Best Calmbirth Podcasts (2024)

1
498 | Katelyn, three babies, private obstetrician, vaginal birth, fraternal twins, cholestasis, IUGR, physiological twin birth, breastfeeding 1:11:20

1h ago1:11:20

1:11:20

Katelyn’s first birth was relatively quick - a low-intervention vaginal birth in a private hospital. When she discovered she was pregnant again, she booked in with the same obstetrician but at her eight week scan, she found out she was pregnant with twins, and her obstetrician refused to support a vaginal birth. So began Katelyn’s informed pregnanc…

1
497 | Erika, Pre-Eclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, CMV, missed miscarriage, emergency caesarean 1:15:21

7d ago1:15:21

1:15:21

In today’s heartfelt episode, Erika shares her challenging and inspiring journey into motherhood with her two little boys. Erika opens up about conceiving after a short period of trying, only to face the heartbreaking loss of her first pregnancy due to a missed miscarriage at 10 weeks. She candidly shares her emotional and physical experiences of c…

1
496 | Tanya, four babies, epidural, vaginal birth, vacuum, molar pregnancy, IVF, breech, planned caesarean, down’s syndrome, TFMR, VBAC 1:26:15

9d ago1:26:15

1:26:15

In today’s episode, Tanya takes us through her four birth experiences. Her first two babies are now teenagers and her second two are very little, so she speaks from the perspective of a mother in her 20s and her 40s and comments on how the maternity system has changed over the years to ultimately become more risk-averse. She conceived via IVF for h…

1
495 | Sarah, Breastfeeding, triple feeding, oversupply, cracked nipples, mastitis, tongue tie 25:37

16d ago25:37

25:37

Sarah has a family history of breast cancer and is very aware of the protective benefits of breastfeeding so she was determined to persist despite the challenges. She only realised she had flat nipples after the birth of her first baby so she used nipple shields for four months and fed without them for an extra 11 months. Her second baby was born w…

1
494 | Andrea, insufficient glandular tissue, IGT, breastfeeding hypoplasia, triple-feeding, tongue tie, lactation consultant, formula feeding, maternal mental health 53:40

15d ago53:40

53:40

You can listen to Andrea’s birth stories in episode 312 and today, she shares her incredibly informed story about breastfeeding hypoplasia, also known as Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT). As she says, it’s a story about what happens when breastfeeding doesn’t happen. Her journey highlights the polarity between breastfeeding and formula feeding, …

1
493 | Sophie, premature birth, NICU, tube-feeding, triple-feeding, mastitis, exclusive breastfeeding 32:34

13d ago32:34

32:34

Sophie’s first baby was diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) because of placental insufficiency at 25 weeks. Little Tilly was born at 29 weeks and weighed only 534 grams so she was tube-fed for 10 weeks in NICU before being discharged. Sophie takes us through her breastfeeding journey - controlling the controllable, triple-feeding …

1
492 | Sheree, three vaginal births, private obstetrician, TFMR, physiological birth, en caul, The Birth Class 1:07:31

18d ago1:07:31

1:07:31

Sheree takes us through her first pregnancy, her choice to have a termination for medical reasons (TFMR) at 20 weeks and the grief that followed. She admits that she has always been in denial when discovering that she’s pregnant, a response that’s actually quite common for so many women who experience more overwhelm and doubt than they do immediate…

1
491 | Louise, three babies, public hospital, spontaneous labour, induction, 3C perineal tear, planned caesarean 1:10:41

1M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

Today’s episode is a beautiful example of doing your research and making an informed choice, even if it’s not your first birth preference. Louise works as an osteopath and opted for public hospital midwifery care.. Her first birth was very straightforward and her second labour was incredibly quick, resulting in a 3C tear that she recovered from wit…

1
490 | Emily, surrogate, twin pregnancy, identical twins, vaginal birth, antenatal expressing 50:18

1M ago50:18

50:18

In today’s episode, Emily - a mum of three - shares her journey as a surrogate (or an ‘oven’ as she refers to it). When her youngest was three she started to miss the pregnancy and birth journey so she began researching surrogacy in Australia. She joined the facebook group and reached out to two intended dads. They hit it off immediately and within…

1
489 Postpartum | Helen, sleep support, Early Parenting Unit, pregnancy after loss, postpartum after loss 54:41

1M ago54:41

54:41

This is a profoundly important episode for any new parent navigating sleep challenges with their baby. Helen is a mother of three and trauma-informed midwife who shares her experience of baby loss and PTSD. She acknowledges that her trauma has coloured her postpartum experience with her third baby and while the initial months were quite textbook wh…

1
488 | Emily, three babies, type 1 diabetes, private obstetrician, induction, spontaneous labour, breastfeeding, antenatal expressing 1:00:28

2M ago1:00:28

1:00:28

In this episode Emily details her diagnosis and experience with Type 1 diabetes. It has significantly informed her three pregnancies and births because she’s deemed high risk (diabetes increases the risk of placental deterioration, stillbirth and hypertension). She takes us through her different models of care in the private and public hospital sys…

1
487 | Amelia, three babies, twins, PROM, induction, emergency caesarean, twin VBAC, breastfeeding, Dr Bisits, breech vaginal birth 1:13:47

1M ago1:13:47

1:13:47

In today’s episode Amelia shares her first birth which was a challenging induced labour that ended in an emergency caesarean. She always knew she wanted a VBAC so when she discovered she was pregnant with twins, she made it her mission to find a care provider to support her. Thankfully, she discovered Dr Andrew Bisits at the Royal Hospital for Wome…

1
486 | Suze, one baby, MGP, induction, syntocinon, epidural, forceps-assisted birth, breastfeeding, nipple shields 1:07:16

2M ago1:07:16

1:07:16

If you’re in the mood for a birth story full of truths and just as many laughs, this one’s for you. Suze started listening to the podcast years before she conceived so in early pregnancy, she started an evening ritual of going for a walk and listening to every episode from #1 (the very rustic eps!). She takes us through her MGP care, birth preparat…

1
485 Postpartum | Eliza, two babies, disabled parent, medical stigma, disability advocate 36:32

2M ago36:32

36:32

In today’s episode I chat to Eliza Hull - a musician, author and disability advocate who lives with a neurological condition called charcot marie tooth. When she started considering and discussing her plans to have children, she was met with stigma from friends and medical professionals, an experience that is common for people living with disabilit…

1
484 | Hannah, three babies, PROM, induction, gas+air, MGP, waterbirth, breastfeeding, epidural 1:09:21

2M ago1:09:21

1:09:21

Hannah’s three vaginal births are so different but they all started with pre-labour rupture of membranes (PROM). Her first was induced and she explains the intensity of contractions and how she navigated them. In her second birth she waited days after the trickle of her waters began, was guided by an obstetrician willing to wait and she went into s…

1
483 Postpartum | Jen, one vaginal birth, GD, induction, episiotomy, postpartum confinement 44:42

3M ago44:42

44:42

In today’s episode, I talk to Jen about her pregnancy, birth and traditional Chinese confinement during postpartum. Jen is a second-generation Chinese-Australian and while she was at first hesitant to embrace the confinement period after birth, when she left the hospital feeling frail, “like a creature born trembling, without fur or feathers” she a…

1
482 | Bee, one baby, MGP, spontaneous labour, The Birth Class, sterile water injections, episiotomy, vacuum assisted birth, breastfeeding 1:17:09

3M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Bee came to her first pregnancy like most women do; with the understanding that birth is incredibly hard and painful - something to be endured. Understandably, she was terrified and not interested in hearing anyone’s birth story. Thankfully, she was accepted into MGP early on and had a beautiful, supportive midwife on her side. She also started lis…

1
481 Postpartum | Ruby, breastfeeding, sleep challenges, normal infant biology, low sleep needs 26:48

3M ago26:48

26:48

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…

1
480 | Sea, MGP, physiological birth, positive birth story, Indigenous, planned postpartum 44:16

3M ago44:16

44:16

Sea shared her first three physiological births in episode 304 and today she returns to tell us all about her fourth pregnancy and birth. Little Leia was a big surprise but Sea took it in her stride - as most mums of four do - and managed to get in the MGP program at Cairns Hospital which gave her access to the spacious rooms in the birthing suite.…

1
479 Postpartum | Ariane, postpartum psychosis, psychologist, hallucinations, postpartum depression, psychotic depression 1:03:16

3M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

In today’s episode, Ariane shares her experience with postpartum psychosis. As a psychologist working in child and family services, Ariane was aware of perinatal mental illness but her anxiety prevented her from disclosing her symptoms which included disillusions, hallucinations and suicidal ideation. After a stay in a mother and baby unit, she sta…

1
478 | Katie, one baby, plus-size, doula, induction, vaginal birth, PPH 1:13:35

3M ago1:13:35

1:13:35

In this episode 478 Katie shares her pregnancy and birth experience as a plus-size woman. She was denied access to midwifery group practice because of her weight and was immediately placed in a high risk model of care. She reflects on the inherent stress of this and admits that there were frequent suggestions of induction from her second trimester …

1
477 | Angela, physiological home birth, private midwife, water birth 48:28

3M ago48:28

48:28

In this episode Angela shares her incredibly positive first birth - a water birth at home, supported by private midwives. Before she had conceived, Angela spent years learning about birth and discovered that a physiological birth in water was her preference. She came to this pregnancy - her second - with a strong awareness of body and mind and cont…

1
476 | Georgie, four babies, MGP, physiological birth, breastfeeding, surprise breech, breech vaginal birth, DCDA twins, twin vaginal birth without epidural 1:27:08

4M ago1:27:08

1:27:08

I know I say it a lot, but you’re really going to love this episode. Georgie details her positive physiological first birth, her second that was a surprise breech (birthed vaginally!) and a DCDA twin pregnancy with confronting fragmented obstetric care. Georgie’s three births emphasise how vital education and advocacy really is, especially when con…

1
475 Postpartum | Arnikka, postpartum, IBCLC, neurodivergence, autism, ADHD, sensory overwhelm 1:09:21

4M ago1:09:21

1:09:21

In this absolutely brilliant episode, Arnikka - @sucklebubs - takes us through her life-changing diagnosis of autism and ADHD in her second postpartum. Postpartum is a common time for women to consider their neurotype and for Arnikka, the overwhelm of the mental load was quickly becoming debilitating even though she didn’t feel particularly depress…

1
474 | Chantal endometriosis, IVF, anxiety, private obstetrician, HG, amniocentesis, spontaneous labour, vaginal birth 1:18:16

4M ago1:18:16

1:18:16

The gender pain gap has been in the news cycle recently with the Victorian government announcing an inquiry into women’s pain. Chantal’s story mirrors the experience of thousands of Australian women; a history of painful periods that had been dismissed. She was diagnosed with stage three endometriosis when she had trouble conceiving naturally. Afte…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Calmbirth Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Australian Birth Stories

Sophie Walker

1
498 | Katelyn, three babies, private obstetrician, vaginal birth, fraternal twins, cholestasis, IUGR, physiological twin birth, breastfeeding 1:11:20

1
497 | Erika, Pre-Eclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, CMV, missed miscarriage, emergency caesarean 1:15:21

1
496 | Tanya, four babies, epidural, vaginal birth, vacuum, molar pregnancy, IVF, breech, planned caesarean, down’s syndrome, TFMR, VBAC 1:26:15

1
495 | Sarah, Breastfeeding, triple feeding, oversupply, cracked nipples, mastitis, tongue tie 25:37

1
494 | Andrea, insufficient glandular tissue, IGT, breastfeeding hypoplasia, triple-feeding, tongue tie, lactation consultant, formula feeding, maternal mental health 53:40

1
493 | Sophie, premature birth, NICU, tube-feeding, triple-feeding, mastitis, exclusive breastfeeding 32:34

1
492 | Sheree, three vaginal births, private obstetrician, TFMR, physiological birth, en caul, The Birth Class 1:07:31

1
491 | Louise, three babies, public hospital, spontaneous labour, induction, 3C perineal tear, planned caesarean 1:10:41

1
490 | Emily, surrogate, twin pregnancy, identical twins, vaginal birth, antenatal expressing 50:18

1
489 Postpartum | Helen, sleep support, Early Parenting Unit, pregnancy after loss, postpartum after loss 54:41

1
488 | Emily, three babies, type 1 diabetes, private obstetrician, induction, spontaneous labour, breastfeeding, antenatal expressing 1:00:28

1
487 | Amelia, three babies, twins, PROM, induction, emergency caesarean, twin VBAC, breastfeeding, Dr Bisits, breech vaginal birth 1:13:47

1
486 | Suze, one baby, MGP, induction, syntocinon, epidural, forceps-assisted birth, breastfeeding, nipple shields 1:07:16

1
485 Postpartum | Eliza, two babies, disabled parent, medical stigma, disability advocate 36:32

1
484 | Hannah, three babies, PROM, induction, gas+air, MGP, waterbirth, breastfeeding, epidural 1:09:21

1
483 Postpartum | Jen, one vaginal birth, GD, induction, episiotomy, postpartum confinement 44:42

1
482 | Bee, one baby, MGP, spontaneous labour, The Birth Class, sterile water injections, episiotomy, vacuum assisted birth, breastfeeding 1:17:09

1
481 Postpartum | Ruby, breastfeeding, sleep challenges, normal infant biology, low sleep needs 26:48

1
480 | Sea, MGP, physiological birth, positive birth story, Indigenous, planned postpartum 44:16

1
479 Postpartum | Ariane, postpartum psychosis, psychologist, hallucinations, postpartum depression, psychotic depression 1:03:16

1
478 | Katie, one baby, plus-size, doula, induction, vaginal birth, PPH 1:13:35

1
477 | Angela, physiological home birth, private midwife, water birth 48:28

1
476 | Georgie, four babies, MGP, physiological birth, breastfeeding, surprise breech, breech vaginal birth, DCDA twins, twin vaginal birth without epidural 1:27:08

1
475 Postpartum | Arnikka, postpartum, IBCLC, neurodivergence, autism, ADHD, sensory overwhelm 1:09:21

1
474 | Chantal endometriosis, IVF, anxiety, private obstetrician, HG, amniocentesis, spontaneous labour, vaginal birth 1:18:16

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