Homebirth Stories Australia

Send us a text

In today's episode, we had the honour of speaking with Courtney, who shared with us her personal journey through two contrasting birth experiences, her role as a doula, and the challenges of managing her own business while caring for her young children. Courtney opened up about her experience with prolapse following her first birth, shedding light on a topic often shrouded in silence.
Raised in a belief system that painted birth as a traumatic event, Courtney's story is a testament to the transformative power of self-discovery and research. Through her exploration, she discovered the profound truth that birth can be a beautiful and empowering experience, leading her to make informed choices for her two births.
Our conversation delved into the pivotal role of care providers in shaping the birthing experience, contrasting the unwanted interventions in a birth centre setting with the intentional decision to have a homebirth for her second child. Courtney's narrative is a poignant reminder of the importance of advocating for one's own birthing preferences, following your intuition and embracing the journey of pregnancy and birth.

Courtney's Links:

• Courtney's Website - Journey to Postpartum
• Courtney's Instagram- @Journeytopostpartum

Links:

• Find a Physio
• Management of prolapse
• The Australasian Pelvic Floor Procedure Registry
• Continence Foundation of Australia

Support the show

@homebirthstoriesaustralia
Support the show by buying us a coffee! Please be advised that this podcast may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.
The information, statistics, and research presented in this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. All information discussed can be found online and is provided in the links in the show notes. It is always recommended to conduct your own research and make informed decisions. We advise you to discuss any topics or concerns with your healthcare provider. While we strive to incorporate the most up-to-date research in our episodes, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information discussed on the show.

Send us a text

In today’s episode, we are joined by Ellena, who shares the deeply personal and transformative stories of both of her births. Ellena’s first birth journey was marked by unexpected challenges, as she faced an emergency caesarean at 34 weeks after being diagnosed with eclampsia. She opens up about the subtle, often overlooked signs of the condition during her pregnancy and reflects on the surreal experience of having her son under general anesthesia after suffering an eclamptic seizure. Ellena describes the emotional and physical hurdles she faced as her baby spent time in NICU and she herself was in ICU, while also navigating the complexities of breastfeeding a premature baby.

For her second birth, Ellena sought out a private midwife and chose to have a homebirth, giving birth to her daughter at 42+1 weeks. She discusses how she took a proactive approach, conducting extensive research and preparing herself mentally and physically, aware of the slim possibility of experiencing eclampsia once more—yet this time, her journey was different. Ellena beautifully recounts how she created a birth experience that felt empowering, culminating in the peaceful birth of her daughter on her own bed, in the comfort of her home.

Links:

• Eclampsia in Australia & NZ: A prospective population-based study
• Australian Action on Pre-Eclampsia Website
• RANZCOG - high blood pressure & pre-eclampsia

Support the show

@homebirthstoriesaustralia
Support the show by buying us a coffee! Please be advised that this podcast may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.
The information, statistics, and research presented in this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. All information discussed can be found online and is provided in the links in the show notes. It is always recommended to conduct your own research and make informed decisions. We advise you to discuss any topics or concerns with your healthcare provider. While we strive to incorporate the most up-to-date research in our episodes, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information discussed on the show.

Send us a text

Welcome to our podcast!
Home birth stories will bring you descriptions of people having their babies at home, told from their perspectives.
Long ago, home was the first and generally only option to have children, so what has changed? Now when you mention birthing at home, generally the advice is that its dangerous and it is assumed that the only (and better) place to birth is in hospital.

Despite homebirthing having statically better outcomes for birthing people and babies, and being on the rise due to covid, there is still a lack of understanding on what home birth entails.

We aim to bring you a range of stories that tell of all the aspects of home birth, to help normalise home birth as an option and to educate those who don’t know much about it!

We will also interview home birth midwives, and doulas to bring you their perspectives and their own experiences birthing at home.

If you are wanting to share your story, please head to the homebirthstories instagram page, and click the link in the bio.

We can’t wait to bring you the first episode!

Be sure to hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss out when an episode drops.

Support the show

@homebirthstoriesaustralia
Support the show by buying us a coffee! Please be advised that this podcast may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.
The information, statistics, and research presented in this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. All information discussed can be found online and is provided in the links in the show notes. It is always recommended to conduct your own research and make informed decisions. We advise you to discuss any topics or concerns with your healthcare provider. While we strive to incorporate the most up-to-date research in our episodes, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information discussed on the show.

Send us a text

In today’s episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Jessie, a seasoned Doula based in Karratha, Western Australia. Jessie generously shares the profound wisdom she gained from her four unique birth experiences—three in hospital and one empowering free birth with her fourth child. Reflecting on her first journey into motherhood, she discusses how the prevailing narrative around birth was one of pain and fear, which led to unexpected interventions. Through her work supporting other women as a doula, Jessie came to understand that women already possess everything they need within themselves to bring their babies into the world. She takes us through her personal evolution, from hospital births to the decision to have a free birth.

Jessie also opens up about D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex), a condition where some breastfeeding women experience negative emotions just before milk let-down, during breastfeeding, expressing, or even when not nursing.

Links:

• Jessie the doula
• Jessie's Website
• Birth Without Fear - January Harshe
• Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) - Australian Breastfeeding Association
• Midwives' Cauldron - Breastfeeding aversion, agitation, D-MER
• Reddit thread
• DMER study

Support the show

@homebirthstoriesaustralia
Support the show by buying us a coffee! Please be advised that this podcast may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.
The information, statistics, and research presented in this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. All information discussed can be found online and is provided in the links in the show notes. It is always recommended to conduct your own research and make informed decisions. We advise you to discuss any topics or concerns with your healthcare provider. While we strive to incorporate the most up-to-date research in our episodes, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information discussed on the show.

Send us a text

In this episode of our mini-series on homebirth transfer, we share the story of Tiahn, a mother who, inspired by the documentary Birth Time, knew that homebirth was the path for her. As she approached 42 + weeks, concerns about potential pre-eclampsia arose, but she made the choice to decline induction and continue her pregnancy.

Throughout her journey, Tiahn faced significant pressure from friends and family, especially towards the end of her pregnancy and even during labour. Despite this, she stayed firm in her decision to follow her instincts and birth her baby on her own terms. After a long labour at home, she opted to transfer to the hospital. During labour, she chose to rest with an epidural, but complications soon emerged when her baby’s heart rate dropped and meconium was found in the waters after an artificial rupture of membranes. A caesarean was quickly recommended.

Links:

• Birth Time Doco
• Spinning Babies

Support the show

@homebirthstoriesaustralia
Support the show by buying us a coffee! Please be advised that this podcast may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.
The information, statistics, and research presented in this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. All information discussed can be found online and is provided in the links in the show notes. It is always recommended to conduct your own research and make informed decisions. We advise you to discuss any topics or concerns with your healthcare provider. While we strive to incorporate the most up-to-date research in our episodes, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information discussed on the show.