Belly2Birth Podcast

Shari Lyon
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Welcome to the Belly2Birth Podcast. Join childbirth educator and Hypnobirthing practitioner Shari Lyon for evidence-based conversations that empower you through conception, pregnancy, birth, postpartum and pregnancy loss. Each episode features practical education, inspiring stories, and interviews with leading experts in maternity care, women’s health and parenting, helping you make informed decisions, trust your instincts, and create the journey that’s right for you. Because every woman deserves to feel informed, supported and empowered from Belly2Birth.

  1. 6d ago

    BIRTH STORY: “We Didn’t Know What We Didn’t Know” | Jenny & Dylan from The Block — Part 1

    What happens when you go into birth thinking you’ll just go with the flow… and the experience unfolds very differently from what you imagined? In part 1 of this two-part conversation, I’m joined by my beautiful clients Jenny and Dylan, who you may recognise from the 2022 season of The Block, to share the pregnancy and birth story of their first son, Billy. Joining us in the studio is their youngest son Joey, making Dylan our first dad on the podcast and Joey our first little baby guest! Jenny takes us back to a pregnancy that changed course at 24 weeks, when contractions and concerns about early labour led to medication and bed rest. After reaching 39 weeks, concerns about possible pre-eclampsia prompted a recommendation for induction. Jenny and Dylan share what they understood about induction at the time, what they expected the day to look like, and how they felt as the experience unfolded. From having her waters broken and starting a Syntocinon infusion to an epidural and, later that night, an unplanned caesarean, Jenny speaks honestly about feeling unprepared for the different paths birth could take. Dylan also shares his perspective as a first-time dad: watching Jenny navigate the intensity of labour, wanting to support her, and facing his own emotions when their plans changed. Alongside their story, we explore the importance of understanding your options, asking questions and preparing for different birth experiences. We also acknowledge that medical intervention can be necessary, and that parents make decisions with the information and support available to them at the time. In this episode, we discuss: • Pregnancy complications and concerns about early labour.• The circumstances behind Jenny’s induction at 39 weeks.• Their expectations of induction and what actually happened.• Jenny’s experience of an epidural and limited mobility.• The emotional transition to an unplanned caesarean.• Birth from a partner’s perspective.• Recovery from surgery while caring for a newborn.• What they wished they had understood before their first birth. This is an honest conversation about becoming parents, facing the unexpected and looking back with greater understanding and compassion. In part 2, Jenny and Dylan return to share how they prepared differently for Joey’s birth through private hypnobirthing sessions with me, and the story of their vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC). Follow the Belly2Birth Podcast so you don’t miss the next chapter. Prepare for your own birth with Belly2Birth: Journey to Birth Online Hypnobirthing Course Gold Coast Group Hypnobirthing Courses Explore private courses and further support Download my free Questions to Ask Caregivers resource If this conversation resonates with you, share it with another parent or parent-to-be. Content note: This episode includes discussion of pregnancy complications, a difficult birth experience, unplanned caesarean and postoperative pain.

  2. Oct 8

    BIRTH STORY: Six Years Trying to Conceive, Then Two Homebirths | Taylor’s Story

    After around six years of trying to conceive, two rounds of IVF egg retrievals and an unsuccessful embryo transfer, Taylor was beginning to imagine that motherhood might not be part of her story. Then, two weeks later, she discovered she had fallen pregnant naturally. In this episode of the Belly2Birth Podcast, I sit down with my beautiful past client Taylor for an honest and emotional conversation about fertility, pregnancy, birth, loss and becoming a mum. Taylor shares the highs and lows of her fertility journey, her unexpected endometriosis diagnosis, and why seeing those two lines on a pregnancy test brought fear alongside the joy. We talk about how preparing for birth with her husband James through my private Journey to Birth hypnobirthing sessions helped them understand their options, ask better questions and get clear on what mattered to them. That preparation led them to reconsider their maternity care and choose a planned homebirth with private midwife Nicole Garrett. And her two birth stories? They could not have been more different. From the long, exhausting labour that brought her daughter Billie into the world to the fast and intense arrival of her son Mason, Taylor shares the moments that challenged her, the support that helped her, and what she discovered about herself along the way. In this episode, we explore: • The emotional reality of fertility treatment and pregnancy after years of trying.• Moving beyond people-pleasing and choosing a caregiver who aligns with your needs.• How hypnobirthing preparation supported both Taylor and James.• Navigating a long first labour with rest, movement, affirmations and support.• Miscarriage and the uncertainty of waiting for answers.• Preparing for a second birth while caring for a toddler.• Two very different homebirths and the transition into life with two little ones.• The value of feeling held and supported during postpartum. This is a beautiful conversation about finding your voice, making informed choices and the transformation that unfolds as you become a mother. Content note: This episode includes personal experiences of infertility, IVF and miscarriage. Want to feel more calm, confident and informed as you prepare for your own birth? Explore my Belly2Birth Journey to Birth hypnobirthing courses: Online, self-paced course:https://www.belly2birth.com.au/hypnobirthing-online-course Gold Coast group courses:https://www.belly2birth.com.au/gold-coast-hypnobirthing-courses Private sessions, live Zoom support and hypnosis bundles:https://www.belly2birth.com.au Free Questions to Ask Caregivers resource:https://www.belly2birth.com.au/questions If Taylor’s story resonates with you, share this episode with someone who would love to hear it, and follow the Belly2Birth Podcast for more honest birth stories and conversations to support your journey.

  3. Oct 1

    Birth Archetypes Part 2: The Guardian, Free Spirit & Advocate

    How do you naturally respond when birth feels uncertain? Do you become more focused on safety and what could go wrong? Do you instinctively trust your body and prefer to go with the flow? Or do you want to understand your options, ask questions and have a strong voice in your care? In Part 2 of my Birth Archetypes series, we’re exploring the final three archetypes: ✨ The Guardian — who values safety, certainty and feeling protected. ✨ The Free Spirit — who is drawn towards intuition, trust, flexibility and surrender. ✨ The Advocate — who values autonomy, informed choice and having a voice in her care. Just like I shared in Part 1, your Birth Archetype is not about putting you into a box. It’s about expanding your awareness of the strengths you already have, recognising where you may feel challenged, and discovering the qualities you could learn to access from the other archetypes. Because birth may ask different things of you at different moments. The Guardian may need to borrow some of the Free Spirit’s ability to surrender. The Free Spirit may benefit from some of the Planner’s preparation and knowledge. And the Advocate may discover that using her voice doesn’t always mean fighting; sometimes advocacy is asking questions, taking time, listening, collaborating and then making an informed decision that feels right for her. Ultimately, I want you to have access to all five archetypes. To prepare like The Planner.Connect like The Nurturer.Create boundaries like The Guardian.Surrender like The Free Spirit.And use your voice like The Advocate. Because we may not be able to control exactly how birth unfolds, and we can prepare ourselves with the knowledge, confidence, tools and resources to navigate the journey as it unfolds. If you haven't discovered yours yet, take my FREE Birth Archetypes Quiz: Take the FREE Birth Archetypes Quiz And once you receive your result, don't just focus on “Which archetype am I?” Ask yourself: “What strengths do I already have… and what could I learn from the other archetypes to become more adaptable as I prepare for birth?” Then go back and listen to Part 1, where I introduce The Planner and The Nurturer and explain why I created the Birth Archetypes in the first place. Which Birth Archetype are you? And if you are ready to learn more on how to prepare for your birth then I invite you to check out my online Hypnobirthing Course options https://www.belly2birth.com.au/hypnobirthing-online-course Use the code: PODCAST10 and save 10% off the online or face to face Hypnobirthing Courses on the Gold Coast

  4. Sep 24

    How Will You Approach Birth? Meet The Planner & The Nurturer Archetypes

    How will you approach birth when things feel uncertain, plans change, or you’re faced with decisions you weren’t expecting? After more than 14 years of supporting women and couples through pregnancy and birth, I’ve noticed that we all bring different strengths, beliefs, fears and ways of coping into the birth space. That’s why I created the Birth Archetypes. In this episode, I introduce you to the first two archetypes: The Planner and The Nurturer. We explore the beautiful strengths each archetype can bring to pregnancy and birth, where they may feel challenged, and most importantly what they can learn from the other archetypes to become more flexible, confident and adaptable. Because your Birth Archetype isn’t designed to put you in a box. It’s a starting point. The goal is to recognise who you are now, how you naturally approach birth, and who you may want to become as you prepare for one of the biggest transitions of your life. And if you discover you’re a Planner who likes certainty and control, or a Nurturer who naturally puts everyone else’s needs before her own, this episode will give you plenty to think about.✨ Discover your Birth Archetype Take my FREE Birth Archetypes Quiz HERE And if you’re ready to go beyond simply knowing your archetype and develop the knowledge, mindset, tools and resources to feel more confident and adaptable for birth, come and explore my Journey to Birth Hypnobirthing programs with Belly2Birth. Because we can’t control every part of birth but we can prepare ourselves for how we meet it.

  5. Sep 18

    BIRTH STORY - “My Baby Was Breech” How Jazmin Advocated for a Vaginal Breech Birth

    What happens when you’re told your baby is breech late in pregnancy… and the birth you had imagined suddenly feels like it’s being taken off the table? In this episode of the Belly2Birth Podcast, I’m joined by my beautiful client Jazmin, who shares the incredible birth story of her second daughter, Goldie a frank breech baby who was ultimately born vaginally after a journey filled with research, advocacy, difficult decisions and one very unexpected turn in the birth suite. After discovering Goldie was breech, Jazmin tried acupuncture, moxibustion, positioning techniques, releasing and alignment exercises... everything I had taught her.. and an ECV in the hope that her baby would turn. When her ECV was unsuccessful, Jazmin was told that an elective caesarean would be the option available with her current obstetrician. Rather than immediately accepting that as her only pathway, she started researching. At 37 weeks pregnant, Jazmin made the incredibly difficult decision to change obstetricians and found a caregiver experienced in supporting vaginal breech birth. Jazmin waited and allowed her body to go into labour naturally... It was happening... and all so beautifully.....And then her birth took another turn. During labour, Goldie’s heart rate became concerning, and as a precaution, Jazmin agreed to go into theatre for a caesarean as her main goal was to bring her baby girl into the world safely. She received a spinal and thought the vaginal birth she had worked so hard for was over. Then her obstetrician checked her. Goldie’s bottom was already being born. Within minutes, Jazmin gave birth to her breech baby vaginally in theatre. This conversation is about so much more than one mode of birth. We talk about informed decision-making, understanding risk, asking better questions, changing caregivers, trusting yourself, finding experienced support and recognising that sometimes the first option you are presented with is not necessarily the only option available to you. Jazmin’s message to another woman who discovers her baby is breech is simple:....Educate yourself. Because empowered birth isn’t about achieving one particular type of birth. It’s about feeling informed, heard, supported and actively involved in the decisions surrounding you and your baby. If you’re preparing for birth and would like to feel more informed, confident and prepared for the different pathways birth can take, you can also explore my ⁠Journey to Birth Hypnobirthing programs. ⁠Podcast listeners can use the code PODCAST10 to receive 10% off my online and face-to-face programs, as well as my meditation and hypnosis bundles. Please note: This episode shares Jazmin’s individual experience and is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace individual medical advice. Always discuss your personal circumstances, options, benefits and risks with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

  6. Sep 10

    HYPNOBIRTHING: What Is the ‘Hypno’ Part & Why Are We Conditioned to Fear Birth?

    What if some of the fears you have about birth aren’t actually yours? In this solo episode of the Belly2Birth Podcast, I’m unpacking the “hypno” part of Hypnobirthing — and no, it’s not about swinging pendulums, losing control or clucking like a chicken! We explore how your unconscious mind is constantly learning from what you see, hear and experience, and how from childhood many of us have been exposed to cultural messages that portray birth as painful, frightening, dangerous and out of our control. So what happens when you become pregnant and all of those old stories, images and beliefs suddenly come to the surface? I explain the connection between fear, safety, the nervous system and birth, why I don’t believe Hypnobirthing should promise to eliminate fear completely, and how education, hypnosis, repetition and practical tools can help you begin creating a different relationship with birth. This episode will encourage you to ask: Where did my beliefs about birth come from... and are they the beliefs I want to take into my own experience? If you're ready to prepare your mind and body for birth, explore my Journey to Birth Hypnobirthing & Childbirth Education programs and use code PODCAST10 to save 10%. 🎧 Listen, subscribe and share this episode with someone preparing for pregnancy or birth.

  7. Sep 3

    From Hyperemesis to a Spiritual Birth and the Postpartum No One Warned Her About | Cleo Massey

    What happens when the pregnancy you imagined looks nothing like the reality....yet the birth becomes more powerful than you ever dreamed? In this deeply honest episode of the Belly2Birth Podcast, I sit down with Cleo Massey, founder of Pass Around the Smile, to talk about her journey through severe hyperemesis, the mental and emotional toll of pregnancy, preparing for birth through Hypnobirthing and mindset work, and the incredible spiritual birth of her daughter, Indigo. Cleo shares how she went from fear and unexpected complications when her labour started with blood loss to feeling as though she had “gone to the stars” to meet her baby and why learning to surrender when birth changed course became one of her greatest lessons. We also go beyond the birth story and into a conversation that needs to be heard more often: postpartum identity, feeling emotionally numb months after having a baby, finding yourself again after motherhood, and the very real fear Cleo now holds around becoming pregnant again after experiencing HG. This conversation is raw, funny, emotional and incredibly beautiful....a reminder that pregnancy, birth and motherhood can be hard and magical at exactly the same time. 🎧 Listen or watch the Belly2Birth Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube. If this episode resonates with you, please follow the podcast, leave a review and share it with another woman who needs to hear Cleo’s story. For more information about my Hypnosis and Meditation Bundles then CLICK HERE To book into one of my Hypnobirthing courses on the Gold Coast CLICK HERE To purchase the Journey to Birth Online Course CLICK HERE As a special gift of listening to the podcast Use the code: PODCAST10 to save

  8. Aug 27

    You’re Pregnant… Now What? A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy, Tests & Maternity Care

    In this episode of the Belly2Birth Podcast, I’m joined by our resident midwife, Nicole Garratt from Blooming Midwifery, to answer one of the biggest questions after seeing those two lines… “I’m pregnant—now what?” We talk about what Nicole recommends women consider in early pregnancy, the different models of maternity care available in Australia, choosing the right caregiver, understanding pregnancy tests and screening, informed decision-making, and the importance of quality childbirth education. Our hope is that this episode helps you realise that you have choices in pregnancy and birth and the earlier you understand those choices, the more confidently you can navigate your care. Download my free guide to help you ask the right questions and find a caregiver who aligns with you:https://www.belly2birth.com.au/questions 🤎 Journey to Birth Online Hypnobirthing Coursehttps://www.belly2birth.com.au/hypnobirthing-online-course 🤎 Gold Coast Face-to-Face Hypnobirthing Courseshttps://www.belly2birth.com.au/gold-coast-hypnobirthing-courses 🎧 PODCAST LISTENER DISCOUNT: Use code PODCAST10 when booking your Belly2Birth course. If you loved this conversation, follow the Belly2Birth Podcast, leave a review and share this episode with someone who is pregnant or preparing for pregnancy. 🤎 FREE RESOURCE — Questions to Ask Your Caregivers Prepare for birth with Belly2Birth

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About

Welcome to the Belly2Birth Podcast. Join childbirth educator and Hypnobirthing practitioner Shari Lyon for evidence-based conversations that empower you through conception, pregnancy, birth, postpartum and pregnancy loss. Each episode features practical education, inspiring stories, and interviews with leading experts in maternity care, women’s health and parenting, helping you make informed decisions, trust your instincts, and create the journey that’s right for you. Because every woman deserves to feel informed, supported and empowered from Belly2Birth.

Information

  • Creator
    Shari Lyon
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Shari Lyon
  • Show Website
    Belly2Birth Podcast

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