Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond

Best Birth Finder with Sally Cusack

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 which the interview is focussed on. Sally is a researcher with Local Futures Organisation. She dedicates her life to human and planet health through localisation and community building. This is a special interview for Oni as this will be her last podcast interview under Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond. She pays her respect to her time at Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond and PBB Media and expresses gratitide to all guests, listeners, and experiences. You can find Sally and Best Birth Finder below:hello@pbbmedia.orghttps://www.bestbirthfinder.org.auAnd if you have any feedback, questions, or curiosities for Oni, you're welcome to contact her via @oni_keeperofthehearthoni.blecher@gmail.com

My Breech Birth With Zoë Rose Gameau

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 We Gather, a profit for purpose company facilitating health coaching for individuals and groups with creative methods and circle gatherings.  She also worked part time for the not-for-profit group Environmental Leadership Australia which further deepened her engagement with the reality of the challenge we face environmentally and some of the solutions available. Previously an actress, Zoë worked with almost every major TV network in Australia, also contributing behind the scenes and featured in the documentaries That Sugar Film and 2040.  As a published author she contributed to books 1 & 2 of That Sugar Guide - A Pan Mac Millan publication. The weaving of these worlds leads Zoë to where she is today; combining all her efforts to bring about the sharing of meaningful stories to help shape a healthy society and environment in a responsible, wise and artistic way, whilst taking time to enjoy the simplicity of her surroundings and raising her children lovingly.Find Zoë at her film production company here: https://www.greenthumbmedia.com.au

UPDATES For Proposed Changes To Homebirth And The Birth Trauma Inquiry Report with Fiona O'Shaughnessy

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 and its successes, follow ups, and ways to assist the changes that have been suggested. 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. We believe that “Peace on Earth begins at Birth,” as Jeanine Parvarti Baker so poignantly stated. As a non-profit organization with a charitable purpose of promoting the prevention and treatment of birth trauma, we strive to provide birth workers, obstetricians, midwives, and doulas with the knowledge and skills necessary to care for themselves and others, and to return birth to its rightful place as a profound rite of passage.Letter Template & Call to Action: (Scroll down):https://www.homebirthaustralia.org/call-to-action.htmlHygieia Heath:https://hygieiahealth.org@hygieiahealthltdHomebirth Australia:https://www.homebirthaustralia.orgHistory of PII (Professional Indemnity Insurance) for privately practicing midwives: https://www.homebirthaustralia.org/professional-indemnity-insurance.htmlBorn at Home Film:https://bornathomefilm.com

First Nations Postpartum Care With Kirilly Dawn

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 my respects to elders past and present and emerging. As a team and organisation, we acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and waters whose cultures and customs have nurtured and continue to nurture this land. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and recognition of culture, connection to land and waters and sovereignty of all aboriginal/indigenous peoples across Australia is a matter of current and vital importance.Today, Oni Blecher speaks with Kirilly Dawn. Kirilly is a Barkanji woman, a doula, and she runs the postpartum postpartum care program for The Returning Indigenous Corporation. Kirilly has also been on the development team with us here at PBB Media for the past 5 years. The work of the returning relies on the generous support of donations from the community and if you support their work and what they’re doing, you can go to their website, www.thereturning.com.au and find many different ways to support this amazing NFP. Find The Returning here:www.thereturning.com.au@the_returning_Thanks for tuning in ! Feel free to be in touch with us at @pbb_media hello@pbbmedia.org

A Well of Wisdom: Birth Work and Pelvic Health with Jenny Blyth

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 birth & reduce birth trauma. She specialises in pelvic bodywork for wellbeing, balance, comfort & healing. Jenny regularly facilitates workshops in Australia & overseas. She is project co-ordinator for Lao Birthwork, teaching hands-on & emergency skills to health staff in remote areas of Northern Laos. She is also an author – The Down to Earth Birth Book, Birthwork, The little book of Pelvic Jiggling - & filmmaker -The Big Stretch films & A World of Birthworkers.We are so happy to have Jenny on the show today. She is such a deep well of wisdom in the pregnancy, birth, postpartum and female health continuum. Jenny will be speaking at the upcoming Postpartum Conference which will be a great way to hear more of her lessons and wisdoms. Us from PBB will also be there and will be be doing interviews and taking comments from the participants. So if you’re there and want to meet us, come and say hello ! Jenny Blythwww.birthwork.com Postpartum conference: https://www.gentletraditions.xyz/professional-conferences-well-supported-mothers-collective