Australian Birth Stories
523 episodes - English - Latest episode: 15 days ago - ★★★★★ - 134 ratingsA Podcast of Mothers' stories of childbirth. Weekly interviews with mothers giving their first hand accounts of child birth in Australia. Designed to help educate and inform first time pregnant women, parents wanting to have better subsequent births and birth enthusiasts who love to hear and tell birth stories. An entertaining and heartfelt resource for pregnancy, labour and delivery and postpartum.
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Episodes
467 | Gemma Fraternal Twins, MGP, Sunshine Coast Hospital, CMV
April 03, 2024 22:33 - 1 hour - 63 MBIn episode 467 Gemma shares her unexpected pregnancy with twins. She shares the emotional rollercoaster of disbelief and excitement and the impact of the twins on her planned model of care for the pregnancy. Gemma went through the Midwifery Group Program at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, expressing gratitude for the exceptional care provided by her main midwife and the program's support throughout her twin pregnancy. ------- iL Tutto Glider nursery chairs offer a smooth motion that’s ...
467 | Gemma Fraternal Twins, MGP, Sunshine Coast Hospital, CMV
April 03, 2024 22:33 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBIn episode 467 Gemma shares her unexpected pregnancy with twins. She shares the emotional rollercoaster of disbelief and excitement and the impact of the twins on her planned model of care for the pregnancy. Gemma went through the Midwifery Group Program at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, expressing gratitude for the exceptional care provided by her main midwife and the program's support throughout her twin pregnancy. ------- iL Tutto Glider nursery chairs offer a smooth motion that’s ...
466 | Dee, two vaginal births, induction, TENS Machine, miscarriage, continuity of care
April 01, 2024 03:40 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBIn episode 466 Dee shares her emotional and challenging pregnancy journeys. She was shocked to learn she’d conceived quickly but her elation soon turned to grief when she miscarried; an experience that was long and traumatic. For her subsequent pregnancy she details the isolation and uncertainty that comes with fragmented care which exacerbated her anxiety. Her first birth was hard, resulting in a postpartum hemorrhage and a challenging physical recovery. For her second birth, Dee was determ...
465 | Georgie, vaginal birth, pre-eclampsia, induction, breastfeeding and mixed feeding
March 28, 2024 00:39 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBIn episode 265 Georgie shares with us the birth of her first child Sadie. Georgie lives in Gunning in rural NSW and went through the local public hospital for her care. Georgie was having her blood pressure carefully monitored throughout her pregnancy however, it wasn't until after Sadie was born that she became very sick with pre-eclampsia. ----------- Today’s episode is brought to you by the Tinybeans app. As parents, we’re constantly seeking the best for our little ones, especially when...
464 | Alice, Doula and Midwife, private obstetrician, home birth, planned postpartum
March 25, 2024 01:01 - 1 hour - 74.7 MBIn this episode Alice shares her birth experiences in light of everything she’s learned as a mother, doula and midwife-in-training. In her first pregnancy she chose private obstetric care because at the time, she thought it was the best option available. She details the natural onset of labour, the decision-making process when planning her transfer to the hospital and her choice to use gas and morphine for pain relief. She also takes us through transition, the choices that were made for her ...
463 | Courtney, two births, GP shared care, NIPT, Maternal assisted caesarean, Down Syndrome, heart surgery
March 21, 2024 00:34 - 1 hour - 55 MBIn episode 463 Midwife Courtney shares with us her two pregnancy and birth experiences. Courtney lives in rural Victoria and chose to go through GP-shared care for her first pregnancy. Courtney admits that she found her midwifery knowledge contributed to her anxiety during both her pregnancies. Her first pregnancy was relatively smooth and she expected her second to be much the same. Despite several risk factors showing up in her second pregnancy with Maggie, it wasn't until Maggie was 5 da...
462 | Briony Benjamin, Natural conception post chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma
March 18, 2024 01:51 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBIn episode 462 Briony shares with us her pregnancy and birth of her little boy Charlie. Briony was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 31 and her doctors recommended she do one cycle of IVF prior to starting her chemotherapy treatment. Briony shares that doing the IVF cycle brought her a two week reprieve from the thoughts of treatment and she was surrounded by friends and family who supported her immensely during this time. ------------------ The Sleepybelly pillow is ...
461 | Sophie Two births, fraternal twins, shared care, positive induction, vaginal breech birth twin B
March 11, 2024 03:27 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBSophie shares with us the birth of her son Liam and her twins Hannah and Louis. After getting married in 2020 Sophie and her husband felt ready to try and grow their family and they were fortunate to conceive shortly after beginning to try. They were living on the Mornington Peninsular in Victoria during Liam's pregnancy and they went under shared care with her GP and saw a midwife for his birth through the local public hospital in Frankston. Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstorie...
460 | Gemma - two births, endometriosis, Sotos Syndrome, in utero blood transfusion, caesarean, private care
March 07, 2024 02:46 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBIn today’s episode, I’m joined by Gemma who shares with us her two very different and uniquely challenging pregnancies of her son Max and her daughter Ava. During Max’s pregnancy, everything appeared to be running smoothly in his growth and development however the Obstetrician did note that Max’s head was measuring slightly larger than average. It wasn't until Max was born that they were able to diagnose him as having Soto’s Syndrome. Gemma shares her initial shock of learning about this ver...
459 | Chantelle Stanton, private Obstetrician, Cabrini Hospital, Induction, TENS machine
March 04, 2024 04:25 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBIn today’s episode, Chantelle shares her experience of her first pregnancy and birth. Chantelle was very gratefulll to conceive shortly after deciding she was ready to try. She asked around to get recommendations to choose her care provider and she decided to go through the private model and saw an obstetrician at Cabrini Private hospital in Melbourne. Chantelle loved her birth experience and is thrilled to share it with us today. Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpfu...
458 Postpartum | Jodi, four babies, MGP, public hospital, planned postpartum, breastfeeding, identity shift, postpartum book
February 29, 2024 01:06 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBYou’re going to love this episode with Jodi; mother of four, yoga teacher, postpartum doula and co-author of The Complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. Jodi and I chat all about our postpartum book - what we’ve learnt, the confronting reality of the lack of health services, and how she has reflected on her own postpartum experiences with newfound knowledge and awareness. It’s an emotional and informative episode where we discuss how much the health system has changed in the past 1...
457 | Tylah, Midwife, Home birth, Alice Springs, jaundice, breastfeeding challenges
February 26, 2024 00:31 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBIn today’s episode, Tylah shares her experience as a midwife alongside her first pregnancy and birth. Tylah had spent many years supporting women in pregnancy and labour so she had plenty of time to consider what she wanted for her own birth experience. She knew from the outset that she wanted a homebirth but her partner, a doctor, took some convincing. Tylah admits that pregnancy was humbling from the start and the persistent challenge of unexplained rib pain encouraged her to surrender fro...
456 Postpartum | Sasha one baby, planned postpartum, PND, medication, breastfeeding, returning to work, race, childcare
February 21, 2024 23:58 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBYou can listen to Sasha’s birth story in episode 331 and today she takes us through her early motherhood experience including discussions on race, mental health and the work/motherhood juggle. Sasha and her husband, Jem, planned an intentionally slow postpartum which was the ideal introduction to parenthood. Sasha talks openly about the challenges that arose after the newborn bubble, including her postnatal depression, her choice to take medication and the inner-conflict between expectations...
455 | Larke, one baby, MGP, fibroid, maternal assisted caesarean (MAC), cleft palate
February 19, 2024 03:41 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBLarke is a midwife and she talks about her primal desire to experience labour and birth. But as she reiterates, there is so much about pregnancy and birth that is beyond our control. She was only 4 weeks pregnant when a scan revealed a significant fibroid at the back of her cervix which dictated her mode of delivery so from very early on she was grieving the loss of the vaginal birth she may never have. Her 20 week scan revealed her baby had a cleft palate and she is transparent with her rol...
454 | Kirsty, two babies, hysterectomy, uterus transplant, IVF, planned caesarean, mastitis
February 15, 2024 00:58 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBYou may have seen Kirsty in the news recently. She’s the recipient of Australia’s first uterus transplant and birthed her miracle baby a few months ago. Today she takes us through the grief of a hysterectomy following her first birth, her options for growing her family, the transplant clinical trial and her pregnancy. At the time of recording, four Australian women have received uterus transplants in Australia, three of whom were born without a uterus (MRKH syndrome). It’s so exciting to s...
453 | Niki, Two Physiological Home Births, Yoga Teacher, Breathing Techniques
February 12, 2024 04:41 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBIn today’s episode, Niki shares her two incredibly positive home birth stories of her daughter Elsa and her son Nils. Niki is Swedish and Thai and lives with her Australian husband in Kho Samui where they teach Yoga to both practitioners and Yogis. Niki always knew she wanted to have her babies at home. In Thailand, it is illegal to have a home birth. This prompted Niki and her husband to decide to return to their family in Melbourne to pursue her home-birth dream. Nik shares the challenges...
452 Postpartum | Ellie, postpartum lethargy, brain fog, postpartum thyroiditis
February 08, 2024 01:38 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBToday, Ellie shares her experience with postpartum thyroiditis after experiencing the tell-tale signs and advocating for the appropriate blood tests at her six week check. There are many symptoms in postpartum that can be excused as side-effects of birth recovery and sleep deprivation. However, what’s ‘common’ isn’t always ‘normal’. Postpartum Thyroiditis is a thyroid condition that prompts a range of symptoms including lethargy, brain fog, low mood, anxiety and weight changes. It can also ...
451 | Jordy endometriosis, fragmented care, excess amniotic fluid, tachycardia, planned caesarean, breastfeeding, missed miscarriage, secondary infertility
February 05, 2024 03:30 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBJordy has always had long, painful and heavy periods so when she fell pregnant without trying, no one was more shocked than her. Excess amniotic fluid prevented her from monitoring her baby’s movements so she presented to the hospital multiple times and opted for a planned caesarean at 38 weeks. Her birth experience was incredibly positive and after breastfeeding for the first time in recovery, she went on to feed baby Evie for three years. Since being diagnosed with adenomyosis, endometrios...
450 | Joelleen, midwife, IBCLC, pregnancy loss, publicly-funded homebirth, physiological birth, waterbirth, breastfeeding, NICU
January 28, 2024 22:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBJoelleen is a midwife, naturopath and IBCLC who takes us through her pregnancy and homebirth experience. Her journey into motherhood began with the birth of her daughter at 16 weeks and she details the shock and grief of her loss. When she conceived again she was accepted into Sunshine Hospital’s publicly-funded homebirth programme and was really proactive with her birth preparation. She had a physiological water birth at home followed by an unexpected but short NICU stay. Joelleen reflects ...
449 Postpartum | Emma, two babies, bicornuate uterus, planned caesarean, placenta previa, placenta accreta, hysterectomy
January 24, 2024 20:45 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBIn today’s episode Emma details her life-changing second pregnancy. At her 20 week scan she was diagnosed with major placenta previa (the placenta covers the cervix) as well as placenta accreta (where the placenta grows deeply into the uterine wall). In that moment her hopes for a VBAC and a homebirth vanished and she shifted her care to the high risk team at her local hospital. Emma required a hysterectomy immediately following the birth of her baby and she shares the many layers of grief t...
448 | Olivia, fraternal twins, DCDA twins, multiple birth team, public hospital, induction, vaginal birth, breastfeeding
January 22, 2024 01:38 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBIn this episode Olivia details her shock upon discovering she was pregnant with fraternal twins after fertility challenges. She takes us through the experiences of having fragmented care with a multiple birth team at her local public hospital and the recommendations made for a twin labour and birth. She started seeing a perinatal psychologist in the third trimester to process her anxiety and she admits it was one of the best decisions she made for her postpartum, too. Olivia opted for an ind...
447 Postpartum | Jayne, three babies, homebirth, breech, planned caesarean, NICU, posterior urethral valves, organ donation
January 17, 2024 21:00 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MBIn today’s episode, Jayne details the contrast between homebirth and caesarean, a slow postpartum and an NICU stay. Towards the end of her third pregnancy Jayne discovered that her breech baby had kidney issues so she travelled to Hobart from her home in rural Tasmania for a planned caesarean and a month-long NICU stay. She takes us through the emotional upheaval of learning that her baby was sick and the almighty changes his diagnosis has brought to their family life. Supported by a loving ...
446 | Jess, long first labour followed by a speedy second birth in the ambulance on the way to hospital
December 20, 2023 22:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBWhen Jess found out she was pregnant she assumed she would have a caesarean as her mum had had caesareans with all three of her children. It wasn't until Jess started listening to the Australian Birth Stories podcast that she started to explore the idea of having a vaginal birth. When she experienced pre-labour rupture of membranes (PROM) and was later given oxytocin to help bring her labour on she drew on her birthing class knowledge and had a birth she found empowering. When Jess was prepa...
445 | Kate two babies, private obstetrician, elective caesarean, breastfeeding, miscarriage
December 17, 2023 22:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBIn this episode Kate takes us through her journey to motherhood with her two daughters. In her first pregnancy she opted for care with a private obstetrician and after navigating a very tight pelvic floor from early on, she planned an elective caesarean. Her second and third pregnancies ended in miscarriage and she talks at length about how that made her feel. Her anxiety peaked at the beginning of her fourth pregnancy but thanks to her beautiful, reassuring obstetrician she felt held and su...
444 Postpartum | Shannen one baby, GBS positive, epidural complications, post dural puncture headache, PDPH, PDA
December 13, 2023 21:26 - 1 hour - 74.4 MBIn today’s episode Shannen details her long labour which involved a complicated epidural. Her anaesthetist told her she may experience a headache the day after birth but nothing could have prepared her for the intensity of her post dural puncture headache (often compared to a severe migraine), the helplessness of not being able to look after her newborn and the complex feelings about her birth. Post dural puncture headaches can result in hospital admission and may require strong painkillers ...
443 | Rachael, spinal muscular atrophy, TFMR, genetic carrier screening, IVF, NIPT, CVS, maternal-assisted caesarean
December 10, 2023 23:51 - 58 minutes - 53.2 MBYou can listen to Rachel share her first birth and postpartum story in episode #51 where she details her daughter Mackenzie’s terminal diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Today she talks about Mackenzie’s Mission and the genetic carrier screening that’s now covered under Medicare for all couples planning a pregnancy. If you are planning to conceive soon, I highly recommend listening to Rachael’s story and request the screening via your GP or Lumi Health. She also talks about her jour...
442 Postpartum | Lisa, two babies, two under two, MGP, posterior labour, women’s health physio, spinning babies, physiological birth
December 07, 2023 04:54 - 1 hour - 74.7 MBIn today’s episode Lisa takes us through her two very different labours - her first was posterior and 67 hours long, her second was anterior and very quick. As a women’s health physiotherapist, Lisa knew the positive outcomes associated with MGP so she advocated to get in that programme and whilst her labour was long, it was also very supported. She also talks at length about caring for her swollen and sore perineum after birth and the shock of just how weak her pelvic floor muscles were. Se...
441 | Maria, fraternal twins, ovulation induction, cervical stitch, bed rest, IUGR, caesarean birth, NICU
December 04, 2023 06:08 - 53 minutes - 49 MBIn today’s episode Maria shares her fraternal twin pregnancy which required her to spend 14 weeks on bedrest. Her pregnancy was considered normal until 20 weeks when a routine scan showed her cervix was shortening, exacerbated by the pressure of excess amniotic fluid. The following day a cervix stitch was inserted and Maria spent the next 10 weeks in hospital. She talks about the power of meditation and the practises she embraced to stay present and positive. Her boys were born at 33 weeks a...
440 Postpartum | Sarah, three babies, vaginal birth, third-degree tear, OASI, internal massage, hypertonic pelvic floor, women’s health physiotherapist
November 30, 2023 04:57 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBIn this episode Sarah shares her experience with two third-degree perineal tears, also known as Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury (OASI). The general understanding of birth recovery - even when it comes to perineal trauma - is six weeks yet the reality is much different. For some women it can take two years to heal and strengthen and as Sarah says, we need more conversations about this and ultimately, more health support. If you have experienced an OASI or you know someone who has, this episod...
439 | Shuana, two babies, unplanned pregnancy, vulva varicosities, MGP, the birth class, unplanned homebirth
November 27, 2023 00:43 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBYou can listen to Shuana’s first birth in episode 296 where she details her really positive physiological birth under midwifery care. Today she takes us through her unplanned second pregnancy which took her months to embrace considering she’d just returned to work and didn’t feel prepared for two under two. She was allocated the same midwife through the MGP programme and listened to the yoga nidra meditation in The Birth Class everyday of her pregnancy. She woke at 41+5 to mild cramps and la...
438 Postpartum | Alex, one baby, solo parenthood, donor-conceived, MGP, IUGR, physiological birth, donor milk
November 24, 2023 00:10 - 53 minutes - 49 MBIn this episode Alex shares his pregnancy and birth journey as a trans man, including his choice to embark on solo parenthood. He sought guidance from an IVF clinic and embarked on a number of tests to ensure his egg quality and reserve were favourable before deciding on a sperm donor. Once pregnant, he opted for MGP care through his local public hospital and was induced at 38 weeks due to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Alex shares the challenge and joy of labour and birth, his choi...
437 | Julie two babies, pregnant at 42, emergency caesarean, HG, IVF, Down Syndrome
November 20, 2023 05:56 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBIn today’s episode, Julie shares her journey and all the beautiful lessons she’s learnt along the way. At once ambivalent about motherhood, her first pregnancy ended in miscarriage and proved that she did have a yearning to have a baby. Two failed rounds of IVF followed and then she fell pregnant naturally at 42. The NIPT results showed high risk of Down Syndrome and Julie was advised to terminate the pregnancy. Together with her partner Tom, they opted to continue with the pregnancy and wel...
436 Postpartum | Dom, Indigenous, birthing on country model of care, waterbirth, PAD, panic attacks, mother + baby unit, psychiatric unit, ECT
November 16, 2023 05:06 - 1 hour - 81.7 MBIn honour of Perinatal Mental Health Week, Dom shares her experience of perinatal anxiety and depression (PAD) and details her three-month stay in a mother and baby psychiatric unit. At six weeks postpartum her anxiety became debilitating; she was having panic attacks, pulling out her hair and thought her husband and baby would be better off without her. She was admitted to a mother + baby unit in a private hospital and received a range of treatments including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)...
435 | Caitlin, two babies, posterior, induction, epidural, prodromal labour, doula, unplanned homebirth
November 13, 2023 04:21 - 1 hour - 79.2 MBIn today’s episode Caitlin details her two very different labours - her first was 40 hours long, her second only two hours. She was accepted into an MGP programme and while she did a hypnobirthing course for preparation, she admits she wasn’t prepared for the intensity of labour. Her early labour stage was long and painful because of her baby’s posterior position and she admits she went to hospital too early. After opting for an induction she later requested an epidural which was a really po...
434 Postpartum | Tess, PPH, triple-feeding, EBM, PND, private obstetrician, postpartum day-stay
November 10, 2023 02:02 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBIn today’s episode Tess shares her two very different breastfeeding experiences. She starts by detailing her traumatic birth experience which ended in a postpartum haemorrhage and left her depleted and anxious. Her baby lost 11 percent of her birthweight so triple-feeding was recommended and after a few challenging weeks, Tess made the decision to feed her baby expressed breastmilk (EBM) which she continued for a year as she navigated the grief and guilt of not being able to latch her baby. ...
433 | Kelsey three babies, induction, epidural, vacuum-assisted birth, PPH, miscarriage, progesterone, retained placenta, the birth class
November 06, 2023 01:39 - 1 hour - 78.3 MBIn today’s episode, Kelsey shares her three birth stories which detail her evolution as a birthing mother. In her first birth she requested an induction which led to the cascade of intervention; an epidural, instrumental birth, PPH and retained placenta. She found her first postpartum particularly challenging and when she felt ready to conceive again, she experienced three miscarriages, including the loss of identical twins at 11 weeks. In her final two pregnancies, she embraced birth educat...
432 Postpartum | Claire, one baby, vaginal birth, midwifery care, faecal incontinence, women’s health physiotherapy
November 02, 2023 02:23 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBFaecal incontinence affects one in 25 women in postpartum and today, Claire shares her experience. She takes us briefly through her labour and birth and details the confronting realisation that she had no control of her anal sphincter. Thanks to a women’s health physiotherapist who demanded horizontal rest - essential for all new mothers! - pelvic floor exercises and dietary changes, Claire recovered by six weeks. She emphasises how important it is to share her story because she had never he...
431 | Renee, three babies, spontaneous labour, physiological births, water birth, homebirth, doula
October 30, 2023 01:57 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBToday Renee shares her three physiological birth stories so consider this a wonderfully positive episode in honour of Homebirth Awareness Week. She was living in New York with her partner when she fell pregnant at 21 so they hightailed it home to Queensland and had a really positive birth at their local public hospital. Renee admits that the first year of motherhood was lonely; she didn’t have any friends who were also mothers and she had really high expectations of herself that prompted pos...
430 Postpartum | Katie Rose, yoga teacher, Ayurveda, five babies, blended family
October 26, 2023 02:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBKatie Rose, a yoga teacher, doula and mother of five discusses her postpartum experiences and the joy and chaos of having a big family. Her eldest is 17 and her youngest is two so she brings a beautiful wisdom to her story, reflecting on her perfectionist early parenting years and the ease and joy she has found by letting go of control and simply being present. If you’re in the depths of early motherhood you will glean so much from Katie’s story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...
429 | Celia Pacquola, needle phobia, hypnotherapy, private obstetrician, pelvic girdle pain, induction, anxiety, breastfeeding, formula
October 23, 2023 02:01 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBIn today’s episode, I chat to comedian Celia Pacquola about her pregnancy and birth experience. Motherhood was never a top priority for Celia but when she met her partner, it only took a few months for them to conceive. She chose continuity of care with a private obstetrician, used hypnotism to recover from her phobia of needles and opted for an induction at 39 weeks. She’s frank about the challenges of breastfeeding, the stigma of formula feeding and her postpartum anxiety which was exacerb...
428 | Kirby five babies, septate uterus, breech, emergency caesarean, tongue tie, VBAC, miscarriage, second trimester pregnancy loss, IVF
October 15, 2023 23:10 - 1 hour - 70.1 MBIn today's episode, and in honour of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Kirby shares her story. After her first two pregnancies and births, she experienced her first miscarriage but knew it was a common experience and wasn’t perturbed by it. However, what followed was a period of infertility and the devastating loss of her two boys, Walt and Alby. Kirby worked with a fertility specialist and reproductive immunologist to prepare for her next pregnancy and after one round of IVF and th...
427 | Elizabeth, physiological birth with MGP, The Birth Class, spontaneous labour, TENS machine
October 08, 2023 22:44 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBIn this episode Elizabeth shares her first pregnancy and birth experience. She had bloods done before her copper IUD was removed as she has coeliac disease and wanted to ensure her iron levels were adequate before she conceived. Having been a listener of the podcast, she was interested in her local MGP programme and ensured her GP referral was sent early. Elizabeth prepared for birth with The Birth Class and went into spontaneous labour at 41 weeks. Her labour was textbook and she explains i...
426 Postpartum | Samantha, postpartum preparation, postpartum doula, social media, matrescence
October 05, 2023 01:49 - 41 minutes - 38 MBIn today’s episode, Samantha details her postpartum journey with her second baby and explains why switching off social media was the best option for her. As a postpartum doula she knew exactly how to prepare for postpartum and prioritised filling her freezer with nutritious food. Yet she was still floored by the intensity of it, challenged by the gap between expectations and reality and discovered the detriment of socials on a vulnerable postpartum mindset. Samantha speaks beautifully about ...
425 | Bridie, two births, endometriosis, MGP, pubis symphysis dysfunction, posterior labour, induction, epidural, water birth
October 02, 2023 03:45 - 1 hour - 65 MBIn today’s episode, Bridie (one half of the witty/hilarious new podcast Cool Story that will undoubtedly make you smarter at dinner parties) shares her two birth stories. Bridie’s mum is a midwife so she had the utmost faith in her knowledge and expertise and felt supported and safe throughout her entire pregnancy and birth. Her first labour was long and hard and Bridie admits that she was floored by the intensity of the pushing stage and the way her body felt afterwards. Her second birth wa...
424 Postpartum | Brylee, hydrops fetalis, foetal medicine team, amniocentesis, thoracentesis, caesarean birth, NICU
September 28, 2023 00:58 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBAlmost 1 in 5 babies spend time in the Special Care Nursery (SCN) or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Australia. For the mothers of these babies, postpartum is very different to what they planned or hoped for and there’s often a distinct grief that accompanies the stress of having an unwell or premature baby. We can encourage new mothers to organise meal trains and lie down at every opportunity but we also need to make space for those who are sitting for hours on end in hard hospital c...
423 | Leonie, two babies, perinatal anxiety and depression (PAD), psychology, episiotomy, postpartum depression, mother rage, private obstetrician
September 25, 2023 04:46 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBIn today’s episode Leonie shares her experience with perinatal anxiety and depression which manifested as a profound sense of defeat in pregnancy and visceral rage in postpartum. She opted for talking therapy with a psychologist and managed her symptoms but she was still overwhelmed at birth when the love for her baby wasn’t immediate. It’s so important to talk about these experiences because studies show that up to 40 percent of mothers don’t feel love for their baby at birth (instead, it g...
422 Postpartum | Leila, fraternal twins, breastfeeding twins, postpartum doula
September 21, 2023 06:41 - 40 minutes - 37 MBFollowing on from her birth story in episode 419, Leila shares her early postpartum experience with twins. She organised a foundation of strong and trustworthy support including private midwifery care, a postpartum doula and a meal train involving her closest friends. Despite her preparation she still had moments of overwhelm; the sheer amount of hours required to feed and settle twins is significant and it left very little space for anything else. She takes us through the importance of read...
421 | Shelley, Herpes virus, planned caesarean, VBAC, Breastfeeding challenges
September 18, 2023 03:16 - 1 hour - 55.5 MBIn today’s episode, I interview Shelley who shares her two pregnancies and births. Shelley has herpes simplex virus (HSV) and experienced considerable stress throughout pregnancy which led to an outbreak. Despite planning a vaginal birth, Shelley consulted with her care provider and made the informed decision to have a caesarean birth (there are significant risks to the baby if the mother births vaginally with an active HSV outbreak). In her second pregnancy, Shelley was proactive in prevent...
420 Postpartum | Elizabeth, one baby, MGP, jaundice, hospital readmission, light therapy, biliblanket
September 13, 2023 11:08 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBElizabeth’s newborn baby was readmitted to hospital to treat jaundice which is one of the primary reasons a baby will need to return to hospital after discharge. She had to navigate conflicting medical advice and opinions on the ward which isn’t an uncommon experience in the postpartum health space. I encourage you to listen to this episode because it really highlights the importance of breastfeeding education and having support people to advocate for you. Elizabeth will be back in a few wee...
419 | Leila, two births, homebirth, fraternal twin vaginal birth without epidural, private midwife, planned postpartum
September 11, 2023 02:55 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBIn today’s episode Leila shares her beautiful birth stories; her first at home, and her second which was a twin birth in hospital at 41+2. Leila thoroughly educated herself about birth and postpartum in her first pregnancy so when it came to her twin pregnancy, she was well aware of how she wanted to be supported and opted for a private midwife to help her navigate the hospital system. Despite going well beyond her estimated due date, she achieved what she calls “homebirth in the hospital” w...