Episode 63 is shared by the amazing Alice. 

Alice is the creator of Halo Mumma, which is a free website resource to support those on their pregnancy after loss journey. 

Alice herself today shares the loss of her twins Ayla and Millie, and the trauma which this created, not just from the pregnancy, but the induction of labour, post partum, and including a delayed PPH. 

During the pregnancy of her rainbow baby, Vinny, she ended up switching to homebirth in order to foster a more positive experience. 

We talk about multiple different quite difficult topics in this ep that may be triggering for some - so please take care of yourself when listening. 

Ultimately, Alice’s story demonstrates that you can homebirth after loss and that no one should be forced to birth in a place where they have experienced so much trauma. 

Resources: 

• Halo Mumma 
• Twins - Great Birth Rebellion Episode with Dr Stu 
• The Fifth Vital Sign (book) 
• Calm Birth (Education) 
• PANDA Pregnancy After Loss 
• Chemical Pregnancy 

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This is the 62nd episode and it’s shared by mum of 3, Mel from Newcastle who shares her incredible stories with having 2 babies after 42 weeks and planning 3 home births through the publicly funded system. 

Mel chose to have a publicly funded homebirth with her first baby, but at 42 weeks, she was coerced into an induction due to the criteria of the program. After a 5 day induction, Oscar was born. 

For her second baby, she planned another homebirth with the the publicly funded program, however at 41+2 her baby girl Zara arrived before the midwives did, in a fantastic unassisted homebirth. 

For her 3rd baby, after choosing the PFHB program, as the clock ticked past that arbitrary cut off again, Mel connected with a privately practicing midwife and she was supported to have a fantastic homebirth   4 days later. This also happened to be on her mums birthday, who passed away the year before. 

I am so grateful for Mel who recorded with me when Archie was only 5.5 weeks old. I know these stories will mean a lot to so many listeners. 

As we talk about in the ep, going past 42 weeks is a rarity these days so please make sure to share the ep in whatever way you can.

Resources: 

• Post dates baby - Induction of Labour https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/induction-of-labour-for-prolonged-pregnancy
• Post Dates Birth https://consultations.health.gov.au/health-services-division/pregnancy-care-guidelines-review/supporting_documents/Prolonged%20pregnancy%20evidence%20evaluation%2015Oct18.PDF
• Meconium in post dates baby https://midwifethinking.com/2015/01/14/the-curse-of-meconium-stained-liquor/

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In episode 61, I chat with Emma who is a student nurse and midwife who shares her positive homebirth turned hospital birth story. 

After labouring for well over 20 hours at home, Emma was forced to come to terms with transferring to hospital. We chat about her experience of a publicly funded (ie. free) homebirth program, having a doula, her long labour, the emotional journey of accepting the need to transfer, and she also shares her powerful birth story, where despite having an epidural on board, she successfully goddess squatted baby Lua out! 

Resources: 

• Birth Time Documentry (get a 20% discount with code ' CICADA20 ' ) 
• Di Diddle Birth Education 
• Epidurals 
  • Cochrane Review 
  • Evidenced Based Birth Podcast Ep 
• Homebirth Victoria 

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This is the 60th birth at home story!
And it shared by Racheal in Victoria, mum to 2 babies both born at home. Growing up Rachael, alike many people, thought homebirth was a bit ‘woo woo’. Meeting her home birthed husband, now paramedic, they began on a homebirth journey for their 2 babies, choosing private midwifery care.
We also chat about the emotional experience of the baby when it is born, its transition to life outside the womb and the impact of social media on perceptions and understandings of birth. Racheal also shares her experience with homebirth after significant perineal and cliteral tearing.

Resources: 

• Julei Bell - Blissful Herbs https://www.blissfulherbs.com.au/
• The changes required when transitioning to extrauterine life https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4987541/

Thought provoking points:

1. Why do we feel safest in the hospital?
2. What is the impact of social media on perceptions and understandings of birth?

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This is another partner episode in the partners supporting birth at home series.

Today Cian, dad to 2 girls, shares his experience witnessing two very different births, a c-section and then a homebirth after caesarean. As with all the partner episodes be sure to share them, as we reflect in this episode, they are powerful and play an important role in understanding, choosing and feeling comfortable with homebirth. 

Resources: 

• The Purple Line in Labour https://www.sarawickham.com/questions-and-answers/evidence-for-the-purple-line/
• Birth After Caesarean by Hazel Keedle https://coreandfloor.com.au/products/birth-after-caesarean-your-journey-to-a-better-birth-by-hazel-keedle?srsltid=AfmBOoog7Eytny_gtQdPDC5wasYBifyofjiweadXdzIp2IZ3I3OzbFCk
• Episode 28: How to be a great birth support https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2147895640

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In episode 59, Sahara a midwife and IBCLC shares her 3 homebirth stories. 
Sahara shares her journey to finding homebirth and choosing to become a midwife. We then hear about her experience in a publicly funded homebirth program during the start of COVID 19 in Melbourne and the challenges she faced — she then shares her two home births under the care of private midwives. We go on some interesting tangents in this episode and we also talk about loss and also the trauma associated with a pyloric stenosis surgery that her 3rd baby had to undergo in the early weeks of her life outside the womb. 

Resources: 

• Gestational Diabetes 
  • https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/gestational-diabetes-beyond-the-label
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/ua/podcast/gestational-diabetes-the-pregnancy-perspective/id1523178579?i=1000527077230
• Eating dates for inducing labour https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-023-06196-y
• Acupuncture or acupressure for induction of labour https://www.cochrane.org/CD002962/PREG_acupuncture-or-acupressure-induction-labour
• Pyloric stenosis
• The 'Timing Method' to increase chance of a particular sex https://www.naturalcycles.com/cyclematters/how-to-conceive-a-boy-or-a-girl

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Episode 58 is shared by Sam from WA. She is a midwife of 13 years, who has recently become endorsed and is working privately. She is mum to 3 children, 2 of which were born at home. Today she shares her story of finding homebirth and eventually having 2 of her own homebirths. She shares her birth stories and we chat parenthood along the way. 

Resources: 

• Fiona Hallinan https://www.thepelvicspace.com.au/

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This is birth story 57, and it is shared by Monique from the Northern Beaches in Sydney. She shares her freebirth story with her first baby, Jonathan or Jojo. Monique’s normal boring freebirth story is so interesting given her own birth imprint includes both her and her brother being born via c-section. 
It’s a beautiful story and lovely to listen to how Monique learnt about freebirth and the confidence she had in her body. 

Resources: 

• Birth Video 
  • Labour https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9tj-Ih98EyxpM4rNOEjpPIVV2Utt95xzEyxo0/?igsh=dHNtbXh4aHNhMDl5
  • Birth https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9vAjxhlGsZ39-AQV2uTVfKMOes3wDSRxPfTY0/?igsh=cTgyYWk0bW10dWZl
  • Placenta https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9vuB9hwFgAp3f9gIkpFsRbwJn64ahl72Zg4Y0/?igsh=MTNqaTlwZHFobWhqZA==
• Normal Boring Freebirth (insta + podcast) https://www.instagram.com/normalboringfreebirth/
• Using Scans to measure babies https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/big-babies-care-provider-fear
• Evidence (or lack of) on ultrasounds in pregnancy:
  • 2016 Ultrasound Scans in Pregnancy – Your Questions Answered! By Dr Sarah Buckley 
  • 2009 Safety of ultrasonography in pregnancy: WHO systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis 
  • 2023 A Review on Biological Effects of Ultrasounds: Key Messages for Clinicians
  • “…ultrasound involves exposure to a form of energy, so there is the potential to initiate biological effects. Some of these effects might, under certain circumstances, be detrimental to the developing fetus.” (International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), 2009)
    “Currently, there is no reliable evidence that ultrasound is harmful to a developing fetus. No links have been found between ultrasound and birth defects, childhood cancer, or developmental problems later in life. However, it is possible that effects could be identified in the future. For this reason, it is recommended that ultrasound exams be performed only for medical reasons by qualified health care providers” (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2013)
• Great Birth Rebellion Episode 2 - The medicalisation spectrum

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In episode 56, Emily, an emergency nurse who chose to homebirth with her first baby 'Benson' shares her unexpected, non-emergency transfer to hospital story. 
Emily shares her pregnancy journey, her labour at home, and her decision to transfer into hospital, where she had a very positive experience in birthing Benson in an assisted vaginal birth, supported by her private midwife. 
She also shares some insights into her experience post partum. 

** Emily would like people to know that she realises she has used terminology such as "let me" but wants to clarify that everything she consented to was her choice <3 

Resources: 

• Low Blood Glucose (Sugar) Levels in Pregnancy - Non diabetic https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/hypoglycemic-and-pregnant#risk-factors
• The Arrive Trial 'Evidence on: The ARRIVE Trial and Elective Induction at 39 Weeks' https://evidencebasedbirth.com/arrive/
• Nitrous Oxide in Labour (Laughing Gas) https://evidencebasedbirth.com/nitrous-oxide-during-labor/

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Episode 55 is shared by Emilie who is a Melbourne based doula, and HBAC mama who today shares her two extremely different experiences. She birthed her first baby Reuben under general anesthic during COVID in the UK, an experience which she soon after recieved a PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) diagnosis from. Following moving to Australia, Emilie was determined to have a different experience and so chose to homebirth daughter Brontë. Emilie shares this experiences and how she powerfully goddess squatted Bronte out in an incredible birth experience where she describes being able to reclaim her power and autonomy. 

Resources in this episode: 

• The evidence on epidurals https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/benefits-of-epidural/
• The cascade of interventions - The Great Birth Rebellion ep https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148575903
• The birth map https://birthmap.life/
• VBAC vaginal birth after caesarean - The Great Birth Rebellion ep https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148668424
• VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) - An Interview with Dr Hazel Keedle - The midwives cauldron https://www.buzzsprout.com/1178486/episodes/10779155

This episode is sponsored by https://dearmemothertobe.com/

Support the show

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