Serene Births Perth

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Serene Births Perth Bringing the best of both worlds to birth. Serving the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia.

I’m a midwife-turned-doula offering private and small group birth classes that blend clinical know-how with calm, confident support.

Policies, procedures and guidelines.Three words that probably mean very little to most pregnant women.For those of us pr...
13/09/2026

Policies, procedures and guidelines.

Three words that probably mean very little to most pregnant women.

For those of us providing maternity care, they’re often at the forefront of our minds. They shape how we practise, what we recommend and how we communicate with women.

They have an important place in maternity care. They help provide a framework for practice and support consistency in care.

The problem is when we start treating them as gospel.

A recommendation is not the same as a requirement.

Yet I see too many situations where a woman is told, “That’s our policy,” as though the conversation is over.

I’ve supported women who have declined recommended care, only to find themselves facing escalating pressure from multiple clinicians. At what point does supporting informed choice become an exercise in persuading a woman to do what we’ve recommended?

Policies and guidelines should be a framework for good care, not a reason to stop thinking, stop listening or stop supporting a woman’s autonomy.

We can recommend. We can explain. We can advise.

The woman should never be left feeling that she has no choice.

10/09/2026

Transition is the final phase of labour before you start pushing, usually around 8–10cm. It’s often short, but it can be the most intense part of labour. It’s also often when your birth partner gets caught off guard, because how you’re behaving can change so quickly.

You might shake, feel sick, become overwhelmed or suddenly say things like, “I can’t do this.” You could become restless, irritable or desperate for everyone to stop talking to you.

Some women do the opposite instead, becoming very quiet, turning inward and seeming almost far away.

Both can be completely normal.

With an epidural, transition can be harder to spot, because the physical sensations that usually signal it are less noticeable. You may become very still or quiet, change your breathing or posture, become intensely focused, or simply seem different from how you were earlier in labour.

This is why preparation matters — not just knowing what might happen, but helping your birth partner know how to show up for you when it does. What that looks like can change as things unfold, but a partner who’s prepared is more likely to stay calm and steady with you.

Want your birth partner to feel more confident going into moments like this? I think preparing your birth partner matters just as much as how you prepare yourself. It’s woven through everything I teach.

Not sure you want photos of your labour and birth? Take them anyway.I’ve worked with lots of couples who’ve told me befo...
01/09/2026

Not sure you want photos of your labour and birth? Take them anyway.

I’ve worked with lots of couples who’ve told me before labour that they don’t want photos taken. Sometimes they’re just not photo people. Sometimes the idea of a camera around something so private feels wrong. Sometimes they’re simply sure they won’t want those moments captured at all.

I always tell them the same thing: take them anyway.

What surprises me is how often those minds change. I’ve lost count of the couples who felt sure beforehand, then found themselves asking for the camera once labour was actually underway. Often it’s a small thing that does it, like watching someone hold her hand through a contraction, or seeing the baby lifted onto her chest for the first time. Those are the photos they end up treasuring most.

The sweaty, exhausted pushing shots might not matter to you, and that’s fine. Get those too. Sort out later what stays and what goes.

One practical tip: check with your care providers beforehand. Most are more than happy for you to take photos, as long as they’re not in the frame themselves, and midwives will gladly snap a few for you too if your hands are full.

Worst case? You delete them. Best case? You look back one day and think, “I’m so glad we took these.”

You’ve Googled “hospital bag checklist.” You’ve bought everything on it. Now your bag looks like you’re heading off for ...
30/08/2026

You’ve Googled “hospital bag checklist.” You’ve bought everything on it. Now your bag looks like you’re heading off for a long weekend, not having a baby. Here are my tips to help you pack smarter.

Three things I swear by:

A handheld, battery-operated fan.
Labour is hard work, and with the warmth of the room adding to the mix, this will bring some much-needed relief. As a birth support person, this is genuinely one of the things I reach for most. It’s small, cheap, and makes a real difference to comfort in the moment.

A drink bottle with a large straw.
Being able to sip easily throughout labour without having to sit up or concentrate too much on your drink is surprisingly useful. The Stanley-style cups from Kmart are perfect for this.

Lip balm.
Gas for pain relief and hospital air conditioning can dry your lips out fast. It’s a tiny thing, but you’ll notice it the moment you don’t have it.

Three things to leave at home:

Your full skincare routine.
A cleanser and moisturiser are all you’ll need for now. It also means you’re not risking expensive products getting lost in the shuffle of a hospital stay.

Multiple outfits.
Comfort beats style every time. Birth and newborns can also be messy, so choose cheap and cheerful over your Peter Alexanders.

The whole postpartum recovery pack.
These packs are popular, and a lot of women either buy one or are given one as a gift. You won’t need everything in it straight away, and there may be things you never use. Pack a few essentials and keep the rest for later, if you need it at all.

My top tip? Ask someone who’s actually been through it.

What did they find most useful? What did they pack that they never reached for?

Sometimes the best hospital bag checklist is the one you get from someone who’s already been there.

Did you know there are a couple of different ways you can have a student midwife involved in your maternity care?Option ...
27/08/2026

Did you know there are a couple of different ways you can have a student midwife involved in your maternity care?

Option one is a Continuity of Care Experience, or CCE.

One student midwife follows you through your pregnancy, attending your antenatal visits and, where possible, your labour and the birth of your baby. They get to know you and your preferences, so you arrive in labour with someone familiar already in your corner.

Option two is having a student midwife on the maternity ward.

Student midwives work alongside registered midwives, learning through hands-on experience. They become part of the everyday rhythm of maternity care, helping with everything from observations to supporting with feeding, with a registered midwife overseeing their practice.

There’s also something pretty special about allowing student midwives into your birth space. They’re the next generation of midwives, learning not only the clinical skills of the profession, but what it means to sit with someone through one of the biggest experiences of their life.

We understand that being a part of your birth experience is a privilege, not a right. If having a student present doesn’t feel right for you, it’s okay to decline. You don’t need to justify that decision.

If you’re pregnant in Perth and this feels like the right fit, ask your care provider about the options available to you. There’s also a Facebook group, Call the Student Midwife Perth, which is well worth joining if you’d like to connect with students directly.

Are delayed cord clamping and optimal cord clamping the same thing? Not exactly — and the difference matters.Delayed cor...
25/08/2026

Are delayed cord clamping and optimal cord clamping the same thing? Not exactly — and the difference matters.

Delayed cord clamping is the version most people have heard of. Instead of clamping the cord immediately, you wait for a set amount of time, usually around a minute.

Optimal cord clamping takes a slightly different approach. Rather than watching the clock, you wait for the cord to finish pulsating and become soft and white, allowing the blood to continue transferring from the placenta to your baby. This can take several minutes.

So why does it matter?

That extra blood matters. Delayed cord clamping gives your baby a larger blood volume and more iron, which can help reduce the risk of iron deficiency in the months ahead.

There is one thing to be aware of, though. Babies who receive more blood from the placenta can have higher bilirubin levels. Bilirubin is produced when red blood cells break down, and when bilirubin builds up in the blood, it causes jaundice. Several studies have found a small increase in the number of babies who need phototherapy for jaundice after delayed cord clamping.

It’s worth putting that into context. Jaundice is extremely common in newborns and is usually a normal part of those first few days, resolving on its own.

Importantly, major organisations still consider the benefits of delayed cord clamping to outweigh this relatively small increase in the need for phototherapy.

The research behind delayed cord clamping has resulted in a positive change in clinical practice. From what I’m seeing across Perth, most hospitals now routinely practise delayed cord clamping for around a minute, without parents needing to ask for it. It’s still important to discuss your preferences with your care providers before birth, particularly if you want to go beyond that standard one-minute delay.

Knowing your options before you’re in the moment can make it much easier to communicate your choices and make decisions that feel right for you.

20/08/2026

This week I was asked if I felt guilty for not using my degree.

I sat with that question longer than I expected to.

My first reaction was guilt, if I’m honest. The question underneath the question is why don’t you work as a midwife anymore, and there’s a version of me that still flinches at that.

Then the defensiveness kicks in, because I wouldn’t be able to do this job as well as I do without that degree.

I trained as a midwife. I’m not currently registered. On paper, that can look like unfinished business.

What that doesn’t capture is what the training actually gave me. Half of it was learning. The other half was unlearning, working out which parts of the system were serving women and which parts had just always been done that way.

That’s never really finished. Birth work moves. New research comes in, old habits get questioned, and there’s usually a different way if you’re willing to look for it.

I didn’t leave the knowledge behind. I moved it into a different room, one with more time in it, less paperwork, and space to actually listen.

So no, I don’t feel guilty. I feel like I finally built the version of this work I wanted to do.

Thinking about a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) and want to talk through your options with someone who knows both ...
18/08/2026

Thinking about a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) and want to talk through your options with someone who knows both the evidence and the system?

Your VBAC Journey is a private 4-hour class I offer in the comfort of your own home.

I’m Mel, a qualified midwife and doula, and this is where we sit down, just us, and focus on exactly what you need to feel ready.

We’ll cover the evidence, your hospital’s policies, and everything from last time that you want to understand or do differently, at whatever pace feels right for you.

The session is $249, and you’ll also come away with a labour and birth resource pack, plus the ability to email me with questions right up until the day.

I support families across Perth’s northern suburbs. Booking’s easy too, my online system is now live, so you can lock in your session in just a few clicks.

41% of women in Australia now give birth by caesarean (AIHW, 2023). Of those whose first birth was by caesarean, only 11...
16/08/2026

41% of women in Australia now give birth by caesarean (AIHW, 2023). Of those whose first birth was by caesarean, only 11% went on to have their second baby vaginally.

This number is not a reflection of women’s capabilities; it highlights how the maternity system fails these women. Dr Hazel Keedle’s research brought this shortcoming to light. Only 54% of women in standard maternity care felt their provider had confidence in their ability to have a VBAC.

This is my fear — the caesarean rate continues to rise, but support for VBAC doesn’t improve. If the maternity system continues to undermine VBAC as a birth choice, women are left with no option in subsequent pregnancies but to have another caesarean. Taking away a woman’s choice in how she gives birth isn’t a neutral outcome. It’s an ethical failure, and it’s not a future I want to see.

I’ve designed my VBAC class to combine the latest research with practical guidance on navigating the system, so you can consider your options with confidence and clarity.

FIFO couples, and those who have made a new life in WA while family and close friends remain elsewhere, this one is for ...
13/08/2026

FIFO couples, and those who have made a new life in WA while family and close friends remain elsewhere, this one is for you.

I ask clients to think about things like their partner’s work roster, or their support network here in Perth, because both can make a big difference to those first few weeks.

A lot of postpartum advice assumes someone is home most of the time, and that family is nearby to step in when they aren’t.

That isn’t everyone’s reality.

Your partner might work FIFO, meaning stretches of caring for a newborn without them at home. Or you might have moved to WA while the people you’d usually turn to remain elsewhere. You might be experiencing both.

None of this means the early weeks can’t feel supported and steady. It just means being a little more intentional about building your support network.

Pregnancy is a good time to start. Look into local mothers’ groups, put some feelers out to other parents nearby, and start making connections before you actually need them.

You don’t need a perfectly organised village before your baby arrives. You just want to start building one before you need it.

Address

Woodvale, WA
6026

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+61401512883

Website

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