Happy Homebirth

Exclusive Free Training: How To Turn Your Passion For Birth Into A Full-time Career As A Doula – So you can feed your soul AND your Family… even if you don’t want to be on call 24/7! Register here: Myhappyhomebirth.com/birthworker This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

What does it look like to take charge of your birth experience after a previously disempowering one? This week, we'll be speaking with McKenzie, a mother to two children and student from The Homebirth Collective--with two very different pregnancy and birth stories. We'll learn how McKenzie's first pregnancy and birth laid a groundwork for questioning herself, yet how that's absolutely not the end of her story-- and what she did to change her experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Episode Roundup The way that we feel about ourselves and our experience in pregnancy is extremely related to our birth experience, our postpartum and our motherhood journey. McKenzie's pregnancy with her daughter Cora involved care providers who left her feeling uncertain about herself, her decisions, her ability to give birth and mother her baby.... all of this dynamic was already in play before she even headed to the hospital to have her baby. When the nurse asked, "do you want to try to push?" Her mind immediately began to question, "Well, should I? Surely someone should tell me..." This type of care is so common, and I truly believe that it leads so many mothers to question themselves on all kinds of matters when the truth is that YOU KNOW. You know your body and baby more than anyone else ever could. You are not a small piece of this puzzle... you ARE the puzzle. When McKenzie switched to homebirth and midwife-attended care with her second child, she began to truly embody this reality, which led to starkly different choices, feelings, and experiences. She shared how because of where she is mentally and in her heart, she's able to navigate through the challenges of motherhood with more grace, ease and fluidity than ever before. It's amazing to hear such an undeniable change. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

Have you ever felt like you were seeing a revolving door of different doctors throughout your pregnancy? HOW can you feel confident and comfortable with the provider if it just. keeps. changing? This week we're speaking with Shayna- a mother to two precious boys, one born in the hospital and one at home. We'll hear how Shayna dealt with switching doctors in her first pregnancy, and how a revolving door of doctors in her second pregnancy sent her seeking the continuity and CARE of a midwife. As you prepare for YOUR homebirth, I want to remind you that my desire is to serve you as deeply as possible. While so many mothers gain so much from this podcast, a totally free resource, I know that many of you are seeking deeper preparation. That's exactly what we do inside of Happy Homebirth Academy and The Homebirth Collective. I give you a clear-cut framework for preparing for your homebirth, or preparing for your homebirth AND the transformation into motherhood. No wondering if you have what you need. No stone goes unturned. Click the link in the show notes to join, and don't forget to apply the code PODCAST at checkout for 10% for being a listener of the show. Episode Roundup How amazing was that? As we head into this week's episode roundup, I want to ask you- how do you think it impacts our transition into motherhood to be supported continuously by the same person, or the same small group of people, as opposed to a massive conglomerate of doctors who may or may not know anything about you? I think we can all agree that the sacredness of this transition into motherhood is deserving of respect and individualization. Without continuity of care, it's sure hard to truly receive either. If you're on the fence about how you want to give birth, keep this in mind as you consider your options and seek care. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

Did you know that you can use your birth to deeply unite your family unit? Today we're speaking with Anna, a mother of three precious children with a bend towards all things holistic. Anna and her husband decided to use their third birth experience as a catalyst for the entire family-- truly restructuring the way that they experienced parenthood and the culture that they wanted to present to their family. I can't wait for you to hear how this played out. Anna was a student inside of The Homebirth Collective, and it was so powerful to watch her grow and prepare for this birth experience. Now, being on the other side, I feel honored to have been able to support her into her newest, strongest version of motherhood. If this is what you're looking for in your life, I would LOVE to have you inside of The HBC. Click the link in the show notes to join today, and use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout. Episode Roundup Before we go, I wanted to mention that Anna has started a blog. To learn more from her beautiful wisdom, be sure to follow along at: PARA SIEMPRE This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

Has your perception of an event ever changed after a period of time? If so, how did that impact your future decision-making? And today we're speaking with Bree Darby. Bree is a mama of two girls, 4 years and 3 months, and a bonus mom of one boy, 11. She is a working/stay-at-home mom in the suburbs of Philadelphia who spends her time outside of work exercising, enjoying the outdoors, or spending time with her family. After a hospital birth filled with interventions, she was determined to have the un-disturbed, unmedicated birth she longed for with her first, and she knew that homebirth was the way to go. Throughout pregnancy, Bree overcame the struggle of harnessing her power to overcome the fear of homebirth through education and exercise. As you prepare for YOUR homebirth, I want to remind you that my desire is to serve you as deeply as possible. While so many mothers gain so much from this podcast, a totally free resource, I know that many of you are seeking deeper preparation. That's exactly what we do inside of Happy Homebirth Academy and The Homebirth Collective. I give you a clear-cut framework for preparing for your homebirth, or preparing for your homebirth AND the transformation into motherhood. No wondering if you have what you need. No stone goes unturned. Click the link in the show notes to join, and don't forget to apply the code PODCAST at checkout for 10% for being a listener of the show. Episode Roundup: How cool was that? Hearing mothers gain education and make new choices never gets old to me! As we head into this week's episode roundup, one big thought is coming to my mind: Sometimes our perception of an experience may change with time. When Bree had her first daughter, she didn't consider her care to be anything but normal. However, as time passed and she gained education, she realized that there were aspects of her care that she no longer appreciated. If this is you, I want to remind you that this is totally okay. AND... we have the option to gain new information, recognize that we would do things differently next time, and yet not condemn ourselves for previous decisions or think "wow, if only I had done xyz instead..." We are all learning and growing, and as we do that, our opinions and choices may change. Let's embrace that and move forward with confidence, just like Bree. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

What happens when becoming pregnant goes from being quick and easy to long, emotional and difficult? This week, we're speaking with Shyla Brown, a mother of 4 babes- 3 of whom were born at home. We'll walk through Shyla's experiences of pregnancy, which range from fast and unexpected to long-awaited while she struggled with secondary infertility. Shyla will share what she learned from that experience and the pelvic therapy that made SUCH a massive difference for her. And for those of you who are interested, that information is in the show notes, so go check it out! Shyla was a student of mine inside of The Homebirth Collective while she prepared for her fourth baby. While she'd already had 3 births under her belt, Shyla knew that she wanted to re-enter birth and motherhood differently-- more sacredly-- this time around. And that's where the HBC came in. If you're looking to prepare for both your homebirth and the deep foundations of your sacred motherhood experience, I hope you'll join me inside of The HBC. The link is in the show notes, and you can use the code PODCAST for 10% at checkout. Episode Roundup What an incredible journey Shyla has been on. As we head into this week's episode roundup, I want to focus on the hope and joy that came alongside the pain of Shyla's struggle with secondary infertility. She did not give up on her dream of more children, she continued to learn and search, and she found such an amazing resource. There was so much pain in the losses she experienced, both of babies and her father, but there was a rainbow, indeed. And even moreso, I love that Shyla, CONTINUED to focus on her emotional healing after her third birth. When she became unexpectedly pregnant with Ulysses, baby #4, she knew she needed to take her mental and emotional preparation seriously, and that's exactly what she did inside of The Homebirth Collective. She didn't have to bring the hurt and sadness of her previous experiences into her birth, and that made all the difference. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

How do we encourage optimal growth of our bodies and the bodies of our babies in pregnancy and birth? What are the foundational pieces to this? This week we're speaking with Margaret Barry. After a history of restrictive dieting and over-exercising, Margaret decided to seek out a better understanding of physiology that goes beyond the unsustainable diets and quick fixes commonly promoted in the women’s health world. After successfully resolving her digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and healing her relationship with food and exercise, Margaret completed her Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner training in 2014 and immediately started working with clients. Her Motherhood journey began with an intervention-heavy hospital birth of her daughter, after which she went on to have her second child- a son- at home, in a full-circle redemption of her own autonomy. Over the years, she has continued to expand her knowledge base with a wide range of additional certifications, including HTMA (hair tissue mineral analysis) functional blood chemistry, fascia fitness, perinatal corrective exercise, and lymphatic exercise. She specializes in mineral balancing, women’s metabolic health, and fascia-focused exercise. Margaret is passionate about helping women feel strong, energetic, comfortable, and confident in their bodies. She works with clients via her group programs, courses, and classes. Episode Roundup How amazing is it to speak with someone who is so well-rounded in all of the systems that so deeply support our health in pregnancy, birth and motherhood? As we head into today's episode roundup, I really just want to take a moment of gratitude for the exposure of these concepts. When we learn this kind of information, it may be the default to think, "UGH! Why didn't I know this before... this could have helped xyz...." And I totally understand that, because I've certainly felt it. But even moreso... how exciting to know now. How exciting to learn about our minerals, our lymph, our fascia, our bodies... so that we CAN become more aware stewards, and that we can influence our children's lives, whether they've yet to be conceived or they're already 25. This information is powerful, and we can use it with excited optimism. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

How can we lean into the primal nature of birth and experience it as the full right of passage that it was designed to be? Today we're speaking with Karey, a stay-at-home, soon to be homeschooling mom of three. In this episode, we'll uncover the work that Karey did, particularly between her second and third birth, that led to a deeper understanding of the transformative power that birth holds for those who seek. Episode Roundup Tag @thebirthstorydoula This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

When birth goes well in all of the physical ways, does that necessarily mean that it carried the emotional depth you desired? This week we're speaking with Cortney Steffensmeier. Cortney is the mother of 3 littles who ignited her passion for breastfeeding and maternal postpartum support. After working for nearly 10 years in western medicine, Cortney received a deeper calling to stay home with her babies while cultivating a network for her local moms. She is an IBCLC, postpartum doula, and CFT provider. All three of her birth stories are quite different, with the common denominator being the Lord's goodness throughout each labor. She's here to shed light on how she came into her own and began to advocate for her dream birth over the years. Ultimately, we'll hear how she achieved the birth she wholeheartedly desired. Episode Roundup 1. It’s common for the perception of birth that we had growing up to be counterproductive when it comes to preparing for our own birth. Cortney shared how she had never witnessed an unmedicated birth before having her second baby, and the only image she had of birth was from the video of her mother’s birth: a large epidural needle and a sterile-looking room did not provide excitement in Cortney’s mind for giving birth herself. If this is all that you have known of birth up until now, I’m so thrilled that you’re here gleaning a new perspective of what birth can be. 2. Next, Cortney shared how her third birth experience was an experience that bonded herself to her husband even more than before. Those who witnessed the birth were able to see just how palpable their love was, and even more, they truly represented what it means to be a team together. There's no way that this hasn't carried over into their parenting together. We already know it led into their postpartum, which brings me to point number 3. 3. Cortney shared that they finally gave postpartum the attention it deserved this time around. My friends, if there's anything I can share with you, it's that more than likely, your expectations of rest for postpartum need to INCREASE. Cortney and her husband were willing to accept the help of their friends and family when it came to taking care of their little ones, dropping them off and picking them up-- really, receiving help in all of its forms. They recognized the importance of those first weeks together solidifying their connection. I pray that you'll take this to heart. This is such a critical practice... I know it isn't always easy, and it may come with its own set of difficulty--how do we prepare to make this even feasible? But please, begin to consider this as early as possible so that you can make it happen to the best of your ability for your family. 4. And finally, Cortney's openness and willingness to have friends and loved ones around her during her birth experience was such a gift to those who witnessed. Just like we mentioned at the beginning of the roundup, Cortney had never seen an unmedicated birth before, much less a homebirth... and now she's passing along the beauty of what birth can be to all those who were in attendance. Community birth. What a blessing. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

Surrendering to Physiological Birth and Motherhood with Jessica Livengood What does it mean to surrender to your birth experience? To surrender to motherhood? This week's episode, we'll be speaking to my friend and Homebirth Collective student Jessica about her experiences with surrender in birth and motherhood. This conversation is so deep and SO useful- I know you're going to gain amazing insight from it. Before we jump in, I want to share how deeply this concept relates to what we learn inside of The Homebirth Collective. You may wonder-- what makes The HBC different from other childbirth education? And the answer is that it's not strictly childbirth education. Yes, it's that, but it's so much more. Inside of The HBC we're focusing on the preparation of birth-- physical birth, and the spiritual, mental, emotional birth into motherhood. We spend weeks tending to the primal mother and learning how to lean into what we already have and have been given. If you're looking to use your birth experience as a transformational catalyst into a grounded motherhood, I'd love to have you inside of The HBC. Click the link in the show notes to join, and don't forget to use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout. Episode Roundup Goodness, Jessica's story and her perspective of her birth are so beneficial to all of us. As we head into this episode roundup, she's given us so much to mull over. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

What happens when you live and breathe homebirth, but you can't quite visualize how you want your birth to unfold. Today I (Katelyn) am sitting down with my husband Thomas to share the birth story of our precious son, Thomas Jr. For our previous birth stories: Lillian's Birth Janie's Birth This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

Making Birth Choices From a Place of Empowerment with Leigh Anne McGiff How do we respond to the unexpected? We know we can't control all of the circumstances of life, but what do we do when we're faced with new choices that must be made? This week, we're speaking to my friend and Homebirth Collective student, Leigh Anne. Leigh Anne will be sharing about her two birth experiences and how she and her husband Colton were able to navigate "game time" decision-making in a way that led to a sense of pride and accomplishment. Before we jump in, I want to encourage you to consider joining The Homebirth Collective, which is currently open for self-study. Throughout her story you'll hear the lessons that Leigh Anne learned inside of the program, and I am so grateful to hear how beautifully she was able to apply what she learned to her experience and her perspective of that experience, even now. If you want learn how to prepare for your homebirth, yes, but you also want to take seriously this transition into or back into motherhood as the sacred right of passage that it was always meant to be, join me inside today. Click the link in the show notes, and don't forget to use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout for being such a dedicated supporter of the show! Episode Roundup This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

How did your birth location make you feel during your birthing experience-- confined and imprisoned, or totally set free? This week, we're speaking to Esmeralda, a mother to 3 children, doula and homebirth shop owner. We'll hear how Esmeralda went from a confined hospital experience to absolute freedom in her homebirths. If you're looking to prepare for your homebirth and motherhood, and you find yourself aligning with the information that I share, I would love to have you inside of one of my programs: Happy Homebirth Academy or The Homebirth Collective. Whether you're simply looking for straight-forward but REAL childbirth education for homebirthers inside of HHA, or you're ready to deeply prepare for not only your homebirth, but for motherhood as a whole inside of The Collective, I am so excited to support you. Click the link in the show notes to join today, and use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout. Episode Roundup Goodness, as I reflect on Esmeralda's story, one major, beautiful point comes to my mind. Instinct requires us to go internally. We've got to stop listening to the outside noise and focus on that depthy, God-given inner-knowing that we all hold as Primal Mothers. When Esmeralda did this for her third birth, it truly shifted everything. She found complete freedom in her birth, and she knew exactly what she was capable of as a mother-- that she had everything she needed inside herself all along. This Week's Sponsors: Araza Beauty: Code HOMEBIRTH for 15% off Informed Pregnancy+ Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

The wait is almost over, are you ready for the Fall2023 season of Happy Homebirth? Join me from your favorite podcast platform on September4 for our first brand new episode and mark your calendars for September 18, when my husband and I will be sitting down to tell all about our most recent birth experience. It is completely unlike our previous experiences, and you don't want to miss it. What do Obstetricians have to say about homebirth? Well, the one we're speaking to today certainly has some opinions that may surprise you in the best way. This week, we're speaking with the incredible Dr. Stu Fischbein, a homebirth-attending Obstetrician, founder of Reteach Breech, and one of the two lovely co-hosts from the ever-inspiring podcast Birthing Instincts. In this conversational episode, Dr. Stu, as usual, holds nothing back and shares his opinions regarding the current state of the medical oligarchy and how the last two years of pandemic chaos have exposed the realities that have existed for a long time, how this encroaches on midwives, mothers and people as a whole... and we discuss the responsibility that each one of us can choose to take in regards to our own health. He shares the massive shifts in perspective that he's had over his career in terms of how maternity care should be managed, or better yet left alone, and he unabashedly shares his thoughts on the Covid, the vaccine and more. Episode Roundup: Resources FREE Homebirth Essentials Guide Happy Homebirth Collective Links: Birthing Instincts Atlas Shrugged Dissolving Illusions Casa Blanca The Business of Birth Control The Highwire

The wait is almost over, are you ready for the Fall2023 season of Happy Homebirth? Join me from your favorite podcast platform on September4 for our first brand new episode and mark your calendars for September 18, when my husband and I will be sitting down to tell all about our most recent birth experience. It is completely unlike our previous experiences, and you don't want to miss it. What the heck is a rite of passage… and why does this matter in regards to birth? This week, we are speaking with Rachael Jean, a homebirth midwife and birth rite enthusiast. In this episode we delve into the meaning of rites of passage, why they’re important, how to reclaim birth as a rite of passage, and… how to prepare for birth through healing. Immediately I can tell you this will be an episode you’re going to want to save and listen to a couple of times. I’m so excited for the wisdom that Rachael brought to this conversation. Show Notes Rachael Jean is a midwife practicing in Maine She’s been working in ceremonial work, and feels that midwifery is her mission. Rites of passage: a normal social and cultural event that brings societies together: It brings honor and celebration. birth, puberty, marriage, eldership, death There is not a very strong entrance into adulthood in our current society How do we begin to prepare ourselves for this rite of passage? -It’s about healing: Birth was robbed from women with “twilight sleep” and midwives having to go underground -Rachael’s main goal is to go back through childhood and heal generational traumas: relationship to mother, to father, to child, and wounding patterns related to the elements -Rachael strongly feels that babies are master teachers— they come down and know exactly what lessons you need to learn “Birth is the utmost of the feminine….” The goal is to gain awareness and presence so that we can create space to make choices. Women deserve to love their birth story, no matter what. It’s about honoring the mother, the father and the child. In presence, we get a chance to bring honor back to daily life. Rachael’s recommendation: Unpack the baggage while you’re pregnant! Episode Roundup: elementalbirthrites.com Reclaiming pregnancy and birth as a rite of passage (facebook) elementalmidwifery.com Elemental Birthrites IG

Let’s say you’re a birth expert- you’ve been working with pregnant mothers for years, and you’re finally having the homebirth of your dreams. Is firm education enough, or will there possibly be unexpected tests in the emotional and mental aspects of birth? This week we’re speaking with the marvelous Dr. Courtney Kahla. Dr. Courtney is a nervous system centered chiropractor specializing in families. She is the owner of Our Well House: a multidisciplinary wellness center in Dallas, TX. Her mission is to encourage others to experience freedom in their physical, mental, and spiritual health. She is passionate about empowering others to take control of their health by living a lifestyle that honors their God-given innate ability to heal. We’re going to spend part of this episode discussing chiropractic care, and then the rest diving deep into Dr. Courtney’s own homebirth journey. And wow, you’re in for so much wisdom sprinkled throughout her story. One theme we discuss in Dr. Kahla’s story is the need for emotional and mental preparation when it comes to homebirth, beyond the basics of childbirth education. With that in mind, I want to invite you to join me as you prepare for your own empowering homebirth experience. Let’s use the unbelievably transformative time of pregnancy as a catalyst into the most incredible motherhood journey. How? Join me inside of Happy Homebirth Academy, where preparing for your homebirth is both thorough and joyful. Learn to comfortably step into your role as the responsible, intuitive mother that you are, and hone those lifelong skills while we educate you on all aspects of midwifery care, physiological birth, and preparing your heart and home. We cover the physical, yes, but we also go deep into the importance of emotional and mental preparation, all while inviting your spouse to be deeply involved and connected from pregnancy, through labor and on into the blissful postpartum period. You ready to transform? Head to myhappyhomebirth.com/hha to get started today. As always, please remember that the opinions of my guest may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and this show is not medical advice, it’s an educational tool, so continue to take empowered responsibility for yourself and your family. Episode Roundup: Resources: Happy Homebirth Academy Episode: Communicating With Your Birth Team About Expectations and Desires Episode: When Your Midwife Choices are Limited Free Homebirth Essentials Clickable List Waitlist for The Homebirth Collective Dr. Courtney's Instagram Dr. Courtney's website

Have you ever been disqualified from something? Maybe you were in a swim meet and your feet touched the bottom of the pool. Maybe your scholarship essay was too short and you were taken out of the running…. But have you ever been considered disqualified in your birthing location? This week we’re speaking with an incredible woman, Ginny Yurtich, founder of 1000 hours outsideJih, and mother of 5 children with very different birth stories. In her first birth, Ginny’s pre-eclampsia “disqualified” her from her birth center experience, and we’ll see just how she handled this in subsequent births. Episode Roundup: Follow Ginny: @1000hoursoutside Ginny's website: www.1000hoursoutside.com

What surprised you most about your homebirth? Was it… the way you vocalized during your surges? Or maybe it was how incredibly accomplished you felt afterward? Or… was it the number of babies that you gave birth to? This week we’re speaking to Elizabeth Parsons, who really brought the surprise factor to her fourth birth and first homebirth. Episode Roundup: Can you imagine that experience? The shock of thinking you’re pushing out a placenta, but then being handed a second baby? Absolutely incredible. As we head into this week’s episode roundup, I wanted to focus on a few things that came up. Join The Homebirth Collective Join Happy Homebirth Academy Code PODCAST for 10% off

Today's guest: Dr Rachel Reed is a midwife, academic, author, and international speaker who focuses on childbirth physiology, midwifery practice, and women's rights (and rites). She has provided midwifery care for many women and has attended births in a wide range of settings and circumstances. Rachel is the author of the award-winning blog MidwifeThinking and the co-host of The Midwives' Cauldron podcast. She has published widely in journals and magazines, and her first book Why Induction Matters is a popular resource for women and care providers. Her most recent book Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage: weaving ancient wisdom with modern knowledge will be published early 2021. Further information about Rachel and her work is available at www.rachel-reed.website. and….she’s just delightful. I find myself getting sucked into her blog archives for hours at a time, and for today’s episode I decided to ask her about several topics that she covers quite wonderfully there. I know you’re going to deeply enjoy this episode. With that, let’s jump in! Show Notes: Big Babies Most women having homebirth in Australia have “big” babies, and they’re not scary. In hospital, however, it can be a different story. If a doctor diagnoses a mother with a “big baby” on ultrasound, it can begin to cause stress and fear for her. Dr. Reed mentions that the research does not separate healthy, normal big babies from those whose mothers have gestational diabetes. These babies tend to have bigger shoulders and can have more difficulty coming out (though most of them come out just fine, too). “Big babies don’t scare me, but what people do about big babies does scare me.” Women who are told they have a big baby: C sections, tearing, poorer outcomes are more likely— so it’s the outside causing the problem. A care provider’s fear of the big baby can cause many of the interventions Gestational Diabetes as a label— fairly nonsensical If there are abnormally high blood glucose levels circulating, that does impact the baby and potentially the birth. However, the blood glucose levels being used are not evidence-based In Australia, around 17% of women are now labeled as a gestational diabetic. When Dr. Reed was training, we only tested those who had risk factors. The issues with challenge tests: it’s an abnormal test— many pregnant women are not drinking sugary drinks, so the tests results can be very off. VBAC- Mountain or Molehill? Is this as dangerous as the medical community seems to happen? Research related to this is mixed with those who are having inductions and those who are not— when we remove those who are having inductions, we see the already small number of issues become all the smaller. Statistically a <1% chance of uterine rupture, compared to all of the issues that may occur during a Cesarean (there is a higher chance of losing the uterus due to hemorrhage during c-section than having a uterine rupture). Inside the hospital, there’s been higher support for VBACs… if it’s done the right way: prepared for surgery, continuous monitoring, etc. Many women are choosing to have home births because they’re having VBACs to avoid all of the issues that can occur in the hospital The woman is the decision-maker. It’s her body, her baby, her experience. Dr. Reed discusses how the care provider’s role is to support the woman in whatever decisions she is making. It’s so important to make sure that the midwife and client are on the same page at the very beginning of the relationship. “This is who I am, this is what I want, this is what I expect of you” from both client and midwife. Fear Around Childbirth Dr. Reed considers fear to be an important aspect regarding birth, as ancestrally we always would have had some amount of respect/fear for birth. Separation Phase (early labor)— There’s anxiety and stress because you’re feeling the contractions begin. The neocortex needs to be functioning at that time to prepare your surroundings. Liminal Phase (active...

Show Notes: Christine and Andrew started their pregnancy journey traditionally with OB care. However, as the pregnancy progressed, they began feeling more and more frustrated about the fact that appointments were fast and shallow. There was not in-depth preparation for childbirth, and they felt there must be something missing. The couple decided to begin their own research, which led them to switch to midwifery care and homebirth. Their commitment to giving birth at home grew as they became closer with their midwife, and as she answered their questions and prepared them deeply on what to expect during the entire process. Both Christine and Andrew recognized the added layers of safety in their homebirth experience because they did know their midwife so well. Whenever there were questions about what happens if something goes wrong, their midwife always had a quality answer on what to expect and the protocol. Christine expected to go beyond 40 weeks, for at 38 weeks she and Andrew decided to go camping. On the trip, her water began leaking. They went home the next morning and prepared for the onset of labor. Throughout the process of labor, Christine and Andrew worked together. He kept up with what she needed and encouraged her through contractions— reminding her to breathe and relax. This was incredibly helpful during Christine’s long and arduous pushing phase. Andrew recalled how amazing it was that the midwife was able to recognize when to step in and provide feedback and when to stay back and remain an observer. He truly understood that it was his duty to be Christine’s support person. After baby was born, he needed resuscitative breaths. Christine and Andrew were calm and confident during this experience. Once he was breathing and stable, the midwives began tended to Christine, as she was bleeding a good bit. After a while, the midwives had to perform an internal examination of the uterus to see what was causing the bleeding. Though uncomfortable, Christine and Andrew both felt completely calm during what could have otherwise been a traumatic experience, as the felt heard, understood, and like the most important people on the birth team. Episode Roundup: I am so appreciative of this episode and the perspective it brings. It’s so important to focus on mothers and their experience of birth, yes, but what a disservice we are doing if we’re not showing up for dads and helping them see how they fit into the equation. Christine and Andrew worked together so beautifully before, during and after their birthing experience, and Andrew’s understanding of his responsibilities as the birth partner certainly added massive value to their homebirth. I hope this episode acts as inspiration and as a roadmap for other fathers who are looking for ways to be involved in the birthing experience. You’re part of this team, and you’re incredibly important.