Welcome! My guest today is Karen Wilmot, The Virtual Midwife. She has assisted over 500 women in giving birth, but has never been pregnant or given birth herself. Twice, she stepped away from her work when the desire to have her own baby overshadowed the joy she could feel at others’ birth experiences. At age 47 now, Karen has found peace and a deep sense of purpose in her work. She now says that NOT having children has been her greatest teacher and the driving force behind her work.
In this episode, you’ll learn the following about Karen’s journey:
- How Karen always thought she would have children;
- How the death of Karen’s mother while she was young made her lose her sense of family and live a rebellious life;
- After years of traveling and several relationships, Karen reached the point in her early 40’s when she said, “That was it.” Her window of opportunity had closed;
- How she went through a relevant and acute grieving process;
- How one patient helped her recognize her “mothering of mothers” as an outpouring of nurturing and maternal instinct;
- How Karen uses yoga, breathing, and chanting to help ground her emotions;
- Karen shares details about her “Finding the Mother Within” workshops and how they have helped her heal;
- How women are often deceived into thinking that the only path to fulfilment involves motherhood;
- How Karen took the first steps of moving forward through her disappointment;
- How she can express herself creatively in several specific ways, all because she does NOT have children;
- The benefits of not having kids are the freedom to travel, a deeper level of compassion for others, and the ability to inspire others through your circumstances;
- How Karen has drawn inspiration from every woman she has ever assisted in childbirth;
- Karen’s advice to women going forward: respect each other and the path each one travels. Celebrate creativity and the ability to nurture and love.
Find Karen at www.expatsexpecting.com
Respect each other’s choices. We’re all great in our own way, but we don’t all have to travel the same path.
For more episodes of "Unclassified Woman" see www.michellemariemcgrath.com
