The Library

Short video lessons from named Australian clinicians across fertility, pregnancy, birth and the fourth trimester. Video playback is available to Her Journey members; the title, description and presenting clinician for each video are listed below.

• Meet Rachael — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (1 min)
  Meet Rachael Laycock, the pre and postnatal exercise specialist at Her Journey and founder of Move for Mums in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Rachael supports women to build strength and confidence through pregnancy, birth, and into postpartu
• Meet & Get to know Amy — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (2 min)
  Meet Amy Watson, the feeding educator at Her Journey. Amy is a registered nurse, endorsed midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and calm birth educator, and the founder of ParentEd. In this get-to-know-you chat, Amy sh
• Meet Dr. Pree — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (1 min)
  Meet Dr Pree Benton, a psychologist with a special interest in the perinatal period and founder of private practice She Speaks Psychology. Pree supports women through pregnancy and postpartum, through infertility, and with eating disorders
• Meet Jessamy — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (1 min)
  Meet Jessamy Kaval, a registered midwife and nutrition consultant with Her Journey and founder of Mindful Midwife Mama. As a mum to a little girl and a baby boy, Jessamy's own experience of motherhood shapes how she supports other women. Je
• Meet Dr. Stephania — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (1 min)
  Meet Dr Stephania Tsotras, a Women's and Pelvic Health Osteopath also known as The Healthy Osteo. Stephania sees and treats a broad spectrum of women's health concerns, with an approach that's always gentle, informed and person-centred. As
• Get to know Jessamy — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (2 min)
  Get to know Jessamy Kaval, nutrition consultant at Her Journey, in this get-to-know-you chat. From her love of dark chocolate to weekend boxing classes and the time she moved to Germany at 18 without speaking a word of German, Jessamy share
• Get to know Dr. Pree — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (2 min)
  Get to know Dr Pree Benton, psychologist and founder of She Speaks Psychology, in this get-to-know-you chat. From her go-to chocolate to the '90s pop playlist she puts on for a mood boost, Pree shares a little of what lifts her. Pree also s
• Get to know Dr. Tsotras — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  Get to know Dr Stephania Tsotras, Women's and Pelvic Health Osteopath at Her Journey, in this get-to-know-you chat. From her go-to chocolate-covered peanuts to being unable to choose between a summer beach day and a cosy winter fire, Stepha
• Getting to know Rachal Laycock — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (2 min)
  Get to know Rachael Laycock, the pre and postnatal exercise specialist at Her Journey, in this get-to-know-you chat. From her go-to chocolate treat to her love of ultra running, including running the length of New Zealand and 14 marathons i
• Managing an Overactive or Tight Pelvic Floor — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (4 min)
  Not all pelvic floors are weak. Some are actually too tight, and this can cause just as many symptoms. This video explains how to recognise, understand and manage an overactive or hypertonic pelvic floor at any stage of life. An overactive
• Pelvic Girdle Pain in Pregnancy — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (3 min)
  Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy is common, but it's not something you simply have to put up with. This video explains what it is, why it happens, and the strategies and care that can help you manage it. If you're feeling pain through your p
• Birth Preparation: Preparing for Labour — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  As you move into your third trimester, your body is preparing for birth. This video explains what birth preparation sessions involve and how gentle, whole-body care can support you as labour approaches. Rather than looking at your pelvis in
• C-Section Scar Recovery — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (3 min)
  Your caesarean scar is more than skin deep. This video looks at what happens beneath the surface after a C-section, and how gentle, well-timed recovery can support your body for the long term. A caesarean involves several layers of tissue,
• Mastitis, Blocked Ducts and Engorgement — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  Breastfeeding shouldn't be painful, but blocked ducts, engorgement and mastitis are common, and they can make feeding feel really hard. This video explains what these conditions are and the evidence-based ways to manage and prevent them. En
• Managing Back Pain During Pregnancy — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  Up to half of women experience back and pelvic pain during pregnancy, but not all pain is the same, and the way it's managed matters. This video walks through how your spine and pelvis adapt across the three trimesters, and what you can do
• Postpartum Pelvic Floor Recovery — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (3 min)
  Have you had your six-week check-up? Postpartum healing goes far beyond a quick appointment, and understanding your body now can help prevent longer-term issues. This video looks at what full recovery really involves, and why it's never too
• Constipation in Pregnancy and Postpartum — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  It's not something we love talking about, but constipation is common in pregnancy and can continue well into the postpartum period. This video looks at why it happens, the pelvic floor connection that's often missed, and the simple strategi
• Postpartum Body Mechanics — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  Becoming a new mum means your body is suddenly doing a whole new set of tasks: lifting, carrying, feeding and bending, often while still healing. Upper body pain is very common in these early months. This video looks at why it happens and w
• Painful Sex in Pregnancy and Postpartum — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  This is one of those topics so many women experience but very few feel comfortable raising: pain with sex during pregnancy and after birth. It's really common, and this video gently explains why it happens and the support that's available.
• Scar Tissue: Episiotomy and Tears — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (1 min)
  Different types of birth create different scars, and each one heals differently. This video gently explains what caesarean, episiotomy and tear scars involve, and how supporting that healing is part of your recovery. A caesarean involves se
• Breathing Techniques for Labour and Birth — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  Breathing is one of the most underrated tools for labour, and how you breathe directly influences how your body responds. This video explains the connection between your breath and your pelvic floor, and the breathing approaches that can su
• Bladder and Bowel Urgency — Dr Stephania Tsotras, Osteopath (2 min)
  Bladder and bowel urgency, that sudden strong urge to go that can feel hard to hold, is common and can really affect your confidence day to day. This video explains what's behind it and how it can be treated. You might notice a sudden inten
• Is Exercise Safe in Pregnancy? — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (5 min)
  Exercise during pregnancy is one of the most common topics women feel unsure about, and the mixed messages over the years haven't helped. This video clears it up: for most women with uncomplicated pregnancies, exercise is safe, beneficial a
• Pregnancy Exercise Myths — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (5 min)
  There are a lot of myths around exercise in pregnancy, and many of them create unnecessary anxiety about moving your body. This video separates outdated, caution-based advice from what the current evidence actually says. We work through the
• First Trimester Exercise — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (3 min)
  The first trimester can feel like one of the most challenging stages for exercise. Rapid hormonal changes bring fatigue, nausea and breast tenderness, and movement often needs to be more flexible than usual. This video explains how to appro
• The Nervous System in Preconception — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (5 min)
  When women start thinking about trying for a baby, nutrition is often the first thing that comes to mind, and for good reason. But nourishing your body for conception goes beyond what's on your plate, and this video explores a piece that do
• Choosing a Prenatal Supplement — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (4 min)
  Choosing a prenatal supplement can feel overwhelming. There are so many options on the shelf, and it's easy to assume they're all much the same, but not all prenatals are created equal. This video explains what to look for so you can feel m
• Preparing for Pregnancy — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (4 min)
  One of the most common questions women ask is how far ahead they should start preparing for pregnancy, and the answer might be earlier than you'd expect. This video explains why the preconception window matters so much, and how to make the
• Founding Members Welcome Video (1 min)
  Welcome to Her Journey. In this short welcome, co-founders Hollie and Tess introduce the platform to its very first members and share the heart behind why they built it. Hollie, with a background in emergency nursing, created Her Journey as
• Balanced Meals for Preconception — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (4 min)
  When preparing your body for pregnancy, one of the most powerful and simple things you can do each day is build a balanced meal. It doesn't need to be complicated, it just needs to be consistent, and this video shows you how. Balanced meals
• Essential Nutrients for Pregnancy — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (5 min)
  During pregnancy, your body's nutrient needs increase significantly, because growing a baby requires a huge amount of raw materials. This video walks through the key nutrients that matter most, so you can feel confident and informed in your
• Hydration During Pregnancy — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (4 min)
  Hydration is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to support your body during pregnancy, and it's so easily overlooked when life gets busy. This video explains why your fluid needs rise, how much to aim for, and how to build the habit
• Eating for Morning Sickness — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (5 min)
  Nausea and morning sickness are incredibly common in early pregnancy, and despite the name, it can hit at any time of day. If you're in the thick of it right now, what you're experiencing is real and valid, and there are things that can hel
• Magnesium in Pregnancy — Jessamy Kaval, Registered Midwife and Nutrition Consultant (4 min)
  Magnesium is one of the most important and most commonly overlooked minerals during pregnancy. It's involved in around 300 biochemical processes in your body, and many of those become even more relevant as your body adapts to support a grow
• Second Trimester Exercise — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (2 min)
  The second trimester is often when nausea and fatigue begin to ease and energy levels improve, which can make exercise feel far more accessible again. This video explains what changes at this stage and how to work with your body rather than
• Third Trimester Exercise — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (3 min)
  In the third trimester, exercise often begins to look and feel very different, and that's entirely expected. As your pregnancy progresses, the focus naturally shifts away from intensity and performance, and towards comfort, function and con
• Returning to Exercise After Birth — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (4 min)
  Returning to exercise after birth can feel confusing, because the advice is so often reduced to a single question: how many weeks postpartum are you? Many women believe the six week check is a green light to return to pre-pregnancy exercise
• Exercise and Miscarriage — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (3 min)
  Fear around miscarriage is one of the most common reasons women stop exercising in early pregnancy, and that fear is completely understandable. This video looks at what the evidence actually says, clearly and compassionately. Exercise does
• Strength Training in Pregnancy — Rachael Laycock, Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist (3 min)
  Strength training during pregnancy is safe and recommended for most women, and it plays an important role in supporting your body as it changes. Australian and international guidelines encourage muscle strengthening activities at least two
• Your Breastfeeding Support Team — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (3 min)
  Before we explore how breastfeeding works, there's one thing worth knowing from the very beginning: support is always available. This video explains who's who in feeding support, so you can access the right help at the right time. In those
• Health Benefits of Breastfeeding — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (4 min)
  Before we get into the practical side of breastfeeding, let's look at what the research tells us about the benefits for both mother and baby, and the frameworks that inform best practice for infant nutrition. Breast milk is a dynamic, livin
• Breastfeeding in Australia — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (4 min)
  The World Health Organisation has clear, evidence-based guidelines for infant feeding. This video walks through what they recommend, and looks at what breastfeeding actually looks like here in Australia. The WHO recommends initiating breast
• Perinatal Anxiety — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (8 min)
  Anxiety is the most common mental health experience in the perinatal period, more common than postnatal depression, and still significantly under-recognised. It can begin while trying to conceive, during infertility, in pregnancy, in the po
• Perinatal Depression — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (6 min)
  Perinatal depression is one of the most common, and most commonly misunderstood, mental health experiences in pregnancy and early parenthood. This video explains what it is, how it differs from the baby blues, and what can help. The baby bl
• Intrusive Thoughts in the Perinatal Period — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary thoughts, images or urges that arrive without warning. They can feel shocking and completely at odds with your values, and in the perinatal period they most commonly centre on your baby or your r
• Perinatal OCD — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (8 min)
  Obsessive compulsive disorder is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions. Culturally it's become shorthand for being neat or particular, but that framing actively obscures what OCD actually involves and makes it harder for pe
• Birth Trauma and PTSD — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (6 min)
  If your birth left you feeling shaken, unable to stop replaying what happened, or like you're still not okay weeks or months later, what you're experiencing has a name, and it's more common than you might think. This video explains what bir
• Postpartum Rage — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  We talk a lot about perinatal depression, and we're getting better at talking about perinatal anxiety, but there's another emotional experience that's just as common and far less spoken about: postpartum rage. Postpartum rage refers to inte
• Bonding Difficulties — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  The moment you meet your baby tends to be depicted one way: overwhelming love, instant connection, everything clicking into place. For some women that's exactly how it happens, but for many mothers the experience feels less pronounced, and
• Tokophobia — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (5 min)
  Most people experience some worry about birth, but for some women and birthing people the fear goes much deeper than nerves. It can be consuming, relentless, and shape every decision made during pregnancy. This video is about tokophobia, a
• Pregnancy After Loss — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (6 min)
  Pregnancy after loss carries many complex and often paradoxical feelings: the weight of love for a baby who didn't make it to your arms, fear of loss occurring again, hope and gratitude for your current pregnancy, and a grief that doesn't s
• The Psychological Side of Pregnancy Loss — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  There are experiences in life that change you, and pregnancy loss is one of them. Yet so often the conversation stops at the physical: information about what happened in your body, maybe a follow-up appointment, and then silence. This video
• Body Image in the Perinatal Period — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  The perinatal period is a profound time of physical change. In pregnancy, your body is rapidly changing to make space for a growing baby. In postpartum, it's finding its new normal, and some parts may return to how they were while others ma
• Eating Disorders in the Perinatal Period — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (6 min)
  Eating disorders are among the most underdiagnosed mental health conditions in the perinatal period, and also among the most serious. Pregnancy and postpartum are high risk times for both the onset of an eating disorder and relapse if you h
• Infertility — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  Infertility is an experience that can completely reshape how you see yourself, your relationship and your future, and yet it so often happens in silence. People navigate medical appointments, failed treatment cycles and profound grief while
• When Breastfeeding Does Not Work Out — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  Few topics in the parenting space carry as much weight, or as much unspoken pressure, as breastfeeding. From the moment you're pregnant the message is everywhere: breastfeed if you can, for as long as you can. For some people it works out t
• The Role of a Psychologist in the Perinatal Period — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  Mental health conditions are the most common complication of the perinatal period, affecting a significant proportion of women during pregnancy and the first year after birth. Yet psychological support during this time is still something ma
• Self Compassion — Dr Pree Benton, Perinatal Psychologist (7 min)
  Most of us find it much easier to be kind to others than to ourselves, especially when we feel like we're struggling or falling short in pregnancy and early parenthood. Self-criticism can be relentless: I should be coping better, I should b
• Your Positive Pregnancy Test: What to Do Next — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (8 min)
  Whether this result is something you've been hoping and planning for, a wonderful surprise, or something you're still making sense of, whatever you're feeling right now belongs here. A positive pregnancy test is one of those moments that ch
• Your Due Date Is an Estimate, Not a Deadline — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (4 min)
  One of the first questions people ask when you're pregnant is "when are you due?" And from the moment that date exists, it takes on a life of its own: written into calendars, counted down to, and eventually used as a benchmark for when some
• Safe Sleep in Pregnancy: Position and Support — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (4 min)
  Sleep in pregnancy is one of those things that starts out perfectly fine and gradually becomes an entire project. If you love sleeping on your stomach, that comfort has an expiry date as your bump grows, and if you're a back sleeper, there'
• Private Midwifery Care in Australia: What the Evidence Shows — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (7 min)
  Private midwifery care is one of the smallest models of maternity care in Australia, used by around 2% of women, yet it consistently produces some of the most remarkable outcomes in the research. This video walks through what the evidence s
• First Trimester Genetic Screening Explained — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (5 min)
  During your first trimester, you'll be offered a range of screening tests that can give you information about your baby's early development and genetics. All tests available during pregnancy are yours to choose, and the goal of this video i
• Understanding Miscarriage: Facts, Types and Care Options — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (6 min)
  Miscarriage is something many women worry about quietly through early pregnancy, whether they're navigating it with a partner or on their own. Whether you're here because something is happening for you right now, or simply because the uncer
• Private Obstetric Care in Australia: Costs and Considerations — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (9 min)
  Private obstetric care is one of the most commonly chosen maternity pathways in Australia. This video walks through what it actually involves, what the evidence says about outcomes and experiences, and what it's likely to cost, so you can m
• GP Shared Care Explained: How It Works — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (6 min)
  GP shared care is a model of maternity care where your antenatal appointments are shared between your GP and your local public hospital. It's available across both metropolitan and rural Australia, and for many women it offers a convenient
• Your 28-Week Blood Tests Explained — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (5 min)
  Around 26 to 28 weeks, you'll be offered a set of blood tests that check different aspects of your health at an important stage of pregnancy. This video walks through what each one looks at, so you understand what's being checked and why. O
• Midwifery Group Practice (MGP): One of Australia's Most Evidence-Backed Care Models — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (6 min)
  Just over one in ten women giving birth in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia access Midwifery Group Practice, or MGP, yet it's one of the most evidence-supported models of maternity care available in Australia, and many women have
• Bleeding in Early Pregnancy: Common Causes and When to Seek Help — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (4 min)
  Noticing spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy can feel unsettling, and it's completely understandable to feel that way. What's worth knowing is that bleeding in early pregnancy is more common than people realise, affecting up to one in f
• Pregnancy Ultrasounds Explained: Which Scans and When — Tess Alexander, Registered Midwife (6 min)
  Ultrasound is one of the most valuable tools available during pregnancy. It uses sound waves to create images of your baby, and each scan has a specific purpose. This video walks through the main ultrasounds offered during pregnancy, when t
• What Does a Pelvic Health Physio Actually Do? — Janine Shifman, Women's Health & Advanced Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist (4 min)
  If you've never seen a pelvic health physiotherapist before, you might not really know what's involved, and that's completely normal. Nobody really explains this to us. This video, with Her Journey's pelvic health contributor Janine Shifman
• Colostrum: Your First Milk — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (4 min)
  Colostrum is the very first milk. It's thick, concentrated and sticky, and it begins being produced during pregnancy, usually from around 16 weeks, so by the time your baby arrives your body has been quietly preparing for months. This video
• Antenatal Expressing — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (6 min)
  You may have heard of antenatal expressing, which is expressing colostrum before your baby is born. It's not routinely recommended, but it's something you may choose to do in discussion with your midwife, obstetrician or care provider. This
• Lactation Hormones — Amy Watson, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) & Endorsed Midwife (4 min)
  Lactation is driven by two key hormones, prolactin and oxytocin, and understanding how they work explains a lot about what happens in those early days and weeks of breastfeeding. Prolactin is the primary milk-making hormone, essential for b

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