This is our first FTM home birth story! So often we think that only moms who have already had a baby in the hospital have a home birth. NOT TRUE! Brooke's first was born at home, too, but today we have a beautiful guest mama to share her experience of having her first baby at home.

Ella's first pregnancy was a surprise, but she was pretty clear right out of the gate about her desire to have a home birth, even though some voices around her said they'd never have been brave enough to have a first baby at home. Even with some scary first trimester incidents, and even when she was thrown a couple of curve balls at the beginning of her labor, she went on to have a beautiful and pretty textbook home birth, keeping her curiosity and connection very much online through it all. Her story shows how home birth is a wonderful choice for first-time moms!

But breastfeeding turned out to be the bigger challenge. Ella had to navigate her self-judgment for "failing" to live up to some cherished ideals, connect with her underlying values, and make some compromises to give her baby what he needed in order to thrive (and herself too!). Her message for moms here is SO important.

Ellla is a jazz singer and a teacher of somatic practices (hello, nervous system regulation!). You can find her and her music/work here:

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