Gloria found out she was pregnant at just sixteen years old. Her pregnancy and hospital birth were fairly uneventful, but navigating postpartum life and caring for a newborn—all while still in high school—was extremely challenging.

Ten years later, Gloria welcomed her second baby. This time, she was married and working in the medical field herself. She was able to truly enjoy the pregnancy without the weight of being a teenager, and she intentionally planned the kind of birth she wanted rather than passively agreeing to whatever the doctor recommended, as she had at sixteen.

With a lot of advocating for herself, Gloria had an unmedicated hospital birth, which she credits with contributing to an easeful and joyful recovery.

Connect with Gloria @thehospitaldoula

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Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth

Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected]

Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard

Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto