Healing Birth

Nicole shares her three, epically different, each beautiful in their own way, birth stories.

They include a cesarean, a powerful hospital transfer VBAC, and a free birth.

The daughter of a midwife herself, Nicole grew up attending home births, tagging along with her mother. She is now a traditional birth witness, postpartum keeper, and embodied motherhood guide.

She is offering a coupon code for listeners of this podcast for her postpartum course, NOURISHED! You can purchase it through the link below, or, use the code "HEALINGBIRTH" for nearly 30% off.

https://www.sufey.love/offers/rvvuBe2F?coupon_code=HEALINGBIRTH

She is also offering 25% off entire orders on her website, using the code 'HEALINGBIRTH'

Mention the Healing Birth podcast by name when joining any of her embodied motherhood programs or 1:1 mentorship, and you will receive 25% off the sign up fee!

Nicole's Website is www.theseedofjoy.com, where anyone can navigate to her programs, shop the herbal apothecary, and find her postpartum cookbook.

You can follow Nicole on Instagram @theseedofjoy

Support the show!

https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth

Our website is www.healingbirth.net

Laura's first baby, born in 2020, came with the most severe birth complication I have personally ever heard of. While she was postpartum, trying to heal, and figuring out how to be a mom, she was left almost completely alone due to fears from the community of spreading covid.

This left her in a postpartum depression so dark, she attempted to take her own life.

After recovering emotionally and physically, she had a second child under much better circumstances. To say the pregnancy was rough is a massive understatement, but the eventual experience of giving birth naturally this time was extremely healing for her.

Even though there are really heavy parts of this story, Laura shares it with so much strength, radical honesty, and levity. Her story truly illustrates importance of in-person support, which I feel cannot be overstated for new mothers.

Please note that this episode does discuss attempted suicide, and use your own discretion.

Support the show! www.patreon.com/healingbirth

www.healingbirth.net

Sian was 12 weeks pregnant when the United Kingdom announced a national lockdown, and she shares what it was like navigating her pregnancy, the birth, and the NHS during this strange time.

Her second baby was born just two months ago at the time of this recording, and overall her two birth stories are not at all what I was expecting to hear (which is always my favorite kinds of stories to share!).

Sian is now training to be doula, and you can find her on instagram @diaryofmrsk and at @sacredmagicbirthing

Support the show!

https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth

Our website is www.healingbirth.net

Ali shares her experience giving birth at home with a midwife, and navigating a hospital transfer during covid, for post-partum blood loss.

While the transfer was a scary thing to happen to Ali, her partner was the most traumatized by the experience, which was exacerbated by pandemic protocols that kept him separate from her for a time.

Her story also includes hands down the most unique pregnancy symptom I have ever heard - comment on our social medias if you have ever heard of it too!

Support the show! www.patreon.com/healingbirth

www.healingbirth.net

Sondra, a former healthcare worker herself, shares her experience of navigating the healthcare system, and giving birth, during the covid pandemic.

Her story is such a beautiful example of what is possible when we are spiritually prepared for birth. Even when the outcome is not what we desire (or perhaps, even what we fear the most), we can emerge from our birth experience empowered and avoid trauma.

Sondra now works as a doula, and you can follow her on IG @maternalintuition, and find her at www.nursedoulabirthworker.com

Support the show! www.patreon.com/healingbirth

www.healingbirth.net

Every now and then a story takes a twist I am not expecting during the interview - and it always makes for an even better story than the one I thought I would hear! This episode is a perfect example of that.

Rebecca shares two birth stories with us. First, a traumatic, unnecessarian (major kudos to whoever coined that term), and a redemptive, led by faith freebirth.

It is the extraordinary experiences around that second birth that gets us into talking about spiritual warfare, the spirit realm, and the truth that birth is designed to be a holy experience.

Check out Rebecca's instagram for many beautiful reels that show images of her births @theradiantmission

You can support the podcast on Patreon! www.patreon.com/healingbirth

www.healingbirth.net

Lauren was pressured into a "natural" induction by her midwives as she approached 40 weeks pregnant. After multiple rounds of herbal cocktails and finally, the dreaded castor oil, her body was forced into the labor process.

She believes that the labor was so intense, painful, and her baby mal-positioned because her body and baby weren't actually ready to begin. And, after a very long time laboring at home, she transferred to the hospital, which had been her biggest fear.

While postpartum with her son, Lauren's twin sister (who has also been a guest on this podcast!) freebirthed her second child at home. Witnessing her sister do this made Lauren realize that was also the path forward for her.

(If you'd like to hear Lauren's twin sister's episode, it is season two, episode 20: "The Incredible Power of a Mother's Intuition | Spirit Baby Communication, Free birth, and Resolving a Retained Placenta at Home." Here is a link.)

JOIN US on Sunday, July 16th for Reclaiming The Village with Neena Brunngraeber, of Great North Postpartum.

This is an interactive webinar & workshop for dissecting depletion culture, excavating your core needs, and reclaiming the village you & your baby deserve.

You can register here:

https://www.healingbirth.net/reclaiming-the-village

Irina had just moved to the United States from another country when she found out she was pregnant. Without knowing much about our maternal healthcare system, she gave birth in the local hospital, and the care she received was unimpressive to say the least (among the crazier parts of this story was a nurse telling her, mid-labor, that giving birth on her hands and knees would "kill her baby").

When it came time for her second birth, she decided she didn't need the healthcare system at all. And although she had a beautiful birth that time, she sorely lacked the right postpartum support.

Now, Irina is passionate about supporting other mothers in their postpartum time.

You can follow Irina on Instagram @embodiedwomanhood

JOIN US on Sunday, July 16th for Reclaiming The Village with Neena Brunngraeber, of Great North Postpartum.

This is an interactive webinar & workshop for dissecting depletion culture, excavating your core needs, and reclaiming the village you & your baby deserve.

You can register here:

https://www.healingbirth.net/reclaiming-the-village

After an unplanned pregnancy very newly into her marriage, Melissa planned a home birth, but was transferred out of midwifery care due to a pre-eclampisa diagnosis. She was given no other option than an induction in the hospital.

Overall, she was grateful to have not ended up with a cesarean, but there was so much that happened during that birth that was violating and unnecessary. After her baby was born, she started listening to birth story podcasts and realized that birth didn't have to be that way.

During her second pregnancy, Melissa knew she wanted a different experience. She sought out a midwife with who had a wealth of knowledge about how to manage her blood pressure holistically in the event that she developed high blood pressure again.

Recorded at just 7 weeks postpartum, her second birth was full of joy, humor, and there's a surprise twist at the end!

This is such a beautiful story!

Her high blood pressure prevention protocol:

• Passionflower tea
• Epsom salt baths
• Reducing stress
• Journalling

(Please note that I am never giving medical advice on this podcast, I am simply sharing women's own stories!)

You can follow Melissa on Instagram @mklemens28

Join our online community! www.healingbirth.net/membership

If you love the show, please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/healingbirth

At just 21 years old, Trae's experience giving birth to her first baby was a truly life threatening one.

Although she is still processing the events of that day, Trae is very passionate about advocating for other mothers who experience traumatic births. She shares the whole story with us today, including ways she has found healing in the aftermath.

Please note that this episode contains a description of a traumatic birth, and take care of yourself accordingly.

You can follow Trae on instagram @traethurston

Join our online community! www.healingbirth.net/membership

If you love the show, please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/healingbirth