About Rhea Dempsey

When I gave birth to my first daughter in the late 1970s, I was shocked by the experience. I was a healthy, fit, low-risk woman (in fact, I was a PE teacher, so I was excited and confident about the challenge of physiological birth!). Despite this, and despite my intentions, the birth did not go to plan. I was left traumatised and confused.

In my quest to work out what had happened to me, my passion for birth education began.

Since then, I have trained as a childbirth educator and counsellor and have been privileged to attend more than a thousand births as a birth attendant.

I have also been honoured to work with many, many more women and their partners and support people during my birth preparation workshops, pre-natal classes, counselling sessions and in presentations and seminars around Australia and internationally.

In that time I have also witnessed an unprecedented rise in unnecessary medical interventions during birth—and the development of a culture that, instead of supporting physiological birth, undermines those who hope for it.

Feedback during my regular presentations to midwives and medical practitioners tells me my understanding of our birth system and its challenges is spot on. But more importantly, midwives tell me those who have undertaken my birth preparation classes and read my books are better prepared to navigate the many challenges they face when trying to birth without unnecessary intervention.

My passion is to help you understand the impact of our birth culture on the outcome of our births. Instead of feeling fear, I want you to go into your labour with confidence in your body and your support people, and the evidence-based knowledge that will give you the best possibility of the birth you want.