Australian Birth Stories

When Kate was seven months pregnant with her second son, her husband, Nathan, was injured while playing a game of football. Their whole world turned upside down when doctors informed them that he had fractured his C3 vertebrae and was a quadriplegic. Kate admits that she totally forgot about her pregnancy as soon as she learnt of Nathan’s accident but thankfully his nurses stepped in and coordinated midwifery care for her. The Prince of Wales and Royal Women’s hospitals worked together to ensure Nathan could be with Kate for the birth. It was a fast and joyful birth and for those that have watched the video, it’s an unforgettable glimpse into an incredibly precious experience.  Kate and Nathan have a long and expensive road ahead of them so if you have watched their birth film and want to support them, you can make a donation on their GoFundMe page .See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode I interview Paige, a midwife and mother who takes us through her two pregnancy and birth experiences. Her first baby was diagnosed with oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid) at 41 weeks and Paige was induced the next day. After a few hours of labour a code green emergency caesarean was called and despite knowing what was going to happen, Paige went into shock and doesn’t remember a lot about her daughter’s birth. Five days later she started haemorrhaging and was taken to hospital by ambulance. She chats at length about her birth trauma and the work she did in her second pregnancy to process and let go of her fear. Paige shares so much wise advice in this episode and takes us step by step through her preparation for a successful VBAC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If there’s one word to describe this episode with Emma, it’s joyful. She takes us through her three pregnancies and births in between nomadic living in a bus and on a sailing boat. Her first two births were really smooth but in her third pregnancy a fibroid was discovered on an early ultrasound and it created persistent issues around where she would birth because she was at risk of postpartum haemorrhage. She talks at length about navigating uncertainty in her third pregnancy and then giving birth on the worst night of the Northern Rivers floods. Emma had three physiological births and was really well informed about her options. Consider this a very inspiring episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Eloise takes us through her eventful pregnancy journey. Her pregnancy was a surprise and at eight weeks she learned she was pregnant with twins (two sacs, one placenta). She opted to take things day by day instead of getting too concerned about what life would look like with two babies. Her calm and grounded nature definitely helped when she was diagnosed with a blood clot in the artery leading to her cervix at 30 weeks. Later that day, her twins were diagnosed with twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTTS) and at 31 weeks she birthed her babies via caesarean while under general anaesthetic. Eloise talks at length about her NICU experience, bringing her baby girls home after nine weeks in hospital and how she juggles breastfeeding twins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Laura talks at length about the layers of loss she experienced with her ectopic pregnancy; the loss of her pregnancy, her fallopian tube and the knowledge that in future pregnancies, she wouldn’t have the blissful naivete of early pregnancy. She also talks in detail about her gestational diabetes diagnosis and the hospital policy surrounding it, her knowledge as a dietitian and the importance of advocating for herself along the way. Laura was incredibly well educated about her pregnancy and birth options and throughout her long physiological labour she embraced many breathing and sound techniques, as well as active birth positions, to ensure she experienced a waterbirth This episode is brimming with wisdom from an educated and informed first time mum. You’ll love it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode, I interview Silje about her pregnancy and birth with fraternal triplets and what life’s like with four children under three. After a caesarean with her first baby and a relatively smooth postpartum experience, Silje was so excited to be pregnant for the second time. She admits she walked so confidently into her dating scan but she never expected the sonographer to count three babies, three amniotic sacs and three placentas. She takes us through the joy and challenge of her triplet pregnancy, the emotions on the day of the birth and the difficulty of being discharged while the babies remained in the NICU. Now the babies are six months old and Silje talks about routines, sleep and the delightful busyness of life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After preparing for a physiological first birth with midwives in her local birth centre, Alannah’s plans changed at 35 weeks when an ultrasound revealed a persistent right umbilical vein which can be associated with birth defects. She sought the guidance of a private obstetrician in her local public hospital and at 41 weeks, after a long, hard labour, she birthed her baby boy. A postpartum haemorrhage and retained placenta resulted in her needing to have surgery under general anaesthetic which significantly affected her postpartum experience. A few years later a blood test revealed unusual hormone levels and after further investigation, a 15cm ovarian cyst was found and later removed. Alannah fell pregnant with baby Alex easily and after a smooth pregnancy and a gradual start to labour, she birthed him at home while waiting for the paramedics to arrive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode Sasha articulates the challenge of navigating the healthcare system as a woman of colour. The prejudices she has experienced in life and her knowledge of the disparities in maternal outcomes for black women informed her decision to choose continuity of care with a private obstetrician alongside the gentle, maternal support of a doula. She speaks so beautifully about her pregnancy journey, her birth preparation and her informed choice to seek a second opinion when her obstetrician suggested an induction at 40 weeks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 330 I interview Avril about her two birth experiences under private obstetric care. Her first baby was diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and after weekly ultrasounds from 30 weeks, she opted to be induced at 38 weeks. Following hours of posterior labour, she chose to have an epidural and because of her baby’s posterior position and deflexed head, a forceps-assisted birth was necessary. Avril had a postpartum haemorrhage and was diagnosed with a prolapse, both of which contributed to birth trauma. Her second birth was a positive induction where she advocated for what she wanted; a slow release syntocinon drip and a light epidural so she had more awareness and control while birthing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode is a little different in that my friend, Jodi, interviews me about my first pregnancy and birth. My pregnancy was really straightforward and I chose midwifery care in a birth centre. I had every intention of experiencing an intervention-free vaginal birth but in retrospect, I can see that I didn’t do enough mental or physical preparation, hence why I created The Birth Class.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.