Australian Birth Stories

Nat Kringoudis is a Dr in Chinese Medicine and acupuncturist who has worked in women's fertility health for many years. When it came to conceiving Nat was very fortunate to fall pregnant relatively quickly. She took a calm birth course and was due to deliver her first child at the Family Birth center at the Mercy Hospital for Women in Melbourne. At 30 weeks, when Nat was away for work, she went into labour and needed to be airlifted back to Melbourne. To find out what unfolded tune into this weeks episode. Topics covered: bed rest, irritable uterus, cystic fibrosis, acupuncture, breastfeeding challenges, calm birth, emergency caesarean. 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 Laura. Laura suffered from endometriosis and spent the few months leading up to trying to conceive is very mindful of her diet and lifestyle to regulate her cycles. She went on to conceive her first baby Link shortly after actively trying to conceive. Throughout her pregnancy, Laura became increasingly anxious about her birth and her diet. Devastatingly Laura’s first son suffered a stroke in utero, and she delivered him sleeping. To hear more about Laura’s journey tune into this week’s episode. Today's episode is sponsored by women’s health physio Shira Kramer. Shira has helped thousands of women through pregnancy, postpartum and beyond, and has recently launched her 8-week online program, Restore Your Core, designed to help busy mums return to exercise safely post-bub with a focus on core and pelvic floor recovery. It includes daily exercises, interviews, and videos, all completed in the comfort of your own home for less than $20 per week. Shira would like to offer Australian Birth Stories listeners 10% off the full price of her program, using the code RYCABS. To find out more about the Restore Your Core program head over to 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.

Heidi had been on the pill for ten years, and a friend had said it could take months to regulate your cycle after the contraceptive pill, so Heidi decided to come off the pill to prepare herself to hopefully conceive in a year or two. After waiting eighteen months, seeing an acupuncturist and modifying her diet, Heidi’s cycle still had not returned. She decided to go and see an Obgyn who ran several tests and explained that she was most likely suffering from hypothalamic amenorrhea. Heidi continued to see her acupuncturist, and she began taking Clomid to help regulate her cycle. To hear more about Heidi’s journey, tune into this week's show. Today’s episode is brought to you by DockATot. Many mums have called this product their ‘Sleep Saviour’ and attributed their survival of early-motherhood to the DockATot! The DockATot is an multi-award winning baby lounger that has been specially shaped to reinvent the womb. With over 1000 verified 5-star reviews, the DockATot has successfully soothed and settled babies the world over. The DockATot is lightweight and portable making it the perfect baby bed either at home, at grandma’s house or on family holidays. They are handmade in Europe from premium materials featuring both solid colours and on-trend prints. ABS listeners can enjoy 15% off at by using the code ‘BIRTHSTORIES’. So take a look and see how your baby can sleep, lounge and snuggle in style with DockATot. 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 Teresa Palmer about her third pregnancy and birth of her little girl Poet. If you would like to hear Teresa births of Forest and Bodhi head over to Episode 65. Teresa is a self-proclaimed serial pregnancy test taker, and she took several tests daily to confirm her pregnancy from a few days after conception. During the early stages of her pregnancy, Teresa discovered that her 12-week blood results showed that she had antibodies present. Her husband is a carrier of the Duffy Y gene which her body was making antibodies towards. A side effect is that the baby can become more anemic.  To hear more about Teresa’s story tune into this week’s show. Topics include private midwife, vaginal delivery, family entered birth, water birth, cervical lip. Oakie Baby sponsors Today's episode. Oakie Baby offers a beautifully curated selection of clothing and gifts for babies and children, with a particular emphasis on essential items for the first year of your baby's life.  They stock brands from all over the world, including Jamie Kay, Snuggle Me Organic, L'oved Baby, BIBs pacifiers, Jellycat, Snuggle Hunny Kids and Quincy Mae and all of the brands they stock are ethically produced, with many being made with organic fabrics. Make sure you check out this beautiful boutique at www.oakiebaby.com.au and until 14th July use the code AUBS15 for 15% off storewide. 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 Tammi Keirl. Tammi shares the births of her two daughters, who were both born vaginally through the care of midwives at her local public hospital in Adelaide. After months of trying to conceive, Tammi used an ovulation app to conceive her first daughter Ruby.   Tammi had relatively straight forward pregnancies and delivered both her babies with the epidurals. To hear more about Tammi's births tune into this week's podcast episode. Topics include midwifery care, epidural, TENS machine, ovulation, breastfeeding, breastfeeding wear, nursing friendly activewear. 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.

Natalie had both her children through midwifery care in Melbourne. Her first pregnancy was quite straight forward and she delivered her first son at 36 weeks without pain medication. Reuben had a severe tongue tie and she was unable to get him to latch. Natalie expressed around the clock and bottle-fed her little boy. He wasn’t sleeping well and she wasn’t able to enjoy him as she was constantly pumping, feeding and resettling. It wasn’t until Reuben was one-year old that Natalie realised that she had post natal depression. To hear more about Natalie’s story and how she developed cholestasis tune into this weeks episode. Topics include: postnatal depression, midwifery care, tongue tie, cholestasis 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 Brigette Warne. After getting married Brigette came off the pill, which she had been taking for many years in an effort to try and conceive. Shortly after coming off the contraceptive pill she began to feel extremely unwell and suffered from cystic acne, had hair loss and a generally felt shocking. After seeing her GP several times to try and work out what was wrong, Brigette eventually discovered she had PCOS. She immediately began researching PCOS and she made a number of different food and lifestyle choices to try and balance her hormones as best she could. To hear more about how Brigette got her periods back and then conceived Flynn after coming to terms with the fact that she may not carry a child, tune into this weeks show. Topics covered: PCOS, the pill, breastfeeding, midwifery care, breastfeeding, nipple shields. 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 share with you my third birth. Although Jonathan and I had discussed having a third child, we had not made a final decision so it was a bit of a surprise when we discovered that I was pregnant. I was a bit nervous to tell Jono and I took some home pregnancy tests and watched as the lines got darker each day and it took a while to process. Ottie was conceived while we were on holiday in Fiji which is a nice thought as that’s where Jono is from. The running joke was that we bought an extra coconut home from the homeland. 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.

Jess was 24 years old when she fell pregnant with her first child Levi. She and her partner Phil had decided to try and fell pregnant in their first month of trying. Jess went through the public system and had midwifery care. When she reached 40 +10 Jess was induced. Jess fell pregnant with her second son when Levi was just 4 months old. To hear more about how Jess’ births went tune into this weeks episode. Topics covered: induction, vacuum delivery, epidural, birth photography, Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), postpartum bleed, cervical tear, jaundice, postpartum haemorrhage , breech, ECV. 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 Lou. Lou shares her four pregnancies and births. Three out of her four babies had Intrauterine Growth Restriction IUGR. Lou had her first baby in Perth and at her 20 week scan they realised her baby wasn’t growing as expected. She was induced at 34 weeks as the baby wasn’t growing as they had hoped and the growth started to become uneven. Lou’s second pregnancy went quite routinely and she ended up going over on her expected due date. She went on to have two more premie babies due to IUGR and she also developed Preeclampsia in her fourth pregnancy. To hear more about Lou’s story tune into this weeks show. Topics covered: Intrauterine growth restriction, preeclampsia, NICU, Breastfeeding, breast milk donation Today’s episode is brought to you by my Postpartum Life After Birth audio series. Enjoy $10 off with code mothers day for the month of May 2019. 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.