Her Herd

This week on the Her Herd Podcast, we’re joined by Rhianon, a rural mum from South Australia’s Mid Murray region. After moving to the country for her husband’s farming career, Rhianon found herself navigating pregnancy and motherhood far from the support networks she had always known. She shares the story of believing she was expecting twins, two very different pregnancies, two beautiful births, a...

When we talk about family, we often think about the people we are born into. This episode reminds us that family can also be built through friendship, generosity, courage, and community. This week on the Her Herd Podcast, I sit down with Ben Brooksby, whom many of you may know as The Naked Farmer, and his husband, Mason, to talk about their journey to becoming dads. From growing up in rural commun...

Some journeys to parenthood are straightforward. Others ask more of us than we ever imagined. When Kirra first started trying to grow her family, she never expected it would lead her through years of fertility treatment, multiple surgeries, pregnancy complications, birth trauma, miscarriage, and countless hours navigating a healthcare system that often felt overwhelming and difficult to understand...

In this second part of Jen's raw and honest re-introduction, the conversation dives deeper into the "authentic mess" of rural motherhood , personal health battles, and the relentless fight for better healthcare for country families. Jen opens the episode with a heartfelt tribute to her grandmother, Gwen, whose legacy of empathy and unwavering support serves as the foundational spirit for Her Herd...

In this episode, Jen shares the origin story of Her Herd , which was sparked by her 2019 miscarriage amidst bushfires and her realization of the massive health gaps between city and rural maternity care. Jen and her guest-host navigate the "authentic mess" of motherhood and ADHD while discussing their current fertility journeys , including the emotional toll of hormone treatments and the pressure...

Alicia “Quirky” Lucas - Olympic gold medalist, commentator, physio and proud country girl - sits with me to unpack two wildly different births. We start in Tokyo during peak COVID, where language barriers, strict protocols and a scheduled breech caesarean meant Matt could only meet baby Matilda via FaceTime (and a stolen extra few hours thanks to one very polite midwife). Alicia lets us into the a...

Part 2 picks up in the glow of birth — that fierce post-birth high, the first feed, the shower, the “we did it” moment — and follows Em into the days and weeks that came next. What begins as ordinary newborn hard quickly tips into something else: fragmented postpartum care, escalating anxiety, pain, no sleep, and a second night on the ward that left her rattled. Back home, the joy kept swinging hi...

Today we sit with Em from Warwick, QLD - wife to Max and mum to two-year-old Levi - to trace a first pregnancy that began with hope and quickly collided with the same refrain we hear from so many rural first-time mums:  “I didn’t know.”  Em takes us from deciding to try for a baby, through eight months of TTC, to that middle-of-the-night positive test, and into a system where timely info...

In this episode, we sit down with Jenny, a rural mum whose birth story takes us deep into the complexity of what it means to carry risk, fear, and strength all at once. After trying to conceive for five months, Jenny was told her pregnancy was high-risk due to her BMI and a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. What followed was weeks of uncertainty, a five-hour relocation to Newcastle for care, an i...

In this episode, we sit down with Shara, a rural mum who shares the extraordinary journey of her four births - each one completely different, each shaped by its own set of challenges, decisions, and lessons. From a hospital birth during the peak of COVID-19 restrictions at just 21, to the calm of a water birth, the chaos of an unplanned roadside delivery, and finally, a planned home birth supporte...

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan, a mum of three from regional NSW, who shares her story of welcoming her son River into the world - born with a cleft lip and palate. Jordan speaks with openness and heart about the shock of receiving River’s diagnosis at the 20-week scan, and the uncertainty that followed. From a planned caesarean at 36 weeks to feeding challenges, early surgeries, and the...

In this episode, we sit down with Leah, a mum of three living in Narrabri, who shares the raw, beautiful, and at times deeply challenging journey of becoming a parent in regional Australia. Leah’s story spans fertility struggles, an ectopic pregnancy, IVF, and the surprise of naturally conceiving identical twins. With honesty and grace, she talks us through what it was like to face medical emergen...

Tylia shares the story of her first pregnancy with her son Harvey, now almost four - a pregnancy marked by placenta previa, a short cervix, leaking fluids and a birth that ended in a fast labour, significant blood loss, and later, complications that went undetected for six weeks. Her second pregnancy, after a heartbreaking miscarriage, was shadowed by anxiety and uncertainty. From an ovarian...

In this episode, we sit down with Kylie, a certified pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doula from Griffith, NSW. Kylie shares her personal journey into motherhood, a journey filled with unexpected twists, deep resilience, and the kind of hard-earned wisdom that now shapes the beautiful support she offers to other families. Kylie takes us through both of her births: from being hospitalised at the en...

This episode is one of those rare, unforgettable conversations—equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and deeply human. Georgie, a beautiful soul from Narromine, NSW (and an incredibly talented baby photographer), joins us to share her deeply personal journey through love, pregnancy, and unimaginable loss. From the laugh-out-loud stories of life on the road with her husband during their 15-month Au...

What happens when maternity services start disappearing from rural towns? For Alecia, it wasn’t a question, it was her reality. In this episode, Jen Laurie chats with Alecia from the Maternity Consumers Network (MCN), whose passion for improving maternity care started close to home and quickly turned into a statewide movement. Back in 2020, MCN launched the Bush Babies campaign in Q...

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Jemimah - mother of three, passionate advocate for intentional movement, and the founder of  Moved , a beautiful studio based in Armidale, Northern NSW. Jemimah isn’t just a guest - she’s also a listener of the podcast, and I absolutely love when our community becomes part of the conversation. Jemimah’s story is deeply rooted in themes that will reson...

This is a truly fascinating story—one that offers a rare glimpse into life in one of the most  remote corners of Australia . It’s not often that I get the opportunity to speak with someone who has lived as remotely as today’s guest. Claire’s journey is remarkable: after leaving her career in the wine-making regions of Canada, she and her husband made the bold decision to move to  Groote...

Welcome to today's episode! If you love scrolling through warm, beautiful corners of the internet, chances are you’ve come across  Sara’s  world—StoneyCreek Flower Farm. It’s one of those peaceful, inspiring spaces that might even have you planning your own trip to a nursery. But today, we’re stepping beyond the flowers and into an incredible birth story—one that highlights the challenge...

In this week’s episode of the podcast, Chloe shares her incredible and eye-opening birthing experience, revealing what happens when maternity services are an hour away. Chloe’s story is one of resilience and courage—she’s been through so much, from the heartbreaking loss of her daughter at 26 weeks, to having her first son 100 kilometers from home, and then delivering in a situation where the near...

When we first sat down with Sophie in Episode One, we were introduced to a woman whose openness, raw emotion, and unwavering honesty set the bar for everything that followed. Sophie's ability to share the highs and lows of her life – from motherhood to running a sheep farm with her husband Ross, to navigating rural life with their son Dougal – touched a chord with so many of you. Her unique combin...

In this heartfelt podcast episode, I sit down with Raechel, an incredibly talented country singer-songwriter, whose story is as inspiring as her music. Raechel’s journey into the world of songwriting was deeply shaped by her childhood spent performing in her family band, while traveling and living in a caravan across rural Australia. These early years fostered a profound connection to the land, an...

Welcome to this powerful episode of  Her Herd , where we’re joined by the brilliant, witty, and incredibly passionate Kate Brow. Kate’s the kind of rural mum who manages to juggle a high-profile job with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade while running a sheep and cattle farm in rural New South Wales. And she does it all with a sharp sense of humor and the kind of grace that can only...

Welcome back to Part 2 of my interview with Kirsty Bryant. If you listened to Part 1, you know just how powerful Kirsty's story is. From being the first woman to receive a uterus transplant to navigating her IVF journey, Kirsty has faced challenges most people can’t even imagine. But her story is about so much more than just medical procedures—it’s about love, resilience, and what it truly means t...

Let me introduce you to a very special friend of mine—Kirsty Bryant. You may have heard her name before because, well, she's kind of a big deal. Kirsty made history as the first woman to receive a uterus transplant, but her story goes so much deeper than that. Her journey with her husband Nick and their two beautiful kids is one full of love, strength, and resilience. It’s a story you truly can’t...