Founders of Maternal Health Publications - Growth Struggles & Wins
Judging by the metrics alone, I should probably quit.
One year ago, I said I’d “do Birthbabe” properly for 12 months. I gave myself a target of three magazines, a weekly newsletter, growing our socials.
This isn’t a “we smashed every goal, it’s been like being strapped to a rocket” post. It hasn’t been that kind of year.
But Birthbabe was never meant to be about me or my ego. It was always about amplifying what others are doing. So despite hating every second of typing this, I'm reluctantly proud. Here's why.
Birthbabe started in 2021 as a passion project. I was deep in what I didn't yet realise was postnatal depression. Out of everything that could have pulled me through, it was a tiny creative project that kept me going. It pulled me through again during a second bout of depression after my second child. It's pretty much been my constant ever since.
This year, we got to do what Birthbabe is here for, and shine a light on others:
→ Interviews with midwives, obstetricians, doulas, senior academics at Oxford, artists, politicians, female founders and so many more
→ Women's stories of matrescence, the mental load, friendships, parenting, postpartum psychosis, sepsis, baby loss, maternal mental health, birth trauma, recovery, and so many more that don't get enough air time
→ Midwives and the hours they're working, student midwives unable to find jobs after qualifying
And along the way, we made things:
→ Five magazines (I promised three), with the sixth out in the next few weeks
→ The Peach Book: a traffic-light guide from pregnancy to postpartum, so mothers know when to care for themselves at home, when to call their midwife and when to get urgent help.
There is traction. Tiny, but real. Emails almost daily from people asking to contribute. Birthbabe tagged in news stories, readers sharing our articles, a bigger community than last year.
What we didn't have a year ago, and do now: a medical editor, a yoga therapy columnist and a fashion columnist.
So, just like 12 months ago, I'm making a commitment: to keep going. But this time, I'm doing it in public. Here on LinkedIn, to hold myself to account. To keep going and to keep building.
The mission hasn’t changed: a media brand for mothers. Because I truly believe that supporting mothers is like a rising tide that lifts all boats.
If you want to join the journey, follow along. And if you're doing brilliant work in the maternity space, I want to hear about it. That's what Birthbabe is for.
(And if you’ve ever grown a small publication into a globally dominating media brand, DM me too 😉)