Content Warning: This episode discusses stillbirth, infant loss, and termination for medical reasons. Please proceed with care.

After falling pregnant on their first time trying into their marriage, Darci and her husband were overjoyed to be expecting their first child—the first grandchild for both sets of parents. But what began as an uncomplicated pregnancy quickly transformed into a medical emergency when Darci's blood pressure reached dangerously high levels, requiring multiple hospital admissions and constant monitoring.

In today's profoundly moving episode, Darci courageously shares the devastating moment at 21 weeks when doctors discovered her baby was measuring the size of an 11-week foetus. Faced with an impossible choice, she and her husband made the heartbreaking decision to terminate for medical reasons and elected to be induced and proceed with the birth.

She shares Dylan's story not just as a tribute to her son, but as a lifeline for other bereaved parents who may feel alone in their grief—because these babies were loved, their lives had meaning, and their stories deserve to be told.

If you have been affected by any of the content in this episode, here are some resources, including Bears of Hope—an organisation that greatly helped Darci.

Bears of Hope

Stillbirth Foundation Australia Resources

Beyond Blue.

Diary Of A Birth features mums sharing their heartfelt stories of bringing life into the world. Share your birth story at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send a voice note here.

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CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Darci Crocker

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Ella Maitland

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this weeks episode, Ksenija introduces us to a previous chat Mamamia's Jessie Stephens had with Prue Thomas. At 19 Prue was setting up for a function at work when she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. As the day went on, the pain increased, so Prue and her mum headed to the hospital. It was here, that Prue found out that her pain was actually labour. Prue was about to give birth, and up until that point, she didn't realise she was pregnant.

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guests: Prue Thomas

Producer: Gia Moylan

Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this weeks episode, Ksenija is pulling our attention back to an incredible interview between Jessie Stephens and Nothing To Wear & You Beauty host Leigh Campbell. When it comes to life, Leigh Campbell is very prepared. But there was one thing she really couldn't prepare for, the birth of her son. Because even the most well-intentioned of plans can be derailed in an instant, or in this case, 32 hours.

Leigh sits down with Jessie Stephens, alongside her husband Rich, to talk about their birth story...

THE END BITS:
Support independent women's media
Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton visit www.fentonandfenton.com.au

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.

Check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.
If you’re pregnant, listen to Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS

Hosts: Ksenija Lukich & Jessie Stephens

Guests: Leigh Campbell and Rich Gioutsos

Producer: Gia Moylan & Ella Maitland

Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Carly's doctor told her it was time to consider surrogacy after 25 failed IVF transfers, her sister Sophie had already made an offer that would transform their family forever. After eight years of trying and watching all her siblings grow their families while she couldn't, Carly was about to embark on the most emotionally complex journey of her life.

In today's episode, Carly vulnerably shares the profound experience of watching her sister carry her biological child—from the struggle to connect with the baby growing in Sophie's body to the overwhelming moment when Goldie was born and she could finally hold her daughter. The story takes an even more remarkable turn when Carly discovers she can actually carry a pregnancy herself, leading to the birth of her son Freddie just three weeks before our interview.

Carly reflects on finding peace in potentially living child-free, the toxic positivity surrounding infertility, and how sometimes letting go can be more powerful than holding on.

Diary Of A Birth features mums sharing their heartfelt stories of bringing life into the world. Share your birth story at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
Support independent women's media
Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton visit www.fentonandfenton.com.au

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.

Check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.

If you’re pregnant, listen to The Delivery Room and Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Carly Prebble

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Ella Maitland

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this weeks episode, we take a look back at an insightful interview Mamamia's very own Jessie Stephens had with Model and former Biggest Loser host Fiona Falkiner and her now wife, journalist Hayley Willis. They didn’t really have a birth plan, Fiona did know two things. She wanted to be induced. And she didn’t want to see a pair of forceps in the room with her.

So, did her birth wishes come true?

In this episode of The Delivery Room, Fiona and Hayley join Jessie to discuss the long road that led them into the birthing suite in March 2021.

Diary Of A Birth features mums sharing their heartfelt stories of bringing life into the world. Share your birth story at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
Support independent women's media
Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton visit www.fentonandfenton.com.au

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.

Check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.
If you’re pregnant, listen to Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS

Hosts: Ksenija Lukich & Jessie Stephens

Guests: Fiona Falkiner & Hayley Willis

Producer: Gia Moylan & Ella Maitland

Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Marni's IVF embryo spontaneously split at 13 weeks, she was excited to be bringing not one but two babies into the world. But over half way through her pregnancy her doctors discovered one of the rarest twin complications - TAPS.

In today's emotional episode, Marni shares how TAPS turned her pregnancy into a fight for survival, with one twin slowly losing blood while the other's blood became dangerously thick. Marni takes us through the incredible medical interventions that followed—two groundbreaking in-utero procedures at 29 and 32 weeks. When an E. coli infection threatened their survival, Billie and Poppy arrived via emergency caesarean at 33 weeks, beginning a 27-day NICU journey that would test every ounce of Marni's strength.

Diary Of A Birth features mums sharing their heartfelt stories of bringing life into the world. Share your birth story at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
Support independent women's media
Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton visit www.fentonandfenton.com.au

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.

Check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.

If you’re pregnant, listen to The Delivery Room and Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Marni Cochrane

Obstetrician & Gynaecologist: Dr Bronwyn Devine

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Ella Maitland

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Lauren planned her second birth, she envisioned a calm home birth with her private midwife—complete with a birth pool, fairy lights, and her trusted care team by her side. After feeling unsupported in the public system, she'd carefully crafted the perfect birth environment at 41 weeks.

But when labour finally began on a quiet Monday afternoon while her husband was at work, everything unfolded faster than anyone could have imagined. What started as a few bathroom trips quickly escalated into intense contractions just two minutes apart, leaving Lauren alone on her ensuite floor with her midwife stuck in traffic and her husband racing home.

In today's gripping episode, Lauren shares her remarkable 40-minute labour—from that first contraction to holding her son Finley, with paramedics arriving just in time to catch him. She reflects on the primal strength that emerged when birth didn't go to plan, and how she maintained control even when everything felt chaotic.

Diary Of A Birth features mums sharing their heartfelt stories of bringing life into the world. Share your birth story at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
Support independent women's media
Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton visit www.fentonandfenton.com.au

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.

Check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.
If you’re pregnant, listen to The Delivery Room and Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Lauren Watson

Obstetrician & Gynaecologist: Dr Bronwyn Devine

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Ella Maitland

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After having to go under general anaesthetics for the birth of her first baby, Jordan spent her second pregnancy working with anaesthetists to ensure she'd be awake for baby Dakota's arrival. But when two spinal blocks failed and doctors warned they'd never given a third dose to anyone, Jordan had seconds to decide whether to go under or fight through the pain.

In today's episode, Jordan shares how witnessing Dakota's arrival—despite the physical pain—became profoundly healing, and opens up about her hopes for a different experience with baby number three, who's on the way.

Diary Of A Birth features mums sharing their heartfelt stories of bringing life into the world. Share your birth story at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
Support independent women's media
Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton visit www.fentonandfenton.com.au

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.

Check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.
If you’re pregnant, listen to The Delivery Room and Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Jordan Loughnane

Obstetrician & Gynaecologist: Dr Bronwyn Devine

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Ella Maitland

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.