What are we rebelling against here at the great birth rebellion? we are rebelling against the lies we are told about birth… and I’m going to explain it all from the perspective of understanding authoritative knowledge - don’t worry! I’ll explain that too… I’m really proud of this one rebels, it's a goodie, for the baddies (you’ll get the joke once you hear the episode) Join the other rebels at t he Convergence of rebellious Midwives conference happening in Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia on A...
Jul 28, 2024•19 min
The decolonisation of birth. Mel invites Aimee Aroha ( @aimeearoha ) and Kirrily Dawn ( @the_returning_ @kirillydawn ) to approach this topic from an Indigenous perspective. We learn that decolonisation is about restoration of what was lost through colonisation. We start from the beginning for anyone who is new to this topic but go deep for people with a long term investment in decolonisation Follow Aimee’s work @aimeearoha and https://www.thestonedchrysalis.com/ Kirrily can be found @the_return...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Mel takes a deep look at the journal paper ‘Challenging the colonisation of birth: Koori women’s birthing knowledge and practice’ which describes Aboriginal womens birthing knowledge and practice prior to Colonisation and how these practices were impacted by invasion in 1788. This episode is best listened to in conjunction with episode 106. The decolonisation of childbirth. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episo...
Jul 21, 2024•30 min
Dr Melanie Jackson, the host of the great birth rebellion finally shares the findings from her 2014 PhD thesis, ‘Birthing outside the system: wanting the best and safest’ and explores the question of ‘why do women freebirth’ drawing directly from her thesis findings. You can read her full thesis or just the shorter academic publications in the resource folder (get on the mailing list to get access to that) Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access th...
Jul 17, 2024•29 min
In this episode Mel answers listener questions. This question asks about the outcomes and safety for babies who are born during water birth. We discuss additional guidance around what to do if the is meconium stained liquor at the time of birth and if there is an issue with babies being born partly in and partly out of water. The premium hub has since retired. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.mela...
Jul 14, 2024•13 min
Dr Max Gulhane @dr_max_gulhane from the Regenerative Health Podcast and Regenerate health summit interviews Mel about Decentralising Maternity care and childbirth. Mel and Max have collaborated on this episode to share on the great birth rebellion podcast and the regenerative health podcast to spread the message loud and clear about the changes that need to happen in modern maternity care services to make them better for women and families… and this starts with Decentralisation - learn more abou...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Dr Sarah Buckley, academic and author of the best selling book ‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, joins Mel to discuss how the brain works during labour and it’s interaction with the body. We speak about how to optimise brain function in labour in order to optimise birth physiology. For more about Sarah: Website: www.sarahbuckley.com FB: @DrSarahBuckley IG: @SarahJBuckley Twitter: @Sarahjbuckley Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource fo...
Jul 07, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Mel delves into the use of movement to regulate blood sugar levels during pregnancy, particularly for women managing gestational diabetes. Mel discusses research on how movement affects blood sugar levels and the implications of exercise in blood sugar control to reduce risks during birth. Mel shares practical advice on integrating movement into daily routines, advocating for experimentation to find the most effective exercise types and intensities. Mel underscores the importance of individualis...
Jul 03, 2024•18 min
Lily Nichols, world renowned author of 3 books comes on the podcast to speak about her book ‘real food for gestational diabetes’. Mel asked her all about which foods help control and prevent diabetes in pregnancy and we discuss the problems with mainstream dietary advice given to women with gestational diabetes Lily’s website Real food for gestational diabetes Real Food for Pregnancy book Lily’s books About Lily Institute for perinatal nutrition @lilynicholsrnd Get more from the Great Birth Rebe...
Jun 30, 2024•58 min
This episode Mel addresses the inaccuracies of gestational diabetes screening and how we still don't have good research evidence on how to diagnose diabetes in pregnancy. 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 now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion ...
Jun 26, 2024•27 min
In this episode Mel proposes that the use of Apgar scoring is invalid for women under the care of midwives, for babies who have their umbilical cord intact for longer than 60 seconds and for women having a physiological birth. Find out why in the episode 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 now ...
Jun 23, 2024•14 min
We explore the options for tying off or clamping your babies umbilical cord including why ties went ‘out of fashion’ and what instigated the use of clamps instead. Mel will also discuss concerns some people have about using a tie instead of clamp and how these objections can be navigated. I learnt more than I thought! So you will too 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 ...
Jun 19, 2024•23 min
Kristine Lauria is an American Midwife who apprenticed with Amish Midwives and attended births for 17 years before getting a ‘formal’ midwifery qualification. This paired with her training as a paramedic formed the basis for her work as a homebirth midwife and humanitarian aid Midwife with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF/Doctors without Borders) and as a trainer with Breech without Borders. Kristine is the only Midwife I have ever heard of to attend not one but two triplet births at home. I invite...
Jun 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min
This episode is a follow up to episode 93 and discusses the research around the different techniques when closing the uterus after a caesarean section. Some care providers will tell you that single layer closure represents a higher risk of uterine rupture, but I found 5 research papers that say otherwise. 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 suppo...
Jun 12, 2024•15 min
In this episode I interview Dr Hazel Keedle and we discuss the strategies that you can apply to increase your chances of VBAC and also the risks and benefits of a repeat caesarean and the option of vaginal birth. Instagram: @hazelkeedle Facebook: @VBACmatters Twitter: @HazelKeedle 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...
Jun 09, 2024•51 min
Alison Weatherstone (Chief Midwife) is here to discuss the new legislation that will open Australian Midwives up to even more autonomous practice including changes to professional indemnity insurance, increase in Medicare rebates, the abolishment of collaborative agreements and she gives away some information about ‘the 5000 hours’. We also discuss the proposed professional indemnity insurance product for private midwives and the 'low-risk' terminology. Alison Weatherstone is the chief Midwife w...
Jun 05, 2024•54 min
Midwife Sarah Smits shares the knowledge she has around the traditional practice of belly binding and ways to apply this to your pregnancy and postpartum journey. Sarah has picked up these skills and teaches them from her unique lessons around the world. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bridging_worlds_midwifery/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bwmidwife website https://www.bwmidwife.com Youtube https://youtube.com/@bridgingworlds?si=XvpJRxcOLKulyQLN Book tickets to sunny coast event https:...
Jun 02, 2024•22 min
Midwife Sarah Smits tells us what she learnt from the Mayan midwives in Guatemala and how she/we can apply these in our circumstances. We discuss robozo, mayan abdominal massage and the place of steam and heat and traditional care practices applied to pregnant and postpartum women. Sarah discusses initiatives that are supporting the traditional midwives in Guatemala. Next week she will share about the practice of abdominal binding. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bridging_worlds_midwifery/ F...
May 29, 2024•27 min
Mel interviews endorsed midwife Sarah Smits @bridging_worlds_midwifery who has spent her midwifery career travelling and collecting skills from other cultures which she now applies to her midwifery work in Australia and abroad. Today we learn about some of the skills that Sarah has collected and midwives will find inspiration for alternative ways of working and career options within her story. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bridging_worlds_midwifery/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bwmidw...
May 26, 2024•40 min
The premium hub has since retired but In this episode Mel answers the questions submitted by the premium hub members. Mel discusses what to do if you get an urge to push your baby out, but your cervix isn’t fully dilated yet. 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 now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion...
May 22, 2024•30 min
Almost every pregnant woman will need to make a decision about Group B strep, what decision would you make? 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 now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.com Follow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwife If this podcast has improved your knowle...
May 19, 2024•36 min
Fiona Hallinan has over 30 years of experience working with women as a midwife, nurse and pelvic space therapist. Internal release work involves physically interacting with the pelvic space by accessing it through the vagina. Fiona talks about how her work now as an internal release work therapist evolved and developed and we tap into this learnt skill which is moving from oral tradition into mainstream maternity care. Fiona believes that every woman would benefit from internal release work and ...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Artificial light exposure has a direct impact on labour timing and labour progress. Mel explores the importance of circadian rhythms and melatonin on labour activity and discovers the connection between oxytocin and melatonin in physiological labour. We also learn about what happens in a woman's body when she is exposed to light in labour and how to use light and darkness to your advantage. If you would like to join me at the convergence of rebellious midwives conference happening in Sydney (Aus...
May 12, 2024•25 min
The ‘aging’ and ‘failing’ of placentas in late term pregnancy is talked about all over the place. Women get told that the longer they are pregnant, the more likely it is that their placenta will get old and stop functioning. Listen in to find out if that is true. What actually happens to placentas beyond 41 weeks? 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 y...
May 08, 2024•31 min
Lets take a walk through the research and historical background behind the use of a bed and laying down during labour and birth. Is this where you imagine yourself giving birth? If so, this episode is for you. There are also lots of tips to avoid getting trapped on the bed and strategies for women and midwives to overcome systematic powers that direct labour to the bed. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode a...
May 05, 2024•37 min
Marina Weckend and Dr Clare Davison share their work on Physiological Plateaus in labour. This is truly rebellious work because it challenges the false medical language about how labour and birth unfolds and they share the truth about how normal labour includes rests, lulls and plateaus. Links to learn more and participate in this research Participate in the WEPAUSE Study: https://bit.ly/WEPAUSE Short explainer video about physiological plateaus in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdfXwe...
May 01, 2024•56 min
Mel invites her work-wife Ashlee Anslow to discuss how they manage birth emergencies at home. We discuss foetal distress in labour, cord accidents, shoulder dystocia, neonatal resuscitation, retained placenta, postpartum haemorrhage. Todays episode was generously sponsored by Born at home Film . To watch the film, head to the Demand Film’s website and search for a screening near you and remember to use the discount code REBEL10 to get 10% off your ticket at the cart. If you can’t find a screenin...
Apr 28, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Mel draws on her experience and the research evidence to discuss care of late pre-term babies born between 34-37 weeks. Mel offers some alternative care strategies such as delayed cord clamping, kangaroo care and sunlight for prevention of jaundice, among other things. Early babies need special care and you can enhance their development with some simple strategies. Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion Podcast Join the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www...
Apr 24, 2024•45 min
Mel interviews wise woman midwife Sheryl Sidery who has been a private midwife for 40 years. Learning from experienced midwives, in our western culture, is one of the only ways to learn new things about physiological birth and today Sheryl offers up her 40 years of experience. Sheryl is not currently taking private midwifery clients but you can still check her out online at www.sherylsidery.com.au and benefit from her work with https://birthcircle.com.au/ Todays episode was generously sponsored ...
Apr 21, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Your baby has done a poo in the waters. Mel describes what the current research says about meconium stained amniotic fluid. What is it? Is meconium truly ‘sterile’? Is meconium always a problem? and what might happen to your baby if there is meconium in your waters. 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 merc...
Apr 17, 2024•29 min
