Meet Josie, the new Radiant Birth Owner
Image by Jessica Prescott
“We all come to birth as we are, shaped by our stories, patterns, and ways of being. In birth, we become more of ourselves than ever before. This is the offering of birth: the invitation to step into our power, to choose how we will show up, and to decide what feels right for us.”
Josie is the new and deeply humbled owner of Radiant Birth, a full-spectrum doula, and a mother of two. Her journey into birth work began after the birth of her second child, though her curiosity sparked much earlier, during her first pregnancy.
Looking back, Josie reflects that all her experiences — personal and professional — have woven together to guide her here.
Tell us about you.
I’m a mama to two incredible boys and have an amazing partner, Adam. Melbourne’s north has always been home to me. I grew up in a mostly single-mother household with three siblings, and I’m part of a large, loving extended family — my mum is one of ten, and I’m one of 23 grandchildren. My grandparents left Burma when my mum was just eight years old, seeking a new life in Australia, where they settled in Melbourne and continued to grow their family.
Family — both the one you're born into and the one you choose — is everything to me. I was raised by a village, and that sense of community is foundational to my role as a mother, a woman, and a doula. I’ve always felt that my village, with its unwavering support, has carried me through the everyday ups and downs and helped me navigate life’s more challenging moments. Looking back, I can see that the art of being there for others, and holding space for people, began long before I ever called myself a doula.
Building and nurturing community is part of who I am, and I can’t wait to continue to grow and nourish the Radiant Birth family in its next chapter.
I’ve been a doula for five years now, but my career path has been anything but linear. After high school, I studied writing, which evolved into a passion for graphic design and communications. Along the way, I worked a variety of jobs — from waiting tables, to baking wedding cakes, designing t-shirts, and teaching swimming at the local pool.
My curiosity has always driven me to explore new skills and careers, and I can see how each experience has shaped me into the person I am today. But nothing felt as lasting as my journey through motherhood. After the birth of my first child, something inside me shifted, and I knew I wanted to work in the birth space. By the time baby number two arrived, I was certain. I explored midwifery but ultimately felt drawn to the role of a doula. It just felt right.
I became a qualified doula in 2021, and since then, my understanding of motherhood, women’s bodies, and the incredible wisdom we carry through birth has deepened through ongoing study. I love that this work offers endless opportunities to grow and learn. Alongside birth and postpartum support, I also offer internal pelvic release work, maternal alignment, and birth debriefing. I’ve been fortunate to learn from, and be mentored by inspiring women like Karli Smith, Fiona Hallinan, Bernadette Lack, and Lael Stone.
When I’m not at births, you’ll find me supporting families as they prepare for, or integrate after birth. Outside of work, I’m all about living life to the fullest — whether it’s in the garden, on my yoga mat, in the kitchen, or out exploring nature with my kids, family, and friends. I’m all about good food, deep conversations, a glass of wine, and maybe a dance to end the night.
Image by Unfurl Photography
You became a doula after the birth of your own children, tell us about your birth experiences?
The birth of my first child profoundly shaped my perspective on birth and the work I do today. When I found out I was pregnant, I had private health insurance, but something in me knew that the traditional obstetric model wasn’t the right fit — even though it was the path my family had always taken. So, I dove deep into research and found private midwifery care, which felt perfect. Throughout my pregnancy, I felt so supported, and that trust in my care team became the foundation I needed as I moved through labour.
My labour started quietly at home while my family gathered for dinner, and I spent the night labouring with my TENS machine and birth ball. When the sun came up, my midwife came to check on me and reassured me I was doing great. We headed to the hospital, but there were no available birth rooms, so I laboured in an assessment room, waiting for a better space to open up. Three hours later, I gave birth to my son, Jude, on my knees, leaning over the bed.
I felt on top of the world, riding an oxytocin high, thinking, If I can do this, I can do anything! My partner, Adam, was a different story — pale and shaky from the adrenaline! The midwives tucked him into a corner while I had the best shower of my life. That night, we brought our baby home, stepping into a new chapter, forever changed.
Almost two years later, after a full day of labour, my second son, Will, was born in the water at home, surrounded by the same amazing midwives who had supported me the first time. A hospital birth for one and a home birth for the other — our family felt complete.
I now know firsthand the power of feeling informed, supported, and deeply connected to your body. Through my work as a doula, I offer the opportunity others to step into their birth experiences with the same confidence, trust, and sense of empowerment.
Your philosophies on birth?
I believe our birthing bodies carry an innate wisdom and ability to birth. But as humans, with our complex minds, patterns of behaviour, and histories, we sometimes struggle to trust in that wisdom. Our brains seek to understand and control, yet birth asks us to surrender—to lean in, not just with our bodies, but with our whole selves.
We all come to birth as we are, shaped by our stories, patterns, and ways of being. In birth, we become more of ourselves than ever before. This is the offering of birth: the invitation to step into our power, to choose how we will show up, and to decide what feels right for us.
There is no single right way to birth, just as there is no single right way to live. What feels safe and supportive for one person may not feel the same for another. And for the beautifully intricate symphony of hormones and physiological processes to unfold as they are meant to, we must feel safe and supported—however that looks for each of us.
So much of preparing for birth and motherhood is a call to explore who we are, what we need, and how we want to show up in this world.
I deeply believe that every woman and birthing person deserves to birth on their own terms, in whatever way feels true for them.
Birth is both simple and complex. Because we are human.
Birth education is important because…
It empowers parents with knowledge, builds confidence, reduces fear, and helps them make informed decisions that align with their values and needs. It also provides practical tools for coping with labour, fosters communication between birthing partners and care providers, and increases the likelihood of a positive and supported birth experience. Birth is the beginning of the season of motherhood and that transition is just too big of a thing to wing it.
Image by Unfurl Photography
Based on your Instagram, it looks like you like to get down in the kitchen, what are you whipping up on the regular at home and for families you work with?
Busted—I do love to cook! It’s been a passion of mine since childhood, when Sundays were spent in my grandmother’s kitchen, learning how to make dhal, oh no khauk swe, and all my favourite Burmese dishes. These days, with two little ones under six, meals aren’t quite as adventurous as I’d like, but they’re still packed with flavour. Our weekly staples usually include a curry, rice, a veggie-loaded pasta sauce, and generously marinated meats with a side of veggies or salad. Life is full, so in our home, simplicity, nutrition, and taste reign supreme.
While I used to include food in my doula packages, I now mostly source it from other incredible doulas and services, allowing me to be fully present with my own family when I’m home. But when I do cook for mothers and families, my go-to’s are nourishing, easy-to-eat savoury and sweet snacks, rich broths and soups, coconut dhal, and the occasional fresh sourdough loaf. Warming, slow-cooked, and packed with love—just the way postpartum food should be.
What sparked your love for cooking?
For me, it all started with my grandma. She had this way of turning even the simplest ingredients into something extraordinary—whether it was a time-honoured recipe or just a bag of noodles transformed into pure comfort. When my grandparents came here, they left almost everything behind. They chose to speak only English once they arrived, and in doing so, so much of our Burmese heritage became intangible. But food remained. It was our thread back to something deeper, something unspoken but deeply felt.
Every Sunday morning, my cousins and I would gather in her kitchen, listening, learning and watching as she worked her magic. There were no strict measurements—everything was guided by taste, by instinct, by being present. You had to be there, hands in the mix, spoon in the pot, experiencing it firsthand. And beyond the food itself, I saw something even more special—how a meal could bring people together, how a full belly could translate to warmth, love, and belonging. Once you’ve felt the joy of feeding people, of seeing their faces light up as they take that first bite, it’s hard to imagine anything more rewarding.
And then, there was home. My mum, a single mother of four—two with disabilities—was carrying a lot, and while there were so many things I couldn’t change or fix, I could cook. It was my way of helping, of easing even a small part of the load. I won’t pretend I was a tidy cook in those early years—I left behind a pile of dishes and a kitchen that looked like a tornado had passed through. But over time, now that I have to clean all of the dishes, I am a much cleaner cook!
People say food is medicine, and I believe that with my whole heart. Cooking has always been more than just making meals—it’s meditation, it’s healing, it’s the simple, quiet magic of creating something with your own hands and then sharing it with the people you love.
To be a doula is to…
Be fully present, listen with compassion and be with what is.
To be a mother is to…
Come home to yourself.
How can we work with you?
In addition to offering birth and postpartum support, internal pelvic release work and birth debriefing, I will be delivering our upcoming birth education course in June at our beautiful home Fort Green Yoga with Michaela Rinkel who will be sharing a Chinese Medicine lens on postpartum.
Book your spot in the June Course:
https://www.radiantbirth.com.au/weekendcourse
Follow Josie on Instagram here:
