Forums & Directories

Birthready ▶ Links & Resources ▶ Forums & Directories

Pregnancy – Information, forums and directories

Gentle Birth – gentlebirth.org is dedicated to providing information that will help families have the best birth possible – a safe, gentle, positive birth experience that supports happy, healthy families.

Pregnancy Birth and Beyond – Pregnancy,Birth and Beyond an up-to-date and extensive source of information and support for pregnancy, birth and parenting. Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond supports independent midwifery services and quality childbirth education. Through this website you will be able to find lots of information on midwifery care, pre-conception care, pregnancy, birth, waterbirth, homebirth, vaginal birth after caesarean, postnatal care and breastfeeding.

The Foundation for Human Development – Pregnancy Support The Foundation provides practical and financial assistance to women who are pregnant, distressed and anxious about the future. Our support gives women the courage to continue their pregnancy and the ability to cope in early motherhood, at a time of/whilst experiencing financial crisis. To apply for funding/grant please call, email or write to us.

Pelvic Instability Association PIA – PIA Provides support and information to women and families affected by Pelvic Girdle Pain or Pelvic Instability in Australia; and….

BellyBelly.com.au – The most respected online parenting social network. Melbourne based pregnancy centre offering health practitioners, support groups and workshops.

Bub Hub – You’ll find everything you need, right here, for your pregnancy & parenting journey. Including: the easiest way possible to find all your local and online shops & services in our directory your questions answered (however silly!) expert advice info hubs for each stage of your journey competitions and much more…

Independent midwives and homebirth supplies

Eastside midwives – We are three midwives, passionate about carign for pregnant women, keeping birth normal and working with women and their families as they begin or continue their journey to parenthood.

Jennie Teskey – Registered midwife/master of counselling – Located in Alphington and provider of shared care to Royal Women’s, Mercy and Sunshine Hospital. Mob 0419 156 041 Email: jennieteskey@gmail.com

Melbourne midwifery collective – A group of highly experienced homebirth midwives providing holistic midwifery care from conception, through labour and birth until the baby is 7 weeks old. Medicare rebates available.

Australian college of midwives – a national, not for profit organisation whcih is the peak professional body for midwifes in Australia.

La Bassine inflatable birthing pool

Birth Afloat – Birth Pool Hire & Sales – Proudly selling and hiring Inflatable and Heated Birth Pools, Kits & accessories. for over 20 years. Our Hired kits come sterilised and complete with everything you’ll need for a smooth water birth journey, wherever you choose to birth. Home, hospital or birth centre.

Optimal Foetal Positioning

Spinning Babies – A unique, step-by-step approach to Optimal Fetal Positioning. Certain positions of the baby make labour easier than others.

The Birthready Mailing List

Birth Stories

Welcome Kiddo – a powerful birth by induction

(Written by the birthing mother) Part One: Waiting Thursday 19 July 2018 It’s the middle of winter, and now four days past my due date. The cat is underneath the doona, curled up next to my huge swollen belly, purring as I feel that swooshing live fish flop of the...

Reflections of doula support

Reflections on a couples journey from pregnancy to parenting. ***** 1. What are you proud of with regards to your birth preparation and birth experience? I’m proud of myself for taking the initiative to do the work for a natural birth. I had not even considered that...

A dads birth story, shared from the heart

Discussing, understanding and documenting what sort of birth Jess and I wanted was critical in helping me prepare for potential unknowns. Imagining the birth process from start to finish also helped- and actually practicing things like active birth exercises in our...

Birthing with bi-polar and epilepsy

Dear Erika, At the beginning of 2009 we spoke to my psychiatrist about the possibility of me having a child. After he outlined all the complications due to my bi-polar, epilepsy and medications I had as good as accepted I’d never be a mother. When I discovered in...

An empowering induction birth

Erika was called and arrived at a critical point; Alex and her support team were exhausted and the institution was starting to move closer and closer to taking complete control of the birth. After months of research and excited planning for the complete unknown of the...

The internal journey of a long labour

The birth of Marlene After a long labour Marlene was born naturally at 1.45am on the 7th of March at Angliss Family Birth Centre, Upper Ferntree Gully. I was surrounded by a magnificent birthing team that supported me throughout the labour, which comprised of my...

Homebirth after a caesarean

I gave birth to our little boy at home, with no interventions, no drugs, no stress. I laboured the way that felt right for me, and birthed in the position that came naturally. My husband caught his own son, and it is an experience that we will never forget in a...

Two births – a marathon and a sprint

My contractions were getting stronger. Erika rang the hospital and then drove me in her car. I chose the back seat. About half way to the hospital my waters broke (fortunately I was sitting on a towel). When I told her, Erika said just what I needed to hear: that’s...

Proactive birth preparation with hypnosis

I'm so proud of the steps we took, including hiring our wonderful doula Erika, and the preparation we put in which helped create the most intense, incredible, memorable, rewarding and magical 24 hours of our lives. Our Birth Story Going into this, we didn't even know...

A great home birth experience

Effie - "When I found out I was pregnant, my biggest fear was having to go into hospital to give birth. Hospitals gave me fierce anxiety as my pastexperiences of them had always been negative. I wasn'tconvinced that hospital was my only option, so I took to Dr Google...

Creative childbirth education with a toddler

“Erika helped prepare us for the birth of our son in a very short period of time, and with our 3 year old ‘helping out’ with costumes too!! This delightful couple were happy to have their daughter join in on some birth preparations massage techniques I was showing the...

Miranda’s vaginal birth after a caesarean

Not only were Erika's teachings and advice a useful tool during labour and birth, I was able to apply a lot of them to my life in general (as well as the relationship with my husband and son), and it allowed me to enjoy my little family and appreciate what I had all...

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