Stories of Pregnancy & Birth

Local stories from across the Wimmera

By Five is proud to release the Wimmera Southern Mallee Local Stories of Pregnancy and Birth – a group of stories we have collected from women across the region.

Each woman has provided a snapshot into their experiences of having children while living rurally, focusing on antenatal care, plus birthing, postnatal and Maternal and Child Health care. Each story is unique and every story is important to continue deepening our understanding of the challenges women can face in accessing care in the current system. These stories go beyond the financial strain of travelling for antenatal appointments, to the broader impact on the wider family unit, workplaces, careers and overall pregnancy experience.

We thank the women who have shared their stories and respect those who have preferred not to have theirs published. By Five intend to produce a second collection of stories as we continue to gather these important lived experiences to support our work towards ensuring women can access quality antenatal and postnatal care close to home.