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© 2025 Homebirth Stories Australia
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A podcast that documents the stories of people choosing to birth at home throughout Australia
54 Episodes
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Send us a text We’re back (briefly!) for a mid-season catch-up and your Insta questions In this bonus ep, Aimee and Laura jump on the mic for a life update and to answer some of the great questions you sent in on Instagram. We chat about how we’re both doing, what’s been happening behind the scenes, and dive into topics like Anti-D, becoming a doula (and our thoughts on it), transferring from a planned homebirth due to pregnancy-induced hypertension, and more. Links: Ani-D explained - Dr Sar...
Send us a text In this episode, we speak with Rebecca, a mother of two from Perth, Western Australia. Rebecca shares her powerful and deeply personal birth stories — from her first homebirth to her second birth, a freebirth. Rebecca begins by taking us through her pregnancies, both of which were marked by hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) lasting up to 20 weeks. She opens up about the physical and emotional challenges of navigating pregnancy while managing HG. For her first birth, Rebecca chose a h...
Send us a text In this episode, we speak with Tate—midwife, mother, and passionate advocate for physiological birth. Tate takes us through her path to becoming a midwife and her time working within the system as an MGP midwife, where she came face-to-face with the harsh reality: the system is not set up for true woman-centred care. Hospital policies, rigid protocols, and the fact that maternity care operates like a business often leave women and midwives disempowered. When Tate became pregnan...
Send us a text In this episode, Renee shares her experience of choosing a home birth for her first baby, explaining what led her to that decision and how she prepared for it. She speaks openly about her intense journey with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), describing the constant nausea, relentless vomiting, and exhaustion that lasted throughout her entire pregnancy — right up until the moment she gave birth. Renee talks about everything she tried to manage it, including medications, IV flu...
Send us a text In this episode, Ebony shares the story of her first birth — a journey that began with a planned homebirth and unfolded in unexpected ways. After a long labour and signs of possible malposition, her care team discovered meconium in the waters and an elevated heart rate in her baby. At that point, Ebony made the decision to transfer to hospital via ambulance. At the hospital, doctors attempted a manual rotation and three vacuum-assisted birth attempts before her baby was born by...
Send us a text Today we interviewed Cally, who shared her experiences across two very different births. Her first pregnancy took place during COVID, where limited access to care led her to an OB by default. Red flags emerged throughout the pregnancy, but she continued with the same provider. After a long posterior labour that ended in an epidural and Syntocinon, she began to reflect more deeply on her birth choices. We also spoke about her breastfeeding journey—navigating early challenges, pu...
Send us a text In this episode of our mini-series on homebirth transfer, we share the story of Tiahn, a mother who, inspired by the documentary Birth Time, knew that homebirth was the path for her. As she approached 42 + weeks, concerns about potential pre-eclampsia arose, but she made the choice to decline induction and continue her pregnancy. Throughout her journey, Tiahn faced significant pressure from friends and family, especially towards the end of her pregnancy and even during labour. ...
Send us a text In today’s episode, we chat with Alinta, a mother who has experienced the beauty and challenges of homebirths for both her children. Alinta shares the powerful story of her first birth, which took place at her mother's house after a 37-hour labour journey. Living a few hours away from a hospital in a remote location, Alinta chose to be with her mum for support during the long labour. For her second birth, Alinta chose to have her baby at home, in a space she found most comforta...
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Ellena, who shares the deeply personal and transformative stories of both of her births. Ellena’s first birth journey was marked by unexpected challenges, as she faced an emergency caesarean at 34 weeks after being diagnosed with eclampsia. She opens up about the subtle, often overlooked signs of the condition during her pregnancy and reflects on the surreal experience of having her son under general anesthesia after suffering an eclamptic s...
Send us a text Today, we interviewed first-time mum Rachel about the birth of her baby. Initially planning for private OB and hospital care, Rachel explored public hospitals and homebirth midwives before choosing a homebirth after watching Birth Time. She experienced PROM and prodromal labour, and during active labour, transferred to the hospital due to her baby's elevated heart rate. Rachel reflects on the challenges that followed, particularly hospital policy placing her baby in speci...
Send us a text Today, we’re joined by Ellen, a mum of two, who shares the story of her evolving birth journey. Her first experience was in the MGP program at her local hospital. After experiencing reduced fetal movement, Ellen was advised to have an induction. The induction led to complications: a fever, blood in her urine, and an accelerated heart rate for her baby, culminating in an unexpected caesarean. Ellen felt a deep sense of disappointment with her first birth experience. Determined t...
Send us a text In today’s episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Jessie, a seasoned Doula based in Karratha, Western Australia. Jessie generously shares the profound wisdom she gained from her four unique birth experiences—three in hospital and one empowering free birth with her fourth child. Reflecting on her first journey into motherhood, she discusses how the prevailing narrative around birth was one of pain and fear, which led to unexpected interventions. Through her work support...
Send us a text In today’s episode, Laura & Aimee, take a moment to reflect on the year that was—both personally and within the world of the podcast. They chat about the highs, the lessons learned, and some of the most memorable moments from 2024. Here’s what’s in store for you in this episode: A heartfelt look back at the past year—how things have evolved in both their personal lives and the podcasting journey.The most listened-to episodes of the year and what made them stand out!A huge t...
Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with the remarkable Dr. Sarah Buckley to explore the fascinating world of oxytocin and syntocinon. Join us as we dive into the mechanics of oxytocin and how the body naturally releases hormones for labour and birth. Dr. Buckley discusses the history of synthetic oxytocin (syntocinon) and its integration into the maternity system, as well as the impacts of syntocinon, including the hormonal gaps that can arise with various interventions. We als...
Send us a text In today’s episode, we chat with Emma, who shares her two distinct birth stories. Emma's first experience took place within the hospital system during COVID, where she faced challenges such as having an unknown midwife, being unable to bring her doula into the birth space, and not accessing the birth pool when she wanted. She reflects on how the care she received significantly impacted her experience. After this, Emma shifted her mindset for her second pregnancy and birth, empo...
Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with Kirah, a first-time mum who chose to give birth at home. Kirah opens up about her unique journey, navigating various health challenges, including POTS, autism, and C-PTSD. She shares the pivotal moment when she switched care providers midway through her pregnancy, ultimately opting for a homebirth through the Community Midwifery Program (CMP). Kirah reveals her fears surrounding hospital births, expressing how the thought of leaving her s...
1Send us a text Join us in this episode as we delve into Kendall’s experience with her first birth. Though she started her journey with the MGP program, Kendall felt a significant change midway through her pregnancy, prompting her to seek private midwifery care. She shares the powerful intuition that inspired her choice of a homebirth and narrates the moment when her baby's breech presentation became apparent. Links: GrowBirthMother The Great Birth Rebellion Support the show @home...
Send us a text In today's episode, we sit down with Libby, a first-time mum who chose a homebirth for her baby's arrival. Libby shares her unique journey of surrounding herself with a supportive birth team, including her mother, a clinical midwife, and how this choice played a crucial role in her birthing experience. We dive into the discussions about her mother’s concerns and the careful planning that went into the birth. As Libby neared the 42-week mark, her midwifery team informed he...
Send us a text Join us as we sit down with Mona to explore her remarkable journey through three pregnancies and births. Mona shares her experiences of giving birth to her first two babies within a hospital setting under the MGP (Midwifery Group Practice) program, detailing the interventions and interactions that influenced her decision to opt for a homebirth with her third child, supported by the publicly funded homebirth program. Links: National Midwifery Guidelines For Consultation and Refe...
Send us a text In today's episode, we sit down with Krista to hear her two birth stories. From the outset, Krista knew she wanted a homebirth, a decision she made even before trying to conceive. However, what followed was a journey marked by both heartbreak and triumph. Krista shares candidly about going into spontaneous labour with Salvatore (Sal) at 43+2 weeks, only to face a devastating realisation during labour—the absence of her baby's heartbeat. This heartbreaking moment led to a transf...
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