Our Team

birthchoices is the result of a labour of love, baby naps, and a shared passion for pregnancy and birth between Elysia and Alice.

Having supported numerous women through private and public models of care, vaginal births and belly births, hospital and homebirths, as well as through postpartum, we decided that something needed to be done to clarify and collate the scattered information available to women about their pregnancy and birth experiences across the spectrum of care, and to support families wading through this information. 

Elysia

I am a mum of four, a business owner, a student midwife, and a passionate advocate for your birth choices.

I spent my twenties working in digital marketing and living overseas before having my first two sons at a beautiful birth centre in the UK. My first pregnancy sparked an obsession with birth, physiology, and midwifery care. After my second pregnancy I started an online baby boutique with birth at its heart - donating clean birth kits to Midwives for Haiti with each order.  My third baby inspired me to take the leap into midwifery study - where I met Alice in 2021. My fourth baby, born at home just two weeks ago, led me here - to birthchoices.

Walking alongside families through pregnancy and birth since commencing my midwifery study has been a joy and a privilege I hope to experience for the rest of my life. Witnessing firsthand the vast spectrum of pregnancy and birthing experiences across different families and care models has highlighted for me the undeniable fact that birth can change people’s lives in both positive and negative ways. Far from being just “one day in your life”, your experience of birth affects how you feel during the momentous transition to parenthood, and how you see yourself from that day forward. 

It has taken almost two years of our collective brainstorming and research to get to where we are today, birthing birthchoices. We can’t wait to share what we’ve learned with you.

Alice

I am a doula (otherwise known as Village for Me), student midwife, former lawyer, mother of two boys and two angel babies who we didn’t get to meet.

I came to the world of birth and postpartum from a career in law, having experienced my sense of purpose and self utterly transformed by becoming a mother. From birthing in a private hospital with an OB for my first child while working as a lawyer, to having the support of a private midwife and then fertility specialist through the grief of two miscarriages, to then having a homebirth for my second son (supported by the best student midwife going round, Elysia), I’ve experienced the both ends of the spectrum of pregnancy care.

My first birth made me passionate about postpartum, paving the way for my exit from the law and establishment of my initially postpartum doula business, Village for Me. The most satisfying part of my doula work has been supporting beautiful families to navigate the inconsistent information that is thrown at them, to feel informed, lean into their intuitive knowledge, and able to make decisions about what is best for them. While this started in the realm of postpartum, it fuelled the fire in me for pregnancy and birth, which has been strengthened by my studies of midwifery and preparation for homebirth.

You can find me in the corner of most social events (or kids parks let’s be honest) talking people’s heads off about their options for pregnancy and birth. I’m quick to correct anyone who refers to their care provider “delivering” their baby, and to wish everyone a happy ‘“birthing day” on their kid’s birthday. I am so passionate about your birth choices, about you knowing them, and making autonomous decisions with them in mind. 

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

QUESTIONS? LET’S CHAT.

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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