Click here for tickets to the live stream of the Regenerate health summit coming up on August 3rd and 4th 2024. Get your tickets here and learn more about the Regenerate Health Summit. Live stream tickets are incredibly cost effective and you don’t even need to leave home.    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...

Dr Sarah Buckley, academic and author of the best selling book ‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, joins Mel on the podcast 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.    Sarah is an invited speaker to the Convergence of Rebellious Midwives Conference happening in Sydney, Australia in August 2024. Click here to see more about this event and buy tickets   For...

In this episode of the Great Birth Rebellion podcast, Mel celebrates the podcast's 100th episode and nears 1 million downloads, expressing gratitude to loyal listeners and tracing the podcast's evolution. She 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....

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    You can learn more about Lily’s books and work at: Lily’s website Real food for gestational diabetes Lily’s books About Lily  Institute for perinatal...

Mel provides this re-edit of episode 18 about Gestational diabetes screening in preparation for episode 99 with Lily Nichols about real food for gestational diabetes. This episode pairs with her episode for anyone challenged with a gestational diabetes diagnosis   To get on the mailing list for the podcast and to access the resource folders for each episode, visit www.melaniethemidwife.com Premium podcast members Hub Being a premium podcast member gives you access to the transcript and...

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   To get on the mailing list for the podcast and to access the resource folders for each episode, visit www.melaniethemidwife.com Premium podcast members Hub Being a premium podcast member gives you access to the transcript and additional...

In this episode Mel 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 To get on the mailing list for the podcast and to access the resource folders for each episode, visit www.melaniethemidwife.com Premium...

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...

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. To get on the mailing list for the podcast and to access the resource folders for each episode, visit www.melaniethemidwife.com Premium podcast members Hub Being a premium podcast member...

This episode is all about vaginal birth after caesarean section. In this episode I draw on our first interview with Hazel Keedle  way back in episode 7 with some updates. 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.  If you loved this talk with Hazel, you can come and see her speak live at the Convergence of rebellious Midwives conference happening in Sydney, Australia in...

Click here to sign up for the free Script writing webinar and CPD opportunity Click here to learn more about the convergence of rebellious midwives  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...

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.  Find out more information about Sarah Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bridging_worlds_midwifery/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bwmidwife website https://www.bwmidwife.com Youtube...

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.  Find out more information about Sarah Instagram...

In this episode, Mel interviews endorsed midwife Sarah Smits @bridging_worlds_midwifery who has spent her midwifery career thus far 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.    Find out more information about Sarah Instagram...

In this episode Mel answers the questions submitted by the premium hub members. They have access to the ‘ask Mel a question’ button and Mel is answering their questions in their own exclusive hub episode (which happens once a month)... but today you’ll get a treat of getting the first question answered here publicly… but if you want to hear the rest, you’ve got to be a hub member. Today, Mel discusses what to do if you get an urge to push your baby out, but your cervix isn’t fully dilated...

Almost every pregnant woman will need to make a decision about Group B strep, what decision would you make? This episode is a re-edit of the most popular episode of all time, episode 6 on Group B Strep. In this re-edit Mel has kept only facts (no fluff)... you asked for it. This episode is a great one to pass on to your partner, care provider or anyone you think would like rapid fire information about Group B Strep in pregnancy and labour. For anyone that appreciates a conversational podcast,...

Melanie Speaks with wise woman Fiona Hallinan from ‘The pelvic space’ about internal release work. Fiona 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...

In this episode Mel explores the research around the impact of light 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...

In this episode Mel explores the research around ‘aging’ and ‘failing’ placentas in late term pregnancy. 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?   To get on the mailing list for the podcast and to access the resource folders for each episode, visit www.melaniethemidwife.com Premium podcast members Hub Being a...

In this episode Mel takes you 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.  Time stamps 00:00 Intro and episode summary 06:39 History of how women used to give birth 13:24 the...

In this episode, Mel speaks with researchers Marina Weckend and Clare Davison from Edith Cowen University about 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. It’s all here in the episode. Links to learn more and participate in this research Participate in the WEPAUSE Study:...

In this episode, Mel invites her work-wife Ashlee Anslow from the birthing tree midwifery 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.    Time stamps 00:00 Introduction to the podcast and gratitude to our sponsor ‘Born at home’ film. 03:55 Outline of the episode  04:36 Quick points to set the scene 05:54 Changes in foetal heart rate,...

In this episode Mel draws on her life and midwifery experience (and of course, the research evidence) to discuss care of late pre-term babies born between 34-36.6 weeks gestation. Mel offers some alternative care strategies such as delayed cord clamping, kangaroo care and sunlight for prevention of jaundice, among other things.  Time stamps 00:00 intro and summary of episode  03:38 what is a late preterm baby 06:55 Why some babies are born early  10:50 Keeping your baby well through...

In this episode 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/  In this episode we...

In this episode 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.  Time stamps 00:55 Summary of episode content 02:35 What is meconium 04:40 Microbiome of meconium 08:00 Types of meconium and their level of ‘seriousness’  10:50 Primary vs secondary meconium 16:50 why would there be meconium stained liquor 20:15...