
We invite you to the second edition of our International Interdisciplinary Conference on Holistic Maternity Care! For the first time this year, we are hosting it in a hybrid format!
This means a conference that combines an in-person event with access to top-quality online content, making it one of the most innovative events on this topic in Poland! Thanks to this format, you will have access to 20 lectures by world-renowned perinatal care specialists! All the details are below.
We invite you to participate in an exciting event focused on the latest information and practices regarding a comprehensive approach to the needs of women and their children during the perinatal period. This is already the second edition of this wonderful event, proudly co-organized by the Medical University of Silesia, and it will take place in one of its prestigious auditoriums.
Where and when?
The in-person conference will take place on March 15, 2025, in the Prof. W. Zahorski Auditorium (Room A-3) at the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice-Ligota, the Medical University of Silesia (18 Medyków Street). The event will also be streamed live (with interpretation available). The conference will feature 10 speakers presenting on-site. After purchasing your ticket, while waiting for the event in March, you will automatically gain access to pre-recorded lectures by 10 perinatal care specialists!
What is this conference about?
The conference is a unique opportunity to gain insights into holistic approaches to supporting women during the perinatal period. Experts from various fields will come together to share their experiences, research, and best practices.
Why should you participate?
- Exceptional Speakers
Meet world-renowned experts in perinatal care. Each of our speakers is a recognized authority in their field, sharing the latest research, trends, and techniques to support women during the perinatal period.
- Unique Hybrid Format
We combine the best of in-person and online conferences! Participants attending the event at the Medical University of Silesia will have the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and fellow specialists. Additionally, they will gain access to the full recorded summit—a unique collection of presentations from global leaders in perinatal care. This includes 10 recordings totaling over 10 hours of lectures, presentations, and interviews with obstetricians, midwives, scientists, and childbirth educators recognized worldwide, covering topics closely related to their areas of expertise. A detailed list of all topics can be found below.
- Comprehensive Approach to Perinatal Care
Discover new ways to support women and their children, based on the latest scientific evidence and a holistic perspective on family needs.
- Learning and Inspiration
Attending our conference is an investment in your professional and personal growth. Enhance your skills, find inspiration to implement new practices, and elevate the quality of care you provide.
In-person event - Conference in Katowice 15/03/2025
Line up
- 8:30 - 8:40 Start of the conference
- 8:40 - 9:25 Urszula Sioma-Markowska - "Psychosomatic Indicators of Perinatal Care"
- 9:30 - 10:30 Kathryn Stagg - "Supporting Breastfeeding Multiples"
- 10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break
- 11:00 - 11:45 Izabela Dembińska - "Iza Dembińska and a Surprise: Movement and Birth"
- 11:45 - 12:45 Jane Knight - "Fertility Awareness: What Every Woman Needs to Know"
- 12:45 - 14:00 Lunch
- 14:00 - 14:45 Ewa Tobor - "The Midwifery Profession in the New Demographic Reality: Are We Utilizing All Our Competencies?"
- 14:45 - 15:45 Toni Harman - "The Microbiome Effect: How Your Baby's Birth Affects Their Future Health"
- 15:45 - 16:30 Sabina Jakubowska - "Midwives: A Tale of the power of support"
- 16:30 - 17:00 Coffee break
- 17:00 - 18:00 Liz McGregor - "Building Babie's Brains - From Bump to Baby and Beyond"
- 18:00 - 18:45 Dominika Czajka - "Where to start with regulating hormones after childbirth"
- 18:45 - 19:30 Jagoda Hofman-Hutna - "Is it appropriate for a medic? About mental problems in Polish healthcare"
- 19:30 End of the Conference

Previous conference (2024)
Meet our Speakers
Toni Harman

Toni Harman is the producer of the award-winning documentary MICROBIRTH (Alto Films Ltd) about the origins of the human microbiome. MICROBIRTH won top prize at several science film festivals, has had over 1,000 public screenings and has been broadcast internationally. Toni is the co-author of the books, THE MICROBIOME EFFECT (Pinter & Martin Publishing) and YOUR BABY's MICROBIOME (Chelsea Green Publishing). In 2017, Toni set up MICROBIOME COURSES, an online school offering continuing professional development courses about the microbiome, now with over 43,000 health professionals enrolled as students.
Toni has hosted two international virtual conferences about the infant microbiome, the last one held in February 2024 was attended by 3,500 health professionals.
Izabela Dembińska

I graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Medical University of Warsaw with a degree in midwifery, and I also studied psychology at the Higher School of Finance and Management. I hold a specialization in gynecology and obstetrics. I promote mindful bodywork during the perinatal period and prepare women for both home and hospital births. I became a midwife by choice; this mission was born within me after experiencing my own birth. I am a midwife because my work is my lifestyle and passion, a legacy passed down from my mother, who is also a midwife. I am also a mother to Leon and Nadia. I was the first person in Poland to obtain the title and certification of Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator, representing this method in our country. I created training cycles for professionals: "Medical Pregnancy Training" and "Birth is Movement." I have published three books: "Rodzić można łatwiej", "Pierwsze chwile z noworodkiem" and "Lekko w ciąży".
I work daily at the Słuchając Ciała and Vitalnova clinics and assist with home births. I lead a live online course, "Holistic Preparation for Birth," which has holistically prepared over twenty thousand women for childbirth. I also have my own online exercise platform: www.izabeladembinska.myvod.io, and am actively involved on social media, where my mission is perinatal education. I was a specialist in the National Health Program conducted by the Ministry of Health in the field of Perinatal Care Standards, and I am a member of the Independent Initiative of Parents and Midwives Association, "Dobrze Urodzeni." After the birth of my son Leon, I left the hospital setting and joined a team of home birth midwives.
I am passionate about natural birth, childbirth, and motherhood, being present with women in the closeness of their natural environment. The path that drives me most is supporting women during birth and preparing birthing bodies with the support of osteopathic methods and specialists. I am fascinated by the biomechanics of birth and the pelvis, as well as how the body affects the birth process. Birth is an art of release, surrender, and cooperation with the birthing body. I believe in a good birth and that supporting women in knowing they have the strength to give birth is the foundation of midwifery. The motto that guides my work is: "Humility towards nature and respect for medicine."
Sabina Jakubowska

Dr. Sabina Jakubowska - author of the novel Midwives (nominated for the European Union Prize for Literature, the Gombrowicz Award, and the Nike Literary Award), as well as The House on East Street for young readers (winner of the Tygodnik Powszechny and Book Institute's main award in the "Promoters of Debuts" competition). A graduate in archaeology from Jagiellonian University and Ph.D. in humanities from the same institution, she is also a certified doula and member of the Doula Association in Poland, a teacher, and above all, a mother.
Kathryn Stagg

Kathryn is mum to 4 boys, twins and 2 subsequent singletons. She trained as a breastfeeding peer supporter and volunteered in the groups for years in and around NW London, UK. Kathryn caught the breastfeeding support bug and decided to further her knowledge training as a Breastfeeding Counsellor with the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers and then qualifying as an IBCLC 6 years ago. Kathryn started Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets UK Facebook group 8 years ago and it now has over 10,000 members. It has recently been made into a UK charity. Kathryn is passionate about delivering high quality breastfeeding support to as many twin and triplet families as possible, creating resources and educating health care professionals and breastfeeding supporters. She runs a small private practice and continues to teach music part time, her original career path.
Dominika Czajka

My name is Dominika Czajka, and I hold a master's degree in clinical nutrition. I specialize in female hormones and fertility. As one of the few dietitians, I take the phases of the menstrual cycle into account in the diets I propose. Every day, I help women with hormonal disorders and those struggling to conceive. To date, over 300 women have become pregnant with my assistance, and thousands of women have alleviated painful menstruation and PMS symptoms.
Ewa Tobor

Dr. Ewa Tobor, PhD in Medicine, Midwife, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health Sciences at Opole University. Provincial Consultant in Gynecological and Obstetric Nursing for the Silesian Voivodeship.
A midwife and academic teacher for many years, I am fascinated by observing the professional development of students and later graduates. I find great joy in moments spent with former students and the exchange of professional experiences. The development of medical education, particularly in the practical application of new methods and technologies in the education process, inspires me. I continuously pursue new challenges to deepen my knowledge. I love what I do. Accompanying individuals from birth to the end of life is a professional area that provides the most reflections and valuable life lessons. My new professional role involves the training qualifications granted to me by WHO to promote awareness of and sensitivity to the issue of violence against women, including in intimate relationships.
Urszula Sioma-Markowska

Midwife, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Habilitated Doctor of Health Sciences, Professor at the Silesian Medical University in Katowice, and Deputy Dean for Student Affairs at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Katowice. Head of the Department of Nursing in Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Chair of Women's Health. Member of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, member of the Board of the Psychosomatic Section of the PTGiP, thematic editor, and member of the Scientific Council of the journal Gynecology and Obstetrics Medical Project. Author and co-author of numerous scientific publications and monographs in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
Jane Knight

Jane Knight is a Fertility Nurse Specialist and the Director of FertilityUK, a national fertility awareness service. She has worked with clients in the national health service and privately. She has researched and developed resources for consumers and universities, and trained health care professionals in the UK and internationally. Jane has authored books for the public including "What Every Woman Needs to Know about Fertility" and a textbook for health professionals entitled "The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness".
Liz McGregor

I'm Liz McGregor, Nutritional Therapist, Naturopath, Lactation Consultant and Wellbeing Coach. I have two key areas of focus - preventing ill health in the first place, working with parents and babies, and helping people recover their health from chronic illnesses, working with adults. After my degree specialising in Developmental Psychology, I qualified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and also worked in a Child Development Research Unit. I am passionate about helping mothers and babies avoid the health issues I had experienced from infancy into adulthood, so I keep up to date with the research on infant feeding, milk, disrupted immune systems and infant development. After fixing my own health issues (that took me 15 years of research) I turned my passion into a full-time profession and took a 3 year Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition (Dip NT), with a further Diploma in Naturopathy (Dip. Nat) and Wellbeing Coaching, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management. My continuing professional education is entirely self-driven and is now returning, full-circle, towards the latest research into Developmental Psychology. I am deeply concerned about the impact of under-nutrition on babies and their parents, from pre-conception, pregnancy and beyond. I am also concerned about the birth environment, a depleted microbiome and developmental trauma. Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) compound the difficulties that children and adults face, and can predispose them to chronic illness and emotional difficulties in both early and later life. This is why I love to work with health professionals - once they know the impact and what they can do to mitigate the effects, they can make a significant difference in people's lives every day. I volunteer as the Team Lead for Education Content Development for Collaboration for Kids, a charity working to encourage children to eat real, natural food to improve their health and wellbeing. I am also a member of two All-Party Parliamentary Groups, on the Human Gut Microbiome and Infant Feeding and Inequality. I spent several years reviewing research and providing input to the National Institute For Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on behalf of Lactation Consultants of Great Britain.
Jagoda Hofman-Hutna

Doctor, scientist, educator. She gained medical knowledge both in Poland, at the Silesian Medical University, and abroad, including at Julius-Maximilians Universität in Germany, Radboud University in the Netherlands and Nottingham Trent University in the UK. She graduated in the top 10% of graduates. Winner of the Minister of Health Scholarship awarded annually to 50 students from all over the country. Finalist of the "Nieprzeciętni 2022" Plebiscite of the Polish Radio and the "Pro Juvenes" competition of the Students' Parliament of the Republic of Poland. Participant of the semi-finals of the "25 under 25" competition of Forbes magazine in the "Science" category. Member of the "Polish Women in Medicine" Foundation, which deals with the protection of the rights of Polish medical women and the fight against gender discrimination. In the Foundation, she is mainly responsible for the scientific development section and topics related to mental health - she designs reports, information campaigns and takes an active part in public debates, including in the Senate of the Republic of Poland. Since 2024, she has also been a member of the Board of the Collegium Invisibile association, where she works to popularize science, including co-creating the podcast "(Nie)widzialne". Since March 2025, a resident of adult psychiatry at Klinik Landstraße in Vienna.
Meet our Host
Kaja Krawczyk

My name is Kaja. I have a Master's Degree in Clinical Hypnotherapy and am a certified instructor of KG Hypnobirthing. I devoted my master's thesis defended at the University of West London to hypnobirthing, examining the impact of hypnobirthing on women's belief that their bodies are capable of giving birth. My main goal is to train midwives and people working with pregnant women in hypnobirthing. I created an instructor course that has been accredited by the renowned London College of Clinical Hypnotherapy International, and I put all my energy into promoting it, because midwives who know the method and how to use it will not only gain an important tool for working with women but will also know how else they can support women in labor. I have also published a book about hypnobirthing, which you can read more about on the dedicated website. On a daily basis, I work with couples in Krakow, preparing them for hypnobirthing. I am the organizer of the 'International Interdisciplinary Conference on Holistic Maternity Care" which led to the idea of creating the birth.expert platform.
What Do You Gain by buing ticket?
- Access to all in-person sessions during the conference. The list of lectures and speakers is provided above.
- Exclusive access to the Birth Expert Summit - 10 recorded lectures and presentations that you can watch anytime, anywhere. The list of lectures and speakers is provided below.
- A certificate of participation, confirming your attendance at a top-tier event.
- A unique opportunity to exchange experiences and build relationships with other specialists.
Content, you gain online access to
Line up
- Stuart Fischbein - "Twin and breech home birth" (1h 14 min)
- Dr Sarah Buckley - "Oxytocin in physiological labour and birth" (1h 4 min)
- Jane Hardwicke Collings - "One rite of passage leads to the next - the connection between our menarche and our experience of giving birth" (1h 3 min)
- Dr Hakan Çoker - "Birth With No Regret Teamwork (obstetrician-midwife/doula/birth psychologist)" (1h 18 min)
- Nicole Moore - "Limbic Imprinting and the Procreative Journey" (1h 2 min)
- Shellie Poulter - "Birthing Biomechanics - Supporting The Physiology and Anatomy of Birth" (1h)
- Sarah Thomson - "Functional Childbirth. Improving birth outcomes with diet and nutrition" (1h 23 min)
- Maha al Musa - "Embodying the consciousness of sacred birth" (1h 2 min)
- Julia Jones - "Newborn mothers and postpartum care" (1h)
- Dr Nathan Riley - "Preventing Fertility Struggles & Pregnancy Complications" (1h 8 min)
Register Today!
Don’t miss the chance to be part of the most groundbreaking event in Poland. In-person spots are limited, and the hybrid package allows everyone to participate, no matter their location.
Sign up now and become part of this extraordinary conference that is transforming the standards of perinatal care.
See you at the conference!
Q&A
There is also an option to participate online. For more details, please visit the section with available packages.
- Sabina Jakubowska - "Akuszerki"
- Kathryn Stagg - "Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets: a Guide for Professionals and Parents"
- Jane Knight - "The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness"
- Toni Harman - "The Microbiome Effect: How Your Baby's Birth Affects Their Future Health"

Previous conference (2024)
Participation options
We are excited to offer various participation packages—both in-person and online! We encourage you to explore the available options and take advantage of the amazing discounts we have prepared for participants.
We look forward to welcoming you to this transformative event that will open new opportunities for holistic support for women and their families!
on our Instagram profile In this package:
- In-person attendance at the conference in Katowice
- Coffee breaks + catering
- Access to the Birth Expert Summit 2024
- Books by 4 speakers with autographs
- 3 months access to the recorded conference
on our Instagram profileIn this package:
- In-person attendance at the conference in Katowice
- Coffee breaks + catering
- Access to the Birth Expert Summit 2024
- Books by 4 speakers with autographs
- 3 months access to the recorded conference
on our Instagram profile In this package:
- Online access to the live event
- Access to the Birth Expert Summit 2024
- 3 months access to the recorded conference
on our Instagram profile In this package:
- Online access to the live event
- Access to the Birth Expert Summit 2024
- 3 months access to the recorded conference







