In today's episode, I am delighted to welcome the visionary creators of the Australian documentary, Born at Home, which explores the intimate world of homebirth. Following the empowering experience of her second child's birth, Amanda, with her extensive background in birth advocacy and evidence-based maternity care, felt an undeniable call to create a resource that could educate and empower other women. When she shared her vision with Eleanor, her friend of 15 years, Eleanor was immediately on board despite having no information on what they were creating.  As they ventured into the world ..read more

In this episode, Astrid reflects on her three unique birth experiences, each contributing to her deep respect for the journey of birth. Her trust in birth was instilled at a young age as she witnessed her siblings being born at home. Her first birth, initially planned for a homebirth but ending in a transfer, became a pivotal moment for Astrid. It prompted her to explore the essence of physiological birth more deeply. The natural unfolding of her second baby's birth further solidified her trust in her body’s innate wisdom. However, it was Astrid's third pregnancy that unraveled life's most pro ..read more

Today’s episode features Mia, a jewellery creator and first-time mother, sharing her unexpected journey to motherhood. When Mia met her partner, they both agreed that they weren't ready to have children at that time. However, six years later, Mia began to feel a deep longing to become a mother. She sensed the spirit of a little girl around her and knew that a daughter was waiting to be conceived. After a spontaneous night of intimacy without contraception, and a difficult discussion about their readiness for children, Mia took the morning-after pill. Living a holistic lifestyle, she initially ..read more

On today’s episode, I have the honour of sharing the remarkable story of Amber and her journey to birthing her triplets at home. Amber's husband sensed something unique about her pregnancy when he noticed her symptoms were more intense this time around. Initially dismissing it as typical pregnancy fatigue for a mother of five, Amber went for a dating scan with a friend. Little did she know, this scan would reveal a surprise: three sacs, three heartbeats. Amber recounts her reaction to the sonographer's reveal that she was indeed carrying triplets. As the news settled in, Amber felt a wave of g ..read more

In today's episode, I’m excited to welcome Emma, co-founder of Maia Mothers Collective, as she shares her contrasting birth experiences. During her first pregnancy, Emma felt well-prepared for birth, but her experience of prodromal labour sent her on a rollercoaster of emotions. This ultimately led to a series of interventions that ended in an emergency caesarean. Without any real understanding why, in the moments that followed that experience she knew her next birth would be at home. Describing this pregnancy and birth as a more spiritual journey, Emma utilised the knowledge gained from her f ..read more

Welcome back to season 5 of PBA. We’re kicking this season off with a two-part series. In this opening episode, I'm taking you on an intimate journey through my own experience of childbirth. We'll explore the transition from maiden to mother as I recount the birth of my daughter - a journey that, while filled with challenges, taught me invaluable lessons about myself. This episode delves into my unexpected journey through an unplanned induction and the typical cascade of interventions that usually follows. I'll share the profound ways in which this experience peeled back the layers of my perso ..read more

In today's episode, we are joined by Hannah, tuning in all the way from the US, as she shares her two unique birthing experiences.  Choosing the path of motherhood was a spontaneous decision that immersed Hannah in the journey of pregnancy, evoking a deep appreciation for the miracle of growing life within. Hannah's deep desire for a healing journey to redefine her family's lineage gained clarity when she witnessed women in circle sharing their empowering birth stories. Inspired, she made the intentional choice to birth at home where she would be undisturbed. As labour unfolded, Hannah em ..read more

On today's episode, Paige takes us on a her journey, navigating the challenges of conception and recounting her empowering experience of an unmedicated hospital birth.  After a heartbreaking missed-miscarriage, a sobering realisation dawned on Paige that a pregnancy doesn’t always guarantee a baby. Following the identification of a blood clotting disorder, low ovarian reserve, and an endometriosis diagnosis, she embarked on a series of fertility treatments that proved unsuccessful. But just as the idea of trying IVF crossed their minds, Paige discovered she was pregnant. During her pregn ..read more

In today's episode, Lucinda guides us through the journey of her three contrasting births. Her introduction to motherhood was far from smooth, given a preexisting kidney condition that required careful blood pressure management. Unfortunately, poor care from health providers meant she never received the correct protocol, leading to a stressful pregnancy and a preeclampsia diagnosis. Lucinda's struggle for her birth and baby in the face of inadequate care resulted in a cascade of interventions and significant birth trauma. Shortly after conceiving, with the memories of her previous experience s ..read more

Today we warmly welcome back Emma to the podcast sharing her most recent birth. Emma’s first birth can only be described as a dream unfolding, one you can hear in detail over on episode #102. While Emma maintained the awareness that each birth is a unique journey, as she approached her second birthing experience, there was a natural sense of anticipation that it might progress more quickly. However, this labour would unfold over a span of 29 hours.. Emma guides us through the series of events that triggered enough disruption for her body to react in its innate protective manner. Recognising th ..read more