Today on the podcast, Holly, a mother of three beautiful boys, shares her contrasting birth experiences and her journey with mental health. At 21, just before a powerlifting competition, Holly unexpectedly discovered she was pregnant. With no prior understanding of physiological birth or available care models, she takes us through the path she chose while navigating a diagnosis of hypertension due to high blood pressure readings.

When she became pregnant with her second child, Holly knew she wanted a more aligned experience. She found an OB who immediately recognised that her previous hypertension diagnosis was actually white coat hypertension, a condition where anxiety in clinical settings causes elevated blood pressure readings. Navigating profound mental health challenges during this pregnancy, Holly shares how connecting with a practitioner helped her manage her mental well-being.

Holly then takes us through the experience of her dream third birth at home and the fight she faced with her BMI reading. A story of unwavering determination and resilience, she shares her journey, filled with highs, lows, and invaluable lessons.

Show Notes:

Personal Instagram: @mshollyphillips

Prolapse Journey: @mum.form

Doula: @the_homegrown_doula

Private Midwife: @sacredmoonmidwifery

Psychologist: Your Place Psychology

Mentioned in this episode:

She Shimmers: A Transformative 8-Week Group Coaching Program for Mothers

She Shimmers, an 8-week holistic program designed to empower modern mothers. Use the code SKYE for 10% off and follow the link. Payment plans available. Show up as the mother you truly want to be!

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On today’s episode, we hear the positive hospital birth story shared by Alex. As an aesthetic nurse familiar with private hospital settings, Alex decided she felt most comfortable with a private OB care model. After finding an OB she felt aligned with, she immersed herself in education that supported her birth choices, carefully absorbing only positive birth stories and information that resonated with her hospital-based journey.

Alex shares how her dedicated preparation helped her stay anchored in trust when she experienced prodromal labour. She also details all the tools that helped her along her journey to create the ideal birth environment in a private hospital., demonstrating that achieving your dream birth in a private setting is not only possible but also deeply empowering.

Show Notes:

Personal: @alexandrakate_

Pre/Post Natal Pilates: @duopilatesau

Obstetrician: @drhayleypeckston

Hypnobirthing Course: @motherdownunder

Book: Juju Sundin's Birth Skills with Sarah Murdoch

Mentioned in this episode:

She Shimmers: A Transformative 8-Week Group Coaching Program for Mothers

She Shimmers, an 8-week holistic program designed to empower modern mothers. Use the code SKYE for 10% off and follow the link. Payment plans available. Show up as the mother you truly want to be!

She Shimmers

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On today’s episode, we explore the contrasting journeys of Brooke’s two births. Brooke's first pregnancy was a planned and smooth experience, much like her initial birth plan. She envisioned a minimal pain experience, even joking she would "walk backwards into the hospital." However, the reality was a traumatic birth that left her shaken. Initially accepting this as normal, it wasn't until she heard other women who had experienced trauma similar to hers, describe their second births as empowering, that she began to question her own experience and the trauma she carried.

When Brooke unexpectedly conceived her second child, she was determined to birth outside the system that had caused her so much pain. Despite facing resistance from an OB who refused to acknowledge the crucial information around her first birth's blood loss, Brooke fought for and ultimately secured the homebirth she longed for.

Today, Brooke shares the profound differences between her two experiences. She recounts the disbelief and reverence she felt during her second birth, experiencing the true power of a physiological birth left undisturbed.

Show Notes:

Instagram: @brookeshannan

Business: @baseskinperth

Gym: @avadaathletica

Birth Photographer: @antjemclaughlanphotography

Mentioned in this episode:

She Shimmers: A Transformative 8-Week Group Coaching Program for Mothers

She Shimmers, an 8-week holistic program designed to empower modern mothers. Use the code SKYE for 10% off and follow the link. Payment plans available. Show up as the mother you truly want to be!

She Shimmers