Mount Isa Birth Stories

*poor quality sound! Recorded on my phone as I was on holidays!!* • In this episode with Rhea we touch on some of the history of home-birth in Australia, how epidurals can impact in the birth space, what is a ‘crisis of confidence’ and who are these ‘willing women’!? • Rhea is the author of two powerful books; Birth with Confidence and the recently released ‘Beyond the Birth Plan’. She is a childbirth educator, speaker, counsellor and birth attendant. She has worked in birth for over 4 decades and witnessed over one thousand births. She is recognised as an insightful commentator on the difficulties faced by women who have a yearning for normal physiological birth in navigating the present birth culture. She is also respected as one of Australia’s foremost thinkers on the topic of working with pain in childbirth and its connection to normal physiological birth. • You can find more information on Rhea at her website birthwithconfidence.com.au

In Episode 15 we have Therese sharing with us the births of Kora & Amariah. We talk about her feelings around unexpectedly falling pregnant, how she coped with a long labour and the difference between thriving or merely surviving your postpartum period!

In this episode I was absolutely honoured to be joined by Dr Sarah Buckley! Dr Buckley shares with us fascinating information surrounding our hormones in birth and how they play a role in attachment to our babies. We also discuss hormonal gaps and how epidurals can interfere with our hormonal flow in labour. • Dr Buckley is is a General Practitioner with qualifications in GP-Obstetrics and Family Planning. She is incredibly well-known and highly respected in the birthing world. She is the author of the best-selling book ‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering’. Her work is widely published around the globe and she is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland with her research focusing on oxytocin and the autonomic nervous system in labour + birth and the impacts of interventions. Dr Buckley often speaks at conferences and regularly holds workshops. You can find more of her work at sarahbuckley.com.

Lucy shares with us the complete opposite birth stories of her son Jaxon and daughter Olivia. Lucys first birthing experience was incredibly tough and took a deep toll emotionally on her at the beginning of her motherhood journey. Going into her second birth, she knew she didn’t want a repeat experience. She sought to fiercely guard her emotional well-being and birth powerfully on her own terms, and that she did!

In Episode 12, Regii shares with us the birth of her first baby, Harper. She touches on the heart-ache of being unable to conceive for a number of years and how her faith comforted her through those dark times. From the elation of falling pregnant to the incredibly beautiful birth of her son Harper a few short months ago, this is a wonderful story of a mother birthing her first baby!

In this episode of Mount Isa Birth Stories, I was honoured to be joined by Dr Rachel Reed! We touch on the evidence on birthing placentas, vaginal examinations, inductions and the nuances that inevitably come with those hot topics. • Dr Reed is widely published in journal articles, books, magazines and websites. Rachel is a regular keynote speaker at national and international conferences and events. She is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast and run’s the incredibly popular MidwifeThinking blog. • *please note the volume gets super loud after the introduction*

Midwife Sarah has a chat with us about models of maternity care, what Midwifery Group Practise (MGP) is, differences between Obstetric & Midwifery care and how these matter/impact. This is an informative episode, especially for those who are not familiar with how maternity care is implemented within the health care framework of Australia.

Samantha shares with us the births of her two children, her first in Hobart and her most recent newborn baby here. She describes the benefits of being apart of the Midwife Group Practise and having a known midwife.

DR ERIN BOWE ON BIRTH TRAUMA EP 08 • In this episode we have the wonderful Dr Bowe, sharing wisdom & knowledge on Birth Trauma. Sometimes the aftermath of birth can leave the person birthing & those witnessing the birth, in a space of darkness. Dr Bowe offers a guiding light & support to help you find your way out. • Dr Bowe can be found on Facebook and has a youtube channel ‘Dr Erin Bowe’. Her website is doctorerin.com.au. She has an e-book, online course & offers debriefing/coaching sessions for those working in birth. Her podcast is called ‘Birth trauma training for birth workers with Doctor Erin’.

Katie shares the births of her two children. We discuss induction, epidurals, how the small things matter, SPD, breastfeeding.

Stephanie shares the birth of her first daughter. Her story covers the experience of an intense, almost 24 hour labour, a cervical lip and also some scary postpartum effects her birth left her with.

Renee shares with us the births of her 5 children, including an un-medicated vaginal twin delivery.

Sara shares the birth stories of her three children. From an unnecessary induction to a home birth with a private midwife.

Melanie shares the birth of her son. Spontaneous rupture of membranes at 37 weeks, vacuum delivery and special care nursery.

Caroline shares with us the births of her two sons. High risk pregnancies that ended in vaginal deliveries following induction.

Sarkarra shares with us the births of her three daughters. A surprise breech emergency c-section, followed by two gentle c-sections.

A brief 5 minute overview.