Today, Oni Blecher interviews Sally Cusack. Sally Cusack is a mother of two teenagers based in Northern NSW. She is the co-founder of PBB Media and now runs PBB Media’s weekly free baby and toddler clothes swap and drop in centre, best known as the PBB Hub which was born from the flood relief outreach hub. Sally been a member of Maternity Choices Australia since 2010 where she is currently Company Secretary. Sally has recently been developing MCA's advocacy project called Best Birth Finder of wh...
Dec 21, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Today, Oni Blecher speaks with Zoë Rose Gameau to hear Zoë's breech birth story. Zoë is a mother of two girls and lover of nature. She lives with her daughters in a tiny studio home nestled amongst the trees and streams of the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Her current work is in creative development as Executive Producer at a sustainable film production company, Green Thumb Media. In the past, whilst being primary carer mothering two young children, she worked closer to home, founding How ...
Oct 06, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Today, Oni Blecher speaks with Fiona O'Shaughnessy. This is the third part in a series discussing the issue of the proposed changes to privately praciting midwives insurance in homebirth. For more info and a background to this issue, please listen to the previous 2 episodes with Fi. They are short episodes and worth a listen! Fiona calls for letter writing to local MPs in this episode. Please see the letter template below. In this episode, Fiona also updates us on the birth trauma inquiry report...
Sep 22, 2024•44 min
Welcome to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond: Contemporary Conversations where stories, science, traditions and new ideas meet. I’m Oni Blecher and your host today. Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond Media, our development team and contributors pay our respects to indigenous elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land, the Arakwal people, the Minjungbal people and the Widjabul people of the Bundjalung Nation and the many other tribes that frequented this land. I pay ...
Sep 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Today Oni Blecher interviews Jenny Blyth. Jenny has supported parents in natural birth for over 40 years. She is an independent birth educator, bodyworker, Associate Practitioner of Ortho-Bionomy, Spinning Babies® Approved Trainer, Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner & Trainer, & Internal Pelvic Release Work Practitioner & Trainer. Her particular focus is on body preparation for birth & recovery, & encouraging greater self-responsibility in parents - to realise potential in b...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Today Oni Blecher speaks with Anna Watts. Anna is the Founder of Celebration of Birth , and has been guiding women and their partners through the journey of pregnancy and birth for over 30 years. Anna believes in honouring and celebrating birth as a ‘rite of passage’ for mother, father and baby, supporting empowered birthing choices and strengthening the spiritual connection in pregnancy and birth. Anna’s experience as a Childbirth Educator, Doula Trainer, Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Spiritual Healer...
Aug 19, 2024•52 min
Today, Oni Blecher speaks with Fiona O'Shaughnessy. Fiona is a mum of 3, doula, childbirth educator, independent consumer representative for the Northern NSW LHD and a consumer advocate, representing the charity Hygieia Health. She's speaking to us today in her capacity working with Hygieia. This is an update episode from our last episode with Fiona titled 'Proposed Changes to Homebirth in Australia' around one month ago. If you haven't listened to this episode, we recommend that you do. This ep...
Aug 07, 2024•37 min
Today, Oni Blecher and Naomi Jannsen both speak with Dr. Oscar Serrelach. Naomi joins us as a guest interviewer for this conversation with Oscar Serrelach for the upcoming Postpartum Conference hosted by Well Supported Mother. Dr Oscar specialises in postnatal depletion and his medical expertise centres around optimising Mothers health and wellness. “He deeply believe that if Mothers are well, families can be well. And if families are well, then society has a much better chance of being well." R...
Jul 25, 2024•51 min
In this epsiode, Oni Blecher speaks with Edie Barltey. Edie is a Sexologist and Art therapist with a background in psychotherapy. Edie has also complted her doula training and has assisted birth. Her approach as both a therapist and a human being is open minded, non-judgmental and heart centred. Edie’s work aims to normalise conversations around sex and pleasure and the social and cultural discourse around both. She sheds light on topics relating to nervous system health, navigating stress and o...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Today I speak with Sali McIntyre and Naomi Jannsson. Sali is an antenatal educator, author midwife, Arvigo practitioner and teacher, and mother of four adult children, all born at home. She also runs Heart and Soul of Wellness which is a wellness centre in Murwillumbah where she runs pregnancy and postpartum groups, amongst many more offerings. Naomi is a traditional medicine practitioner, with over 20 years of experience. She weaves a wealth of expertise from diverse healthcare settings to prov...
Jun 16, 2024•40 min
In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Fiona O'Shaughnessy. Fiona is a mum of 3, doula, childbirth educator, independent consumer representative for the Northern NSW LHD and a consumer advocate, representing the charity Hygieia Health. She's speaking to us today in her capacity working with Hygieia. Hygieia Health is dedicated to the sacred work of birth and the impact it has on the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of women, their families, and birth workers. They believe that...
Jun 10, 2024•35 min
"This is so needed!" PBB weaving love into our community In this episode, Annalee and Sally, two of the founders of PBB Media and former presenters of our show, get together to discuss the history of our Outreach Hub, how it started and how it has evolved over time and all that it has to offer our community. The PBB Outreach Hub offers free baby and toddler clothes every Friday from 10am at the CWA Hall in Mullumbimby (corner of Tincogan and Gordon Sts). We welcome any good quality donations of ...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min
In this episode, Oni Blecher interviews Tallulah and Xanthe. Both are Bachelor of Midwifery students in the final year of their studies. Tallulah grew up on Bundjalung Country and was immersed in a community that favoured an integrative approach to healthcare and wellness, Tallulah felt an innate pull to participate. Along her journey, she felt a deep calling to support women and families, naturally falling into midwifery. Xanthe first felt the calling of midwifery at 14 years old. She spent the...
Mar 25, 2024•1 hr 22 min
In this episode, Oni Blecher interviews Naomi Jannson. With over 20 years of experience as a health professional, Naomi weaves a wealth of expertise from diverse healthcare settings to provide clinical care and education. Naomi inherited a strong relationship with Traditional Medicine from birth, growing up within a Traditional Medicine household and now practising as a second generation Chinese Medicine Doctor. She obtained her degree as a Registered Nurse and practised in Australia and the UK ...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 12 min
In this epsiode, Oni Blecher speaks with Amanda Banks, co creator and producer of the new film Born at Home. Empowered by the homebirth of her second child in 2020, Amanda, together with long term dear friend Eleanor, set out to create a film exploring Homebirth in QLD. Amanda is mother of two children, both born at home. She has always had a passion for health which led her to works as an Acupuncturist in Brisbane, supporting families through fertility, pregnancy and beyond for over 8 years. Am...
Feb 22, 2024•47 min
In this interview, Oni Blecher interviews Dr Michelle Gerbi. With a background as a chiropractor, perinatal health coach, functional medicine provider, certified perinatal health coach, postpartum corrective exercise specialist, and international board-certified lactation consultant, Michelle has had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the challenges, questions, and triumphs that come with being a mom. With over 17 years of experience focusing on postpartum women, Dr. Michelle Gerbi has helped...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Public Service Announcement: Would you like to support us ? We are raising money for our NFP and podcast to obtain an office space and podcast recording studio for 2024. Our goal is $10, 000 AUD and any donation big or small is helpful ! If you're interested in supporting us, please email us at hello@pbbmedia.org for more information. If you're not familiar, Check out our work at pbbmedia.org In this interview, Oni Blecher interviews Dr. Howard Chilton has been a neonatologist (a baby’s physicia...
Dec 10, 2023•1 hr 5 min
In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Tahnee Taylor. Tahnee is a yoga teacher with a deep and resonant love of Yin Yoga and how it meets the alchemical magic of Taoism. She is also a practitioner of Chi Nei Tsang, which is a Taoist abdominal massage and she is a passionate advocate for the inherent shamanic wisdom of the body - hers, yours, ours. She is the mama of two home-birthed babies and co-parent of SuperFeast, the Taoist tonic herb company founded by her husband, Mason. Tahnee co-hosts...
Nov 29, 2023•1 hr 35 min
In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Ruth Schubert. Ruth is a physiotherapist for 20 years. She Schubert is inspired to help her clients lead a beautiful life. She believes in building resilience through developing a strong body and calm mind. Throughout her career, Ruth realised her passion in caring for women, and her own pregnancy and recovery found her fascinated with Women’s Pelvic Health. She has a specialist interest in pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction and working with pre and po...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 10 min
In today's episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Natalie Woods. Natalie Woods is a twin mother to two boys, River and Jarrah. She lives in the Northern Rivers with her partner Dan. She’s also a writer and community builder, which has led her to think deeply about the storytelling that is available for parents of multiples and also the importance of finding a community of parents who share similar experiences to your own. Enjoy this conversation Find Nat here: @nat.woods_ Sign petition here: https://e...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 13 min
In this interview, Oni speaks with local father Nyck Jeanes. Nyck is also a musician, producer, independent journalist, and as one close friend describes him; a social engineer; he’s out to help change the way we relate to one another, understand the world around us and live our lives. This interview was recorded nearly two years ago and with floods, and other events, it is only now we are airing it. PBB met Nyck in his former role as the president of BayFM, our local community radio station; th...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 22 min
Robin Grille Is a psychotherapist, psychologist, author, mentor, speaker, and educator. His work seeks to restore relationships to their natural flow and balance: include family relationships, partnerships, workplace relationships, and relationship to self. His work enlivens relationship to vocation, to community, and to the natural world that surrounds and nourishes us. Robin speaks at international conferences, on a range of themes presented in his books. He conducts international trainings fo...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 28 min
This episode is a conversation between Oni Blecher and Jacqui Lewis. Jacqui Lewis is a meditation teacher, mentor, an author of four books, a Tedx Speaker, and hosts leadership programs globally. She co-founded The Broad Place, a global school sharing ancient knowledge and modern neuroscience, tools and experiences for higher grade living with Arran Russell. She focuses on philosophy and tools for greater clarity, creativity and consciousness and bringing a grounded, innovative and resilient app...
Sep 23, 2023•1 hr 25 min
In this episode, Oni Blecher brings you an interview with menstrual educator Samantha Neal. Samantha has been working for over six years, contributing to the field of menstruation by way of workshops, comprehensive online education programs, private mentorship and circle facilitation. Samantha is within a new wave of menstrual educators, approaching the field slowly and carefully with the utmost sanctity and respect; researching and writing while based in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, ...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 7 min
In this Episode, Oni Blecher interviews Jane Hardwicke Collings. Jane has spent decades in the realms of birth education and ther wider work of reconnecting women with their sacred rites of passage. Jane started and runs the School of Shamanic Woman Craft and the Charity organisation Hygieia Health; revolutionising maternity care in Australia to minimise and prevent birth related trauma. Jane has many gifts of wisdom from her decades of experience in regards to birthing well. Not only is Jane an...
Jul 09, 2023•34 min
Dione from Make a Change on BayFM interviews Rhea Dempsey and Sally Cusack on birth trauma and related events coming up in the region for #birthtraumaawarenessweek 16 - 22 July 2023. Rhea Dempsey , childbirth educator, counsellor and author, will be in conversation with Jerusha Sutton from the Birth Time documentary team on Thursday 13 July 2023 at 6:30 - 8:30pm at Vali Byron. Bookings can be made through PBB Media here or here . Rhea will be visiting this region from Melbourne to also present a...
Jul 05, 2023•19 min
In Today's episode, Oni Blecher will be interviewing Tane Luna, A Spanish obstetrician that is working as the head os Obstetrics at Lismore Base Hospital. Tane has had vast experience working in many models of care, including a period of time with Medicins Sans Frontiers in Africa and the Middle East. She shares her views and experience of Obstetrics as an evolving profession. Please excuse the ambient sound on the recording as we had to meet and record in a public place. Pregnancy, Birth and Be...
Jun 13, 2023•41 min
This epsiode is a conversation between Annalee Atia and Alysha-leigh Fameli. Alysha-leigh is PhD student/Registered Psychologist University of Sydney. Alicia-leigh has already undertaken important research to recognise childbirth related PTSD and it's impact on the early mother-infant relationship. She has also worked on a study titled ‘Assessment of childbirth-related post traumatic stress disorder in Australian mothers: Psychometric properties of the City Birth Trauma Scale’. As part of her ne...
May 26, 2023•1 hr 12 min
In this episode, host Rose Ricketson talks with community development worker Holly, about her experience with IVF in Australia. Holly shares a very personal IVF journey that impacted every corner of her life, shedding light upon a very common experience, so we can each have more awareness of what the IVF is like for the women and couples in our communities, and how we could better support them through it all. We also explore the issues related to the IVF industry and the inequality of access, an...
Oct 21, 2022•59 min
Rose Ricketson talks with Hazel Keedle, PhD, Lecturer of Midwifery at Western Sydney University and author of her recently released book Birth after Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth. They discuss her research and findings around VBAC in Australia, as well as her work in midwifery. Hazel has more than two decades of experience as a clinician in nursing and midwifery, educator and researcher. Hazel’s research interests are vaginal birth after caesarean, birth trauma and maternity experien...
Sep 10, 2022•1 hr 1 min
