In today’s episode Bec shares her experience with a third-degree tear and the shock, grief and recovery that came afterwards. Her second and third pregnancies ended in miscarriage and she details the emotional toll it took on her and the way it affected her ability to connect with her next baby in pregnancy. Despite being told that she would need a caesarean birth after her 3C tear, she hired a private midwife, planned a homebirth and worked closely with a women’s health physio to actively prepare her pelvic floor and perineum for birth. She birthed baby Nyah in the pool and her perineum was completely intact; not even a graze! This is the inspiring story for all those women preparing for a vaginal birth after severe perineal trauma.  --------------------- Prepare for a positive birth experience with my new book .

You can hear Carla’s first birth in episode 188 which was a long labour and an emergency caesarean. Determined to achieve a VBAC for her second birth, she had a private obstetrician (known as the ‘VBAC queen’) and a private midwife to ensure she had support at home and advocacy in the hospital. She laboured beautifully but her second stage was long and challenging and ended in a forceps-assisted birth and a week in hospital as her baby boy developed sepsis. For her third birth, Carla knew from the outset that she wanted the healing experience of a homebirth so she rallied her support system and achieved a dream labour, birth and postpartum experience.  --------------------- Prepare for a positive birth experience with my new book .

Miscarriage affects over 150,000 families each year in Australia yet it’s still often silenced in the media and community. In this episode Isabelle Oderberg takes us through her multiple pregnancy losses, two births and her determination to discuss the silence and science of misscarriage in her new book, Hard to Bear. As well as detailing her heartache and frustration, she also brings to light some of the medical data around miscarriage, the deep silence of termination for medical reasons (TFMR) and the importance of a trusted and hopeful care provider. --------------------- Prepare for a positive birth experience with my new book .

In this episode Amber takes us through her first pregnancy with the professional insight of ten years experience as a midwife. Determined to access continuity of care in a public hospital, she developed a beautiful sense of trust with her midwife, embraced birth preparation and actively planned her postpartum. When her hind waters started leaking she was devastated because she knew an induction was likely. Three days later her forewaters broke, induction began and she laboured beautifully all day but with the urge to push, her cervix became swollen and she requested an epidural. She was in theatre preparing for an emergency caesarean when the obstetrician confirmed she was fully dilated and baby Winter was born with forceps assistance. Unfortunately Amber knew she was at high risk for a postpartum haemorrhage but the severity of it left her very traumatised and significantly impacted her early breastfeeding experience.  --------------------- Prepare for a positive birth experience with my new book .

In today’s episode, Brigid shares her experience with bipolar disorder and the challenges she faced in planning her first pregnancy. Brigid and her partner met with her psychiatrist to create an action plan regarding her medication before conception. Unfortunately her change in medication led to a hospital admission and months later, still determined to have a baby, she conceived while knowing that her medication may affect her baby’s heart. From preconception to postpartum, Brigid was supported and cared for by an exemplary healthcare team who guided her through an early labour scare at 28 weeks, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Sleep was a priority for her mental wellbeing in the first six weeks postpartum so a long hospital stay and family support ensured Brigid didn’t relapse in that high-risk period. We need to hear more stories like Brigid’s to reduce the stigma of mental health and medication and I have no doubt this episode will comfort those women currently navigating a mental health diagnosis and pregnancy.  --------------------- Prepare for a positive birth experience with my new book .