help me on my journey into motherhood

hello wonderful humans

I'm ari and I am on the path towards first-time motherhood.

It's not a journey I planned to be on at this time in my life, but when my baby landed in my body, I knew I had to keep her. After having a miscarriage two years ago, I feel like I have been given a second chance to be a mother.

Pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood are times in our lives when we need a tremendous amount of support - physical, emotional, mental and financial.

Sadly, not many of us live in spaces where we have access to a community of support to carry us through this transformative and initiatory period of our lives. I know I am one of those people.

Not only am I on a journey into motherhood, but I am also travelling this pathway solo. While this is a well-trodden pathway by many parents and mothers before me, that does not make it an easier path.

What I am asking for primarily is financial support to facilitate a home birth experience.

I want to put myself in an environment that feels safe and surround myself with people that I know and trust to help me bring my daughter into this world. But I need your help to do it.

Unfortunately in this country, birth is highly pathologised and viewed through the lens of a medical model. Australia has one of the highest rates in the world for cesarean sections at 37%, more than double the recommended rate by the WHO. The fact is that in a hospital setting, you are far more likely to receive medical interventions that contribute to cesarean birth and/or interrupt the physiological birth process.

Our general approach to birth in Australia – as a medical event – is reflected in our funding models. Midwife appointments and births in a hospital setting are covered by Medicare, but home births and home midwife appointments are not.

The average cost to hire a private midwife to provide pre and post-natal care and attend birth is $5000 - $7500.

The primary reason I wish to keep my birth experience outside of the hospital setting (unless a genuine medical emergency arises) is that I do not believe pregnancy and birth are medical events.

I have set my funding goal at $10,000 to include not just private midwife fees, but also provide some extra funds that will help me cover additional costs. These may include;

I believe when women are cared for, we create a strong foundation for the future. The more people can experience birth in a way that is empowering and as free from trauma as possible, the healthier we are as a collective.

All gestures of support are welcome and gratefully received.

Love ari & little bean