In today's episode we're talking with Katie McCormick, an American ex-pat living in Ireland who is choosing home birth to welcome her baby into the world.

Katie and her husband Ryan decided to leave their life in Portland, Oregon - quit their jobs and travel across Europe. About a year ago, they decided to settle in Ireland, eloped and got pregnant shortly after. 

Katie knew immediately that she wanted to have a home birth. But being an expat in a new country, she had no idea where to begin as far as planning and resources.

To use her words from her email to us: “When we got pregnant we were still living in a very temporary living space (think garage remodeled into a loft) on a sheep farm where we were 2 hours from the hospital, and no midwifes were willing to travel to us, so my initial search for beginning the birth plan kept coming up dry until one day through some magical universal energy I found a woman that recommended our midwife to us! However we would have to move 2 hours south to be close enough to be in her “region,” so thank  the stars we just recently have found a home on the southern coast of Ireland and got the “go ahead” from our midwife that we can birth in this house as we are close enough to her…..

We are away from all our family, we are still foreigners in a new environment, yet we just know this is divine timing and this is where our child is meant to be born. The house we are living in now is a 150 year old stone cottage, and our landlady said many many babies have been born here; it feels quite kismet. Most people back in the states think we are little crazy/can’t believe we are doing this without family around etc, but truly we have never felt more supported than the community of people in our village, and little did I know we moved to an area where most women prefer home birth and have multiple stories to share. It is a small community, but because it is on the ocean, rugged, and so natural in this area, it is like a vortex of very creative and earthy people-it is an energy that makes you feel invincible.”

We speak with Katie in the last few weeks of her pregnancy and get to hear how she’s feeling as the time in her pregnancy winds down and they prepare for baby’s arrival. She also shares the experience of what’s it like to have all of their family back in the States as they plan for home birth in their new home and country.

Tune in and get ready for another inspiring pre-home birth story!

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