VBAC Homebirth Stories Podcast

In this episode, I reflect on one of the greatest privileges of hosting this podcast—listening to hundreds of women share their birth stories. Over the years I've heard stories of VBACs, HBACs, homebirths, hospital births, freebirths, long labours, fast labours, breech births, VBA2Cs, births that went to plan, and births that didn't. While every story is unique, there are some powerful the...

In this episode, I sit down with Mel to hear her incredible journey from a 23-week premature birth and classical caesarean to achieving a vaginal birth after two caesareans (VBA2C). After experiencing a classical caesarean with her first baby and a planned repeat caesarean with her second, many would have assumed a vaginal birth was no longer an option. But Mel's story reminds us that birth jo...

Barbara shares her powerful journey from a breech caesarean to a surprise breech homebirth. In this episode, we explore breech birth, advocacy, informed choice and trusting yourself when birth takes unexpected turns. After her first baby was discovered to be breech during labour, Barbara faced changing plans, hospital policies and important decisions that ultimately led to a breech caesarean birth...

In this deeply personal episode, I share my recent experience with pregnancy loss after a chemical miscarriage. After nine months of trying to conceive and two chemical pregnancies, I open up about the grief, the intuition that something wasn’t right, and the emotional journey of loss—especially while navigating this at 39, turning 40. This episode is for any woman walking through fertility strugg...

In this episode, I dive into a question so many women carry when planning a VBAC: what if my VBAC fails? We unpack the fear behind “VBAC failure” and gently reframe what that really means. I share my own experiences, the emotional weight many women carry after birth trauma, and why your outcome does not define your worth or success. We talk about: Why “VBAC failure” isn’t actually a failure The ro...

In these two part episodes, I sit down with Margarite, a mum of five living in rural Queensland, who shares the first part of her powerful birth journey. Her story includes multiple miscarriages, a caesarean, a VBAC, and a second caesarean for breech twins, flipping the script at 39 weeks and deciding to birth at home at the last minute — all while navigating the challenges of rural maternity care...

In these two part episodes, I sit down with Margarite, a mum of five living in rural Queensland, who shares the first part of her powerful birth journey. Her story includes multiple miscarriages, a caesarean, a VBAC, and a second caesarean for breech twins, flipping the script at 39 weeks and deciding to birth at home at the last minute — all while navigating the challenges of rural maternity care...

In this episode, I sit down with Kelsey , a Canadian mum of three now living in Newcastle, NSW, who walks us through her deeply contrasting birth experiences — from a marathon first labour, to a premature birth affected by pre-eclampsia, and finally, her powerful HBAC. Kelsey’s story is a reminder that birth doesn’t follow a straight line. Each pregnancy asked something new of her, and each birth...

In this episode, I share a short, practical guide to finding a midwife in Australia to support your HBAC or VBAC homebirth. Starting the search can feel overwhelming, but there are trusted pathways and communities to help you connect with the right support. Here’s what we cover: ⭐ How to begin your search for a midwife in your local area ⭐ The role of Homebirth Australia as a representative orga...

In this episode, I sit down with Tiffanie , a mother of two from Mt Isa, who shares her raw and powerful birth stories—two very different journeys that shaped her into the woman and mother she is today. Tiffanie’s first pregnancy was planned as a freebirth, but at 38+4 weeks she developed preeclampsia so severe she was losing her vision for up to ten minutes just from standing up. When she present...

In this episode, I share the remarkable birth journey of Kelsey, a mother of three from Wisconsin, USA, who moved from fear and medical trauma to deep empowerment with a healing home birth after two caesareans (HBA2C). Baby #1 saw Kelsey induced at 37 weeks for suspected pre-eclampsia. Her regular doctor was away, and with a male provider stepping in, she felt overwhelmed and anxious. Not realisin...

In this solo episode, I’m diving into a topic that rarely gets the airtime it deserves— long labours . As a doula and homebirth mentor, I’ve witnessed first-hand how a mismatch between expectation and reality can quickly spiral into fear and self-doubt. That’s why today I’m sharing what you really need to know to prepare for the marathon, not the sprint. Whether you're planning a VBAC, homebir...

In this episode I give you a step-by-step run through of what you need to think about, where to get a birth pool and how to make it run as smoothly as possible. First Things First: Choose the Right Pool Not all birth pools are created equal. Ideally, you want one that’s: Sturdy enough to lean on without collapsing. Deep enough so you can fully submerge your belly (think: shoulders and chest in too...

In this episode, you get just me, Ashley in a solo episode which was a bit fun as I haven’t done a solo episode all year! We celebrate 5 years of The VBAC Homebirth Stories Podcast, some of my favourite episodes (and yes I may have a few too many favs!) be sure to check them out if you haven’t listened yet.  We cover:  Top episodes: Hazel Keedle EP17 Dr Sarah Buckley EP30 Rachel Reed EP12 Dr K EP1...

In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with the remarkable Dr K , a high-risk obstetrician and online doula who is walking the delicate line between the medical system and autonomous birth. With rare insight and fierce compassion, Dr K shares what it’s like to be an OBGYN working within a system that too often defaults to control, fear, and policy over people. Her mission? To bring balance...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with a midwife-turned-mama who planned two homebirths and ended up birthing in hospital under very different circumstanceswith her first baby. This raw and revealing story offers insight into what happens when the tables turn, and the one who usually supports birth journeys must navigate her own. This is a VBAC story filled with nuance, informed decisions, int...

In this week's episode, I sit down with the lovely Ana , a mother of two boys living in Portugal, as she shares her inspiring journey from a medicalised breech birth to a midwife-supported VBAC at home . Ana’s first birth in late 2019 ended in a caesarean after going to 41+5 with a breech baby and navigating a tough hospital system. Her initial private OBGYN was unsupportive, pushing decisions wit...

This week on the podcast, I sit down with Lizzy , a mama of three and a graduate of my Homebirth Mentoring Program , who shares the deeply personal and powerful story of her second VBAC—a surprise pregnancy that became a profound journey of self-trust, healing and sovereign birth. With just 18 months between her babies, Lizzy found herself unexpectedly pregnant and unsure whether she would continu...

This week I’m joined by Claire Holloway , homebirth mother, yoga educator, and fierce advocate for reclaiming autonomy in pregnancy, birth and matrescence. Claire shares her own HBAC story and how her experience with both an emergency C-section and a homebirth transformed her relationship with her body—and with yoga. We dive deep into the true essence of yoga for birth , stripping away the fluff o...

You’ve just birthed a whole human—so why are we so quick to rush mothers out the door, slap on a nappy, and tell them to “get on with it”? In today’s honest, soul-stirring chat, I’m joined by TEDx speaker and postpartum advocate Sonal Patal to unpack the reality of the fourth trimester —a crucial stage of motherhood that most people still aren’t talking about. We explore what the fourth trimester...

In this emotional and deeply insightful episode, we hear from a powerful mama Aly McClain who shares the highs and lows of her four unique birth experiences. Each one teaching her something new about surrender, trust, and the strength of her body and spirit. From a pain-empowered second birth, to navigating an unexpected NICU transfer, to welcoming her birthday baby after 42 weeks, this episode co...

In this deeply thought-provoking episode, I sit down with the incredible Billie Harrigan —birth worker, educator, and fierce advocate for women’s autonomy in childbirth. With over 40 years of experience supporting birthing families, Billie has seen firsthand how the medical cartel has reshaped birth, often prioritising control over care. We dive into the history of birth, the technocratic model, a...

In this episode of VBAC Home Birth Stories, we’re diving into a topic that deserves real talk and respect—plus size pregnancy and birth. If you’ve ever been made to feel like your body is a medical condition rather than a life-giving force, this episode is for you. I share my personal experiences navigating the maternity system as a plus-size woman, from early pregnancy bias to the constant fear-m...

In this episode, we dive into the incredible story of Emilie, a yoga instructor from Bribie Island, Queensland, who embraced her intuition and unapologetically stood in her power to navigate her birthing journey. Emilie’s story is one of resilience, trust in her body, and the beauty of natural birth after a Caesarean and surprise breech birth. (HBAC). Her journey includes a surprise breech birth,...

In this episode, we welcome back Sarah, who shares her incredible journey of birthing her fourth baby at home—her second home birth after two caesareans, including a special scar birth. If you missed her previous episode ( EP67 | Sarah – Mindset Overhaul, Small Babies, 3 Planned Homebirths, HBA2C + Special Scar ), you can listen to her earlier birth stories on the podcast. Sarah’s pregnancy was sm...