My Story: From Hospital to Homebirth

For some, it’s an easy decision.

For others, it takes time, learning, and unlearning.

Taken by Sarah De Borrello (Mother Mother Doula)

In the beginning, I assumed I’d be giving birth in a hospital—because honestly, I thought that was just what you did. Birth felt like something medical, something that needed to be managed in case things went wrong. The idea of birthing at home sounded… brave. Maybe even a little wild. I didn’t understand yet how safe, supported, and normal physiological birth could be in the right environment with the right care.

But as I started researching—reading books, listening to podcasts, and hearing real birth stories—my whole perspective began to shift. I learned that birth isn’t just a clinical event; it’s an emotional, physical, and deeply intuitive rite of passage. The more I learned, the more I realised that home was where I’d feel the safest and most in control. I wanted to feel respected, undisturbed, and deeply held through the process. That’s when I found CMP (Community Midwifery Program) and decided to apply for the publicly funded home birth program.

At the same time, I kept hearing people talk about doulas. At first, I didn’t really understand the point. I thought doulas were only for people who didn’t have partners or who were giving birth without midwives. But again—through learning and listening—I realised how powerful that role could be. A doula isn’t there instead of your partner or midwife. They’re there to hold the whole space, to support you emotionally and physically, and to help you stay connected to your own power and vision when things get intense.

When I met Sarah from Mother Mother Doula, I knew straight away. She felt like an older, wiser sister-someone I could trust to support me and help my partner support me too. Another birth 'surprise' was asking my mother-in-law Fe to come and support us towards the tail-end of my birth. If you had of told me at the start of my journey that my mother-in-law would be at my birth, I would have looked at you with such disbelief. But in that moment of my birth, it made sense and honestly in my opinion made all the difference to my overall positive outcome. Choosing a home birth and choosing my support team were two of the best decisions I made for my birth experience.

To explore your options and find the perfect starting point, simply click on the blog post below.

I'm Pregnant... Now What?

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'Your birth. Your baby. Your way'

-With love, Caitlin