
Supporting Neurodivergent people
in Pregnancy, Birth And Beyond



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10th and 11TH December 2026
8 Guest Expert Speakers • Online • 4 hours each day
FREE to attend LIVE • Recordings available for purchase
Hormones • IVF • NICU • Loss • Attachment • and more
Beyond the Birth Room
Neurodivergent Birth CIC Annual Conference 2026




You are invited to join Neurodivergent Birth and partners in December for two days of engaged learning and building connections at our virtual annual conference. We will have guest speakers covering a variety of topics that cover the perinatal period.
Register to reserve your space today!
10:00
15 min
Welcome
Jo Rhys-Davies
Opening statement and welcome
10:15
20 min
Keynote
Lisa Lloyd — ASD with a G&T
Unmasking Mum
10:35
45 min
Maike Preißing
Synaesthesia in Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond
11:35
45 min
Phoebe Toms
Neurodivergent Grief and Baby Loss
12:30
60 min
LUNCH BREAK
(We have an optional workshop during lunchtime, see below)
13:00
30 min
Creativity Workshop with Elizabeth Staunton Acheson
(optional) 12:55-13:25
13:30
45 min
Karen Henry
Supporting Neurodivergent Midwives
14:30
45 min
'Trust Walk’ Intersectionality Activity with Ruby Osunsola Panel
Panel Discussion - hosted by ND Birth Training Practitioners
Recognising and Responding to Inequalities within Inequalities
15:15
15 min
Award
Illuminate Award - recognising best practice in neurodivergent-affirming care
Presentation ceremony
15:30
10 min
Close and Think Neurodivergent First Campaign Call
Jo Rhys-Davies
Day 2 closing
DAY 2 — Friday 11 December
10:00
15 min
Welcome
Victoria White
Opening statement and welcome
10:15
20 min
Keynote
Kimberley Nixon - Ambassador
Expanding the Conversation: Neurodivergence Across the Perinatal Period
10:35
45 min
Dr Helen Wall
The Intersection of Hormones and Neurodivergence
11:35
45 min
Dr Frankie Harrison
What Neurodivergent Parents Need from NICU Teams and Why It Matters
12:30
60 min
LUNCH BREAK
(We have an optional workshop during lunchtime, see below)
13:00
30 min
Relaxation Workshop with Aileen White
(optional) 13:05-13:25
13:30
45 min
Dr Julianne Boutaleb
Neurodivergence and Attachment in Parenting
14:30
45 min
Laura-Rose Thorogood
Neurodivergence and the IVF Journey
15:30
10 min
Close
Victoria White
Day 1 closing
DAY 1 — Thursday 10 December
Conference Schedule:
Victoria believes birthing people have the right to a positive birth and postnatal experience, and that this can be achieved with the help of consistent and compassionate support. She offers support both in person in Aberdeen, Scotland, and online anywhere in the world. She is also a trained Traumatic Birth Recovery 3 Step Rewind Practitioner, and Perinatal Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner. She is the mum of two girls, one of whom is autistic, and is passionate about improving support for neurodivergent people perinatally.
Victoria White is a birth and postnatal doula, author, and the founder/CEO of Neurodivergent Birth CIC. Based in Northeast Scotland, she is an advocate for neurodivergent-affirming maternity care. She works to bridge the gap between clinical settings and the unique perinatal needs of neurodivergent people.
Victoria White

Beyond the stage and screen, Kimberley is a powerful voice and advocate for neurodivergent people and maternal mental health.
Through her podcast and Substack, Kimfluencing My Brain, Kimberley shares her experiences of OCD, autism and ADHD. She is also an ambassador for The National Autistic Society and Perinatal Mental Health Partnership, and patron of Mothers Matter Cymru in her native Wales.
In her own words: “Working with ND Birth is such an honour because I know from experience how incredibly important it is for neurodivergent people to have someone to advocate for them during fertility, pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. I gave birth not knowing I was AuDHD and why I found certain things much more difficult than those around me. We process events differently and there’s no bigger event in your life than giving birth. Your care should reflect that.”
Kimberley is a BAFTA-award-winning actress, best known for her roles such as Josie in Channel 4’s Fresh Meat, and for starring in beloved hits Wild Child and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. She has also appeared in Under Salt Marsh, Mudtown and Shardlake.
Kimberley Nixon

She is a Penguin author of ‘Menopause and ADHD: how to navigate hormone flux and neurodivergence’. Dr Wall is also well-known as the resident GP on BBC Breakfast and as a weekly columnist for Woman magazine. Outside her professional roles, Dr Wall is a mother of three and is a passionate advocate for patient empowerment and health education.
Dr Helen Wall is a GP and public health leader, with over 25 years of experience in medicine. She has dedicated her career to improving the unique challenges faced by women in the healthcare system, and has undertaken advanced training in menopause and neurodivergence
Dr Helen Wall

Frankie qualified from her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Leicester in 2017 and has since worked in a number of different mental health settings and across the lifespan, however, currently specialises in supporting NICU parents, past, present and future. Frankie's passion for helping parents who have been through neonatal care started after having her son prematurely due to Pre-eclampsia at 31 weeks in 2019.
Frankie teaches a module about ‘Supporting Neurodivergent Experiences of NICU’ on The ND Birth Prep Course; the online antenatal course hosted by Neurodivergent Birth CIC.
Dr Frankie Harrison is a HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist and has been supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing for over 13 years.
Dr Frankie Harrison

Having overcome tokophobia which stemmed from vicarious trauma, she understands how deeply we can be affected by the work we do. Aileen is a passionate and creative educator. Her warm, gentle curiosity and her neurodivergence enable her to support others’ self-discovery, no matter their personality, learning style or particular needs.
Aileen White, founder of My Birth Support CIC, Neurodivergent Birth Training Practitioner and Kent Trauma Informed Ambassador has been offering perinatal mental health support to parents and health care providers for the past 13 years.
Aileen White

Julianne has worked with parents and parents-to-be and their babies (and bumps) who have needed support with a wide variety of issues including anxiety and depression during and after pregnancy, miscarriage and reproductive loss, attachment issues, re-emergence of childhood issues and couples issues. She has a special interest in supporting neurodivergent parents and families during the early weeks and months of parenthood.
Julianne is the Clinical Director and Founder of the Parenthood In Mind practice. She is a passionate and highly experienced perinatal psychologist who has worked for over 24 years in the NHS and private practice.
Dr Julianne Boutaleb

Laura-Rose is both a Biological and Non-Biological mother and has lived experience of operative birth, failed cycles, miscarriage, secondary infertility and birth trauma. She is CEO of Make Birth Better and Founder of LGBT Mummies and has trained and lectured across the NHS, University of Cambridge and other Universities, and works with the Government and created systemic change across reproductive health for LGBTQIA+ people and other marginalised communities. She holds multiple roles across NHSE, RCOG, UCL, HFEA, MMHA, influencing change to create equity and equality.
Laura-Rose is a neurodivergent LGBTQIA+, Maternity and Fertility Activist, educator, writer, seasoned speaker, and campaigner, and a lesbian mother of four donor conceived children by IUI and IVF over fourteen years.
Laura-Rose Thorogood

SPEAKERS And Facilitators, DAY 1:
Jo left a successful barrister career to focus on human rights in maternity care, expanding her work nationally and internationally.
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With close neurodivergent family and friends, Jo is committed to better understanding and supporting neurodivergent people, particularly in maternity and education. She champions respectful, individualised care and better conditions for healthcare professionals.
Jo is the Policy and Advocacy Director at Neurodivergent Birth CIC. By background Jo is a lawyer, parent and advocate with over 15 years’ experience in leadership and governance in the maternal health charity sector, specialising in autonomy and consent rights.
Jo Rhys-Davies

As a content creator and co-founder of SEND Reform England, she uses humour and honesty to raise awareness of hidden disabilities and share the realities of parenting kids who don’t fit the mould, offering support and community to those on a similar journey.
Lisa Lloyd, bestselling Penguin author of ‘Raising the SEN-Betweeners’ and ‘Unmasking Mum’ and online campaigner known as 'ASD with a G&T', is a fun-loving mum of two neurodivergent children.
Lisa Lloyd

Combining personal experience with professional practice, she hosts the "Let's Talk Synaesthesia" podcast, serves on the board of the UK Synaesthesia Association, and creates sensory art. She is mum to a baby girl and shares her experiences of pregnancy and the postnatal time as a synaesthete.
Maike Preißing is an Oxford-based, German-born psychologist, neurodiversity consultant, podcast host, and synaesthesia artist specialising in autism, ADHD, and sensory processing.
Maike Preißing

Phoebe has completed research into autistic grief experiences and autistic women and birthing people’s experiences of baby loss.
Dr Phoebe Toms is a practicing Clinical Psychologist in the NHS with a keen interest and background in researching and working clinically with neurodivergent people.
Dr Pheobe Toms

Karen is a ND Birth Training Practitioner with Neurodivergent Birth CIC and a founding member of the Maternity Autism Research Group (MARG). She also serves on the editorial advisory board for The Practising Midwife journal and regularly supports PhD students and researchers working in autism, neurodivergence, and maternity care. Through all her work, Karen remains committed to challenging outdated systems, amplifying autistic voices, and helping shape maternity services where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected.
Karen Henry is an autistic registered midwife, academic lecturer, and a prominent UK-based advocate for neurodivergent individuals within the healthcare system.
Karen Henry

Elizabeth is AuDHD and the parent of four neurodivergent children. She is a birth and postnatal doula and hypnobirthing teacher, with special interests in the neurodivergent experience of pregnancy, birth and beyond, infant feeding, and perinatal mental health.
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Elizabeth is a big nerd and love to read and signpost parents to good resources.
Elizabeth describes herself as a white fat woman wearing rainbow glasses and blue clothes, leaning on a fence, reading a book and smiling at the camera
Elizabeth Staunton Acheson

Ruby's work focuses on dismantling systemic inequities and embedding cultural humility, intersectionality and lived experience into service design and delivery, especially within mental health services.
Ruby is a neurodivergent Black mother and equity practitioner with over a decade of experience working across health, research and community.
Ruby Osunsola

Then Rose found hypnobirthing - not the fluffy preconceived idea, but the practical, grounded in science, evidence based version, and it completely changed her experience. When she had her daughter, she felt present, powerful, and like an absolute badass!
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She wants everyone to have access to the knowledge and tools that help them feel empowered, informed, and confident - whatever their circumstances, identity, or background.
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She is passionate about inclusive birth work because she knows how it feels to be on the margins. As a queer and neurodivergent parent, She've experienced the gaps and assumptions in antenatal care first hand, and she is passionate about making sure no one gets left out. But this space is for everyone.
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Cis, trans, queer, straight, neurodivergent, neurotypical, white, Black, Brown, Asian, disabled, fat, older, younger, home birth, caesarean - every birthing body, every family structure, every kind of pregnancy journey. Your story matters, and you deserve support that meets you where you are.
Rose is a hypnobirthing and antenatal educator in Bebington, Wirral, which is funny, because for a long time she didn’t even want to give birth. She was that scared. Birth felt unpredictable, overwhelming, and honestly just not for her.
Rose Cairns-Woodworth

SPEAKERS And Facilitators, DAY 2:
BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW!
Attending the online event LIVE is free on both days.
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Alternatively you can buy the recordings to replay them any time.
Early Bird Tickets are available if you buy your access to the recordings before the 31st August.
From the 1st September, Regular Admission rates are available.
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If you are wishing to purchase the recordings after the event has taken place, see our ‘After Conference’ prices.
Select an option below, and reserve your live space and/or recordings package today!
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Click on the relevant box to register.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Charting a New Path in Perinatal Care through Advocacy, Education, and Support for Neurodivergent Birthing People
Neurodivergent Birth was launched in 2023 by doula Victoria White, with the aim of increasing understanding and awareness of neurodivergent perinatal experiences.
Victoria’s daughter was diagnosed as autistic in 2022, and Victoria was diagnosed herself as AuDHD (autistic and ADHD) in 2025. Following her daughter’s diagnosis, she read everything she could get her hands on about neurodiversity, and she began to see how many aspects of pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period could be challenging and experienced differently by neurodivergent people.
She launched an Instagram page and The Neurodivergent Birth Podcast to facilitate this conversation. The response that this was a much-needed space within the birth world was overwhelmingly positive, and she began to have many wonderful and informative conversations with neurodivergent people, healthcare professionals and researchers via the podcast. This then led to the development of Neurodivergent Birth CIC in 2024, the world's first not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving neurodivergent perinatal experiences.
We provide CPD-accredited training in 'Supporting Neurodivergent Birth' to NHS Trusts and independent birth organisations and professionals. With an estimated 15-20% of the population being neurodivergent, this is essential CPD for anyone supporting people perinatally. You can book our next monthly training via our 'For Professionals' page, or contact us if your organisation is looking for something more bespoke.
We also offer online antenatal education designed for neurodivergent audiences, with multi-media formats to suit different processing styles and needs. Check out our 'The ND Birth Prep Course' page for more, and for details of our pre-recorded 'Supporting Neurodivergent Lactation' workshop in collaboration with Anna Le Grange IBCLC.
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Victoria's book 'Why Neurodivergent Birth Matters' was published by Montag & Martin in 2025. You can order a copy via our Shop, along with pins, hoodies and more.


