Australian Birth Stories

In today’s episode I talk to Bonnie, a mother of two and midwifery student who guides us through her experience with antenatal anxiety and depression. With unflinching honesty, she recalls the confusing grief of miscarriage, her battle with exhaustion and nausea in early pregnancy and the subsequent motherguilt of not being able to care for her toddler. As her pregnancy progressed her mental health declined and in the middle of her third trimester her irrational mindset turned to suicidal thoughts. She courageously reached out to her husband, her psychologist and her OB and together they created a plan to carry her safely to her birth which just so happened to take place in the midst of Covid-19. Bonnie’s story is essential listening for us all and a potent reminder that mental health and wellbeing is an integral part of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Now, more than ever, we must bolster our online community of mothers with support, empathy and kindness because in this age of coronavirus, with limited antenatal and postpartum support, we’re all a little more vulnerable. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to PANDA 1300 726 306 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 today’s episode I chat to Aleysha about her two births and, in particular, her drama-filled second birth with baby Jude in the midst of Covid-19. In the days leading up to Jude’s arrival, Aleysha’s husband, a paramedic, had possible exposure to Covid-19 when he transferred a patient. It was only two hours before they had to go to the hospital that they got the all clear for him to attend although there were very strict rules in place. So began a positive and incredibly healing birth experience that was as exciting as it was overwhelming. Topics include: Reduced foetal movement, placenta, induction, balloon catheter, afterbirth, haemorrhage, PPH, manual removal of placenta, missed miscarriage, Covid-19, coronavirus, hypnobirth Today's episode is brought to you by 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 today’s episode I talk to Anna @annamcgahan about her beautiful VBAC in the midst of Covid-19. She describes her second birth, with daughter Juniper, as a birth of juxtapositions: an induced, drug-free, hospitalised, hypnobirth VBAC. It’s a birth story complete with an incredibly positive induction, strong midwife support, unwavering faith in body and mind and the immense healing of redemptive birth after trauma. I interviewed Anna about her first birth in episode #61. She talks in detail about her very rare placental abruption at 33weeks which was only discovered when she stopped feeling foetal movements (primary symptoms are pain and bleeding but Anna had neither). Mercy was born via emergency cesarean and stayed in the NICU for weeks before Anna and husband Jonathan took her home. 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 today’s special Covid-19 episode, I chat to Samantha who birthed her second daughter 12 days ago. On the day before her waters broke, Samantha took her toddler to the GP as she was showing signs of coronavirus (fever, cough, wheezing) and they opted to play it safe and get tested. Subsequently, Samantha was assigned extra precaution at every step of her birthing journey; she was in a pressurised room at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, all her caregivers wore full personal protective equipment (PPE) and both she and her husband had to wear masks. Despite the extra level of protection, Samantha was supported and cared for in the best possible way and her story is encouraging and comforting, especially for those women due to give birth in the next few weeks and months. 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 today’s episode I chat to Gemma Pranita about her second pregnancy and birth with her baby boy, Iggy. Gemma is the first to admit that pregnancy is not her friend and while she had a challenging time in her first pregnancy (listen to the story in ) her most recent experience brought her to her knees. She was overwhelmed with severe nausea and vomiting till 18 weeks, she then developed early onset PUPPPs rash which resulted in weeks and weeks of severe itching and subsequent sleeplessness and in her third trimester pubic symphysis and pelvic separation made walking very painful. The start of Gemma’s pregnancy was an entirely different story. With her daughter, Raffaella, she spent close to two years trying to conceive, before she resorted to Intrauterine Insemination IUI (she describes it as a beautiful stepping stone to IVF). Gemma admits that unexplained infertility is a very frustrating journey and not one she would wish upon anyone: “You want to know what the problem is so you can find the solution and when you’re told there’s nothing wrong and you’re just in the waiting zone…you just want to bang your head against the wall.” 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 today’s episode I chat to Jessica Smith - @jessicasmith27 - about her third birth with baby Idris. Jessica is a former Paralympic swimmer, motivational speaker, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and author. You can listen to her talk about her first two vaginal births on episode 33 of the podcast.  Jessica and her husband moved to Dubai with their children Ayla (3) and Reza (1) in January 2019. Not long after settling into their new home, Jessica woke up one morning and was craving foods she hadn’t eaten in a long time and she knew, in that very moment, that she was pregnant. She hadn’t had a period in 16months as she was still breastfeeding Reza so the discovery came as a huge surprise. She was also in a new country and had to navigate the maternity system with very little information or guidance. After discussing the option to travel back to Australia to birth or temporarily visit Glasgow in the UK (her husband’s hometown), Jessica decided to stay in Dubai and seek the advice of the expat community. 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 today’s episode, I interview Jodi Wilson. Jodi shares the pregnancies and births of her four children.  As a yoga teacher and childbirth educator, Jodi brings a beautiful perspective to her interview. She even shares some breathing techniques and tools she used in her births. Whilst each of Jodi’s births was drug-free and under the care of midwives, they were all quite unique in their own way.  Her third and most challenging birth almost ended in an emergency caesarean section and this traumatic experience left her quite anxious going into her fourth birth. To hear more about Jodi’s experiences tune into this weeks show. 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 today’s episode I talk to Leah about her two IVF pregnancies and, in particular, her second birth that resulted in a PTSD diagnosis at six-months postpartum. It’s a pertinent discussion about women’s birth rights and the imperative role of educated and supportive caregivers. As a long-time sufferer of endometriosis, Leah and her husband tried to fall pregnant for two years before they sought the assistance of IVF  "After trying for so long, I knew when I was ovulating. I did temp tests, cheap tests and expensive tests. I did everything, including acupuncture, but it just didn’t work….I don’t feel like there’s a lot of information that explains why it’s harder to fall pregnant. I’ve had five surgeries and they did the final one three months before the IVF cycle, if there’s adhesions I know that they can prevent conception,” she says. 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 today’s episode, I interview Simone Haag. Simone shares her six pregnancies and three births. Sadly Simone’s first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage and she went on to fall pregnant soon after. She asked around and decided to book in with a private OBGYN her friend had seen working out of Epworth. During her third trimester, they discovered that Simone’s little girl was in the breech position. Her Obgyn explained that she was not comfortable performing a breech delivery and if she was unable to get her to turn then Simone would need to have a casarean. Despite seeing an acupuncturist and trying a multitude of recommended techniques, she didn’t turn and Simone had a planned caesarean. To hear how Simone went on to have two more babies delivered vaginally as VBACs tune into this weeks 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 today’s special episode for International Women’s Day, I chat to Australian actress Claire Holt. Claire lives in LA with her husband, Andrew and their baby boy, James. After spending close to 15 years on birth control, it took Claire’s body six months to establish a regular period once she went off the pill. On her second cycle, much to her shock and delight, she conceived. At her 10week scan she discovered that she’d experience a missed miscarriage (a miscarriage with no symptoms) and she admits that the experience was incredibly traumatic. "I don’t know how to describe it; it was such an overwhelming sense of loss and it was so much more significant than I had ever realised. I knew that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage but…It almost diminishes the weight of it because it’s so common…I just didn’t realise how quickly you become attached to the baby,” she says. Claire had a D+C and talks about the importance of grieving and healing. She wasn’t ready to fall pregnant straight away so she took a few months to get her body and mind back before she decided to try again.  James was conceived 5 months later and whilst Claire was elated, she was also fraught with anxiety. “I took pregnancy tests everyday, I got a blood test and was desperate for an early ultrasound. Each time I had a scan I was so panicked that I’d see a baby without a heartbeat. I was anxious until the moment he was in my arms.” Claire experienced a relatively smooth pregnancy although she showed early and James measured big, hence she was overwhelmed by the comments from people remarking on her size. Never perturbed, she continued to see her OBGYB and doula, who both guided her through her anxieties and fears. She scheduled an induction at 39weeks to fit with her OBGYN’s schedule and to give herself the best opportunity to have a natural birth (considering James’ size). After experiencing a week of false labour, she had a stretch and sweep and lost her mucus plug mere hours later.    Topics include: miscarriage, missed miscarriage, birth control, natural birth, OBGYN, foley balloon, induction, walking epidural, natural birth, shoulder dystocia, postpartum anxiety. 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.