Serene Births Perth

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.

Informed consent isn’t simply your signature on a form. It’s an ongoing conversation — one that should happen every time...
04/06/2026

Informed consent isn’t simply your signature on a form. It’s an ongoing conversation — one that should happen every time a procedure or intervention is recommended during your labour.

The problem is, most women don’t realise their informed consent was never sought until it’s too late. In labour, your focus should be on one thing — not on analysing the language your care team is using. This is where a well-prepared birth partner becomes invaluable — they can listen, ask questions and advocate on your behalf.

It’s also worth knowing that consent can be given — and taken back — at any time. You are never locked into a decision simply because you agreed to it previously.

At every decision point in your labour, you should feel informed, respected and at the centre of every discussion.

Use this post as a quick reference guide when you need it.

Australia’s caesarean rate has risen every single year for over two decades. We’re now at 41% (2023 figures, published 2...
02/06/2026

Australia’s caesarean rate has risen every single year for over two decades. We’re now at 41% (2023 figures, published 2025 — full report linked in comments) — and despite growing concern from maternity care advocates and consumers, it has yet to translate into any meaningful national conversation.

Researchers cannot pinpoint a specific reason for this trend. Women aren’t less healthy and pregnancies aren’t becoming more complex. So what is driving it? The threat of litigation? Overworked midwives restricted by grossly outdated timeframes for labour progress? A maternity system that is chronically underfunded? Fear?

One thing we know with absolute certainty. Women’s bodies are not the issue here.

A caesarean section can be life-saving. When it is genuinely indicated, the conversation changes — but it doesn’t stop. If a caesarean is recommended during your pregnancy or labour, your care provider is obligated to explain why. Is this based on your specific clinical situation? Or does it reflect hospital policy and guidelines? The answer to that question matters. This is informed consent in action.

At Serene Births, we believe that knowing how to navigate the system is just as important as knowing what to pack in your birth bag. Ready for birth prep without the fluff? Reach out to find out more.

Birth partners — the most undervalued person in the room. Here are three key aspects of the role that sit at the heart o...
31/05/2026

Birth partners — the most undervalued person in the room. Here are three key aspects of the role that sit at the heart of my birth partner preparation.

Understanding the physiology of labour. What is actually happening in her body, what it might look like, and how that picture can shift within the context of hospital policies and guidelines. A birth partner who understands the process is far less likely to be caught off guard by it.

A solid support toolkit. Every labour is different and women are remarkably intuitive about what they need in the moment — and they may express that in an abrupt way, which can throw you off guard. Labouring women can often be very direct — so the skill is in learning to respond without reacting, pivot quickly, and find what works for her without missing a beat.

Advocacy and decision-making. Understanding the options, knowing the right questions to ask, and feeling equipped to speak up clearly and respectfully when it matters. In a hospital setting, the perceived power imbalance between patient and clinician can make speaking up feel uncomfortable — even wrong. Preparation changes that.

These are not add-ons. They are the foundations of informed, confident birth partnership — and they are what every couple who comes through my door leaves with.

Serene Births offers both group classes and private sessions — small and intimate by design, and built entirely around the needs of each couple.

Link in bio to find out more or get in touch at [email protected]

“I didn’t realise there was so much to know.”It’s one of the most common things I hear from birth partners at the end of...
28/05/2026

“I didn’t realise there was so much to know.”

It’s one of the most common things I hear from birth partners at the end of a session — and every time, it’s said with a mixture of relief and something that looks a lot like mild panic.

That’s not a criticism. It’s a reflection of how little preparation is typically offered to the person standing beside a labouring woman. Traditional antenatal education tends to follow a set structure — and within that structure, birth partner preparation is rarely given the time or depth it deserves. They are expected to show up, be supportive, and work it out as they go.

But every labour is different. Nobody knows what she will need in that moment until she is in it — which means her birth partner needs to walk in with a toolkit, not a script.

That is exactly what we work on together. My classes and private sessions are intentionally small and intimate — personal enough to spend time on what matters most to each couple, and to make sure every base is covered.

If you are preparing for birth and want your birth partner to be truly ready for the moment, my sessions are exactly what you have been looking for — link in bio to find out more.

📸 magical moments captured and shared with the kind permission of

This week we’ve been exploring birth mapping — a framework for birth preparation that goes well beyond a list of prefere...
24/05/2026

This week we’ve been exploring birth mapping — a framework for birth preparation that goes well beyond a list of preferences. If you’ve missed the earlier posts, they’re worth going back for. Today, we conclude with what the birth map does best.

So what happens when we are faced with a decision point? A recommendation from your care team which doesn’t feel right for you; a concern which may require a pivot in direction?

This is where your birth partner steps up, not as a bystander trying to keep up, but as someone who already knows the terrain. They’ve asked the hard questions with you. They understand your values, not just your preferences. They can engage with your care team, weigh what’s being offered, and help you navigate — because they built this map with you.

This is what birth preparation actually looks like — not a wish list, but a foundation strong enough to handle any challenge. This is the birth map in action.

So often, preparing for birth becomes one person’s project. She reads the books, she asks the questions, she thinks care...
21/05/2026

So often, preparing for birth becomes one person’s project. She reads the books, she asks the questions, she thinks carefully about what she wants. Her birth partner is present and willing, yet largely unequipped — not through any fault of their own, but because birth prep is often framed as an individual activity rather than a team effort.

A birth map needs two authors — because when labour puts it to the test, it is the birth partner who upholds it. Birth is not a solo experience, and the decisions that arise within it rarely land in a moment of calm. They arrive when a woman is exhausted, or frightened, or deep in the work of labour. In those moments, she needs someone beside her who understands not just what she wanted — but why.

That is the difference between a birth partner who has been handed a list and one who helped build the map.

Think of it like navigation. The birth partner is not driving — but without them, the driver is working blind. They hold the map. They track the route. And when conditions change and a new path is needed, they can help find it — because they understood the destination from the beginning.

That shared understanding does not happen by accident. It requires both people to sit down together, work through the landscape of birth, and ask the uncomfortable questions before labour makes them urgent.

Preparation is not something one person does for two.

To bring our birth mapping journey to a close, look out for Sunday’s post — we’ll be exploring how to navigate the decision points that arise in labour, and what it really looks like to put the map into action.

If the thought of creating your birth plan leaves you feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Staring at a blank page, w...
19/05/2026

If the thought of creating your birth plan leaves you feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Staring at a blank page, wondering if it is even worth your time. We cannot predict how birth will unfold — but we can prepare for many of its pathways.

Birth mapping was developed specifically to address the shortcomings of the traditional birth plan. Rather than documenting a single preferred outcome, it walks you through every stage of labour, every common decision point and every realistic deviation.

The process starts with understanding your options, moves through clarifying what matters most to you, and builds toward a clear record of informed decisions across every path birth might realistically take, including the unexpected ones.

Because the best time to make decisions about your birth is not in the middle of it.

Swipe through to see how the process works — and save it for when you are ready to begin.

You’ve done the education. The logical next step is a birth plan. So why do so few women make one — and why do so many c...
17/05/2026

You’ve done the education. The logical next step is a birth plan. So why do so few women make one — and why do so many care providers struggle to work with them when they do?

It’s a discussion I’ve had countless times. Women say “what if I make a birth plan and everything goes wrong?” Care providers say the plans they receive are often too rigid — leaving little room to have honest conversations when birth begins to take a different path.

The p-word — plan. Creating problems for everyone in the birth space.

Thankfully, there is a solution — Birth Cartography. Not simply a rebrand of the birth plan, but a fundamentally different approach to preparation. Rather than documenting a single preferred outcome, a birth map takes an “if this, then that” approach — mapping your informed decisions across every path birth might realistically take, not just the one you are hoping for.

Where a traditional birth plan works in a straight line, a birth map considers the full picture. What would you choose if labour progresses straightforwardly? What would you choose if it doesn’t? What are your priorities if a caesarean becomes necessary? Every scenario is considered, every decision documented — clearly, and in your own words.

There is no template. No checklist. No box to tick. A birth map is entirely personal, shaped by your values, your circumstances and your understanding of your options. It is not a document that tells your care providers what you want. It is a document that shows them how you think.

Developed by Australian researcher, author and birth doula Dr Catherine Bell (find her here ), Birth Cartography has been validated through her PhD research as a tool for improving communication and informed decision making in maternity care.

Birth rarely goes exactly to plan. But with the right preparation, it doesn’t have to. A birth map doesn’t ask you to predict the future — it asks you to understand your options within it. And that changes everything.

Not all birth education courses are created equal. Here is what to look for when choosing one.A good course should be ev...
28/04/2026

Not all birth education courses are created equal. Here is what to look for when choosing one.

A good course should be evidence-based, meaning the content reflects current research — not tradition, trends, or fear. It should cover the physiology of labour, your pain relief options, common interventions and their risks and benefits, and how to communicate effectively with your care team.

A qualified educator. Look for someone with formal training in birth education or midwifery. Passion is valuable, but it is not a substitute for qualifications.

Balanced, unbiased information. A good course covers all birth pathways — including induction, epidurals, and caesarean birth — without promoting one outcome over another. Your job is to make informed decisions, not to meet someone else’s idea of the “right” birth.

Your support person included. Birth preparation is not a solo exercise. A course that actively involves your birth partner builds a stronger, more cohesive support team when it matters most.

Room for your questions. Small group or personalised formats consistently outperform large lecture-style classes when it comes to confidence and self-efficacy outcomes.

Good birth education does not tell you what kind of birth to have. It gives you the knowledge and tools to navigate whatever unfolds.

What would you add to this list? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Most hospitals offer free birth classes. So what makes private education worth it?Because hospital classes cover the bas...
26/04/2026

Most hospitals offer free birth classes. So what makes private education worth it?

Because hospital classes cover the basics — but they’re built for the system, not for the person sitting in the room. They may be online — and let’s be honest, who isn’t tuning out after 20 minutes — or you’re one face in a very large group, with little room for the questions that actually matter to you.

My classes are small, relaxed, and built entirely around you — your questions, your birth setting, and the experience you’re hoping for. With a background in midwifery and doula training, I bring both clinical knowledge and a holistic approach into every session.

We cover what to expect in a hospital birth, how to work with your care team, comfort measures, and how your support person can show up for you in a meaningful way.

Small group classes are held at in Currambine and are open to everyone — you don’t need to be a clinic client to attend. Prefer something more personal? Private classes are available in your own home, scheduled around your family — evenings and weekends included.

If you’ve been thinking about it — now’s the time to reach out.

👉 Link in bio / DM me to find out what’s coming up.

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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