About Sarah

Sarah J Buckley (born 1960) is a trained GP/family physician, an internationally-acclaimed writer on gentle choices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting, and mother to Emma, Zoe, Jacob and Maia, all born gently at home, 1990 to 2000.

Over the last ten years, Sarah's articles have been published in The Age (Melbourne), Mothering (US), MIDIRS (UK), Midwifery Today (US), The Mother (UK), Byron Child (Aus), Natural Parenting (Aus), Wellbeing (Aus/NZ), Nexus (Aus/NZ), Living Now (Aus), and The Complete Mother (Canada) among others, and her work has been incorporated into books including Loving Mama, Mothering Your Nursing Toddler, and Parenting by Heart. She has presented at numerous conferences and has been interviewed on issues related to birth and mothering for TV, radio, and for educational and birth-related DVDs. Sarah is also a member of Mothering magazine's website expert panel.

Sarah's writing critiques current practices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting from a scientific as well as a personal viewpoint. 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.

Sarah's interest in birth comes partly from her father and grandfather, both of whom practiced as GP-obstetricians in her hometown: Whangarei, New Zealand. Sarah trained in medicine and as a family physician before moving to Australia in 1987. Sarah also holds a Diploma in Obstetrics.

Her understanding of birth and mothering as a journey of transformation has evolved through her own experiences, and has deepened through her participation, ongoing since 1992, in women's circles with Shivam Rachana (author of the book Lotus Birth) and the Melbourne-based International College of Spiritual Midwifery (ICSM), of which she is a founding member.

Sarah has experienced almost everything that she writes about, including instinctive pregnancy; ecstatic birth; attachment parenting, co-sleeping, long-term breastfeeding (Sarah has been pregnant, breastfeeding, or both for more than 15 years), lotus birth, raising babies without nappies/diapers, and gentle discipline.

Sarah’s book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: The wisdom and science of gentle choices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting, was published in Australia in 2005, and has recently been updated and republished by Celestial Arts (US, 2009), as (NEW) Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor’s Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices.

Sarah's personal interests and hobbies include yoga and meditation, which she has practiced for over 20 years, as well as camping, bushwalking/hiking, swimming, world music, and dancing.

Sarah lives in the semi-rural outskirts of Brisbane, Australia with Nicholas, the love of her life, and Emma, Zoe, Jacob, Maia, their dog Tassie, horse Miah, four chickens, two rats, one budgie and two cockatiels.

Sarah's published articles include:

Reclaiming Every Woman's Birth Right The Age (Melbourne), November 29, 1996
The pleasure of extended breastfeeding (Courier Mail, May 7,1998)
Attachment parenting- an introduction (Courier Mail June 17,1998)
The cosiness of co-sleeping (Newsletter of Nursing Mothers of Australia, Winter 1999
Weighing the Risks: What you should know about ultrasound Mothering Sept/Oct 2000, no 102
Doing no harm at birth Courier Mail, Brisbane, Jan 5, 2002
Ecstatic birth- nature's hormonal blueprint for labour Mothering, March/April 2002, no111
Ultrasound- cause for concern Nexus Oct/Nov 2002
Epidurals- real risks for mothers and babies Birthkit, Autumn 2002
Undisturbed birth- nature's hormonal blueprint for ease and ecstasy Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health Summer 2003 (Vol 17 no 4)
Mothering, Mindfulness and a Baby’s Bottom: an introduction to Elimination Communication Byron child
Homebirth: Kindred magazine 2007
Healing Birth, Healing the Erath Living Now 2002
Ten tips for safe sleeping Natural Parenting Spring 2003
Drugs in labour- an overview Midwifery Today 2004, no 71
Undisturbed birth MIDIRS midwifery Digest (UK) 2004
The Amazing Placenta: Mothering 2004
Impact of interventions MIDIRS Digest
Prenatal Testing MIDIRS
Prenatal Testing: Midwifery Today
The practicing Midwife
The foundations of gentle discipline Natural Parenting, Spring 2004
Prenatal diagnosis- technological triumph or Pandora's box? Byron Child Sept-Nov 2004
Extended Breastfeeding: Essence, magazine of Australian Breastfeeding Association
Midwifery Today
Maternity care- risks and benefits Doctor Q, magazine of the Australian Medical Association Queensland Branch, Dec 2004
Epidurals: Mothering Magazine Nov-Dec 2005
Australian mothers not just to posh to push- The Australian May 22 2007
Leaving well alone in the third stage of labour- Birthspirit Midwifery (NZ) Jan 2009
Sexuality in labour and birth- chapter in :Essential Midwifery Practice: Intrapartum Care (UK, Blackwell, Sept 2009)

Sarah has contributed to the following books

Lotus Birth (Australia, 2000)
Loving Mama by Tiffani Pallisi(US. 2004)
Mothering Your Nursing Toddler by Norma Jane Bumgarner(US 2003)
Midwifery Best Practice volumes 4 and 5 (UK2004, 2006)
Midwifery Today Tricks of the Trade (US)
What Babies and Children Really Need by Sally Goddard Bythe (UK 2008)
Heart to Heart Parenting by Robin Grille (Aus 2008)
Essential Midwifery Practice: Intrapartum Care (UK, 2009)

Sarah has also presented the following talks and lectures:

Epidural Epidemic. Women Power and Birth lectures, ICSM, Melbourne, August 1997
The Science and Beauty of Birth. National Homebirth Conference, Byron Bay, September 1999
Giving Birth: The Endocrinology of Ecstasy , National Association of Childbirth Educators Conference, Surfers Paradise, March 2000
Leaving Well Alone: A Natural Approach to Third Stage, Festival of Birth, Melbourne, November 2000
Keeping Third Stage Normal. CAPERS Conference, Brisbane
Normal birth: Why and How. Keynote address at National Homebirth conference, Perth, October 2004
A second look at third stage. International Confederation of Midwives, Brisbane, July 2005.
Birth and the hormones of attachment. Keynote address at OC Doulas conference "Bridging the Gap: Addressing Current Birth Practices and their impact on Mother/Infant Attachment". Irvine CA, November 12 2005. www.ceaoc-conference.com
Undisturbed birth: the ecstasy and the evidence. Keynote address at Association of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health International Congress, 'Birth and the 21st century family: challenges and opportunities from conception through infancy', San Diego, November 17-20 www.birthpsychology.com/congress/05/index.html
Sustainable living festival, Melbourne, Feb 17 to 19 2006. Lectures Saturday and Sunday on 'raising babies without nappies' and 'Healing birth is healing the earth' www.slf.org.au
Ecstatic Birth: public talk in Melbourne Feb 06
Changing women's attitudes to pain. Lecture at Preparing for Birth and Parenthood Conference, Sydney Feb 25 2006 See www.birthinternational.com
Ecstatic Birth: public talks Brisbane and Toowoomba in Sept 2006 (with Maternity Coalition www.maternitycoalition.org.au )
Australian tour for Birth International, Future Birth lectures in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Launceston, Brisbane and Sydney , with speakers from Wales, UK and Brazil http://www.acegraphics.com.au/event/futbirth2007/index.html
Talks at Hot Milk Australian Breastfeeding Association Conference Melbourne August 2007: Gentle discipline with young and Breastfeeding an older child.
Secrets of Happy Babies. Public talk Melbourne August 3 2007.
Global Gentle Birth Conference and Gentle Baby Expo Portland Oregon US Sept 28-30. Lectures: Gentle Birth- the evidence and the ecstasy, The Big Three: cesareans, induction, epidurals; and Third stage for mother and baby
Gentle Birth: talk in Vancouver October 2007
Trust Birth Conference March 7-9 2008, Redondo Beach LA. Lectures on : Birth is safe and intervention is risky: the science of trusting birth: Third Stage Bliss for mother and baby: Prenatal tests and ultrasound.
The Endocrinology of Normal Birth- talk at Perinatal Society of Australia dn New Zealand 9th conference, Gold Coast April 08
The Big Three: Induction, Epidurals, Caesareans, Public talk Melbourne Oct 2008
Introduction to Orgasmic Birth film screening Melbourne Oct 2008
Secrets of Happy Babies, talk at Melbourne meeting of Australian Breastfeeding Association Oct 2008
Key speaker at Birth and Babies conference, Ballarat Oct 2008, talks on Hormonal Orchestration of labour and Third stage of labour (for professionals) ; Secrets of Happy Babies (for public)
Online lecture series for Conscious Woman 2008: 6 live, archived lectures including the hormones of birth; impact of intervention; third stage; safety of ultrasound; epidurals; caesareans. www.consciouswoman.org

Sarah has been interviewed for the following print publications:

New Scientist Jan 6 2007 Article on Unassisted Childbirth: Journalist Anna Gosline
The Globe and Mail (Canada)- article on unassisted birth. Journalist Adriana Barton
Junior magazine (Australia)- Sex after childbirth- Journalist Kylie Carberry
Pregnancy and Birth (Australia)- Epidurals- Journalist Kelly Baker
Vive (Australia) April 07 -Prenatal testing Journalist
Australian Woman’s Weekly April 07 - Nappy/diaper free babies - Journalist Robin Barker
Practical Parenting (Australia) July 07 on early toilet training - Journalist Fran Molloy
Pregnancy, Baby and You (UK), July 07 Expert profile - Journalist Siobhan Stirling,
Eve (UK) Article on unassisted birth for publication late 07- Journalist Eve Wright
Readers Digest (Aus) on birth trends- Journalist Alix Johnson
Randi Epstein (NY journalist ) writing a book on the medical and cultural history of childbirth
Blacktown news, May 08, feature on ultrasound diagnosing babies’ abnormalities
Oh Baby! (New Zealand ) Interview and review, April 2009

Sarah has been interviewed for the following TV, radio, internet radio and films

Australia ABC News (QLD) Sept 2002 Interview at city launch of midwifery campaign
Australia Channel 9 May 2003 Today Tonight Interview re breech birth/caesarean issue (Lexy Hamilton Smith) with Maternity Coalition
Australia Channel 9 March 2005 Brisbane show. Interview re controlled crying study in Medical Journal of Australia
Australia, Channel 9 Good Morning Show Sept 05, interview on raising babies without nappies/diapers
Australia/NZ Sky channel interview re book launch Sept 06
Australia Toowoomba, interview on Ecstatic Birth Sept 06
Australia/NZ

Brisbane, Australia, ABC local radio (612) Interview with Susan Mitchell re midwifery campaign (with Maternity Coalition rep, through MC) Oct 2001
Australia Regional Queensland Interview on ecstatic birth
Australia Life Matters, ABC Radio National on Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering (book)
Melbourne, Aus 3LO interview on Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering (book)
New Zealand Radio National with Jim Mora Feb 2009 on her book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering

Hypnobabies live interview Nov 2005
The Whole Mother (Pat Jones) Nov 05 and March 06
Healthylife.net with Elizabeth Noble on ecstatic birth, mothering

Orgasmic Birth 2008 www.orgasmicbirth.com
The Other Side Of The Glass 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVf4rzam0Xo

Sarah's current professional interests include:

Undisturbed birth, hormones of labour
Sexuality of labour and birth
Impact of obstetric interventions on mother and baby
Cord clamping, third stage of labour, lotus birth (non-severance of cord)
Prenatal diagnosis and impact on mother-baby relationship
Life-long impact of obstetric delivery
Scientific basis and implication of mother-infant attachment
Safety and scientific data on bedsharing and cosleeping
Breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding
Nutrition and mind-body medicine, including acupuncture and homeopathy
Sarah is a member of :
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine
Maternity Coalition
Homebirth Australia
Home Midwifery Association Qld
Australian Breastfeeding Association
International College of Spiritual Midwifery
Association of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health
Attachment Parenting International

Sarah is an advisor on the following boards and panels

Mothering website expert panel http://www.mothering.com/sections/experts/buckley.html
International Cesarean Awareness Network www.ica-online.org
Pathways to family wellness http://www.pathwaystofamilywellness.org/
Kindred magazine www.kindredmedia.com.au

Jump to Top