Healing Birth with Carla

This podcast episode is such a potent mix of deep trauma, powerlessness, hope, faith, determination and sisterhood. Chaya carries us through the births of her seven children, starting with the cesarean birth of her twins and ending with the free birth of her newest baby, just a few weeks ago. 

Among her sharing are stories of placental abruption and stillbirth, breech presentation, postpartum haemorrhage, unconsented to sedation, threats of labelling Chaya as psychotic as a means of forcing her to go to hospital, which I’ll just add at this point, she is not just perfectly sane in an insane world of traumatising birth ‘care’ (read control), she herself is a practising psychologist… and it gets worse, at the end of her most recent pregnancy she was forced into hiding from the police since there was a hearing underway where the authorities were attempting to make her give birth via cesarean. Of course there was no legal basis for the court hearing since it is a basic human right to choose what medical interventions we do or don’t have in birth, and ultimately Chaya’s case was won in the supreme court.

Needless to say, it was a remarkable feat for Chaya to welcome her baby gently and peacefully with a couple of women friends at her side and without an ounce of medical interference during the birth process… a free birth, the most liberating of experiences, after four previous cesareans.

 Also discussed in this episode:

* ECV for breech twin pregnancy

* 42 - 43 week long pregnancies

* Pregnancy with an IUD in place

* Faith as an orthodox Jew

* Birthing in the US and Israel

* Meconium

* PPH at free birth

* Dismissed signs of PET by doctors

* Blood loss following SROM at home

* Loss of sense of safety in the world

* Rising maternal mortality rates, particularly for women of colour

* Separation from children at end of pregnancy

Alexa’s six year old daughter was born in the water under the big Oak tree, just as she’d seen in her dream. This loving, gentle and oh so powerful free birth experience added further fuel to the fiery passion that Alexa held for working with the divine wisdom of birth. 

In this heart-fuelled podcast episode, Alexa shares with us her path to becoming a birth doula and much of the philosophy surrounding the ways she navigates this role. She also talks about the birth trauma support she offers and the part that birth photography (another of Alexa’s skill sets) can play in honouring the transition into Motherhood.

Also discussed in this episode:

* midwifery practice

* mastitis

* breast abscess

* birth photography

* free birth

* waterbirth

* Healing Birth Practitioner Training

* birth trauma

Follow Alexa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexa.doula/

Check out her website: https://www.alexadoulaphotography.co.nz/

Find out more about my (Carla’s) Healing Birth Practitioner Training course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

Follow my work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

Check out the Healing Birth YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

This podcast episode with Sarah is one of the most powerful stories of trauma, resiliency, courage, vulnerability and healing that has ever been shared with me… and over the years I have been privy to hundreds of stories of traumatic birth and healing. I feel it’s important to forewarn my podcast listeners of the, what will be for many, hugely confronting topics that we discuss in this episode, including rape and sexual abuse, suicide, cancer, early pregnancy loss, extreme postnatal depression, suicidal ideation, a near-death experience of early postpartum septicaemia, and complex PTSD. 

Please take a moment to tune into your mind, heart and body to ascertain whether you are in an okay space to be taking in this conversation right now. If not, honour your current needs and come back to this episode if and when you feel ready to do so. Should you decide to listen and find that the themes trigger your own trauma responses please contact a trusted friend, therapist or local support service to garner the help that you are needing.

Sarah is a mum to two children, aged 2 and 4. She is a survivor of adolescent sexual abuse, and cancer, as well as having dealt with the trauma of losing both her parents by 13 years of age. In this podcast episode she talks through the coping strategies she adopted, including fawning, numbing and dissociation, and how these impacted her birth and postpartum experiences. Sarah wants to share her story so that others won’t feel so alone in their traumatic experiences of new parenthood. In her sharing, she offers guidance, hope and inspiration to those who may be feeling a sense of hopelessness surrounding the hardships that life, birth and new parenthood can sometimes bring. She is an absolute heroine and is courageous beyond measure.

Other topics discussed include:

* Ectopic pregnancy

* PCOS

* Hypnobirthing

* Artificial rupture of membranes

* Rebozo

* Epidural

* Isolation and loneliness in postpartum

* Workaholic tendencies & people pleasing as a trauma response

* Milk oversupply

* Sleep deprivation

* Father - anxiety attacks, depression and medication

* Covid impacts on postpartum and pregnancy

* Hypervigilance

* Postpartum suicidal ideation

* PND

* Pelvic floor physio

* Amazing doula support

* Home birth

* 42+6 week pregnancy

* Influence of VEs on mindset

* Melanoma surgery and treatment

* ACC sensitive claim - therapy for cPTSD

Hannah, a mother to two daughters aged 3 and 6 months, joins me on the podcast from her rural home, a yurt, in a remote part of Northland here in Aotearoa. Her story is in equal parts, unsettling and inspiring. 

She began her journey into motherhood with full trust that birth, as a healthy part of life, would happen naturally. But Hannah learnt the hard way that relying on the guidance of a midwife whose philosophy was a misalignment for her own, was not going to allow her to feel safe enough to get on and birth her baby. Instead, she ended up being flown by helicopter to Whangārei Hospital where she and her baby would meet via cesarean section.

Hannah shares with us the crucial self-connection work that she did to heal her birth trauma, and the journey she took to prepare herself for her next pregnancy and birth. The story of the birth of her second baby was wildly different to her first. Hannah chose to have no medical or midwifery input into her pregnancy or birth, instead leaning on the support of her wise-woman sisters who would regularly sit in circle together.

We take a deep dive in this podcast episode, so she’s a bit of a lengthy one. I can guarantee though, that you’re going to want to listen until the end with its taste of nourishing sweet redemption. 

Also discussed in this episode:

* Interventions related to prolonged rupture of membranes

* Coached pushing

* Syntocinon (Pitocin) use without consent

* Dissociation

* Emotional release for baby’s healing

* Support circle for women (preconception - birth - Motherhood)

* Child/sibling at the birth

Connect with Hannah via her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/wild_flower_nz/

Gwen lives in Washington State USA after travelling the US for the past year in their RV and before that living in Australia, the place where she birthed her three babies who are now 1, 5 and 6 years old.

She has an honours undergraduate degree in Sociology, Masters in Teaching and she is certified by the International Coaching Federation as a Spiritual Psychology Coach and trauma specialist. Gwen is founder of her business Connecting Consciously Collective and is very passionate about supporting mothers to fully step into their power and create their intuitive desires.

She had two very traumatic birth experiences herself which was the catalyst to her doing her inner work and learning about the subconscious mind and manifestation. Using this knowledge, Gwen was able to manifest the empowered birth she desired and have a healthy baby and healing birth experience - one that doctors had told her she should abort due to ‘high risk’. Now, she is able to coach women from around the world on how they too can harness this power and have the empowered birth experience they desire.

Also discussed in this episode:

* Hypnobirthing

* Pre-labour & premature rupture of membranes (PROM) 

* Induction of labour

* Failure to progress leading to emergency cesarean

* Elective repeat cesarean

* Dissociation

* Newborn apnoeas - near death experience at 4 weeks old

* How traumatic experiences can serve us

* Miscarriage - cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (baby growing into lining of uterus)

* D & C - large haemorrhage 

* Healing the red line (maternal lineage)

* Uterine infection

* Subconscious reprogramming - shifting beliefs

* Advised against having anymore children

* Abortion recommended due to risk of placenta accreta

* Lotus cesarean

Check out Gwen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/connectingconsciously.co/⁠

Email her: [email protected]

Book a call with Gwen: https://calendly.com/connectingconsciouslycollective/30min 

Watch Gwen's YouTube video: Create the birth you desire (youtube.com)

Ella, a home-birthed, surprise breech baby herself, knew, before she was even pregnant, that she would be having an unassisted birth at home. In this podcast episode she shares with us the explorations she did before and during her pregnancy, including attending Radical Birth Keepers School, conversations with her man about “what if our baby dies?”, the decision to hire a virtual doula, and conversing with her baby when unsure about his quietness, in terms of movements.

Just shy of 42 weeks pregnant, Ella’s labour began. I love how she depicts the story of her son’s birth as being so utterly normal, hard, for sure, but also really quite uneventful. We talk about whether this may have been the inroad to a very easeful breastfeeding experience with not even a hint of nipple damage.

Ella now runs a monthly Free Birth Circle for women who are planning a free birth themselves. If you’re inspired by her story and want to learn more, get in touch with her via her website or Instagram links below.

Other things we discuss on the episode:

* Free birth preparation

* Radical Birth Keepers School

* Free Birth Society podcast

* Questionable safety of pregnancy ultrasounds

* Tests for Downs Syndrome

* Irregular contractions throughout labour

* Self vaginal checks in labour

* Water birth

* Cord burning ceremony

* Tongue tie

Ella's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/earth.mama.wellbeing/

Ella's website: https://www.earthmamawellbeing.com/

Get your hands on a copy of my (Carla's) book which includes the story of Ella's own birth - a surprise breech birth at home: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/mybook

Follow my work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

Check out the Healing Birth YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

I first met Elvisa when, pregnant with her second child, she joined my online Soulful Birth course. Although she had planned to birth her first baby at home, she said she wasn’t mentally prepared and decided to transfer to hospital for an epidural. The birth of her first baby resulted in a big tear, and breastfeeding struggles and PND ensued. 

In describing her experience, Elvisa says that the birth itself wasn’t traumatic for her, but rather it was the transition to motherhood that she grappled with. In this podcast episode Elvisa shares with us the ways she overcame her depression and things she did to set herself up for an empowering and positive next birth and postpartum.

Her newest baby, Wiremu, was born in the water at home, with Elvisa being cared for by wonderful wise women midwives. Enjoy listening to the challenges she faced and how she rose above them.

Other topics discussed:

* Hapū Wānanga

* Long early phase of labour

* Trails & Tots - walking group for mums

* Importance of physical activity and nature for mental wellbeing

* Being a career-driven woman

* Stay at home dad; working (from home) mum

* Early shift to bottle feeding for mental wellbeing

* Navigating cultural differences with a Filipino mother

If you are interested in finding out more about my (Carla's) Soulful Birth course - a holistic birth & postpartum preparation series held online - head to this webpage: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep

In today’s episode I interview Olivia about her two very different birth stories that, in some key ways, looked set to head down the same path. It’s hard to fathom how she maintained the self determination and belief that she could birth vaginally with her second when, like her first birth, which was a cesarean, Olivia’s second baby remained very high, not seemingly keen or able to drop into her pelvis, and she was in early labour for many, many days with very little sleep.

Olivia’s story of the birth of her second baby is a powerful example of how beautifully designed we are for birth, despite what our modern birth culture would have us believe. And I love the reflection that she provides near the end of our talk when Olivia says, “When you let go and allow your body to take over, magic happens.”

Also discussed in this episode:

* Hypnobirthing

* Doula care

* Women’s Health Physio

* Osteopathy

* S&S and induction of labour

* Acupuncture in pregnancy

* Reduced baby movements

* Fears of stillbirth

* Mental health struggles in pregnancy

* High head - lack of engagement - Miles Circuit

* Labial abscess

* CPD - Cephalopelvic Disproportion

* Positive elective cesarean experience

* Hind leak

* Prolonged early labour

* 3rd degree tear

* Spinning babies

Today I dive into a passionate conversation with UK-based Shellie, aka The Serenity Doula. Shellie caught my attention with the Instagram reels she creates, depicting some of the many ways birthing women’s bodies and rights are undermined, and challenging a lot of mainstream narratives and maternity system practices that contribute to so much unnecessary birth trauma.

We talk through the importance of understanding and respecting birthing physiology, something Shellie has a very in-depth knowledge of, about the impacts of birth place and birth companions, about informed consent in birth care (or more accurately, the lack thereof), about advocacy, about doulas, and about induction of labour.

Throughout our conversation Shellie’s heart-led approach to her work as a doula shines though. She is a rare gem and a true gift to the birthing world.

Also covered in this episode:

* the drive to be a doula

* freebirth

* birth trauma enquiry in UK

* holistic healthcare vs allopathic medicine

* abusive ‘care’ within the system

* the ‘self work’ of preparing for a physiological birth

Follow Shellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/

Check out Shellie's Website: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/

Join the Home Birth Support Group UK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/homebirthsupportuk

Check out the Physiological Birth Club clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/house/physiological-birth-club

Rural living saw Chloe choose a sight unseen birth centre as her birth place and she anticipated she’d do just fine, like the thousands of animals she and her man had seen giving birth on the farm. A hideous car ride during labour to what turned out to be an incredibly unappealing birth space, followed by a lack of attentive support and meconium in the waters, meant that Chloe ended up being transferred to hospital… by helicopter and without her man or midwife by her side. What is more, she was terrified of heights. Her girl was born via a ventouse delivery which also involved an unconsented to episiotomy.

Chloe has yet to experience giving birth again since the traumatic birth of her daughter 2 ½ years ago. Unlike the podcast episodes you’re used to around here, this one doesn’t share a positive and empowering story of birth. Instead, Chloe and I delve into the healing journey she has embarked on in the wake of her traumatic birth and all that she has done and continues to do to prepare herself for the conscious conception of her next babe.

We talk about tracking menstrual cycles, women’s circles, discovering spirituality, nature-based rituals and celebrations, and so much more. Enjoy the journey that Chloe takes us on.

Also discussed in this episode:

* working with a Healing Birth Practitioner trainee

* becoming a Healing Birth practitioner

* painful postpartum sex

* paganism and witchcraft

* home birth

* contraceptive pill for heavy, painful periods as a teen

To find out about Carla's Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

To follow Carla's work on Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

To follow Chloe on Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimingherpower/