The profoundly insightful Emma Walker, a seasoned midwife and registered nurse, joins The Soft and Curious to offer a fascinating glimpse into her diverse experiences and perspectives spanning childbirth and cosmetic nursing. Hailing from Byron Bay via the UK, Emma delves into her woman-centred approach to midwifery, exploring topics ranging from birth plans to the intricacies of healthcare intervention during challenging births or pregnancies. In recent years, Emma's career has transitioned to focusing on cosmetic nursing and providing holistic treatments. She's balancing an exciting blend of traditional procedures like Botox and filler alongside innovative protocols targeting women's health issues such as perimenopause. Amidst the almost unending societal debates on beauty, Emma's unwavering commitment to ethical practice shines through, emphasising regulatory changes aimed at safeguarding against body dysmorphia. Throughout the conversation, Emma's dedication to holistic well-being echoes loud and clear, underscoring her tireless efforts to integrate ethical principles into every aspect of her care. FOLLOW MORE FROM EMMA AT @emma_at_aesthetica_ on Instagram. Some things to note in this episode: Any medical discussion in this episode is general and should not replace any information given to you by your doctor or health care professional. TW: There's a warning for listeners as there is discussion about sexual assault, pregnancy complications and loss. If you are pregnant, we'd advise you to skip this episode, as there are other Soft and Curious episodes you can listen to instead. Fact check: When Emma discusses "normal vaginal births" and quotes statistics, those specific stats are, according to Australian Government Institute of Health and Welfare, Maternity models of care, published 25 Sept 2023: "The proportion of women having a non-instrumental vaginal birth was higher in those using midwifery group practice caseload care (68%) and lower in those using private obstetrician specialist care (34%) or public hospital high-risk maternity care (42%)." https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/maternity-models-of-care-in-focus/summary WHO Breastfeeding advice, in relation to HIV-affected mothers, published NOV 2021: Encouraging mothers living with HIV to breastfeed exclusively is still strongly advised because it benefits the infant in many ways, including reduced illness and improved growth and development. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/hiv-aids-infant-feeding-and-nutrition#:~:text=Encouraging%20mothers%20living%20with%20HIV,and%20improved%20growth%20and%20development. Also, it's important to note, as AIDSMAP does, the advice for HIV-affected mothers varies wildly, depending on their particular circumstances: "The advice given also differs according to where you live. In the UK and other high-income countries, the safest way for a mother living with HIV to feed her baby is to bottle feed using formula milk. In low-income countries, however, you may be advised to breastfeed. This is because overall it is safer for a child to have breast milk containing HIV than infant formula made with unsafe water and bottles that have not been sterilised." https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/feeding-your-baby-when-you-have-hiv
