599 | Ellie, Navigating Pregnancy and Birth as an Autistic Mother, Hospital Birth, and Early Motherhood realities

From Australian Birth Stories by Sophie Walker

March 23, 2026 · 54 min

About this episode

Ellie shares her journey navigating pregnancy and birth as an autistic mother in a same-sex relationship, highlighting the challenges and insights for neurodivergent parents.

In this raw and honest episode, Ellie shares her journey from home insemination to navigating pregnancy and birth as an autistic woman in a same-sex relationship. Living in Melbourne with her partner Moo, Ellie takes us through their successful home insemination, her surprisingly positive pregnancy experience, and a challenging hospital birth that ended with forceps and episiotomy. Her candid discussion about autism in pregnancy, the realities of neurodivergent motherhood, and her difficult recovery offers invaluable insights for other neurodivergent parents. Ellie's story highlights the importance of advocating for yourself in the healthcare system and finding what works for your family. Sponsor: My friends at ergoPouch are gifting you a 20% off discount code. Use the CODE AUBS20 for 20% off sitewide* T&Cs apply. Happy Swaddling with ergo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Sophie Walker

Guest: Ellie

Topics covered

autism
pregnancy
birth
neurodivergent motherhood
advocacy in healthcare
same-sex relationships

Keywords

autistic mother
hospital birth
home insemination
neurodivergent
motherhood
advocacy
Melbourne

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Australian Birth Stories

Places: Melbourne