For generations, birth belonged to community, culture and country. That belonging is being reclaimed inside hospital rooms across Australia today, one birth at a time.
That's the belief driving birthing on country, a way of caring for mothers built on trust, culture and community.
In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Melanie Briggs, a proud Dharawal and Gumbaynggirr woman and endorsed midwife who manages the Birthing on Country program at Waminda, to explore what birthing on country truly means. Together they unpack the model's remarkable outcomes, the systemic barriers First Nations families still face, and the personal calling that led Melanie to this work.
This is part three of six in our Pregnancy and Birth series.
You'll Hear About
- What birthing on country truly means
- How Waminda's model transformed birth outcomes
- Why continuity of care changes outcomes
- What racism still looks like in maternity care
- How Melanie found her purpose in this work
Birthing on country is a powerful reminder that culturally safe care is every mother's birth right. When community leads the way, mothers and babies thrive.
Share this episode with a mother who deserves to know her birth rights matter. Subscribe to The Science of Motherhood for more conversations that put evidence and community at the heart of birth.
Resources & Links
📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_
📲 Connect with Renee on LinkedIn: Renee White
🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services
🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies
Connect with Melanie Briggs
📲 Instagram: @birthingoncountry_waminda
📘 Facebook: Waminda - Birthing on Country
🌐 Website: waminda.org.au/maternity/birthing-on-country
This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village, with doulas available across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth.
Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode 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.
