Join Rhea Dempsey in conversation with some incredible people in and visiting our community in Melbourne, nationally and online, as we delve into the bowl of birth, before, during and after.
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Rhea is a mother of three daughters and five delicious grandchildren, counsellor and child birth educator with over forty years experience. Rhea has extensive experience working with women and families before, during and after birth. Her special interest is in exploring the psychological aspects of birth and the pyscho-social factors which can affect birth outcomes. Rhea is a highly respected and sought after presenter at conferences, seminars and workshops on birth and counselling issues. Rhea also works in private practice running an extensive schedule of classes for couples and groups as well as education and development for midwives and birth attendants.
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Wonderful to sit with the matriarchal elders of women’s work and midwifery. Feeling something within renewed. Grateful. Glad I went. Liked the conversational and casual approach. ~ Lindsey
Upcoming Sessions - 2026
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.. Dr Sarah Buckley |
Dr Sarah Buckley is trained as a GP/family physician with qualifications in GP-obstetrics and family planning. She is the mother of four adult children, all born at home, and lives in Brisbane, Australia.
Dr Buckley has been writing and lecturing on pregnancy, birth and parenting since 1997 is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, where her research is focused on oxytocin in labour and birth and the impacts of interventions. See her professional, peer-reviewed publications as part of her PhD HERE
Her bestselling book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor’s Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices, published by Celestial Arts/PenguinRandomHouse (US, 2009), builds on her acclaimed first edition, published in Australia as Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: The Wisdom and Science of Gentle Choices in Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting.
Dr Buckley’s work critiques current practices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting from the widest possible perspectives, including scientific, anthropological, cross-cultural, psychological, and personal. She encourages us to be fully informed in our decision-making; to listen to our hearts and our intuition; and to claim our rightful role as the real experts in our bodies and our children.
Dr Buckley has an ongoing interest in the hormones of labour and birth, and authored the groundbreaking report Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing (2015 Childbirth Connection, a program of the National Partnership for Women and Families). This report, available for free online, has been described as “…one of the most revolutionary and influential publications on maternity and newborn care ever issued.”
Sarah is a Medical Doctor, with an M.B Ch.B from University of Otago, New Zealand, equivalent to MB BS (Australia) and MD(US). She also holds a Diploma of Obstetrics (University of Auckland) and a Diploma of Family Planning (Family Planning Victoria).
Dr Buckley’s recent academic publications:
Dr Buckley has been writing and lecturing on pregnancy, birth and parenting since 1997 is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, where her research is focused on oxytocin in labour and birth and the impacts of interventions. See her professional, peer-reviewed publications as part of her PhD HERE
Her bestselling book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor’s Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices, published by Celestial Arts/PenguinRandomHouse (US, 2009), builds on her acclaimed first edition, published in Australia as Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: The Wisdom and Science of Gentle Choices in Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting.
Dr Buckley’s work critiques current practices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting from the widest possible perspectives, including scientific, anthropological, cross-cultural, psychological, and personal. She encourages us to be fully informed in our decision-making; to listen to our hearts and our intuition; and to claim our rightful role as the real experts in our bodies and our children.
Dr Buckley has an ongoing interest in the hormones of labour and birth, and authored the groundbreaking report Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing (2015 Childbirth Connection, a program of the National Partnership for Women and Families). This report, available for free online, has been described as “…one of the most revolutionary and influential publications on maternity and newborn care ever issued.”
Sarah is a Medical Doctor, with an M.B Ch.B from University of Otago, New Zealand, equivalent to MB BS (Australia) and MD(US). She also holds a Diploma of Obstetrics (University of Auckland) and a Diploma of Family Planning (Family Planning Victoria).
Dr Buckley’s recent academic publications:
- Maternal and newborn plasma oxytocin levels in response to maternal synthetic oxytocin administration during labour, birth and postpartum – a systematic review with implications for the function of the oxytocinergic system. Buckley S, Uvnäs-Moberg K, Pajalic Z, Luegmair K, Ekström-Bergström A, Dencker A,Massarotti, C. Kotlovska, A Callaway, L Morano S, Olza Fernandez I, Meier-Magistretti C. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023;23(1):137. Full text here
- Maternal plasma levels of oxytocin during physiological childbirth – a systematic review with implications for uterine contractions and central actions of oxytocin. Uvnas-Moberg, K., A. Ekstrom-Bergstrom, M. Berg, S. Buckley, Z. Pajalic, E. Hadjigeorgiou, A. Kotlowska, L. Lengler, B. Kielbratowska, F. Leon-Larios, C. M. Magistretti, S. Downe, B. Lindstrom and A. Dencker (2019). BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 19(1): 285 Full text here
- Maternal plasma levels of oxytocin during breastfeeding-A systematic review. Uvnäs Moberg, K., A. Ekström-Bergström, S. Buckley, C. Massarotti, Z. Pajalic, K. Luegmair, A. Kotlowska, L. Lengler, I. Olza, S. Grylka-Baeschlin, P. Leahy-Warren, E. Hadjigeorgiu, S. Villarmea and A. Dencker (2020). PLoS One 15(8): e0235806. More info and full text links here
- Birth as a neuro-psycho-social event: An integrative model of maternal experiences and their relation to neurohormonal events during childbirth. Olza, I., K. Uvnas-Moberg, A. Ekström-Bergström, P. Leahy-Warren, S. I. Karlsdottir, M. Nieuwenhuijze, S. Villarmea, E. Hadjigeorgiou, M. Kazmierczak, A. Spyridou and S. Buckley (2020) PLoS One 15(7): e0230992. More info and full text links here
- Nature and consequences of oxytocin and other neurohormones during the perinatal period. Buckley S, Uvnäs Moberg K Chapter in: Downe S, Byron S, editors. Squaring the Circle: Normal birth research, theory and practice in a technological age. London: Pinter and Martin; 2019. p. 19-31 More info and links to purchase this book here
- The initiation of labour at term gestation: Physiology and Practice implications. Hundley, V., S. Downe and S. J. Buckley (2020). Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol Aug; 67:4-18 More info (This article is only available via subscription or payment
- Physiologic Basis of Pain in Labour and Delivery: An Evidence-Based Approach to its Management. Practice Guideline No. 355 Bonapace, J., G. P. Gagne, N. Chaillet, R. Gagnon, E. Hebert and S. Buckley (2018). J Obstet Gynaecol Can 40(2): 2 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2017.08.003 More info (This article is only available via subscription or payment
Stay Tuned for more
RAISING FUNDS FOR
Past Conversations
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.. Dr Nicky Leap |
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.. Dr Stuart Fischbein |
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.. Lael Stone
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.. Liz Newnham in ADELAIDE
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.. Fiona Hallinan
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.. Belinda Lack
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.. Jane Hardwick Collins
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.. Liz Newnham
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