This movement of giving away our power in birth came to be in the 1950’s ‘The era of the twilight sleep’ and what was known to be the time of the psychedelic drugs women were forced to endure to knock them out during childbirth so that they didn’t have to ‘suffer’. We might have come a long way since those times but still today in Australia 34% of women on average have a caesarean birth, 30% are induced and according to the World Health Organisation our Cesarean rate is more than double what it should be to save lives and to better outcomes for mothers and babies. According to WHO our Cesarean needn’t exceed 10-15% and our induction rate should only be at 10% so what is going on in our maternity system at the moment that is necessitating mothers to undergo invasive operative surgery to birth their babies? And why are women being induced left right and centre??

As a Lamaze childbirth educator, HypnoBirthing practitioner and Birth Doula I feel women are bombarded into unnecessary intervention without informed consent and the evidence-based information to back up the information that is only rarely provided to expectant parents. I have supported couples through pregnancy and birth for the past 8 years and in doing so I have watched my clients struggle to get a ‘normal birth’ which in essence means one without any unnecessary medical intervention in the absence of medical need and respect from their care provider however this is an uphill battle. One of the best evidence based ways to reduce the risk of intervention is to enable labour to begin on its own however women are coerced daily to have their labour induced simply for the fact that they are what’s classified ‘overdue’ without any other pre-existing factors warranting a medical necessity to intervene and so the domino effect of drugs and their side effects begins and from there it is a slippery slope to a very disempowering experience not only for the mother, but her baby and the birthing partner.

Today in Australia 1 in 3 women will experience a birth trauma and 1 in 10 will walk away from her birth with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This means that we are in serious need to not only change the maternity system we are currently in but for this change to happen it needs to come from the consumer and those are the expectant parents. Women and their partners need to get educated on their choices so that they too don’t become a statistic and fall between the cracks and will be able to recall their story with positive memories instead of something that needs to be debriefed with trauma.

That is how Birth Boot Camp came to fruition. Carla Morgan from Birth and Baby Hub and I have developed a new program to educate expectant couple of just that and so much more. When you think of Boot Camp the first thing that comes to mind is muscle exertion to the max, mind over matter mental attitude and your body surpassing what you thought was humanly possible and that is what Birth Boot Camp is developed upon. We aim to inform, empower and provide a wealth of knowledge to women and their partners in an intensive 2-day program beyond no other.

Birth Boot Camp is a childbirth education program developed from our vast experience as childbirth educators that have taken all their learnings from teaching about birth, attending births and their own childbirth experiences to give parents the crucial information they need to know beforehand. When to go to hospital? How do you know if a medical intervention is needed? What do you do if baby is malpositioned? How do you cope with the pain and turn it into power? How can your partner support you to manage it all? What are your birth choices? How can you minimise the chances of having a tear? What can you expect in the postnatal period? And so much more!!

Birth Boot Camp is not about the end result of having a natural birth. It is about have a Positive birth in which mum, dad and baby come out of this birth holistically healthy in both body and mind and can reflect back on their birth with good memories.

“The phrase ‘healthy mum, healthy baby’ actually means ‘alive mum and alive baby’; we MUST have a higher standard than that for birth” ~ Julie Francom

Click here for to learn about Birth Boot Camp

Article written by Moran Liviani (2Life Doula)

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So this bring me to the recent birth of a mama in Melbourne that gave birth to a 6kg baby. Natashia Corrigan gave birth in January of this year to a very big baby however she did it only using gas and her natural body’s ability to birth her baby. She claimed that mind over matter and positive thinking is what got her through. She did have assistance with her baby’s shoulders but that was resolved safely as she had the support of her partner and sister to keep her calm. She wasn’t induced, she wasn’t numbed out, she did it all by herself!! And in today’s medicalised birth era that is pretty spectacular stuff!!

It is true that in around 7-15% of big babies they might have difficulty with the birth of the shoulders but with a well qualified care provider this can be handled well and safely for mother and baby and does not mean that it has to escalate to a medicalised birth or that you need to prebook for an induction or Cesarean.

This isn’t the first I have heard of big babies being born naturally as I’ve had many clients who have birthed 5kg babies with no intervention and even in their own homes but I think its important for women to read stories like these so that they can imprint this into their new belief system in terms of what their body is capable of and discuss their wishes for their birth with their care provider so its a safe and gentle birthing.

Photo credit to:FACEBOOK/NATASHIA CORRIGAN

(Levine et al. 1992; Weeks et al. 1995; Parry et al. 2000; Weiner et al. 2002; Sadeh-Mestechkin et al. 2008; Blackwell et al. 2009; Melamed et al. 2010; Little et al. 2012; Peleg et al. 2015).

(Sadeh-Mestechkin et al. 2008)

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I was that mother that wanted this pain to go away and as I became a mother at the age of 24, I really didn’t comprehend the emotional, physical and mental impact that becoming a mother would take on my body. I also had previous childhood trauma that resurfaced for me at the birth and brought fear head on through my arduous labour process that only exacerbated the way I felt. So, I walked out of the hospital with a newborn baby in my arms and I had no family support, no ‘village’ no postnatal plan and a husband that had to go back to work not long after we brought our baby home and so anxiety crept in which then led to a feeling of constant dread and that’s when depression took hold.

So, I can understand these mothers that want a drug to take this all away and feel ‘normal’ again, I really do!! But is this the answer? I don’t think so. I think we have lost touch with what’s really important and that is giving women that holistic support during her pregnancy and paving the way for her to make a postnatal plan that incorporates her being well nourished, loved, heard, supported and create that ‘village’ beforehand so she has someone to turn to when she may or may not start to feel like it’s all too much. I also fear that this drug eventually will get over prescribed like we do with other interventions in birth where it’s a one stop fix for any mother that says she’s feeling sad instead of looking at the whole picture.

At the moment this drug is only offered intravenously at $34,000 per treatment and because it has such adverse side effects like dizziness and unconsciousness it means that mums would need to be admitted to hospital to be monitored for these effects and in the trials that they did for this drug they had a big placebo group which had promising results themselves so what does that tell us?? I truly believe that if women are given the proper counselling, nourishing food, birth debriefing, breastfeeding support, someone to be there with their baby so they can get sleep and taking care of them in those first 6 weeks at least then we can have healthy mothers in every way. We can have women that can function without drugs to keep them going and that can bond with their babies and most of all be happy functioning women like they should be. Let’s make that change, let’s make those plans in pregnancy so that we aid mothers in every way possible to be the best that they can be.

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‘The first 40 days of life will impact the next 40 years of life’…this is an Indian saying deriving from an ancient tradition in which the minutes, hours, days and weeks following your birth should be spent nourishing your baby and nurturing yourself by having family and friends take care of you so you can rest and recover from the birth of your baby. In sikh practice they believe that when there is less stress on the mother in that crucial post partum period than she is more likely to be able to release the hormones that allow for better bonding and breastfeeding to nourish her baby and to ward off the potential of getting post natal depression.

So it may be impossible and not affordable for some to stay in this confinement for 40 days but are there ways in which we can take note from these traditional practices and incorporate them into our post-partum plan. I thought whom better to ask then the guru of post partum care, a women whom has dedicated her professional work to assisting mums in managing these weeks following the birth so that they feel more confident, less stressed, well nourished and be able to enjoy this post-partum time aka the ‘Fourth Trimester with greater ease. Julia Jones is a well-respected Post Natal Doula who also has a wealth of knowledge in Ayurvedic medicinal care and has even written a recipe book based on the nourishing foods that will assist any mother in the healing process after birth called ‘Nourishing Newborn Mothers’.

Welcome Julia…thank you for your time with me today away from your very busy schedule.

Please tell me a bit about what you do and your experience working with mums?

Julia: I found my passion in postpartum before I was even a mother myself. I travelled in India after I finished University and got really sick, as many people do in India! I discovered traditional Indian medicine, called Ayurveda and I became healthier than I’d ever been.

When I was looking for teachers so I could learn more about Ayurveda I came across Ysha Oakes and she introduced me to the amazing concept of “40 days for 40 years,” meaning postpartum is a life changing experience! An opportunity to reinvent yourself as a mother and woman from the inside out.

I was hooked!

When I had my first baby I realised a lot of the detail I had learned from Ayurveda, about food combinations, and quantities of herbs and timing of medicines was really overwhelming! Baby brain does not deal well with too much information and rules. I felt stressed and overwhelmed.

From there I researched hormones and neuroscience and discovered sooo much amazing research about how a new mothers brain works. Understanding how we change and learn and grow in the postpartum period has really guided my work with Newborn Mothers.

It’s through merging both the scientific and traditional wisdom that I created an entirely new approach to postpartum support that I know teach to hundreds of midwives and doulas all over the world.

Your work is based on ayurvedic traditions, can you please explain a little bit about what ayurvedic medicine can do to aid a new mum in her postnatal care?

Julia: Ayurveda is an elemental science, meaning it is based on concepts of air, ether, earth, water and fire. When a mother gives birth she becomes cold and dry and our work as support people is to warm up Newborn Mothers and bring more juiciness into their lives.

Many, many postpartum traditions from other cultures have similar concepts! Common postpartum therapies include smoking, saunas, soups and belly binding.

In your work with postnatal mums, what do you find is the most challenging aspect for them in their post partum recovery?

Julia: I think the biggest challenge we face know is socially and culturally bound. We no longer have villages to support us and we no longer have realistic expectations of postpartum. These two things combined can make postpartum extremely challenging for new mothers. 80% of new mothers feel exhausted and overwhelmed, two out of three don’t meet their own breastfeeding goals and the leading cause of maternal death is suicide.

Do you find in your work with mums that their birth can affect their post partum recovery and emotional/mental well being?

Julia: Sometimes. It’s not always as related as we’d think. I know women who have had blissful peaceful birth and then their postpartum experience has been a train wreck. I’ve also worked with mothers who have had terrible birth experience and a blissful and peaceful postpartum.

How can a post natal doula assist mums in easier healing and quicker recovery at the post partum period?

Julia: Whilst there are specific food, herbs and therapies that can be really helpful, I actually think that most of the work is internal. Where we really see massive shifts from exhaustion and stress to peace and joy is when we work on a mothers inner world. Deep listening, empathy and companionship are massively important. I also think much of the long term results come from demonstrating to new mothers that self care is not optional, it is essential, and also teaching them how to let go of pride and control and ask for help.

Should mums do a post partum plan like they do their birth plan to be prepared for what’s ahead?

Julia: Absolutely! And same as a birth plan they need to be flexible as circumstances change. I think the core of a postpartum plan should include, at the very least:

• Who will take care of the household? (Shopping, cooking cleaning, school run, appointments, pets)
• Who will take care of mums physical needs? (Postpartum food, herbs, services and therapies)
• Who will take care of mums emotional/spiritual needs? (Friendship, professional support, village building)

 The golden rule of postpartum planning is to do whatever brings the Newborn Mother peace and joy. This may not be what she planned or expected, and can change from day to day. One day mum might want a massage, the next she might be all touched out and want to binge watch Netflix!

What do you think is your best tip for mums preparing for their post partum journey that they can take away with them to make this transition easier?

Julia: Ask for help!!! In traditional cultures babies were seen as a social responsibility, with 8 adults sharing the load of one child. You are not a failure if you share the care of your baby, instead you are a giving your baby a great start in life. A happy mum, and a strong bond with many different people.

Newborn Mother
/n(y)o͞ oˌbôrn ˈməT͟ Hər/ Noun

A recently born mother, whose strength is asking for help. She acknowledges that the birth of a mother is more intense than childbirth, and that she is as sensitive and vulnerable as her baby. Her heart is wide open and her needs are high. As she nourishes herself she nourishes her children.

For more info please head over to Julia’s website 

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Home births were the norm and the way women birthed their babies till the very earliest part of the 20^th century when we started medicalising birth and taking women out of the comfort of their own homes to a medical setting to birth their babies. Obstetrician Michael Rosenthal states “The first intervention in birth, that a healthy woman takes, is when she walks out the front door of her home, in labour”  This is where women feel the safest and where birth is undisturbed which allows the hormonal orchestration to take place to aid us in achieving a progressive and safe birth. According to the research we know that home birth with a midwife is considered safe for low risk mums, so why are we denying them this right? The answer doesn’t lie in criticising women who choose to have a ‘Free Birth’ but rather why is the maternity system so flawed that women feel like they have no choice BUT to have a ‘Free Birth’ as their options are so limited if they want to birth at home. As a Doula I do not attend mothers in labour when they choose to have a ‘Free Birth’ because that would be out of my scope of practice but I am not here to judge them on that choice but rather I question the lack of support they did not receive leading them to this decision. I myself chose to have a ‘Free Birth’ with my second birth and so I know first hand what Jessie went through and that this decision doesn’t come lightly.

Thank you Jessie for taking the time to speak with me and letting us get to know the woman behind the controversial video. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background…

I was born and grew up in Byron Bay, Northern New South Wales on an organic farm which my parents still live at and operate, a place I love going home to. I am the eldest of 4 children – our parents are amazing role models and very hardworking people. My parents encouraged us to be healthy and active and taught us the importance of having a good work ethic. I was milking goats and picking raspberries and macadamias before the school day! I was brought up to believe in my ability and that I was strong and capable by my incredible mother. I finished school and completed my Bachelor of Photography, majoring in Photojournalism and after work and travel settled in Port Douglas with my photographic business and amazing husband, and now our daughter Mahli.

When you found out you were pregnant, what were your initial thoughts regarding what you wanted for your birthing? And at what point did you start taking the steps to actively think seriously about what your birth would be like?

I was extremely excited when I discovered I was pregnant. This was just two weeks after conception. We had had a number of early miscarriages and to begin with and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. At first I didn’t even want to sneeze as I had this overwhelming feeling of protection and caution but the more tests I did showing that I was still pregnant the happier, more excited and I began to experience a huge respect for my body. At her 6 week scan when we saw her heartbeat I fell so in love with her and was so proud of her, I felt like we could breathe normally again – and that was the beginning of an amazing, enjoyable pregnancy. Ironically, my husband and I initially discussed an elective C-Section as soon as she was full term (38 weeks) due to him working away and potentially not being present for her birth. I looked at the risks and benefits and quickly realised that this was not the experience I wanted for myself or baby. I had to take into consideration that Brett would have to leave soon after the birth and I didn’t have family close by to help look after baby & I during the recovery period. I also learnt about the benefits of a vaginal birth for baby, mum and dad. So instead I began searching for a Doula who could be my birth support should Brett not have been there.

Did you do any childbirth education or preparation? Did you read any childbirth related books; did you speak with any care providers? Did you consider having a Doula?

I had private insurance so found an obstetrician to share our journey with. We were given the option of shared care by our GP because our nearest Obstetrician was over an hour away. We were denied a screening test and scan by our GP as we had elected NIPT, this caused us some stress and was our first experience of being told what we were ‘allowed’ to do and not having our needs and wants heard. For the sake of continuity of care from then on we visited the Obstetrician only and registered to have our baby with the private hospital he worked with. At 32 weeks we attended the first Antenatal class, the first question I was asked when we arrived was if I was booked in for a C-Section. At that point I had began my Hypnobabies program and was focused on a vaginal birth. The classes took us through 1st, 2nd and 3rd stage of birth and what was available to us for each stage including medication to augment labour and for pain relief. I also did private antenatal classes with my Doula (Shelly Langford) who spoke more about how your natural beta endorphins, given the chance work in harmony with your body to keep you happy, relaxed and explained how this also helped reduce pain. Among many of the books she loaned me was “The Down to Earth Birth Book” by Jenny Blyth which furthered my belief that I was capable to birth my baby through intuition and listening to my body. I was fit, healthy, had a lot of information on Mahli’s growth, position and overall health – she was very predictable and I was considered a low risk pregnancy with no medical issues of my own. I felt so great that I even photographed a wedding the day before her due date. I was thankful that she was 1 week late as it finally gave me a week to relax, focus and prepare all the smaller details.

What then brought you to the decision you made to have an unassisted birth at home?

I was part of a fantastic new program offered by the private hospital called Know Your Midwife. This was where you were allocated a Midwife that you could meet with and talk to at any point through your pregnancy and who would likely be present for the birth. Sadly our hospital couldn’t offer waterbirth, they had baths that you could labour in but you could not birth in. We didn’t want to be in the situation where we arrived at the hospital which was over an hour away only to be turned away so we had always planned to labour at home for as long as possible. I asked about the ‘rest and be thankful’ stage between 1st and 2nd stage and while one midwife said she believes completely in this stage in birth and life another indicated that it could be considered failure to progress. This is when I knew I wanted to give my body the best chance of a physiological birth with zero intervention. I didn’t want the pressure of time constraints as this causes stress that can stall birth. I wanted an undisturbed birth, I didn’t want my focus broken with the beeping of machines, bright lights and monitoring. Knowing that I was born in 1 hour 20, my husband and I realized that this could also be a possibility and we may not even make it to hospital so this would be when we started to seriously look at the possibility of a homebirth in the event that this became a reality. I started obsessively researching what risks were associated with this and what benefits, if any there were. This is where my doula presented me with many studies and evidence based research on the safety and benefits of labouring in a place you feel safe, loved and supported. How it allowed your endorphins and other important hormones to flow, how an intervention free birth could give your body the best chance of a physiological birth. We also had confronting and challenging conversations about what complication could arise. While she was happy to support any informed choice I made on birth and location she stressed that this was our decision and we were responsible for any complications as she was not medically trained or covered by insurance to assist. I exhausted all avenues of fnding an independent Midwife to be present while I laboured in case our labour was quick. This is when I discovered that there were no private midwives practicing in our region. This is when the next part of my research began, to learn what could go wrong and the likelihood of it. While I could never replace having an experienced midwife, I learned everything I could about infant resuscitation, steps to take with fetal distress, cord prolapse, transverse baby, shock, bleeding, shoulder dystocia and when emergency transfer was necessary. I was confident that Shelly with her experience of attending many births including bush births, freebirth, homebirths and hospital births and reading women’s body, movements and listening to her sounds and her training would recognise and training would make sure my emergency birth plan would be followed and carried through – we were to err on the side of caution. When I did go into labour we called the hospital so that they were aware and ready for us and my hospital bag had been packed the week before but our intuition was right and Mahli was born 23 minutes after her waters broke.

Was it only you and your husband present? How did your partner feel about that in the lead up to the birthing day and on the day? Did you feel he was well equipped with enough knowledge in the event that things didn’t go to plan? Or how best to support you?

It was my Doula Shelly, my husband Brett and amazingly our puppies (my beautiful purring cat had not left my side either) present for the birth. I remember asking my husband early in the pregnancy what he would do when my waters broke and his answer was to call an ambulance, at the time Brett and I both believed that the safest place to birth was in hospital and it is for some women. While one of my sisters and I were born full term and healthily, my youngest sister and brother were each born at 28 weeks. Homebirths, freebirths and even waterbirths are definitely not for everyone but the more research we did the more I trusted we were making the right decisions and the more Brett trusted my body. He understood that being in the private, safe, familiarity of your home played such a huge part in the birth process. He was happy to support my wishes in any way he could. I prepared two birth manuals for him, one contained what I would be going through during each stage and what he could do to help support me and the other contained information and steps to take in case of an emergency. As it turned out the day started like any other day – our air-conditioning had blown up so Brett was busy with the tradesmen, he would come to check in on me, dance with me, feed me, hold me and kiss me. I did not realise I was in actual labour (I didn’t experience contractions, just some pressure in my back) which I was trying to dance out. I told him not to call Shelly yet who was to labour with me at home as I felt I was a long way off the actual birth and I didn’t want her to drive all the way here until we were closer. He had his own intuition and called anyway, luckily as soon after Shelly arrived my waters broke.

Why did you choose to video the birth and then share it on social media?

As Shelly knew my wishes for an undisturbed birth she remained unobtrusive but offered water, massage and support when her instincts felt they were needed. Our photographer didn’t make it either so once I was in our bath Shelly picked our camera up and filmed our birth for us. Again another reason why I love her, she knew how important this was for me. Thanks to the article in the Daily Telegraph that criticised our decision to birth the way we did a lot of people believe the false information it contained and think that I am a ‘mummy blogger’ who shared our birth on Instagram. I actually haven’t. The way it came about was I had purchased some teas, tinctures and oils from another Doula and Herbalist in Melbourne, Julie Bell from Blissful Herbs in preparation for Mahli’s birth and I contacted her to tell her I had gifted a friend of mine some of the teas and herbs who had recently given birth and her feedback was that they brought her so much comfort and relief. She asked how Mahli’s birth was and I told her she was welcome to watch the movie. She viewed it and got back to me full of emotion. She was so happy and so proud that we had followed our instincts and had the beautiful birth that we did. She asked if she could share 60 seconds of it on her instagram page. I visited her page and found that it is a birth education platform – of all types of births. I had spent hours watching birth videos and live births during our pregnancy and wanted to ‘give back’ in a way to help other mums who were taking the time to research birth and their choices, options and to see that it does not have to be feared. That it can be a beautiful, amazing, rite of passage. An incredible and enjoyable experience. I spoke to my husband and we both agreed for it to be shared.

Were you surprised by the feedback that you received from the video? How do you feel about the feedback that you’ve received from TV reporters and the public in general to you have an unassisted home birth?

I hadn’t used instagram much up until that point and decided to download it onto my phone. I opened it up to find so many notifications that this 60 second clip had been ‘reposted’. The comments and shares were so positive and I received many messages from women thanking me for showing them that birth can be an enjoyable experience. So many of them had experienced birth trauma or birth rape and were pregnant and terrified to birth again. They didn’t realise they didn’t have a choice during pregnancy and birth. They just did what they were told even if it was against their wishes or natural instinct. I was surprised at the many different pages it was reaching but all of the comments were so supportive and positive. It wasn’t until The Daily Telegraph wrote their piece on it using false information and my words out of context that came from an email answering the reporters questions. This is where things spiraled a little out of control. Once the media (Social and TV) picked up on this article is when the criticism began. I began receiving messages in the early morning of August 14th asking if I knew we were on TV. Friends were sending me videos they had recorded of the segments and I was trying to delete all the tags and posts to my page on social media. I was feeling embarrassed and humiliated about the false information that was being spread about me and hurt by the hateful and angry comments which came from a place of fear, because we are made to think that all births are a medical emergency that need to be managed. I was called reckless and selfish. I was mortified that the most incredible, humbling, empowering moment of our lives was being used at click bait and sensationalised. I was being accused of many things but the saddest of all was that I was giving an unrealistic expectation of birth! Because I gave birth vaginally and peacefully in the privacy of my home. I did not expect such a normal, natural thing like our birth to receive so much attention: negative or positive. It was special to us but I didn’t at the time think it would be such a point of interest to so many. It has raised so many issues like WHY we free birthed, WHY we were forced to free birth, WHY do we have no access to an independent midwife? WHAT would have happened had we not prepared for an unassisted birth. I’ve discovered that there is a whole underbelly of birth professionals who are illegally assisting free births because if they don’t, no one will. WHY isn’t there a service to support a woman’s informed decision. WHY is it assumed that every birth must be managed? WHY are we working from the bottom up instead of the top down when it comes to the services that each individual woman will require? WHY are there so many countries in which homebirth is considered normal. WHY do people believe the safest place to birth is hospital – babies and women die in hospital as well. WHY aren’t women who trust their bodies, trusted? WHY is birth so feared? WHY couldn’t my hospital accommodate my birth wishes? Every woman has a legal right to have choice and autonomy over their body and baby during pregnancy, labour and birth, why don’t women KNOW this? I think it was irresponsible of the reporters to highlight their personal belief that I was creating an unrealistic expectation of birth – they preyed on the vulnerability of every mother and father who has experienced birth and affirm their fear around birth and inspire hate in them, to demonise and criticise our decision and to have our intelligence insulted and not verify the facts with me before airing a small glimpse of our birth video. And that’s all it was – a small glimpse – you can not tell from a 60 second video all the research and thought that went into our decision. Instead of reporting the real facts around the benefits of home and water births. Where is their duty of care? Where is their Code of Ethics? What if as well as being isolated I was suffering PND. What could this kind of negativity do to a new mum? Looking back at your experience and the decision you made to have an unassisted home birth do you think you would’ve done anything differently? And would you do anything different if you were to have more children in the future? There was a moment during all of this attention that I questioned what happened. Should we have gone to hospital at the first moment I thought I was in labour? Looking back at our experience I can confidently say that I was informed, made an educated decision based on research and evidence and we 100% did the right thing in planning for a potential unassisted birth. I can say with 100% certainly that we would not have had the same experience in hospital. I didn’t turn my back on the hospital, I wasn’t using our birth to make a statement. It was a decision we arrived at after spending a lot of time having conversations and doing an obsessive amount of research on. t was a ‘what if’ that turned into a reality. If baby or I were suffering exhaustion, or if I was in any kind of pain or distress or if it looked like complications were starting to arise then we would have gone to hospital. I was listening to my body, I felt safe and supported and as a result we had a very quick, easy birth that did not require medical assistance. Do I think it is an unrealistic expectation of birth. No. Is it for everyone? Defnitely not. Would I promote free birthing? No – it is an individual decision based on many factors. I wouldn’t have done anything different. We would love to have another baby. We don’t know if free birthing will be an avenue we will be forced into again or if we will have more options when that time comes. I do know that I will assess our options and make the safest decision. We didn’t just have birth goals we did everything we could to help facilitate the birth we had.

If you wanted to say anything as a takeaway message for expectant mothers what would that be? This is your time to voice your opinion as an empowered woman and mother and I want you to have a chance to let your story be heard. In your opinion should women have the choice to have an unassisted birth at home without be criticised for it?

I can’t speak for women who free birth by choice as we were forced into an unassisted birth. Women have the choice of an elective C-Section – they weigh up the risks and benefits and are supported in their decision. WHY aren’t women who choose to have homebirths also supported? Every pregnancy and birth is unique to the one before and the one that will come after. All of the WHY’s are not the fault of midwives. Midwives are amazing but their hands are tied when it comes to homebirths. They don’t have any support. Even within the hospital they are bound by the outdated policies that make up the red tape. Being registered with a private hospital came statistically with a higher rate of a C-Section. I was low risk with a very normal pregnancy but still they insisted in a cannula and could not let me birth in the bath. Birth is becoming so medicated – I am very ft, I am healthy, I’m strong. I know my body was made to birth my baby, I believed in myself and my ability and had no doubt as this is the way I was raised. If I had any instinct telling me otherwise I would have continue with the hospital despite my birth wishes. I did everything I possibly could to prepare myself for birth. Everything. I used every available resource: my doula, the hospital, evidence based research to prepare for the likelihood that we would be birthing at home and I am so glad I did. I can’t speak for anyone else and I can’t promote that homebirth, freebirth and waterbirth is for everyone (and I never have) but I hope out of all of this it helps women to realise it is their legal right to have choice and autonomy of body and baby during pregnancy and birth. Learn about how equipped your body is to birth. Learn what happens when your endorphins run wild! Birth does not have to be feared and it does not have to be traumatic. They can give their body every chance of a beautiful birth. Women who say they don’t have a birth plan because whatever is going to happen will should take their power back. Research what options you have, and whatever decision you make, whether it is a physiological birth in or out of hospital, a birth with all the ‘bells and whistles’, a C-Section, a homebirth or a free birth KNOW that it is your legal right to have choice and fnd someone who will support your informed decisions. Yes there can be complications and some in some instances births do need to be managed and in many cases it is the best option, for those we have the privilege of amazing medical care but it shouldn’t be considered a blanket medical procedure. Let’s not assume that it has to be for everyone. Why is it assumed we can’t birth our own babies? Why can’t we be given the chance to just do it on our own? And then have plans in place if there are complications. Every woman remembers the way she was made to feel during pregnancy and birth. This can have a lasting affect on her psychologically, not just in the days and months to follow but for the rest of her life. As my Doula Shelly said “We need to seriously look beyond just achieving a live baby and mother at the end of birth, for a better future and humanity we need to look at what the mother has to go through to truly achieve a healthy and safe outcome for both her baby and herself…it is her instincts and innate knowledge that drives her to seek out the safest way and place to birth her baby, but it’s the support she receives on whether she achieves a truly healthy outcome that she will be satisfied and happy with for the rest of her life”. We also need to advocate for the obligations governments have to provide maternity care that is accessible and affordable to meet women’s right to birth where she feels safest and provide medical assistance where necessary.

I have a video link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01vg1F0CfGg&feature=youtu.be ) reply to the Media that incorrectly told my story and a link to the petition

(https://www.change.org/p/the-dailytelegraph-and-today-show-apologise-and-report-the-facts-about-birthing-at-homerecruiter=85780088&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_sms_responsive) calling for an apology and the opportunity to be interviewed to tell my story and discuss the bigger issues surrounding birthing at home. There are almost 2000 signatures.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742137/

The post ‘Free Birth’ The Story Behind The Headline appeared first on 2Life Doula.

But some of the common interventions women get told about are induction of labour, epidurals, artificial rupture of membranes and so forth but no one really can prepare you to the full extent of the bombardment of the vaginal examination on admission to hospital which until a women is presented with that pressure at that moment she has no idea what awaits her in the refusal of that ‘holier than thou’ exam that they put so much emphasis on.

Apart from the obvious of who the hell wants to be lying on their back in midst of active labour for them to get an accurate assessment to what is this number really going to tell them but what is my cervix doing right here right now. We are already sending this mum the message of we know your body better than you do.

But a new phenomenon I feel has crept its head as of late and become quite more common from I’ve witnessed in Queensland maternity care and that is midwives and doctors refusing mum a room unless she gets this exam which is in itself unethical, a violation of her human rights and places a woman in a vulnerable position to give in to the higher power when she really doesn’t want to but is faced with the thought that if she doesn’t do this they will send her home.

According to the most recent ‘Queensland Clinical Guidelines’ parent information booklet it states; “It is important to remember that you always have the right to say no or to ask for more information about how your labour is progressing. In some hospitals, if you choose not to have a VE, you may be asked to document this decision.”

So why aren’t women told this and then coerced to just have the exam or else!

All I have to say to this is please get EDUCATED ahead of the birth and have someone there to advocate for you as you will not be in a position to do so yourself and you shouldn’t have to!! So yes vaginal examinations is an intervention that is not necessary on admission for every low risk mum, women need to trust themselves and what their body is telling them as that’s what physiological undisturbed birth is all about.

The post Vaginal examinations in labour, is it an intervention? appeared first on 2Life Doula.

So where can dads reach out and speak to other dads and get informed, connected and prepared on all things birthy ahead of this momentous day? Here are my top 5 dad websites, Facebook groups and blogs that can begin dads on their journey…

1. Becoming Dad ~  This is a website and Facebook page for expectant and new fathers to be engaged, educated, mentored and supported during pregnancy, as they prepare to be present at birth, the role of fatherhood and the transformational changes that they will experience in their lives as men, partners and fathers. It was founded by Darren Mattock whom is a birth activist, educator and writer. They have a closed Facebook page exclusively just for dads to be able to share in a safe space. Click here for the Becoming Dad Website and Facebook Page.
2. The Peaceful Papa ~  This is a blog website and Facebook page. Peaceful Papa discusses gentle parenting, respecting a child’s autonomy and treating them as the awesome humans they are. It’s about being respectful to their needs, being understanding of their behaviour and disciplining based on connection, not punishment. Click here for The Peaceful Papa blog and Facebook page.
3. How to be a dad ~  Charlie Capen & Andy Herald are two sleep-deprived dads from Southern California whom are trying to figure out the dad thing with everyone else. They use humour on their journey of learning and share their experiences along the way. Click here for their website and Facebook page.
4. Don’t Forget Dads ~  This is a wonderful Facebook and Instagram page dedicated to dad posts and pics which really display the bonding connection dads have with their kids.  Click here for the Facebook and Instagram pages.
5. Savvy Daddy ~  This is a community orientated website and Facebook page dedicated to dads. The website contains hundreds of articles specifically for dads from how do deal with your daughter’s first period to how to raise kids of integrity to how to get your toddler to sleep in his own bed. Click here for the website and Facebook page.

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That’s how you prepared, that’s how you programmed your mind to think of that day and there is nothing wrong with that visualisation. You did everything from attending every prenatal yoga class to HypnoBirthing , to preparing a very detailed list of your birth preferences but then you went into labour by a trickle of a water with no sign of a contraction in sight. The hours pass by and nothing! And you get anxious and are mindful that you’re on a clock that in your mind feels like it’s ticking like a time bomb to have this baby.

So your birth ended being induced, the waves of contraction over contraction was too much to bare and you asked for much needed relief in an epidural which immobilised you so the active labour you dreamed of is a bit out of reach and then you end up with your legs in stirrups with a cheering squad going ‘push’ and you feel as though you’ve lost all control and give in to the powers at hand to get your baby out for you.

How did this cascade out of control you ask? How come your left holding this baby now and feeling like all the energy has been sucked away from you? Your mothering wasn’t supposed to start out like this!

You did everything you needed to prepare for this day! How did this birth turn out completely opposite to what you imagined? Well from my own experience in having a birth quite similar to this and from the countless women I have worked with I am here to tell you that this birthing journey may have been prevented or at least you could have mentally prepared yourself better for the day and the journey you were about to embark on.

I have been blessed to guide women through many birthing experiences, some very natural and some with quite high intervention.   The common theme among them all is that they were able to walk away from their births recounting it as a positive memory rather than a traumatic day in their lives.

So what did they do to prepare for a Positive Birth? These are the 5 things that I recommend every women do prenatally to enable herself to have a Positive Birthing experience…

• Find a supportive care provider

A care provider will have a great deal of influence on how your birthing day plays out. Your medical care provider, whether that’s your OB or Midwife will be the one in charge of your care and he/she will have a major impact on what if any medical interventions you will need during your birth based on their policies. If you come to your care provider with your birth preferences and they seem uncomfortable with your choices for your birth, you then need to ask WHY? If their recommendation isn’t evidenced based then you need to question that! If you feel there are too many red flags in your way than you have the right to choose a care provider that better suits you and your choices. Do not think that on the day your care provider will suddenly be in line with what your wanting, as most likely that will not be the case.

• Get your partner educated on birth!

This is such an important aspect of your birth. You might think that because you’re the one birthing your baby that he doesn’t need to know the ins and outs of the birthing process, your birthing choices and the evidence behind common medical interventions but you are WRONG! Your partner has a HUGE part to play on your birthing day and if you include him fully and wholly in the process prenatally he will be your best advocate, your greatest support and your partner will feel at ease when you go into labour that they will be relaxed which in turn will make you relaxed.

• Get YOURSELF educated!!

Don’t just go with the flow attitude and expect your day to be bliss. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. Take the time and money to invest in childbirth education classes, just like you did in buying the flashiest pram on the market. You not only need to be educated on the physiology of your birth hormones so that you can enable them to aid you to progress in your labour, but also learn about what hinders those same hormones to give yourself the best chances of having a safer and easier birthing day. Childbirth education will also teach you how to relax the body prior to your birthing day so it’s a natural instinctual response when you go into labour. And one of the most important things you will learn in your classes is about your choices in birth because you have so many and unfortunately you are not told your evidenced based options if you don’t seek them out. If you are not aware of your choices than you don’t have any and that can completely change your birth!!

• Watch birthing videos with your partner.

Now I’m not talking about One born every minute type of videos. I am talking about birthing videos that depict what birth truly looks like. It will give you the confidence to see that many women have done this before you and that there is nothing different between their ability to birth their babies to you. It will also show you the difference between early labour to active labour and the way a woman vocalizes, moans and becomes very primal in her labour. This will show you and your partner that this is normal for these birth sounds to happen and will only enable you to release more for you and the baby.

• The most crucial component of having a positive birth is the way that you FEEL on your birthing day and to let go of the expectations that you’ve held for yourself.

Surround yourself with people that make you feel loved and cared for. Yes you’ve had it set in your mind that you wouldn’t get an epidural but there is NOTHING wrong if you did get one as long as it was an informed choice that you made and you didn’t feel like you were being pressured or stressed into anything. Remember this…This is YOUR BIRTH!

I remember that my biggest lesson that I learned during my first birth was that birth is a mental mind game and it doesn’t just take great physical endurance to get you through. You could be in the greatest physical shape but if your mind is not ready and prepared for this day than it will knock you down. Mental preparation is key to a good birthing experience.

Remember that you are strong and you are capable of making this a beautiful memory to hold on to but it is up to you to do that.

*** Great Resource to check out to tone your mind and body in preparation for pregnancy, birth and postpartum ….

12 Point Checklist for a Smooth Pregnancy and Healthy Baby – Infographic

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What the F@#% is HypnoBirthing?

So the mother of your unborn child has told you she wants to learn HypnoBirthing. You reply with Hypno What?

I get it. It sounds strange and if you’re like most people, your only experience of hypnosis is people embarrassing the shit out of themselves up on stage clucking like a chicken or being told they are eating apples when they are really eating onions.

Hypnosis for having a baby is TOTALLY different and actually really amazing. But I understand you have questions. You’re human!

First up, what do you have to do?

I’m guessing you’re a good guy and want to support your partner through this process as best you can. During the course you will learn tons of easy techniques to help get your partner to relax, breathe properly and reduce pain during the labour.

You will also learn how to communicate like a pro with the staff who are looking after you guys.

Your partner needs to concentrate 100% on having this baby so that leaves you to do all the talking which means understanding what’s important to you both.

More classes, seriously?

Eeeek, I’m sorry!! I know the idea of going to up to 10 birth classes at the hospital and with me can seem like madness but trust me, what you’ll learn during our course will change this birth for the better.

Hospital classes have their place for those that are interested in the medical side of birth whereas HypnoBirthing is all about techniques to reduce stress and tension and therefore pain!

I focus a lot on education too but keep it really basic and easy to understand. I decode all the medical lingo, which will leave you feeling really empowered and understanding your options.

I’m not sure how I feel about hypnosis? Do I have to join in?

In our first class I go through all the myths about hypnosis and explain that its just being in a nice, relaxed state. We start with a light relaxation in the first session and proceed to deeper states in later sessions.

Hypnosis is great for stress and sleeping and the feedback I get is that partners are calmer at work, driving and sleep better! Its also awesome if you can get an understanding of the state your partner needs to be in during labour.

When you are hypnotized you are conscious, consenting, fully in control, comfortably relaxed and aware of your surroundings and what it happening. You are not under my control and won’t do or say anything you don’t want to. If you have any questions about hypnosis, we can chat before the session starts.

Is this all just weird hippy stuff or can you back it up with science?

I have lots of research papers I’m happy to share with you but the game changer for most partners seems to be the first session. I talk a lot about the body, the nervous system and how the uterus and hormones work in labour.

This isn’t new age or alternative, it’s really just going back to basics and understanding how the body works naturally.

I reckon I’ll be a great support to my partner regardless. What will I get from this course?

I love that you’re confident. You’re already half way there to being the support your partner needs. You also need how to be her polite, non-confrontational advocate and protector.

Remember, birth is an intense experience and you may not have seen your partner give birth before. I truly believe that you can’t over-prepare for birth but you can certainly under-prepare.

Plus the skills you’ll learn are for life. The relaxation and breathing techniques are sooo good for you and the negotiation skills you’ll learn are useful for heaps of scenarios.

The Big One. The Money! What is this going to cost me you say!

Having a baby is bloody expensive. There just seems to be one purchase after another and all you’re probably thinking about is your partner taking time off work soon.

I understand, I truly do but something else that costs a lot is a really crappy birth experience. In Australia 30% of women are traumatised by their birth experience, which can lead to Post Natal Depression (15% of mums and 10% of dads). You can imagine how awful this would make those first few months, when it should be a special and exciting (and tiring) time.

Think about any big event in your life, your 21st, your 30th, your wedding. Think about the time, energy and money went into planning that event. Why did you do that? Because you knew you would remember that event forever.

This event you will also remember forever but in a much more primal way. Your partner will also remember this birth forever, how she felt, how she was supported and what was said to her.

Why not do all in your power to stack the odds in your favour that it will be a positive memory you’ll hold forever?

The post What the F@#% is HypnoBirthing? appeared first on 2Life Doula.

Dads, if you’re feeling sceptical about hiring a doula, wondering if a doula is worth the investment, or worried that a doula may replace you, check out these 3 ways doulas help dads at birth:

#1: Doulas empower you to play your role at birth with more knowledge, skill and confidence

Dads and doulas make a great team – you’re both key members of the birth team and doulas know how important you are. Part of their job is help you be the best birth support partner you can be and to have the best experience of birth you can have.

As someone who is knowledgeable about birth, they know what you need to know to help you as a dad to be ‘birth ready’. They also know what skills you need to have to play your role at birth effectively to make a positive difference for your birthing partner and to help create the best possible outcomes.

Most importantly, your doula will help you find your place of “I can do this!”, so that you feel safe and confident with your birth plan and your role before you’re called to play it during labour and birth. Your doula is a faith-builder who’ll encourage and support you to get there. Not just mum or you as a couple – but also you as a dad.

#2: Doulas are another set of hands and another advocate in your corner

The most important thing that a dad can bring to the birth space is presence. One of the greatest benefits of having a doula on your birth team is that they are another set of hands. And not just any set, but a skilled and caring set.

That’s right – you won’t have to be ‘the everything guy’ at birth. You can split roles so that everything is covered and taken care of. The beauty of this is that you don’t have to leave your labouring partner’s side to go get that drink, fetch that heat pack, warm that towel, fix a snack or anything like that – if you choose. Your doula can help take care of these things quietly and confidently in the background while you stay right in there with your partner, giving her the love, support and encouragement she needs to keep labouring and birthing. Your connection isn’t constantly broken and she can feel completely safe knowing you’re there with her every step of the way.

Importantly, your doula is a trained birth professional and can help you make sense of what’s happening in the moment, translating medical jargon and helping you to advocate for birth choices based your birth plan by informing and supporting you.

#3: Doulas are there to back you up, too!

Who’s got your back during birth, dad? Have you given this any thought yet? This is another huge benefit of having a doula on board – they totally have your back!

If you have a long labour and need to tag out for a while to have snack, break or even a short nap, your doula can step in to provide the support your birthing partner needs while you step out for some necessary and vital self-care.

Also, if any stage during labour or birth you feel overwhelmed and need a time-out to regather and re-centre, your doula can take over in an instant. You’ll also have someone asking if you’re ok and what you need in order to feel safe to step back in to play your planned role. This can be a real game-changer for dads and also for the entire birth experience. Doulas can and do make that huge difference for so many dads!

Perhaps of greatest peace of mind for dads is having someone else there if things don’t go to plan. Practically, mentally and emotionally. Birth doesn’t always go to plan and I know that most dads hold a fear of their partner and baby being harmed during birth. I’m not wanting or trying to play on that fear by advocating for doulas here. Rather, my intention is to highlight the simple truth that a doula will worth their weight in gold in the event that you’re in high-stress situation and need back up.

…

Doulas are one of the best choices and investments you’ll make on your journey to becoming parents – without doubt or question. Your birth experience and story lives with you forever. It’s one of the peak experiences of our lives. We might as well make it as amazing as we can, right?!

Congratulations on becoming a dad! Wishing you an awesome becoming dad moment and journey. If you’re considering hiring a doula, you’re off to a great start.

Darren Mattock ~ Becoming Dad

The post 3 Ways Doulas Help Dads At Birth appeared first on 2Life Doula.