14.1K
Downloads
61
Episodes
Here to talk about taboo topics surrounding motherhood and the gaps in perinatal healthcare and reproductive health. Join your host Amber-lee from @thepowerofbirth (and editor Rigel from @b.d.esigns) as she engages in candid conversations with experts in health, science, fitness, maternity, sociology, and psychology and people with lived experiences. Together with our guests, we raise awareness, challenge biases and expose gaps in women’s health. We believe that by sharing your stories and information provided by experts, we can empower you to advocate for yourself and your wellbeing. We provide practical tips, education and a fresh perspective on perinatal health and modern motherhood through integrating lived experience and expert knowledge. At The Power of Birth and through this podcast, we’re here to reduce stigma, eliminate shame, and start important conversations that shift the way we think and practice. Together, we can break the silence, drive change and shape the future of women’s healthcare. You can visit the website for more information, free resources, and opportunities to share your story: www.thepowerofbirth.net Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook and leave a review if you love the pod! Disclaimer: Please note that the advice given on this podcast is of general nature and should not be considered as personalised or professional advice. The information shared on this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. We do not assume any liability for actions taken based on the content discussed in our episodes. We highly recommend conducting thorough research and seeking professional advice before making any decisions or taking any actions about your health and care providers. Please remember that the views and opinions expressed by our guests or the host do not necessarily reflect the views of The Power of Birth as a whole and we hope you find the conversations engaging and thought-provoking. Lastly, we would like to remind you that while we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date content, the world is constantly evolving and new information may emerge that could change the validity and applicability of advice given in previous episodes.
Episodes
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
Dr Rachel Reed is one of the leading researcher’s in childbirth who discusses physiological birth and how misunderstood women’s bodies are. She also talks about birth as a rite of passage, birth culture, interventions, herstory, policy vs evidence based practice, and midwifery practice, and the complications that arise juggling culture, policy, informed consent and evidenced based practice. Dr Reed talks about centering the woman in birth, individualising our births as there is no right way to birth and how birth is allowed to be different for everyone. Finally, we chat about reclaiming midwifery and childbirth and where that responsibility lies.
Listen out for the cicada’s in the background (just so lovely and ironic chatting to Dr Reed and cicada’s are a part of our conversation 😝)
You can find Dr Rachel Reed on her website www.rachelreed.website
Instagram @midwifethinking
The Midwives Cauldren Podcast
If you are interested in her research you can buy her books/audible: Why Induction Matters by Dr Rachel Reed
Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage by Dr Rachel Reed
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Thursday Jan 06, 2022
Thursday Jan 06, 2022
Only 2% of Aussie mums birth at home and even less have a free birth. Home births tend to have a “dangerous” stigma attached to it and it appears home births are very misunderstood, despite plenty of evidence to show they are safe. Natasha shares her experiences in this episode as a rural mum of 4, home schooling her children, all while helping her husband run their dairy farm. Natasha also shares her birth experiences and has a lot to offer in the conversation of home births and free births. Natasha experienced some trauma and power struggles in hospital and decided after baby number 2 she wanted to try something different. So she prepared for her amazing home birth and then dropping midwifery care altogether for her last birth and freebirthed at home with hubby, her children and a doula.
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Samantha Keen chats to me about her birth experiences; induced vaginal birth that went relatively smoothly and then her planned caesarean and recovery. Samantha shares her reasons for opting for a caesarean after a positive vaginal birth experience due to lack of education and support for her pelvic floor and the trouble that followed. Samantha’s story is important because it shows not only a positive experience in both birth scenarios, but also the consequences for a woman in a culture that cares about the baby and not necessarily the mother aka pelvic floor, recovery time, being cleared at 6 weeks, better support and postpartum care and ultimately how a woman births in future.
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
A humorous conversation with Micah from Waco, Texas USA, a birth doula for over 20 years, mum of 6 and author of The Humour in Birth. Micah currently trains upcoming doulas and has supported over 200 births in her phenomenal career. Micah shares her experiences home birthing and her preterm birth with baby number 6 and shares her wisdom with us for what it’s like being a doula, mentor, author and mum of 6, now raising adult children. This is a great conversation with so much goodness and you will definitely learn something from her, as I did!
You can find Micah on instagram @wacodoula and @mydoulamicah or on her website https://wacodoula.wordpress.com/
You can also purchase her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Humor-Birth-Stories-Insight-Doula/dp/0578894955
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Sheree shares her experience navigating pelvic health conditions; endometriosis and later diagnosed Adenomyosis and how she copes with these conditions raising children, working and studying. Sheree also talks about the model of care she chose for birth and why she would choose differently next time. She also shares the impact covid had on her mental health, her postnatal anxiety and depression and how she was hesitant to go on medication but how medication has been the biggest help. Sheree’s motherhood journey has not been easy, her second baby had colic, selective IGA sufficiency, food aversions and eventually diagnosed “failure to thrive”. Sheree is a wonderful mother and person and has definitely had a hard time but she shares her light, her perspective and understanding throughout it all and I think everyone could gain something from her story.
Find her @good_wholesomefood
Sheree’s birth stories here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBU9KSjjujl/ AND
https://www.thepowerofbirth.net/post/birthing-for-a-second-time-doesn-t-always-mean-birth-is-easier
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Kate Smith from @yourmumfriend shares her experiences entering motherhood, her struggles, her third birth which was a CAT1 emergency caesarean section to save her baby’s life and how she processed and coped with her intense birth experience. Kate also shares her experience with undiagnosed postnatal depression which manifested as rage and how life is going now with her 3 boys aged 6, 4 & 2 and the beautiful gift of hindsight and loving our postpartum bodies. This conversation was just like chatting to a friend and there is lots of laughter but we also get serious about certain topics and Kate has such a refreshing perspective and is such a pleasure to know!
You can find Kate @yourmumfriend
If you are seeking support for perinatal depression please take the steps to reach out to organisations like panda.org.au or postpartum.net
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
Laura from @unwindpilates chats to me about the physical and mental benefits of pilates for pre and postnatal women and why its important to listen to your body, slow down and find the right kind of movement for you when carrying a baby or recovering from birth. We chat about pelvic floor and Women’s Health Physio’s and how local pilates instructors can work together with them to help women be educated, rehabilitate and restore their bodies. We also chat about when returning to exercise, consider pilates before heading into higher intensity exercise to set up a stable and strong foundation.
You can find Laura @unwindpilates on Instagram or through her website - unwindpilatesstudio.com.au
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Once upon a time, women did not fear birth, and yet today, fear in birth is common and problematic. Rebecca Black, a psychologist, mother, hypnobirth practitioner and founder of The Mindful Birth Movement chats to me about the role of fear in birth, where it comes from, how to eliminate it and how hypnobirthing can help you unpack, process and release it. She talks about how important it is to work through past traumas, dive into your subconscious and prepare your mind to help you work through birth. Bec shares tips in preparing for birth to have a positive experience and how complex psychological birth trauma is.
You can find more information on The Mindful Birth Movement here:
@themindfulbirthmovement
Themindfulbirthmovement.com.au
Music is called "Flowers" by Limujii and can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Spotify
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
We chat to Imajyn Walker who was categorised as low risk in pregnancy to then deliver her baby who got ‘stuck’ for a significant amount of time resulting in baby Asher’s death in the NICU. Immi is very vocal about shoulder dystocia and how a woman’s intuition should always be considered in birth decisions and outcomes and knowing your rights as it has completely flipped her world upside down. How do you even begin to cope with such a traumatic birth and the loss of your baby?! Immi talks about her grief and what others should know about infant death and the impacts it has had in her life. She offers some words of wisdom to family and friends who don’t know what to do when a loved one loses their baby and why shoulder dystocia needs more attention, awareness and action in pregnancy and birth.
This episode contains a trigger warning.
You can find Immi via Instagram @immi_walker_
Friday Aug 20, 2021
Friday Aug 20, 2021
Birth doulas can be the difference in positive birth experiences and outcomes, yet, it is rare for birthing women to have a doula support her. We even have the research to back up the need for a doula in our current maternity system, so why aren’t we using them!? A lot of people still remain unaware of the role a doula has in birth and the benefits. So we chat to Amelia, a birth doula who breaks down the incredible birth support a doula can provide, advocating for yourself, the importance of your own intuition and power, birth education and preparation, gaps in maternal care and support and how a doula can fill those gaps, informed consent, tips for having a positive birth, the difference between a midwife and a doula and how to find the right doula for you. Doulas are one of the most important birth workers and they need to become the norm! The WHO even state that every birthing person should have a doula. There is so much in this episode and for every mum to be, this is a must listen! Afterall, your birth is one of the most profound and transformative moments in your life. See the show notes to find out how to access a doula in Australia.
You can find Amelia via Instagram @birthing_you_ or via her website www.birthingyou.com.au
Find a doula:
https://www.australiandoulacollege.com.au/doulas/categories/birth-postnatal-doula
Student doula packages are available if you would like a doula but funds are limited:
https://www.australiandoulacollege.com.au/student-doulas
References:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/doula