In this beautiful episode we get the opportunity to listen to Freyja's 2 incredible birth stories! Listen in to hear a beautiful recount and reflection around the births of her two gorgeous, big baby boys!

Her first birth was a difficult one, occurring amongst floods and during COVID and involving an induction due to insulin dependent gestational diabetes and suspected big baby. Ultimately Freyjas' first birth resulted in a caesarean due to 'failure to progress' at 7cm dilation. Freyja recounts her feelings surrounding her birth and all of the hardship in her community at the time of her birth due to surrounding flooding, as well as birthing in the time of COVID. She talked through the journey through processing her first birth experience and how she navigated working towards her next birth, a planned VBAC!

Freyja's next birth story is one of triumph, joy and empowerment, involving lots of self-advocacy, flexing her autonomy and pushing forward even when her birth team shifted and changed. Freyja vulnerably shares how she navigated discussions with doctors, balanced the risks of a VBAC with another suspected big baby and also advocated for herself both leading up to and during labour. She talks about the challenges and mindset shifts that led to her VBAC and discusses the importance of educating herself, building strong support systems, advocating for her birth choices and listening to other women' stories as a form of education and inspiration.

This episode is full of reflection and information, and Freyja's story is an inspiring reminder that every birth journey is unique and that, with the right support and mindset, women can reclaim control and autonomy over their birthing choices. We hope you love listening as much as we loved interviewing Freyja!

Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!

If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:

PANDA ⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠

Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠

COPE Australia ⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠

If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:

Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠

Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

In this very special episode, we hear from our beloved co-host Aimee as she steps into the storyteller's seat to share the deeply personal journeys of her three births - a path woven with loss, healing, and profound transformation.

Aimee begins with the unexpected birth of her first baby, Willow - a planned homebirth that turned into an emergency caesarean at 36 weeks due to a placental abruption. She speaks candidly about the grief of losing her envisioned birth, the joy and relief of her daughter’s safe arrival, and her conviction to follow her intuition when hospital breastfeeding support fell short.

Her second birth was a redemptive and empowering homebirth after caesarean (HBAC) with her son Hamish, following multiple miscarriages and the emotional imprint of her first birth. Surrounded by a trusted team and held in safety, Aimee surrendered to the rhythm of labour and birthed her baby in a beautiful, supported water birth.

She then shares the story of her third baby, Evalie - a triumphant second HBAC. This birth unfolded during the still hours of a new moon, with her children present and her birth space lovingly prepared. Through the intensity of a long transition, emotional highs and lows, and a stubborn cervical lip, Aimee ultimately welcomed her daughter into her own hands in a euphoric, joy-filled moment.

With humour, honesty, and raw vulnerability, Aimee reflects on the mental load of labour, the importance of advocacy and support, and the transformational power of birthing on her own terms. This episode is a celebration of birth in all its forms - intense, ordinary, sacred, and wildly powerful.

We’re so honoured to share these stories from our co-host and friend. Aimee, thank you for your courage, your voice, and your unwavering belief in the power of birth.

Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!

If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:

PANDA ⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠

Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠

COPE Australia ⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠

If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:

Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠

Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

We’re so excited to bring you this episode with the wonderful Caitlyn, who shares her incredible birth journey and the lessons she's learned along the way. Her story begins with the traumatic birth of her eldest daughter in 2020 during lockdown, which set her on the path to pursue a VBAC with her son.

Despite her hopes for a more straightforward, peaceful experience, her son’s birth did not go as planned, as she faced a cord prolapse after her membranes were ruptured, which ultimately resulted in a CAT1 emergency cesarean. While the outcome could have been far more difficult, Caitlyn reflects on how the situation was much smoother and less traumatic than it could have been, and how kind and considerate treatment from care providers makes all the difference in a woman’s birth journey.

Now, Caitlyn is expecting her third baby and, once again, she’s holding onto her dream of a VBA2C. In this episode, she opens up about her experience navigating these challenges, the emotional rollercoaster of working towards a VBA2C, and what she’s hoping for in her upcoming birth.

Her story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of learning from each experience, and we know you’ll find her honesty, strength, and humour incredibly inspiring.

Join us as Caitlyn takes us through her birth journey, with all its ups and downs, and her ongoing hope for a beautiful, healing birth this time around.

Please join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love to rate or review, and tell your friends!

If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:

PANDA ⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠

Gidget Foundation ⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠

COPE Australia ⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠

If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:

Maternity Choices Australia ⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠

Maternity Consumer Network ⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠

Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.