'I didn't take a pregnancy test, and I'm not tracking the weeks'

“I’d love to birth outside this time. I'd love to see water, whether it be the ocean or a small creek."

Jessie Sembler guesses she’s due with her third baby around August/September.

“I’m six moons, so I’d say I’m almost in the third trimester,” the 25-year-old tells Kidspot.

“I have an estimated due date, but I’m not keeping track of weeks at all.”

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The young mum is having a wild pregnancy and birth. She’s not having any medical appointments or scans and this time around she hasn't taken a pregnancy test to confirm she was pregnant.

RELATED: 'I had a free birth and I can't wait to do it again'

Jessie had her first daughter, Sarah*, in hospital. Picture: Supplied

"I just knew I was pregnant"

Her second baby was also a wild pregnancy and birth, but she did do a pregnancy test.

“This time around I felt it wasn’t going to make a difference because I already knew I was pregnant,” she explains.

“My bleed didn’t come back and I had other symptoms that came up, and I intuitively knew.

“I couldn’t have been 100% sure with physical evidence; I just knew I was. I felt I’d fall pregnant in that cycle.”

Two weeks after her period was due, she felt nausea and fatigue. Then, it was “just a waiting game” she says.

After having her second baby in November 2022 Jessie said she’d only had one period, which was exactly one year after she went into labour.

RELATED: 'I fled to a developing country in order to free birth away from doctors'

Her second child was born at home. Picture: Supplied

"It took a little while to realise I'd walked away with birth trauma"

The decision to have a wild birth for her second baby came following the birth of her first daughter, Sarah* in hospital three years ago.

“After my first baby was born, I remember feeling an empty feeling, like I’d missed out on something. I didn’t know what, but it didn’t feel right,” the young mum shares.

“I brought it up with my midwife and she said it was just nausea or butterflies and she’d give me some medication.

“It took a little while to realise I’d walked away with birth trauma, so I knew I wanted a homebirth next time.”

After researching Jessie still didn’t feel comfortable needing to comply with the requirements for a homebirth with a midwife, so she stumbled upon the idea of a freebirth – with no medical support.

She says she had a lot of fears she had to work through initially, but loved not having the routine testing.

“It was really beautiful and peaceful going through the pregnancy,” she says.

After six hours of active labour her second daughter was born at home on the toilet, with just her husband for support and a doula, who arrived ten minutes before she birthed and stayed downstairs doing the dishes.

“I did what my body told me to do at the time. I moved intuitively into different positions,” Jessie reveals.

“It wasn’t something I didn’t prepare much for because I knew my body would know what needed to be done.”

RELATED: 'I freebirthed in the bush'

Jessie has not taken a pregnancy test, and is not tracking her weeks prior to the birth of her third child. Picture: Supplied

"I was expecting some kind of push back"

When Jessie posted on Instagram her intention not to even take a pregnancy test this time it was met with huge criticism and shock.

“A couple of the comments definitely surprised me, but I was expecting some kind of push back,” she says.

“People were wishing harm on me and my baby and accusing me of abuse.

“There were a lot of comments of people projecting their traumas on to me and getting offended for the choice I’d made because of the experience they’d had.

“I was shocked that people could write such hurtful things. I’ve tried not to take it on board.”

One woman said: “This is disgusting and shameful to people who suffer miscarriages. Grow the f**k up.”

Another said: “Imagine all the women who would give anything to be able to have access to the healthcare you’re privileged enough to turn down.

Another woman raised the death of the twins in Mullumbimby after a freebirth on February 11.

Jessie is unperturbed by the criticism, saying she “just feels everything will be alright.”

RELATED: Free birth: Insta-mum films home labour attended by husband and family dog

Jessie with her partner and two children. Picture: Supplied

"I'd love to birth outside this time"

As the family travel around the East Coast, she’s on the look out for a place that intuitively feels right to give birth.

“I’d love to birth outside this time. I see water, whether it be the ocean or a small creek, but because we are travelling, we are keeping an open mind to find that right place,” she reveals.

“I’ll know the place I’m supposed to birth when I see it. Even if it’s not close to a hospital, I won’t rule it out.

“I would love for the children to witness me and be involved. I definitely want them to be nearby; I’d love for them to grow up and see birth as a normal natural thing.”

However, she says she’s not opposed to seeking medical help if needed.

“I’ve always been of the mindset if something was to come up and I needed medical help, I’d get it straight away. I’m open to what is happening to my body and what my intuition is telling me,” she said.

“I’m grateful that it’s there, but I don’t believe it needs to be used on everyone.”

Jessie hopes her posts will inform women that they have options.

*Names have been changed

Originally published as 'I didn't take a pregnancy test, and I'm not tracking the weeks'