My Own Birth

Call out to registered midwives in Victoria who are looking to engage in Childbirth Education! Head to the link in our bio to fill out an application form or email [email protected]
We can't wait to hear from you 👋

In honour of mother's day this weekend, we are doing a 48hr flash sale of the Early Labour Cards with 20% off from today and 5% profits donated to SANDS. These cards are a great gift for new mums to be. Designed by midwives to be used with your partner or support person to help navigate early labour. 35 instructive and beautifully illustrated cards bring all our best tricks and tips for early labour into your hands. Get yours with FREE SHIPPING today.

https://www.myownbirth.com/products/p/early-labour-cards

SANDS offers miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn support. They have a 24/7 Bereavement Support Line: 1300 308 307.

My Own Birth - Early Labour Cards FREE SHIPPING 20% off flash sale, +5% of profits going to SANDS (miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death support). Did you know that research has demonstrated that the longer you are able to stay at home in early labour, the less likely you are to have medical interventions? With 35 illus

We are really excited to launch our NEW PRODUCT: the Early Labour Cards. We know staying at home in early labour improves outcomes but don't do it alone! We put all our tips and tricks of things we know help women into 35 illustrated and informative cards including instructions for your support person. Head to https://www.myownbirth.com/products/p/early-labour-cards to enjoy free shipping...just in time for mother's day.

Now taking bookings for June! Head to our website to secure your date! 🗓

Research showed when a 3-day old baby is exposed to the scent of montgomery gland secretions from their own mother compared to of a different woman or an artificial scent, they were more likely to open their eyes (helping them familiarise and bond with their mothers face), become more alert if sleepy, were more likely to show positive feeding signs (turning head, opening mouth) or crawl towards the breast.
Never ceases to amaze us how smart our bodies and our babies are!

We hope everyone is having a relaxing Christmas with loved ones! 🎄
Sarah & Tess xx

Birth is personal. Ask any ten women what they want out of their birth experience, what their beliefs and concerns are and you will get ten different answers. So why put them all in the one room and deliver the same information.

Being one-on-one we can get to know you and your support person and help you prepare for your birth. Make your birth your own.

So, you have started having some niggling cramps, maybe you lost your mucous plug the night before, all signs are pointing towards labour starting. You call your care provider and they reassure you everything sounds normal and encourage you to stay at home. But why?

💗 Hormones
All the good hormones which help your labour progress, tend to flow better when you are in the comfort of your own home. Creating a safe, calm, comfortable environment promotes oxytocin release. Oxytocin stimulates the uterus to contract. Your own natural source of oxytocin also acts as a protective buffer against stress, anxiety, and pain during labour and in the transition to motherhood. So, you can see why the more oxytocin the better!

⏱ Hospital Clock
Early labour generally takes time. Your body is working hard, making lots of changes to allow you to meet your baby. These changes take time. Unfortunately, the hospital system will often expect your body to progress at a certain rate (usually an unreasonable rate which does not consider the numerous signs of progress).
A retrospective study of over 1,200 women in Australia, found that those who were admitted to hospital less than 4-5cm dilated were more likely to have syntocinon hormone commenced, an epidural, emergency caesarean birth (for slow progress or fetal distress), more vaginal examinations and an increased chance of baby admission to special care nursery.

Bell AF, Erickson EN, Carter CS. Beyond labor: the role of natural and synthetic oxytocin in the transition to motherhood. J Midwifery Women’s Health. (2014)
Miller, Y.D., Armanasco, A.A., McCosker, L. et al. Variations in outcomes for women admitted to hospital in early versus active labour: an observational study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 20, 469 (2020).

Limited availability for October and November remaining. Head to our website to book your birth class now!

If you choose to birth in a hospital, you may feel overwhelmed at the thought of packing your hospital bag – our advice is keep it simple. Comfortable breastfeeding friendly clothes, lots of high waisted underwear, a few extra swaddles/onesies to account for any spit ups or poo explosions and of course the essentials like toiletries, extra long phone charger and lots of snacks! Having your hospital bag ready from 34-36 weeks can minimise the stress of organising things last minute. Have a list of last-minute items at the top of your bag for things you can’t pack in advance like colostrum from the freezer.

Let us know in the comments what your must have item for your hospital bag was!

This is our Thank you for listening series. Open discussions about important topics.

LGBTIQ+ families get loads of questions by curious friends, family, strangers and everyone in between. But sometimes questions don't come across how you mean and sometimes it's just not appropriate to ask.

A little humour for your Tuesday afternoon. Who can relate?