First births are always long and hard. Period. Right? Or…. This week we’re speaking with Kelsea, a precious mama of two, who surprised herself and her birth team with her first labor. We’ll dig into both of her beautiful experiences. Episode Roundup When Kelsea broke the news that she was having a homebirth to her OB, her OB said, “we always see unsuccessful homebirth attempts.” Well, duh, doctor. You certainly don’t see the successful ones… they’re…. Not at the hospital. I just want to use this...
Mar 07, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 163
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 missi...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 162
How do we process birth when we don’t experience the outcome we intended? How do we manage changing our plans and accepting what comes to us during the wild and uncontrollable ride that is birth? This week we’re speaking with Danielle, accompanied by her doula Tracey. Danielle was raised in a homebirth family, so naturally, she was planning her own. We’ll listen to how her story unfolded and how she’s processing through it all now on the other side. I always like to give a heads up when the cont...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 161
What do you do when your mainstream care provider won’t listen to what it is that you need? When you KNOW something isn’t right, but they totally blow you off? This week we’re speaking to Michelle Rodas, who had to go to battle with her care providers in order to keep her baby safe. We’ll hear how she advocated for her child in utero and what she did to avoid further disruptions later on in her pregnancy, which, believe it or not led her to to out-of hospital midwifery. Episode Roundup Did you g...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 160
What do you do when you’re sold on the idea of homebirth, but your area has either no midwives or no midwives that you like? Resources Believe In Midwifery Episode (sustainable midwifery) https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/episode23/ Shared Decision Making (book) https://www.amazon.com/Shared-Decision-Making-Bring-Mothers/dp/B089M59Z35/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2TAOKXFRMHUYP&keywords=shared+decision+making&qid=1644082050&sprefix=shared+decision+making%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-2 Shared Decision Makin...
Feb 07, 2022•23 min•Ep. 159
Once you’ve had 6 babies, 4 of which were at home— you pretty much know everything there is to know about birth, right? This week we’re speaking with Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone to hear all about her most recent birth. Lisa shares some of the new insights she gained during this pregnancy and labor preparation, and sheds tons of wisdom throughout her explanation of how she began having home births in the first place. Lisa is a wealth of wisdom when it comes to homemaking and wholesome living,...
Jan 31, 2022•59 min•Ep. 158
How do we make sure that we’re on the same page with our midwife? Begin with open communication before you even hire your midwife Make sure that your preferences of how your midwife will operate and interact match with what she is willing to provide Be certain that YOU know what You want in a care provider Are the two parties in agreement? Feel comfortable asking questions as you come from a place of initial agreement an understanding Be careful adding additional social checkmarks to your list o...
Jan 17, 2022•22 min•Ep. 157
When you picture homebirth mothers, what image comes to mind? Do you imagine the totally crunchy, completely alternative health mom who’s making her own bone broth and sourdough? Although I may be "that" mother, one thing I love about the homebirth community is that, although we often have much in common, this group is diverse and brings many viewpoints. For example, today we’ll be speaking with Gabby and Daniel, a homebirth family who self-describes as “stale crunchy”. So kind of crunchy, kind ...
Jan 10, 2022•42 min•Ep. 156
What do we do when our previous birth experience wasn’t so happy? How do we overcome the trauma? 4 Tips to Begin Healing: 1. Reframe your birth with someone outside of the situation 2. Write down everything in stream-of-consciousness style 3. Emotional Freedom Technique - Tapping Resource Mentioned: @LivingRootsWellness 4. Fascial Work- Craniosacral, craniofascial, myofascial, etc. Body Rolling Resource 5. Recommendations from Instagram Resources The Homebirth Collective- Join the Waitlist! Free...
Jan 03, 2022•15 min•Ep. 155
Today I’m tackling perhaps the most elusive question about labor…. What does it actually feel like? In this episode we discuss: Some of the ways my followers and those inside of the Happy Homebirth Podcast Community on Facebook described the sensations Some of the most commonly used words: Intensity. Pressure. Power. My personal perceptions of feeling during my births How YOU can prepare for the feelings of birth, no matter how they present Resources The Homebirth Collective- Join the Waitlist! ...
Dec 27, 2021•22 min•Ep. 154
In this episode we discuss how to keep your birth space sacred: Consider who you let in- take time prenatally to form deep connections Consider who you leave out- you may want your mom and mil and cousin, but is that a genuinely good idea? Consider how you set up- this might not matter to some, but may be more important to others Be on the same page with your spouse- this is sacred You’ve got to convince yourself or consistently remind yourself that it’s sacred If you treat your pregnancy journe...
Dec 20, 2021•20 min•Ep. 153
What has more of an impact- the exact details of your labor, or the way you feel you were treated throughout? This week we’re speaking with Katelynn Bolt, a mother whose births were both difficult, yet she was left feeling quite differently about herself and her experience based on her care providers and support. *I’ll be taking a little winter break from releasing episodes. This will be the last episode I release in 2021, as I plan to take some time off in December and January to focus on some ...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 152
When your job consists of helping mothers give birth at the hospital, then you’re definitely going to… give birth at the hospital when it’s your turn, right? This week we’re speaking with Georgia— a labor and delivery nurse and…. Freebirth mama? Oh, my friends. You’re going to love this story. Reviewer of the Week- herwildsunshine Such a joyful & empowering podcast: I am not into podcasts- I never have been- but these are amazing! I learn so much & get to see such a wide variety of posit...
Nov 22, 2021•50 min•Ep. 151
If you’ve already given birth before, I’d love to know- did your labor turn out the way you’d imagined it? This week we’re speaking with Steffanie Allen, mama of 5. Steffanie’s experienced a vast array of births, and some of them turned out far different from what she, or what anyone for that matter, could have predicted, especially her most recent birth. Reviewer of the Week- ThePond “so positive and encouraging! I’ve listened to a lot of birth podcasts. Like, a lot. This one is by far my favor...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 150
How can we prepare for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby? Is there any way to positively improve our chances of health and mitigate risk? This week we’re speaking with Loren de la Cruz, a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Root Cause Protocol Consultant, and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner that specializes in preconception nutrition. Her mission is to empower women with the tools and the knowledge they need to regulate their cycles, balance their hormones, heal their ...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 149
What do you do when your birth suddenly feels as though it’s swirling in chaos? How do you keep calm and remain focused? This week we’re speaking with Holly, who weathered a Category 4 Hurricane just as she was about to give birth. Talk about an unexpected turn of events. I can’t wait for you to hear the incredible mindset that Holly brought to her experience, and the twist at the end of this story Episode Roundup I wanted to bring up the safety idea. Holly decided with her fourth baby that she ...
Nov 01, 2021•46 min•Ep. 148
What can we do to prevent the experience of trauma? This week we’re speaking with Kasey, who, despite having two homebirths, experienced quite bit of trauma from her first birth. We’ll listen in to hear how it unfolded, and what she did differently to prepare for her second experience. If you’re enjoying the show and haven’t yet left a review, would you consider taking just a few minutes to head over and leave a few positive words? It’s THE way to get this show into the ears of more mothers, and...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 147
How do you afford a homebirth? In the words of the wise women from Beautiful One Midwifery, you assign more value to it. This week we’re speaking with Amanda, who realized just how much value there was in giving birth in a private environment, and how the cost of hospital births aren’t always what they seem. Episode Roundup Amanda mentioned how in her first birth, the simple act of asking questions to her OB brought out a side of defensiveness and anger. When she was asked to sign a paper consen...
Oct 18, 2021•57 min•Ep. 146
Did you feel ready, or prepared when becoming pregnant for the first time? What about the second, or third? This week we’re speaking with Leslie and Kevin, in what’s become lovingly referred to as the mammoth episode… yeah, it’s a long one, but it’s so full of beauty. We cover so many topics— birthing abroad, prenatal depression, postpartum psychosis, and then… that deep knowing that there’s another baby you’re meant to have. She and Kevin got married, later decided Kevin would attend seminary i...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 145
How do you know if you’re making the best decision for yourself and your family— and what does it look like to have true informed consent? This week we’re speaking with Dr. Sarah Leahy of Birth Uprising. We’ll hear about how she slipped into the medical birth model, how she was burned, and then, not to sound too cheesy because seriously it’s true… how she took matters into her own hands and rose from the metaphorical ashes. Episode Roundup I can’t tell you how thoroughly I enjoyed this conversat...
Oct 04, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 144
Does your baby need an adjustment after experiencing the birthing process? This week we’re speaking with the Boyhans, Dr. Christopher and Heather, who are a dynamic duo as both a chiropractor and Cranialsacral therapist. They’ll be sharing their experiences with homebirth, as well as their expertise in bodywork and neural work for newborns. It’s no secret that I love these forms of care, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share with you exactly how and why they can be of such help for y...
Sep 27, 2021•55 min•Ep. 143
Is there really any benefit in preparing for a birth when you’ve already had two previous births? This week we’re speaking with Kelsey Rose, 2x birth center and newly homebirth mother. We’ll learn all about the differences in Kelsey’s experiences, as well as how she prepared for her change of birth location. Episode Roundup What an episode. As we head into this week’s roundup, I have a few discussion points that really stood out to me. Kelsey discussed how the membrane strips performed by her mi...
Sep 13, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 142
What does it look like to have true informed consent? What does it mean to be trusted by your birth team? This week we’re speaking with Zo’e Cole, a mama to two who just had her first Happy Homebirth. I’m looking forward to this episode, because Zo’e brings up some aspects of both of her births that truly paint a picture between obstetric abuse and informed consent. Let’s jump in. Episode Roundup Wasn’t that the picture of a Happy Homebirth? I’m so thrilled for Zo’e and the fact that she was abl...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 141
Do you remember episode 134 with Kelli Ingram? Where she was suuuuuper reluctant to be planning her first homebirth after 5 lovely hospital epidural births? We’ve got an update for you, baby! \This week we’re catching back up with Kelli to hear exactly how her homebirth story went down, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. I’m SO proud of Kelli. Before we jump into her story, I would love to thank our reviewer of the week, SamiNeblett, who wrote “A treasure in the sea of fear based content” Sami...
Aug 30, 2021•53 min•Ep. 140
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 outside , and mother of 5 children with very different birth stories. In her first birth, Ginny’s pre-eclampsia “disqualified” her ...
Aug 23, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 139
You’ve hired a midwife, so you’re fine, right? I mean, all midwives are totally amazing, totally wonderful, and totally good at honoring you…. Right? This week we’re speaking with Bethany, who has given birth to all of her babies at home. However, her first birth experience was not the beautiful, gloriously supported homebirth that we talk about so often on this podcast. No, it was marked with negligence and abuse, and it’s an important conversation for us to have. Luckily we’ll then get to hear...
Aug 16, 2021•53 min•Ep. 138
What was your expectation of birth as a young girl? Did you feel nervous about the experience? Did you give the thought of childbirth any thought? What did you know? This week we have the amazing privilege of speaking with Laurisa Paul, a mother of 5 and the creator of a new, powerful organization called Girls Who Know, where she teaches girls all about what their bodies do and what their bodies are capable of. We’ll be learning how this organization was created after hearing Laurisa’s own journ...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 137
What lessons have you learned through your pregnancy, labor and birth? Did you learn to surrender? Did you learn that you’re more powerful than you thought?….. Did you learn that your baby may be born on Valentine’s Day even if you really didn’t want that? This week we’re speaking with Erin Wilkins, who you may know on Instagram as @essentiallyerin__ . Erin has had all of her biological babies at home, jumping on the homebirth train 8 years ago during her first pregnancy… even though she was wor...
Aug 02, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 136
When it comes to giving birth, what’s your risk tolerance? Are you more comfortable with the risk of giving birth at home and assessing the situation as it comes, or are you more comfortable with the risk of the often unnecessary interventions and fallout that come with them of the hospital? This week we’re speaking with Erycka, a nurse by trade and mother of two. Erycka, like all of us whether consciously or unconsciously, had to decide the level and type of risk she was willing to accept durin...
Jul 26, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 135
When you think about your upcoming homebirth, how do you feel? Excited about meeting your baby? Prepared to embrace the experience of labor? What about…. Scared out of your mind of the pain? This week we are speaking with Kelli Ingram, a mama who has decided that after having 4 lovely epidural births in the hospital, she’s bringing it home…. Though she’s the first to tell you that she’s terrified of the pain. This week’s episode is a little different, as Kelli won’t be sharing her homebirth stor...
Jul 19, 2021•40 min•Ep. 134
