Listening through Compassion with Habiba Ahmed

The Listening Way

Welcome to the fifth episode of The Listening Way. In this episode, Dusk is joined by Habiba Ahmed.

Habiba is an African doula, birth educator and birth debriefer who provides support, connection and education for women as they birth and enter motherhood through her work at 4th Trimester.

Habiba’s way of being in the world is through compassion, empathy and always placing herself in someone else's shoes.

Through birth debriefs and birth talks, Habiba listens to women’s introduction into motherhood. She has created a level of support, connection and education for others and herself. Her work at 4th Trimester is about breaking cultural barriers & helping families make safe & informed decisions by creating a diverse & equal standard of maternal care.

Habiba is a second generation Somali Australian, a mother of two joyous girlies and a loving wife to my best friend. She is very passionate about her community and the progression of their health and wellbeing. She believes her community has a vital role to play in supporting each other if to ensure the success and growth of future generations.

Motherhood has taught her many things but none more important than holding onto our birth culture and birth practices which centres mother led care.

In the episode we discover:

• Listening between the words
• Combining the power of listening with supporting and holding new mothers
• Being vulnerable is the only way to really have genuine connection with one another
• The impact of being heard and held in early motherhood
• Theres power in listening and not trying to find the answers for someone
• How important it is to feel heard and held in the birth space
• Meeting people with empathy for deepest listening
• Listening can heal generations

Thank you for listening!

The Listening Way is a love letter to listening. It holds contemplative conversations on how listening shapes our way of being in the world. The podcast uncovers the different ways that we listen and invites us to practice them again. Hosted by Dusk Liney from The Listening Squad, where we dream of a listening revolution where every person is heard.

Let’s reclaim the lost art of listening.
If you loved this conversation, we invite you to our next round of Coming Home, find out more here: thelisteningsquad.com/coming-home

Find Habiba:
@4th.trimester
Insight article & episode: I'm a birth doula. Here’s why my work is essential
Mamma Mia article: When Zubeyda was turned away from hospital, her sister intervened. It saved her baby's life.

Find Dusk & The Listening Squad:
thelisteningsquad.com
@thelisteningsquad
@thelisteningmama

This podcast produced by @sarahharneymakes & @thelisteningsquad
Podcast Artwork by Elizabeth Braid from Ebb Draws: ebbdraws.com

Image description: A watercolour illustration of two people, one person is talking, whilst the other person listens. Above the illustration is a hand drawn black typography that says, 'The Listening Way'.