Pregnancy can be a daunting time, especially for first-time mothers.
But for refugees also starting their lives in a new country, preparing for their new role while learning a new language can be overwhelming.
An Australian-first program is aimed at trying to ease the burden and helping educate refugee women about the healthcare system around them.
It is a mother's group specifically for Melbourne's Karen (kah-REN) community.
Called Happy Healthy Beginnings, the group is aimed at helping refugee women better understand the Australian healthcare system.
First-time mother Sakura Toke is among those who attend the fortnightly sessions.
She says she is preparing to give birth in an entirely strange new setting.
"I'm not sure of what happens in the hospital, I've never been there. And for all our siblings, my mum had a home birth."
The Karen women themselves were born in refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border.
Group leader Waan Tardif says there were few services available.
"So the midwives, or the assistants, or aunty or uncle, they will be there, except there is no resources for the equipment in case there's a complicated situation, like needing a caesarean."
Pregnancy and motherhood - in a new land, with a new language - can mean a steep learning curve for the refugee women.
But the pilot sessions are not only helping guide them, they are also breaking down feelings of isolation, giving new mothers-to-be a chance to share their firsthand experiences.
The sessions also involve several minutes of yoga.
Ms Tardif says the yoga helps the women relax and focus on themselves.
It also acts as a remedy, helping them recover from traumatic experiences.
In its discussions with the community, the Murdoch Children's Research Institute says it discovered a gap in the women's understanding of the healthcare system.
Researcher Dr Elisha Riggs says she established the program to educate the women in a safe and comfortable setting, in their own language.
"When you've come from a country that hasn't had a lot of these services, even calling an ambulance to take you to the hospital to have your baby can be quite a foreign, new experience."
Consultations with midwives are organised, too, all accompanied by an interpreter.
Midwife Claire McAteer says she sees six to eight women every fortnight.
"We cover anything, from the very beginning of pregnancy, right the way through to the various different ailments women can have, through pregnancy, through to birth and thereafter."
The program's success has earned it a funding boost from the Victorian government, and there are plans to expand it to other refugee communities.
