Happy Homebirth

What is the balance when it comes to preparing for our birth, but also holding it all with an open hand, knowing that outside factors can contribute to our experience?   Sara West and her husband Andrew live on Florida's sunny Space Coast with their four children. Her passions include writing, singing, drawing, and crocheting, though she has a little less time for those things while starting her homeschooling journey and bringing up toddlers! She hopes to one day finish a novel... or at least get a Substack up and running.   Episode Roundup:   I love how Sara chose to grow with new information.  She didn’t hold onto her past ways of doing things, and she also didn’t punish herself for not knowing what she didn’t know.  She simply gained the new information and put it into action for herself and her family.  No blaming, no shaming, just growth. I also appreciate Sara’s perspective how she wanted to enter her birthing experience.  She didn’t feel like she had to control everything, and in fact, she was very aware that she could not.  She simply took control of the areas that she could, and then held the rest with an open hand and mind.  She was comfortable with the idea that she couldn’t predict every little detail, and that she would be willing to make the decisions that made sense in the moment.   And finally, just– how beautiful is it to hear a mother experience their first unmedicated birth and think at the end, “That was easy!”  What a joy to see just how wonderfully we are made, and how beautifully birth was designed.  Whether you come to the end of labor thinking, “that was easy” or “that was intense,” my prayer is that you feel a sense of deep strength at what you’ve been designed to do.  You were made with intention and love, as is your baby.  I want you to feel flooded with that knowing as you bring your baby into your arms.  Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube  

You’re either for something or you’re against it, right? Like, you either love ultrasounds or you don’t.  Or you want testing done or you don’t….. Or… gasp, could there be more to it than right or wrong?   This week we’re speaking to Taylor Shaffer: a wife, mother of two beautiful girls, holistic doula and online educator. She is passionate about nourishment, holistic living and taking radical responsibility for your health and birth choices. She serves women locally in Upstate SC through her doula agency, Nested & Nourished, as well as online through her Holistic Mama Pregnancy & Birth Course, virtual doula support offerings, podcast titled Holistic Pregnancy, and more.   Episode Roundup: If there’s one word that demands your attention in this episode, I hope it’s “intuition”.  Taylor’s decisions were not informed by sheer logic or dogma.  No, the seat of her decisionmaking came from a deeper source.  From what I believe to be Holy Spirit guided intuition.   Intuition.  That inner knowing that often times goes against your expectations.  Taylor isn’t a huge fan of ultrasounds for herself, but she sensed that an ultrasound is what she needed.  This ended up providing her with the information she used to support her body and baby through gestational diabetes.  And again, we see this intuition work in the complete OPPOSITE direction at the end of pregnancy, where Taylor felt that she shouldn’t have a scan.  Looking back, she knows that this prevented her from unnecessary fear regarding her baby’s weight. I love how this example unfolded.  We take the same topic: Ultrasounds and apply intuition to them in two different directions.  That, my friends, is what it looks like to listen to your intuition. Next, I want to remind you of just how deeply our emotions are connected to labor and birth.  Taylor needed to take her baby into her arms, hold her, and grieve the change that was coming. Yes, of course, adding a new baby is a massive blessing to a family! But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a sense of pain at the leaving behind of the old ways.  Honoring this feeling is exactly what led Taylor deeper into labor.  Feel those feelings and don’t be afraid of them. And finally, Taylor’s love for birthwork came from her own experiences.  She realized that she had something to offer other mothers, other families after having her first daughter.  She decided to seek out a way to be both the mother that she desired to be, and to also build a thriving business at the same time.  Sounds impossible, right?  But Taylor is doing it, very successfully I might add! Her online business, her doula agency… It's incredible! Taylor sought education from someone who values family, business AND birthwork.  She found a coach who wouldn’t tell her to push aside family for money, but who would encourage her to and teach her to make a way for both.   Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube Kyleigh’s Workshop Sign Up Lily Nichols Episode Taylor’s Instagram  Taylor’s Podcast The Glucose Revolution The Glucose Goddess IG Dr. Rachel Reed- Gestational Diabetes Review Article Dr Sara Wickham- Gestational Diabetes Article Tags: gestational diabetes, big baby

A shocking medical diagnosis is never easy to grapple with– but what happens when it comes in the middle of your pregnancy?   This week we’re speaking to Chloe, a wife and mother to two precious little boys.  Chloe’s story will have you on the edge of your seat, but it will also instill a level of beauty beyond my ability to express in this little intro, so let’s not waste any time and jump right in.   Episode Roundup:   If something is going on in your pregnancy that you feel unsure of, even if your care provider thinks it’s a variation of normal, follow your intuition.  Chloe’s scenario was so hard because her friend had experienced a very difficult pregnancy and her midwife thought that this was simply a tough pregnancy– so even though Chloe felt that she was dying each day, she didn’t know what to do.  It wasn’t until someone else with medical background laid eyes on her and said, “Hey, this doesn’t seem right” that she and Brandon sought more medical attention.  I am just so grateful that they were able to receive the care that they needed. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.  Late in her pregnancy when Chloe felt that homebirth was the right option for her, she could have just given up after the first midwife said “no.”  She recalls thinking, “Oh,great I’m going to be known as that crazy girl who had brain surgery” but honestly, who cares?  She had the sense that homebirth was the right call, and she went after it.  And wow, didn’t that pay off? Finally, let’s end here: This event that Chloe experienced– it wasn’t good.  It’s not good that it happened, and there’s no delight in the suffering that she experienced.  But what’s amazing is the ability for something so un-good to be used for such extraordinary good.  For Chloe to come to the other side and say, “Through this, I learned just how good God is…” You can’t make that up.  Chloe’s story is a story of hope, and a blessing to all who hear it.   Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube

Dads- how does the idea of your wife giving birth make you feel?  Does the idea immediately excite you, or does it put a level of fear on you– do you wonder how you can protect her and your baby?  Do you feel out of control?   This week, all the way to episode 276, we are doing something new.  We are hearing a homebirth story completely from the perspective of the father.  Today we’re speaking to Dustin Garrett, a husband, father to two, and new to the club- homebirth dad!   Episode roundup:   Dustin’s story is so vulnerable, and I feel so certain that with a listenership this large, there are a number of you who can relate to his experience with abortion and the potential pain that has stayed with you for years.  Dustin realized at some point that he was not truly accepting all of the Grace and forgiveness available to him– that he felt like he needed to experience continual punishment, and that maybe he and his wife would never be able to have kids– maybe that was his punishment.  But at some point it became clear, when Jesus died on the cross, he died for every single one of Dustin’s sins, and every single one of yours.  He came to give us freedom, and our job?  Our job is to receive it. Next, I love how honestly Dustin shared what I know many fathers to feel- the sense that they want to take care of their wife, their baby.  The reason that birth often makes men feel uncomfortable is the glaring reality that, “Wow, actually I don’t have control here.” And boy, that uncomfortable feeling, if you’re honest with yourself, might turn to the realization that, “Oh, wow.  I guess I don’t actually have control over a lot of events and situations around me.”  To release control, while it can be so difficult, is one of the most beautiful things we can do as humans. And finally, I just love the joy that Dustin expressed as he caught his daughter in his own arms.  As he saw her look at him while between worlds, really.  Both in, and out.  To imagine this happening, all while his son is singing “Jesus loves me” in the next room… it’s just beautiful.  And healing for the entire family.    Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube

When a midwife gives birth to her first baby, she’ll know exactly what to expect, right?   This week we’re speaking with Leigha Fairchild, a midwife who serves mamas and families in the Kansas City area. She became a midwife while living in the Philippines and serving at a low resource birth center for two and half years. Yet her even greater role is that of wife to her husband Cody, and mother to her 3 beautiful children, with another one on the way.   Episode Roundup: Ask questions of your care provider up front.  Don’t get taken off guard when you realize there are issues at 40 weeks. If you feel like you don’t know what questions are important to ask, I believe that spending time listening to the stories of others can help you articulate what’s important to you.  Figure out what is important to you– this is critical. That way, when you are interviewing your midwife, you can assess whether or not the two of you are a good fit for one another.  I do have a questionnaire inside of my birth courses to help with this. Every birth is different.  Isn’t it incredible to realize just how individual each experience is?  Here’s Leigha, a midwife who has attended numerous births, and she is not immune to the fact that each labor is unknown before it happens.  To enter our birthing experience with open hands and an open mind is a beautiful approach, especially if we’ve prepared ourselves well beforehand. And finally, I loved how Leigha shared this: God gives you the strength you need when you need it.  At one point, Leigha wished she could just KNOW how things were going to unfold.  To know how much longer it would be before giving birth.  And while she didn’t get that, she did learn that The Lord is faithful to provide the strength you need when you need it.  Is that message for you this week?  I feel so strongly that there’s someone out there who needs to hear this.  I don’t know what season you’re in, it’s probably not birth related at all.  But something is going on in your life that feels insurmountable and you just want to know when it’s going to be done.  My friend, He loves you.  I pray you feel the Lord wrapping you up in the warmest, most comforting hug right now.  I pray you feel him imbuing His strength upon you right now. You are not alone.   Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube Link

Is it really safe to have hopes and desires for your birth?  What if you plan but things don’t unfold the way you’d wanted?     This week we’re speaking to Lindsey Fuller,  a homemaker and former registered nurse living in Tampa, Florida. She is married to her husband John and they have 3 wonderful kids. She loves spending her days devoted to raising her children and supporting her husband in his medical practice.     Episode Roundup Reject the naysayers.  Prepare fully for the birth you desire.  Don’t fall into the trap of fearing “failure” so much that you don’t commit to preparation.  Of course birth can go a million different ways, but when you do what you can on your end to prepare, you’ll be served and more ready for however it all unfolds.  Surrender your birth.  Once you’ve prepared, it’s time to surrender.  The beautiful gift of birth is that no matter what, it can be a teacher. It can provide you with the most valuable lessons.  It’s so much less about the specific events that happen to you and so much more about how you are able to process and integrate those events into your motherhood experience. And finally, I just want to emphasize something that happened to Lindsey.  In her most recent birth, she experienced a pivotal moment.  She realized that she was holding onto control in areas that she’d never noticed before.  Not only in birth, but in life.  This birth– this very moment in birth, gave her an opportunity to break down an entire stronghold in her life– it allowed her to rewire a part of her brain.  This, my friends is the beauty that is held in the birthing process.  This is what I mean when I say that yes, homebirth is great, but it’s not the whole story.  Homebirth is the car that can drive you to a destination of new revelation, just like it did with Lindsey. Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube Link  

Have you ever found yourself clinging so tightly to something- only to realize that it wasn’t serving you the way you once thought it would?   Today we’re speaking with Carey Glenn, a Certified Professional Midwife who is keenly aware of the traps of dogma in all areas of the birthing world.  Often times we’re so able to see what’s “wrong” in the hospital system, but do we ever stop and look at our own choices and question why we’re making the decisions that we’re making?   This episode is such a delightful conversation for both mothers and midwives, and I know that you’re going to gain beautiful insight on what it’s like to walk a balanced path– whatever that looks like for you.     Episode Roundup: I love Carey’s well-rounded approach.  In the years that I’ve been involved in birth, I’ve certainly seen strong, dogmatic camps.  You HAVE to give birth in the hospital- it’s the only way!  You HAVE to have a nurse midwife, it’s the only way!  You HAVE to have a freebirth– it’s the only way!  My friends, let’s make space for nuance.  When we cling to  ideology instead of intuition, it’s easy to become confused and honestly, manipulated.   Next, the importance of care providers choosing to heal.  This is huge.  Midwives, are you processing your trauma?  Do you feel that you have the resources to do so?  Seek support.  Seek community.  Please do not isolate yourself– this work is heavy, but beautiful.  Finding healing can help you prevent burnout and allow you to care for your clients as fresh individuals without carrying in the baggage of previous experiences along with your midwifery bag into the birthing space. Finally, you’ve got to check out Carey’s drumming tracks.  They are so beautiful, so enjoyable, and so likely what I’ll be listening to the next time I give birth.   Rooted Birth Rhythms by Sacred Heart Beats: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1K898fhwDdVUj2oEqSouME?si=XJZSdO32T0iB2S0zCfaCFw   Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube Link

How would you feel if everyone around you, including the medical staff you’ve met with, says you shouldn’t have another baby– but you and your spouse suddenly feel very strongly that you’re being called to…. Have another baby?  What would you do?    This week we’re speaking to Jess, a mother who had to make this difficult sounding decision.  Should we grow our family in the face of adversity? You’re going to love this story, I just know it.   Episode Roundup: So if you listened to my re-introduction story, you’ll notice that the exact same themes that I spoke about– About hearing God’s voice and leaning into what he’s saying even when it sounds, frankly, illogical– were present here in Jess’s story.  She and her husband Grant both felt and overwhelming peace and need to have their third child, despite their well-meaning community’s pleas for them to reconsider.  I find so much comfort in this ability to hear something clearly coming from somewhere outside of yourself, and to put your faith in what you are sensing.  This is so deeply connected to intuition.  Mothers KNOW what to do– whether that’s the intuitive knowledge that everything is okay and they’re doing exactly what they need to be doing even when the situation looks questionable, OR when things seem fine, but a mother knows something is not fine and needs more attention.  What a beautiful gift. Next, let’s talk about the healing power of birth– Birth can bring healing beyond just yourself or your spouse.  In this story, we hear how Jess’s third birth acted as a soothing balm to their oldest daughter, Willow, who had experienced such pain during the traumatic hospital stay and birth of her baby brother.   And that point brings me to my last point.  We were designed to heal.  We were designed to heal both physically, and emotionally.  How beautiful is it to hear this story– were Jess’s body, which was spoken over so negatively– that it wouldn’t be able to have a healthy pregnancy and birth again, that it was incapable of the pregnancy and labor processes— it healed and it experienced new life.  Along with physical healing, Jess and her entire family experienced emotional and spiritual healing.  How amazing that we have been designed with so many opportunities to grow, to rewire, to renew our thoughts.  This family did just that, and what a joy it was to listen to how it unfolded.    Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube Link

Let’s say you want a midwife.   You’re desperate to give birth at home, and you’re ready to throw your money at the woman willing to attend your birth.  What happens when you can’t find anyone to come?    This week we’re speaking with Caroline and Alex, who are the parents of a beautiful family of 4 little ones (now growing #5).  This episode was recorded in November or December of 2023, I believe, but it never got a chance to air because of my sense that it was immediately time to close the podcast.  BUT… this story is just so good, you have to hear it.  With the updates we’ve made to the podcast and our desire to focus more on one story per interview, this episode has been edited to focus on their most recent pregnancy and birth.    Episode Roundup:   I want to take a moment to emphasize just how difficult it must have felt for Caroline and Alex to so desperately want a midwife and a homebirth, and yet to not be able to find anyone to provide care.  The reality is that there are large pockets of area throughout the country and, gosh, certainly globally, where there is lack of maternal care.  You don’t have 1,000 options. You’ve barely got any options.  I love the way that this couple chose to face this situation with a sense of openness and trust.  Caroline sensed that the Lord was calling them into giving birth unattended, and she trusted.  And what’s more, the Lord worked it out to where Alex was able to be comfortable and confident, too.  This  I also appreciate how this was not taken lightly.  There was preparation, mentally, spiritually, and in Alex’s case, even physically.  He was able to receive hands on training from their former midwife! What a gift. I want to touch on pain and the desire to have a pain-free birth.  Listen, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that desire! I love it, and I know that it’s so possible!! But I also think there is so much beauty and strength that comes from having a birth that’s challenging.  That’s not pain-free.  That’s intense and animalistic.  Motherhood is intense.  Motherhood is challenging.  Motherhood causes you to be in it for the long haul, even when you’re exhausted.  Which brings me to my final little point– Caroline mentioned how Alex saying “it’s so cute” was like her little cup of water in the marathon- the bit of hydration she needed to make it to the finish line.  How special are those moments– those moments we make with our spouse or our birth team– those intimate little sayings, touches, glances, that give us the strength we need when we needed it.  What a blessing.  And what a blessing this story was.     Links Happy Homebirth Academy Youtube Link

We love talking about homebirth here, right?  I mean, it’s kind of our thing.  But what about the other end of the life spectrum.  What about death?     This week, we are speaking with Mariah Lassiter, a a Hospice Registered Nurse who had her first baby at home..  As she has supported patients in her career, Mariah has begun to recognize how many similarities there are in the birthing and dying processes, and how both do not have to be viewed as scary, and in fact can be beautiful.  We’ll hear her incredible birth story with her first child, and then dive into what she’s learned in her time as a hospice nurse.   Episode roundup Let’s start by connecting with our educational tidbit: Not all first births are long!  If you’re experiencing the intensity that Mariah described, do not be afraid to reach out to your midwife.  Part of her job is checking on you, so don’t worry about “calling her too early.” If you’re worried, her support can be extremely helpful. Intuition is everything.  Mariah felt that she needed to give birth at home throughout her pregnancy, and with the quickness of her birth, the reality of that truth became very clear.  Listen to your intuition.  If you feel like you don’t have intuition or don’t know how to tap into it, pregnancy is the most perfect time to tap in.  Turn off your phone, turn off your screens, heck, turn off this podcast and focus inward.  You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn and feel. Finally, our bodies know how to be born, they know how to give birth, and they know how to die.  It’s really quite freeing to see the similarities in these experiences, and to trust that they were created this way with purpose.  If you’re looking for an amazing, grounding, life-altering perspective on dying, I cannot recommend the book Imagine Heaven enough.  Wow.  I read this book on Near Death Experiences last year, and the amount of peace and beauty that it brought to my life was just incredible and unexpected.  You are beautifully designed and deeply loved.   Links Samaritan Ministries Imagine Heaven Book Happy Homebirth Academy Youtube Link  

In this episode we'll discuss My origin story How Happy Homebirth was created Why I stepped back from the podcast and business in Jan 24 Why we're back, and most importantly, where we are going!   Links Samaritan Ministries Jamie Winship 4 Part Series Bob Hamp Freedom Series Imagine Heaven Book Happy Homebirth Academy Youtube Link

When things go unexpectedly during your first birth, how do you plan for a second birth with the hope and expectation that they'll go better?   This week, we are speaking with Michelle Varela. Michelle is one of those rare and amazing women who knew that she wanted to give birth at home from a very young age. So when her first birth took an unexpected turn, it was confusing and disappointing, and there were certainly questions as to how things would be handled next time.   Episode Roundup:   The importance of our care providers. They make a huge difference. How things unfold does depend greatly on that. But the second thing that's on my mind is just how incredible the body is, how beautifully designed it was and is, how beautifully designed it is to heal itself. While Michelle struggled with a 4th degree tear during her 1st birthing experience, she did not let that come in her way in terms of her second birth experience, and thank goodness that she didn't even know that other people might say, oh, that's too dangerous. She just did what she knew was best for her body, and what ended up happening was a beautiful birth with zero tearing.  Our bodies are so incredible. They're so incredible at healing. They're so resilient. So if you have found yourself in a place where you've given birth before and it didn't go the way that you wanted, desired, expected, or planned, Know this. Your body is resilient. Your mind is resilient. Your heart is resilient, and next time it can be different just like it was for Michelle. Last thing before I jump off, I did wanna share that Michelle's husband actually works with mothers postpartum. He helps with things like diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunction, and just overall achieving of physical goals. Instagram: @codylanecollins     

We want a healthy baby and a healthy mama, right? But is it okay to ask for more than that? What if we have specific ideas and hopes and dreams for our birth? Is it okay to pray about that? Is it okay to ask the Lord for more? This week, we are speaking to my friend Rachel Petersen. Now Rachel did just that. She had desires and she let the Lord know about them. So we're going to learn what that looked like and see how it unfolded for her in her birth experience. Now, just a little bit more information on Rachel. She is certified through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and the Herbal Academy. She specializes in women's hormones, cycle sinking, fertility, the fertility awareness method and prenatal and postpartum nutrition. So she's somebody that you're going to want to check out. She's on Instagram @nourish.thegood   Episode Roundup:   The first one being that Rachel shows us how it's okay to make your requests known to God. In fact, he tells us to, specifically, make your requests known to God and he will answer. Now, does it always look like the answer that Rachel received? No, not necessarily. However, he does work all things for good. So even when the outcomes don't look the way we had expected, even when they look completely different from how we expected them to look, we know that we have a loving father who does care for us and, like Rachel said, He is aware of us. He sees us. So whether your birth turns out as spectacularly as Rachel's does, or whether it turns out differently than expected, let God be big in it. Look for Him, He's there. Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, He is there. So let's look back and see, where was He? Where was He in my experience?

  2024 Trainings Greenville, SC Gillespie Approach-Craniosacral Fascial Therapy   Previous Episode:   Ep 175: The Gillespie Approach: How Craniosacral Fascial Therapy Can Optimize Health for Your Infant

Birthworker.com/happyhomebirth     Previous Episodes with Kyleight: Ep 98: Kyleigh’s Out-of-the-Box Homebirth Preparation Ep 258: How To Turn Your Passion For Birth Into A Full-time Career As A Doula with Kyleigh Banks

Once you've experienced a traumatic birth, the best you can hope for from that point on is just-- a birth without trauma, right? It's best to just play it safe- not to push the envelope....?   Regina has been married to her husband Miles for 11 years and mother to their 3 children. Currently the Lowenfields live in Southern Indiana where they are building an events venue on their 75 acres. Today we'll hear how Regina and Miles experienced trauma, tried to cope, and then went big with their most recent birth experience.   Before we jump in, I want to share an important update with you all. The release of this episode coincides exactly with the 5 year anniversary of this podcast. I am just so thrilled to look back over the last 5 years and to celebrate the 264 episodes that have been shared in that time.   I also want to let you know that I am now going to be going on hiatus with the podcast. I am so excited to focus my energy on a few projects that the Lord has been drawing me into over the last year, and most importantly to spend every waking moment soaking up the beauty of my three little ones. I'm not sure if anyone's told you, but holy moly time goes FAST and one day you wake up and your oldest is seven years old and you wonder what the heck happened.   So in the meantime, know this: I am still honored to provide you with the deepest homebirth childbirth education through The Homebirth Collective or Happy Homebirth Academy, both of which are self-paced and accessible in the show notes, at myhappyhomebirth.com, or through my instagram bio.   I'm not going to be checking in on instagram or facebook often, so if you need anything, the best way to reach me is at hello@myhappyhomebirth.com.     If this podcast has meant something to you, would you take a moment now to leave a review? It would mean so much to me.     Episode Roundup:       If you've experienced a traumatic birth in the past, don't feel that you have to settle for 'not traumatic'. The opposite of a traumatic birth is not merely 'not traumatic', but it's ecstatic, and that's something that you can prepare for, pray for, and quit often attain.   Alright, my friends. What an honor this has been. I look forward to coming back in the future with more beautiful stories, but in the meantime, I am praying for all of you. That you'll enjoy your pregnancies, your births, your babies, your children. That you'll feel the love of the Lord covering you like a blanket, realizing that it's somehow even deeper and stronger than that insane love we feel for our babies. I'll see you back here next time.

You can't have a homebirth after 3 c sections, pre-eclampsia and being a "geriatric pregnancy", can you?   This week, we're speaking with Jan DeAngelo, 43 year old mother of 4 babies who changed EVERYTHING in between her third and fourth births. We'll hear how she took control of her care and her family's wellbeing, and gave birth with confidence to her most recent little one.   Episode Roundup You're not high risk until you're high risk- Jan's midwife said this, and I find it such a beautiful way to approach each pregnancy individually. She wasn't focusing on the past, but looking at Jan and her pregnancy NOW. Instead of forcing fear and uncertainty onto her client, she trusted her abilities as a care provider, yes, but more importantly-- she trusted Jan's ability to give birth. Your mindset plays such a role in your birth. As we shared, in the past, Jan's doctors pathologized her pregnancy and birth up and down, and Jan accepted what they had to say. Because of this, she saw herself as high risk- as a disaster waiting to happen. This totally changed for her fourth birth, when she realized that she was designed to give birth. She changed her mindset and recognized that her body and her baby were not pathologies. She was able to approach this pregnancy and birth with excited anticipation, along with the knowledge that she could and would do things differently. Let's end with this-- it can be different this time. Maybe you've had a cesarean or several, maybe you've had preeclampsia or gestational diabetes or any number of "pathologies" in the past. Remember that this experience doesn't have to be the same as last time. Give yourself space to imagine something different. Visualize it, feel it. Find support who feels it, too. Of course, consider your own risk tolerance, but know that however events do unfold, you can experience your birth from a perspective of being the authority.

Which is more important in birth preparation and birth itself? The body--or the mind? This week we're speaking with Errika Horner, a stay-at-home mom of 2 girls and blogger in her spare time, sharing healthy recipes and intentional homemaking inspiration on her website: thehomeintent.com.   Episode Roundup As Errika's story demonstrated, it is possible to have a positive birth experience in the hospital, if that’s the option you feel you need this time around, keep this at front of mind, as it can be extremely encouraging to hear those positive examples. Errika acknowledges that yes, her body was made for birthing, but it was her mind that made the difference between her two experiences. Errika had a much better understanding of what her body was doing in labor, and she visualized it all, even talking to her body during contractions. Errika feels that's what really made the second experience smoother and quicker. And finally, you don't have to learn every single possible coping technique. In fact, having just a few specific strategies planned to use during the birth can help, so that you know exactly how to prepare and focus.

When you imagine a beautiful homebirth, what comes to mind? Everything unfolds perfectly, or nearly perfectly, right?   This week, we're speaking with Coco Brown. Coco is a mother, currently navigating the labyrinth that is postpartum using ancestral knowledge and intuition to guide her. She is a maternal health and nourishment advocate sharing her intimate journey through home birth, postpartum, intuitive motherhood and well being through her online presence in hopes to deeply connect women and mothers around the world.   Our story with Coco will challenge the idea that beauty is equivalent to a perfectly smooth birthing experience. As the title suggests, there will be discussion of a shoulder dystocia, so of course please consider this as you listen. However, I do want to share that Coco is a wonderful storyteller and she shares her experience both gently and realistically... and spoiler alert, but all went well in the end.     Episode Roundup:     Imagination. Many of you know that I view the world through a biblical lens, and something that's been on my mind for the last few months, and that relates in such a special way to this episode, is the idea of the imagination. Just like Coco shared how she took time to deeply envision her birth experience, and so much of it happened in the way that she'd put thought to. Lately, I've been reflecting on how The Lord uses our imagination for our good and His glory. We were given this ability to imagine-- to see things in our mind-- and it is such a gift. We're called to renew our minds and spirits and to think on whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—using our imagination to renew the mind and think on these things in our day to day life is the stuff of miracles. Use your imagination! Think on your pure, excellent, praiseworthy birth, mama. Next, I want to focus on how, between her first pregnancy and birth and her most recent, Coco learned to lean into her intuition and to truly listen to it. This is what led her to choose to give birth in her own home, and to choose a midwife who truly embodied what that word is supposed to mean-- someone who trusts, believes in physiological birth, and who is there to wisely step in when the time is right. As Coco told this part of the birth story, I pictured these three women, with Coco as the spearhead, along with her two midwives flanking either side. Supporting her, keeping her safe, but always recognizing Coco's lead. That's what this relationship is all about. And finally, a word on integration. Coco's journey from first pregnancy through her most recent birth has been full of ups and downs. Triumph and troubles. And labor is a microcosm of this very experience. I loved her labor depiction. "I am an ocean." Oceans are many things. Mighty, flowing, majestic, serene, cataclysmic, and tranquil. What a wonderful analogy for the process of integration. Taking all of the aspects of her journey thus far-- breaking them down and then building them back up together. Letting it all wash over her in waves. And like waves, the integration of an experience ebbs and flows. It's not all at once. But this ability to take our experience and pull it into our being-- absorbing the meaning and allowing it to transform us-- that is an abundant gift to ourselves and our families alike.

When you've had a hospital birth but your epidural failed, why not bring it on home for baby #2?   This week we're speaking to Brianna, who did just that-- decided to head home after the frustrating experience of a failed epidural. We'll hear how she was able to tap into her intuition and her primal instincts to make her homebirth a wonderful success.   Episode Roundup:   Brianna experienced the intensity of labor with her first birth, as her epidural migrated and failed. Because she had expected to HAVE the epidural to cope, she struggled through her active labor and transition. However, what I find amazing is that when she gave birth at home, pain was a non-issue. Simply having coping skills available to her and knowing how to let her body do the work allowed her to experience a FUN, joyful birthing experience. I also loved the way that Brianna invited her daughter, Ella in to her birth experience with her second baby. Ella was able to come in and see her mother give birth to her new baby sister. Brianna mentioned that she hopes her daughter will remember this experience, and I agree. I want to encourage those of you who have young children at your births to remember to tell them the story! Turn it into family lore! My daughter tells me little details about the time that she watched me give birth to her baby sister. "Remember when I tried to get in the pool," she'll say. Now, whether or not she actually fully remembers the event itself or the retelling and retelling of it-- does it really matter? In her mind, it's solidified as a beautiful, joyous strong experience. We have the ability to use storytelling to help our children understand the beauty of birth, whether they fully remember or not. Honestly, whether they're even present or not!   Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off