Tools To Help Expectant Parents Prepare For Birth With Knowledge & Confidence
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8 Simple Tools: 67 Pages of Support!
Microbiome-informed practical checklists, guides and prompts to help parents understand their options,
ask the right questions and feel more confident in their birthing journey.
Covers vaginal birth and cesarean section.
Evidence-Based Guides.
Form-Fillable Checklists.
Discussion Prompts.
Information.
Preparation.
Results.
Your Birth. Your Choice.
NO judgement.
Birth can be unpredictable. But you can go in fully prepared.
This kit brings in everything you need to think through your preferences, ask informed questions, and make decisions with your team that feel right for you and your baby.
✔ Understand the key things that support your baby's developing microbiome
✔ Make a plan for skin-to-skin, and your preferred feeding choice, however your baby is born
✔ Prepare questions for your midwife or doctor
✔ Feel more calm, confident and informed
WHAT'S INSIDE
THE MICROBIOME PLAN - BIRTH STARTER KIT
Everything parents need to help you make microbiome-informed decisions about their birth
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Get Started (17 Pages)
✔ Birth Starter Kit Guide
✔ Birth Starter Kit Checklist (Interactive)
Birth Starter Kit Guide
Birth Starter Kit Checklist (Interactive
Birth Preparation (11 Pages)
✔ Birth Discussion Prompts Checklist (Interactive)
✔ Birth Prep Checklist (Interactive)
Birth Discussion Prompts Checklist (Interactive)
Birth Prep Checklist (Interactive)
Partner Support (22 Pages)
✔ Partner Birth Support Guide
✔ Partner Support Checklist (Interactive)
Partner Support Guide
Partner Support Checklist (Interactive)
Gentle Cesarean (16 Pages)
✔ Gentle Cesarean Guide
✔ Gentle Cesarean Checklist (Interactive)
Gentle Cesarean Guide
Gentle Cesarean Checklist (Interactive)
Created by The Microbiome Plan
✔We translate the latest microbiome science into
✔ Practical tools, resources and courses for parents and professionals.
✔ Educational resources only.
✔ Not a substitute for medical advice.
Who Is This For?
✔ For parents who want to understand about their baby's microbiome
✔ For health professionals who support parents in their pregnancy, birth and infant feeding journey
✔ For those wanting practical evidence-based tools and information
✔ For those who want to be fully prepared and up to date with the latest research
✔ For those who the information WITHOUT fear or guilt
Learn The Science.
Apply It Immediately.
Improve long-term health.
Hi - I'm Toni Harman
If you wondered who made all these materials, it's me!
I'm the filmmaker of the award-winning international documentary, MICROBIRTH. I've written a couple of books about the microbiome (YOUR BABY'S MICROBIOME and THE MICROBIOME EFFECT) and have created an online School called MICROBIOME COURSES with over 48,000 students.
I’ve spent the past 12 years interviewing over 200 scientists, midwives, doctors and other experts, and reading over 2,000 scientific on the science of the infant microbiome. My superpower is to help translate the science into clear, practical learning for health professionals and parents.
Why am I doing this? Because I had a C-section, struggled to breastfeed, and my newborn daughter was given multiple courses of antibiotics. I have spent the past 12 years on a journey of discovery to find out what can be done to protect and nourish the microbiome for the best long-term health - and now I want to share what I have learned WITH YOU!
Why This Is Important: What The Experts Are Saying
Hannah Dahlen,
Professor of Midwifery,
Western Sydney University
Debby Bogaert,
Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh
Rodney Dietert,
Emeritus Professor of Immunotoxicology,
Cornell University
PRICING OPTIONS
FOR PARENTS (to use yourself): USD $23
FOR PROFESSIONALS (to share with your clients): USD $47
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the The Microbiome Plan For Parents: Birth Starter Kit?
The Microbiome Plan For Parents: Birth Starter Kit is a collection of practical, easy-to-use resources designed to help expectant parents understand the basics of the infant microbiome and prepare for birth and the baby's first hours and days.
It brings together guides, checklists, conversation prompts and practical tools so you can feel more informed and prepared - without having to search through endless information online.
Who is the Starter Kit for?
The Parent Starter Kit is designed for expectant parents who want to:
- Understand more about their baby's developing microbiome
- Prepare for birth
- Think about skin-to-skin and early newborn care
- Prepare questions for their midwife, doctor or maternity care team
- Explore feeding options
- Create a birth plan
- Make informed choices without fear or guilt
You don't need to be an expert in microbiome science. The resources are designed to be simple and practical.
When should I use the Starter Kit?
You can use the resources at any stage of pregnancy.
However, many of the birth preparation resources will be particularly useful as you get closer to your baby's birth, when you are discussing your preferences with your maternity care team and preparing your birth plan.
What is included?
The Starter Kit brings together practical resources to help you prepare for birth and your baby's early life.
You'll have access to resources such as:
- Birth Starter Kit Guide
- Birth Starter Kit Checklist
- Birth Discussion Prompts
- Birth Prep Checklist
- Partner Birth Support Guide
- Partner Birth Support Checklist
- Gentle Cesarean Guide
- Gentle Cesarean Checklist
You'll be able to download and use the resources at your own pace.
Is this a birth plan?
No. The Starter Kit is not a replacement for personalised medical advice or your maternity care team's guidance.
Instead, it gives you information and practical prompts to help you think about your preferences and have better-informed conversations with your healthcare professionals.
Does this mean I need to have a vaginal birth?
Absolutely not.
A microbiome-informed approach is not about achieving a particular type of birth.
Sometimes interventions, including antibiotics or cesarean birth, are necessary and can be lifesaving. The aim is not to create fear around interventions, but to help parents understand that there are ways to support their baby's developing microbiome throughout pregnancy, birth and infancy.
What if I am planning a C-section?
You can still use the Starter Kit.
Many of the resources around skin-to-skin, feeding, newborn care and preparing conversations with your care team are relevant regardless of how your baby is born.
If you know you are having a cesarean, you may also want to look at the Gentle Cesarean Guide & Checklist, which provides more specific guidance and practical tools for preparing for a cesarean birth.
Will this tell me what I "should" do?
No.
The resources are designed to support informed choice, not to tell you what kind of birth, feeding method or parenting choices you must make.
There is no perfect birth and no perfect set of choices.
Is the information evidence-informed?
Yes. The resources draw on scientific research and include references to relevant research and evidence.
The aim is to translate complex microbiome science into information that parents can understand and use in real life.
Is this medical advice?
No.
The Starter Kit is an educational resource and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Every pregnancy and birth is different. Please discuss individual healthcare decisions with your qualified midwife, doctor or other healthcare professional.
WHICH VERSION SHOULD I BUY?
I'm buying this for myself. Which version do I need?
Choose the Parent Starter Kit — $23 USD.
This gives you the resources for your own personal use as an expectant parent.
I'm a midwife, doula, childbirth educator, lactation professional or other maternity professional. Which version should I buy?
Choose the Professional Starter Kit — $47 USD if you want to use the resources as part of your work with clients or families.
The Professional version is designed for professionals who want to share the resources with the parents they support.
What's the difference between the $23 and $47 versions?
The $23 Parent Starter Kit is for personal use by an individual parent.
The $47 Professional Starter Kit gives maternity and birth professionals permission to use and share the resources with their own clients as part of their professional practice.
Can I buy the $23 Parent version and give the resources to my clients?
No.
The $23 version is intended for your own personal use.
If you're a professional and want to share the resources with clients, please purchase the Professional Starter Kit for $47 USD.
How many clients can I share the Professional resources with?
The Professional version is intended for use with the families you personally support.
The resources are not intended to be uploaded publicly, resold, redistributed as standalone products, or shared outside your own client relationships.
Can I edit the resources and add my own branding?
The Starter Kit resources are provided as created by Microbiome Plan.
Unless specifically stated otherwise with a particular resource, please don't alter, rebrand, resell or redistribute the original resources.
Can I resell the resources to my clients?
No.
The Professional licence allows you to use and share the resources with your own clients as part of your professional support. It does not give you permission to resell the resources as your own products.
Is the Professional version a training course?
No.
It is a practical resource pack for professionals who want useful, parent-friendly materials to support conversations with the families they work with.
How will I receive my Starter Kit?
The Starter Kit is a digital product. After purchase, you'll receive access to the downloadable resources so you can start using them straight away.
Do I need any special software?
Most resources are provided as downloadable digital files and can be viewed on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
Some resources may be designed to be printed or used digitally, depending on the format.
Can I print the resources?
Yes. The resources are designed to be practical and easy to use, including printable checklists and guides.
What if I buy the Parent version and later become a professional?
If you later decide that you want to use the resources with your clients, you can purchase the Professional version and use the resources according to the Professional licence.
Do I need to complete everything?
Definitely not!
Think of the Starter Kit as a collection of tools, not a to-do list.
Choose the resources that are useful to you, when you need them. The goal is to help you feel more informed and prepared — not overwhelmed.
Still have questions?
If you're unsure which version is right for you, choose the Parent Starter Kit ($23) if you're buying for yourself, or the Professional Starter Kit ($47) if you're a maternity or birth professional who wants to share the resources with clients.
Q. I have another question. How can I contact you?
Use the Contact Us form on the Microbirth website >>> https://microbirth.com/contact-us/