ABOUT US

Michelle & Sarah

We’ve been friends for ten years.  We met when we were both working at a TV network, indulging in drunken karaoke nights and enjoying the luxury of sleep-ins.

Oh how life has changed.

A couple of years ago we were super excited to find ourselves pregnant at the same time…a first pregnancy for Sarah, and the second for Michelle. 

Faced with a barrage of negativity about the labour process from nearly everyone around us, we really looked forward to our morning walks together where we shared our excitement about labour and birth.  We discovered we had much more in common than a love of karaoke; we both felt that giving birth should be something you look forward to, not fear.  Don’t get us wrong, we knew it would probably be the hardest, most painful thing we’d ever do – but why not go into it with a positive attitude?

We both love birth stories.  We soaked them up when we were pregnant and now, as mothers, they’re still such an amazing read for so many reasons.  We find them inspiring, healing and empowering.

We also believe that through sharing them we can do two things. 

The first is giving people the tools to be pro-active with pain management.  Feeling like you’re in control of managing the pain can take away a lot of the uncertainty and fear.  As you read through the stories you’ll pick up on tips and tricks, we’ll post interesting articles, and combine our knowledge with yours.

Secondly we believe the more you hear or read birth stories, the more it normalises birth.  Traditionally by the time a women reached childbearing age she would have assisted at many labours and births of family members.  Birth would be a normal part of life, no great mystery, and certainly nothing to be terrified about.

Everyone’s birth experiences are so different, ours were no exception. 

Michelle: My first baby, Mila, was born by c-section when she decided that feet first was the best way to be.  She’s still just as stubborn today at nearly 4 years old!  Although an amazingly special birth it was a far cry from the natural water birth I had planned, so when I became pregnant with Rosa I had my heart set on a vbac (vaginal birth after caesarean).  Again my birth plan went out the window as I developed pre-eclampsia late in pregnancy, but against all odds I got to experience giving birth to my baby myself.  Oh.  My.  God.  The most incredibly empowering experience of my life.  I was on cloud 9 for weeks afterwards.  And call me crazy, but I can’t wait to do it again!  

Read the full story of Mila's birth

Read the full story of Rosa's birth

Sarah: Almost a year after my daughter Ivy was born, I still haven’t written my birth story!  It seems a bit ironic considering I’m starting a blog about them, but it’s taken this long for me to feel ready to face it. The labour was complicated and Ivy was born not breathing, with an Apgar score of just 1/10. It took 4 minutes for them to get her to breathe on her own and, even though she was totally fine after that initial fright, I’ve felt traumatized by it ever since. In the past year I’ve read a lot of birth stories and have found them incredibly healing. I’m now feeling ready to face giving birth again one day, and even looking forward to it! And I’m ready to write my own birth story too.

Update: I've written it! Read the full story of Ivy's birth

 Sarah's daughter Ivy, and Michelle's girls Mila and Rosa

And so, in a much less dramatic fashion than our own babies, our blog was born. We’d love you to tell your story as well, and help us inspire couples everywhere to prepare for a positive birth experience, however it is destined to unfold...

Michelle & Sarah