25/08/2026
Wow, here I sit, deciding what to write - to an audience, I’ve journeyed with for nearly eleven years of my life. as I say farewell - “and thanks for all the fish”! (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)
But I digress…. Or procrastinate?… WHAT do I REALLY WANT to SAY?
After this post, I will no longer have access to this page. I am gifting it onwards.
(I am gifting the ENTIRE project onwards!)
I have given this project a whole decade of ME.
For good and for worse.
And now it is time for the new wave, the new spring, the new women and mothers, to take their control, have their new approaches - their passions, their goals, their missions.
A fresh, clean-slate.
My reputation will be mine to claim back for me. My actions will be MINE.
And the Birth Project, that started 25 years before me, will continue 25 years after me, and I will become a faint, distant, memory. An eleven-year blip, in time.
Whispers will speak of the era where a mad woman, a wild witch, ran the project and was “dangerous” … (how dare she teach women their medical, legal and human rights?!! and give women complete FREEDOM to make their OWN choices for their own bodies and their own babies!)
(and even more horrified whispers… how dare she question the government vaccine schedule!!!!)
And what other words would be whispered in the breeze?
Take your chance to comment your words below!!!
Your final chance to say to me, anything on your mind - including any heartfelt thanks or messages of good wishes!
For the next two days, let’s get as MANY comments as we can, to help ALL community SEE this announcement and know the update!
I won’t be at the page as NBM, but I will visit as my own personal profile and can comment and reply to each of you! It will be a really lovely ritual for me, part of the grief process of handing over the HUGE blood sweat and tears I’ve put in.
Then soon…. you’ll notice my FULL absence.
Getting out of the way completely…..
My biggest gift to the project – today - with love - my RETIREMENT!
A chance to give NBM a whole new life, with new values, new policies, new team.
Winter becomes spring.
And ready for spring, soon the NEW Team will make their first post and take over FULLY at that moment.
And for me, for this old, wild, outspoken, opinionated, peri-menopausal woman? What autumn harvest will I reap? What wisdom role will I fulfill?
I’m at first I’m RESTING….
But I don’t think I’m very good at that … lol, and I can already feel new things calling me… time with my daughter, time travelling Australia – taking my birth wisdom and mentorship National. I’d love to visit and support Doulas, Pregnant Women and Private Educators in small country towns… if this excites you, as much as it does me!!! Perhaps you would like to Billet us and our van, in your yard, for a 1-3 night stay?…. Comment to let me know where you are! I would LOVE to connect more, face to face, with the wider Australian network of birth workers AND mothers!
Key Summary:
• A HUGE, HUGE, heartfelt thank you for EVERYTHING you’ve ever done to cheer me on and keep this project alive…. You have all been WONDERFUL for your various human reasons. (even the naysayers and doubters, you often spurred me on with tons of newfound energy!)
• I am still available at my usual mobile phone number and personal FB profile.
• I am still in Newcastle, NSW supporting women and birth for at least a few more months… or more!!! AND, I will be back in Newy periodically, so still send me pregnant friends to support!
• I am still a giving, caring, person, so ask for help anytime! I am not abandoning you!
• I am shaving the hair off my head this Sunday to FUNDRAISE for the Birth Project!!! PLEASE donate at the event at Humanitix… I am aiming to raise $2000 as a parting gift to the new team specifically for them to FINALLY do the paperwork to REGISTER as a Not-For-Profit (admin was NOT my strong suit!!!!)
• Massive EXTRA favour… if you left me a glowing REVIEW at the NBM Google business page… it is not attached to me anymore… I would love the same review at my Natalie Meade Birth Doula page!!! I will share the link if you comment “review” !!! Thank you Legends!!!
And for those who have made assumptions about me, judgements about me and negative comments about me.
If you’d walked in my shoes and knew what I know.
I believe you’d thank me for the things I’ve said, the support I’ve provided and the preventative and supportive actions I’ve implemented, offered, and put within reach for women (but you don’t know what happens behind the scenes). And you know what they say about assumptions.
Warm wishes to you all,
Natalie Meade/Nat Meade
(written by one individual human (me!) with no AI involvement)
FInd the fundraisier event for head shave at the comments!!!
I am NOW officially gone from NBM.
