BirthNotes | Birth Stories & Women's Health

Mandi Murrow thought she was entering perimenopause. She was pregnant at 46.

Already a mother, she never expected another baby in her forties. Her pregnancy with her daughter, Allove, changed how she saw motherhood, birth, and this season of her life.

In this episode, Mandi shares the moment she found out, what pregnancy after 40 felt like, and why she chose a home birth with a midwife and doula. She went into labor on her husband’s birthday and welcomed Allove just after midnight.

We also talk about becoming a mother at 27 versus 46, the fears that surface in pregnancy, finding the right birth support, and why women deserve better education about their bodies and hormonal health. Mandi reflects on postpartum recovery, the pressure to bounce back, and the community every mother needs around her.

In this episode

• An unexpected pregnancy at 46 and the perimenopause symptoms that masked it
• Pregnancy after 40 and recognizing early signs
• Choosing a home birth with a midwife and doula
• Mandi’s birth story and welcoming Allove
• Working through fear and trusting your body
• Becoming a mother at 27 versus 46
• Postpartum recovery, support, and women’s health

Connect with Mandi

Mandi Murrow founded Rooted Holistic Wellness, where she focuses on holistic wellness and hormone health. She is also a speaker, yoga teacher, fitness instructor, and personal trainer.
Website: rootedholisticwellness.com

Connect with BirthNotes

BirthNotes shares real birth stories and honest conversations about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. If this episode resonated, follow the show and leave a rating or review so more people can find it. Have a story of your own? Apply to be a guest.

Brooke planned a birth center birth with midwives, but at 42 weeks pregnant, she found herself at an induction, a hospital transfer, and more than 30 hours of labor before finally meeting her nine-pound, six-ounce son.

In this episode, Kristin sits down with doula Brooke to talk about going past her due date, using the Cook catheter and Pitocin for an induction, and unexpectedly transferring from a birth center to the hospital. Brooke also shares why feeling in control and making informed choices mattered so much to her during labor.

Brooke and Kristin also talk about trauma-informed birth care, informed consent, and why having providers who understand your needs and respect your boundaries can make such a difference in the birth room. Brooke shares how her second birth unfolded very differently, ultimately becoming a redemptive birth center water birth, and how both experiences shaped the way she now supports families as a doula.

In this episode:

Going past 40 weeks and navigating 42 weeks of pregnancy

Induction, a Cook catheter, Pitocin, and transferring from a birth center to a hospital

Why feeling safe and in control mattered to Brooke during birth

Trauma-informed care, informed consent, and informed refusal during birth

The role of a doula in helping protect a birthing person's boundaries and preferences

Brooke's second birth and her redemptive water birth at the birth center

How Brooke's own birth experiences shaped the way she supports families as a doula

Resources:

Connect with Brooke at Lake Norman Doula & Wellness

Apply to be a guest on BirthNotes

Follow BirthNotes on Instagram

If past trauma is part of your story, you don't have to navigate pregnancy and birth without support. A trauma-informed perinatal mental health therapist can help you work through past experiences and prepare for the birth experience ahead: Psychology Today Therapist Directory

Maia went into pregnancy knowing exactly how she wanted to give birth: at home, surrounded by trusted support, just as she had grown up seeing it. She spent her pregnancy preparing through research, reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, working with her midwife, and doing pelvic floor physical therapy.

Then labor lasted three days.

In this episode of BirthNotes, Maia shares the story of her unexpected breech home birth, including the moment she discovered during pushing that her baby wasn't head down. After hours of labor, a possible hospital transfer, and an intense final stretch, Maia delivered her daughter at home breech and without tearing!

Maia opens up about the physical and emotional intensity of the experience, the fear she felt immediately after her daughter was born, and the guilt and questions she carried afterward. She also talks about why pelvic floor physical therapy became such an important part of her preparation and what she believes it contributed to her experience.

This one is honest, intense, and full of conversation around breech birth, home birth, pelvic floor PT, birth preparation, intuition, and trusting yourself when birth doesn't go according to plan.

In This Episode

Why Maia always knew she wanted a home birth

Growing up surrounded by home births

Preparing for birth with research and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

Why Maia chose pelvic floor physical therapy during pregnancy

Three days of labor

When Maia's water broke, and a hospital transfer became a possibility

Discovering her baby was breech during pushing

Delivering a breech baby at home

How pelvic floor PT helped Maia prepare physically for birth

Giving birth without tearing

Processing the emotional aftermath of an unexpected birth

What Maia wants other women to know about birth preparation

Resources

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
The book Maia read multiple times during pregnancy and remembered during her own breech birth.

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Maia talks about her experience with pelvic floor PT during pregnancy, including the exercises she practiced at home and why she considers it such an important part of her birth preparation.

Mama Maia Doula — Coming Soon
Maia is becoming a doula and will soon be offering birth support through Mama Maia Doula. Visit mamamaiadoula.com to stay connected and learn more as her services become available.

Connect with Maia

Follow Maia on Instagram: @maiahoffmannn

Share Your Birth Story
Want to share your birth story on BirthNotes? Apply to be a guest

Follow BirthNotes
Follow along on Instagram: @BirthNotesPodcast

If you are enjoying BirthNotes, be sure to follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone preparing for birth. Every share helps more families discover real birth stories, trusted resources, and honest conversations about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Dr. Stefanie is a chiropractor, Webster-certified practitioner, and mom of three who has experienced three very different home births. In this episode, she shares the stories of each birth, from her first water birth to a fast second labor and an unexpected third birth where her husband caught their baby before the midwife could even arrive.

We talk about what led her to choose home birth, what she learned from each experience, and how her work with pregnancy, the pelvis, and Webster Technique shaped the way she approached birth. She also shares what happened when her second baby didn't immediately cry after birth, and what she wishes more parents knew about chiropractic care during pregnancy and for newborns.

If you're curious about home birth, birth preparation, Webster Technique, or simply love hearing real birth stories, this episode is for you.

Connect with Dr. Stefanie

Want to connect with Dr. Stefanie or learn more about her work?

Adjusting the World
Website: adjustingtheworld.com
Follow along on Instagram

Building Brilliant Brains
Follow Dr. Stefanie on Instagram

Stay Connected with BirthNotes

Make sure to follow @birthnotespodcast on Instagram for more birth stories, conversations, and resources.

Want to be a guest on BirthNotes? Apply to share your story.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who would love it and leave a review to help more people discover BirthNotes.

Arielle went into her second birth planning for a birth center birth. She left with an unexpected hospital birth, a 13-minute pushing stage, and a deeper understanding of what it means to let go of the birth you planned without letting go of your power.

In this episode, Kristin sits down with birth doula, therapist, and mother of two Arielle Korn to talk about her unexpectedly fast labor, the moment she realized she wasn't going to make it to the birth center, and what it felt like to end up back in the same hospital and even the same room where she had given birth to her first baby. Arielle also shares what 13 years in birth work have taught her about birth plans, preparation, informed decision-making, and finding peace when birth doesn't go exactly as expected.

This one is honest, empowering, and deeply validating for anyone preparing for birth who wants to feel confident and informed without becoming rigidly attached to one outcome.

In This Episode:

• Planning a birth center birth after a previous hospital birth

• What fast labor can actually feel like and why every birth can be different

• Realizing on the way to the birth center that the baby wasn't going to wait

• An unexpected hospital birth and a 13-minute pushing stage

• The emotional tension between disappointment and gratitude

• Why having a birth plan doesn't mean everything has to go according to plan

• How preparation and education can help you feel empowered when you have to pivot

• Asking questions, advocating for yourself, and slowing things down in a hospital setting

• Why confidence comes from preparation, not perfection

• The importance of support during birth and the fourth trimester

Resources:

• Learn more about Arielle's birth support, childbirth education, postpartum care, and maternal mental health services. Connect with Arielle through Arise Birth.

• Apply to be a guest on BirthNotes

• Follow BirthNotes on Instagram

BirthNotes is a podcast for real, raw birth stories from hospital births and birth center births to home births, unexpected turns, difficult experiences, and beautiful ones. If you have a birth story you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you.

Planning a home birth often comes with one big fear: What if I have to transfer to the hospital?

In this episode of BirthNotes, birth doula Jessica Allison shares the powerful story of how a planned home birth unexpectedly became a hospital birth after her water had been broken for more than 24 hours. What could have felt disappointing instead became a peaceful, empowering experience that reminded her to trust her body, her birth team, and the process.

Jessica opens up about laboring with a sunny side up (OP) baby, making the decision to transfer to the hospital, navigating Pitocin without an epidural, and experiencing the incredible power of the Ferguson reflex as her body took over during labor.

As both a birth doula and a mother, Jessica offers an honest perspective on surrendering expectations, advocating for yourself during labor, and finding peace even when birth does not unfold exactly as planned.

Whether you are planning a home birth, a hospital birth, or simply looking for encouragement, this episode is a reminder that a positive birth is not defined by where your baby is born. It is defined by how supported, informed, and empowered you feel throughout the journey.

In This Episode

Why Jessica became a birth doula after her first birth

Planning a home birth after an induction

What happened after her water broke

Knowing when it was time to transfer to the hospital

Laboring with a sunny side up (OP) baby

Using Pitocin without an epidural

Experiencing the Ferguson reflex

Finding peace when birth takes an unexpected turn

Jessica's advice for parents preparing for birth

Connect with Jessica Allison

Jessica Allison is a birth doula and the founder of Restored Motherhood Doula Services, serving families throughout Little Rock and Central Arkansas while also providing virtual support nationwide. She is passionate about evidence-based birth education, informed decision-making, and helping families approach birth with confidence and peace. Stay connected with Jessica on Instagram here!

If you are enjoying BirthNotes, be sure to follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone preparing for birth. Every share helps more families discover real birth stories, trusted resources, and honest conversations about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

What does it look like to choose a home birth in a new country, far from family and familiar healthcare?

In this episode of BirthNotes, Sweetu shares her incredible journey from Florida to rural Panama, where she and her husband built a farm, welcomed their first child through a peaceful home birth, and ultimately created a motherhood community for other women navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum abroad.

Sweetu opens up about trusting her instincts when hospital care didn't align with her values, preparing for labor through education, using traditional vetiver root compresses during labor, and finding confidence in her body's ability to give birth. She also shares how her postpartum experience inspired her to help build a village for mothers living far from family and traditional support systems.

Whether you're considering home birth, planning on giving birth abroad, or simply love hearing empowering birth stories, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that every mother deserves informed choices, supportive care, and a community she can lean on.

In This Episode

• Sweetu's journey from Florida to rural Panama
• Choosing home birth after hospital care didn't feel aligned
• Preparing for labor through education and intuition
• A peaceful five-hour first birth
• Traditional vetiver root warm compresses during labor
• Recovering postpartum while living abroad
• Creating a motherhood collective in Panama
• Why every mother deserves a village

Resources

Mother's Journal: Capture your own motherhood journey with guided reflections and keepsake prompts.

Share Your Birth Story on BirthNotes: Have a story you'd love to share? I'd love to hear from you. Apply Here!

Home Birth in Panama Companion Guide: Explore Sweetu's inspiring birth story, learn about the traditional use of vetiver during labor, and discover the lessons she carried into postpartum.

Connect with Sweetu Shah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desidoula/

If this episode resonated with you, follow BirthNotes and leave a rating or review. Your support helps more mothers discover real birth stories and honest conversations about pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood. Because every birth has a story worth remembering.

Naomi Mitchell shares her remarkable 20-year journey from an unexpected C-section to six successful vaginal births after cesarean (VBACs) and the home birth she'd always dreamed of. In this episode, she opens up about navigating a healthcare system with limited VBAC support, changing providers, learning to advocate for herself, and discovering the difference a supportive midwife can make during labor and birth. Naomi also shares how her own experiences led her to become a birth doula and La Leche League Leader in South Africa, where she now supports families as a birth doula through pregnancy, labor, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum. Together, we discuss home birth after cesarean, finding a VBAC-supportive care provider, and why it's never too late to have the birth experience you've hoped for. Whether you're preparing for a VBAC, considering a home birth after a C-section, or looking for encouragement after a difficult birth, this conversation offers honest insight, practical wisdom, and hope for the road ahead.

In This Episode

Naomi's unexpected C-section and first birth experience

Her journey through six VBACs over 20 years

Achieving the home birth she'd always dreamed of

Navigating VBAC care in South Africa

Finding a supportive midwife and care provider

Becoming a birth doula after her own birth experiences

Breastfeeding challenges and becoming a La Leche League Leader

Advice for mothers pursuing a VBAC or healing after a difficult birth

Resources

Share your birth story on BirthNotes: Guest Application Link

Connect with Naomi and follow her birth work and stories: Naomi's Facebook Link

Learn more about La Leche League and find breastfeeding support near you: https://llli.org

If you enjoyed this episode, follow BirthNotes and leave a rating or review. It helps more mothers discover real birth stories and honest conversations about pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood.

This week, it's just me.

Before BirthNotes, before doula work, and before supporting families through pregnancy and postpartum, there was chronic illness, unanswered questions, and a search for healing. In this episode, I'm sharing how a functional medicine doctor and home birth midwife changed the course of my life, how I found my way into birth work, and why I felt called to create BirthNotes.

I also share the story of supporting my first birth, becoming a certified birth and postpartum doula, stepping away during the pandemic, and the vision behind this podcast.

In This Episode

• My chronic illness journey

• The practitioner who changed how I understood the body

• Supporting my first home birth

•  Becoming a certified birth and postpartum doula

• Building a doula practice in Charlotte

• Why I stepped away from birth work

• The story behind BirthNotes

Resources & Links

Apply to be a guest: Here

The Refining: A Mother's Journal: Here

Instagram: https://instagram.com/birthnotespodcast

 Substack: https://birthnotespod.substack.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show and share it with a friend who loves birth stories, motherhood, and women's health conversations.

Amber came into her birth with a plan. She left with an emergency C-section and a tangle of grief, fear, and joy she needed time to sit with.

In this episode, Kristin sits down with therapist and mother Amber to talk about what it was like to give birth at the height of COVID restrictions, navigate an emergency intervention she never saw coming, and carry the quiet weight of a birth story that looked nothing like she'd hoped. Amber also shares how that experience shaped the way she now shows up for mothers as a mental health therapist working with the perinatal population.

This one is honest, emotional, and deeply validating for any mother who has ever mourned the birth she didn't get to have.

In this episode:

• Giving birth during COVID restrictions and what that isolation actually felt like
• Emergency C-section and navigating fear in real time
• The grief of a birth experience that didn't go as planned
• Postpartum anxiety, depression, and what recovery really looked like
• The pressure mothers put on themselves to feel okay
• How Amber's own story changed the way she supports women today

Resources:

• Read the companion Substack essay
• Explore The Refining: A Mother's Journal
• Apply to be a guest on BirthNotes
• Follow BirthNotes on Instagram

If you're struggling with postpartum anxiety, depression, or birth trauma, finding a perinatal mental health therapist is a good place to start: psychologytoday.com/us/therapists