Hi, I'm Sarah,
I've been on a journey of my own these last few years, one which has taken me places I never dreamed of. It's been the busiest season of my life and one I'd love to share with you if you've got the time.
I'll start my story in 2020 when my high school-sweetheart (now Husband) and I bought our first house. It was a small 1970s three bedroom in Rockingham, WA. It was the perfect starter house, we did a few minor renovations to make it our home. We had big plans but were preoccupied mentally and financially planning out wedding for later that year. Well, later that year came around and we tied the knot and celebrated an absolutely beautiful day of love with our family and friends.
Off we went on a lovely little honeymoon to the Margaret River region, we stayed in some beautiful accommodation, visited wineries, then attempted a spot of camping but instead wrote the car off in a very big puddle (that's a story for another time). But we came back with a special surprise little souvenir, I was pregnant!
I'd spent the previous 4 years studying a bachelor's degree in early childhood and primary education, and the last 2 working in childcare. So, I thought, 'I've got this'. Pregnancy, birth, Newborns and postpartum all felt like something I'd master without much thought. Spoiler alert, I was in for a big shock! I cruised through a textbook perfect pregnancy within the public hospital system and eventually the big day came. My waters broke. Nope, it wasn't like the movies at all. I'd been dreaming I was hunting crocodile's waist deep in a lake, and when I woke up I was convinced I'd wet the bed. We went into hospital under advice from the triage team and was admitted for monitoring later that day. Unfortunately for me I wasn't experiencing any contractions, so we began the induction process about 2 days later. After 3 days without sleep, several different care providers, a Pitocin drip, catheter, dodgy epidural, hours of pushing, an episiotomy and a haemorrhage, we welcomed our daughter into the world. I was scared, misinformed and left the experience feeling traumatised. I was emotionally and physically hurt, and it took me months to recover.
In my first early postpartum window I let my boundaries slide trying to keep people happy, I stress googled every little concern, which only added to the concern, I ate whatever was easy and quick and I did nothing to actively look after my mental or physical health. I hibernated in my house and relied exclusively on my family for support. I didn't know what a Doula, IBCLC or a women's health physio was, so I had no idea there was even support out there for me. It was incredibly hard navigating new motherhood, my new body, and my new little person, but eventually I found my groove and started to feel like me again.
When our first daughter was 8 months old we decided to try for another baby. My husband works FIFO, so we thought it may take us a while to get pregnant, but we were lucky enough to conceive on the first try. I knew I needed to do something different with this pregnancy and birth to avoid the same outcome so I sought private obstetrician care. Assuming the more you pay, the better the service, right? Well, I was wrong. After my first appointment I knew it wasn't for me. I was told I would grow a baby too large for a spontaneous vaginal delivery and would need to book an induction at 38 weeks to avoid an emergency caesarean. I was only 16 weeks pregnant at the time. I withdrew from their care and after a few phone calls with the local birth centre, and almost by accident, I stumbled across a beautiful privately practising midwife who casually said, "most of my clients have their babies at home, is that something you'd consider?".
What followed was a magical and supported pregnancy with a sole care provider who visited me in my own home, and I had an amazingly empowering and healing homebirth. My labour began spontaneously just shy of 41 weeks, I laboured while playing connect four and eating breakfast with my husband, had a coffee with my sister, a warm shower when things got intense, rocked on a yoga ball in our bedroom, and finally birthed our second daughter in the birth pool in our living room without any medical intervention or complications.
This postpartum period was entirely different from my first. I had continuity of care which made me feel safe and loved. I held my boundaries and looked after myself, physically and emotionally. I never went through a period of feeling like a zombie, instead I was relaxed and happy.
These experiences are ultimately what have led me here today, creating Mother Mother Doula to support women to have the beautiful, informed and relaxed pregnancy birth and postpartum period that I now know is possible.
Now you've heard my story, I'd love to hear yours.
Above photos by Hannah Lister Imagery, Jessica Guilfoyle Photography and Sunday Soul Photography
My name is Sarah Del Borrello,
I am a Doula & Motherhood and Birth Photographer based in the Baldivis, Rockingham area. I service families between Perth and Mandurah, Western Australia. I support clients birthing at Fiona Stanley Hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Rockingham General Hospital, Armadale Health Service, St John of God Murdoch Hospital, and the Peel Health Campus in Mandurah. As well as those birthing at home between Perth and Mandurah.
If you would like to know more about my services, please get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.
Sarah Del Borrello
Mother Mother Doula
