Emma Cutri of Sisters Studios shares her take on birthing your son Cosmo at home

Emma, you welcomed your baby at home last year, surrounded by midwives and the familiar walls of your own space.

Can you take us back to the beginning — when did the idea of homebirth first land for you?

The idea of homebirth had always been something I was intrigued by ever since I was in my early 20s. I remember meeting a home birth midwife who did a little talk for my friends and I called Jenny Tesky when I was about 22, we learnt about it and what it meant to have a baby at home but it obviously washed over me at that age. When I became pregnant it came up again obviously. A few of my close friends had birthed at home recently and I was in awe of them, but didn’t think I could trust myself or the process enough to do it. As I grew more and did the readings it become really exciting to me, could I, couldn’t I? My partner was all for it and so was my doula. It wasn’t until I was about 33 weeks pregnant that I thought ok, I can do this! I birthed through the Women’s program called Cosmos and they were so supportive and encouraging it got me over the line.

In a culture where homebirth is often misunderstood, sometimes even labelled ‘radical’, what gave you the steadiness to trust that choice?

To be honest, it wasn’t my friends that had done it before me, I didn’t think I was as strong as them to overcome my ideas of hospitals being safer, it was listening to a podcast called ‘The Great Birth Rebellion’ where they seemed to completely normalise it. I quickly started doing my own research and watching documentaries and speaking with people and the more I learnt about the natural process of birth I realised I didn’t need a hospital for this, it’s not a medical experience. 

When labour unfolded, what carried you? Were there particular tools, rituals, rhythms, or anchors that helped you move through it?

When labour finally came I was SO ready, I was 41+ 3 weeks and I had the pressure of the Royal Women’s regulations of not being able to birth at home after 42 weeks. I was very ready. I had been working on my breathing techniques for months and months and lots of visualisation and mantras to get me through. I listened every night to a playlist called Birth Bliss which was a guided meditation. I had my affirmations around the house for weeks before just reassuring me that my body knows what to do. 

You hold many roles — creative, founder of successful clothing label Sister Studios, mother, partner.

How has birth and becoming a mother shifted you, if at all? Did it change the way you see your work, your body, your capacity?

Since giving birth, I have had the most amazing creative rush. I haven’t felt this inspired for years! For my work, my hobbies and interests I feel like I have so much time and space for everything now, despite being run off my feet with Cosmo! 

Birth can be wild and deeply transformative. What did the experience feel like from the inside for you?

When I reflect on my birth I have such incredible feelings of bliss towards it. I loved my birth, and the fact that I got to have Cosmo in my home and move through the entire process in my own space, it felt so calming, relaxing and right for me inside and out. It was obviously very hard… but I told myself I could do anything for a day. 

What kind of inner preparation did you and your partner lean into before the birth?

We did so much work to get to the place where I felt comfortable having Cosmo at home. We had an incredible Doula named Erika Munton, a supportive midwife team in the publicly funded Cosmos program, I did pre-natal yoga weekly and saw my friend Miki for acupuncture regularly. I read lots and listened about birth to help me overcome my fears. 

Looking back now, what does ‘home’ mean to you — especially after birthing there?

Home birth is magic. I wouldn’t ever have it any other way, I got everyting I had dreamed of by having Cosmo in my own space. It felt so warm and safe being able to have a shower and wash my hair in my own bathroom afterwards, lay on my own floor with my things around me and get into my own bed with my little family. 

Emma thanks so much for your time and for sharing your journey towards homebirth and motherhood with us 🩵