I believe that no woman should feel alone on her childbirth journey, and that by coming together, we can create a powerful movement for change in the way we approach childbirth.
My goal is to change lives, not only by providing valuable information and support, but also by fostering a sense of belonging and community among our users.
I am committed to providing a personalized and interactive approach to childbirth education, with resources and support tailored to the unique needs of each woman.
As the founder of The Due Date Club, I am committed to making this vision a reality, and to being the leading pregnancy website in South Africa that changes lives.
What is The Due Date Club?
The Due Date Club is the first of it’s kind all inclusive ongoing support program available in South Africa. The membership program provides pregnant women with a personalized and comprehensive approach to pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
The Due Date Club’s overarching goal is to educate and inform women, particularly in South Africa, where the C-section rate is significantly high. I am dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of this trend on maternal and child health, providing essential knowledge and support to empower women in making informed decisions for the well-being of themselves and their little ones.
Our subscription package has everything you need to prepare for a successful birth, including instant access to all courses, an introduction to prenatal yoga, guest expert interviews, live Q&A sessions, and a supportive online community of women.
A holistic approach based on skill and experience
- Supporting hospital and home birth
- Spinning Babies with Gail Tully
- The Mama Bamba Way with Robyn Sheldon
- Active Birth with Janet Balaskas
- Overcoming Breastfeeding challenges with Dr. Jack Newman
- Hypnobirthing the Mongon Method
- Hypnotherapy National Guild of Hypnotherapists
- MARI Mandala Art Therapy
- Hatha Yoga and Prenatal Yoga YTT 200
Why The Virtual Midwife?
What I know for sure is that online support is an essential part of your birth preparation. You’re going to be online anyway – but do you really trust Dr Google to guide you through the most important event of your life?
You may hear comments like “why do you need a class to do something that is so natural?” or “in my day we just went in and came out with a baby.”
But with 70% of babies being born in hospitals that are run as businesses, with protocols based on legal rather than medical outcomes, you need to be prepared.
I interviewed hundreds of women about their birth experience to see what's missing in traditional birth preparation classes:
And out of it I understood that a lack of control and a sense of having suffered made their births feel traumatic.
Traumatic experiences that could be have been avoided or different with the right support, information and preparation.
It became clear to me that a lack of control and a sense of suffering could turn a mother’s birth experience into a traumatic event. These traumatic experiences could potentially have been prevented or altered with the right support, information, and preparation.
Motivated by these insights and the input from these women, I embarked on the journey to create an online birth program centered on three core pillars: Information, Preparation, and Confidence.
The information I share doesn’t sugarcoat the process or create false expectations. Instead, it equips mothers with a realistic understanding of labor by using relatable language and real-life experiences.
The content in the Due Date Club is designed for mothers who are committed to achieving a positive birth experience, regardless of the birthing location – whether it’s in a hospital, at home, or even in the back of a car.
It’s relevant for both vaginal and surgical births, with or without interventions.
My goal is to empower and prepare you for a confident and informed journey into motherhood.
What does being prepared actually mean?
Being prepared means understanding what might happen when things don’t go to plan. If these topics are not covered in your birth preparation class you may be led to believe that everything not discussed is unlikely to occur, or is not important to know in advance.
A positive birth experience is one where you feel in control. Where you have a deep understanding of the nature of birth. You trust yourself, your partner, your health care provider and your place of birth.
Pain in childbirth is only one factor. Feeling empowered, feeling in control and feeling you have choices can all contribute to a positive birth experience.
The Virtual Midwife in the Press
Karen Wilmot has been supporting families around the globe for over a decade in person and online as the “Virtual Midwife.” In this book she shares essential tools, tips and techniques that address the specific needs and challenges of giving birth far from the comfort of home and give you the skills and confidence to get the right care at the right time.
Are you an expat expecting?
Along with all the traditional information typical of a book about pregnancy and birth, it includes guidelines for decision making and the importance of taking responsibility for your healthcare abroad.
This book will guide you to know that a positive outcome is not just possible, but to expect it and know how to get it. Everything from how to asses the services available, choosing a care provider and how to go about ensuring that you get all the necessary tests and investigations is covered. Using inspirational anecdotes from expats who have travelled the road before you, coupled with practical wisdom of 20 years abroad, Karen provides the road map to embrace pregnancy as part of your expat adventure.
Available on Amazon
International Conference Speaking Experience
1st Annual GCC Natural Birth & Breastfeeding Conference 2015, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: Finding our WHY in Antenatal Education – the impact of informing and empowering women to restore normality to childbirth.
27 – 29 March 2016 Dubai , Obstetrics and Gynaecology Congress : Embracing technnology in Antenatal Education
16 October 2016 Inherent Birth Online Summit: The mother’s role in attaining better birth outcomes and Birthing the Maternal Bond.
March 2018 FIGT (Families in Global Transition) The Hague, Netherlands: Health Literacy for Global Living – using technolgy wisely to inform and empower women during pregnancy.
May 2018 Sensitive Midwifery Conference JHB: Technology and increased access to vast amounts of information online: enemy or ally?
Karen is on the organising committee of of the Virtual International Day of the Midwife annual 24hour conference.
A pioneer of change, Karen opened the first independent midwife led community practice in Muscat, Oman in 2009 which later became the first Mother and Baby Wellness Center in the Gulf region.
A sneaky peek into my life
Client testimonials
How Karen helped me!
