** We discuss trauma and obstetric violence in this episode** 

This is episode 74 and it’s shared by Eliza living on the land of the Western Kangoulu peoples. 

She shares with us her traumatic c-section in remote QLD, and how for her 2nd baby, initially influenced by lack of access to any other supported birth model, she chose to freebirth and had an extremely healing and magical VBAC. Thanks to Eliza for being so open and seeing the value in story sharing.  

We do talk about traumatic events and obstetric violence in this episode so please be mindful of this when listening. 

Resources: 

• Group B Strep Explained by Dr Sara Wickham (GBS) 
  • Another great Dr Sara W resource
• The 'Dead Baby' Card - it's REAL 
• This is just a news article highlighting the impact of newborns having antibiotics 
• VBAC episode on The Midwives Cauldron
• VBAC: Making a mountain out of a molehill
  (2013) Birthings Magazine, vol. 120, pp. 11-13.

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This episode is a part of the homebirth around the World Series. In this episode I chat with Paul Golden. 

It was a fantastic conversation and I urge women and midwives alike to listen. Paul is a travelling midwife, who has supported women all over the world, but he is also well known in the birth and human rights space. 

We talk about Paul’s journey to midwifery and his study of the law and how this has led to him becoming one of the most highly regarded midwife mediators in the world. We touch on topics such as bodily autonomy, representing your self, protecting your practice as a midwife, what could be called witch hunts of midwives, criminalisation of doulas and so much more. It is a particularly relevant episode for women, families and midwives, no matter where you are in the world. 

Resources: 

• Keeping Midwives Safe: Helpful legal advice, actions and templates by Paul Golden
• Paul's interview with Eva Rose
• "This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that Indigenous women are at increased risk of mental health problems across the perinatal period, particularly depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. "
• First Nations Infant and child mortality - AIHW stats
• "Midwife’s 14-year sentence highlights attacks on women’s autonomy, global surge in unnecessary C-sections"
• Protect Your Practice - new book by Paul - coming soon
• Human Rights in Childbirth 

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Episode 73 is share by Hala living on Kanamaluka country, the land of the Palawa  People. 

She shares her experience with accessing midwifery continuity of care and ultimately her decision in labour with her second baby to stay at home and birth her bay girl Solène in her bath tub - just how she had envisioned. And then chose to go to hospital for a check up after the birth of Solen’s placenta. 

 We talk about many topics in this episode including the power and importance of pain in a physiological birth, the transgenerational impact of birth, the transformational journey of pregnancy and birth,  and the impact of the modern world and current maternity system on midwifery and continuity of care. 

Resources: 

• Dr Rachel Reed's very very good blog
  • Meconium stained amniotic fluid
• The Midwives Cauldron Podcast

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This is episode 72 and is shared by Rhiannon living on the land of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. 

Rhiannon shares how her homebirth transfer with her first baby influenced her decision to freebirth her second baby. We talk about the opportunity for inner growth that pregnancy and birth can offer, how she decided on freebirth and her engagement with private midwifery for her antennal and postnatal care, and of course her two birth experiences that were extremely different! 

Resources: 

• Prelabour Rupture of Membranes 
• Precipitous Labour
• The First Forty Days 
• Meal Train 

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This is the 71st episode and is shared by Amy living on Turrbul &  Yugara country in QLD.

As you’ll hear more of in this episode, Amy herself is a fraternal twin and was born at home many moons ago. So in a way, she was born to homebirth! Which she did and shares in this episode, with the birth story of  her first baby, Elliot. 

Amy shares with us her pregnancy journey, a bit about her own birth story and of course the beautiful birth of Elliot. 

Resources: 

• Born at Home Film
• Breech Births 
• Twin Homebirth Instagram
• Rainforest Magic by Tony O'Connor
• Considering Homebirth Episode on The Great Birth Rebellion 

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This is the 70th birth story and it’s shared by Haley mum of 2 living on Awabakal country. 

After a traumatic first caesarean with her first baby Nora, Haley eventually chose to hire a private midwife and plan her homebirth and vaginal birth after caesarean with baby Remy. 

Haley shares her pregnancy journey, her labour at home and ultimately the decision to transfer into hospital, which ended up resulting in a second caesarean. Haley’s story really is incredible, whilst we laugh a lot, this story really shows how valuable private midwifery care can be as it really influenced how amazing her experience was, despite everything, finding herself for the second time having a surgery she didn’t plan to have. 

In this episode we do talk about birth trauma in reference to her first birth so please be mindful when listening. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do. 

Resources: 

• The Purple Line in labour 
• Side effects of epidurals
• NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry

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This episode is a part of the homebirth around the World Series. 

In this episode, I chat with Renee, a community midwife or a ‘LMC’ on the North Island of Aotearoa  ‘New Zealand’. 

I was really excited to chat with Renee as New Zealand is often looked up to in terms of its midwifery care and homebirth access. Renee shares her journey to becoming a midwife and how the system works in Aotearoa. We cover homebirth rates and access, the challenges, risks and a bit about funding. 

• Homebirth Aotearoa 
• New Zealand College of Midwives - you can find a definition of an LMC here too 
  • https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/for-health-professionals/health-workforce-development/midwifery
• Referral Guidelines 

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Episode 69 is shared by Brooke, a first time mum who chose to freebirth her first baby, Mana-kai. 

Brooke talks us through her pregnancy, her reflections on mothering and grieving her maiden self and then her very cosy birth of Mana-kai, labouring without electricity due to power outages for much of her labour. 

She also shares her post partum journey, chatting about breastfeeding and the challenges of her prolapse.  

Resources: 

• How to Belly Map
  • Video of Belly Mapping
• I couldn't find specific resources exploring maidenhood to motherhood but this concept is explored in these resources
  • Childbirth as a Rite of Passage 
  • 10 Moons 
• Baby CPR 
• I haven't listened but this is an ep from B from Core Floor Restore chatting about prolapse 
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/03-b-core-floor-restore-its-not-normal-to-pee-poo-yourself/id1625607785?i=1000564849488

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Episode 68 is shared by Genna who lives on Wurunderji land. After Genna’s IVF journey, she chose to have a homebirth with her first baby, Freddie through the publicly funded homebirth program. She also shares how invaluable midwifery care was during her pregnancy, labour, birth and post partum experience, especially in the context of her significant prior mental health struggles including at the time undiagnosed ASD, and her ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, and then also  having previously had a psychotic episode. 

We also chat about how she factored in her mental health vulnerabilities into her journey and also the benefits of homebirth for those who are neurodivergent. 

Resources: 

• Birth With Confidence: Savvy choices for normal birth (Book)
• Embracing the intensity workshop
• The Birth Space: A Doula's Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond
• Galinjera Maternity Program
• Possum Skin Cloak 

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This is the first episode of Homebirth Around The World. A series where I chat with homebirth midwives and they share how homebirth works in their area. From cost, culture, insurance, becoming a homebirth midwife and working as one, this series aims to try and dy-mystify homebirth and raise awareness for homebirth. 

In this episode, I chat with Lucy from @lucybuddingwood who shares her journey to becoming an indepedent private midwife in England and how homebirth works generally in England. We chat a lot about insurance and the challenges in the system - quite different to home we in Australia may perceive it! 

Below are some resources worth checking out!

Homebirth, NHS midwifery, regulation and unions.

NHS Homebirth: Where to give birth NHS Guide, Birthrights Guide to Choice in place of birth, Homebirth UK (old site, gives some historical background to that 1990s/2000s surge in homebirth popularity

What is an Independent Midwife? NCT Guide

Zest Midwives: Membership for Independent Midwives to access intrapartum insurance.
RCM: Midwives' Union
NMC: UK Nursing and Midwifery Regulator
NMC guide to indemnity insurance

Albany Midwifery Practice: Overview via AIMS
Closure: How the flagship Albany Midwifery Practice, at the heart of its South London community, was demonised and dismantled Paperback – 11 May 2023

ARM: Association of Radical Midwives
Midwifery Matters (quarterly member's magazine of the Association of Radical Midwives, this is the magazine I Edit.)

ARM Archive on Homebirth (ARM member's archived discussion thread on homebirth, again this was probably mostly from 2000s/2010s.

#saynotobullyinginmidwifery Report, via ARM. This is a book by ARM members on bullying in midwifery and gives a really good insight into NHS midwives' experience within the UK. It isn't specifically about homebirth, but it goes really deep into the culture!!

Lucy's website www.lucybuddingwood.com

Support the show

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