Australian Birth Stories

In this week’s episode, I chat to Clare about her two planned caesarean births. Despite severe endometriosis, Clare fell pregnant easily and sailed through the first half of her pregnancy. However, at her 20 week scan she discovered that her baby had ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJ) and shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Her planned caesarean was straightforward but her recovery was not; extensive adhesions in her uterus caused a long and painful postpartum. She chose a private obstetrician for her second birth and jumped at the chance to have a maternal-assisted caesarean but nothing could prepare her for the shock of her baby’s hearing loss diagnosis at six weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly takes us on her remarkable birth journey in the remote mining town of Weipa, Cape York, Queensland. As a neurodivergent woman living 800 kilometres from the nearest major hospital, Molly's story beautifully illustrates how proper preparation, supportive care, and self-advocacy can lead to an empowering birth experience even in challenging circumstances. Her candid discussion of experiencing "baby pinks" - postpartum euphoria - rather than the more commonly discussed baby blues provides invaluable insight for families and care providers alike. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in remote birthing, neurodivergent experiences in pregnancy, and the full spectrum of postpartum mental health.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this remarkable episode, Lauren takes us through her extraordinary journey of birthing six children whilst building her career as a doula. From her first precipitous labour that saw her go from 3cm to fully dilated in 45 minutes, to her recent identical twin water birth, Lauren's story is one of trust, preparation, and the profound power of physiological birth. As a doula who has supported over 150 births, including nine vaginal twin births, Lauren brings both professional insight and deeply personal experience to this conversation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bettina has experienced birth across two countries and healthcare systems. She had her first baby in London during COVID-19, navigating the NHS as an Australian expat, before returning to Australia for two more very different births - including choosing an elective caesarean with her third. Her story covers postpartum depression, prolapse management, and learning to advocate for her birth choices. What's so valuable about Bettina's experience is how she shows that each birth can be completely different, and that positive outcomes come from feeling informed and supported in your decisions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tahlia was born with a complex congenital heart condition requiring three open-heart surgeries and a pacemaker. She was told early on that if she wanted children, sooner would be better than later. After conceiving through IVF, her high-risk pregnancy led to an emergency caesarean at 30 weeks, followed by an intensive 78-day NICU stay with her daughter Sunny.

Tahlia's story is one of extraordinary resilience, the power of expressing breast milk as connection, and finding hope in the darkest moments. She shares candidly about the emotional toll of leaving hospital without her baby, the grief of missing ten weeks of pregnancy, and how the NICU community became her lifeline. This episode also highlights the incredible work of the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, whose donated equipment - including hospital-grade breast pumps - made such a difference to Tahlia's journey.

Today's episode is brought to you by iL Tutto.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.