Serene and Sacred

This is something I’ve been wanting to create for a little while now. 🌸✨

A place for Muslim women to tell their birth stories, in their own words.

If you would like to be part of The Muslim Birth Archives, comment “MY BIRTH” below and I’ll send you all the details.

You can share through the form provided, or simply write your story in your own way and email it to me.

I would genuinely be so honoured to read, hold and share your story. 🌸✨

And if you know a Muslim mama whose birth story deserves to be heard, send this to her.

Muslim birth stories • Muslim motherhood • positive birth stories • birth trauma • Islamic birth • pregnancy and birth • Muslim doula • Melbourne doula • birth support

This is my breastfeeding story.

I would love to hear your breastfeeding story too so feel free share it in the comments below 🫶🏻

Last week was World Breastfeeding Week, and I took my time creating this post because this one is quite sensitive for me and holds a lot of sadness.

Siham and Nadine were born 14 months apart and my dream was always to tandem feed them. I worked really hard to make that happen, and for a little while after Nadine was born, I got to tandem feed my girls. It was honestly so sweet. I would hold them both while Siham stroked Nadine’s head and those little moments would just make me melt.

But as I entered week 6 of postpartum, I started struggling with PPD and anxiety and was eventually admitted to the Mother Baby Unit. I was separated from Siham, and that separation meant she was weaned quite abruptly, it honestly broke me 💔🥺

I continued breastfeeding Nadine, but over time , I realised that that breastfeeding was heightening my feelings of PND. So I made the really hard decision to wean her at 7 months.

I carried so much guilt around both of those things. Guilt that Siham was weaned so abruptly and guilt that I didn’t breastfeed Nadine for as long as I breastfed her sister. I still think about it till now.

I know I needed to prioritise my mental health and getting better, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t grieve the things I felt like I had to give up along the way.

I feel lucky to have some photos of me tandem feeding them. It was such a short chapter, but I’m so glad it existed for me. 💓🌸✨

Motherhood |new mum| tandem breastfeeding| first time mum |

My current reads 📚

What should I add to my reading list next? I’d love your recommendations.

I’m slowly growing my birth library and reading everything from not so great to absolutely brilliant books.

Childbirth as a Rite of Passage by Rachel Reed is one I keep coming back to. It reminds me to see birth beyond the clinical lens and as the intuitive rite of passage it truly is.

Giving Birth with Confidence was part of the curriculum when I trained as a childbirth educator, so it was nice to revisit. Reading it now, I found myself reflecting on how differently birth is understood within the American and Australian maternity systems, while appreciating its strong focus on informed choice.

Kinda chic to hire a doula tbh 🌸

Hey mama, it’s okay…
Postpartum edition.