ep. 36 - A Journey from Pain to Purpose and Becoming an Advocate for the Voiceless with Valda Ford

Listen in to Valda Ford as she shares her experiences in giving birth and the hurdles she faced, especially during her second birth. Through her story, she emphasizes the importance of being open and honest with partners, understanding cultural norms and practices, and exploring pleasure in a safe environment. She also sheds light on navigating the paternalistic healthcare system and how it ultimately led to the death of her son due to a lack of listening and miscommunication. Valda became an RN to learn the language and be able to have the necessary conversations with providers, as well as to be an advocate for those who don't know how to speak up for their needs. Her journey from pain to purpose is now empowering others to find their voice and amplify it in order to ensure they are heard.

Valda Ford is an RN who has worked on 6 continents. Valda sees every aspect of the human condition and strives to make good health easier to achieve. She brings the facts and helps with the fantasy! From what to know to what to do - she has answers and is not afraid of the questions!

She is here to talk about Serious Issues to Satisfying Solutions: Having Healthy Babies and Having Healthy Sex

In this episode:

• Valda talks about serious issues to satisfying solutions. She discusses her birth stories and what brought her to the journey of becoming a certified sexuality educator.
• Valda shares how she was inspired to become a nurse due to healthcare providers not listening to her concerns as a parent, which resulted in the death of her second child due to negligence.
• Vulnerability can come from many sources, including poverty, language barriers, and religion.
• Understanding safety and pleasure is essential to health knowledge. Both the parents and children have a role to play in making this happen.
• The key is to keep an open discussion about body parts and sexual health in order to reduce bias and stigma.
• Sex should be treated as an enjoyable activity, not a chore. Valda tackles some tips to make sex life fun between partners by working with your body.

Key Takeaways:

• Teaching the children about sex is a bandaid solution - teaching the parents is key
• Even being "made to give birth" doesn't always shield a birthing woman from issues
• Having a supportive and knowledgeable community makes a big difference
• Miscommunication is fatal - providers should always be sensitive
• Parents need to be informed and act as reinforcers of healthy sexual behavior
• Sex should be beautiful and enjoyable, not a duty

Tweetable Quotes:

"I became a nurse to learn the language, to be able to have the conversation, to be able to say, 'I understand exactly what you're saying. I know what the standards and procedures are, and you need to listen to me.' I found that many people do not have that."

" - Valda Ford

"Think about the fact that sex is and should be beautiful. It should be amazing because what other thing is going on in our lives that our body is priming us to enjoy?" - Valda Ford

Connect with Valda!

Website: https://valdaford.com/

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Debra!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debra.pascalibonaro

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471/

Visit https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/ for more information on how to have fulfilling and enjoyable

births.

Check out Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret, the film creating buzz around the

world!

Orgasmic Birth Podcast: Pleasure in pregnancy, birth, and parenting. I believe pleasure is our birthright - from our sexuality, birth, parenting, and beyond, we can find pleasure when we create space for joy and intimacy in our lives. Join me to have deep conversations about breaking the taboos of Sexuality + Motherhood/Parenthood.

Listen to leading experts in sexuality, healing, and childbirth, as well as stories from new parents, doulas, doctors, midwives, and nurses. We will discuss how to positively prepare for childbirth and parenting by expanding love and intimacy in your life.