Today we meet Sammy who is a mum of two living in Brisbane Queensland who is a trained doula and high school music teacher. She tells us of her first birth which ended in an emergency caesarean. Sammy, like 1 in 3 Australian women experienced significant birth trauma as a result of what happened and this birth went on to change the course of her life- inspiring her to help other women by providing emotional and physical birth support to those in need.
We hear of her journey towards her VBAC, what tools she accessed to assist her towards her second birth and what she did differently to ensure a more positive experience.
Sammy teaches us that sometimes the most important tool is within us- our ability to listen to our own intuition and to believe in our bodies ability to birth.
We thank you Sammy for sharing your very personal birth stories with us. We hope you all enjoy and learn a lot from this episode.
Connect with Sammy on Instagram @sammygriffinbirthsupport
~ Notes ~
Sammy’s website: https://sammygriffinbirthsupport.com
Doula & birth photographer: https://www.olivejuicelifestylephotography.com
Resources:Jane Hardwick Collings https://janehardwickecollings.com/pregnancy-ecourse/Ten moons (book)The Birth Map https://www.bellabirth.org/the-birth-map.htmlRhea Dempsey- Birth With Confidence (book)Pam England - Birthing from Within (book)
Post Natal Depression/Anxiety and birth trauma support: If you or anyone you know is affected by PND symptoms particularly at this time of COVID-19 please don't hesitate to contact the following support networks.
The Gidget Foundationhttps://gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/
PANDAhttps://www.panda.org.au/info-support/pandas-national-perinatal-anxiety-depression-helpline
Beyond Bluehttps://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
Copehttps://www.cope.org.au
**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.
Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories
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