Australian Birth Stories

In my first interview of the year, I chat with Bernadette of @coreandfloorrestore - a midwife, personal trainer and mother of two boys. Bernadette’s unique story involves incontinence before pregnancy and she details the debilitating experience of consistently wetting herself as her pregnancy progressed. Her empowering first birth encouraged a new sense of self-belief so she delved into research and reminded herself of one basic fact: the pelvic floor is a muscle and like all muscles, it can heal. Subsequently, she created her own program which has helped women with prolapse and incontinence issues and continues to be a fabulous resource for those dealing with the shame and discomfort of a weakened pelvic floor. Aside from Bernadette's abundance of knowledge, she talks in detail about her two beautiful homebirths, what it’s like to labour as a midwife and the shift in family dynamics as the firstborn tentatively welcomes the new baby. An absolute must-listen for all women, but especially those who suffer incontinence in silence. Please know that you’re not alone! Bernadette’s newborn, Aloysius, is only two weeks old when I chat to her so she’s very much in the bliss and exhaustion of the fourth trimester. However, she has a wealth of knowledge and I can’t quite believe how much we covered in this episode. If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of the year, I interview Kyree Harvey about her intense third birth with baby Denver. She made the informed decision to be induced and after a slow build up she fought her way through 40minutes of incredibly painful active labour and delivered Denver amidst the panic of his heart rate plummeting. Kyree bares all in this interview and she shares some really wonderful knowledge and advice about opting for birth preferences over a birth plan, recovering from an episiotomy and severe tear and the importance of seeing a women’s health physiotherapist post-birth, no matter what kind of birth you have (I agree, Kyree!). You can hear Kyree talk about her first two births in . Her first birth with baby Alaska involved two weeks of false labour, an induction at 39weeks and an episiotomy that took months to heal. In preparation for her second birth, she did a Hypnobirthing Australia course that shifted her mindset around birth and she journeyed into her induction with an incredibly positive and determined perspective. She delivered an 11pound baby boy and suffered a severe 3C tear, an experience that she shares in detail.  If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s bonus episode I chat to student-midwife and mother of two (almost three), Lauren. Half-way through her final year of high school, Lauren fell pregnant at the age of 16. She shares her teen pregnancy journey, her traumatic first birth and redemptive second. Now she’s come full circle as she works towards finishing her midwifery degree and looks forward to supporting pregnant women and especially teen mums as they journey towards birth and motherhood. If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode I chat to Elise Cook about womanhood, pregnancy and the dichotomy of birth; the immense pain and immeasurable love. She tells a beautiful story of listening to her intuition and consciously choosing to conceive, letting go of her fear and placing her energy in trust. She spent most of her pregnancy in the quiet of covid lockdown but as she journeyed closer to her due date doctors started to show concerns about her baby’s growth in utero and she was diagnosed with IUGR. Elise kindly shares all the intimate details of her positive induction birth and the joy and challenge of the days and weeks that followed. In my opinion, it’s a must-listen. If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a gloriously indulgent holiday in Mexico, Ashe and her husband, Sam, returned to Melbourne and fell pregnant soon after. Her easy conception was misleading; she expected the rest of the journey to be smooth and it wasn’t like that at all. Physically it was a straightforward, textbook pregnancy but her emotional journey was tumultuous. She enrolled in the midwifery programme at the Royal Womens in Melbourne where she saw a different midwife at every appointment, an experience that didn’t allow her to connect with or open up to her caregivers. “I wish I had hired a doula or had a dedicated midwife; I didn’t feel a connection to the hospital nor did I have a solid team to fall back on and find comfort in.” In the lead up to her due date and the weeks that followed, Ashe encountered a number of fear-inducing obstetricians who warned her of the worst case scenarios if she refused an induction. Thankfully, there was one midwife who offered a different perspective. If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode I chat to Nadia about her three births including her most recent; a maternal-assisted cesarean. Nadia’s first son, a boy named Pio, was diagnosed with a rare chromosomal abnormality and was born via cesarean at 20weeks. She discusses her disbelief at the diagnosis and the subsequent grief of her loss followed by the healing arrival of her rainbow baby, Riviera.   Nadia found her mothering groove when Riviera was six-months-old so the last thing she expected was to fall pregnant again. Her second daughter, Florencia, was born in the middle of Melbourne’s Covid lockdown but despite restrictions, she was delighted to have the opportunity to experience a natural cesarean and admits that the bond and connection was instant. If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In honour of Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) Week, I chat to Fran of Franjos Kitchen who shares the intricacies of her mental health and motherhood journey. She admits that it took two births and a miscarriage for her to see the very distinct connection between her hormones and her brain. She recalls the depths of her despair with unflinching honesty and talks in detail about the thoughts she was having and the way she was feeling. She fell into a dark place after her miscarriage and consequently sought professional help from a psychologist and a psychiatrist and was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar-vulnerability to hormones. She experienced antenatal depression during the first trimester of her first pregnancy. She was physically and mentally unwell, so much so that she was sobbing in the shower and wishing for the pregnancy to end. However, a week later, as she headed into the second trimester, she felt like a different person. If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode, I chat to April who suffers from PCOS and was 19 when she found out she was pregnant with her first baby. After a series of tests to work out why she was suffering recurrent dizzy spells, April was told she was 17 weeks pregnant. Ten weeks later she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and after she welcomed her son into the world, she suffered from postnatal anxiety and undiagnosed postnatal depression. Nine years later she birthed her daughter seven weeks early in the midst of the NSW bushfires and takes us through her NICU journey. Frank and from the heart, April discusses the importance of clinical and community support for young mums and encourages all women to be honest about their mental health concerns from the very beginning of their pregnancy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s bonus episode I chat to Kellee from @littlehumanlinens about her three births. As an emergency nurse, she had to consciously let go of the need to manage her own pregnancy and birth and instead place her trust in her midwife. She speaks candidly about her emotional response to becoming a mother and the identity crisis that followed; the inevitable ups and downs of postpartum that all mums experience to some extent. She also navigated the tricky reality of a baby with hip dysplasia and severe tongue tie. She decided to birth at home with her third after experiencing a very speedy second birth. “Homebirth felt like the safest option for me because as soon as labour began a midwife would come to my house to look after me. It just felt right. Good, solid, safe home birth is a really amazing option and for us it was just perfect. It took away a lot of anxiety for me.” If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode I interview Liana who, at 9 weeks pregnant, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. She admits that she went into survival mode when her doctor delivered the news and from then on was determined to do everything she could to deliver a healthy baby. Regardless of surgery and six months of chemotherapy, Liana remained positive and nurtured a positive mindset so she could embrace her pregnancy despite the almighty upheavals. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Liana’s story highlights the importance of breast checks and breast awareness. For more information about breast screening, visit bcna.org.au If you'd like my FREE guide on perineal massage click If you'd like my FREE 5-minute breathing exercise click Follow us on Instagram to keep the conversation going. To learn more about The Birth Class  my online childbirth education course head to the shop See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.