Joelleen is a midwife, naturopath and IBCLC who takes us through her pregnancy and homebirth experience. Her journey into motherhood began with the birth of her daughter at 16 weeks and she details the shock and grief of her loss. When she conceived again she was accepted into Sunshine Hospital’s publicly-funded homebirth programme and was really proactive with her birth preparation. She had a physiological water birth at home followed by an unexpected but short NICU stay. Joelleen reflects on her knowledge as a midwife and IBCLC and agrees that every new mother - despite how much she knows - needs reassurance from health professionals and care providers in the first few weeks of postpartum.  Follow us on Instagram at @australianbirthstories for helpful articles, behind the scenes, and future episodes. --------- Today's episode of the show is brought to you by my online childbirth education course, The Birth Class. What makes The Birth Class so unique? Well, instead of learning from one person with one perspective, we've gathered nine perinatal health specialists to take you through everything you need to know about labor and birth. Realistic information is key to thorough preparation. Learn more about The Birth Class here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.