Big Birth Junkie

Faith Hitchon shares with us her pregnancy, labor and postpartum journey. And specifically the day she became a single mama.

Please note, we have a *trigger warning* in this podcast with information on how you can skip over the section that talks about the physical abuse Faith endured.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Creation Scroll.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @newforage

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Renee first noticed she had stretch marks when she was 14 and remembers thinking "Does this mean I'm ugly? Are people going to think I'm ugly?"

After the birth of her children, she was ashamed, embarrassed, and often felt that she had ruined herself because of her loose skin and stretch marks. It was her Auntie Loody and her friends who gave her the courage to accept her baby marks.

Renne and I talked quite a bit over the phone (and please accept my apologies for a sometimes challenging connection) about stretch marks, being a teen mom, yoga and body acceptance.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Birth Garment - Flowering Schrub.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @iamreneewatkins

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Here are a few other social media resources that might resonate with you about this podcast topic @4thtribodies and Renee's friend @childishyogini

Sarranya is from India and lives in a joint family that includes not only her husband and children but also her In-laws and the family elders. There is a lot of community support when a woman gets pregnant in India. On the one hand, it is helpful and on the other, it can be frustrating. We talk about what it is like to birth in India, being induced for low fluids, communal living, the postpartum experience, and breastfeeding.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Mother India.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @sarranya_chinna

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Natalie always knew that she never wanted to be a mom. Every year since she was a teenager she asked her doctors to have her tubes tied. Natalie and I explore the societal pressure placed on women to have a baby, the ticking of the biological clock and the clarity of knowing that motherhood is not a path she wants to take.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Creation of the World

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @natalie_raymond

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Rhonda is the mother of two beautiful children, both of whom were born at the hospital. There was an expectation on the 2nd birth, because of the ease of her first birth. But, as it happens, she had two very different births with both her children with two very different versions of the water breaking.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Hatching the Universal Egg

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @rhondaedelstein

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Here are a few other social media resources that might resonate with you about this podcast topic. These are not specific to water breaking but they tend to have some great photos and stores: @blackwomenbirthing @the-angela_gallo and @birthstories.by.meaganadams

When Kelly gave birth to her 3rd child in the hospital she kept saying, "I need to push!" but was dismissed by the nurse. She was blessed to have her mom in the room who took control because Kelly's son was right there, crowning, between her legs. Kelly is another person of color who was not seen or heard in the hospital. Join us as we talk to Kelly and her husband Jason about childbirth, trusting your body and the huge problem in America for women of color: Not being seen and heard!

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: The Crowing Quilt

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @kellyamcknight

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Here are a few other social media resources that might resonate with you about this podcast topic:

@ancientsong @momsincolor @glowmaven @bstereo

Melissa and Travis Fischer reshape my perception of adoption as they share the stories of how their children entered into their family - two of whom are biological and two of whom were adopted - all four of which are very loved.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Birth Trinity

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest:@melissamfischer

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Here are a few other social media resources that might resonate with you about this podcast topic:

@fostermoms @clarishealth & @adopttogether

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So many people think that the birth of each of their babes will be just like the first one. Not true. Mimi shares the birth stories for all 4 of her children, all of whom have very different beginnings. We are going to hear a full range of stories that include spontaneous labor, medical inductions, tearing, episiotomies, pitocin, epidurals and au natural.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Birth Tear

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For more information to go: gracefull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @mimidohler

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Dreams. Yes, literal dreams. That is how I became a midwife. In this intro podcast, I share with you my story on how I became a midwife and my intention for this podcast. Within this podcast I am hoping you find inspiration to know that you have choices, the courage to start asking questions about birthing & parenting and the truth on how innately strong you are. Big Birth Junkie is the sharing of stories, wisdom, and journies so that you can be seen and heard.

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For more information go to: gracefull.com or follow us @gracefullbirth