The Great Birth Rebellion

The Breech whisperer Dr Andrew Bissits is here to talk about breech birth, breech birth options in Australia, the research about breech and inspiring news about how practitioners are becoming skilled in breech birth again. To learn more about breech, also listen to episode 123 with Dr Rixa Freeze from Breech without Borders Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing l...

Many women fear bleeding after birth... but do we have to be affraid of postpartum haemhorrage? In this we define what postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is, how they can be prevented and management strategies for how to prevent life threatening blood loss after childbirth. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at ww...

There are 3 options you have to choose from when making plans for how you want to give birth to your placenta. Once you give birth to your baby, then comes the placenta - let's chat through how to do it. You could opt for medicine to help, but that is not the only option. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode a...

Dr Hazel Keedle (@hazelkeedle) and Amber-Lee Buendicho (@powerofbirth) to discuss the new research around Obstetric violence, Birth Trauma and healing strategies. If you need help with Trauma recovery you may consider connecting with: https://panda.org.au/articles/childbirth-trauma-and-recovery/ https://www.cope.org.au/preparing-for-birth/things-dont-go-plan/recovering-from-a-traumatic-birth/ Get...

Let's discuss the repair of perineal tears. If you give birth in hospital and you tear during birth, you'll most likely be offered to have it repaired using stitches, but is this the best method? There are actually other options and we discuss the research behind these in this episode. Mel also looks at strategies to speed up healing and reduce pain and swelling from perineal tears. Get more from...

Sterile water injections are a really effective pain management strategy for labour. Nigel Lee presents some the substantial evidence base to support it’s use for the range of pains in labour. Sterile water injections are predominantly used for back pain in labour, is safe and only has one major downfall… hear all the details in the episode. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the...

You might not know it, but you are being exposed to the perineal bundle. Researcher Nigel Lee came on to discuss the perineal bundle, the research behind it and all the reasons why we don't like it. This information is vital if you want to protect your perineum. Guest host for this episode is B from @coreandfloorrestore Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list...

Lets explore gestational diabetes testing and part the research around the oral glucose tolerance test and the alternatives if you choose not to have this test. This is not an episode about gestational diabetes, but it is an episode about gestational diabetes screening and diagnosis. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from ea...

Are you thinking about using water for labour or having a waterbirth? This episode is for you. There are some things to understand about the safety, risks, mechanisms and how to access it. We look through the current research to help you as you make decisions on if you want to give birth in water or not, and if you are a midwife, how you can assist women to access this. In this episode Mel shared...

Doulas play a specific role at birth, but what are they and what do they do? I interviewed experienced doula Poppy Child from @popthatmumma about what a doula is, what they do, how much they cost and questions to ask when hiring one. If you are considering a doula, there is great reason to invest in their support throughout your pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Poppy is also a Hypnobirthing practi...

Dr Sarah Buckley is here to talk about what starts labour, the hormones of labour and how to protect them from interruption. We learn about the fundamental and essential needs of a woman in labour to promote labour physiology. Private, Safe and unobserved. Sarah also shared how to fill hormonal gaps when your labour process has been interrupted. Sarah is a GP and homebirth mother of 4 babies with...

What does it take to have a baby? There are some things you need to know before your birth, but it's not as hard as you think it is. This episode offers some strategies to help you prepare for pushing out your baby and will show you what you can do in the moment to make your pushing phase as good as possible. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access t...

Birth mapping is an evidence-based tool to help with decision making in pregnancy and childbirth. Dr Catherine Bell Birth Cartographer , joins Mel to discuss the birth map and the research behind it. Birth mapping can help you make confident decisions at forks in the road on your journey through pregnancy and birth. Our Guest for today has been Dr Catherine Bell @birthmapping and https://birthmap....

If you are pregnant and giving birth, you will most definitely come across CTG, so lets talk about it. Dr Kirsten Small is the industry expert on CTG use during birth and knows about the risks and benefits of this monitoring option. The use of CTG to monitor babies in labour is common practice and almost all women will be offered it during labour... but is it beneficial? Does it make birth safer f...

Mel is talking all about the labour process. The focus is on how you can identify and understand labour and how it progresses so you can be prepared for each part of it. We start from early labour all the way through to pushing out your baby Episodes that complement this episode include: 149. Increase your chances of vaginal birth 148. Why do they put their fingers in your vagina 82. Failure to pr...

What is the place and purpose of vaginal examinations during pregnancy and birth? Almost all pregnant and birthing women will be offered one. This practice is embedded in 'usual' maternity care, but you'll see in this episode that it doesn't have to be, and there is very little clinical significance to having vaginal examinations. You do have a choice, you don't have to accept them. Get more from...

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...

Mel talks with Aimee Aroha ( @aimeearoha ) about giving birth at home along the full spectrum from freebirth to homebirth. We discuss the research about homebirth, freebirthing culture and what it means to be fully autonomous and liberated at and by your birth wherever you choose to birth. We discuss authoritative knowledge about birth and why decolonising and demedicalising birth is a rebellious...

Vaginal Birth after Cesarean is the most requested topic and Dr Hazel Keedle is here discuss birth after caesarean. We dispelled the myth of 'once a caesarean always a caesarean', discussed the risks and benefits of planning a vaginal birth vs repeat caesarean and talked about the best things women can do to set themselves up from the beginning to have the birth experience they hoped for when plan...

What even is GBS and why does it matter for you? This episode offers some important information to help you make decisions about GBS screening and management. 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 Birth Rebellion merchandise...

There are controllable factors that you can start using today that will reduce the chances of your vulva or vagina tearing during childbirth. This episode lists the strategies that you, your care team and partner can help with to try and increase the chance of your vulva remaining intact. Episodes that complement this episode: 72 - Episiotomy Part 1 & 73 - Episiotomy Part 2 127 - Do I need stitche...

Sometimes labour can hurt a little or a lot. Either way, there are things that you can do to increase your capacity to manage the pain of labour. This includes your mental game, the capacity of your support team, some free things that can be done anywhere and some other tools that require pre-planning and money. For 18 years I’ve witnessed women giving birth without medical pain management and I'v...

Everything you need to know about your due date and what happens if you go over it. We talk about the shortfalls of 'estimated due dates' and the importance of knowing your due date in a world where 'post-dates' pregnancy is taboo. Mel also discusses how women who go beyond 41 weeks of pregnancy are cared for by the system and navigates the pressure that women feel to have an induction of labour....

You'll learn about the medicalisation spectrum which goes all the way from non-medial birth philosophy through to a medical philosophy. This episode shows you how to match your philosophy with the choices you make of care provider and birth location. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwif...

Welcome to The Great Birth Rebellion Podcast! You are in the right place if you want to gather evidence-based information to help you have a GREAT pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. Meet your host Dr Melanie Jackson and learn what the rebellion is all about. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.me...