Joy Horner - Birth Joy

Joy Horner - Birth Joy Founder of The birth wisdom - Keeper's. Collective, Perinatal Consultant, Coach, Speaker, Integrative Baby Therapist, Shamanic Womancrafter.

Inclusive, Trauma-informed & Birth imprint aware care for the initiations of Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenthood. Appointments available in your home if you live in a 20 mile radius of Glastonbury, UK, in my home office or available worldwide by zoom, skype or phone. https://linktr.ee/JoyHorner.BirthJoy

20/01/2026

.co with - 🍃Red Raspberry is safe for all stages of pregnancy. There, I said it out loud!

🍃Herbalists and midwives experienced in botanical medicine have long documented the safe use of red raspberry leaf throughout pregnancy, NOT just at the end! Its astringent qualities mean that it helps to tone relaxed tissues. In fact, it’s actually one of primary herbs used to PREVENT threatened miscarriage!

🍃Of course, individuals may have health conditions or nuances in their personal health histories to consider (let’s not make medical decisions based on brief social media conversations, ok?!) but red raspberry is universally considered by experts to be a safe and family-friendly herb, including throughout the entire maternity year for normal pregnancies.

In addition to the uterus, it has an affinity for intestines and is a primary herb used during the cold season (HELLO!) because it’s so effective helping to resolve running clear snot problems.

As a midwife who has safely used Red Raspberry personally and professionally for decades, I’ve been rather astounded at the level of incomplete information and all the fear mongering promoted on social media. Let’s take the fear down a big notch. There’s a lot more info in my blog on Red Raspberry at www.IndigoForest.com.

🍃Or just comment ‘RED’ and I’ll DM the link directly to your messages.💚

     midwife

with - Baroness Amos, Chair of the independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, is today asking women,...
20/01/2026

with - Baroness Amos, Chair of the independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, is today asking women, birthing people, partners and families to share their experiences of maternity and neonatal care in England, through a public Call for Evidence.

Listening to lived experience is central to the investigation, and the Call for Evidence will ensure that the voices of women and families, including fathers, partners and non-birthing partners, are heard.

The investigation is seeking to understand the full range of experiences of maternity and neonatal care.

Responses to the Call for Evidence will be used to inform the development of the national recommendations which will shape the future of maternity and neonatal services in
England. The Call for Evidence consists of two surveys: one for women and people who have been pregnant to share their experiences of maternity and neonatal services; and one for people who have supported someone through pregnancy.

The Call for Evidence has been designed to allow everyone to have the chance to respond. It is available online, with easy-read versions, translation into seven languages, and a postal option for those who prefer not to respond online. Interpreter support and one-to-one interviews are also available for people who would like additional help to respond.

Baroness Amos encourages all women, birthing people and families to participate including women and families who have experienced unequal access and care. This includes, but is not limited to, women and families from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, women with disabilities, women who have mental health challenges, those living in deprived circumstances and marginalised groups.

is proud to be a partner organisation of the investigation and to support this Call for Evidence which is open until 17th March 2026.

Link in bio!


🔥This is the final call for our Birthkeeper’s Path 10 Moons course begins 1st February, and we still have bursary and sc...
16/01/2026

🔥This is the final call for our Birthkeeper’s Path 10 Moons course begins 1st February, and we still have bursary and scholarship places available!🔥

What our graduates are saying:

✨️“This is not a course, but a sinking into the breadth and depth of the women’s wisdom that belongs to us all that centres around the blood mysteries and rites of passage of the female body. Our circle is pure magic, and the transmission from Joy and Jady echoes with the whispers of the birth keepers, midwives, and medicine women who came before us.” (Nina 2025)

✨️“Not only is the course rich in opportunities for personal growth, it is rich in high quality content that allows you to feel informed and prepared to either begin your journey as a birthkeeper or to deepen your knowledge (for those already walking the path).” (Ash 2025)

✨️“For my work in the world, I now have the courage to say that I know what I am here to do, or rather say. It is clear to me now that my path is one of stepping up and speaking out, advocating and championing for change in how we tend to and care for women and birthing people across the board. So, thank you, Joy and Jady, for providing me with the greatest gift I have ever received; a reminder of the power held in my voice.” (Tamsin 2025)


Birthkeepers have suffered bad press in the UK recently, so our course has not had as many applicants as last year.
We start on 1st February so you need to apply before Monday 26th January if you would like to join us.

We meet monthly with nourishing zoom calls and online content, and we meet in person in 4 weekends a year - 8 days of practical skills workshops!

💫We still have bursary places (for those in financial hardship) and scholarship places (for those with protected characteristics) available for reduced fees. Just send us an email explaining why you would like to be considered for a place.

💫Follow the links in my linktree to find out more:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTlizH7Dp2Q/?igsh=a2Y1YnMwbDhiZzR3

February's gathering brings us to the brink of spring. A time to plant seeds that we'd like to see grow this year.At our...
15/01/2026

February's gathering brings us to the brink of spring.
A time to plant seeds that we'd like to see grow this year.

At our Birworkers monthly gathering, we'll dream into finding which seeds of ideas to plant through a drum journey and ground them in our intentions by making a vision board.

This visual reminder helps us focus our energy on growing our best ideas, taking care of our health and our families.

Bring
* An A4 or larger piece of card (cereal box sized), I will have some spares.
* Pictures from magazines, etc - I will bring plenty
* Stickers, glitter, etc
* I will bring glue, marker pens, tea, and snacks.

I look forward to seeing you all again at the .

13/01/2026

There's still time to join us!

The Birthkeeper's Path-10 moons course commences on 1st February.

We are not afraid to call ourselves birthkeepers.

We are not frightened to uphold the rights of pregnant and birthing families.

We are not going away anytime soon.

🟡 We exist because women and people who give birth need someone they can trust beside them.
🟡 We are needed because of the lack of continuity in midwifery care.
🟡 We are called in because we have the time to prepare our clients for birth and parenting.
🟡 We make the birthspace feel as safe as possible.
🟡 We witness and validate our client's experiences.
🟡 We reduce fear and prevent unnecessary interventions and birth trauma..

We are here to change the face of birth for the better!

We will not be diminished by the words of the tabloid press.

Will you join us?

12/01/2026

It takes si long for research to catch up with normal physiology

with - Why the French Method Changes Everything 🇫🇷

A groundbreaking study of 10,565 births in France just proved what midwives and doulas and mums have known forever: WAITING works.

Here’s what they found: ✨ Average pushing: just 8.8 minutes ✨ First-time moms: 14 minutes ✨ Second+ babies: 6 minutes ✨ 99.2% healthy baby outcomes ✨ Only 0.5% severe tearing ✨ Low hemorrhage rates despite the wait

The French approach? It’s STANDARD practice to let women rest at full dilation for up to 3 hours (some studies say even 4 hours is safe!). Midwives wait for the natural urge to push and for baby to drop low on their own. 82% had epidurals, so this works even with pain relief.

Meanwhile in AUS, US and UK, we’re told to push IMMEDIATELY once you hit 10cm - often for 2+ HOURS of exhausting coached pushing.

Research shows the damage we blame on “long second stage” (tearing, hemorrhage, pelvic floor trauma, exhaustion) is actually from TOO MUCH ACTIVE PUSHING, not from waiting.

The French study was also 3 short, intense pushes with each contraction vs. the purple-faced 10-second breath holds. Even NICE (UK medical guidelines) now recommends delayed pushing for women with epidurals because it REDUCES forceps/vacuum rates with zero harm to babies.

The science is clear: Let your body do the work passively = way less active pushing + better outcomes for you AND baby.

Your body knows what it’s doing. Trust the process. 💪

Have you experienced coached vs physiological pushing? Drop your story below! 👇

Study- Active second-stage duration under 15 minutes in spontaneous vaginal deliveries with delayed pushing, Montfort, Eléa et al. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology

EmpoweredBirth MidwifeKnowledge BirthMatters PurplePushing SecondStage BirthScience MaternalHealth BirthTrauma InformedPregnancy BirthChoices LaborAndDelivery PregnancyTips BirthCommunity Birthwork FirstTimeMom BirthPrep PhysiologicalPushing FrenchBirth BirthResearch Multiparous Nulliparous

Address

Glastonbury

Opening Hours

Monday 2pm - 6pm
Tuesday 6pm - 9pm
Wednesday 3pm - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+447939247462

Website

https://the-wise-woman-collective.mn.co/share/HBbVh2DuwtZR2he0, https://linktr.ee/JoyHorner.

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Informed and inclusive care for anyone pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

I am a Registered Midwife and former nurse who specialises in helping people achieve straightforward normal birth. I do this through teaching antenatal classes, and providing support through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

I am increasingly hearing from people who have had poor birth experiences, which can have far reaching consequences. I believe that knowledge is power. If you know your rights and choices you can make the best decisions about your care.

I am an independent midwife with 19 years midwifery knowledge, having attended hundreds of births. I trained as an antenatal teacher with the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), and teach monthly birth workshops.

I specialise in caring for those who’ve suffered previous trauma.