Happy Homebirth

This Episode was Brought to you by: Happy Homebirth Academy The Premier Childbirth Education Program for Homebirth Mothers Do you really need to prepare for birth? Show Notes: Amanda's plan with her first child was a beautiful birth center birth The first 20 weeks of her pregnancy were full of sickness— She even partially dislocated her shoulder after throwing up once. After laboring for quite a while, her midwife came over to check her and see if she could go to the birth center. She was checked and was only 2 cm, so she said they could not go to the birth center yet. She began saying to herself during contractions, “Open, open, open. Everything open.” Her attention was specifically on opening and relaxing. Suddenly, soon after getting out of the tub, she feels the fetal ejection reflex. “Breathe this baby down?! I’m going to eject this baby across the state!” The midwives made it just in time, and Amanda found out that what she thought were her insides coming out was actually just her baby’s head! Once he came out, she was in a state of confusion. He looked different than she’d expected, and she had clearly been through a shocking experience. When her midwife said, “Do you want to hold him?” Amanda’s immediate response was, “No, who is that?!” During her second pregnancy, she had Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction

Did you know that you could be so intimately aware of what's going on in your labor that you could be the one to reach down and catch your own baby? I sure didn't with my first daughter, and there's absolutely no way I would have been able to take the death grip off of my husband to do any such thing. But Emily... Emily planned and prepared for a mindful homebirth, and her goal was to catch her own baby (her first birth!). She was a founding member of Happy Homebirth Academy, and I'm so excited to say that darn it, she did it! Listen in to hear just how she achieved her goal. Show Notes: Emily's start to motherhood was different from the traditional route: She and her husband were called to foster-to-adopt immediately after Emily met her son at work. She knew he was hers, and she would do anything for him. After a long and stressful road, their son finally legally became a part of the family. At this point, he was 3 years old. Emily was suddenly hit with baby fever! Emily began looking into homebirth. She had had a traumatic time in the hospital at 19 and did not feel that it would be a healing place to have a baby. After watching Katelyn's birth video of her second baby, Lillian, Emily decided she wanted to have the same type of empowering birth. She joined Happy Homebirth Academy and put in all of the effort required to achieve her goal. Emily woke up at 2:30 am in active labor. She labored on her side for several hours, knowing that this was the position she was comfortable in. Once she moved to the tub, she stayed in the same kneeling position for the remainder of her labor... except when she did her best to switch positions for just a moment. Although she decided to return back to her previous spot, this movement was enough to dislodge her baby's head (turns out she way asynclitic!) and begin the process of crowning. Emily reached down and caught her own baby--triumphantly! If you're interested in having a similar birthing experience, make sure you join Happy Homebirth Academy for your childbirth education program. This program is the first of its kind- geared specifically towards homebirth mothers!

How do you picture your birth? I this weeks episode, we learn how Amy Lutz, a founding member of Happy Homebirth Academy prepared for her first homebirth. With a combination of books, positive stories, and Happy Homebirth Academy, Amy went into her birthing time feeling confident and at ease (even with her husband having a virus at the very same time)! If you are interested in having a mindful, peaceful homebirth, get ready for Happy Homebirth Academy-- The premier childbirth education program for homebirth mothers. HHA launches May 11th, 2020.

By your fourth birth, there’s no way you’re trying anything new, right? Hey there Happy Homebirthers, and welcome to episode 71 of the Happy Homebirth Podcast, where we’ll be speaking with Kerrie, who went from a string of 3 inducted hospital births to an intervention-free homebirth. Before we jump in, I’ve got news! Happy Homebirth Academy is set to launch in just a few short weeks! Tell all of your friends! And if you’re a birth worker interested in checking out the program, give me a holler at [email protected] or DM me on instagram. I’m hopeful to let some fellow birth workers take a look before launch day… provided I have it ready. I am so excited about the content of this course. It’s perfect for your first, fifth or tenth birth, whether you’ve had them all at home or all in hospital, and it gives you the tools have an empowered, mindful, peaceful homebirth. It’s my third baby. SO. To keep updated with the launch, be sure to join the Happy Homebirth Pop Up group on facebook, or check out my free homebirth essentials mini course! It’s a quick little guide to some of the most important aspects of having a peaceful homebirth. Just go to myhappyhomebirth.com/essentails for your download. Show Notes: Kerrie used a traditional obstetrician practice for her first baby. At the end of her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with Cholestasis of pregnancy, which is when the liver stops filtering out bile acids, which can be dangerous for the baby. She was induced at 38 weeks pregnant Looking back, there were several aspects of the labor she was unhappy about. They did internal fetal monitoring, so her baby had a probe stuck in her head, and Kerrie wasn’t able to move around because of this. The doctor threatened to wheel her to have a c section, and then said she was going to cut an episiotomy, which she also was very unhappy about. At that point Kerrie roared the baby out! For her next pregnancy, she thought that she had Cholestasis again. She felt uncomfortable, so she went in at 37 weeks to have an induction. Her second labor took a very long time. Once her water was broken, her son came 15 minutes later. She had been asking them to break her water for a long time! Her third pregnancy, she had no symptoms of Cholestasis. At 39 weeks, she was given the option to have an elective induction, and she said, “Yes, please!” With her third baby, she elected to get an epidural. Once she finally got it, she laid back and his head emerged. Her third birth was the first time that she had requests that went against the typical routines of the hospital. She didn’t want the baby bathed or vaccinated, and she felt that she had to fight and wasn’t being heard When she found out she was pregnant again, she was confident that she was having a homebirth. When she began telling people she was going to have a homebirth, people told her she was crazy. Her midwife connected Kerrie with a neighbor who had also had a homebirth. This neighbor introduced Kerrie to an entirely new, crunchy tribe, who accepted her family with open arms. With her 4th baby, she was convinced she wasn’t in labor because she was so used to pitocin contractions. Kerrie’s water broke, and she got in the tub. Her neighbor called the midwife, and the midwife told her not to let her get in the tub. She knew Kerrie’s baby was big, and she knew that getting in the tub would likely let her relax, and she worried she’d have the baby without her. Her labor was only an hour and a half in length. Kerrie’s community gets together with all 40 children for dinners weekly. This was so special for her postpartum. Everyone was checking in on her and taking care of her— never expecting to hold the baby, only doting on her. Episode roundup: Just because you’ve had 2, 3,4 or 10 babies one way doesn’t mean you automatically have to do it the same way next time. Kerrie went from 3 inductions to an unmedicated, untouched homebirth. You can change your situation! Wasn’t it beautiful to hear how Kerrie gained such a supportive community? This is so important postpartum, and it sounds like she was truly cared for and doted upon postpartum. I loved hearing how she was cared for so well as her baby struggled with breastfeeding. What a difference our community can make. I encourage you to reach out to the other mothers around you. Even having one or two friends or family members who can walk through the postpartum journey with you can make a world of difference. Okay my friends, that’s all I have for you this week. Go download that free mini-course, and I’ll see you next week!

Homebirth… on a school bus? If you think that’s the wildest part of this upcoming episode, buckle up, baby. My guest, Caroline Campbell is a homebirth mother of two, and both of her experiences were intense to say the least. I always like to be up front when episodes contain difficult topics, and this one contains quite an emergent situation during her first birth. Be prepared for that, but know that she and her midwife do an absolutely bangin’ job of handling the situation. It’s truly powerful. However, if you’re close to giving birth and are concerned that hearing a story of an emergent situation might upset you, you might want to come back to this episode. Before we jump in, just giving another quick update on Happy Homebirth Academy. I’m in the home stretch! Just a bit more work to go, and it will be ready for all of you lovely women seeking a homebirth-centered childbirth education course. Secondly, I’m a few weeks behind on sending out stickers for reviewers of the week. You’d think that being at home all of the time would give more opportunity to keep me on track, but I feel like it totally doesn’t. So if you’re waiting on a sticker… sorry! I’ll get it in the mail! To add to my list of mail, I’d like to thank this week’s reviewer: Bailadora Del Mundo And if you would, go ahead and take a screenshot of you listening to this episode, upload it to your instagram stories and tag @happyhomebirthpodcast. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #givebirthonyourturf! Finally.. if you aren’t in the Happy homebirth pop up group on facebook, you’ve got to get over there. So many stories, so much amazing, supportive homebirth goodness. Show Notes Caroline is the mother of a 2.5 year old daughter and 4.5 month old son. Her husband was born at home (freebirth!), so she was familiar with the idea of homebirth once she became married. In high school, her friend became pregnant and the father was not in the picture—she stepped in and took birthing classes/witnessed her friend’s birth. Though her friend had a healthy pregnancy, Caroline was uncomfortable with the hospital birth. During her first pregnancy, Caroline glowed. It was easy and beautiful—she did prenatal yoga, she focused on her diet, and had a wonderful time. She and her husband were living in Virginia, but knew they were going to move to Ohio. They traveled 6.5 hours to their midwifery appointments. They planned to have a structure prepared to live in before the birth—that didn’t happen. They ended up moving into a school bus conversion! Caroline went from living in her childhood home in Virginia to living in a school bus… without running water (they had a spring on the property) She and her husband nested in their school bus- they spent time with the dogs outside, with their new chickens. They worked on the property and enjoyed their time. Little known fact: 2015- I bought a school bus! Caroline went through early labor during the night. She woke up in labor with contractions that were 5 minutes apart. She didn’t have cell phone service where the bus was parked, so she would walk up and down a big hill to text and call her midwife. Caroline’s birth team arrived around 11. Her midwife checked her, and found out that she was 8 cm dilated. With her first baby, Caroline didn’t feel an urge to push, which frustrated her. After her baby was born, her first words were, “That was so easy!” Caroline experienced a legitimate emergency during her first homebirth. Postpartum was also difficult, as her child had severe tongue and lip ties. Caroline decided to wait a bit before getting pregnant again. She wasn’t ready to commit to a homebirth again quite yet. They waited a year and a half to become pregnant again, and her second pregnancy was not a fun one. She was very sick, and her pregnancy lasted 42 weeks. Once she finally went into labor, she felt everything in her back and was unable to find relief. Once her son was born, she had him nurse so that contractions would continue and she could deliver the baby. The placenta was born 20 minutes labor. Caroline’s pregnancies and labors were total opposites of each other. Breastfeeding went much better with her son than with her first baby. She jumped quickly into action, and she had her mom visiting for the first few weeks postpartum, which was of great help. Because Caroline was so concerned about breastfeeding, her baby developed a “breast aversion,” which was very difficult for her because of her strong desire to achieve, especially in relation to breastfeeding. After 36 hours of pumping and using a bottle, he accepted the breast again. Episode Roundup Emergencies DO happen at home. Luckily, midwives are highly trained professionals who are prepared to do what they must. I love the fact that Caroline was still involved in the decision-making process, even during an emergency. When it comes to breastfeeding, it’s an amazing idea to know the resources at your disposal. There are certainly hiccups that can be had, and as Carol

Oxytocin- it’s a powerful drug! In this episode, listen to hear how Bess, a mother of 3, experienced more and more oxytocin and bonding with each birth. From a medicated hospital birth, to an unmedicated hospital birth (where the baby was still whisked away quickly), to an intimate birth center setting… it becomes quite clear that the less we intervene with physiological birth, the more room we give to oxytocin. This allows mothers the ability to connect deeply with their babies from the beginning- forming that unbreakable love bond. Be sure to check out the new Facebook group. It's so empowering! www.facebook.com/groups/happyhomebirthpopup Happy Homebirth Academy... it's coming to you soon! Show Notes 1st pregnancy- Bess says she was young, and even though she knew about homebirth (her mom had 4), she opted for a hospital birth for financial reasons Bess had a low-lying placenta. Fun fact! The placenta can move as the uterus grows (it also can move on its own!) Bess went into labor on the night before her due date Bess had a horrific first birth. She had a terrible nurse who bullied her and coerced her into receiving fentanyl. She then had an epidural. As baby emerged (with both her hands by her face), Bess received a 4th degree tear. She did not have a loving feeling towards her daughter when they first handed her over. They pushed her to breastfeed immediately, though she could barely even comprehend what had just happened. Bess was living in Korea during her second pregnancy. She began prenatals at a local Korean hospital. In this hospital, Bess was made to wear a gown each time in public, and she had to have an ultrasound at each appointment. At 20 weeks, after her doctor told her that he was concerned with how big her baby was, Bess switched to an army hospital. She asked far more questions this time around and had a successful unmedicated birth. Her husband was a huge support. She and her husband decided they didn’t want more children… until one day, suddenly, she knew she wanted one more baby. She bought her husband some beer, they discussed the matter, and they conceived that night! With her 3rd pregnancy, Bess started back at Ft. Hood hospital. At 16 weeks she decided to look into other options and found a birth center. Her final birth was redemptive of her previous experiences. She was able to experience the full effect of oxytocin. Episode round up: What a redemptive story. Bess was able to improve her birthing experiences each time, ending with a beautiful water birth at a birth center that allowed for physiological birth to take place. As we head into the episode round-up, I want to focus on just that: The importance of staying out of the way. The ability to bond with your baby is critical—it sets the two of you up for success in the days, weeks, months and years to come. When babies are unnecessarily removed from their mothers, as so often happens in the hospital setting, a new hurdle is added to the mother/baby team. I love how Bess’s joy over her third birth was so palpable. It is the true proof that the ability to give birth on your own terms, without unnecessary intervention, and of course—to actually hold your baby immediately after—allows oxytocin to do its magical work. What a joy to hear so much love in a mother’s voice.

There's a first time for everything. Sometimes midwives miss births, sometimes they *almost* miss births, and sometimes.... Well, you'll have to listen in to hear the odd in-between! Important Updates: Happy Homebirth Academy is almost ready to launch! In the meantime, check out my free mini-course, and join the facebook pop-up group! myhappyhomebirth.com/essentials facebook.com/groups/happyhomebirthpopup Resources Mentioned in this episode: Coming Alongside A Friend Who Has Experienced Loss Show Notes: Cierra is a Le Leche League Leader who love supporting parents in breastfeeding. Cierra’s first pregnancy ended in miscarriage weeks after she thought she was in the “safe zone” Cierra never forgets the compassion of the OB that was on call when she learned that her baby had passed. She gave her a massive hug and support in a time of need. The “at least” comments are so painful to the grieving parent stillbirthday.com Second pregnancy was several months later—this time there was less jubilation, more “survival mode” Cierra opted for an epidural, which she says began the “cascade of interventions”. The delivery was very difficult, requiring forceps. The next birth was much faster, and she had a baby at a hospital-based birth center. On the way to the birth center, as Cierra was very far along, she said, “THIS IS WHY PEOPLE HAVE HOMEBIRTHS” Their baby was born only 30 minutes after arriving With their third baby, it was easy to decide to have a homebirth Cierra’s midwife helped her as she decided to stop tandem nurse during the pregnancy of her most recent baby. Cierra experienced prodromal labor with this pregnancy Cierra is laboring on the tub. She stood up to walk to the birth pool, but as she stood, she felt that her baby was coming immediately. Her third baby “birthed herself”—fetal ejection reflex! The bathroom was dark, and nobody could see. Everyone thought the baby was about to be born….. The baby had already been born! She caught herself on the toilet seat. There was a true knot in the cord Cierra’s midwife said, “I’ve missed some births, and I’ve almost missed some births. I’ve not missed a birth right in front of me before.”

Pregnancy and postpartum. Many of us strive to maintain a healthy diet during these pivotal times, but what does a healthy diet look like? Should we stick to the guidelines? Enter Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE. Lily is an expert on all things nutrition pertaining to the pregnant mother. She is the author of two books: Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, and Real Food for Pregnancy. Lily sheds light on what it looks like to eat nutrient dense foods, how our food choices affect ourselves and our babies, and how real food can set us up for real success in the postpartum period. Check out these links from the show! https://lilynicholsrdn.com/real-food-postpartum-recovery-meals/ https://lilynicholsrdn.com/prenatal-guidelines-updated/ https://lilynicholsrdn.com/choline-pregnancy-folates-cousin/ https://lilynicholsrdn.com/postpartum-iron-deficiency-anemia-rethinking-low-iron-requirements/

Birth is an intertwining of souls, and the community a mother surrounds herself with can make all the difference. Show Notes: Mandy didn’t know about homebirth, but she did know that she wanted a doula. Her doula introduced her to the childbirth method. Mandy’s water broke dramatically in bed with her first child. Even after 10 hours, she was only about 2 cm. She went on Pitocin for about 2 hours. Contractions stopped after several hours because baby was posterior. They thought he flipped, but he did not—not until the very end, after pushing for several hours. Mandy’s doula was amazing at recognizing that her getting an epidural was quite possibly the best way to save the vaginal birth. Between births, Mandy and her husband saw The Business of Being Born. At the time, she felt almost ashamed to tell people that she wanted to have a homebirth. “You don’t get a gold star for going natural”- No, I’m liking for an oxytocin high! With her second birth, after choosing midwives, Mandy’s appointments were typically 1.5-2 hours long. This was perfect for her, as she had many questions about how birth would go compared to her previous experience. During the birth, at one point, she was in the water and felt the urge to push. Her water broke, and there was lots of meconium. With a quick check, her midwife determined that the baby was breech. Mandy was asked to get out of the water—the midwives informed her that the protocol is to transport to the hospital—likely to have a c section. The second midwife checked to confirm, and Mandy was 10 cm—birth was imminent, and Mandy felt unsafe and scared. She didn’t even know that you could deliver a breech vaginally. A panic attack was coming on for Mandy—and her doula came and got right in her face and told her that she could do it. It was everything she needed to say to help Mandy get the baby out. Mandy remember shouting, “My vagina!” as the baby came out. She discussed how women can go through something so traumatic, yet the first question still be, “is the baby okay?” The birth team who came were both backups—and they happened to have been to a breech birth previously to this. 6 months postpartum, Mandy found out she was pregnant again (a bit surprised!) At the anatomy scan, Mandy had a slight placenta previa, but the doctor felt it would move before the birth- She would just get checked again towards the end of pregnancy. At the recheck, Mandy found out that her placenta was completely covering her cervix. Even more so, where the umbilical cord was attached was right above her son’s head, which could have caused a lack of oxygen. She got a second opinion ultrasound with the same results. The doctors kept referring to her as “the homebirth transfer” For the last few days, Mandy had to be on bedrest. Her midwives continued prenatal care with her and remained as a support system. At the home visit, the midwives and doula came and surrounded her when she needed it. The day of the birth was very hard- Mandy had to walk into the OR by herself. Her husband and doula weren’t allowed to be there until she was completely prepped. Mandy was able to do vaginal seeding for her son, thanks to the help of her doula. She was able to lean into her doula very heavily as the doctors were sewing her back up after her son was born. This 45 minutes were the hardest for her, and she was so grateful for her doula’s presence. Mandy’s midwives host a C-Section support group that meets monthly. “Birth is this intertwining of souls” Episode Roundup “You don’t get a gold star for going natural.” It’s important to keep in mind that those who say these kinds of statements are uneducated about the benefits of experiencing physiological birth. Of course, this isn’t a conversation you can have in the throes of labor, or ever, but it might be worth educating these people on why you’re making the choices you’re making. Feel free to direct them to this podcast! Of course, if medication is relied upon during birth, this doesn’t make your experience any less valid or important! But to speak down to women who are attempting to give birth without intervention is so unnecessary. I also want to acknowledge just how divinely Mandy’s second birth occurred. Praise God for putting exactly the right people at her birth who could knowledgeably and confidently support her through such a shocking turn of events when her baby was found to be breech. Finally, let’s end where we began. Mandy said it so beautifully, “Birth is an intertwining of souls.” Mandy was surrounded not only by her husband, but also by a community of women who could comfort and encourage her. These relationships are so intimate, so deep. They can carry you through both the highs and the lows. I want to encourage everyone to foster those relationships in your own community. If you can be the shoulder for another mother to lean on, be it. And if you need that shoulder, ask for it. We need each other.

Loss. A painful subject, but a subject so near to so many women. With statistics showing that 1 in 4 women experience miscarriage, I feel it’s incredibly important to process these types of events. I want to be completely transparent about the content of this episode, as I understand that even the mere mention of miscarriage and infant loss can bring a mother and father to their knees with a wave of grief. This episode goes into detail about Ashley’s experience with loss, how it affected her life, how it affected her subsequent pregnancy, and how it has changed her as a woman today. I am so grateful for her willingness to share, and to those who need to hear it, I pray this episode serves as a glimmer of hope, or a message that you are not alone. Show Notes: Ashley’s first pregnancy was under the supervision of a traditional OB group. She spent her time considering how she would care for her baby Unfortunately, at 19 weeks, Ashley experienced the pain and grief of miscarrying her little baby. She was taken by complete shock and surprise, as she assumed she was already in the “safe zone” At her follow up appointment after her miscarriage, her OB prescribed her antidepressants without so much as a talk with Ashley about her mental state. What’s worse, the subject of her loss was taboo—she was young, so many of her peers had not experienced such a situation, and though surely well-meaning, she was consoled with many “Well, at least you’re young” and other demeaning phrases. She struggled for 6 years with her grief, with anxiety and depression until she finally found a therapist who helped her through meditation and relaxation practice. She then met her husband, Kevin They became pregnant the first month of trying to conceive Ashley was surprised at the amount of anxiety she experienced during pregnancy She took Hypnobabies and treated it as though it was a college course- using her 3rd trimester to prepare herself for pregnancy and postpartum Ashley felt she could doula herself Unfortunately, she neglected to prepare for early labor and felt lost during this time. After a long early labor and being admitted to the birth center earlier than active labor, she found herself stuck in the fear-pain-tension cycle After a midwife shift change, she felt even more off-kilter Eventually, her midwife broke her water, which provider relief Her labor stalled, and she could see that her family could feel her pain At one point, her midwife, whom she had never met before, bent down to her face and said “Remember—this is not something that is happening to you—this is something that you’re doing.” Ashley began to push immediately after, and baby was born within 20 minutes. Her postpartum experience was incredibly hard, as her husband had to travel to Germany 3 weeks after her baby was born. She moved in with her parents for help. Physically she feels it took about 5 months to return to baseline Psychologically, however, she felt it took more like a year, and even then she still felt misunderstood and uncomfortable Finally, once she weaned her daughter, she noticed one day that she felt back to normal. She waited two years and began to pursue doula work. Now Ashley is certifying as a doula through DONA and Still Birthday, and pursuing a certification in childbirth education, too. Episode Roundup: Such a powerful story. Ashley’s heart for mothers is so apparent, and I’m so grateful for the work that she is doing. Episode Roundup: As we roundup this episode, I want to focus on one key aspect: When we experience loss, it is okay, normal, and right to grieve. I beg you not to bottle up your feelings. I beg you to seek help and comfort. Ashley mentions that it took her six years to finally start to truly work through her grief. I also want to acknowledge the fact that…. Gosh, people just don’t know what to say, and that can cut so deeply. Phrases that start with “at least…” are typically not going to end well. I hope that this can serve as an educating point to those who have not experienced such a situation. Putting ourselves in the shoes of others can be difficult work, but it’s always worthwhile. Thank you for tuning into such a powerful episode, my friends. I’ll see you back here next week.

Have you ever been on a drive and say 15 minutes in you think to yourself, “Woah, how did I get here? You realize you’ve lost your way and you need to turn it around and go back to the start. In this week’s episode, we’ll be taking a look at the past, the history of midwifery and women’s care as it pertains specifically to the United States, and delving into some of the reasons that compared to many other westernized countries, women and babies in the US have abysmal outcomes. We’ll be sharing just how lost we’ve become when it comes to maternity care, and how we should really turn this car around. Janelle Alier is a Certified nurse midwife local to me, and one of the coolest women around. As she’ll explain momentarily, she’s worked with moms and babies in a number of capacities, and she recently opened her own homebirth practice, Paris Mountain Midwifery. Show Notes: Anciently (ex. Ancient Greece), women were held in high regard and valued as healers. When the mindset began to change, in a way this was the beginning of the end. This change corresponded more with religious and theological changes, not the dawn of medicine. Protestants burning “witches”—women healers Much of the knowledge gained over time began was lost with these women Colonial America- childbirth attendants were women/midwives/family matriarchs 1800s- medical schools are popping up. Physicians were around, but not trying to be involved at all 19th century—we could charge a fee! Began being interested in birth. Obstetrics Midwifery predates medicine: Rachel’s midwife is mentioned in Genesis Varney’s Midwifery includes transcripts from Doctors meetings talking about the “midwife problem” One doctor said the answer was to “educate the ignorants”. This started a campaign to portray midwives as dirty and uneducated. Laws began to change—it became illegal for midwives to practice the way they had. They now had to obtain licensure by the state, which was almost impossible to do. What’s happening to birth at this time? Physicians recognize that the midwives are more skilled and have better outcomes, but they did not try to work with or learn from the midwives. Obstetrics in its infancy—it’s not going great! Many deaths in the early years are now attributed to anesthesia They were giving morphine and narcotics, which we now know doesn’t lessen the pain, it just makes you care less… and forget. Culturally there was not a lot of accountability. Family members were told that the women didn’t survive because “birth is dangerous.” Late 50’s, early 60’s- nearly all birth occurred in the hospital In the late 60’s and 70’s, there was a small subset of the population who revived the natural childbirth movement, but by that point, the medical model was so mainstream that this movement was considered radical 80’s and 90’s- c section rates soared In the last few years, we’ve realized we’ve lost our way. The profession of midwifery is becoming more organized, though there’s not tons of money for research, scholarships etc. as there are for medical students. In South Carolina, Black Grand Midwives were the women delivering babies and taking care of the communities. What do we do? More midwives, more midwives of color, better integration of midwives and the hospital setting (if a mother needs to transport to the hospital, that should be easy). In other areas of the Westernized world (Europe, Scandanavia, the UK, Australia, New Zealand etc.) midwifery wasn’t wiped out the same way it was in the United States. And their outcomes are much better than ours. In the UK—there are 5-6 times more midwives than OBs. Everyone starts with a midwife, and if you need a physician, you get referred by your midwife. The OBs manage higher risk care while midwives manage low risk birth. In the US, only 10% of births are attended by midwives. In Alaska, it’s up to 30%, whereas in Arkansas, it’s more like 1-2%. If you overlay a map of birth out comes by state and the integration of midwives… you see that where there are more midwives practicing, there are better birth outcomes. In the US, we have 1% of planned homebirths in the home. Most American midwives work in the hospital. Globally, not only do they have more midwives, but they also have more options. You can have a midwife at home, or she can follow you into the hospital and continue care (this is not the case in the US). Episode Roundup The first thing I want to emphasize is the idea of encouraging the little ladies in our lives to embrace their healing and intuitive natures. What a spiritual gift—And truly, the best way to encourage this is to embrace it ourselves. Isn’t it amazing how in a matter of just a few generations our country lost so much birth wisdom? I’m grateful for the resurgence of midwifery, but how heartbreaking to think of where we could be now if circumstances had played out differently. Perhaps our outcomes wouldn’t be so abysmal. And finally, looking towards the future, we have a chance to make things bett

If you were a medical professional, do you think you’d be more comfortable giving birth in the hospital? Meagan and her husband, both medical professionals had their first baby outside of the hospital, and their second baby at home. Unlike many moms who decide to give birth outside of the hospital before or between hospitals, Meagan was actually introduced to the idea during her pregnancy—and it completely changed her trajectory! Listen in to this incredible episode to hear her journey. Show Notes: Before her first pregnancy, Meagan had not considered anything besides having a hospital birth A nurse she worked with asked her if she’d seen The Business of Being Born Meagan watched the documentary, and immediately went home and watched it again with her husband They both were immediately on board with having an out-of-hospital birth! Meagan self-studied through the Hypnobirthing program. She stayed incredibly active and had a great pregnancy At 39.4 Meagan began to lose her mucous plug Once labor began, she spent the majority of her time in the tub, which she found fascinating, as she doesn’t typically enjoy water Around 6pm after laboring all day, the midwife on call (not the midwife she had expected or seen during prenatal care) came to her house to check her—she was 7.5 cm and the midwife was getting frantic that they needed to head to the birth center. When they arrived, Meagan got in the tub with her husband. Soon she found herself on all 4’s as her baby began to crown. Meagan mentions that the midwife was moaning with her—which although she couldn’t talk or say anything about, she hated it. At the end, her hypnobirthing music turned off. She wanted her mom to turn it back on, but her mom did not have the password to her phone—her mom calmly asked her for the password, but unfortunately Meagan’s baby began crowning at that very moment. She yelled at her mom to “F-Off”! Her midwife gave her Pitocin without discussing it prior, and she cut the cord, though Meagan’s husband had wanted to. She didn’t get her cycle back until after she stopped nursing completely She struggled with insomnia beginning at 9 months postpartum She became pregnant as soon as she stopped nursing For this baby, Meagan had a wonderful midwife that she felt deeply connected with. When the midwife arrived at 3am when Meagan was in labor, she immediately called the backup midwife. Meagan was in the tub, but could not get comfortable. Finally she asked her husband to get in with her, and he did. This changed everything. Almost immediately she got the urge to push, yelling “I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO SHIT…” 3 minutes later, baby was born! She didn’t have to push at all! Episode Roundup: You know what’s fascinating? From my perspective, at least, there have been a number of common themes throughout the last weeks of birth stories. I’ll begin with this. Although it could not be helped on Meagan’s part, she did not jive with the backup midwife who attended her birth. Luckily, she was at a place in her labor where it did not throw her completely off track, but it certainly did bother her. This shows just how important the birth team can be. Energy can be palpable, especially in such vulnerable a time as birth. And this is a funny one- I love how moms have certain tells of approaching the end of the birthing process. For example, Meagan mentions letting expliatives fly right before baby arrives both times. This is so cute to me—I pray that doesn’t sound belittling—but some of my favorite moments at births have been when a sweet, angelic mom lets out a string of words that would make a sailor blush. Truly, it’s such an amazing glimpse into the primal state of the birthing mother—and the openness that the birthing process demands. I also love hearing how the birthing process so often brings out the best in the partner team. Meagan’s husband was such a strong support for her. The fact that him just getting in the water with her during their second birth allowed her that final piece of relaxation—that’s just so special. Finally Meagan took childbirth education seriously. You all know this is a passion for me, but I just love seeing mothers take their education and choices seriously, and Meagan absolutely did.

How did you know you were ready to become a parent? Desirea did not want children—until the moment she held her first baby in her arms. When she and her husband got married, she told him that she did not want children. He did not want children any time soon, but he did state that he always had seen himself as a dad. They decided they would wait 5 years and reevaluate. 5 years came quickly! She was still not ready. Years down the road, Desirea’s husband came to her and said, “I’m not trying to pressure, but I wouldn’t be upset if we became pregnant.” This sent Desirea into a tailspin because she was still not ready. She considered her life and realized that when she visualized herself in the future, she saw herself as a mother… to college age children. (She would joke that if she could give birth to college-age kids, she would.) She and her husband decided to stop using protection and she immediately became pregnant. She was so shocked, she initially thought the test must be wrong! She was scared, but when she told her husband, he said, “I know you’re scared, but I’m really happy.” She no longer felt alone, even with the fear. Desirea contacted two birth centers: one attached to a local hospital, and one other. The hospital-based birth center was cold and unkind on the phone, while the freestanding birth center midwife was welcoming and loving. During the pregnancy, Desirea was confronted with a terribly difficult decision: The birth center was closing. She would now have to choose between having a homebirth or a hospital birth. Desirea and her husband decided to give birth at home. She felt good, but nervous. Several weeks later, she went back and found out that her midwife had decided not to renew her license—and she would not be available at Desirea’s birth. The other female midwife was full, so she would now need to choose between a male midwife and a hospital birth. Desirea decided to use the male midwife and have her former midwife as her emotional support. She told herself, “your part-time job is to eradicate fear.” At 40 weeks and 6 days, Desirea went into labor. She was careful to stay completely hydrated to prevent exhaustion. At one point, she wanted to be on hands and knees with her bum in the air. She wondered if it was counter-intuitive, but she later figured out it was exactly what her body needed to reposition her baby. After getting in the birth pool, a wave came and her body suddenly pushed. At one point, the midwives could not find her baby’s heartbeat. At that point, the midwives encouraged her to push as hard as she could. She got the baby out quickly, but she did tear. Desirea greeted her baby- first with wonder, and then wonder turned to deep love. When she realized it was a daughter, after thinking it was a daughter throughout her pregnancy, she was overcome: “I knew you, she said.” After her first daughter, Desirea had a heartbreaking miscarriage. Two months later, she became pregnant again. She had an anterior placenta, which gave her anxiety—the difficulty finding a heartbeat and the inability to feel movements. Her second birth was much shorter. Her midwife had a feeling that it was going to be a short labor, so she got in the car before Desirea even asked her to come. Her doula arrived 45 minutes before the birth, and her midwife 20 minutes before. Suddenly she felt she needed to poop, so her midwife rushed to get everything ready. While the midwife was rushing to grab everything, Desirea pushed her baby out! Episode Round-Up: The journey to parenthood is different for everyone. Some people know from a young age they’ll want many children… for others, like Desirea, perhaps the desire sneaks up and surprises you. I love hearing the many variations that we experience as mothers, and how the love we have for our children comes in so many different forms. Desirea’s discussion of fear-clearing throughout her pregnancy was such a wonderful reminder. With negative attitudes surrounding birth being the norm, it can take quite a bit of work to overcome fear. Treating it as homework, or a part-time job, showed the commitment Desirea had to eradicating any negative feelings or anxieties she had about her upcoming birth. What a gorgeous story. I hope this touched your heart as it did mine. That’s all I have for you today, friends. I look forward to seeing you back here next week.

How do you make strong, powerful decisions…and stand by them? Dr. Kayla and her husband Anthony, before even beginning to try to conceive, felt they had been called to have a freebirth or unassisted childbirth. Of course, this group is a tiny percent within the tiny percent of moms who give birth at home within the tiny percent of moms who give birth out of hospital. So… about as niche as you can get. Yet even though it was their first birth, they felt strongly about their decision and knew it was what they were meant to do. Listen in to hear how they approached both their wild pregnancy and wild birth. Show Notes After having a vision of a spirit baby, Dr. Kayla felt called to look into unassisted birth, which she’d never even heard of before. She decided to have an unassisted pregnancy and birth, or wild birth. She and her husband were very strong in their decision and made clear boundaries for those around them She enjoyed speaking to several peers about her decision to have a freebirth. She felt that she was able to learn from them, and they were able to understand the importance of connection from her. Her labor was rather short, though she was very active through it (squatting and walking around the entire time) She timed her contractions originally by singing a song and seeing how long they took—I love this idea! Although they had no care providers, they did hire a birth photographer. Her husband was an incredible support- he always seemed to know what she needed right before she needed it At one point she went into the bathroom alone to cry and pray. She came out feeling a surge of adrenaline. Soon she realized she had a cervical lip, so after asking a friend what to do, he husband pulled her belly towards her chin for one contraction. This did the trick. She then went into the bathroom again with her husband this time. They cried, he prayed over her, then they laughed together. When she came out, another surge of adrenaline. She tried pushing once, but it felt wrong. She decided to wait…. But immediately she felt the fetal ejection reflex and baby’s head emerged while she was in a deep squat. Her husband caught the baby as he was falling back somewhat into the fireplace. Kayla was in such a euphoric state that she had an out of body experience. She mentions that she’s never felt so incredible in all of her life. Connect with Dr. Kayla! Loveandlightfamilychiropractic.com [email protected] www.freebirthsociety.com Episode Roundup: So many takeways from this episode. It was such a deep, sweet story, and I love hearing Kayla share her heart. She gave me chills with her sweet connection to her husband and baby. The biggest takeaway from this episode for me? Dr. Kayla took her decision to have a wild pregnancy and wild birth seriously. She wasn’t just leaving things up to chance—she did much preparation both mentally, physically and spiritually. She was involved with a group of other women who had chosen the same style of birth as her, and she continued her education and connection with these women as well. I love women who take full responsibility of their birthing decisions. No matter what those decisions are—be it a hospital, a home, with a room full of people or all alone… stepping into motherhood in an empowered way will change our world. Mentioned: Give Birth on Your Turf Tee Homebirth Candles The Dope Doula

I’ve got a secret for you. Your uterus is unaware of the 5-1-1 rule. This week’s episode features the birth stories of Heather, who has given birth to both of her babies at home. Her first experience of labor was with a posterior baby, and posterior babies are notorious for funky labor patterns. Her second baby, though not posterior, also gave quite a different pattern. I love these stories because they show the reality of labor: It’s different for everyone, and it’s different for every birth. So while tips and rules are great to keep in mind, we must remember that our uterus doesn’t know these tips, and it may very well do its own thing. We’ve just got to follow its lead. Also. For inquiring minds—the 5-1-1 rule is a common one given to first time moms: Call the midwife when contractions are five minutes apart, lasting a minute for one hour. And generally, this can be handy! But let’s not forget—we’ve got to be in tune with our bodies. Show Notes: Heather knew she wanted to have her babies at home after several of her church friends had homebirths Financially, she and her husband realized homebirth would be the cheaper option, and Heather has never been comfortable with the hospital seting She mentions that her first pregnancy was easy, though she did go past her due date. Fortunately, her midwife had drilled in her head that most first time moms go to 41.1 weeks. Her first baby was posterior, which made for quite a wonky labor pattern. At one point, Heather’s midwife put her in a position she called the “Texas Roll” or exaggerated sims position. One leg straight, the other leg up at a 90 degree angle and belly diagonally on the bed. This helped her finish dilating. Heather pushed for 2 hours with her first baby and did have a 2nd degree tear. However, after measuring baby’s head, her midwife informed her that she had a 15inch head… pretty big! Between her first and second birth, Heather’s midwife retired. Instead of hiring her midwife’s apprentice (who was now a working midwife), she decided to go with another midwife in town, who was also a naturopath. This was difficult for Heather, as she liked the other midwife, but she felt she’d be more comfortable with her new care provider. The night before giving birth, Heather was having contractions every 30 minutes apart. She found this amount of time to be quite annoying—as soon as she’d start to fall asleep, the contractions would wake her back up. This continued all day the next day. Even the next evening, they were still 30 minutes apart, but suddenly they were very strong when she had them. Heather’s midwife told her this had happened to her before, and not to worry. Her body would flip a switch and labor would likely go quickly. She was right! All in all, Heather’s labor (from the time of the strong contraction) was 3.5 hours. Episode Roundup I found it fascinating that Heather mentioned at the beginning of the episode that truly, when they prepared to give birth to their first baby, they recognized that homebirth was a less expensive option for them. People are often shocked to find out just how affordable this option is. Heather’s first midwife’s reminder is one of my very favorites: Most first time moms usually make it to 41.1. We psyche ourselves up for the “due date” and can often feel frustrated when it comes and goes. It’s so important to remember just how arbitrary that day really is. Finally, in my opinion, the most important piece to draw from Heather’s story: You’ve got to select a midwife that you jive well with. Not every person is going to be comfortable with every midwife—this in no way means the midwife is not a good midwife. It just means you’ve got to find the personality that aligns best with you and your family. Be sure to check around and see what options you have in your area. Of course, some areas truly don’t have many options. But when it’s possible, interview a number of practices.

Beautiful One Midwifery “But what if something goes wrong?” Perhaps the most often question asked when a homebirth mother reveals her plans to her loved ones. Sure, having a homebirth sounds like a good idea if everything goes right—but when it doesn’t? What then? Today’s episode is going to cover this topic and several more with two incredible midwives. Tiffany and Kelly are the midwifery partners behind Beautiful One Midwifery, and their perspective is so useful. I am so happy to offer this episode as a resource for you, mama who is considering homebirth, and for your loved ones who would like to know more about what happens when things “go sideways”. Such an amazing listen. Please remember that the opinions of my guest may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and although Kelly and Tiffany are midwives, none of us are acting as your overseeing medical provider, so please be sure to continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if you’re like me, your chiropractor. Show Notes: Tiffany and Kelly were both doulas before becoming midwives. They knew of each other for quite a while before realizing how similar their styles were. Both decided to go to midwifery school. Upon completion of their programs, they decided to open a practice together. Both were interested in a sustainable practice. Today’s topic: What if something goes wrong? Acknowledge that there are risks when having a baby- no matter where you give birth. 3 major complications: shoulder dystocia, hemorrhage, and need for neonatal resuscitation Kelly mentions that in truth, midwives are actually there for these specific events, not so much the easy peasy labors. Midwives are for when things “go a little sideways” They discuss how baby is always telling us a story, we just have to pay attention to what is being said. Typically if something is off, little issues here and there will begin to “ping” Tiffany and Kelly always prepare their clients for the 3 common complications prenatally. In fact, they bring their supplies (oxygen masks, tanks, etc) to the home visit to let parents see what is involved so that they are not taken by surprise if it’s needed during birth Neonatal resuscitation: About 1 in 10 babies will require at least a little extra help A few helpful breaths Postpartum Hemorrhage: They emphasize nutrition prenatally (calcium supplement) Discuss how there are a number of reasons for too much bleeding, but there are many ways to help stop it Hands outside, hands inside, herbs, and Pitocin/other prescribed medications A great way to prevent pph is a hands-off delivery of the placenta. Allowing mom to do this on her own. Shoulder Dystocia: A great idea is to ask your midwife what she typically does in the event of a shoulder dystocia Beautiful One Midwifery puts a strong emphasis on postpartum care. They have extended postpartum care packages that they offer not only their clients, but their community as a whole. I hope to see this become the norm! Learn about midwifery in your state: https://mana.org/about-midwives/state-by-state Episode Roundup: We often forget that no matter where we give birth, risk is involved. There’s no guarantee that any birth will have a specific outcome—whether at home or in the hospital The midwives model of care is amazing for catching red flags and signs of concern because care is so hands-on prenatally. This allows a true understanding of both mother and baby, so when it’s time to make a change, a change can be made safely Neonatal Resuscitation, Postpartum Hemorhhage and Shoulder Dystocia are the most common concerns, yet for all 3, midwives take specific measures to bring the situation back into the realm of normal and safe. As Tiffany said, “Everybody doesn’t just die” I want this episode to serve as a reminder- talk to your care provider! Ask them what it is that they do when complications arise so that you can feel confident. Ask them if they will show you the equipment so you’re comfortable with it beforehand. I love this idea. Finally, extending postpartum care is such an amazing idea. I love that this is so front and center in their practice and care… I pray it catches on everywhere! Keep up with Tiffany and Kelly! Instagram: instagram.com/beautifuleonemidwifery E-mail: [email protected]

In a culture where we are taught to trust our doctors, what happens when that trust comes into question? Where do you turn, and what do you do? In this week’s episode, we’ll be hearing from Casey, a mother of 4. 8 years ago when she had her first baby, her faith was comfortable in the typical medical model. After a physically traumatic first birth and a highly encouraged scheduled c-section with her second, Casey began wondering if there was a better way. Join me as we hear the way that Casey, who’s experienced 4 very different types of births, navigated her decision-making and eventually succeeded in having a triumphant birthing experience at home. Show Notes: Casey’s 1st birth (8 years ago) was a 20 hour labor. She hoped for a natural birth, but did not research or prepare before birth. Once she arrived to the hospital, she quickly received an epidural She pushed for 2.5 hours with her first baby and the doctor eventually used forceps, which led to a 4th degree tear. Because of her previous tear, with her second child, her OB recommended a scheduled cesarean. Trusting her doctor, Casey agreed. Her baby’s heart was not quite finished developing, so a NICU stay was required. She did experience some postpartum depression after this birth. For her 3rd birth, Casey wanted to take control. She prayed and asked her husband if they could interview midwives at a birth center. Although he might have initially been uncertain with the idea, by the time they left the birth center, he was on board and excited for their care. She kept her 20 week appoint with her OB. He checked her scar and said it looked good. She asked if she could try for a VBAC, he was not on board- this convinced them that the birth center was 100% the correct choice Casey pushed for 3 hours with her 3rd The baby was not in an ideal position, which caused a struggle. Eventually they recommended IV fluids, which helped tremendously. At one point, when she was struggling, her husband turned to her and said, “There are so many people praying for you.” This helped motivate Casey to continue. Finally, her baby emerged, half en caul, which her midwives believe helped prevent tearing. She had a slight skid, but the midwives assured her she did not need any stitches. To think- her OB recommended abdominal surgery, yet she didn’t even tear! Their 4th baby was a surprise. When she contacted the midwives to let them know of her pregnancy, they were so excited. Casey was, too. She discussed how going to midwifery appointments was like going to talk to a friend. She decided to have a homebirth with her midwives this time. At 38 weeks, Casey went to see a chiropractor. She got two adjustments between that time and her baby’s birth, and she feels it helped tremendously. She also hired a doula, which she felt would have been very helpful during her long pushing phase of her 3rd The night of her baby’s birth, she had her husband getting the house set up: birth pool, water, oils, music. She decided to get in the water. As soon as she did, she had back to back intense contractions. The midwives were on the way, but lived an hour away. She felt far more in control during this time. Suddenly she had 2 more contractions, and then a break. She began to wonder if this was the lull before pushing….. it was. She suddenly started pushing. After the contraction, her husband left the room to find service in the house and call the midwife. Baby’s head began to emerge, so Casey called him back in. He reached down, supported baby’s head, then caught the rest of the body as it came out and placed him on Casey’s chest. Her midwives arrived about 20 minutes after. She mentioned the sweetness of her children getting to meet their sibling the next morning and how lovely the intimacy of homebirth can be. Episode Roundup: We cannot trust others to provide us with education. Unfortunately, this is the lesson that so many of us learn through negative experiences. You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it. This is exactly why sharing our stories and experiences is so powerful. Giving other mothers the tools and education they need before having to endure a preventable traumatic birth is the goal. And of course, even more, giving mothers the tools to have an empowering, peaceful birth is the ultimate goal. Chiropractic care- what a useful practice! Even with only 2 adjustments under her belt, Casey attributes much of the success and ease of her 4th experience to being adjusted by a webster-certified chiropractor. This can be so useful to so many. When we compare the pushing phase of Casey’s 3rd birth to her 4th, it’s pretty clear that something was different and baby was in a better position. Chiropractic care is a great way to help that process. Finally, there is something so magical and intimate about homebirth. The fact that Casey and her husband were the only two present for the birth of their 4th baby, the day before their anniversary, was such a magical experience. Knowing

When it comes to finding your way to your homebirth midwife, was this an easy or difficult path for you? After 2 hospital births, Krista knew she was ready to take birth home. The issue, however, was finding a care provider. In Western PA, midwives are publicly prosecuted for attending homebirths. CPMs and traditional midwives alike are underground. Krista mentions she felt like she was calling a “black market midwife.” In this episode, we discuss it all. From birth trauma to faulty legislation…but we end the way I pray all births do… victoriously. Join me as we learn about Krista’s experience with 3 under 3. Show Notes: Krista is a corporate lawyer and mother to 3 children, ages 3 and under. She discussed how ridiculous it is that these practices and hospitals expect mothers to sign away all of their rights and consent weeks before even being in labor, or even upon entrance to the hospital. How can you give informed consent when you don’t even know the situation yet? This is why she decided to switch to the care of midwives at 28 weeks. After her first birthing experience, which was quite traumatic (they threatened to vacuum baby out simply because she pushed for 2 hours, they whisked him away immediately to NICU and she didn’t see him for 4 hours), she knew she wanted to take back birth. Though Krista experienced birth trauma, she has managed to use it for good. With her second birth, her midwives switched hospitals (it would now be 70 minutes away)—much because the hospital they were at before’s poilcies were not good for midwifery clients. For this birth, her doula was at another labor, so her backup was called. However, after speaking with the backup and telling her all that was going, the backup ended up calling HER backup…. Krista was so upset. Suddenly her mindset changed and she was now feeling the sensations as pain, where they had not seemed painful before. This shows just how much our situation and mindset can influence our perception of what we are feeling. She arrived at the hospital at 8:30 am, and baby was born at 9:17. She left the hospital knowing that she would not be coming back. In PA, it’s incredibly difficult to find a midwife because there are no midwifery regulations. She discusses how she felt like she had to find a “black market midwife” Although she was going through a difficult divorce during her third pregnancy, her experience was amazing because of her care. The midwives cared about her mental health, her life experiences, etc. This was all taken into consideration during her care. She did use traditional midwives, who did not have access to medications, testing or scans. She discusses how although she felt comfortable with this for this birth, it’s unfair that other mothers, who might not, must make these kinds of choices simply because of the state’s choices. Krista’s mother was able to make it for the birth of her third baby. She didn’t even realize the midwives and doula had arrived for quite some time, as they were quietly waiting in the corner. She had made such a gorgeous atmosphere in her room- an are where she could truly relax into labor and be present. Twinkle lights, birth pool, worship music all set the mood. She was able to have her 3 year old in the room as her daughter was born. “I felt so victorious” Keep up with Krista: recoveringsuperwoman.com Instagram.com/recoveringsuperwoman Episode Roundup: At the beginning of this episode we discussed the importance of not only learning to ask for help, but also learning to accept help. This is vital. Liability drives hospital decision-making. The best interest of the mother is not. This means that when facing the hospital setting, we have to be very aware of what is going on and PUSH for informed consent. Having a homebirth can be overwhelmingly healing. Midwives can be so phenomenal in supporting mothers in their birthing journey, no matter the emotional backdrop to the pregnancy. Care is so individual. Even during a difficult personal experience, Krista was able to find strength and victory in her homebirth experience.

Gather round, mama and papa bears. This week's episode is in celebration of our adorable, precocious 3-year-old, Janie. We'll be listening to Thomas's perspective of our pregnancy, birth and postpartum, and some of his favorite Janie-isms. Special thank you to Thomas for being willing to come back on the podcast. I love doing shows (and life in general) with you!

For those of you who have had more than one birth, I’m curious to know…. How have you changed between experiences? Have you experienced small, subtle changes over time, or has your world view vastly pivoted? Today’s guest, Kameren Moore, also goes by The Woke RN. Kameren had her first baby 14 years ago, and at that time was very comfortable with the medical establishment and felt that she was in good hands. As the years have progressed, however, Kameren’s opinions on western medicine and traditional health care have drastically shifted, and these realizations/opinions greatly influenced how she decided to give birth, especially with her most recent baby. From Pitocin and epidurals to a CBD unassisted birth, routine vaccines to ex-vaxxer, Kameren has, as she describes it, woken up to a different, more empowering way of life. I can’t wait for you to listen in. Now, I want to make something clear. This show is not only for hippies, it’s not only for non-vaxxers and the like. I know we have a diversity of listeners, and I appreciate that. You certainly do not have to agree with every aspect and choice that Kameren makes to appreciate the fact that she is one powerful, thoughtful woman who cares deeply about her family and their health. However, I personally would like for you to be open-minded about the information Kameren is sharing, and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me, or I’m sure she’d be happy for you to contact her as well. Please remember that the opinions of my guests might not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and neither one of us are acting as medical providers on this podcast, so be sure to continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if you’re like me, your chiropractor. Sit back and enjoy my discussion with Kameren, the Woke RN. Episode roundup: Here’s the biggie I took away from this episode, and it can be all boiled down into one amazing word. Any guesses? Ownership. Own. Your. Birth. I don’t care where or how you’re giving birth, this is YOUR birth. You decide what happens and how it happens. I loved hearing how Kameren gained this understanding of ownership throughout her birthing experience and even ended up having and owning her unassisted freebirth. Ownership doesn’t mean that everything goes right. I mean, we’re humans living in a broken world. Things don’t always go perfectly, whether you’re in the hospital or at home. So ownership is understanding that—and still doing all that you can to educate and prepare yourself for whatever birthing setting you choose. And the last point I want to make, which is somewhat of a bonus point, is Kameren’s discussion of fear-clearing. Another huge aspect of the mindful homebirth formula. We’ve got to clear our fears (through education) to allow space for all of the good emotions. If you’re excited to dive into this more, be sure you have downloaded my free Mini Course, The Happy Homebirth Essentials Mini Course.

Do you bring a beginner’s mind to your births? What do I even mean by that? I look forward to Amber’s stories today specifically for this reason. Even with 5 births, Amber learned that each baby will be born in his or her own unique way. Learning to let go of all of the assumptions of what birth is or is not is a great way to enter labor. Recognizing that this is a new birth, a new baby, a new experience can help us let go of expectations and become intuitive with what we need and want each time. Before we get started, I want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving! This year, I am thankful for you. I’m so thankful for the mothers I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard, and the listeners I’ve connected with. You’ve all been such a blessing to me, and I pray each day that this podcast will be a blessing to you, wherever you are in your journey. I hope this brings you comfort, encouragement, and the understanding that you are so powerful and so incredible. I’m honored to be able to play a small part in your birthing or motherhood journey. If you’re feeling a little loving, I’d be so grateful for you to take a moment to leave a review on iTunes. This is such a helpful way for the podcast to grow. If you’re selected as the reviewer of the week, I’ll be sending you a Happy Homebirth Podcast Sticker. You can also take a quick screenshot of you listening to this episode and upload it to your Instagram stories. Tag @happyhomebirthpodcast and I”ll be sure to share it in my stories, too! Finally- looking for a great gift for your midwife, homebirth mama friend, or yourself? Happy homebirth t shirts are available again! You can score yours through the website or the link in my Instagram bio! 3 different styles to choose from, and several colors in each! I personally love the baseball tee. Okay, let’s waste no time. Amber has such goodness to share with us! Please remember that the opinions of my guest may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and neither one of us are medical professionals, so continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if you’re like me, your chiropractor. Amber is a British born mom who has had babies both in the US and abroad She’s a doula of 10 years Her first 2 babies were hospital births because she lived in Missouri, where midwifery was practically illegal at the time After her first 2 births, she and her family moved to Scotland, where she had her third baby, a surprise breech birth They moved back to the States when she was heavily pregnant with her fourth baby Moved bac to Missouri and had a homebirth Her first baby was rather textbook, with contractions getting longer, stronger and closer together. However, her hospital experience was upsetting when after her baby was born, they would not allow her to bond immediately, taking the baby off for they routine procedures. All the while, Amber was saying, “My baby! My baby!” Her second baby was born basically unassisted with the doctor and nurse missing the birth! One great thing about the UK is that there is a duty to provide care, so even if you’re “high risk” Her third pregnancy was hard because she had Symphisis Pubic Disorder She spoke to a midwife on the phone and realized one she liked was about to be on call—she immediately began having contractions When the midwives got there, she wanted to get in the pool. They didn’t discourage her, but it was obvious they thought it was too soon. Within 45 minutes she was pushing As baby was “crowning”, she put her hand down and realized a bottom was coming out Her head was still inside, but she can feel the baby swimming in the water with her legs! Luckily, the relaxed midwife was there, and she said, “It’s fine, just wait for your next contraction and everything is fine and her head will come out. Amber is so grateful she didn’t have a vaginal exam She mentions how her third birth felt quite different- she didn’t want pressure on her back like she had before, but appreciated pressure on her sides. She also had a desire to lean forward. Later, she learned that this is often how moms feel and respond to breech babies The midwives didn’t touch the baby at all as she emerged, though she did keep her hand on Amber’s back to remind her to keep her body in the water. Once baby was born, she was alert, but not breathing. The midwives cut the cord a few minutes after being born and gave her a few breaths. Amber says in hindsight she would have asked them to wait. Amber made certain that her midwife with her next baby would be comfortable catching a breech birth just in case the next was breech as well. Her next birth was incredibly uncomfortable—the opposite of her breech birth The Miles Circuit eventually helped baby get into a good position. http://www.milescircuit.com/ Once again with this midwife, she was discouraged from getting into the pool—she decided not to get in because the “expert” didn’t think it was a good idea. The baby was born 30 minutes later in the pool with an inch of water With her most rec

Liberated birth. What a powerful phrase. What does it bring to mind to you? For me, I think of a woman who has decided to take full ownership of her birthing experience. A woman who is completely in—no matter where or how she’s decided to give birth. A woman who has taken the time to educate herself on the intricacies of birth. I’d love for you to ponder this idea of liberated birth as we speak to today’s guest, Ilka Bee, the founder and creator of Liberated Birth Movement. You’ll hear all about what that is, along with Ilka’s own liberated birth experience as we dive into this episode. And this perspective is so useful- I know I’ve mentioned it before, but my birthing comfort zone is at home with a certified professional midwife. However, this is, of course, not the case for everyone! Some moms prefer more, some less. This episode will focus more on “less” variety, and I love it for that. And what’s more, we’ve got two episodes coming up at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 that will delve into the freebirth stories of two moms. And if you’re looking for another episode on the topic, be sure to check out episode 40, Shayla Has an Empowered Freebirth. I’ll link it in the show notes! Okay, switching gears quickly. I want to take a minute or two here to be super open and honest with you guys. If you caught last Friday’s Facebook live, you heard a bit of this already. I want to acknowledge something: I haven’t been practicing what I preach lately. When it comes to postpartum care and sustainability as a whole, I have really dropped the ball in the last two or three months, and I’ll tell you why. After having Lillian, I was hit with this amazing, wonderful surge of creativity and clarity. If you’ve been listening to my podcast for a while, you know I take my faith seriously, and I knew the holy spirit was urging me to create a childbirth education program. This happened to me before—in fact, it’s exactly how this podcast was created in the first place. It’s how I decided to launch this podcast on January first of this past year. So… when I was hit with the realization that I was to create a childbirth education program for homebirth mamas, I went full steam ahead. I never asked for guidance on the timeline, I just decided—Let’s do January 1st of 2020. Plenty of time, right? Well, turns out wrong. And now, a few months in, I’m so burnt out and overwhelmed. I’ve been staying up well past midnight most nights, I work through my girls’ nap time, and when I’m not able to be working on the course, I’m stressing about the course. I’ve allowed it to consume my life—all because of this arbitrary date I created before recognizing how much work this course would entail and without acknowledging the fact that the season I am in requires slowness and rest. So. All that to say—I’m not going to launch the course on January first. I’ve got most of the content created, as I am nearing the end of the live version with my founding members… but there is just so much more to do, to create, to clean up. I want this course to be perfect and I want it to be made in a manner of glorification, not desperation. After the holidays I’ll have a much better idea of when an appropriate/healthy launch date is, and I’ll certainly let you know. In the meantime, if you were really looking forward to the January launch, just shoot me an email. I’m sure there’s a way we can still work together to prepare you, it just won’t be in the form of my beautiful, complete digital childbirth education course. So thank you guys for my quick little… admittance. I’ve definitely blown off course and it’s time to get back on. If you’re in a similar season as me and you’re overworking, consider this your reminder to cool your jets, mama. We’ve got to take care of ourselves so we can continue take care of our sweet families. Alright, sidebar closed. Let’s get on with the show. Take a screenshot now! Upload it to Instagram stories and tag happyhomebirthpodcast so I can share it in my stories, too! Leave me a review on iTunes so I can send you a happy homebirth sticker and read it on air! Show Notes: Ilka is a liberated birth coach- educating women about how to have a pregnancy and birth outside of the medical system Moved from Germany to India to California and became a prenatal yoga teacher Studied massage therapy and prenatal massage Began being asked to attend births- got kicked out of several hospitals because she was adamant about protecting her clients Started apprenticing with a midwife- 4 years of schooling, was about to take her NARM exam to license and suddenly her intuition began telling her not to Attended the Indie Birth Conference in Sedona and felt very connected to the movement. Decided she did not want to work for the State, and only for her clients. Works as an online birth coach to teach women how to get through all the pitfalls of birth and pregnancy Ilka discusses the trauma of watching obstetric violence occur in the hospital In a freebirth

Why? Do you feel clear on the reasons you've chosen the path of homebirth.... or natural childbirth in general? Join me today as we speak with Brooke Collier of Sister Birth and discuss her amazing guide "7 Mistakes Many Mamas Make When Planning Their Natural Birth...And How to Avoid Them". Show Notes: Brooke is a mother to 4 children, all of whom were born at home She has worn many hats over the last 10 years: photographer, birth photographer, student midwife, and doula. She's always been more on the "crunchy" side, so even before marriage she knew she wanted to have a homebirth. She discussed this with her to-be husband very early on. First baby: 48 hours of pretty active labor at home in 90 degree weather – emerging 5 hours after pushing felt amazing She had a narrative in her mind that she'd "performed badly," which she worked through with her midwife team postpartum After a 48 hour marathon birth, Brook next gave birth to her biggest baby... within 5 hours. She attributes this to feeling very connected with her baby during labor After first child, part of her barter with her midwife was to photograph a birth. This was her first experience at a homebirth that wasn't hers. After 4th child began working as a student midwife- attended 43 births in 9 months…. Was not sustainable As a holistic health coach and Master’s in psychology (counselor), she began working as a doula She then created a class that infused her Christian faith with both all of her other offerings and created SisterBirth, an online class Mentioned in this episode: Embrace: A Sisterly Guide to Having Babies Beautifully 7 Mistakes Many Mamas Make When Planning Their Natural Birth… and How to Avoid Them! Believe in Midwifery Interview 1 Believe in Midwifery Interview 2 Believe in Midwifery Interview 3

Hey. You. You reading this. You pregnant mama. Guess who is charge of your birth. Go on, guess. If you answered with anything besides "me," I want you to rethink your answer. Today's episode with Juliana discusses so many important aspects of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. One of the biggest takeaways comes in the form of the discussion Juliana had with her midwife about what decisions she was comfortable with for her birth and postpartum. I know you're going to want to listen in for this amazing wisdom! Show Notes: -Had a planned, assisted homebirth -Has never been a fan of medical intervention, so knew she would want to avoid that in her birth experience -Juliana’s neighbor had a homebirth right next door, and she encouraged Juliana to have a homebirth -She recognized the importance of understanding what was happening in her body as she was in labor -Learned about the process of induction and realized she did not want to be induced. -Her partner was very on board with the idea of having a homebirth “We’re in this together—we’re having a homebirth” -Juliana continued to work out and eat healthy. The big difference was that she couldn’t go hours and hours without eating—she was ravenous! -Drank lots of red raspberry leaf towards the end of pregnancy -Katelyn’s favorite pregnancy tea https://nourishedkitchen.com/pregnancy-tea-recipe/ -Juliana recognized that she was truly the one in charge of her birthing decisions: she knew it was her midwife’s job to convey the information, but her job to ultimately decide -B.R.A.I.N. acronym -Juliana was crampy on and off throughout her pregnancy. She felt lots of uterine sensations -On a Tuesday afternoon she felt her cramps beginning to intensify and get consistent -Her midwife insisted that she sleep between contractions, and she did. -She knew how important it was for Juliana to give birth at home, so she stressed how important it was for her to rest during her early labor -Early labor Tuesday night and all of Wednesday. Thursday early morning things got intense. She called her midwife over around 3:30 -Was worried she wouldn’t enjoy the birth pool, but once she got in she admitted it was amazing. -Wanted to labor in the pool, but to give birth on land. But by the time she was ready to push the baby out, she was staying in the water. -Juliana was in active labor for 6 hours, and her baby was born at 8:30 in the morning. -She says that the end of her labor was intense, but not unbearable- she feels that much of that is related to her mindset. -Her midwife said, “I want you to grunt.” This seemed to help her control her breathing. -We discuss how birth is so ordinary and extraordinary -Juliana acknowledges that you can prepare both physically and mentally for birth. If you go in feeling petrified, you’re probably not going to open up, and it will probably be difficult. -She took lots of care to help position her baby properly. She used Spinning Babies positions to align her baby optimally. -Juliana was determined to work at pregnancy and do all she could to put the odds in her favor. -Her immediate postpartum experience was difficult, though she did read Dr. Aviva Romm’s book Natural Health After Birth - He was possibly jaundiced, so sleepy, which made the initial nursing a struggle -She mentions how the stress of that situation, she feels caused her milk supply to tank…which caused more stress, and it became somewhat cyclical. -She admits that getting breastfeeding down took probably two solid months. -Juliana discusses how, yes, nursing is hard for the mother, but wow, it’s hard work for the baby! Mentioned in this Episode: Pregnancy Tea

Show Notes: Madeline Murray, CPM and wonderwoman behind Believe in Midwifery has put her heart and soul into her new course, Believe in Midwifery's Guide to Sustainable Practice. This episode discusses: how the course came about who the course is for what it entails what it isn't and more information on where you'll be seeing Madeline in the upcoming months Here is the link to go purchase your course today! For more podcasts with Madeline: Believe in Midwifery with Madeline Murray A Midwife's Long Labor For more information on Madeline: Instagram Website

I want to start out with a phrase I hear from a lot of mothers. “Oh, I had a really long labor.” And in my experience, a “really long labor can be anything from 9-48 hours, depending on the mother.” I consider my first birth to have been obnoxiously long. I went into early labor on a Thursday night and didn’t have my daughter until 2am on Saturday morning. Whew. Long one. Madeline, however takes the cake when it comes to long labors, as you’ll hear in her birth story. Today’s guest is no stranger to the podcast. I interviewed Midwife Madeline Murray on episode 23, and we discussed her brand, passion, life’s work, Believe in Midwifery. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, I highly recommend you scoot on over right after you finish this one. I’ll make it easy for you and put the link in the show notes. Even more excitingly, this is not the only episode you’ll be hearing from Madeline this week. Nope! Be sure to tune back in this Wednesday, as we celebrate the launch of Madeline’s new course, Believe in Midwifery’s Guide to Sustainable Practice. It’s an amazing episode for both midwives and mothers, so don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite platform so you don’t miss it. Speaking of your favorite platform, if you wouldn’t mind, I would be so grateful for you to head over to iTunes and leave a review for the show. Reviews are so helpful for reaching more mothers, and I know you want to get the homebirth message out as much as I do! Remember that if you leave a review, you have the opportunity to be selected as the reviewer of the week, and I’ll give you a podcast shout-out and e-mail you a happy homebirth sticker. So….worth the 3 minutes. Okay, on with the show! Please remember that the opinions of my guest may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and although Madeline is a care provider, neither one of us are functioning in that role during this episode, so continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if you’re like me, your chiropractor. Let’s jump in! Show Notes As a midwife, Madeline says she was a terrible pregnant woman. She thought her clients told her everything, so when little things would be different, she would always wonder, “Wait, is this normal!?” She would go to her friends, who always asked her the questions! “Yep, you just sound pregnant.” “It was humbling to ask for help.” Her plan was to have as much of an “unassisted” birth as possible. She wanted her friend Jen, who is a midwife, to come to Atlanta from Oregon when she was in labor and be there with her, but wanted a hands-off situation. She knew that “anything” could happen. The only thing she wasn’t expecting—was her water breaking before Went to Scollini’s for dinner—wanted to have an eggplant baby (the restaurant is known for sending moms into labor) Water broke that night (Sunday night) Had a full day of no contractions. Early morning, around 8, she got out of bed because she was having somewhat significant contractions “Classic first time mom”: tells her friend she can come over and have coffee, calls her mom, calls her sister-in-law After an hour or so she noticed she wasn’t progressing, so she kicked everyone out. Around dinner time, finally her contractions started picking up somewhat. Madeline and her family members played Settlers of Catan that evening By 3 in the morning, she was definitely in active labor. Got in the birth tub around 5 am and started feeling some pressure (Wednesday morning) Madeline decides to check herself, and can only feel baby’s head and the pubic bone. She got into a deep squat for a few contractions and pushed hard. She then decided to have her friend check her. She was 7 cm… #classicfirsttimemom Had her sister-in-law text all of their friends and family asking for prayers and energy. Her mom sent a text to all of the ladies at church asking for prayer She needed her tribe to be there with her—every time she had a contraction, everyone would moan and sway with her. “I needed help, and I had people there to help me”-Madeline on her tribe Jen finally checked her again, and realized the baby was “asynclitic” or cattywompus 5 or 6 pm on Wednesday night. Decided to lay flat on the couch--- suddenly had an insane seizing spasm on the left side of her body. It made her throw up Happened every 30 minutes, and thinks it was causing adrenaline which prevented oxytocin—slowed her contractions, so none of the positions they were trying moved the baby Had her brother come over to help massage her back Had one more of the spasms and said, “I’m done- this has to stop” Decided to head to the hospital. No bag packed, no car seat installed” Her brother and husband installed the seat and they left The first nurse was uncomfortable with Madeline’s refusal of tests, so they brought in another nurse, who was wonderful Madeline declined things, crossed things out, and refused to sign away consent Got an epidural, the spasms finally stopped Hated the lights, the beeping, the stress She feels that t

Episode 47: Elizabeth Wolfrey What do you do when you realize you’re unhappy with the care you’re receiving prenatally? Elizabeth found herself in this position, for the second time, during her second pregnancy. Fortunately, she had learned much since her first experience, and she was unwilling to stand by as the positive birth she desired slipped away. Elizabeth, like so many other courageous moms, made a change later in the game—but certainly in time. Before we dive into this episode, I have to give a big thank you to the founding members of Happy Homebirth Academy. Our group begins Tuesday, October 22nd, and I am so excited for the feedback they’ll be providing me as I refine this childbirth education program specifically with you, the homebirth mother, in mind. I can’t wait to share the tools to a mindful, peaceful homebirth with you in January. If you’re interested in a small taste of what’s to come, be sure to check out the Happy Homebirth Essentials Mini-Course, which includes 5 tips to having a successful homebirth. You can pick that up at myhappyhomebirth.com/essentials. Go ahead and take a screenshot of this episode and upload it to your Instagram stories. As always, you know I’ll share it on my stories, too! And hooray! New stickers are officially in! If you’re loving this show, I’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to head to itunes and leave a review. If you’re selected as the reviewer of the week, I’ll be sending you one of these sweet new stickers. Short and sweet. That’s all I have for you right now, so as we enter into this interview, please remember that the opinions of my guest might not reflect my own and vice versa, and neither my guest or myself are acting as medical providers, so please continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if you’re like me, you’re chiropractor. Show Notes: Elizabeth Has PCOS, so did have a bit of a difficult time becoming pregnant in the first place Had a hospital birth with her son (first birth). Induced at 39 weeks- not a reason that they induced her. She wanted to be induced, so they did. Short labor, only 12 hours Showed her Dr a picture of mucous, to which the Dr. said, “Ugh, I don’t want to see that!” Didn’t switch to a midwife with her second birth until 25 weeks. At first, her husband was uncertain that Elizabeth would be able to cope at home. Discussed the fact the appointments were always 1hour + Husband’s big question: “Well, what if something happens?” -It’s birth. Things do happen sometimes and you deal with it as it comes. But typically everything goes okay -Once they had a successful experience, he was so happy -Got to a point where she decided they weren’t going to tell anyone unless they knew they’d be supportive because they weren’t interested in negativity during such an important time as pregnancy Tractor-tractions Stopped at WENDY’S ON THE WAY Felt like she needed to poop…. Actually did need to poop. Labored in the water, then really enjoyed laboring on hands and knees, then was laboring facing the back of the toilet, which helped open things up. Her water broke. Contractions were very strong Mentions that one of her midwives reminded her of a mom figure, and she really loved that. Felt the fetal ejection reflex—enjoyed pushing Discusses the calmness of her baby—the way that you’re brought into the world can make such a difference Episode Roundup: There’s so much we can glean from this episode. One of my favorite parts is the work that both Elizabeth and her husband did to prepare for their second birth. She read Ina May books, they watched The Business of Being Born, and they even took a childbirth education class together to understand what her body would be doing during labor… this was all after having given birth before! There’s always so much to learn. I love how Elizabeth compares the way her baby was born to the calmness of her personality now. Perhaps this isn’t always the case, but I do feel that the overwhelming, undisturbed love her daughter must have felt during those first moments on Earth certainly cause healthy, positive hormones that can ground us all beautifully. Finally, I want to tie things up the way we began. Elizabeth didn’t switch to the care of out-of-hospital midwives until 25 weeks pregnant with her second. But you know what? It wasn’t too late in the game. In fact, as long as there’s time left on the clock, even if it’s down to the very end, there’s still time for a change. Please remember that you’re the one in charge- I beg that you don’t let anyone take that power away from you. Okay, my friends. I hope you loved this interview like I did, and I look forward to seeing you back here, next week. Instagram.com/raisingwolfs

“I want to have a homebirth with my second, but I’d feel safer giving birth in the hospital with my first baby.” I hear this from so many moms. And I get it! With so much propaganda and misinformation regarding the safety of homebirth, I certainly see why so many moms feel this is the best option. And for many, it really is! They’ll feel more comfortable and just as empowered at the hospital. But for others, they expect that having a natural birth in the hospital will be easier than giving birth at home, and once they experience the deep-rooted disempowerment that may occur at the hospital, they long to have considered homebirth more and swear to give birth at home the next time. I mean, listen back to just a few interviews and you’ll hear this theme again and again. In today’s episode, we’ll be speaking with Elena, who decided to do just that: give birth naturally at the hospital first. We’ll hear her experience- both the good and not-so-good, and we’ll learn how to prepare ourselves in advance should we decide to give birth there, or perhaps we’ll skip it all together and just stay home. Episode Roundup: Wow, there’s so much to say about this brilliant episode. I’m so grateful that Elena came prepared to discuss both the pros and cons of her birthing experience in such detail. The main point I want to bring up as we wrap things up is this: if you’re more comfortable giving birth in the hospital, own that. The point of this episode is not to make you feel concerned. Rather, it’s to inform you before you get there what you may expect and come into contact with, and be prepared. I want to mention Elena’s sage advice of having a dedicated birth team to shoo away those care providers who just aren’t understanding the word “no.” This is critical in my opinion. And of course, coming from someone who clearly loves homebirth, I want to remind you that many of the struggles you could face in the hospital are not struggles you’ll likely face in the homebirth setting. As always, do your own research. And if you decide homebirth is right for you, check out my free homebirth mini course… a teeny smidge of a taste of what to expect when the full course launches in January. Mentioned in this Episode: Evidence Based Birth- Group B Strep Happy Homebirth Academy Happy Homebirth Essentials Mini Course T Shirts!

Show Notes: Preparation for childbirth: Did you take it seriously? Now, don’t get me wrong. This certainly does not look the same for everyone. For many, it’s a formal class. For others, however, it can be as simple as a grounding mantra. “This is the birth that I wanted.” Alla remembers reciting these 7 words to herself each time she would feel any sense of nervousness over her upcoming homebirth. She knew she could do it—after all, she had given birth before in the hospital, and quickly at that. But this phrase helped her maintain a mindset of both gratitude and positivity. Alla was grateful to have a homebirth. In fact, when she mentioned the idea to her husband for the first time, he thought the idea was ridiculous. Giving birth at home? When there’s a perfectly good hospital down the road? No thank you. But Alla persisted. After bringing up this whole “homebirth thing” several times, Alla’s husband decided it’d be worth discussing with their midwives (these midwives work in both the hospital and home setting). After the meeting, he was on board. They were doing it—they were having a homebirth. In the end, their second daughter entered the world beautifully. And now? Her husband is the first to exclaim the benefits of homebirth! Alla mentioned several amazing benefits of homebirth: The peacefulness of giving birth in your own home, the beauty of having a small and loving support team to help you settle in (and even troubleshoot) postpartum, and the cleanliness compared to the massive amounts of bacteria and infection that can be found at the hospital. All incredibly valid reasons to just stay home! Homebirth. It has a way of drawing us back in. Alla admits that because of their beautiful birthing experience, the idea of another baby isn’t such a bad idea…

Show Notes: Births are like snowflakes. Individual, unique, and often wet. But we’ll focus on the first two. Jessica’s 3 birth stories are hyper-unique and unexpected… and you’re going to love them! From a game time decision to have a homebirth with her first (seriously-she was in labor) to a shocking position of baby number two, to a much heavier baby #3… Jessica’s birth stories vary dramatically. And most beautifully, after all of these experiences, Jessica’s message to pregnant women everywhere is this: don’t be fearful! She notes how much fear is infused in our culture regarding birth, but how unnecessary this truly is. Listen in to the end to hear Jessica’s advice on how to care for yourself and your emotions when it comes to the naysayers. Episode Roundup: How amazing is it that there will never be a birth just like yours? AND you will never give birth exactly the same way twice. What an amazing opportunity for growth and experience, and what a privilege. I just love Jessica’s discussion of fearfulness and how it serves no purpose in birth. It’s so encouraging to hear women cheering each other on and reminding one another of their strength and power. The fact that our culture is just steeped in fear, especially regarding childbirth—which should be so beautiful—is a tragedy. Often times this fear seems to be surrounding the idea that birth is either dangerous or painful or both. This podcast exists to show that those are not the only options! Birth is safe, and there’s PLENTY that can be done in the realm of comfort. If you’re curious about that, be sure to check out the cute little pain relief cheat sheet I made for you at myhappyhomebirth.com/painrelief This little infographic cheat sheet syncs up beautifully with the series of Facebook live videos I’m currently in the middle of. Be sure to check ‘em out! Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community. Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor! Ready to have a Happy Homebirth? Click here for my free audio mini-course! Pain Relief Cheat Sheet

Show Notes: Hillary Talbott Roland is the co-creator of the Art of Acupuncture in St. Petersburg, FL and the author of Fertile Minds Radio. She is a wholistic fertility specialist, board certified in Traditional Chinese Medicine and reproductive medicine. She utilizes the modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine; acupuncture, herbalism & meditation as well as coaching and functional medicine to help her clients realize their fullest capacity of health before, during and after conception in person as well as virtually. Her main goal is to elevate the health of the planet two generations at a time. Fertile Minds Radio Work With Hillary Instagram Hillary's Clinic Also Discussed in This Episode: Believe in Midwifery Dr. Viva Romm Podcast Taking Charge of Your Fertility Ava Bracelet

Show Notes: Picture this: You’re pregnant for the second, third, or maybe fifth time. What do you do? I mean, you’ve done this before. You certainly know all there is to know, right? This week’s guest, Elizabeth Bauer, takes education seriously, and just because she’s done something once doesn’t mean she isn’t going to learn and prepare even more for the next go ‘round. Elizabeth takes us on a journey of her birthing experiences. From a frenzied birth center birth to a birth without the midwife present, to finally a mindful and peaceful third birth—Elizabeth was bent in improving her experience every time. We’ll hear how: - the clothing choices of her midwife at her first birth subconsciously threw off her game -she learned that she knows her body better than anyone else, even professionals - love and laughter can bring on a baby in a hurry -and how mindfulness gave her the most beautiful, present birth yet. I’m so excited to share this story, as it is a beautiful example of why I find childbirth education so important. This episode is exactly why I am creating my own childbirth education program. Mindful, present homebirths are what I want for all of you, and I’m making the perfect program to help you achieve that goal. Elizabeth’s journey is incredible. I’m so grateful she was able to impart both beautiful storytelling and wisdom with us!

Show Notes: Under what circumstances would you decide to give birth at home? In the hospital? Today’s episode explores this idea, as we delve into Rhiannon’s birth stories. Rhiannon experienced two lackluster hospital births, one of which was very aggressive in nature. It was at this point that she decided to learn more about birth. After finding out she was pregnant with her third, Rhiannon reached out to a midwife. She was so excited to begin care… until she found out she was pregnant with twins. What would she do now? Listen in to hear how Rhiannon handled this interesting situation. After Rhiannon’s twin birth, she became pregnant one more time. With this baby, surely she’d have a homebirth. Unfortunately, as labor approached, Rhiannon began bleeding and realized quite quickly that she was in an emergent situation. She headed to the hospital to receive the care she needed. Today’s episode is full of ups and downs. Rhiannon’s positivity and encouragement are a light through it all! Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community. Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor!

Have you ever considered what it would be like to give birth as intimately as possible? This certainly may look different for different people. For example—for me, giving birth as intimately as possible meant having just my husband and best friend/apprentice in the room with me for the majority of my labor, with the rest of my birth team filing in at the very end. For Shayla and others, this means giving birth completely alone—with just their family at home. Many people call this unassisted childbirth, or freebirth. Although I personally love and respect midwifery and the comfort of having a Certified Professional Midwife attend my births, it’s important to acknowledge and recognize that that’s not the only way people choose to give birth at home. I also find it important to not that unassisted childbirth is legal in all 50 states—whereas the legality for CPMs to attend homebirths varies from state to state. Annoying? Yes. But true. Today we speak with Shayla, who has experienced a vast array when it comes to childbirth. From giving birth at her mother-in-law’s house (a feat in and of itself) to a hospital, to home alone, she’s done it all (and with grace, I might add!). In the beginning (you’ll get this pun later), Shayla decided to have a homebirth with her first child. She did this because she didn’t want to deal with the pressures and protocols of the hospital. Shayla knew she wanted to give birth naturally, and she felt that hospital staff would make her labor more difficult. She found a student midwife to act as her care provider. At that time, Shayla knew no one who was giving birth at home. She’d become more natural in many ways—from learning how to cure a toothache, to fertility support, and now in relation to homebirth. She went on to have her second baby at home, too, though home had moved from Mississippi to Phoenix, Arizona. With her third baby, Shayla ended up using a Certified Nurse Midwife in the hospital. She discusses the lack of African American midwives, and how finding one can be very difficult. We discussed the fact that Sistamidwife has a directory for these providers. Although she was able to give birth naturally in the hospital, Shayla acknowledges the difficulty she experienced. With so many people coming in and out, it was difficult for her to get into the groove of labor. She found it frustrating that she’d have to have “tiny arguments” with the staff about what she knew she needed for her body. With her fourth child, she maintained relationship with her CNM. She went to prenatals regularly, though all the while she planned to give birth to her baby alone with her family at home, assuming she remained healthy. Fortunately, Shayla did remain healthy and confident. She gave birth to baby #4 on the floor in her front room after her children had gone to bed. She said that once she began pushing, baby came so fast that her husband almost missed catching him! Speaking of her husband, Shayla discusses how supportive he was, and how he has always thought she’d be a great candidate for a “freebirth”. Mentions In this Episode: Spinning Babies Sista Midwife Sista Girl Midwifery (North Charleston, SC Liberated Birth Movement Keep up with Shayla: Website Instagram Facebook Blog Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community. Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor!

Show Notes: For those of you who have experienced it—was postpartum anything like you thought it would be? In fact—did you even spend much time considering it before your first birth? I’ll be the first to say that with my first child, I didn’t pay nearly enough attention to postpartum. Sure, I considered breastfeeding… but I expected this to be the one potentially difficult aspect of new motherhood. I didn’t expect the anxiety, and I certainly didn’t expect rage. But postpartum hormones can be…intense. Chelsea shares this experience. As a mother who gave birth at home with her first, she felt she’d set herself up for success. And she had! However, that’s not the end of the work for any new mom (or at least, it shouldn’t be!). She discusses how after a gorgeous first birth, Chelsea struggled with deep postpartum anxiety and rage. Having this experience pushed Chelsea to create Postpartum Together—an online coaching group dedicatied to the postpartum mother. She’s created a 5-month curriculum that helps mothers navigate postpartum… together. This deep understanding of the postpartum experience certainly came in handy for Chelsea after her second daughter was born. At the 20-week ultrasound, Chelsea and her husband were informed that their daughter had a congenital heart defect. She was able to give birth naturally (and very quickly!) at the hospital, but her daughter had to undergo heart surgery at 5 months of age—another deep stress and anxiety. Chelsea’s realness and positive outlook are an amazing encouragement for all of us, and she is doing a phenomenal job of bringing women together at such a transformative time. Keep up with Chelsea! www.strivelesslivemore.com www.instagram.com/chelsb.skaggs Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home- Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community. Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor!

Do you ever consider the similarities and differences of homebirth, and birth in general, around the globe? Episode 37 gives a glimpse into the maternity care of women in Ireland by following Emer’s journey from hospital to homebirth. Emer is a fitness-loving mother of 3 located on the western coast of Ireland. She owns a women’s gym where she works with women in all stages of life, with a specific love of helping women pre and postnatally. She and her business partner run an online blog called Food Fitness Fertility. They are dedicated to teaching women how to care for themselves, track their cycles, and learn about fertility options other than the traditional route of IVF. Emer’s first two births took place in the hospital, but because of her uncomplicated pregnancies and the swiftness of her second labor, she decided to give birth at home with her third baby. After a beautiful, uncomplicated pregnancy, life became hard at 34 weeks when her husband sustained a leg injury from a sports complication. The injury required surgery and 6 weeks in a brace at 90 degrees. Emer’s last bit of pregnancy was spent caring for her 2 young children and her husband. Though exhausted, she is grateful for all of the preparation she did beforehand. Luckily, her baby waited to be born until her husband was out of the brace and available to help. Unfortunately, on the day that early labor began, her children were feverish and sick. Labor took place overnight, however, and her children slept through the main event (though one did wake soon after with a fever—and woke the second child up, too! Oh, parenthood.) Emer’s last birth was quick and uncomplicated, and her baby came out both crying and peeing! She discusses the importance of taking care of ourselves and understanding our cycles when it comes to pregnancy. Emer discusses how much emphasis is put on not getting pregnant when we are teens, but there is no information on HOW to get pregnant, which she finds just as important. Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home- Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community. Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor!

Did you decide to have a homebirth with your first baby, or did this decision take place later down the line? For mamas pregnant with your first, do you ever find yourself thinking, "Perhaps I'll have a homebirth... with my second..."? As a doula, Alexa experienced a number of births before becoming pregnant. This experience pushed her towards the open arms of her homebirth midwives. She knew that she wanted to give birth naturally... and she felt certain that that goal would be more difficult to achieve in the hospital setting, where the type and attitude of whatever care providers happened to be working that day could truly color her birth experience. And so... with the support of her husband, midwives and doula, Alexa had an amazing homebirth. Mentioned in this Episode: Believe in Midwifery Discount Code: HAPPY20 Lactation Cookies Alexa's Written Birth Story Keep Up With Alexa Instagram Website Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home- Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community. Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor!

Is there anything more transformative than birth? Than being reborn as a mother for the first, second, or sixth time? For so many, birth is a catalyst into the next phase of life- not only on the maternal front, but also on the passion and career front. This is exactly what happened to Stefanie. After experiencing her own birth with midwives, she was set on fire with a passion for women and babies. She became a Lamaze instructor, a midwife’s assistant, and a doula. How amazing! During today’s episode, we discuss this transformation and the birth stories that caused this shift. Show Notes: Stefanie found out she was pregnant with her first child the same week she and her husband had moved from New York to Atlanta. She knew exactly where she would give birth in New York, but had to search for a care provider now that she was in a completely different location. Luckily, Stefanie found a supportive midwife group in one of the local hospitals. She enjoyed her experience with the midwives, and was grateful for their recommendation of hiring a doula for her labor. Stefanie’s first labor was arduous and full of back pain with a baby who was in the posterior position for most of labor. It was quite a long one, spanning 24 hours, so her doula came in handy. Stefanie dilated to 8cm…. and then remained there for 8 hours. She spent much of her time in the shower (accidentally flooding the room at one point!). She was quick to acknowledge that had she not been with the midwives, it’s very likely that she would have ended up with a c-section. Finally, even though baby was very high and she was at an 8, her midwives encouraged her to try pushing. They tried every position imaginable, and amazingly, after 2.5 hours, her baby was born! Stefanie did struggle with some postpartum anxiety after her first child. With her second pregnancy, she thought, “That went so well last time- why don’t we just do it at home?!” Between the two births, Stefanie had become a doula, a midwife’s assistant, and a Lamaze instructor. She knew exactly who she wanted to have attend her birth. With her second birth, she realized she was in early labor at about 6:20 one evening. She was grateful that her husband was almost home. He got home and began to take care of their toddler while Stefanie went to take a bath. Suddenly, her labor took quite an intense turn. She called her midwife to let her know that she was in early labor. Upon Stefanie’s call, her midwife said she was on her way over, though Stephanie felt certain she was still only in early labor. She was not. She decided to check herself…and only got about a knuckle deep before running into the baby’s head. Luckily, her midwife arrived quickly. She got out of the tub and onto the toilet, facing backwards. Suddenly her water broke, and her midwife told her she needed to turn around… neither Stefanie or her midwife could catch a baby in that position! Stefanie’s baby was born very quickly at this point—in less than the amount of time it took her to push with her first baby, she labored and had her second! Stefanie’s doula business is a 2-person group, which was inspired by a former interviewee, Madeline Murray. Check out her episode here! Stay in touch with Stefanie: doulasinatlanta.com instagram.com/theatlantadoula

Brought to you today by my wonderful, amazing, charming, and highly skilled husband who drove around for an hour today to find Wi-Fi and upload this. He is the real deal. #Blessed #MyHero #WhoShotJFK?

I LOVE working out, and I especially loved it during my most recent pregnancy. Something about focusing on my health while growing my new babe was incredibly empowering. What about you? Did you feel energized and ready to work out during pregnancy? Now that I'm postpartum, I'm biding my time until I can return to working out. The first few weeks post-pregnancy are a sacred time of rest, so I know I must take this just as seriously as any other period of time. But what happens when I get the green light? Do I just jump back in... full steam ahead? Nope, I'm going to be incredibly careful to make sure that each exercise I do is actually safe for my new postpartum body, and that it's helping build me up- not causing more distress. Enter: Glowbody PT. This episode features a mama and former World Champion athlete, Ashley Keller. She has created both pregnancy and post-pregnancy workout plans, and she knows the ins-and outs of both intensity and safety when it comes to the fresh new mom-bod. Show Notes: Ashley is an army spouse and mother of 3 young children. Before babies, she was a professional tri-athlete for Team USA, and won a World Championship for Half Iron Man. She then served in the Army and became a mom. She realized she needed short, efficient workouts for herself, so she decided to share what she was doing for her prenatal workouts on YouTube- GlowBody PT was born. Ashley has not created your average run-of-the-mill pregnancy routines. No, no, my friends. These workouts are a beautiful marriage of both intensity and safety for pregnancy and post-pregnancy. Ashley discusses the breakdown of her pregnancy workout plan, which is divided into trimesters. First Trimester During the first trimester, Ashley discusses the importance of maintaining consistency with whatever types of workouts you were doing before. If you weren't working out much, now is not the time to begin something rigorous. However if you were working out, continue in the same way. The caveat: bring your maximum workout level from a 10 to a 6 or a 7. She mentions that there are several things mothers should avoid during the first trimester: overheating and breathlessness (due to change in hormones). The first trimester is a great time to try to get the abs and back very strong, as their strength and stability through pregnancy is key. Second Trimester The second trimester is a great time to begin lifting weights, even if you were not lifting weights before pregnancy. Ashley gives great explanation as to how helpful squats are for avoiding the "soggy bag" pelvic floor. Third Trimester: It's incredibly important to remember that the body is creating a hormone called relaxin, which increases greatly during the third trimester. This makes the joints and body as a whole hyper-mobile, so it is very important to be careful while working out, especially with yoga. Ashley recommends doing prenatal yoga only once or twice per week. Her pregnancy plan ends at 32 weeks... why? Not because you cannot continue to work out past this time, but because she wants each individual mom to listen to their bodies rather than feeling like they must do a specific workout. She recommends doing workouts from the second and third trimester if you feel good continuing to work out. She reminds mothers to listen to their bodies, as it will tell you when to stop! Ashley has had 3 vaginal births in the hospital on base with midwifery care. She appreciates the intimacy of the midwifery practice, and the way that the hospital allows her to labor how she wants. She has found that giving birth on all 4’s, either on the bed or on the floor, is best for opening her pelvis and allowing baby to engage. She says her most recent baby practically “fell out” as she leaned against the bed. Nurses had to rush over to catch the baby. As we delve into postpartum, Ashley's big piece of advice for the first few weeks is toREST HARD. While it is not time to begin working out, this is a great time to begin doing long kegels (specific description in episode). Beginning to Work Out Postpartum: After receiving the "go ahead" from your medical provider, it's important to make sure that you are also checking your body's signals. Are you still bleeding? This means you're not actually ready. Are you still sore? If you had a Cesarean section, is your incision oozing? This would also mean that you're not ready. Just like at the end of pregnancy, it's important to listen to your body's cues during the postpartum phase. “We need to retrain our body because it’s gotten a little wonky." Ashley discusses how it's important that we are not only gaining strength, but rebuilding the very foundations of our body. It's been stretched and relaxed, and we must be very careful as we begin to rebuild. The benefits of Ashley's 12 Week Post-Pregnancy Plan: It's Diastasis Recti Healing/Safe Saves Time (20-30 minute workouts, 4x/week) Does the Brain Work for You- Just click on the video and Ashley works out with you!

What do you do when labor stalls? Somewhat of a wonky question, as the body is generally far more intelligent than we give it credit. However, there are times when our mind and body are just not connecting and we need help figuring out how to progress. Enter Jasmin-Mom boss and entrepreneur. Jasmin, who herself was born at home, never even considered the idea of homebirth until she became pregnant with her third child. After a very quick second birth she assumed baby #3 would practically fall out with ease. Not so. Baby #3 was a wild card! After hours of labor, Jasmin realized she was not progressing. She'd been at it for quite a while, and realized something had to give. Deep down, both she and her midwife knew she was holding back. With the concern of needing to transfer to the hospital if things didn't get moving, Jasmin dug deep. Listen in to hear how Jasmin decided to have a homebirth in the first place, and just how that homebirth ended. Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home- Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out!

What happens when you break a bone, undergo surgery, or get sick? Typically, very specific time is taken to rest, and most importantly, to heal. What about when you have a baby? After creating an entirely separate, entirely new life in your womb for 9-10 months, then bringing that life forth one way or another, what do you do? Do you give your body the same type of attention and care that one does when recovering from any other strenuous/difficult event? I sure as heck hope so, but I sure as heck worry that it isn’t happening enough, especially when considering our western culture’s nonchalant attitude regarding postpartum recovery. Today’s episode is all about Adilah’s personal experiences with postpartum recovery. As the daughter of a mother with a Malay background, she was truly required to rest and recover after giving birth. Her mother made her broths, soups and warming stews, and saw to it that she was given traditional healing treatments: postpartum massages, belly pastes to warm her body and increase circulation, herbal baths, body scrubs, belly binds, hair treatments and feminine washes. All of this combined with rest taught Adilah the true benefits of taking the postpartum period seriously. Now, with her in-depth understanding of these treatments, Adilah is providing many of these same kits to interested mothers through her website, www.ibudoula.com With all of this attentive care, it’s no wonder that Malaysia ranks the lowest in the number of women with postpartum depression. Perhaps if we adopt some of these principles, the western struggle with postpartum depression and anxiety would decrease as well. This podcast is full of beauty and fascinating cultural information. Listen in to hear how Adilah’s grandfather understood so deeply the importance of this postpartum support that when her mother gave birth to Adliah, he came and stayed with her and cared for her just as Adilahs mother did for her (her grandmother had passed away before Adilah was born). This example so clearly demonstrates the depth of understanding this culture has in regards to the importance of postpartum healing and bonding. Connect with Adilah: www.ibudoula.com www.instagram.com/ibudoula www.marleymoomaternity.com www.instagram.com/marleyandmoo Other resources mentioned in this episode: Click here to get your postpartum workout program. Use the promo code homebirth15 for a $15 discount! Sponsorship: Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home- Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.comhttps://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out!

Motherhood: What does this word mean to you? What comes to mind? I know that personally, I think of my own experience- raising my daughter, and now starting again with raising our second girl. Sydney's experience, however, is quite different. She has experienced motherhood from several different aspects: as a biological mother who placed her child for adoption, as a mother raising her second child with her husband, and as a surrogate. This episode details Sydney's experiences in all of these areas, providing us all with a fresh perspective on the word 'Motherhood'. Show Notes: Sydney found out she was pregnant directly after college- she was not expecting or planning on this pregnancy. She felt sure that she was not ready to be a parent, she did not want to parent alone, and she knew she had to figure out quickly what she needed to do. Her family assumed she would get an abortion, but she felt that because she wanted to be a mother one day, she could not allow herself to end this pregnancy with abortion. Once she chose the family to adopt her child, she wanted them to be as involved with the pregnancy as possible. They got along very well. Sydney struggled with her familial relationships in terms of deciding to keep the pregnancy, and in fact did not speak to her father for the entirety of the pregnancy. Their relationship was quickly reestablished afterwards, when he acknowledged that he had handled the situation incorrectly. He now continues a relationship with the child by sending presents, birthday cards, etc. For the first year, all seemed to go well. Sydney felt rejuvenated to be able to spend time with her friends without being pregnant… she felt like her old self. However, at the 1 year birthday party of the baby, she became very emotional and realized she had not taken the time she needed for herself to heal after the birth. She decided to take a job with Teach for America and travel. She moved to Memphis and met her husband. Within a year, they were pregnant and married! Her second birth was a homebirth in Las Vegas. Her husband was able to catch her son and passed the baby to Sydney under her legs. Both she and the baby were crying! She discusses the difference of feeling between having her first baby with her second- knowing that this baby was hers to keep. Her third pregnancy was as a gestational surrogate. The beginning of her pregnancy was incredibly easy- she had no morning sickness, which was very different from her two previous pregnancies. During the 20-week anatomy scan, a heart defect was found in the baby. The parents of the baby had to decide whether or not to terminate the pregnancy. Right before Christmas, they’d decided to terminate. However, the day after Christmas, they changed their minds and said they would keep the baby no matter what! The rest of the pregnancy went okay for Sydney, though she did feel stressed trying to make sure she was doing everything she could to help the baby be healthy. She was induced at 39+2. The labor was long, but once she finally was pushing, she pushed for only 3 minutes. The baby was born screaming- so she could breathe! And she didn’t need oxygen. She was also strong enough to have her heart surgery on day 2 as opposed to day 5. Sydney was able to breastfeed the baby while she was in town, and then she was able to donate over 3,000 ounces of milk to other babies. Sponsorship: Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home- Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.comhttps://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out!

Show Notes: Happy Homebirth hit 10,000 downloads! It's time to celebrate. What do you want to see? A Facebook group? Merchandise? Send an e-mail to [email protected] with your suggestions. Imagine your ideal birth. Where are you? Who is with you? In what position are you laboring? Listen in to hear Katelyn's most recent birth. Her experience was "magical," as she was surrounded with exactly the right people in exactly the right time. Katelyn set up her birthing space very intentionally and set her mind to the exact kind of labor she wanted to experience. She and Thomas share their labor story, as well as a hilarious postpartum experience that occurred. Katelyn's labor march: Katelyn's birth video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2DSJQYpxCc8MHVyeWxfa0xhb3FiVVhkT3ctenZpQmhiWm8w/view?usp=sharing Sponsorship: Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.comhttps://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week-- you'll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast. We'll add you to ours and give you a shout out!

Deepest Thank You to Our Sponsor! Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Show Notes: Rachael is a mother of 3: Her oldest is 10, she has a 4-year-old son, and a 1.5 year-old babe In 2009, when pregnant with her first, she decided to have a birth center birth. We discuss how uncommon this choice was at that time, at least in the area she was living. She had two friends who had had hospital births without any interventions. When she asked them about their decisions, she began seeing the benefits of an intervention-free birth and thought it might be something she’d like to do. Rachael admits that another big aspect of choosing an out-of-hospital birth was the fact that she wouldn’t be allowed to eat in the hospital. The more she learned, the more she began to feel rebellious! We discuss the fact that childbirth education courses can truly help shift your perspective of what your body can tolerate (in regards to pain) during labor, and what you can do to relax and enjoy the experience. “It was as much like therapy as it was a [prenatal] appointment” Rachael finds it very interesting how different each one of her birthing experiences were. With her first, she had prodromal labor for a week and a half Rachael kept feeling like she needed to poop- so she had her husband run grab her an enema from the store. She laid down on the couch while she waited, and after about 3 minutes, she heard a sound that sounded like a shot going off. Initially, she thought her colon had exploded! And then she realized it “worse”—her water had broken! She expected that she still had several weeks to go before having her baby, so this was quite a shock. She called her midwife, who said she would check back in with her once contractions began. About 30 minutes later, her midwife called back and asked her if she’d like to begin heading to the birth center so she could be assessed (she also recognized that traffic would be getting difficult soon, as rush hour approached). 12 hours after he water broke, her baby was born. Rachael discusses how all of the things she thought she’d want in labor were NOT what she wanted. The opposite was true, too! She did not imagine wanting to labor on the toilet, but it worked for her during labor. When Rachael laid down, she would vomit- she was grateful that she learned about how sphincters work during her childbirth education class, so she wasn’t shocked or scared by this reaction. “I didn’t panic… until I hit transition, which is I guess when everyone panics!!” “I looked like I’d been pulled behind a speedboat for about 6 hours when Lilah was born, but I felt SO good!” “Don’t be so afraid of birth—don’t let somebody else handle it because it scares you. Learn what you can about it so that you can make informed decisions.” Between her first and second child, Rachael had been divorced, and she was now in her late 30’s. She did not think that she would have more children. Her next pregnancy was a surprise—“No one was planning that!” She was grateful that her partner was completely supportive and on board with having a birth outside of the hospital. Rachael feels that her second baby’s birth was even more straight forward. He was born en caul! The day before labor, she didn’t feel good and decided to stay home instead of going out to dinner with a friend. Rachael talks about how in her mind, she did not want her daughter to miss school because she was having a baby (She’s not sure why that was a big deal to her, now!). She didn’t go into labor until 1 am on a Saturday, so she thinks she must have mentally willed that to happen! “I didn’t want to wake up the midwife before 5am—I thought that was rude.” Rachael remembers feeling more “with it” during her second birth. Her son was born around 9 am, and they were back home by lunch time With her last birth, CeCe, Rachael was 40 years old: “That’s not what I had planned for this year!” Once again, Rachael had prodromal labor. Her husband’s mother came into town a week before the baby was due- she was hoping that she’d be around once the baby came. Rachael made dinner, then decided to go get in the bed, as contractions (she was confident they were prodromal) were making her uncomfortable. Rachael contacts her midwife, who tells her that she’s heading out for a birth that’s in quite a distant location. She asks how Rachael is doing, and Rachael tells her not to worry, she feels like she has plenty of time. Thank goodness—the other baby was born in quite a hurry, and the midwife (who was acting as a second for that birth) was called and told not to even worry about coming out because everything was taken care of. In the meantime, Rachael’s daughter began getting sick. She got up to go check on her-- “When I stood up, I had that ‘Oh no, what have I done’ contraction!” She went to the bathroom and saw that she’d lost her mucous plug. “Okay great, well we have to go now!” So

Generously Sponsored By: Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363 Show Notes: Anne is a mother of 6 children who range in age from 25 to 3 She has been a doula/labor support person for 25 years (before the term really even existed!) In 1999, Anne trained formally as a doula. She trained a second time with another organization the following year, and found that the two organizations had rather opposite methods and beliefs. One was very medical, the other was almost medically antagonistic. Anne felt she was lacking training from both organizations, so she set out to do something about it. She and a group of women started a business called Maternity Wise, and she’s been training doulas since 2004. With her first birth, Anne had a doctor who she says was more like a midwife than a typical doctor. At the end of her labor, she did use some narcotic pain relief at the end of her labor (though her doctor did discourage it), which she attributes to having a more difficult pushing phase. Anne mentions how it made her feel drunk and slow- unable to move the way she wanted to. Once the narcotics wore off, Anne was able to push more successfully and baby came out quickly at that point. “What I’ve learned throughout the course of my births is that I’m one of those moms who does a lot of early work.” Her births are fast, but she does a lot of laboring off and on in the weeks beforehand. “I do a lot of laboring off and on during the weeks beforehand… and that sort of thing makes everybody nutty!” With her second child, she was actually put on bedrest several weeks beforehand. She had both of these babies 2 weeks before her due date, and both were over 8 lbs! As soon as they took her off bedrest, she went into labor. When she went to the hospital, the nurse checked her and her water broke. The nurse left, saying that she had quite a ways to go. As soon as she left, Anne begins feeling the “poop pressure” The nurse ran back in, lifted the blanket, and caught Anne’s baby as he came “shooting out”! All in all, her second labor was 55 minutes long. Between her second and third birth, her amazing doctor stopped practicing. She was referred to an OB who she very much liked, but in 1999, doctors were now working in groups, so she was not necessarily going to be attended by her own doctor. At 37 weeks Anne went in because she was experiencing potential labor. After being there for several hours and having everything die down, she wanted to go home. The doctor said, “Let me just check you one more time and we’ll go from there.” What she didn’t know is that the doctor had an amniohook in his hand, and he broke her water without her permission. After the baby was born, Anne felt he looked far too small and young. She’d been studying for quite some time at this point, so upon assessment, she felt confident that he was not 3 weeks early, but closer to 5 weeks early. “I think of all these moms whose due dates could be miscalculated- and how they induce and how they hurry things up and how they have these itty bitty babies who are just not ready.” In 2002, Anne decided to have her first homebirth (baby #4). With this baby, she went 3 days past 40 weeks- much further than she’d ever previously gone! Anne’s sister in law came to stay with her because her husband was working an hour away, and they knew that might be too far to make the birth! Of course, her baby waited until the day her sister in law left to be born! She began feeling slight contractions, but they very suddenly made a turn and got very strong. She called her midwife, who said she was on her way, but was 45 minutes away. She had been in the tub, but got out because she was uncomfortable. As she got up, her body started pushing. She walked to the bed, and with the next contraction, her baby was born. Anne’s husband caught her, juggled her around a bit, and put her on Anne’s chest. The baby took a good breath, but then went limp, which very much scared Anne at the time. Anne mentions that as a toddler, this daughter would faint if she were surprised or scared… she now thinks that’s what happened at her birth! This daughter that she had alone- Ruth- is very shy. On the other hand, her next daughter is the life of the party. And for this birth, Anne needed all of her people there! She had plenty of women around her, as well as her husband, and her kids were in the other room “eatin’ triscuits”. Her midwife was about 10 minutes out, and her water had yet to break. With the next contraction, she felt a big, warm gush. This contraction was particularly difficult. She assumed her water had broken, but when she opened her eyes, she saw that everyone around her looked concerned. She looked down and realized that this was not water, but blood. One of her friends, who is a lay midwife, was with her and supporting her. She prayed over Anne, then looked at her and said, “You need to push the baby ou

Show Notes: Sarah is the co-host of the Doing it at Home Podcast She is a balance lifestyle coach who works with mothers in integrating their identities, purpose, confidence and sexuality She is wife to her husband Matthew and Mom to her daughter Mya Orgasmic Mama is the name of Sarah’s online membership program that she’s recently launched for moms to have a place to explore conversations regarding sexuality Daily life before having a homebirth: “What the hell were we doing? We didn’t know how much time we had, really!” They were both working for a small marketing agency in Atlanta and had very flexible schedules. Sarah shifted out of the agency and began working as a personal trainer. She was then working with clients remotely related to lifestyle and balance They found out they were pregnant the same week that Matthew decided he was also going to be leaving his job and starting his own consulting business. So much life change at once! Getting pregnant: “We decided we wanted to conceive, and we got pregnant two seconds later.” When she first found out she was pregnant, Sarah and Matthew went to see her OB. She’d only seen him for yearly exams since moving to Atlanta, so truly they’d only met twice. She was keen on having birth with as little intervention as possible: not being attached to anything, access to water and ice, to eat and drink etc. As they began establishing a relationship with her OB, they realized that her desires were not going to be met by this care provider and hospital Sarah was watching the DVD series: Happy, Healthy Child and it began opening and expanding her mind about birth and parenting. She was connected with a homebirth group that was about 15 minutes from her house. Matthew was a big part of the process, which was a big differentiator between the midwives and the hospital experience- it was an experience they were having together. They were both pregnant together. Sarah and Matthew both like sharing the fact that they did not immediately click into place that they would 100% have a homebirth. At first, Sarah was the one encouraging the idea while Matthew was more uncertain, and at one point, the tables turned and Matthew was for the homebirth while Sarah was unsure. Finally, around 18-19 weeks, the two synced in opinion and decided they were going to go for it! At that time, Sarah was looking for resources to connect with mothers who were deciding to have a similar birthing situation. As she and Matthew looked around, they really couldn’t find many resources. In comes the entrepreneurial spirit: They decided to launch the Doing it at Home Podcast. Several weeks after launching the show (after Mya was born), women began coming out of the woodwork wanting to share their own birth stories. Sarah acknowledges that her pregnancy was beautiful and she thoroughly enjoyed it. “Those midwife appointments were just amazing—Matthew came to every single one.” Sarah and Matthew stacked up quite a large birth team, which worked for them. There were a total of 10 people in her bedroom when Mya was born—Mya not included! Sarah wanted to make sure that Matthew had someone available for him during labor. She wanted to make sure that he was supported and cared for just as she was. Sarah’s Birth: They were a day shy of 41 weeks “Is this the last day that I’m going to be pregnant? The last shower that I’m going to take pregnant?” Sarah was doing all kinds of lunges and movements to try to get Mya to move down, as she was not yet engaged. They went to an outside concert in September in Atlanta: The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams music (Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Star Wars) As they walked back to the car from the concert, Sarah noticed that she was feeling very uncomfortable. When they got home between 10-11, Sarah couldn’t get comfortable in bed, so she went to the bath tub. By 1am-2am, they called Sarah’s midwife. That period of time was incredibly beautiful and magical for Sarah and Matthew. Matthew reminded her, “Be grateful for this experience.” That affirmation really resonated with Sarah and was something that she carried with her through the labor. Matthew was so fascinated with all of the gear that the midwife brought to the birth: the oxygen tank, the medications for too much bleeding postpartum, etc.. The birth pool was blown up and Sarah got in, spending about 90% of active labor in the water. Sarah discusses how the feelings of labor have such a unique quality: the intensity and the perhaps pain are with such purpose Sarah’s total labor was about 12 hours Her midwives encouraged Sarah to use the restroom- while she was sitting on the toilet, she remembers looking up into Matthew’s eyes and saying, “This really hurts.” Which to her, was more of a feeling of “what if I can’t do this” and because she was so emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted. She felt like pushing was an amazing experience for her because up until that point, she felt like she had been

Show Notes: Currently 38 weeks pregnant Have had quite a successful pregnancy-- this one has gone by much faster (probably because I've been chasing my toddler) Planning to have my daughter at the birth. We've prepared by having her watch birth videos and even listening to/watching the video of me pushing with her This pregnancy I: continued strength training throughout- I feel it made a huge difference for me I did start eating more poorly during February/March, so I did the Whole30 with my husband and daughter as a reset in April and felt much better I got sick with a stomach bug around 34 weeks- I don't wish that on anyone! So awful to be sick and that pregnant. I worried momentarily I'd accidentally push the baby out while puking. I had a blessingway ceremony this past weekend. Surrounded by amazing midwives and birth workers who love me. We: ate, had a bead ceremony, a fear-releasing ceremony, made an affirmation banner, and prayed over me If you had a Blessingway, what did you do? Please send me songs to add to my playlist- feel free to send them via your instagram stories, tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast

Show Notes: Mia and her fiancé have been together for 7 years and have two precious sons together. She comes for a naturally minded family- some of her aunts had had homebirths. However, she was not very educated on the subject. She planned for a hospital birth and had a pretty good experience. She later experienced a friend’s homebirth (about 8 months after her own hospital birth) and realized that’s what she would want to do with any subsequent children. Mia found out that she was pregnant with her second son right after her first son turned one. When she found out she was pregnant, she knew she wanted her friend’s midwife to act as her own midwife. Interestingly enough, both Mia and the midwife did not make it in time for the actual birth of Mia’s friend’s child! However, Mia loved how the midwife interacted with her during the home visit and immediately postpartum enough to know that homebirth was the way she wanted to go. “It made me more aware that homebirth isn’t a scary thing.” Mia admits that she procrastinated a bit with her prenatal care- she began going to prenatals at 20 weeks. One way that Mia educated herself was by joining several homebirth and natural birth Facebook groups. Every afternoon when she would scroll through her feed, she would gain more insight into the choice she was making. With her first birth, her water broke before labor began. Once she went in, Mia mentions how many steps there were before she was actually able to focus on her labor: She had to get checked in through labor, assigned a room, they had to bring a birthing tub in in pieces, her water line was broken in her room so she had to wait for maintenance—Because of this the hours seemed to pass by like minutes. “Looking back at it now, the hours passed by like minutes.” After laboring for 3-4 hours in the tub, Mia was checked and found to be 9 ½ centimeters. After a few more contractions, she was ready to push. Mia says that pushing was the time that things became more uncomfortable. She was on her back, bright lights shining directly on her, nurses and doctors hustling and bustling, etc. Mia felt that the discomfort of the situation slowed her labor dramatically. She ended up pushing for 3 hours, and when her baby finally came, he was tangled up in his cord. Mia wishes she had been able to push in a better position, thinking that could have helped her situation dramatically. With her second child, Mia had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks. She woke up at 3 am one morning with contractions that were different from what she’d been experiencing. Her fiancé works nights, so unfortunately this was right when he was coming to bed. She remembers having to tell him, “Hey, you can’t go to sleep- I’m having contractions!” They decided to wake up and straighten up the house a little bit. After, Mia decided that it might be a good idea to eat a little something and begin timing her contractions. She was contracting every 5 minutes and they were lasting about 30 seconds. However, because they were consistent for an hour, she decided to call her midwife and let her know what was going on. Her midwife agreed that she was in labor, but recommended that she try to go to sleep for a bit. Mia took her advice and after about an hour of trying, she was able to fall asleep and stay asleep for 4 hours. She woke up and had a normal day. Mia was even able to get a small nap in when her son did later. Once she awoke, she decided it would be best to head to the grocery store to get a big haul of groceries so she wouldn’t have to leave her house any time soon! She remembers her son running away from her in the store. As she chased him, she began having a contraction and though people must think she was crazy! “I think that I was so busy trying to relax that day that I didn’t nourish my body the way that I should” Mia stayed in touch with her midwife throughout the day. At 7:30 pm, Mia’s mother arrived at her house. Around that time, Mia called her midwife and asked her to begin heading her way. Her midwife said, “Well, you’re still talking through your contractions. I’ll call you back in about half an hour to reevaluate.” About 15 minutes later her midwife received another call—this time from Mia’s mom—telling her she couldn’t talk through contractions anymore! Mia says that she had a perfect birth team. Her aunt, who has had homebirths, and her mom, played a huge role in her first labor, so she knew they would be important in her second birth, too. Her two cousins came, and even Mia’s little sister, who is 6 wanted to be a part of the special day. Mia had a photographer, and of course her midwife, as well as a second midwife and an assistant. Her fiancé was there taking care of her, too! Everyone was at her house by 9pm. “And really what helped me most through contractions this time was listening to worship music and just trying to sing through them, which I loved.” Mia’s midwife kept asking her to go pee, but Mia was unable to e