Afleveringen
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A concern I hear from pregnant women all the time, is that they'd love to have an empowering, natural birth - but they're birthing in the hospital system and they're not so keen on all the unnecessary intervention that commonly comes with that...
Well, today I'm here to give you all the practical tips and tricks to improve your odds of the birth of your dreams.
So many people believe the myth that "birth is outside your control, so you may as well not put anything in place". What a load of rubbish! That couldn't be further from the truth.
Helping women have the births of their dreams, no matter where they're birthing, is my bread and butter. So I can't wait to unpack all of this and help you navigate it all with confidence!
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Today, my past client, Claire, shares the positive, empowering birth story of her first baby.
Now as a side-note, recently, I was chatting to another client who was worried about a complication she'd encountered in her pregnancy.
I sent her all sorts of super reassuring evidence. (I'm talking, a studies that looked at over 500,000 women with this complication, and 99.5% of them went on to have no issues whatsoever.) Sounds like it'd be reassuring right?
Well, it was, but she called me up a few days later, sounding like her whole perspective had changed and a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She said to me "Ange... I spoke to my care providers and they told me a story of a past mother who had this same condition, and she was totally fine. I feel SO much better about everything now."
At first my brain started ticking, struggling to understand why a story of one woman's great result was more reassuring than a study where 99.5% of 500,000 women had great results.
But then, my face turned into a smile, and I remembered the profound power of story telling. And I remember why I so love interviewing past clients on their birth stories.
There's something so precious, so encouraging about hearing the stories of other women. There's an ancient desire inside of us all as human beings, to hear stories of those who have gone before us.
That's what these birth stories are all about. If other women can birth with joy and positivity, you can too. I hope this story inspires and excites you for what's possible.
Enjoy it, beautiful x
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Have you ever wondered whether midwives don't like doulas? Do you *really* need a doula if you have a midwife? How are the roles different?
In today's episode, Abby Sidery (seasoned midwife & mum to 2) answer these questions & more, as we chat all things midwives + doulas.
The evidence shows that midwives & doulas working together brings improved birth outcomes for women. So understanding their complementary roles is a HUGE part of putting together a great birth team and setting yourself up for a great birth!
Enjoy! :)
My website: guardiandoula.com.au
My Instagram: @guardian.doula
Abby's website: birthcircle.com.au
Abby's Instagram: @birthcirclesydney
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Leaving at the right time for the hospital is crucial. But have you ever wondered how the heck you're supposed to know?!.
Leave too early? Cascade of intervention. 🙃
Leave too late? Carpark birth. 😬
See why finding the "sweet spot" is huge? 💡😂
In this episode, I'm going to share some tips and frameworks to help you navigate this so you can pick your timing confidently. 💪
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Okay mama's, time for a heart to heart.
This message is SO freaking important. 🙌
People pleasing is such a common struggle that women face throughout their lives - and it often affects your pregnancy and postpartum. 😔
I've seen & experienced the negative impact of this in my own life, and I've seen it impact my clients.
I'm telling you - overcoming the need to please everyone is absolutely crucial to set yourself up well for a beautiful birth and postpartum experience - so let's unpack this today. I want you to feel super clear + confident after this episode, so you're well set up to tackle this thing mama. 💪💪💪
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So last week we heard my lovely past client Amber's beautifully remeptive VBAC birth story (episode 17 if you haven't listened yet!), but today, I wanted to focus on HOW to have a VBAC.
Something that should be so straightforward, is unfortunately anything but that.
Today, Sammy and I unpack it all and hopefully you'll have a much clearer understanding of what you can do to improve your odds!
Enjoy! Hope it's helpful!
PS. Please remember that absolutely none of this is to be taken as medical advice, rather this is just information to supplement your own research and conversations with a midwife or healthcare provider that you know and trust.
References:
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). (2021). Australia's Mothers and Babies 2021: Summary Report. Canberra: AIHW.ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists). (2017). Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (Practice Bulletin No. 184).Dahlen, H., Tracy, S., Bisits, A., Brown, C., & Thornton, C. (2011). Rates of obstetric intervention among low-risk women giving birth in private and public hospitals in NSW: a population-based descriptive study. BMJ Open, 1(1), e000002.Guise, J. M., Denman, M. A., Emeis, C., et al. (2010). Vaginal birth after cesarean: new insights. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 191.Hodnett, E. D., Gates, S., Hofmeyr, G. J., & Sakala, C. (2013). Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (7).McKenzie, C., & Toohey, J. (2022). Home Birth and VBAC: A review of outcomes in Australia. Australian Midwifery Journal, 35(2), 17-23.Shorten, A., Shorten, B., Keogh, J., West, S., & Morris, J. (2018). Making choices for childbirth: a randomized controlled trial of a decision-aid for informed birth after cesarean. Birth, 31(1), 28-36.Simkin, P., 2021. DONA Birth Position Paper, DONA.org. Available at: <https://www.dona.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/DONA-Birth-Position-Paper-FINAL.pdf>.Klaus, M. H., Kennell, J. H., & Klaus, P. H. (1993). Mothering the mother: How a doula can help you have a shorter, easier, and healthier birth. Addison-Wesley.Kenneth J. Gruber, Susan H. Cupito, Christina F. Dobson, Impact of Doulas on Healthy Birth Outcomes, J Perinat Educ. 2013.Nursing The System (n.d.) Health policy is not evidence-based. Available at: https://www.nursingthesystem.com/post/health-policy-is-not-evidence-basedAmerican Academy of Family Physicians (1999) ‘Clinical policies: Are they evidence-based?’, Family Practice Management, March 1999. Available at: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/1999/0300/p28.html Black, N. (2004) ‘Evidence-based policy: Proceed with care’, Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 10(2), pp. 239-244. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1120888/ (Balas, E.A. and Boren, S.A. (2000) ‘Managing clinical knowledge for healthcare improvements’, Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 9, pp. 65–70. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3241518/ Melanie the Midwife (2024) ‘Hospital policy vs. evidence-based practice’, The Great Birth Rebellion, 4 March. Available at: https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148850856 -
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Today, my beautiful client Amber shares her VBAC story.
After a not-so-positive experience with her first daughter, she decided to hire me as her doula to help her work towards a beautiful, redemptive VBAC. She knew VBAC's don't just "happen", that they take preparation and commitment. But she wanted to experience birth as the sacred rite of passage it can be, and prove to herself that she didn't "fail" the first time - that she really could do it all along. And that's just what she did.
Amber shares her experience honestly and beautifully, I know you'll love listening to her open up about her journey to VBAC :)
Enjoy!
PS. As mentioned in this episode, this episode is the "prequel" to next weeks episode "how to have a VBAC". I want you to take the encouragement from this story, and then take the practical tips from next weeks episode to help you in your own VBAC journey.
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It's an unfortunate reality that with a due date around the holiday period, women are 3-4 more times more likely to be induced (this was confirmed by a study conducted by the university of QLD).
Unwarranted induction of labour can have very significant impact on women's birth outcomes, and I'm afraid, it's not usually in a positive way. That's what the research shows.
So it's super important to have a solid strategy for navigating these conversations with your care providers to ensure if induction is suggested (which it likely will be, based on current stats), to ensure you've got the tools to make informed and empowered decisions on this.
Of course induction of labour has its place. But women being induced purely for scheduling purposes amidst annual leave requests and staffing challenges, is not that place.
So today we'll discuss this very legitimate reality of "the season for induction", and I'll share some insight as to how you can make sure you don't fall victim to this.
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In this episode, I chat to Dr Melanie Jackson about common birth myths that need some serious busting like women's birth experiences depend on it... because they do.
Mel is a private midwife with her PhD, host of the amazing 'Great Birth Rebellion Podcast", and a mumma. She's worked for 16 years as a midwife caring for birthing women, and now trains + mentors other midwives. When it comes to birth, she knows her stuff. It was so much fun bouncing off each other in this episode and busting some myths (or, as she beautifully puts it, telling the truth) about birth.
Misinformation is one of the most dangerous things about pregnancy. In a culture that over-medicalises birth, and commonly views pregnancy as a pathological state, it's crucial to get well informed. Pregnancy itself isn't dangerous, but misinformation is.
So grab a snack, buckle up and let's bust some myths (or just tell the truth!) about birth. -
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In today's episode, I chat to Ruby Kellaway. Ruby had 5 kids under 4 (yep, you read that right!) & is a passionate chiropractor who has a particular passion for working with birthing women. So much so, she's undertaken study in midwifery & is now considering becoming a doula too... Ruby is a wealth of knowledge & experience, in this episode she talks us through how chiropractic care can be helpful for expecting mumma's, and generously shares with us about all of her (very different and unique!) birth stories. Enjoy!
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We've probably all heard of the oh-so-dreaded "cascade of intervention", but what is it *really*, and most importantly... how can we avoid falling victim to it!?
Today, I'm going to tell you. Here's everything you need to know about the cascade of intervention. Enjoy!
PS. Time is running out to grab your ticket & secure your spot in my workshop! Jump on this link right now so you don't miss out! -
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Buckle up, because today I am taking you on a wild ride down memory lane. After so many requests to share my own birth stories, today I'm going to spill the beans on my experience giving birth to my first child Mali. And, arguably, most importantly, sharing the mistakes I made in this birth - so that you can learn from them.
I had Mali at 38 weeks, after a very long, posterior labour. And although I had a mostly very positive experience, there was certainly so much I could've done differently that would've made my birth miles better.
So let's unpack those things! Grab a snack and let's get into the nitty gritty!
PS. If you liked hearing my birth story + my reflections on it all now obviously being so much more informed re: all things birth now that I'm an experienced doula, let me know! If you'd like to hear my other 3 birth stories (I have 4 little ones!) maybe we can make it a series. -
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Today I chat to Tara Menzies. Tara is the creator of the Christian Hypnobirthing app, and a mum to two. She tells us her own birth stories, and through them, highlights the importance of birth preparation, and the difference it can make.
Speaking of birth prep - don't forget to grab your tickets to my online live workshop "How to Have an Empowering All-Natural Birth" if you haven't already! You can get tickets & find out more here.
Enjoy!
PS. As mentioned in the episode, I'm a Christian, but I joyfully work with clients from all different beliefs, views, and walks of life. :) -
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One of the most prevalent (and damaging!) misconceptions around birth out there is the idea that "you can't control anything about birth". This is just NOT true! In reality, there's so much we do have control over when it comes to birth.
In this episode, I unpack just 10 of the many things we do have control over when it comes to birth - and why it can be so impactful if you do get in control of these things.
I also mention the "How to Have an Empowering Natural Birth" workshop I'm hosting soon! Today is the last day of early bird prices, so be sure to get in quick if you'd like a ticket.
As always, the references for what I've shared today will be emailed out to my mailing list subscribers, so be sure to get on there if you'd like those! -
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In this episode we go over some common misconceptions about doulas that cost women big time in their births.
It’s probably my most “straight up” episode yet, I drop some truth bombs that may be hard to hear, but are important to hear. It’s all from a place of love, I promise!
I’d be very surprised if you listen to this whole episode and don’t find one of these myths that you’ve been believing! This is a perfect episode to share with your partner if you want a doula and they’re on the fence.
Also, I share a super exciting announcement at the end! I can’t WAIT to let you in on what I’ve been working on!
Enjoy, and as always, the full list of references will be sent out on the email list!
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This episode is a little different! Instead of interviewing someone, it's just me chatting to you guys. We talk about why it's worth considering going for an unmedicated birth - even in a world where we are so often told "you don't get a medal" for it. I explain why (in my opinion), the benefits of an unmedicated birth are actually a lot better than a medal anyway! Then we touch on how to make it happen, in a world that has massively over-medicalised the process of birth, and where a cascade of intervention is often the default.
I also share a snippet of my personal experience with this, and how I was super offended by what one of my midwives told me - but you'll hear about how I was actually the one who was mistaken. I won't give any more spoilers!
The aim of this episode is to inspire, and shed light on the benefits of a natural, intervention free birth (physiological birth) that are not often talked about in our world. It is not to shame anyone who hasn't birthed this way, or doesn't want to. I want that to be abundantly clear!
Also, this goes without saying, but as always, none of this content (or any of my content) should be taken as medical advice. I also totally acknowledge that for a small portion of women, medical intervention is needed for the safety of the mother/baby. But this episode is about why healthy women, with normal pregnancies, should (in my opinion at least!) consider planning for an intervention free birth.
Enjoy!
If you'd like to work with me as your birth doula, or do some childbirth education with me - I have in-person & virtual offerings that are designed to give you all the tools you need to have a positive, empowering birth experience. To find out more - head to my website guardiandoula.com.au and let me help you have the birth experience of your dreams!
If you'd like the reference list for this episode - be sure to sign up to my mailing list, which you can do via my website as well.
Angie x
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In today's episode, we chat to Elsie. Elsie is the co-founder of Homebirth Victoria, she's a birth doula, host of "Birthing at Home - a Podcast", and most importantly, she's a mumma.
We chat about Elsie's experiences giving birth at home, some common misconceptions on home-birth, some of the reasons women choose to birth outside of the hospital system, and all sorts in between.
I wanted to add a quick disclaimer that as much as I have a love for home birth and it's many benefits - I have absolutely no issues whatsoever supporting women birthing in a hospital setting. In fact, the vast majority of my clients do birth in hospital, and I help them to have beautifully positive and empowering experiences there too :)
Hope you enjoy!
PS. For some reason, the audio seems slightly sped-up, so I recommend adjusting your playback rate a little so it doesn't sound so fast.
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Have you ever wondered what evidence there is about the role of acupuncture for pregnancy/birth preparation?
In this episode, I chat to Emma. Mum + acupuncturist. We talk about the evidence-backed benefits that acupuncture can have, and we also talk about our perceptions of birth, the role cultural conditioning plays, physiological birth & how women value it (or don’t value it), true informed consent, our intuition, postpartum, how birth changes you, preparing for birth, we also talk over induction & the different methods/processes of induction… to name a few things!
Enjoy ☕️🤍
To find out more about working with me as your birth doula - head to my website guardiandoula.com.au and find me on Instagram @guardian.doula. To be treated by Em in her clinic, you can head to her website thebirthmovement.com, or find her on Instagram @the.birth.movement.
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In this episode, the beautiful Megan Hangan talks us through the early weeks of breastfeeding. Megan knows her stuff - she is an endorsed midwife & an IBCLC working at Northern Beaches Hospital, as well as with Dr Hugh Porter at Sydney Babies, and if that's not enough, she also runs her own private lactation support practice 'Learn Latch Love'. Most importantly though, she's a mumma. Enjoy!
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Today I got to chat to Karen McClay, who is the Owner & Director of Calm Birth Australia (which you've probably heard of, it's one of the biggest antenatal education programs in the country). She tells us about how her Dad, Peter Jackson started Calm Birth, we talk about the role that our conscious + subconscious mind plays in birth, the benefits of a strong support system and we chat specifically about doula support, we touch on overcoming emotional obstacles in birth and how important it is to do that, and then Karen also gives us her tips for overcoming birth trauma before going into your next birth. Hope you enjoy! - Laat meer zien
