford.com

Doula training: @jencrawforddoulawisdom

Coaching: @jencrawfordcoaching

Want to find out what Birth Biz Stage you're at and the right next steps for you to take based on your stage? Then take The Birth Biz Quiz now!

Connect with Me

Instagram

Facebook

Linked In

Naming your business can feel like one of the biggest, most loaded decisions you’ll ever make, especially when you work in the birth and postpartum space, where identity, values, and care are so closely tied to what we do.

In this episode, I’m sharing the full story behind my recent rebrand to Your Birth Biz, why I moved away from The Pregnancy & Postnatal Entrepreneurs Collective, and what the process taught me about fear, confidence, and allowing your business to evolve as you do.

I also take you back to the very beginning, to when I was naming my antenatal education business, My Baby Beginnings, and how I deliberately chose a name that could grow with me over time. From there, I explore the common tension between choosing a strong “brand” name versus a more SEO-friendly, descriptive business name...and why there isn’t one right answer.

This episode is part personal story, part practical guidance, and part permission slip. Whether you’re naming your business for the first time or wondering if the name you chose no longer fits, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why I originally chose the name Pregnancy & Postnatal Entrepreneurs Collective
• How fear and a desire to “include everyone” can influence business naming
• The difference between a brand name and an SEO-friendly name (and the pros and cons of each)
• Practical tips for naming your business when you’re starting out
• Why your business name is not a lifetime sentence
• How to recognise when it might be time to rebrand
• What Your Birth Biz stands for now, and who it’s for

This episode is for you if:

• You’re stuck trying to name your birth or postpartum business
• You’re worried about choosing the “wrong” name
• You feel disconnected from your current brand or business name
• You want to build a business that’s ethical, sustainable, and aligned with your values

At its core, this episode is about permission — permission to grow, to change, and to choose what supports you now, not just what felt safe at the beginning.

✨ Explore the new website at yourbirthbiz.com
✨ Join the conversation in the Pregnancy & Postnatal Entrepreneurs Collective discussion group

Want to find out what Birth Biz Stage you're at and the right next steps for you to take based on your stage? Then take The Birth Biz Quiz now!

Connect with Me

Instagram

Facebook

Linked In

In this episode, Niamh is joined by Aoife Lennon, perinatal educator, IBCLC, former Home Economics teacher and founder of Bumps & Bainne. Aoife describes herself as a “full-time challenger of the polite nonsense that surrounds birth and breastfeeding” — and this conversation very much lives up to that energy.

Aoife shares her journey from nearly 20 years in secondary teaching to building a values-led birth work business, shaped by her own birth experiences, motherhood, and a powerful shift in priorities. We talk honestly about fear, identity, financial risk, mindset work, and what it really takes to step away from a “safe” career and back yourself.

This episode goes deep into themes that so many birth workers grapple with but don’t always say out loud:
– feeling called to this work but unsure how to make it sustainable
– the emotional weight of leaving a pensionable job
– the importance of community (or “the village”) in both motherhood and business
– why not everyone needs to like you ... and why that’s actually a good thing
– leaning into your authentic voice online, even when it feels uncomfortable

Aoife also speaks candidly about building her business slowly and steadily, charging her worth, and the role that mindset and peer support have played in helping her stay the course. This is a conversation about courage, feminism, motherhood, and redefining success on your own terms without the hustle-bro nonsense.

If you’re a doula, lactation consultant, antenatal educator or birth worker who’s ever thought “there has to be another way”, this episode will land right in your chest.

Connect with Aoife:

• Instagram: @bumps_and_bainne
• Website: www.bumpsandbainne.ie

If this episode resonated with you, send us a DM and let us know what landed. These conversations matter — and you’re not meant to do any of this alone.

Want to find out what Birth Biz Stage you're at and the right next steps for you to take based on your stage? Then take The Birth Biz Quiz now!

Connect with Me

Instagram

Facebook

Linked In