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Acute fatty liver of pregnancy Advanced maternal age Babies with special needs Baby loss and still birth Birth centre births Birth trauma Breastfeeding Breech Caesarean sections Calmbirth Chronic illness Covid birth Donor Conceived Doula Ectopic pregnancy En caul Endometriosis First Trimester Gestational diabetes Heterotopic pregnancy Home birth Hyperemesis gravidarum Hypnobirth Incompetent cervix Induced lactation Inductions Intervention free IVF/Fertility treatment Marginal cord insertion Mastectomy Maternal assisted c-section Maternal assisted caesareans MGP Miscarriage MRKH Multiples NIPT PCOS Perineal trauma Placenta Previa Post Partum Haemorrhage (PPH)Postpartum Uncovered Mini Series Pre and postnatal depression and anxiety Preeclampsia Preterm birth Prolapse Queer Couples Retained Placenta Second infertility Solo parenthood Spontaneous labour Student midwife Subchorionic haematoma Surrogacy Teenage pregnancy Termination Trisomy 13 Type 1 diabetes Undiagnosed pregnancy Vaginismus VBAC Waterbirth View All
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What is infertility?

The Two Week Wait

What is infertility?The Two Week Wait 10 Questions To Ask Your Care Provider What Is Conscious Conception 5 Things To Do Before You Conceive Get to Know Your Menstrual Cycle Ovulation
Pregnancy
Pregnancy

What is low PAPP-A?

Gestational Diabetes (GD)

What is low PAPP-A?Gestational Diabetes (GD)What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)?Four Amazing Things Your Body Does in Pregnancy Braxton Hicks vs Real Contractions Miles Circuit Placenta-Previa What is Precipitous Labour?Pregnancy Pillow Prenatal versus Postnatal Supplements. What’s the Difference?Why are prenatal vitamins so important in pregnancy?Early signs of pregnancy Perineum Massage How to Navigate Paid Parental Leave and Childcare Subsidies Five Things You Need to Know About Private Maternity Care Budgeting for a Baby Your Pregnancy Care Options Common Symptoms in Early Pregnancy You’re Pregnant! What Comes Next?What is Informed Choice?Pregnancy After Miscarriage: What you need to know Bleeding In Pregnancy Implantation Bleeding Hyperemisis Gravidarum (HG)Hydration In Pregnancy The Last Days Of Pregnancy Endometriosis And Pregnancy Endometriosis And Pregnancy Risk Baby Movements In Pregnancy What is an Ectopic Pregnancy Pregnancy Fatigue What is a Doula and how can you hire one?
Birth
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Birthing Ball for Labour

Birth Trauma

Birthing Ball for Labour Birth Trauma Episiotomy How to Prepare for a Positive Induction When Should I Go To Hospital?Six things you may not know about the hours after a caesarean birth What is Informed Choice?Five Positive Birth Stories to Inspire You The Benefits Of Delayed Cord Clamping Birthing Your Placenta : Active Management versus Physiological Management Induction How to Breathe in Labour 5 Signs of Early Labour Where Should I Give Birth?How To Choose A Birth Course What Is A VBAC Birth?What Is An Emergency Caesarean?
Postpartum
Postpartum

Caesarean Birth Recovery

How to Plan Sleep in Postpartum

Caesarean Birth Recovery How to Plan Sleep in Postpartum What is a C-Section Shelf?Postpartum Essentials to Aid Your Recovery Breast Engorgement Mastitis How to Access Breastfeeding, Sleep and Mental Health Support in Postpartum Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH)A Guide to Packing Your Nappy Bag Everything You Need to Know About “Baby Brain”Essentials for The Fourth Trimester Your Essential Needs in Postpartum Get to know your pelvic floor What To Expect in the Fourth Trimester How to Plan for Postpartum A Quick Guide to Breastfeeding What To Expect at Your 6-week Postnatal Check Are you a new parent? Here’s 3 Unexpected but Normal Baby Quirks When To Stop Breastfeeding Understanding Vaginal Prolapse After Birth 5 Common Postpartum Experiences Introducing Siblings Postpartum Rest

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I’d love to hear your birth story – simply fill in the form provided. We receive several hundred stories a week, so there may be a delay in getting back to you about your story.

If you’d like to reach out about something else, please visit our Contact page.

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Acute fatty liver of pregnancy

Advanced maternal age

Babies with special needs

Baby loss and still birth

Birth centre births

Birth trauma

Breastfeeding

Breech

Caesarean sections

Calmbirth

Covid birth

Doula

Ectopic pregnancy

En caul

Endometriosis

Gestational diabetes

Heterotopic pregnancy

Home birth

Hyperemesis gravidarum

Hypnobirth

Incompetent cervix

Induced lactation

Inductions

IVF/Fertility treatment

Marginal cord insertion

Mastectomy

Maternal assisted c-section

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MRKH

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NIPT

PCOS

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Preterm birth

Prolapse

Queer Couples

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Subchorionic haematoma

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Trisomy 13

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Undiagnosed pregnancy

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If you’re recovering from a caesarean birth (c-section) it’s helpful to remember that your body needs to heal after major abdominal surgery. Caesarean births are common (roughly one in three in Australia) but significant surgery requires adequate recovery time. Here’s what you can expect in your caesarean recovery.

Granted, it’s not easy to recover from a caesarean and take care of your newborn; lifting, twisting and feeding can be awkward and painful. The best advice we can give you is take it slow; you need to prioritise rest for the first few weeks, at least. Your body has worked so hard to bring your baby into the world and it continues to do all the vital work of repairing and healing so you can move confidently into parenthood.

Everyone’s birth experience is different and the same goes for recovery. Generally we’ve been told that six weeks is the end goal for recovery but this isn’t quite true. Yes, by six weeks you’ll generally feel much stronger but your body still has months and years of healing ahead. A caesarean requires the cutting and stitching of seven layers of fat and connective tissue which can take up to two years to completely heal. There is no bouncing back to before; the only way is forwards, starting with small steps and lots of rest.

Read more on our blog on australianbirthstories.com

📷@australianbirthstories

“I wish someone had told me!” It’s a phrase uttered by countless women after they give birth for the first time.

But imagine if someone told you everything you need to know about pregnancy and birth, and they did it in a kind, gentle and conversational way so you were encouraged and inspired on every page.

My new book, The Complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth, shares the wisdom of women’s birth stories alongside expert advice from a range of perinatal health specialists. It takes you from pre-conception, through the three trimesters of pregnancy and into labour, birth and early postpartum.

On every page this book reminds you that your pregnancy matters, your labour matters, your birth matters.

And you matter. That’s why I encourage you to take care of yourself by managing stress, embracing healthy lifestyle habits and reaching out for support. And then? Consciously choose a care provider and inform yourself so you can actively prepare for birth and consciously plan for postpartum.

The Complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth is your trusted companion as you make the transition to motherhood. It will educate you about all facets of pregnancy and birth so you’ll never have to say: “I wish I’d known.”

Grab your copy:
www.australianbirthstories.com/book

Six things you may not know about the hours after a vaginal birth.

@australianbirthstories

There’s often so much emphasis on preparing for labour and birth, that many mothers don’t think about the hours after their baby is born. Everyone’s experience is different but you can expect the following:

1. Your uterus will keep contracting. And you want it to! This helps the placenta detach and it helps to prevent excessive bleeding.

2. You can delay the cutting of the umbilical cord. As long as you and your baby are well, delayed/optimal cord clamping is standard practice in most hospitals and birth centres. Ideally you want to wait till the cord is white; this tells you that all the blood from the placenta has moved into your baby.

3. Your baby can stay on you if they’re well. Uninterrupted skin to skin in the first hour helps your baby adjust to the world, it prompts the flow of oxytocin in your body (which encourages the uterus to continue contracting) and it’s a great first step to a successful breastfeeding journey.

4. You may get the shakes. Whole body shakes are a common response to adrenaline in your system (they can also be a physical response to medication in labour). Warm blankets can help (make sure you prioritise warm feet and a warm core as your body adjusts to postpartum.)

5. You might have trouble sleeping. When you have a big rush of oxytocin (the love hormone) after birth, you’ll feel like you’re on a big high and it makes sleeping hard.

6. It can be challenging to walk. Because your body has worked so hard to bring your baby into the world (your lower back, pelvis and hips have softened and opened to make space for your baby) it can sometimes feel like your pelvis is floating which can be disconcerting. Support garments can really help in this regard as they can stabilise your core. Prioritising rest and lying down in postpartum is a big step towards regaining strength and stability in your core and pelvic floor.

📷@hannahpalamarahonestly

mama muse @katinka.glt88

I’ve created a free illustrated perineal massage guide you can download today to help educate and prepare yourself.

Comment “massage” on this post and I’ll send you my free illustrated perineal massage guide

I’m not sure about your kids but mine love looking at old photos of themselves. I recently made Ottie a photo book with the help of @onceuponapp It was so quick and easy to make I just selected photos in my phone and the @onceuponapp suggested the layout and offered lots of choices at the click of a button. I’ve ordered an extra copy to gift to my mum for Mother’s Day 😉
You can document your memories in a beautiful book today.

@onceuponapp

In episode 470 Abby shares her third pregnancy and birth story. She opted for shared care with her GP, a decision that really suited her busy family life and offered her continuity of care with someone she trusted. Her third trimester was challenging - she had significant pelvic pain which prevented her from exercising, she moved house and her iron levels were really low so each day was punctuated with significant fatigue. Her first two births were relatively quick so she knew she’d have to get to hospital without delay. She went into spontaneous labour at home on a Saturday morning when contractions came frequently. But one thing was different - the contractions weren’t painful and her labour felt easy. The whole family made their way to the hospital and two minutes after they walked through the door of the birth suite, baby Remy was born in what Abby describes as a completely pain-free birth.

@mum_bub_nutrition

If you’re recovering from a caesarean birth (c-section) it’s helpful to remember that your body needs to heal after major abdominal surgery. Caesarean births are common (roughly one in three in Australia) but significant surgery requires adequate recovery time. Here’s what you can expect in your caesarean recovery.

Granted, it’s not easy to recover from a caesarean and take care of your newborn; lifting, twisting and feeding can be awkward and painful. The best advice we can give you is take it slow; you need to prioritise rest for the first few weeks, at least. Your body has worked so hard to bring your baby into the world and it continues to do all the vital work of repairing and healing so you can move confidently into parenthood.

Read the full blog at:

https://australianbirthstories.com/postpartum/caesarean-birth-recovery/

📸 @chiara_doveri_photography

In episode 419 Leila shares her beautiful birth stories; her first at home, and her second which was a twin birth in hospital at 41+2. Leila thoroughly educated herself about birth and postpartum in her first pregnancy so when it came to her twin pregnancy, she was well aware of how she wanted to be supported and opted for a private midwife to help her navigate the hospital system. Despite going well beyond her estimated due date, she achieved what she calls “homebirth in the hospital” with her twins. She’ll be back in a few weeks time to tell us all about her postpartum experience.

Leila @villageformama
📷@rewildherbirth

Following on from her birth story in episode 453, today Gen shares her challenges with baby sleep. Sleep is one of the most political and polarising aspects of parenthood; there’s a plethora of differing opinions and it can get very overwhelming, fast. For Gen and her baby Robbie, a variety of challenges created the perfect storm of unsettled sleep habits. She takes us through her first year and the three different sleep supports she used. She admits that she still feels conflicted about the choices she made but she’s also comforted by the fact that she’s got a healthy baby and she’s now a physically and mentally healthy mum.

📷@sundayagency.pr

Now included in @the.birth.class 2.0 is a printable poster of active birth positions you can have up in your birth space as a prompt. Here’s a little taste of what you can expect in the Active Birth Positions 😊

The empowering, evidence based online birth education program that will help you confidently prepare for a positive birth experience @the.birth.class loved by over 6000 families.

Want my FREE Hospital Bag Checklist?

Comment “checklist” and I’ll send you your FREE list now.

Your care provider will encourage you to start packing your hospital bag from about 34 weeks. Hospitals will swaddle your baby in the signature striped hospital blankets after birth (you’ll want to unwrap them for skin-to-skin) but you will be responsible for providing everything else, including your baby’s clothes and nappies and your own sanitary products. This list is a simple guide created with the help of many mums who have birthed in hospital:

Comment “checklist” and I’ll send you your FREE list now.

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