In this episode of the Social Lights Podcast, podcast host and Social Mediology founder Kate vanderVoort chats with Edwina Sharrock, Founder of Birth Beat, a digital health tech platform revolutionising the way we prepare for birth.

About Edwina

Edwina Sharrock, is a passionate health advocate who has embraced technology and innovation to build an online childbirth education platform. She has over 14 years’ experience as a midwife, neonatal intensive care nurse and emergency nurse. She’s delivered 100’s of babies and helped 1000’s of parents prepare for birth.

It is Edwina’s passion for all expecting parents, regardless of their pathway to parenthood

to have access to quality, evidence-based childbirth education.

She has been recognised as the National winner of the Commonwealth Bank 21 day Challenge Innovation Award, a Google Regional Online Hero, Nominated for Hesta Nurse/Midwife of the Year (2018) and she’s currently completing the highly competitive HCF Catalyst Program powered by Slingshot Accelerators. She is also a proud mum of two and turns into complete mush in the presence of a baby.

BIG IDEA 1

“Be interactive with your community to support and build engagement” (13:20)

Edwina explains that the Birth Beat courses are fun, engaging and entertaining so people want to sit down and watch. Edwina’s goal is to make sure that it is as interactive as possible. She does regular Facebook and Instagram lives so the community gets to meet and engage with each other. Those who are a part of the online program also receive support within a closed Facebook group.

BIG IDEA 2

“Access to quality education eases fears” (16:01)

The closed Facebook group is where members have a close interaction with Edwina, and other women’s health experts such as health physios, lactation consultants and obstetricians.

BIG IDEA 3

“It's social media, you need to be social” (24:38)

To be able to succeed you have to be social, speaking to your community and asking them questions, replying with direct messages, running polls, and asking “what do you want to see more of?”. When you are interacting with your community in this way you set an example for others to do the same, which will grow and expand your group to others.

Episode Links

You can find Edwina Sharrock, and more on Birth Beat at:

·         facebook.com/birthbeat

·         Instagram.com/birthbeat

·         https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwina-sharrock/

·         https://www.linkedin.com/company/67076404

Keep listening to the upcoming episodes of podcasts by joining in Social Lights Podcast produced by Social Mediology.

You can connect with us on Facebook at @SocialLightsPodcast and find future episodes at socialmediology.com.au/sociallights.

Thanks for your time and stay inspired,

Kate vanderVoort