The Great Birth Rebellion

Lets take a walk through the research and historical background behind the use of a bed and laying down during labour and birth. Is this where you imagine yourself giving birth? If so, this episode is for you. There are also lots of tips to avoid getting trapped on the bed and strategies for women and midwives to overcome systematic powers that direct labour to the bed. Get more from the Great Bir...

Marina Weckend and Dr Clare Davison share their work on Physiological Plateaus in labour. This is truly rebellious work because it challenges the false medical language about how labour and birth unfolds and they share the truth about how normal labour includes rests, lulls and plateaus. Links to learn more and participate in this research Participate in the WEPAUSE Study: https://bit.ly/WEPAUSE S...

Mel invites her work-wife Ashlee Anslow to discuss how they manage birth emergencies at home. We discuss foetal distress in labour, cord accidents, shoulder dystocia, neonatal resuscitation, retained placenta, postpartum haemorrhage. Todays episode was generously sponsored by Born at home Film . To watch the film, head to the Demand Film’s website and search for a screening near you and remember t...

Mel draws on her experience and the research evidence to discuss care of late pre-term babies born between 34-37 weeks. Mel offers some alternative care strategies such as delayed cord clamping, kangaroo care and sunlight for prevention of jaundice, among other things. Early babies need special care and you can enhance their development with some simple strategies. Get more from the Great Birth Re...

Mel interviews wise woman midwife Sheryl Sidery who has been a private midwife for 40 years. Learning from experienced midwives, in our western culture, is one of the only ways to learn new things about physiological birth and today Sheryl offers up her 40 years of experience. Sheryl is not currently taking private midwifery clients but you can still check her out online at www.sherylsidery.com.au...

Your baby has done a poo in the waters. Mel describes what the current research says about meconium stained amniotic fluid. What is it? Is meconium truly ‘sterile’? Is meconium always a problem? and what might happen to your baby if there is meconium in your waters. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www....

Stick with us as we explore how hospitals are organised, why policies are created, and how they impact the care provided to women. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding hospital structures and policies in order to navigate and advocate for personalised care. We discuss the role of policies in healthcare and how they impact the care provided to women during childbirth. We expl...

Mel answers some listener questions in a one and only public ‘Ask me anything’ episode. Enjoy this insight into some of my clinical work and tidbits of research scattered about. Time stamps: 2:30 - Top tips for achieving a vaginal birth after a previous caesarean section 8:50 - Talking placental insufficiency and do placenta’s give up after 40 weeks 13:12 - Posterior babies, why are they considere...

In this episode Mel explains why she chose to release B as co-host of the great birth rebellion podcast and offers a summary of the changes you can expect of the podcast going forward. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com Join the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Bi...

‘the cascade of interventions’ occurs when an additional intervention is needed in order to counteract the impact of the last intervention. We specifically make reference to epidurals, artificial rupture of membranes and continuous foetal heart rate monitoring but we get broad and philosophical too. A definite base level episode to introduce you to the concept of the cascade of intervention. Get m...

Part 1 (episode 72) is essential listening if you want to get the full picture. In this episode we talk about how to keep yourself safe from an unwanted episiotomy and how to recover well from having had one if it happens to you. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.com Join the rebell...

Episiotomy is the practice of using scissors to cut the opening of the vagina to make it larger for childbirth. In Australia, 25% of women receive one. We examine this practice in what we thought would be one episode… but there was so much to cover that it’s a 2 parter. They go together, so start here. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the reso...

It’s possible to have the time of your life at your birth and describe it as GREAT afterwards. So great that you are excited to do it again. In this guide to a great birth episode Mel explains the science behind the enjoyment of birth and how you can tap into the joy and bliss of birth and at the end feel that you had a great birth. This is a must list from the great Birth Rebellion Catalogue In t...

Mel meets with Charlotte King, a researcher and reporter from the ABC news network in Australia. Charlotte was one of the reporters working on a recent (Feb 2024) media story about Freebirth in Australia. This investigation has been going for approximately 8 months and was released this week in the shadow of the very unfortunate deaths of twins born during a freebirth. The great birth rebellion wo...

Have you received a diagnosis of low-lying placenta? this could change your your birth options, but most of the time it doesn't have to. We discuss the likelihood of it moving and research coming out about the risks and benefits of vaginal birth vs cesarean section in these circumstances. If you’ve got a low lying placenta or you are caring for a woman who has, we think you’ll be reassured by the...

Today we discuss Tongue tie, what is it, how is it diagnosed how can it be corrected and what to do if you don't want to surgically manage it. Dr Reena Murray has some amazing resources for families working through tongue tie in the resource folder of this podcast. To find out more about Reena’s work you can have a look at her website https://completelyaligned.com.au/ and find more resources from...

Advanced Paediatric Osteopath and Lactation consultant Reena Murray from @completelyaligned joins the podcast to discuss Osteopathy for babies and young children and how this therapy can complement the care you give your baby in their early years. We discuss the place of osteopathy in managing many newborn issues and explore what an Osteopath could do for your baby. To find out more about Reena’s...

Mel invites her long term friend Emma Johnston (aka @newearth.mama ) to the podcast to discuss Breath work for birth. Emma has studied mastery of breath work (among other things) and is one half of the 'The reconnected' empire @the_reconnected . Emma has 5 children and discusses how breath work impacted her birth experiences and gives practical strategies that you can apply to your own birth. Get...

why we are told not to sleep on our back during pregnancy (and what to do if you wake up on your back), comfort strategies, what to do with your night waking times, bedtime bladder health, managing sleep discomfort and building healthy sleep habits for life. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniet...

we are kicking off with an Australian summer special by talking about thrush in pregnancy. We talk about what it is and how to fix it for good. Even if you don’t have thrush, you’ll learn about how to keep your vagina and vulva healthy throughout you pregnancy and your life! There is something for everyone whether you are itchy or not. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podca...

Osteopaths Kate and Liz all about osteopathy during pregnancy and osteopathic care of the pelvic bowl in preparation for birth. You can follow follow Kathryn (kate) on insta @thepelvichealth_osteo You can follow follow Liz on insta @pregnancyandbeyondosteo . Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniet...

Is your baby moving normally during pregnancy? 15% of women report reduced movement of their baby at some point during their pregnancy, but what are normal movements, how you monitor movement and what could it mean if your baby is moving less? In this episode Mel takes you through the current recommendations for how to monitor your baby’s movement during pregnancy and what to do if you are worried...

The umbilical has a purpose in the minutes following your baby’s birth. Leaving it intact enhances the health of your baby and assists in the transition to breathing air. In this episode, Mel explains what the cord does in the minutes following birth and what happens to your baby if this transition is interrupted. Mel also covers the special circumstances of collecting cord blood, what if your bab...

Midwife, Jo Hunter, to talks about the process of being reported to AHPRA. For Australian Midwives this will help you better understand what it is like being reported to AHPRA as Jo takes us through her research. If you are coming to this episode having been reported to AHPRA, or you are publicly making judgements about midwives, this episode has some practical suggestions for you. If you want to...

What to bring to the hospital for your birth journey. I emphasise the importance of being prepared and offer practical tips and suggestions for items to consider bringing. From pain management tools to postpartum essentials, I cover everything you need for a smoother and more comfortable experience. To prepare for your high powered hospital birth, get  the guide to giving birth without pain medica...