There’s a moment, somewhere between anticipation and the unknown, where pregnancy begins to shift. What starts as excitement slowly becomes a quiet awareness: that birth isn’t just an event to get through, but a transition into something far bigger. In a world filled with checklists, conflicting advice, and carefully curated birth plans, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. Beyond the noise, birth asks something much simpler, and often much harder, of us: trust, preparation, and the ability to surrender to a process that can’t be fully controlled.
In this conversation, midwife Carmen Lett shares her perspective from years of supporting women through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. From the mental and emotional realities of labour to the often-overlooked importance of recovery and nourishment, this is a grounded, honest look at what it really means to prepare, not just for birth, but for everything that comes after.
Hi Carmen. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Let's dive in. You’ve spent years supporting women through pregnancy and birth. What first drew you to midwifery?
I grew up fascinated with birth after finding a birth photography book that my mum had in our house (from the 80’s), it really showed me what birth was truly like. I always adored babies so when my career advisor mentioned midwifery when I was 14, I knew from that moment, that would be my forever career. Initially it was probably the thought of getting to spend many hours with babies. But now, it is the privilege of supporting new parents, holding space for them and watching the beautiful journey unfold. The babies are the cute bonus.
What’s one of the biggest misconceptions you see expectant parents have about labour and birth?
The idea that you can fully control it, or that it’s purely a physical process, can be misleading. You’ll often hear “we’ll just wing it and hope for the best,” but it’s far more helpful to educate yourself and prepare for a range of possible outcomes. Birth is just as much mental as it is physical—your mindset plays a huge role. Learning how to let go and work with the process can make a meaningful difference. And while birth tends to get most of the attention, it’s only a short moment in the bigger picture. What comes afterward deserves just as much care and preparation.
There’s so much information online about pregnancy and birth. What are the most important things you wish every parent understood before going into labour?
If I had to sum it up in one word: surrender. You can prepare as much as possible, but if you’re unable to let your mind and body soften into the process and allow your hormones to do their job, it can feel more challenging. Do what you can to clear away fear and negative expectations around birth. What if it’s powerful, even transformative? Hold onto that possibility, while still preparing for different outcomes so you feel informed and confident making the decisions that matter most to you.
"Birth is just as much mental as it is physical — your mindset plays a huge role."
Nutrition plays such an important role in pregnancy and postpartum recovery. What nutrients do you see as especially important during this time?
Focusing on whole foods helps you meet key nutritional needs like folate (important for reducing the risk of neural tube defects—though supplementation is still recommended), along with iron, calcium, omega fatty acids, iodine, and protein. One part of this is about supporting your body through a period of major change, and the other is about giving your baby the best foundation for healthy growth and long-term wellbeing.
Across many traditional cultures, foods like bone broth and organ meats were commonly recommended for pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Why do these foods continue to be valued from a nutritional perspective?
Focusing on warm, easy-to-digest meals like broths, soups and casseroles, help your body rebuild, support milk production, and calm the nervous system. Prioritising whole, nutrient-dense foods so your body can absorb what it needs efficiently.
Traditionally, cultures have emphasised these kinds of foods because they help replenish nutrients quickly and support tissue repair—both important after birth. Your body has grown a baby, gone through the intensity of labour, experienced blood loss, and is now healing while caring for a newborn. Proper and intentional nourishment during this stage really matters. Postpartum depletion also doesn’t get enough attention. How you eat after birth is just as important—if not more so—than during pregnancy. This is a time when your body needs even more calories and nutrients than it did while growing your baby.
Many women want the benefits of nutrient-dense foods like bone broth or organ meats but don’t always have the time to prepare them regularly. What are your thoughts on using convenient options like bone broth, beef liver, or spleen powders as part of pregnancy and postpartum journeys?
Absolutely all for it. In this day in age, where the villages aren’t quite like they used to be, we don't often have the time to spend creating nutrient dense foods we need, so this is an easy way to support our bodies.
"If you're unable to let your mind and body soften into the process and allow your hormones to do their job, it can feel more challenging."
A lot of antenatal education focuses on labour itself. What do you think parents are often most surprised by once baby actually arrives?
It can be hard to fully prepare for this season—there are lots of variables, and there’s no real “normal” when it comes to the postpartum. One of the biggest surprises I would say I see, is just how constant newborn care is. Feeding (especially if you’re breastfeeding), settling, and short sleep cycles at times can feel relentless. Many parents expect broken sleep, but not the cumulative impact of it over days and weeks. Often you might feel okay in the first week, but by weeks two to three, the fatigue really starts to set in.
The emotional side can also take people by surprise. Hormonal shifts in the early days can be intense - these are the biggest hormonal change we will ever experience in our life. Even when things are going well, it will still feel like a huge adjustment. How your support system shows up in this period too can really change your experience. If you have other children, a tough birth to recover from, financial stressors, identity shifts, the mental load & many other layers added in can make the postpartum period even more demanding.
From a midwife’s perspective, what are the most important things parents should know about the fourth trimester and supporting recovery after birth?
Build your village and don’t hesitate to lean on them for support. Prepare plenty of freezer meals ahead of time, and delegate what you can—whether that’s cleaning, dog walking, or other daily tasks. Have the important conversations during pregnancy so expectations are clear once baby arrives. Think about what you want your support system and visitors to look like, and how you’ll navigate the inevitable fatigue. It’s much easier to put plans in place before things feel overwhelming. In the postpartum period, come back to the essentials: nourish your body with good food, rest whenever you can, and make space for something small that supports you each day—even a couple of minutes outside can help you reset.
If every expectant parent could hear one message from a midwife before their baby arrives, what would it be?
I couldn't choose just one but my few top ones would be:
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- You don’t have to do this perfectly (whether it is in regards to birth or the postpartum)
- Trust your intuition.
- Know that you are more than enough for your baby on the good and the bad days. You are the perfect parent for your baby.
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Postpartum isn’t a season, it’s forever so try and plan as much as you can for it
Where can our audience connect with you?
On personal instagram @carmenlett or my work which is @hatched_education
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