The Motherwhelm

What happens when women have the right to choose where they give birth, but the care that makes those choices possible is no longer accessible?In this special collaborative episode of The Motherwhelm and Australian VBAC Stories, I'm joined by Katelyn Comerford, President of Homebirth NSW and Coordinator of Homebirth Australia, and Georgia Slee, birth and postpartum doula, to discuss an urgent issue facing Australian maternity care.On 1 January 2027, an existing exemption from professional indemnity insurance requirements for privately practising midwives attending homebirths is due to expire. But the insurance product currently available excludes non-endorsed midwives, many of whom attend homebirths as second practitioners.Without an accessible and affordable insurance solution, families could lose access to privately supported homebirth, particularly in regional and rural communities where maternity services are already limited.Together, we unpack what professional indemnity insurance actually is, why the current arrangements are causing concern, and what these changes could mean for midwives, pregnant women, and their families.We also discuss the emotional consequences of losing access to a chosen model of care, the importance of continuity of midwifery care, and the possibility that some women may feel they have no alternative but to give birth without professional assistance.I share my own experiences of birth trauma and precipitous labour, and why access to supported homebirth is so much more than a philosophical preference for some women.Ultimately, this conversation isn't just about homebirth. It's about bodily autonomy, informed consent, and the difference between being told you have a choice and actually being able to exercise it.We also discuss Homebirth Australia's proposed solutions and the upcoming Grandmother of All Rallies, alongside national rallies planned for Saturday 21 November 2026.Further information and resourcesHomebirth Australia — https://www.homebirthaustralia.org/Homebirth NSW — https://www.homebirthnsw.org.au/Details of the national rallies, campaign updates, and ways to participate will be shared through the organisations above.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Tori, a mother of two and PE teacher, to talk about birth trauma, postnatal depression and anxiety, and the profound difference between her two experiences of birth and early motherhood.At 32 weeks pregnant with her first baby, Tori broke her leg in an accident that left her unable to walk. Just three weeks later, she went into premature labour. What followed was an exhausting and traumatic birth involving a hospital transfer, prolonged labour, an emergency caesarean during which she experienced pain despite having an epidural, and a difficult physical recovery.The challenges continued after she brought her daughter home. Months of unsettled nights, feeding difficulties, severe sleep deprivation and isolation contributed to significant postnatal depression and anxiety. Tori speaks candidly about how difficult this period became, the impact on her relationships, and the importance of the professional support she eventually received.Together, we explore motherhood's impact on identity, body image, friendships, and marriage, the importance of informed decision-making and compassionate maternity care, and the complicated reality of loving motherhood while finding it incredibly difficult.This is a conversation about what happens when birth doesn't go as planned, the lasting impact of how women are treated during childbirth, and the possibility of finding confidence and joy in motherhood after a deeply challenging beginning.Resources mentioned:Australian VBAC Stories podcastThe Great Birth RebellionTopics discussed: birth trauma, premature birth at 35 weeks, pregnancy injury, emergency caesarean, epidural failure, feeling dismissed during childbirth, maternal autonomy, informed consent, medical trauma, breastfeeding, infant feeding difficulties, sleep deprivation, postnatal depression, postnatal anxiety, suicidal thoughts, seeking psychological support, birth debriefs, VBAC, vaginal birth after caesarean, breech presentation, external cephalic version (ECV), birth preparation, positive birth experiences, postpartum recovery, maternal identity, body image, exercise after motherhood, friendship changes, isolation, marriage after children, partner support, parenting two children and self-advocacy.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Mel, a mother of five and occupational therapist with more than 20 years of experience, to talk about the ever-changing nature of motherhood, postpartum anxiety, and learning to trust yourself as a parent.With children ranging in age from five to eighteen, Mel has experienced motherhood across many different stages of life. She reflects on the expectations she carried into becoming a mother, the difficulties she encountered with breastfeeding, and the significant anxiety she experienced after welcoming her second child, just fourteen months after her first.We talk about the importance of recognising when you need support, letting go of comparisons, and finding approaches to parenting that work for your own family rather than trying to meet everyone else's expectations.This conversation is a reminder that there is no single right way to mother, that asking for help is something to be proud of, and that sometimes the most important thing we can offer ourselves is a little more time, kindness and grace. Resources mentioned: motherscape.com.auInstagram: @motherscape_Sandwich by Catherine Newman The Treasure House by Amy MatthewsJulia Jones's Newborn Mothers postpartum doula training Topics discussed: raising five children, large families, the transition to motherhood, expectations versus reality, breastfeeding difficulties, combination feeding, postpartum anxiety, seeking mental health support, parenting children close in age, maternal identity, motherhood and career, occupational therapy in maternal health, Motherscape, postpartum preparation, self-compassion, maternal guilt, comparison, learning to let go, parenting children at different developmental stages, the mental load, bodily autonomy, the end of the baby years, children growing up, personal wellbeing, reading and finding time for yourself.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Claire, mother of two, singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and creator of the documentary Matrescence: The Hidden World of Motherhood, to talk about what really happens to women when they become mothers.Claire shares how years of working with children left her believing she was well prepared for motherhood, only to discover that nothing had prepared her for the enormity of the transition itself. We talk about her traumatic first birth, breastfeeding difficulties, the loss of autonomy she experienced within maternity care, becoming a mother again during COVID and the years of pushing through until her body eventually forced her to stop.It was through songwriting that Claire began making sense of what she had experienced — eventually discovering the word matrescence, and with it an entirely new way of understanding herself.Our conversation explores maternal ambivalence, identity, postpartum depletion, the cultural pressure for mothers to “do it all”, community and the village, pleasure and sexuality after motherhood, creativity, and what it means to find your voice again after becoming a mother.We also talk about Claire’s forthcoming documentary, Matrescence: The Hidden World of Motherhood, and her hope that giving women language for this enormous transition might help them feel less alone.Topics discussed: matrescence, maternal identity, expectations of motherhood, maternal archetypes, self-sacrificing motherhood, feminism, the mental load, birth trauma, autonomy in birth, caesarean birth, breastfeeding difficulties, postpartum depletion, maternal mental health, maternal ambivalence, motherhood during COVID, burnout, creativity, songwriting, finding your voice, mothers’ groups, community, the village, sexuality after motherhood, the erotic mother, pleasure, desire, being touched out, body connection, separation, co-parenting, boundaries, people-pleasing, perimenopause, becoming, and Matrescence: The Hidden World of Motherhood.

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Michelle, a psychologist and mum in a blended family of five, to talk about breaking generational cycles, birth trauma, and letting go of the pressure to be the perfect mother.Michelle shares a complicated journey into motherhood that included pregnancy loss, fertility treatment, the breakdown of her relationship during pregnancy, becoming a single mum, and a difficult first birth. We also talk about finding love again, creating a beautifully connected blended family, her subsequent VBAC, and the significant birth injuries and physical recovery that followed.Along the way, Michelle reflects on how her own childhood has shaped the mother she wants to be, the relentlessness of parenting, repairing after we lose our patience, body image after babies, and learning that our children don't need perfection - they need connection.We also talk about how motherhood gave Michelle a sense of purpose she hadn't expected and ultimately led her to combine her work as a psychologist with her passion for pregnancy, birth, and motherhood through perinatal psychology. Resources mentioned:The Great Birth RebellionThe Mel Robbins' Podcast'Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers' by Gordon Neufeld & Gabor MatéTopics discussed: motherhood expectations, perfectionism, good-enough parenting, social media, perinatal psychology, childhood trauma, family violence, breaking generational cycles, unconditional love, rupture and repair, miscarriage, chemical pregnancy, fertility treatment, IUI, relationship breakdown during pregnancy, infidelity, single motherhood, caesarean birth, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, blended families, co-parenting, VBAC, maternity care, birth trauma, forceps birth, third-degree tear, postpartum haemorrhage, blood transfusion, special care, prolapse, pelvic-floor recovery, body image, stretch marks, subsequent pregnancy after loss, preparing for another birth, relationships after children, the mental load, maternal identity, self-care, career and motherhood, slowing down and being present.