Meet Siobhan Diores | Founder of The Birth Realm

We had the good fortune of connecting with Siobhan Diores and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Siobhan, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in the Sunset District of San Francisco. My mother came from The Philippines in the 80s and my Irish-American father’s family has been here for several generations. My 3 siblings and I were raised to have a lot of pride and loyalty to the city, including a big emphasis on civic engagement, My dad had us canvassing and attending marches often, so my sense of responsibility to participate in my community started very young.

Who I am has also been shaped by my identities, particularly the fact that I’ve always existed in the in-between: between races, cultures, clothing type, gender expression, socioeconomic class. Because there was no clear category for me, I never held an expectation to be represented or accepted for surface level traits. This definitely shaped my ability to connect with all types of people and because I’ve always been a little on the outside I’m able to spot common threads and offer unique perspective.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Birth Realm is a childbirth philosophy and pregnancy community for radical mothers and queer families seeking a scientific and spiritual approach to birth. What sets it apart from other methods like hypnobirthing is the focus on the nervous system, intuition, and working with the subconscious. This framework was developed over three years of attending births as a traditional doula and resolving that the most important thing a pregnant person can spend their time on is connecting to their body and intuition.

The road here was crooked and chaotic. The doula field is not well known and there are no employment opportunities. This means on top of being on-call care providers, doulas also must justify the existence and cost of our work while trying to own a business and market in a field of very little client retention.

Knowing from the start how unsustainable typical doula work is, I had to stay curious and see this challenge as an opportunity. Searching for a sweet spot in bringing essential information to pregnant people while keeping a business afloat has been a creative process. One of the biggest lessons I took was to try things without attachment to the outcome. What others see as failure is really a successful discovery of what does or doesn’t work.

In fall of 2022 I took the data I collected from all the trials and errors and accepted that it was not possible to keep attending births with the responsibilities I have as a single mom to a preschooler. At the same time, I was noticing the magic of my clients births through preparing in the astral Birth Realm and I received feedback that the way I teach birth is important to continue sharing. I also wanted to build a platform that I could invite other reproductive practitioners into.

The Birth Realm was born from a devotion to improving birth outcomes for more people as well as a refusal to end that mission because of financial challenges. By shifting to a publication with articles, media, and virtual spaces, I am able to bring this education to people who are unlikely to hire doulas.

Its also born from a need for spiritual spaces that are queer led and centered. I want people to know that birthing in these times is a revolutionary act and that you can have a birth that is sacred and empowered. Even if you don’t set out looking for a spiritual birth, if you possess systemically oppressed identities, understanding your options and connecting to your body could be lifesaving.

The Birth Realm is home to the internet’s most magical, radical pregnancy group and the skills developed are designed to serve you for life. Intuition and discernment are some of the most valuable things we have available to us as we navigate these times. This is how we heal our families and root legacies of better love and care.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I think about giving a shoutout to who and what has been most influential in my life, Octavia Butler’s words come to mind: “All that you touch you change. All that you change, changes you.” Every interaction shapes me little by little from the casual phone conversation with a friend to the flowers in my garden.

More specifically, shoutout to my son whose birth was the catalyst for all the changes I needed. Shoutout to the clients and mentees that trusted me with their guidance, including Isabel Bagsik who nominated me. Shoutout to the Soft Power community. This web of artists and healers continuously leaves me feeling seen, inspired, and reminded that there are so many of us devoted to liberation. Lastly, I want to shoutout my friend and collaborator Midori, who has poured so much care into me, ensuring that I stay grounded in my mission.

Website: https://siobhan-diores.com/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/siobhan.diores

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhan-twomey/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@withsoftpower/streams

Other: https://thebirthrealm.substack.com/

Image Credits
Sanctuary Studio