Birth doula Sarah Auna has attended nearly 500 births. Today, she shares the story of one particularly powerful birth—an experience that unfolded not only in the body, but in the mind and spirit of everyone present. Through vivid storytelling, Sarah reflects on the physiology and psychology of labor, the art of creating safety in moments of intensity, and the lessons birth has taught her about trust, presence, and self-knowledge.

Sarah originally performed this story live on stage at Intersections, a live storytelling event produced by the Center for the Art of Medicine in Minneapolis in 2024 through our program, The Nocturnists Satellites.

Music by Rachel Kurtz (song: "Lioness")

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

This episode of Stories from the World of Medicine is sponsored by The Physicians Foundation.