Healing Birth

After a failed induction, a very long bout of prodromal labor, and getting ultimately kicked out of her birthing center, Ita's first baby was born surgically, under general anesthesia, in Bali. After this birth experience, Ita had a hard time bonding with her daughter, and they struggled with their breastfeeding relationship.

After that first tough year, and a move to the US, Ita became pregnant with her second baby. And as the pregnancy progressed, Ita felt increasingly called to freebirth this baby despite having initially hired a midwife.

At 43 weeks and four days gestation (!) Ita birthed her baby in the sovereignty and safety of her own home. At the time of this recording, which was only 6 weeks postpartum, Ita says she can't wait to give birth again.

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In honor of #internationalhomebirthday (June 6th), I'm sharing this beautiful home birth story.

Samantha, a twin who was born at 33 weeks, wisely dealt with the trauma of her own birth before becoming pregnant herself. She says that the day she gave birth was truly the best day of her life, but that she worked really hard for it.

The most remarkable part of her story for me was the dreams she describes during her pregnancies which were clear communications from her babies' souls.

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Before having children, and doing the work that I do now, I spent ten years working within the health insurance industry.

I sat in on a lot meetings that (accidentally) shared what I believe to be the truth about our healthcare system - namely, that it doesn't really create health.

Above all, it's a really big business.

I focus this episode mainly on the myth of preventive care, because it's of particular relevance to pregnancy and prenatal care.

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Go to our website to find out more about Healing Birth! www.healingbirth.net

The image accompanying this episode was taken by the wonderful photographer Jade Beall.

Gena McCarthy is an educator, nurse, and perinatal psychotherapist. Her work is to support you to build bridges between your heart and your womb, between your birth imprints and your present life, between your spiritual, parenting and professional paths.

During our conversation she shares the story of her own birth 70 years ago, with her mother under twilight sleep, and the home birth of her son.

She takes us through a couple different practices to help us heal birth trauma, one, an EMDR practice to help us feel safe in our bodies when big feelings come up, and another that moved me to tears.

There are moments during this interview when I really stepped out of the role of host and got vulnerable with my own wounds which I still carry from my first birth.

We also talk about somatic healing, handling guilt, helping our babies and children heal from a traumatic birth, and resources for birth workers.

Gena's website is www.birthspiritualityandhealing.com, and you can find her on Instagram @birthspiritualityandhealing

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

After two pretty straightforward births, Amy's third birth resulted in a traumatic, unplanned cesarean, where she experienced obstetric violence, PTSD, and postpartum depression and anxiety.

Amy had a lot a trauma from childhood come up for her after this birth. She says that the experience made her second guess everything she believed about the medical system, and even her beliefs about God.

After that birth, and two losses, Amy had her fourth baby at home.

Amy graciously shared with me some of the resources that were most helpful to help her heal:

1. This podcast (thank you!)

2. The place we find ourselves (podcast) with Adam Young

3. Birth Trauma for Birthworkers (podcast) with Dr. Erin Bowe

4. How to Heal a Bad Birth (book) by Melissa J. Bruijn

5. Brave Beautiful Birth (book) by Jamie Schrock

You can follow Amy @burr382

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

After a conscious conception, Ally went into labor at almost 43 weeks. Her epic, three day long birth process included many things that could be considered a "problem" or otherwise pathologized, but with the right support, and unwavering trust in herself and her body, this birth initiated Ally into a more powerful, sovereign version of herself.

You can follow Ally on instagram @ally_aura

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JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR EVENT: Discovering Your Mothering Superpower with Emily Bruce on May 15, 2022 4PM PST https://www.healingbirth.net/event

This is part two of a series exploring, through personal stories, how the experience of prior sexual assault can show up when we give birth.

Rebecca shares the incredible story of the birth of her fourth child, born at just 32 weeks, in a teaching hospital. This is one of the most emotionally intense stories I have ever recorded, both in its beauty and pain.

(Please note that while we do discuss sexual assault, this conversation does *not* contain a description of sexual assault).

You can follow Rebecca on instagram @cosmic_love_child

JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership

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

JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR EVENT: Discovering Your Mothering Superpower with Emily Bruce on May 15, 2022 4PM PST https://www.healingbirth.net/event

This is part one of a two part series exploring, through personal stories, how the experience of prior sexual assault can show up when we give birth.

(Please note that this conversation does *not* contain any description of sexual assault).

You can follow Gemma @wyldbirth and www.wyldbirth.com

JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership

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

JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR EVENT: Discovering Your Mothering Superpower with Emily Bruce on May 15, 2022 4PM PST https://www.healingbirth.net/event

What if breech birth is not the inherent emergency we are conventionally told, but rather, an expression of intelligent, deeply empathic, communication between mother and baby?

Jess shares her three birth stories with us - actually four, as we begin with her own - all of which carry the through line of breech presenting babies and maternal communication.

This is another one of those stories where ancestral and matrilineal healing come from a powerful reclamation of what it means to birth in sovereignty.

You can follow Jess @jess.aralia

JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership

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

In this solocast I explain why.

Let me know what you think! HMU @healingbirth or www.healingbirth.net

JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership

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