16 JUN 2024 · Today I speak with Sali McIntyre and Naomi Jannsson. Sali is an antenatal educator, author midwife, Arvigo practitioner and teacher, and mother of four adult children, all born at home. She also runs Heart and Soul of Wellness which is a wellness centre in Murwillumbah where she runs pregnancy and postpartum groups, amongst many more offerings.  Naomi is a traditional medicine practitioner, with over 20 years of experience. She weaves a wealth of expertise from diverse healthcare settings to provide clinical care and education.  She is dedicated Advocate for Traditional Medicine especially in Women's Health and Birth/Reproductive Health services. She holds the vision of Culturally oriented and Mother centred experiences for Women during childbearing and rites of passage. Naomi often speaks at conferences and for podcasts to inform on the importance of Cultural Practices and Medicines in Women's Health. Together, these two run a festival called Birth Wellness festival, which is a coming together of parents, families, and practitioners and clinicians in the area for greater connection of community and services relevant to the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. In this interview we speak a lot about the importance of gathering in real life embodied spaces to create greater sense of care and togetherness in community.  Birth Wellness Festival:  https://events.humanitix.com/birth-wellness-festival-2024 Sali:  https://heartandsoulofwellness.com.au Naomi:  https://www.gentletraditions.xyz/

10 JUN 2024 · In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Fiona O'Shaughnessy. 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. They 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, they 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. Their mission is to support women on their journey to childbirth, ensuring that they receive safe and trauma-free birth services and support. They aim to raise awareness of the occurrence and consequences of birth trauma and provide women and birth workers with the tools and support they need to prepare for and experience a safe, positive birth. Advocacy groups such as Hygieia Health, Homebirth Australia, Maternity choices Australia, and us here at PBB Media to name a few, spend a considerable amount of time translating some of these deeply rooted political stirrings or changes in to smaller bite sized information segments so that we can all come together in our united aim to ensure optimal freedom of choice in childbirth, however that may look for you. You may have a relative, a friend, a neighbour who is interested to birth at home. You may know a midwifery student who has the aim to become a privately practicing midwife. Even if home birth is not on your radar, you may even just empathise with the right to choose a birth environment that feels safe and right. Advocacy groups do so much work, but lets not forget our own capacity to advocate for our fellow human beings, even if their choices look different to ours. The meaning of advocacy is ‘public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy’.  We always welcome your feedback and thoughts. Leave us a review, rating, instagram comment or DM, or simply be in touch via email through mailto:hello@pbbmedia.org We have left some great links below in relation to information sources that Fi mentions throughout the interview. Thanks for tuning in !  @hygieiahealthltd @bumps_birth_and_beyond  @homebirth_australia @bornathomefilm Survey link:  https://tr.ee/pENQCpTihh  Excerpt from Hygieia Health Instagram regarding proposed changes: “You may have seen a video circulating yesterday where Senator @larissawaters asked the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer (CNMO) about proposed changes to insurance for homebirth during Senate Estimates - we’d like to thank Senator Waters for her questions. If you're wondering what this all means, please keep reading. We feel the collective anger, fear and in some cases hopelessness about this issue, understanding it's deeply rooted in the lived experiences of women and midwives who have had to fight for women’s rights in childbirth for decades. What We Do Know: The Government will conduct a consultation process in the coming months, aiming to have details finalised by the end of the year.  The proposed insurance would only be available for midwives providing homebirth care to women with 'low risk' pregnancies. This could mean that midwives might not be legally able to provide homebirth services to women outside this definition. Currently, the definition of ‘low risk’ and who defines it is yet to be determined. However, comments made by the CNMO suggest it could exclude women with common risk factors such as previous c-section, high BMI, gestational diabetes, lack of social support and more. The CNMO also stated that if women deemed ‘high risk’ still want a homebirth, they will need a consultation with an obstetrician to be told to give birth in a hospital.  Our Goal: It’s not too late to influence this process and protect the choice to homebirth as a right for all women. HBA has been promised a seat at the table and we are pushing for this to be a public consultation. Urgency: Women who will become pregnant from September onwards will be directly impacted, so we will reiterate the urgency of this throughout the consultation process. Your Feedback Matters: We’ve put together a survey as a first step to gather your feedback so we can head into the consultation process and represent the needs of our community.  Who Should fill out the Survey: • Have you had a homebirth previously? • Are you planning a homebirth? • Are you a homebirth midwife? Take Action: Complete our survey (link above)

6 JUN 2024 · "This is so needed!" PBB weaving love into our community In this episode, Annalee and Sally, two of the founders of PBB Media and former presenters of our show, get together to discuss the history of our Outreach Hub, how it started and how it has evolved over time and all that it has to offer our community. The PBB Outreach Hub offers free baby and toddler clothes every Friday from 10am at the CWA Hall in Mullumbimby (corner of Tincogan and Gordon Sts).  We welcome any good quality donations of clothes to keep them circulating.   We also hear from two mums, Calindy and Hope, who have found some clothing treasures for their little ones.  Alice also shares her story of being supported by the hub in the early days after the 2022 floods when her first child was only 6 months old.  Alice still loves to come and visit, catch up with friends and swap some kids' clothing, now with her second child in tow. And finally we hear from one of our volunteers, Jess, a mum of 3 who gives her time to help run the hub and play with the little ones while mums look through the clothes and shoes. We thank everyone who contributed to this podcast and look forward to seeing you at the Hub!   If you are interested in volunteering at the hub, we just ask for 4 hours of your time per month and in return you have a lovely social time, making cups of tea and sorting the donated clothes into the boxes.  Enquiries: mailto:sally@pbbmedia.org

25 MAR 2024 · In this episode, Oni Blecher interviews Tallulah and Xanthe. Both are Bachelor of Midwifery students in the final year of their studies.   Tallulah grew up on Bundjalung Country and was immersed in a community that favoured an integrative approach to healthcare and wellness, Tallulah felt an innate pull to participate. Along her journey, she felt a deep calling to support women and families, naturally falling into midwifery.  Xanthe first felt the calling of midwifery at 14 years old. She spent the next decade thinking about the seed that was planted from such a young age, eventually realising that this calling could no longer be ignored. She truly loves midwifery with her whole heart, and feels incredibly privileged to be walking into a profession that is so rich in culture and practice since the beginning of humanity. Tallulah’s philosophy is to be led by women and families. As Culturally Safe care is inherently defined by the perspectives of those receiving care, Tallulah aspires for the women she serves to feel the power handed back to them as the primary decision makers. Tallulah hopes to fulfil a graduate position in Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) and go on to facilitate home births as a private practice midwife, whilst offering a sliding scale of cost to make safe birth more accessible.  Xanthe hopes to work alongside some of our most vulnerable people groups in the community as a midwife, also within a continuity of care model. She is driven by the desire to provide holistic care, where women, birthing people, and families feel deeply respected and heard. She strongly believes in the potential of the childbirth continuum being a time that can have deep and lasting positive change for families and communities when care is provided well.   Both Tallulah and Xanthe had the privilege of undertaking an overseas placement in remote Papua New Guinea in November 2023 of which they talk about during this interview. It was here that their love for midwifery was solidified. They were reminded of the role of midwifery as primary healthcare, servicing families and communities. Being remote and without basic resources or staffing, the two learnt the value of teamwork, being resourceful and acting on instinct.  Tallulah and Xanthe cherish the relationships they build with women and their families and see the art and profession of midwifery as an immense privilege, they can’t imagine doing anything else! If you have any questions for these two, feel free to send us an email at hello@pbbmedia.org

14 MAR 2024 · In this episode, Oni Blecher interviews Naomi Jannson. With over 20 years of experience as a health professional, Naomi weaves a wealth of expertise from diverse healthcare settings to provide clinical care and education.  Naomi inherited a strong relationship with Traditional Medicine from birth, growing up within a Traditional Medicine household and now practising as a second generation Chinese Medicine Doctor.  She obtained her degree as a Registered Nurse and practised in Australia and the UK in Emergency Medicine, further completing her Masters in Chinese Medicine and attended extensive postgraduate training in Australia, Japan, China, the UK, Europe, and the USA.  With a deep respect for the Ancestors, History and Cultures of Traditional Medicines she practises her craft and maintains long term apprenticeship with Master practitioners in Australia, Japan and USA whilst studying the traditional manuscripts and learning opportunities with lineage teachers.  Traditional Medicine is Naomi’s life calling and she has truly dedicated herself to the Medicine and those who seek to receive or learn from her.  A dedicated Advocate for Traditional Medicine especially in Women's Health and Birth/Reproductive Health services. She holds the vision of Culturally oriented and Mother centred experiences for Women during childbearing and rites of passage. Naomi often speaks at conferences and for podcasts to inform on the importance of Cultural Practices and Medicines in Women's Health. Naomi has also planned an upcoming postpartum conference on the 20 and 21st of April. ‘The Whole Picture’ postpartum conference is a dynamic 2 day event with inspiring speakers, offering CPD points and showcasing interdisciplinary innovations for optimal outcomes.  Find Naomi and her offerings here: https://www.gentletraditions.xyz @gentle_traditions

22 FEB 2024 · In this epsiode, Oni Blecher speaks with Amanda Banks, co creator and producer of the new film Born at Home. Empowered by the homebirth of her second child in 2020, Amanda, together with long term dear friend Eleanor, set out to create a film exploring Homebirth in QLD. Amanda is mother of two children, both born at home. She has always had a passion for health which led her to works as an Acupuncturist in Brisbane, supporting families through fertility, pregnancy and beyond for over 8 years. Amanda was the former Convenor for Homebirth QLD for 2.5 years until mid 2023 and worked as a maternity consumer representative on the QLD Normal Birth Strategy. Supporting women has always been a passion of hers and after absorbing current research on the mainstream maternity system working with Homebirth QLD, she was driven to advocate for evidence based maternity care, women’s rights and access to safe birthing options and education. Amanda believes in the physiological process of birth, that birth is a rite of passage and a positive, supported birth experience can create a mother who feels confident in herself and in her parenting journey, amongst many other beneficial maternal and infant outcomes. We hope you enjoy this conversation and learning more about the film ! To check out more details and the upcoming film screenings, look at the links below ! https://www.bornathomefilm.com.au https://au.demand.film/born-at-home/

11 JAN 2024 · In this interview, Oni Blecher interviews Dr Michelle Gerbi. With a background as a chiropractor, perinatal health coach, functional medicine provider, certified perinatal health coach, postpartum corrective exercise specialist, and international board-certified lactation consultant, Michelle has had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the challenges, questions, and triumphs that come with being a mom. With over 17 years of experience focusing on postpartum women, Dr. Michelle Gerbi has helped thousands of moms overcome the most common and challenging issues that come with motherhood. In this episode, they discuss many topics but provide a special focus on breastfeeding, tongue tie, and the culture of under prepared postpartum. Michelle shares her extensive professional experince as well as her own personal birthing and breastfeeding journey. Enjoy this conversation and find Michelle through the links below. - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postpartummotheringmentor/ - Website: http://www.drgerbi.com/

10 DEC 2023 · Public Service Announcement: Would you like to support us ? We are raising money for our NFP and podcast to obtain an office space and podcast recording studio for 2024. Our goal is $10, 000 AUD and any donation big or small is helpful ! If you're interested in supporting us, please email us at https://pbbmedia.org for more information. If you're not familiar, Check out our work at https://pbbmedia.org In this interview, Oni Blecher interviews Dr. Howard Chilton has been a neonatologist (a baby’s physician) for over 45 years. He was born in York, England and studied at St Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London. After wonderful years in London in the swinging sixties he graduated then interned at Addington Hospital on the beach in Durban, South Africa. Following this, he was accepted for a Senior House Physician appointment in Neonatal Medicine at Harari Hospital in then, Salisbury Rhodesia, now, Harare, Zimbabwe). After more training, Howard eventually obtained paediatric appointments at the Hammersmith Hospital and the Westminster Children’s Hospital, then, after obtaining his MRCP (UK) degree, the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford where he also did a short fellowship. He then became a SHO at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London in the Department of Respiratory Medicine. He did a mandatory Neonatal Fellowship in the US at Denver Children’s Hospital which included two years in a centre of excellence in high tech neonatology including doing neonatal ground and air retrievals, really taught him how to look after the sickest, smallest babies. Before starting this fellowship though, he had a long stopover in Sydney doing locum Respiratory and Paediatric jobs, to check out job prospects. During one job at Prince Henry Hospital he met a beautiful nursing sister called Tamara. At the end of the fellowship, Howard was appointed as the Director of Newborn Services at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney, where he held this position for over twenty years, resigning in 1999 to concentrate on clinical work and parent education. Apart from looking after babies and their parents, Howard now spends a lot of his time talking: to parent groups, or to conferences in Australia and overseas, and to media outlets about ‘responsive parenting’ and the myriad issues which arise for parents when they take their new baby home. He believes knowledge of the biology of the baby can help parents understand and meet their baby’s needs and enables them to relax and enjoy the wonderful experience of parenting. He married Tamara soon after arriving back in Sydney from the USA and she remains the light of his life. They have two daughters, Georgina and Isabella and five grandchildren ! all under 5 years of age. Find out more about Dr. Chilton, including his well renowned books at babydoc.com.au

29 NOV 2023 · In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Tahnee Taylor. Tahnee is a yoga teacher with a deep and resonant love of Yin Yoga and how it meets the alchemical magic of Taoism. She is also a practitioner of Chi Nei Tsang, which is a Taoist abdominal massage and she is a passionate advocate for the inherent shamanic wisdom of the body - hers, yours, ours. She is the mama of two home-birthed babies and co-parent of SuperFeast, the Taoist tonic herb company founded by her husband, Mason. Tahnee co-hosts the SuperFeast podcast and educates around yoga, Taoism, health and motherhood. In this interview, Tahnee shares how her deep experience and resonance with yin and Taoist principles and the intersection between them has influenced her motherhing and her interaction with her many roles as a woman and human. Enjoy this interview. Find Tahnee here: @tahneeyoga tahneetaylor.com

16 NOV 2023 · In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Ruth Schubert. Ruth is a physiotherapist for 20 years. She Schubert is inspired to help her clients lead a beautiful life. She believes in building resilience through developing a strong body and calm mind. Throughout her career, Ruth realised her passion in caring for women, and her own pregnancy and recovery found her fascinated with Women’s Pelvic Health. She has a specialist interest in pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction and working with pre and post-natal women. She has undertaken extensive post-graduate training in the treatment of Women’s pelvic health and has completed a professional certificate in pelvic organ Prolapse management through UniSa and Pinc cancer rehabilitation certification. Along with her extensive clinical knowledge, Ruth takes a holistic approach to assessing and treating her patients, incorporating education, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and mindfulness. Her unique ability to treat the internal and external pelvic structures has led to outstanding results and a loyal client base. Find Ruth here: @exhale_physiotherapy www.exhalephysio.com.au Find PBB Media here @pbb_media www.pbbmedia.org