The Empowered Birth Coach – Creating Calm and Confidence for Women
Empowered by the North King Country Development Trust
For Lliwen MacRae, helping women feel calm, confident, and empowered through every stage of life isn’t just her career - it’s her calling.
Originally from Wales, Lliwen moved to New Zealand with her husband and now lives in Aria, where they’re raising their three daughters (with another baby due in December 2025). Wanting a career that worked around her young family while aligning with her passion for supporting women, she retrained as a qualified Hypnobirthing Instructor and accredited Life Coach.
Three years ago, she launched The Empowered Birth Coach, a business built on compassion, education, and empowerment.
“I work with women to help them feel confident in their bodies and their minds - to trust their intuition and know they have everything within them to birth and live powerfully,” says Lliwen.
A Holistic Approach to Birth and Beyond
Through her courses and one-on-one coaching, Lliwen supports women and couples preparing for birth, as well as those navigating other life transitions - from the postnatal period to loss, grief, or the “empty nest” stage.
She’s passionate about addressing the growing gap in accessible antenatal education. With funding for free classes becoming scarce and antenatal programmes through Parent Centres no longer available, her work is filling an important community need.
“Around one in three women describe birth as traumatic,” she explains. “That experience can deeply affect not only the mother, but also her baby, family, and wider community. I want to help change that — because peaceful births create a peaceful world.”
Turning Passion into a Sustainable Business
Having never owned a business before, Lliwen wasn’t sure where to begin. A friend told her about the North King Country Development Trust, and she decided to apply for a grant.
“The application process was simple,” she says. “I filled out the form online and then met with the committee. They asked thoughtful questions about my goals, and I felt they genuinely cared about helping me get started.”
Her application was successful, and she received funding for business mentoring and a new website. Working with Naomi Hughes of Aotahi, Lliwen gained confidence and clarity in her business direction.
“Naomi was fantastic — a real fountain of knowledge. Having someone to bounce ideas off was invaluable. It helped me believe in myself and what I’m offering the community.”
The grant also allowed her to upgrade her website professionally. Today, her site proudly includes a Welsh version — her first language — reflecting both her cultural roots and international reach. In fact, around half of her clients are based overseas, including Welsh-speaking families who connect deeply with her bilingual approach.
Empowerment Through Mind and Body
Lliwen’s work often begins by demystifying hypnobirthing, which she explains is not about hypnosis or swinging watches, but rather about relaxation, mindset, and self-trust.
Each session is tailored to the individual woman’s experience and needs. She creates personalised guided relaxation and affirmation recordings to help clients release fear, reduce stress, and build confidence — often listened to before sleep or even during birth itself.
“Our minds can hold us back more than our bodies,” she says. “By creating calm and confidence, women can truly experience the strength they already have.”
A Community of Empowered Women
Lliwen’s dream is to see birth care in New Zealand become fully funded — from conception through to the postnatal period — so every woman has access to the support she needs.
She has been able to offer free community classes thanks to funding partnerships with local trusts, and she strongly encourages others to reach out to NKCDT for help in starting or growing their business.
“NKCDT helped me bring my vision to life. Their support gave me confidence to grow, and now I’m doing something I’m deeply passionate about — helping women feel empowered.”
E: lliwen@theempoweredbirthcoach.com
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For the Welsh speakers:
Cysylltwch am fwy o wybodaethGadewch eich manylion isod a byddaf yn cysylltu â chi gyda rhagor o wybodaeth am y cyrsiau a'r gwasanaethau rwy'n eu cynnig
Email: admin@nkcdt.co.nz
North King Country Development Trust supports local people and businesses through funding, mentoring, and capability-building programmes that strengthen our region’s economic wellbeing.
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