choices in care provider
choices in pregnancy
choices in birth
choices in postpartum

Our mission at birthchoices

  • We believe that your birth is important.

  • We believe in your innate ability to birth your baby, and that birth works — but going with the flow and hoping for the best isn’t a good option with our birth statistics being what they are. Your birth choices are important.

  • We want you to be properly informed of the birth choices available to you, and what the evidence says about them.

  • We want you to be able to make autonomous decisions for your pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

  • We want you to know that the Australian birth statistics are not indicative of your ability to birth, but rather of the system, and more relevantly, certain models of care within it.

Our maternity system

  • According to the latest AIHW Australia’s Mother and Babies Report

    • Only 30% chance of experiencing a completely natural labour (no induction, no augmentation, 27% for first time birthers!)

    • 38% chance of caesarean section (despite the WHO aim being 10%)

    • 12% VBAC rate

  • Care provider actions and interactions, along with a perceived lack of control and involvement in decision-making contributes to the all too common experiences of birth trauma.

  • In a recent survey of over 6,000 Australian women, 85% of the comments were from women who said they would make different choices for their next birth

What people are saying

  • I was lucky enough to stumble onto birthchoices during my first trimester and had a consult with both Alice and Elysia- they were so kind and incredibly knowledgeable. They provided me with support, guidance and resources to help me make decisions about curating the best care team for my pregnancy and birth. They also had lots of resources and data about the safety and suitability of home birth for me to share with my partner. I’m glad I can continue to get Alice and Elysia’s wisdom and insight through their podcast as well.

    Hannah

  • We had a birth choices consult with Alice towards the end of first trimester of our first pregnancy earlier this year. It was probably the single most useful and clarifying appointment I’ve had throughout my whole pregnancy! Can’t stress enough how much value you get out of just one session. Alice is incredibly knowledgeable and evidence-based while still being warm and a joy to chat to. She patiently walked us through our options, followed up with useful resources, and kept in touch until we eventually picked our private midwife (based on Alice’s recommendations), who has been such a gem as we navigate the pregnancy and birthing world! Our fertility journey had been challenging and Alice was particularly compassionate on this front, which made us both feel so comfortable. She made sure we didn’t feel like anything was a stupid question - even when my husband asked when the doctor would arrive to deliver the baby if we had a home birth (lol). Wish everyone could access a service like this to demystify the overwhelming early stages of a first pregnancy!

    Tessa

  • Elysia was my rock during an incredibly tough period. Following the loss of our first son, her unwavering support carried us through the complexities of our second pregnancy. Her presence was not just professional but deeply personal, making me feel like I had a friend for life. Elysia’s kindness and genuine care transformed the experience, offering comfort and understanding that went beyond what I could have imagined. I can’t recommend her enough for anyone seeking heartfelt pregnancy and birth support.

    Ash

  • Alice was my doula for my second pregnancy/birth. She was so incredibly informed herself and dedicated a lot of time to sending me resources to keep me informed on topics that were relevant to me in the lead up to my birth. The birth map/birth choices plan that we produced before the birth was so comprehensive it covered many possible scenarios and ensured I had done the thinking/decision making before labour and birth. My birth itself was a bit of a marathon and Alice was there every step of the way; supporting and advocating whenever it was needed. She is a wonderful doula, I would highly recommend her to anyone who would like to go in to their birth feeling informed, empowered, supported and nurtured by their birth team.

    Nava

  • Throughout my entire pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, Elysia was there for me providing knowledge, care, respect, and a deep sense of trust in the birth process. When planning a VBAC with my second daughter I found myself surrounded by negativity, fear, and doubt from medical professionals who I thought would support me. Elysia was the first person to really listen and see me. I felt educated, empowered, and loved. She was invested in my journey and was my biggest advocate. I had the most healing VBAC experience and I couldn’t have done it without Elysia.

    Natalie

  • I recently engaged the birthchoices team to better understand pregnancy care options in Melbourne.  I currently live in the Netherlands, which has a midwifery-led care model, and I wanted to understand whether I could replicate that or something close to it in Australia. Alice provided a clear, comprehensive overview of options available, and evidence-based information as to the pros and cons of each. Alice was available for follow-up questions as my husband and I navigated our first engagement with the various Melbourne-based services.

    Camilla

  • Alice has been an invaluable source of knowledge in helping us navigate the various care provider options, including teaching us about certain options we weren’t even aware of! Alice’s approach is supportive and evidence-based, which has been very reassuring and helped us make an informed choice about the right option for us.

    Louise

  • I just wanted to say thanks so much for that session, it was really helpful in clarifying my care options choices. I’m really happy with my decision. Thanks for your generous sharing of info, validation of the complexity of the choices available and decision-making help.

    Zoe

  • Thank you so much for the consult! Our chat was just what I needed after a week back at work, it brought back some of the pregnancy joy and excitement and feeling very excited to tackle the homebirth chat with my partner.

    Hayley

  • This information is so concise and helpful, thank you thank you! This has saved me the time I would have spent trawling the noise and misinformation that’s out there on Google.

    Em

disclaimer
birthchoices, through this website, our service offerings and our podcast, aims to share stories and collate information to assist you in navigating your pregnancy and birth and in discussing these choices with your chosen pregnancy care provider. The information and resources provided are informational and educational in nature and does not constitute medical or midwifery advice and shall not be construed as constituting or replacing medical or midwifery advice.

We at birthchoices encourage you to make your own care decisions based on your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The information provided is general in nature and we expressly recommend that you seek advice from your midwife or doctor who knows your individual circumstances in determining your approach to your pregnancy and birth. 

While we have worked hard to ensure that the information we provide is accurate and based on reliable and up to date evidence, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of this information. Our website and podcast are intended to complement, and never to substitute, your midwifery or medical clinical care. 

Neither we at birthchoices or any of our guests shall be held liable or responsible for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes arising out of the use or reliance on our content and/or your failure to seek appropriate medical, midwifery or health advice from a relevant licensed health care professional who is familiar with your individual circumstances.

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