Tahlia was born with a complex congenital heart condition requiring three open-heart surgeries and a pacemaker. She was told early on that if she wanted children, sooner would be better than later. After conceiving through IVF, her high-risk pregnancy led to an emergency caesarean at 30 weeks, followed by an intensive 78-day NICU stay with her daughter Sunny.

Tahlia's story is one of extraordinary resilience, the power of expressing breast milk as connection, and finding hope in the darkest moments. She shares candidly about the emotional toll of leaving hospital without her baby, the grief of missing ten weeks of pregnancy, and how the NICU community became her lifeline. This episode also highlights the incredible work of the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, whose donated equipment - including hospital-grade breast pumps - made such a difference to Tahlia's journey.

Today's episode is brought to you by iL Tutto.

For a limited time, you can enjoy 20% off the Trend Collection and the rest of iL Tutto’s range of Nursing Chairs, Cots, Chests and CoZee Co-Sleepers, plus many more Nursery essentials. Simply use the code ABS20 at iL Tutto

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In this deeply honest and often hilarious episode, Gen returns to share her second pregnancy and birth story - a journey that took her from secondary fertility struggles through severe hyperemesis gravidarum to achieving her dream maternal-assisted delivery. After trying to conceive naturally for six months following her first birth, Gen found herself back in the IVF clinic, this time juggling appointments with a toddler in tow. Her second pregnancy brought challenges she hadn't anticipated, including borderline hyperemesis that lasted well into her third trimester, but also the opportunity to process her first birth experience and advocate fiercely for what she wanted this time around.

Today's episode is brought to you by Rommer, an Australian children's lifestyle brand that truly gets family life.

Rommer is a premium Australian children's lifestyle brand specialising in stylish, sustainable, and functional silicone dinnerware.

As parents, we know mealtime can be... well, let's just say it's an adventure! From those precious first tastes to the inevitable food-flinging phase, we need dinnerware that can keep up with our little ones while still looking beautiful on our tables. Ready to elevate your dinnerware drawer? Head to rommerdesign.com and use the code ABS20 to get 20% off the entire range. That's ABS20 for 20% off at rommerdesign.com - but hurry, this offer is only valid until April 30th.

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Today I sit down with Dr. Amber Hart, a Melbourne-based GP and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Dr. Hart shares her expertise on the realities of breastfeeding, the importance of antenatal education, and addresses the controversial rise in tongue tie diagnoses. Amber offers a refreshing perspective on supporting new mothers through their feeding journeys whilst prioritising mental wellbeing and realistic expectations.

Get our how-to Breastfeeding Guide HERE

Today’s sponsor is iLTutto  

iL Tutto is celebrating Easter with something special.

For a limited time, you can enjoy up to 50% off their beautiful range of nursery furniture — including Electric Recliners, Glider Nursery Chairs, Cots, Chests with removable changers, plus Boba Carriers and their cosy Grow Kindly Natural Fibre Sleepwear.

And here’s something just for you — as a listener of Australian Birth Stories, you’ll receive an extra 5% off. Simply use the code ABS5 at checkout to save even more on top of these amazing sale prices.

But be quick — the Easter Sale ends April 6, and the ABS5 code is valid across all reduced items.

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Lucy shares her contrasting birth experiences - from an emergency caesarean with her first daughter Ocean at 42+2 weeks, to a planned caesarean with twins Koa and Maddox that took a frightening turn when Maddox was born unresponsive.

Today's episode is brought to you by Bare Mum. Explore the full range of birth, recovery and breastfeeding essentials and enjoy 15% off at baremum.com using the code ABS2025

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In today’s episode Ruby shares her journey with infant sleep. We all come to postpartum with a predisposed understanding of baby sleep which usually involves the mindset that it’s the parent’s ‘job’ to ‘teach’ the baby to sleep. But as you will hear in this episode, babies have a primal drive to sleep and their sleep needs are ultimately influenced by their temperament. Ruby sought advice from two sleep training experts (which she admits felt counterintuitive), before she found a sleep consultant who specialises in normal infant biology. From here, Ruby grew to understand her baby’s low sleep needs and subsequently surrendered to a sleep journey that looks very different to her initial presumptions of sleep and settling.

Today’s sponsor is iLTutto  

iL Tutto is celebrating Easter with something special.

For a limited time, you can enjoy up to 50% off their beautiful range of nursery furniture — including Electric Recliners, Glider Nursery Chairs, Cots, Chests with removable changers, plus Boba Carriers and their cosy Grow Kindly Natural Fibre Sleepwear.

And here’s something just for you — as a listener of Australian Birth Stories, you’ll receive an extra 5% off. Simply use the code ABS5 at checkout to save even more on top of these amazing sale prices.

But be quick — the Easter Sale ends April 6, and the ABS5 code is valid across all reduced items.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw and honest episode, Ellie shares her journey from home insemination to navigating pregnancy and birth as an autistic woman in a same-sex relationship. Living in Melbourne with her partner Moo, Ellie takes us through their successful home insemination, her surprisingly positive pregnancy experience, and a challenging hospital birth that ended with forceps and episiotomy. Her candid discussion about autism in pregnancy, the realities of neurodivergent motherhood, and her difficult recovery offers invaluable insights for other neurodivergent parents. Ellie's story highlights the importance of advocating for yourself in the healthcare system and finding what works for your family.

Sponsor:

My friends at ergoPouch are gifting you a 20% off discount code. Use the CODE AUBS20 for 20% off sitewide* T&Cs apply.

Happy Swaddling with ergo.

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Estelle shares her complete journey to motherhood - from unexplained infertility and IVF to an unexpected natural conception with her second child. Estelle opens up about the emotional challenges of fertility treatment, her positive experiences with induction and epidural, and her very different postpartum experiences with each baby. She discusses her struggles with breastfeeding anxiety, her decision to formula feed her second child, and how she's learning to trust her instincts as a mother. This episode beautifully illustrates how subsequent pregnancies and births can offer completely different experiences, and highlights the importance of making feeding choices that support maternal mental health.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I chat with Michelle and Michelle (yes, two Michelles!), a couple who fell in love at work and knew immediately they wanted to build a family together. Their journey to parenthood was anything but straightforward - spanning over a year of IVF treatments, reciprocal IVF attempts, pregnancy loss, and ultimately a beautiful emergency caesarean birth of their daughter Sage. What makes their story particularly special is how they navigated the complexities of being a same-sex couple in the fertility system, supported each other through multiple embryo transfers, and both pursued breastfeeding through induced lactation. Their honesty about the emotional and financial toll of IVF, combined with their unwavering support for each other, makes this an incredibly powerful listen for anyone on their own fertility journey.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leila returns to share her incredible second twin birth story - a Christmas Day birth that began at home and culminated in a powerful breech water birth at hospital. As the founder of Village for Mama and mother to five children (including two sets of DCDA fraternal twins), Leila takes us through her unexpected pregnancy discovery at 21 weeks, her journey of informed choice-making, and the profound difference that building your village can make during pregnancy and postpartum.

From dancing with a glass of non-alcoholic bubbles on Christmas morning to birthing her daughter Elka at home and then transferring to hospital for a footling breech birth of baby Finn in the birth pool, Leila's story is one of trust, intuition, and the incredible power of water birth for twins. She also shares invaluable insights about postpartum planning, the reality of caring for five children, and how she honoured her final 40-day lying-in period.

Today's episode is brought to you by iLTutto

iL Tutto is known for beautifully designed nursery furniture that combines comfort, functionality and timeless style. They’ve just introduced a brand-new Soft Tweed fabric in two gorgeous colours, designed to complement their much-loved Teddy Fleece and Corduroy Frankie and Louie recliners.

You can enjoy 20% off iL Tutto’s range for a limited time. Simply visit iltutto.com.au and use the code ABS20 at checkout.

This offer ends 25 March 2026. Conditions apply.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode, Jazz a midwife, maternal and child health nurse, and sleep consultant, takes us through her remarkable journey to motherhood. From her first precipitous birth during the height of COVID-19 to navigating severe hyperemesis gravidarum whilst living in Far North Queensland, Jazz's story is one of resilience, professional insight, and the reality that being a healthcare professional doesn't make your own birth and parenting journey any easier. Jazz shares candidly about her postpartum anxiety, the pressure she placed on herself as a professional in the field, and how she learned to be kinder to herself the second time around. Her story beautifully illustrates how each pregnancy and birth is unique, even for the same woman, and offers valuable insights for both parents and birth professionals alike.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I wanted to share something important with you — especially if you’re currently pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or supporting someone who is. Over the past seven years of Australian Birth Stories, I’ve had the privilege of sitting down with more than 600 women and their families to hear their pregnancy and birth stories. And alongside that, I’ve also birthed my own three boys — each pregnancy, each labour, and each birth teaching me something different about preparation, trust, and the importance of feeling informed and supported.

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned — both through my own births and through hundreds of conversations — it’s this:

Birth rarely unfolds exactly how we imagine it will.

But the women who feel calm, confident and empowered aren’t the ones who had a specific type of birth…

• They’re the ones who understood their options.
• They’re the ones who knew how their body worked.
• They’re the ones who had practical tools, trusted support, and evidence-based education behind them.

That’s exactly why I created The Birth Class.

I wanted to bring together everything I’ve learned — from my own experiences, from the stories shared on this podcast, and from Australia’s leading midwives, obstetricians, physiotherapists, lactation consultants, and birth educators — into one calm, clear, comprehensive course.

Because when you understand birth, fear naturally begins to dissolve.

You stop feeling like birth is something happening to you…

And instead, you feel like an active participant in the experience.

You understand how labour works.

You understand your choices.

And you trust yourself to navigate whatever unfolds.

Since launching The Birth Class, more than 7,000 women and their partners have taken the course.

And the feedback I hear again and again is:

“I felt calm.”

“I felt prepared.”

“I felt confident — even when my birth didn’t go to plan.”

Because this isn’t about promising a perfect birth.

It’s about preparing you for a positive experience — whatever that looks like for you.

And for the next few days, all of our online courses are available at 25% off.

You can access the sale using the code BIRTH25.

If you’ve been thinking about preparing for birth…

If you’ve been meaning to enrol…

Or if you’ve been listening to these stories and wondering how to prepare yourself…

This is a beautiful time to begin.

Because birth education doesn’t just change how you give birth.

It changes how you feel walking into it.

You deserve to feel calm.

You deserve to feel informed.

You deserve to feel confident in your choices.

And most importantly, you deserve to feel supported.

You can find all the course details HERE and use the code BIRTH25 to access 25% off.

I’m so honoured to support you in your preparation for birth.

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