Healing Birth with Carla

Hannah is a spiritually minded, home birthing mother of four littlies under the age of five. When her newest baby, Awena, was just 10 days old, Hannah received a horrifying diagnosis. In this episode of the Healing Birth podcast, I sit down with Hannah to discuss how she navigated this incredibly overwhelming time, and how she is managing to recover with such remarkable ease. We also talk about severe morning sickness, prenatal depression, free birth, breathwork, spirit guides, you name it… it’s probably on this episode! So sit back with a cuppa and soak it all in.

Topics covered in this episode include...

If you'd like to connect with Hannah you can find her on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hannahjade____/

Or Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hannahjadewellbeing

To find out more about me (Carla) and my work, follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

Or Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/healingbirthwithcarla

And check out my website:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/

In today’s episode Kayla (the Womb Doula) vulnerably shares her personal story of trauma and her path to healing. Her journey involves baby loss, meth addiction, home detention, surgery and the questionable fertility that ensued, menstrual cycle awareness, an unexpected pregnancy, becoming a womb doula, a healing home birth, and the challenges of solo motherhood. It’s a lot to encompass in a 90 minute interview and pieces sit heavy on the heart, but Kayla’s is ultimately a story of hope and courage, and the power we have to heal ourselves. 

Included in this episode:

You can follow Kayla's journey and work on her Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/thewombdoula_/

Today you get to hear me dive into conversation with a truly wise ‘with woman’ midwife who has devoted the better part of 46 years of service to her midwifery role. Jenny Johnston is a self-proclaimed introvert who loves books almost as much as she loves birth, so it was a great privilege and honour to have her open up about her wealth of experience and knowledge regarding midwifery, birth, and the system that undermines them both much of the time.

We talk about all manner of things… midwifery training in the ‘70s, rising rates of medical interventions, twin home births, 44 week pregnancies, free birth, midwifery care surrounding unexpected outcomes and loss, medical midwifery, home birth midwifery, self-responsibility, being staunch, and so much more. Through listening to Jenny speak, you’ll get a real insight into a midwifery practice and heart that is rooted in service and trust. Needless to say that Jenny’s influence was keenly felt by me when I trained with her as a student midwife 26 years ago.

Today I’m joined by Hannah, who shares with us about the traumatic experience she encountered when she was nearing the end of her pregnancy with her second baby. Having had a very straightforward first birth in a birth centre, Hannah had opted for a home birth with her second. But when she began haemorrhaging at 36 weeks, her plans for a peaceful, gentle home birth were foiled. She was experiencing a placental abruption which ultimately resulted in a very rushed emergency cesarean.

The final moments before Bradley was born were the source of Hannah’s PTSD symptoms that haunted her in her postpartum journey. Despite asking for help from the professionals she was repeatedly declined support and reminded that actually she was one of the lucky ones, that under the circumstances she was lucky to have a healthy baby. This did nothing to relieve Hannah of her depression and anxiety, and only served to fuel the guilt and shame that she held surrounding her experience.

At 6 months postpartum she finally received the care she needed to begin her healing process. A brilliant psychologist used EMDR therapy with Hannah and the PTSD symptoms immediately started abating. Two years on, Hannah is now a birth doula. Primarily she hopes to change the story for others who experience a traumatic birth and are pregnant again.

Topics covered in this episode include:

To train in holistic birth trauma support with me (Carla), visit:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/training-with-carla

Or to find healing after a traumatic birth through 1:1 support with me:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

Tania is Mum to Dylan who’s 16, Ava who’s 12, and her little freshy, Osian, who’s just two months. In this episode, she shares about the challenges she was met with when she found out she was unexpectedly pregnant last year, and how she navigated them with a healthy dose of determination and self work, and the help of friends, family and an awesome midwife.

Given that Tania had had caesareans with both of her older children and was wanting to plan a home birth with her next one, alongside being a solo mum, and unanticipated time spent in the Special Care Baby Unit with her newborn, there were plenty of hurdles along her journey. She speaks candidly about the highs and lows and offers a good couple laughs along the way.

As a long time friend of Tania’s, I was given the honour of attending Osian’s birth, so sit back and enjoy this convo between two friends, reflecting on a very special birth experience.

This episode includes the following topics:

Here is a link to Tania's Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/emergefreewithtania/

Here is a link to my book, Where the Heart Is: Stories of home birth in New Zealand:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/mybook

Here is a link to 'Bonnie Grace Create's Instagram page in case you wish to check out her beautiful birth and parenting affirmation cards:

https://www.instagram.com/bonnie.grace.creates/

...or her website:

https://bonniegracecreates.com/

My Soulful Birth pregnancy circle is soon to be online. Contact me via my website to find out more:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/contact

Or follow me on Instagram or Facebook:

https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/ and https://www.facebook.com/healingbirthwithcarla

Nemah is a travelling traditional full spectrum Midwife, from fertility and conception to passing, and everything in between, specialising in traditional home births. She has travelled the world with her children, and has assisted in over 2,000 births worldwide over the last 15 years. Currently Nemah is working on an aboriginal birthing documentary in over five countries which has given her a wealth of experience. 

Her background includes growing up with the guidance and teachings from her grandmother who was a traditional healer born in Mexico. Nemah takes pride in being a mixed ethnic woman, which has given her the ability to relate and provide services to a diverse number of indigenous women. Her practice includes traditional healing womb massages and 40 day postpartum bone closing ceremonies (an ancient practice for postpartum mothers, those with reproductive health issues, and for the overall health of women), as well as an ancient practice of purification and clearing for one's self or home.

Nemah also makes 100% all natural products from her personal garden to assist with the healing journey, including postpartum & prenatal products. As well, she creates custom protection jewellery using different shells, stones and feathers. Everything is done sustainably and with good energy, and raises money for postpartum care packages for indigenous mothers in need of support. Check out Nemah’s website and Instagram page (below) to find out more or to connect with her.

In this episode of the podcast, I dive into a conversation with this remarkable woman, where she shares about indigenous practices and ceremonies, about childhood trauma, including rape, about birth trauma and the road to healing, about the challenges faced when working within indigenous communities, and a whole raft of other soulful ventures. 

Included in this episode:

Nemah's website:

www.brujitamedicina.com

Nemah's Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/brujita_medicina/

You can email Nemah via this address:

[email protected]

Attend Nemah's workshop on aboriginal fertility & conception:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aboriginal-fertility-and-conception-workshop-tickets-615251111637?fbclid=IwAR1HKzK_5KHH0Byk1pNJ43TfPOgiLHNK0izpJ0mOrk_18sv8dqHByroPsn4

If you haven't already listened to episode 24 - part 1 of Lala's story, I suggest you do so before cracking into this one.

In part 2 of my interview with Lala, we learn about the surprising circumstances surrounding the home birth of her 4th baby, about her traumatic ectopic pregnancy loss and about her last birth experience - a healing home birth-esque cesarean with her fifth child. After two previous traumatic cesareans, Lala’s third was described by her, as being ‘home birth like’ and an important source of healing for her. Lala also talks in this episode about what she discovered about birth trauma when she sat in a sharing circle, and about her foray into becoming a home birth advocate in her current role as co-chair on the Home Birth Aotearoa Trust.

Discussed in this episode...

Here is the link to the Home Birth Aotearoa website:

https://homebirth.org.nz/

And here is the link to the Home Birth Aotearoa Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/homebirthaotearoa/

And the Home Birth Aotearoa Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/homebirthaotearoa

Here is the link to Carla's Healing Birth website:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/

Carla's Healing Birth Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

Carla's Healing Birth Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/healingbirthwithcarla

Today I speak with Lala about the first four of her five births. She has experienced the whole plethora of births, from a traumatic cesarean when she was a single teen mum, to an empowering home birth of her very large and awkwardly positioned baby. And everything in between! 

In this episode we hear about the early loss of one twin, about the 10 years it took to properly bond with one of her children, about a beautifully supported hospital VBAC, about Lala’s desperate act when she was terrified and powerless - biting a doctor’s arm, about having a baby in NICU, about journeying from naivety and loss of control to taking the reins as an empowered woman… and this is only part 1! 

Tune in next week to learn the rest of Lala’s story and to hear about the fabulous path that this all has led Lala down in terms of the birth work she is now involved with.

Hannah’s beginning to motherhood was not only tainted with the recent passing of her sister, her birth experience was in a different city, took place in a different birthing facility (hospital instead of a birth centre), and with different midwives, than she had spent the previous nine months planning for and excitedly anticipating. She was also subjected to unconsented procedures that were unnecessary, abusive, painful and frightening. Needless to say, it was an extremely traumatic time.

In this podcast episode, Hannah shares with us the path she walked on her healing journey, and how she set herself up for an incredibly empowering next birth at home. Among the tools she utilised to ready herself and her man to lovingly welcome their boy into the world, was watching the Birth Time documentary together. I have linked this documentary below in case you wish to access it. As well, I have provided a link to my book, Where the Heart Is: Stories of home birth in New Zealand, that Hannah talks about, and a link to my birth trauma support services page of my website. I work with people from all over the world who have experienced birth trauma, so don't let physical distance stop you if you want to reach out to work with me.

But for now it’s time to sit back with your hot cuppa and share in the beauty of Hannah’s story. May you be as inspired as she was during her second pregnancy, reading stories of others’ wonderful births. This one’s going to get you in the good feels, for sure.

Birth Time documentary:

https://www.birthtime.world/watch-now

Healing with me (Carla):

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

My book:

https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/mybook

In this episode I interview Denée about her two very contrasting birth experiences and the work that she did between them both, to heal and plan, and to find the courage and self-determination to birth her second baby her way.

Denée’s first birth resulted in vaginal tears, one of which was initially missed, and a postpartum haemorrhage, requiring a blood transfusion. Consequently, Denée was met with extreme anxiety, panic attacks, fear and isolation in the early months of parenting her newborn.

Today she shares her story of how she found healing, and was equipped with all she needed to have an empowering next birth experience. It is such a gift to hear her jubilantly describe the redemptive birth of Daphne.