Ashlee is mum to 3 children under 3 years old and has a range of birth experiences – so she shares with us the details of them all, with a focus on her most recent unassisted fast homebirth to Willow.
Ashlee’s first birth to Alicia involved a range of intervention including induction (due to baby’s size), being prepped for C- Section, with baby born vaginally and a 3rd degree tear. We hear about the details of this birth and how it impacted on Ashlee’s decision to have a “beautiful” elective c-section to 2nd baby Jackson.
What made Ashlee decide to have a homebirth for her 3rdbaby? She wanted the birth she’d always hoped for, so made some important decisions around this and did the work, got into the best mental state and chose the right midwife to support her.
In this chat we also discuss unplanned pregnancy, hospital stay after her 1st baby, midwives feeding baby colostrum, pelvic floor healing, elective c-section.
If you too would like to benefit from the skills that Ashlee learnt in her pregnancy, head to www.positivebirths.co.nz for a range of hypnobirthing options.
Gabby shares with us what she learnt in her first two birthsthat made her decide to do some proper prep (i.e the Positive Births hypnobirthing course) in her third pregnancy.
She explains her first birth to Lucy was and induction due tohigh blood pressure and ended in a C-Section. Her second birth to Caleb was a successful vbac with epidural.
When it came to her third pregnancy with Hazel, Gabby andhusband Boyce took some time to learn information, tools and do some mindset work to feel more prepared and empowered for this experience.
As a result Gabby was able to advocate for herself, askquestions, decline the offered induction and allow her body to go into labour naturally. Once things got going she used her tools and had a relatively fast, natural hospital birth.
If you too would like to learn some practical tools for yourbirth head to www.positivebirths.co.nzto check out all your options.
“Back up your ‘she’ll be right’ with some actual tools to dothis” is what Serena would say if she could go back in time to her pre-pregnant self before first baby Maeve arrived.
Serena reflects on her two different experiences of birth –both with the same intense sensations; but in her second birth Serena was now armed with tools, techniques and a mindset that helped her work with what was happening in a different way.
Her first birth to Maeve ended in a c-section. ( If you’re notin the mood today for a not so positive story, please skip to around 27 mins) We then talk about Serena’s positive preparation for baby #2.
You’ll hear about the compromise on planned birth place and the commitment Serena and her husband made to their VBAC journey, how the hypnobirthing tools and techniques made a big difference.
Listen to the incredible birth story, of Serena backingherself, doing her own vaginal checks and the decision they made to make a move to hospital. There’s a dramatic arrival of baby Nylah, but all in the best possible way.
Serena achieved her wished for and worked for VBAC!
If you too would like support to prepare mentally, emotionally and with practical tools and techniques for your positive birth reach out to Helen at www.positivebirths.co.nz.
"You just feel like you've discovered this amazing secretabout physiological birth and having an amazing birth experience, you just wanna scream it from the rooftops”
Mia would love to tell everyone to have a homebirth to feel as amazing as she did in having a redemptive birth for hersecond baby Oscar. It has had a profound impact on her.
In this episode we cover the first birth of James whichincluded a stretch and sweep – membranes releasing with meconium and constant monitoring. Mia was happy to be a ‘good patient’ , follow the rules and do what she was told without questioning too much; fully trusting in the expertise of the midwives.
You’ll hear about how covid times impacted on her after care – and there may be parts of this story you find distressing – please skip over this if you're not up for anything negative today.
Her second birth is what we are focussing on, theinformation and education Mia undertakes which results in her decision to homebirth, her hypnobirthing preparation, and then how the birth plays out.
We also discuss Rhesus Negative, bleeding early inpregnancy, relationships with midwives.
In this episode we also reconnect with Mia several weekslater after the initial recording about the birth for Mia to generously share what she has been experiencing in postpartum- the intense feelings of sadnessand grief. She explains how she is navigating this time, what it feels like, what she is doing to try to help , and what would be helpful if you too knew someone who was struggling with this phase of life.
Mentioned in this episode:
The great birth rebellion podcast, The Midwives Cauldron Podcast, Acupuncturist Rachel Wilson https://www.naissance.co.nz/rachel
If you too would like to feel prepared for your positive birthcheck out the resources on www.positivebirths.co.nz
“It was the most exciting feeling, so powerful. I washonestly just feeling so privileged that my body could, could experience it. I had like awesome music playing and just that pushing phase was just fun.”
Anna shares with us her first birth, a c-section to Kaiden andhow she experienced postpartum pre-eclampsia, with spiking blood pressure and scary panic attacks. This impacted greatly on her early days as a mum and naturallywas a concern when she became pregnant again.
Working through the fears and emotions of postpartum andkeen to attempt a VBAC Anna got into the right mind space, with the right support to achieve this.
Through her second birth, despite the same patterns playingout again, something different occurred to enable Anna to succeed in her desire to have a vaginal birth. Yes, she describes the pushing phase of her labour as “fun.”
Fortunately, her postpartum with Leo was much easier andmore enjoyable.
If you too need support to prepare for your positive birth, check out the resources for you at www.positivebirths.co.nz
" I'm so proud of what I did. It was amazing. I did everything in the world that I could."
Having previously shared her first birth to Arcadia on this podcast Elizabeth was set on preparing for a VBAC for her second baby's arrival.
In this episode we cover the brutal obstetrician's manner about a VBAC, then Elizabeth's change to another care provider - who turned about to be an absolute godsend.
She shares her experience of the breech position of baby, the ECV (manual turning of baby to a vertex/head down position) and her fear of needles.
We also chat about the "coincidence" of listening to the Come on Out Baby track and having her waters release at this time, with subsequent start of labour.
Elizabeth shares her coping mechanisms through labour and then how she made the decision to have a c-section, whereby her obstetrician performed a beautiful, gentle experience where Elizabeth could see her baby come up, out and into her arms.
This is a wonderful story for all VBAC parents to tune into, proving that, if, for any reason unknown or out of your control, you aren't able to have your vaginal birth, then it still can be a positive birth experience.
If you too need support for your VBAC or for releasing a fear or needles or to learn a set of skills for your positive birth journey, check out all the options at www.positivebirths.co.nz
Midwife Rosa knew 1000% she wanted a homebirth and there seemed to be no reason why she wouldn't be able to have one.
She trusted in her body and physiological birth. She didn't pack a hospital bag, but when her membranes released and 48 hours later there wasn't enough progress...her birth plans needed to change.
Rosa shares with us her journey into the hospital setting, getting out of her 'midwife brain', negotiating with the obstetricians, the intervention she chose and her requests when it came time to go to theatre.
Rosa is proud of being able to reflect and process her story where she can think positively about it and share it all with you here.
If you too would like to gain tools and techniques to use in any and every type of birth head to www.positivebirths.co.nz
During the start of her first pregnancy Tessa learnteverything she could about the truth of physiological birth which resulted in it becoming very obvious that home was the best place for her to birth her baby.
As the right midwife didn’t appear for Tessa, she proceeded through her pregnancy tuning into her body, trusting her body, using her intuition and her ability to “just know”.
Tessa shares how she worked on re-programming hersubconscious to believe birth was safe and how she moved through her fears.
Also within this chat topics included are:
Education around birth, Reprograming the subconscious, releasing fears, tuning into her intuition – “I just knew”, her partners journey to be comfortable with freebirth, understanding how the truth feels in her body, tearing and healing.
I also put Tessa on the spot with a couple of trickyquestions – was it just luck that allowed her to birth her baby, smoothly, safely at home with no midwife?
This is an episode full of wisdom, massive intuition, trust,power, strength, and courage. I encourage you to listen with an open mind and heart.
You can find Tessa on Instagram @tessapittt
I encourage you to watch her “Safer Childbirth” webinar https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UrPJCnamiF63RjWCEyMDz9z0wHX3eE0K/view
If you would like to learn practical tools, techniques to reprogram your subconscious, to trust your body and release fears, check out the range of course options at www.positivebirths.co.nz
**All live courses (online and in person) are currently funded until 31 Dec 2025 thanks to The Village/Wright Family foundation - which means there's no cost to you!
Erin bravely opened up about her initial fear of pregnancy and childbirth. Early on, she believed that a C-section under general anesthesia would be the safest and most manageable option for her.
However, everything began to shift after she hired a supportive doula and found her midwife. Through their guidance, she discovered the power and beauty of natural, physiological birth—and realized that was the path she truly wanted.
As she immersed herself in birth podcasts and practiced hypnobirthing techniques, Erin grew more confident in her ability to give birth naturally. And when the time came—she did just that.
Reflecting on her birth experience, she shared, “I was the best version of myself. I was present, calm, confident, and I was just handling it really well.”
Baby Wyatt made his entrance into the world in the birth pool, still ‘en caul’—born inside his amniotic sac—a rare occurrence often considered a sign of good luck in many cultures.
If you too would like to learn skills and tools for your birth journey head to www.positivebirths.co.nz to find out more.
First time parents looking for a really great birth story –here’s one for you from Emma.
Knowing that she needed to be in the right mindset and liked to feel in control it was natural for Emma to seek out hypnobirthing. She shares with us the specific tools and techniques she practised in her pregnancy and successfully used in her birth and postpartum.
Other topics you’ll hear about in this chat include: pelvicgirdle pain, her midwife’s support, birth environment, the wonders of oxytocin and a difficult breastfeeding journey.
Emma learnt hypnobirthing with Sophie Brooke from www.loveyourbirth.co.nz who is based in Papamoa, NZ.
If you too would like to learn skills, tools, techniques andmindset strategies check out Sophie’s courses or the range of support and course options at www.positivebirths.co.nz
Sam shares the stories of her 4 daughters’ births – with a focus on Riley’s birth where she found that some hypnobirthing tools and techniques made a huge difference.
As busy mum to Olive, Augie, Darcy and now Riley, Sam is also a business owner and prioritised her fitness and strength to help her through life, pregnancy and birth.
You’ll hear about her range of experiences of birth - with Olive in England, the stretch and sweep followed by a kidney infection. The sudden return to NZ in 2020 pregnant with Augie, meeting her midwife who she just clicked with. The house renovations, 2 subsequent homebirths and then her 4th pregnancy where there was a little more anxiety.
I had to ask Sam: “When you’ve had 3 previous births (2 of them very straightforward at home) why on earth would you need to learn hypnobirthing breathwork and relaxation for your 4th birth?”
Sam will tell you it made SUCH a difference.
For her to have practised breathing, to have the affirmations, to go off to sleep listening to relaxation tracks with positive information for birth, it helped her to feel a new level of calm and assurance it Sam says she just wishes she had learnt the skills earlier, but she felt so good having the stuff to draw on for Riley’s birth that it was so worth it.
I loved hearing about Riley’s birth, how the whole family was there at 430am once she arrived – and you too need to listen to the end; to smile about how the birth pool was eventually used…….
If you’d like to learn tools and techniques for your birth – no matter if this is your first pregnancy or your 4th (or 5th or 6th) and no matter what stage of your pregnancy you’re at – head to www.positivebirths.co.nz for a range of course and support options.
"I look back on that day and I cannot help but smile. I'm like, I did it. She just slipped on out.”
PJ's body and baby knew exactly what to do when it came to time for Frankie to be born. It was a very fast labour and birth - 2 hours from the first physical signs, to holding Frankie in her arms.
While it might have been rather quick PJ says " all of the chaos that was going on at the end just completely faded away. And the oxytocin ride was just insane."
In this episode we cover PJ’s first birth experience with Charlie, and the comparisons between a C-Section experience and her VBAC. (VBAC = vaginal birth after C section).
PJ shares the tools and techniques she learnt and used, her fear release to help her mentally get into the right space and the mad nesting urge as soon as she finished up at work.
You’ll hear about the sudden onset of labour on a day and time that nobody would really have predicted, the fact that they weren’t ready or packed for a trip to the hospital and the moment of tingles – the two deer that made themselves present for both of her births (very cool).
Despite the experience being very fast PJ does not feel she was traumatised by the experience but now can really feel the full effects of a physiological birth journey, and how that is positively shaping her mothering experience.
We chat about the transformational time of birth – how a birth not only births a baby but a mother and she shares her advise to her younger self (and for anyone else) preparing for labour and birth.
If you too want to feel calm, confident and prepared for your positive birth check out the range of information, support, resources and courses at www.positivebirths.nz
Rose shares her two experiences of homebirth to sons Oscar and Oliver. Plus there’s so much more – topics covered in our chat today include (and are not limited to) :
Missed miscarriage and long time to move through this; conception journey before Oliver’s arrival; gender disappointment; music in labour; Mum being the midwife; husband Andre blowing up the birth pool by his breath alone!; My random experiences 30 years ago in Romania (yeah, off topic but arrived into the convo); Dad's role as birth support and parent; family present at the birth.
I hope you enjoy this very interesting chat I had with Rose, I really appreciate her open and honest accounts of the difficulties she has experienced – along with the proud achievements of learning how powerful, strong and resilient she is.
If you too would like some tools and support for your positive birth journey head to www.positivebirths.co.nz to find a range of resources for you.
Here we have a perfect story of a normal, natural straightforward, physiological home birth to a first baby. Georgia shares with us her journey of a smooth conception, pregnancy and the idea that she would like a ‘trial of homebirth’ – a term used by her Mum, a former homebirth midwife.
Homebirth runs in the family, but there was no pressure that this is what Georgia would have to do – as she explains what a ‘trial of homebirth’ actually is – stay at home and see how things go. If you need to transfer you can, if not, you meet your baby at home.
This is a fabulous episode to be inspired by if you too are thinking you’d like to ‘trial’ a homebirth. Georgia gets into the right headspace in her pregnancy, prepares with tools and techniques, gets husband Cam on board on how to best support her and then relaxes into surrendering to what was playing out, without being attached to the outcome.
The outcome being a very positive birth story to meet baby Mackenzie.
If you too would like to feel prepared, calm and confident and have your partner understand how to support you in your labour and birth, check out the course options at www.positivebirths.co.nz
A brilliant episode for parents looking for hope and inspiration for a 2nd birth experience. Pip shares with us an excellent example of the differences between an induction plus subsequent intervention versus an informed, educated physiological homebirth.
We chat about her first birth to Arthur in order to understand the context of how she enters into her pregnancy with Wilbur. I mention how Pip displayed classic signs of trauma, although the word ‘trauma’ wasn’t how she thought about her experience - until Wilbur’s pregnancy.
Please note: there may be distressing information about her experience in this portion of the chat – if you do not feel up to listening to this today – head straight to 40 minutes to hear about her pregnancy and birth to Wilbur – it’s not a story to miss!
Fortunately, Pip resolved to become informed and educated. She learnt so much about normal natural physiological birth, she gets her head into the game, with the Positive Births online recorded course. She shares about the amazing support from her midwife and – then the fast, smooth and beautiful home birth.
Topics covered also include: traumatic first birth, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy.
Resources mentioned : Sara Wickham, Sarah Buckley, Rachel Reed, Midwives Cauldron podcast
If you too would like to prepare for your positive birth, head to www.positivebirths.co.nz to find a variety of options. If you would like support in healing from a traumatic birth, as a certified hypnotherapist and healing birth practitioner I can also support you through this. Email helen@positivebirths.co.nz
3 wonderful positive birth stories, 1 at hospital and 2 at home. Sophie had planned to have her first baby at home, but this wasn’t to be as her membranes started to release at only 36 weeks, so she found herself in hospital for an undetermined length of time to wait for labour to start. As Sophie comments, while it wasn’t her preferred location it certainly “wasn’t the worst place to be” and she surprises the midwives with her ability to cope with the syntocinin without anything other than her breath and relaxation.
Sophie’s second baby was born at home in April 2020 (during the first lockdown) in a very straightforward home waterbirth where the midwife arrived just in time. It was her postnatal experience of being alone and isolated during this time that lead to her creation of an organisation called 'Imperfect Parents' which provides in person education and connection for parents.
Her 3rd baby was also born at home, straightforward and fast.
Topics discussed in here also include:
PCOS, missed miscarriage, homebirth with other children present, Tearing and Scar remediation with Clare Eccelston,
You can find out more about Imperfect Parents at www.imperfectparents.co.nz
Instagram: @imperfectparents.nz
There are numerous topics covered in this episode as Shinaed navigated a range of challenges through her pregnancy and birth.
These include: chemical pregnancy, Hyperemesis, chronic Braxton hicks from 25 weeks until end of pregnancy, concern of pre-term labour, multiple changes of midwives, changing birth location due to midwife unavailability, pethadine, epidural, c-section.
Despite all of this Shinaed is here to share her positive birth story because she feels GOOD about her birth, the way she was able to advocate for herself, knowing she did her best and the joy of meeting her much loved baby girl Mackenzie.
If you too would like to prepare for a positive birth, check out the resources at www.positivebirths.co.nz
For further information on Hyperemesis (HG) see: Hyperemesisaustralia.org and search for podcast episodes on the topic.
Childbirth educator, VBAC and homebirth advocate & doula Kristin is a mum to 3 girls - all with different birth stories.
In this episode Kristin shares with how she found herself as a first time mum, in labour, being told she was going for a c section. This experience significantly impacted not only her birth, but her journey as a mother to Bella. It wasn’t until after she birthed her 2nd daughter, Quinn 6 years later that she realised she had experienced birth trauma with Bella.
You’ll hear about Kristin's second pregnancy and her VBAC with Quinn and then the realisation in her 3rd pregnancy that homebirth was actually an option – which is what she achieved in a very confident, straightforward waterbirth to Mila.
Within our conversation we cover topics such as post natal depression, healing from birth trauma, tapping into the power of birth, the impact of ‘off the cuff’ words from medical professionals, VBAC information and the Maternity Services Consumer Council which Kristin is involved in.
You can find Kristin on Instagram @kristindoula.birtheducator
To find out more about how you can prepare for a positive birth, check out the resources at www.positivebirths.co.nz
Excited and free of fear, Rosie waited for her baby to arrive, and waited and waited.... At some stage around 42 weeks she had to make the decision that if this baby did not come on her own terms she would have to undergo an induction.
Which is what happened at 43 weeks (or 44 weeks depending on what scan they wanted to go by).
Following a day of induction with misoprostal, Rosie shares with us how labour started, how she coped and what happened as she finally had to let go of her idea of how she wanted her birth to go and accept that a C Section was the best option.
She shares how she is proud of how she handled everything despite not achieving the birth she would have liked.
You can learn more about preparing for your positive birth at www.positivebirths.co.nz
What happens when you get a Gestational Diabetes (GD) diagnosis in pregnancy? How do you say no to an induction?
Navigating a “failed” glucose tolerance test, Eliza was labelled with GD – which meant a lot of extra monitoring, testing, scans, and being constantly threatened with induction.
Eliza shares her journey through all of this - how she was told her baby might die if she wasn’t induced at 39 weeks, even though her baby was tracking “perfectly average” and how her mama’s instinct knew that everything would be just fine to let her arrive at her own time.
Informed, empowered and knowing she had the right to make her own decisions about her baby, her body and her birth, Eliza (with support of her midwife) decided to stick to her original plan of a waterbirth at a birthing centre.
Spoiler alert – she gets exactly what she wants.
Eliza shares what she did, what helped her along the way, and how baby Georgiana arrived “perfectly.”
If you too would like to learn information, skills, tools and techniques for you and your partner check out the range of options at www.positivebirths.co.nz
