I’ll never forget how I felt when I became a mum. Tired, emotional, stretched thin, and completely unsure if I was doing it right. Everyone else seemed to have it together, but me? I was googling everything at 2am, second-guessing myself, and feeling the weight of every decision.
What I know now is this: it’s not you, mama. It’s the system. The care you should have had was never designed to give you what you needed. The gaps aren’t your fault. And you are not failing.
The Gaps in Maternal Care: A System Under Pressure
Let’s be honest, our maternity system is stretched, and the numbers paint a stark picture.
- One in three Australian women describe their birth as traumatic
- Over 60,000 mothers experience perinatal anxiety or depression every year
- Only 10% of these women receive adequate treatment
- The lifetime economic cost of birth trauma and perinatal mental health challenges is over $7 billion for every birth cohort
That’s not just a statistic. That’s thousands of women, families, and babies affected every single year, struggling to find the support they deserve.
Why Your Birth Experience Matters (More Than You Think)
Birth is more than a medical event. It’s a deeply emotional, hormonal, and physical transformation.
When a woman feels safe and supported in labour, her body does what it’s designed to do. Oxytocin flows, helping contractions, easing pain, and strengthening the bond with baby. But when a woman feels scared, unheard or unsupported, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline take over. This can slow labour, increase interventions, and leave lasting impacts.
It’s no wonder that 86% of women in Australia don’t have access to midwifery continuity of care. This is the gold standard that we know leads to better outcomes. Without it, most women are left navigating appointments, birth plans and big decisions with a different face at every turn, and often feeling alone.
And it’s not just about birth itself. A challenging experience can ripple into postpartum, affecting mental health, bonding, feeding, and future pregnancies. That’s why personalised support isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential.
What a Doula Brings to the Table
This is where doulas step in.
Doulas offer practical, emotional, and evidence-based support through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. And the research is clear:
- Women supported by a doula are 39% less likely to have a caesarean
- Labour is shortened by around 40 minutes on average
- Requests for pain medication drop by 10%
- Negative birth experiences decrease by 34%
But beyond the numbers, a doula is a calm, steady presence who listens to your story, reminds you that you’re doing your best, and holds space for you to feel seen, heard, and supported.
It’s Not a Luxury, Mama, It’s a Missing Piece
Doulas aren’t just for home births. They’re not just for mums without family around. They’re for every woman who wants to feel calm, informed, and held, especially when the system can feel so fragmented.
Whether you’re planning a caesarean, navigating a high-risk pregnancy, or just want someone to hold the baby so you can eat a warm meal, you deserve this kind of care.
That’s why we created Fill Your Cup. It’s Australia’s first doula village, because every mum deserves care that’s personalised, practical, and centred on you.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
Mama, feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human.
The system wasn’t built to meet every need, but doulas are part of the solution. We’re here to remind you that you’re not broken, you’re not alone, and you’re doing better than you think.
If you’re ready for a bit more support, we’d love to walk beside you.
📍 We offer doula care across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne and Geelong.
🖥️ Learn more or connect with our team at ifillyourcup.com
Disclaimer: The information on this website presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice.
Nothing contained in this site is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice
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