The benefits of caesarean scar massage For many women, a caesarean birth brings not only a new baby, but also a scar that needs both physical healing and emotional care. Gentle caesarean scar massage can support the recovery process from the inside out. The layers of a caesarean section When a caesarean birth is performed,...
When a VBAC leads to regret – is it the birth, or the system? I sometimes hear or read how disappointed or even regretful some women felt after their VBAC. It’s disheartening, because on the surface, it seems like they “got” what they were aiming for – a vaginal birth after caesarean. But when I...
Wait for white: why optimal cord clamping matters for your baby In the moments after birth, there’s often a flurry of activity: checking the baby, cleaning, measuring and of course, cutting the cord. But before that clamp clicks shut, there’s a critical opportunity to support your baby’s transition in a simple yet powerful way: by...
Perineal massage: Is it really a massage? As you approach the final weeks of pregnancy, you may be exploring different ways to prepare your body for birth – and one practice that often comes up is perineal massage. This technique involves manually stretching and massaging the perineal tissue (the area between the vaginal opening and...
VBAC or repeat caesarean: navigating the “what ifs” at the end of pregnancy As women approach the final weeks of pregnancy, even the most confident and well-researched birth plan can begin to feel uncertain. For those planning a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC), it’s not uncommon to feel a strong pull in another direction –...
Navigating ‘Foetal Distress’ During Labour: Empowering Your VBAC Journey One of the most emotionally challenging moments during labour is when a care provider tells you, “Your baby is in distress.” It’s a phrase that can feel frightening and disempowering, and for many women planning a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), it’s a scenario they dread,...
Your Guide to VBAC in Australia – Be Prepared and Confident For many Australian women, the decision to pursue a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) is both deeply personal and transformative. With the right support, accurate information, and a trusting birth environment, VBAC can be a healing experience after a previous caesarean. This guide brings...
The “big baby” threat: why induction for a suspected large baby is often unnecessary and unsupported by evidence If you would like to listen to our podcast instead of reading: CLICK HERE BIG BABY – It’s something I hear from women far too often: “My doctor said my baby is measuring big, so they want...
When VBAC doesn’t go to plan – it’s not failure “Failed VBAC” — it’s a phrase that gets tossed around far too commonly in medical records, hospital corridors and social media groups, yet it carries a heavy emotional weight for the women it refers to. For many women who have planned a vaginal birth after...
Investing in your birth: why childbirth education matters According to the Australian Bridal Industry Academy (ABIA), the average wedding in Australia costs approximately $41,400, with couples spending over 250 hours planning every detail of that one special day. It’s a meaningful celebration – but it’s just one day. Now consider this: childbirth is not only...
April is Caesarean Awareness Month: Highlighting Australia’s Caesarean Section Trends April is Caesarean Awareness Month – a time to reflect on how this major abdominal surgery has evolved and what it means for birthing women today, especially here in Australia where caesarean rates are among the highest in the developed world. It’s a moment to...
When it comes to choosing an obstetrician for your pregnancy and birth, you’re not just choosing a care provider – you’re choosing someone who will influence one of the most vulnerable, raw, and powerful experiences of your life. And while there are many excellent obstetricians who genuinely care about supporting women and providing evidence-based care,...
Preparing for childbirth is a deeply personal journey, and the support you receive can have a profound impact on your birth experience. While traditional hospital-based childbirth education classes focus on medical procedures and hospital protocols, independent childbirth education offers a more holistic approach. These classes often integrate essential tools such as massage, acupressure, the use...
Fat vaginas can’t give birth! Being a childbirth educator, I get to hear the best and the worst from my clients of our maternity care system. This seems to be the new thing with obstetricians telling women with higher BMI’s that they can’t give birth vaginally because their vagina is too fat, and babies will...
Vicki Hobbs from Back-to-Basics Birthing and the Strength to Progress Conference are proud to be hosting Dr Hazel Keedle with her VBAC Workshop for Birth Workers. Dr Hazel Keedle is a Lecturer of Midwifery and completed her PhD in 2021 at Western Sydney University, Australia. Hazel has more than 25 years of experience as a...
Jenn Fontaine is one of a handful of people worldwide who have been personally trained and mentored by Penny Simkin and accredited to present and facilitate the When Survivors Give Birth workshop and she is coming back to Perth to present another workshop. This important client care workshop focuses on understanding and healing the effects...
As we continue to brace ourselves for the changes that are occurring on a daily basis, we are all faced with fears, concerns and uncertainty. These circumstances are rare and unusual here in Australia, and we now more than ever have to show solidarity and work together to get through this as best we can....
Our birth story was one that did not go to plan AT ALL. I know I will miss some information out as it was a very long day and I was running on very limited sleep but here is what I remember… Both Adam and I had our hearts set on a natural birth, to...
Making informed choices to suit your set of circumstances for your birth is one of the key messages I promote in my Hypnobirthing Classes. It’s also important to note that two women can look at the same set of circumstances and make completely different decisions. It doesn’t make one right and the other wrong. In...
I’ve been waiting for this incredible vaginal breech birth after caesarean story as I was so privileged to be a part of this birth as a doula, which meant being a part of the preparation, the fears, the tears, the excitement and the unknown as even though I have supported many VBAC births, I had...
Hypnobirthing in Perth is becoming more popular, and we love sharing our positive birth stories – whether that is home birth, water birth, land birth, hospital birth and even caesarean birth. My hypnobirthing classes are not about natural birth at all costs. This comprehensive childbirth education program is about preparing women and their partners for...
The curse of the due date and the eviction notice for your baby is clearly etched in every woman’s mind after she has confirmation of her pregnancy. She marks that date on the calendar with excitement and shares this with all her family and friends. This is when her baby will come. Then as the...
I originally wrote this blog back in 2018, but with the chatter (propaganda) the last few days, I decided this was a good one to update. Once again, the crusade to replace actual midwifery care with flashing lights, beeping monitors, and glossy brochures continues – this time with a shiny new device hailed by WA...
Introduction by Vicki…. I have waited a year to get this birth story from a woman I admire so much, and when I read this it brought tears to my eyes yet warmed my heart. Yes, it’s a long birth story but it is one that needed to be written that helped a woman heal...
Women do not need to be told “all that matters is a healthy baby” because she is the one growing and nurturing her baby. You can be sure that she is thinking and feeling that her first priority is a healthy baby – nobody needs to tell her this and she will forever be grateful...
The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) have released the Australian Mothers and Babies 2016 report and it is disappointing to see that the national caesarean rate continues to rise and is well outside the World Health Organisation recommendations of between 10%-15%. This data provides an overview of mothers and babies, maternal demographics, the...
It’s interesting to see the responses from women to women who share what they are planning for their birth or their experience of having a “good birth” on social media. Natural birth – what are you trying to prove? You won’t get a medal. These are just some of the responses women are subjected to....
A caesarean is major abdominal surgery, so you can expect to experience some level of pain afterwards. Your healthcare provider will ensure that you have medications to help you cope with the pain. It is important that you have support after you leave the hospital to ensure a speedy recovery. It can take anywhere between...
Orgasms release copious amounts of oxytocin therefore I am a big advocate for female orgasms during labour when things start to slow down or stall. If it is a choice between synthetic oxytocin and real oxytocin, what would you rather have? Just put a sign on your door saying, “Please keep out – orgasm in...
Sometimes it can be really hard for your partner or birth support person who is a friend or family member to see you in pain during labour. Having the right people there can really make a difference with the outcome of your birth. Let’s be clear here – the most important person in that birthing...
There are so many things to consider when you are planning your vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) and these are just the ones I wanted to put together quickly to get you started, but you have to do your own mind-mapping to work out where you need more information, where you feel strong and confident...
For the most part, I feel so positive about the new VBAC guidelines just released by ACOG this month (ACOG Practice Bulletin #184) and wanted to share a few highlights that potential VBAC women can really push for with their own care providers here in Australia. We seem to be so far behind in Australia,...
What are the “absolute” risks of stillbirth? Many healthcare providers create fear in women when they say, “the risk of stillbirth doubles by the end of 42 weeks.” This is the “relative” risk of stillbirth. It is important that you obtain the “absolute” risk before making any decisions. The “absolute” risk means how often does...
No two women are the same; therefore, no two births will be the same even with your own subsequent pregnancies. There is no text book that can tell you when you will go into labour, what you will experience and what the outcome will be. Independent childbirth education is about preparing you for your labour...
I am so proud of myself and beyond grateful for everything I learnt at hypnobirthing!! I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and my Obstetrician wanted to induce me and had even set a date for the 4th December, which would’ve made me 41 weeks. Originally he’d spoken about inducing at 38/39 weeks and thanks to...
A ground-breaking Australian study on effective childbirth education was recently released by Dr. Kate Levett and Dr. Hannah Dahlen (who were also key-note speakers at our annual conference). This study highlighted how important it was to not only participate in independent childbirth education classes but to also find a program that included complementary therapies to...
“I wish I had done some classes or prepared myself for what to expect when I went into labour, and maybe my birth would have been very different.” This is what so many women tell me when they’re preparing for their next birth or VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) – they want a more positive...
So you have just tested positive for Gestational Diabetes. What now? Well first of all you need to find out as much as you can about this condition and how it affects you and your baby and your birth preferences. But where do you start? What is going to be helpful and what is going...
Just wanted to share my successful VBAC story. I ended up being induced because my waters started leaking on Tuesday morning, but I wasn’t getting any surges so spoke to my midwife and she had said to stay at home as long as possible because they would keep me in once I got to hospital. So I went...
Choosing your health care provider for birth is so important and should be high on your priorities along with childbirth education. Obstetricians are highly trained and specialists in surgical procedures. They would be the first to admit that when it comes to “normal birth” then the experts in this area are midwives. Midwives are highly...
I was over my estimated due date, and we were at times quite stressed about when this baby was going to come and were feeling the pressure from people around us. I found going back to the hypnobirthing principles, especially listening to the affirmations, really helped me with this and I kept reminding myself “he’ll...
Hey mummy, please be patient….. Please mummy, let me stay for a little while longer, I feel safe and calm and loved. I know you are tired, I know you are sore. I’m sorry I am putting all this pressure on your body. But I’m not ready to be born just yet. Please be patient…..it...
So, you have just been for your 20-week scan and your sonographer has told you that you have a low-lying placenta, and you will be monitored to see if you can birth vaginally, or you may have even been told to prepare for a caesarean. It is important NOT TO STRESS! A low-lying placenta can...
The Unique Connection between mother and child – does it exist? I loved watching the video which went viral in 2015 on social media. It has everyone talking about how clever the children are to find their mums, and it got me thinking about how so many couples don’t understand the importance of that skin-on-skin bonding...
What is that “gross” stuff on your baby? (And why you should absolutely love it) Your baby has just been born, and as you gaze in awe at your little miracle, you might be surprised to see their delicate skin covered in a thick, creamy, white substance. It might look like they’ve been lathered in...
There is no such thing as a “natural induction” of labour. Anything that is trying to make your baby come before it is ready is a risk. So, you think it is time to evict your baby? You have had enough. You are tired, uncomfortable and just want to meet your little one…..NOW! However, have...
There are many natural induction methods that may help to trigger the start of labour, but these too can also create stress and frustration when they don’t work. It is also important to remember that you’re not designed to be pregnant forever, so you can trust your body to do what it is meant to...
Nearly 75% of pregnant women experience swelling during the last trimester of their pregnancy and most of the time it is relieved by good posture, massage, staying cool, elevation of legs and rest. However, when something like pre-eclampsia develops, severe swelling or” pitting oedema” is merely one symptom of sometimes a more serious condition known...
When I am performing pregnancy massage, one of the most common questions I get asked is how to turn a breech baby? I think it is really important that mums understand that sometimes they just need to be patient. Do all you can to encourage your baby into a vertex (head down) position early on,...
First of all I would like to thank Vicki Hobbs from the Hypnobirthing Centre WA for helping me release my fear of birthing and to also help me think positive all the way about everything – my pregnancy, my labour, the surges I would experience and moving my baby down. I was one person who...
The Hypnobirthing class helped me from the first session and weeks before my labour started. I have always had a huge fear of needles but I knew that it was all in my mind. The classes helped me to deal with that and my first blood test after starting the course was a whole new...