This episode is a deeply personal conversation with Gemma, who shares her journey through birth work, loss, faith, and what it has meant for her to be transformed along the way.

Gemma has spent over eight years in the birth world, moving between the medical system, traditional midwifery, and unassisted birth, while building a homesteading life in rural British Columbia. Her story opens with profound loss, carrying and birthing twins at home, followed by a hemorrhage that brought her face to face with surrender in a way she had never experienced before. Just two weeks later, she found herself pregnant again, stepping into a season where peace and fear coexisted in a very real way.

She shares how her upbringing in New Age and how her previous births left her feeling physically overwhelmed and, at times, traumatized. There was a deep longing to be rescued from the intensity of it all, paired with the weight of feeling like she had to carry everything on her own.

During this pregnancy, everything began to shift. Gemma describes encounters with Jesus through dreams and visions, even as she wrestled with resistance. A question stayed with her, “Who told you you couldn’t be saved?” It marked the beginning of releasing the need to prove her strength and allowing herself to receive help.

Hearing other women’s stories of inviting Christ into their births gave her language for what that could look like & she began to lean into faith more intentionally, especially as she navigated concerning symptoms and long stretches of time alone while her husband worked as a train conductor, often gone 12 hours a day.

When labor began, she eventually came up against a wall of fear. In that moment, she felt a sense of being given true choice, an invitation to continue or seek help, and she chose to surrender more deeply.. Alone, she describes it as peaceful, flowing, and effective in a way that surprised her.

She shares candidly about navigating meconium-stained waters and then a larger amount appearing later, and how she worked through the emotions that came with that. Worship music became a powerful anchor throughout labor, and at one point, crying out to God brought an immediate shift in her body and spirit.

As birth progressed, she realized her baby was breech. She describes feeling coached through the pushing phase, staying present and supported as she brought her baby into the world.

Throughout the story, fear becomes something different than an obstacle. It becomes an invitation to lean in, to trust more deeply, and to continue surrendering.

LINKS

• Her post in our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2274989219664289&set=gm.1601978701221077&idorvanity=181048103314151

• Gemma on IG (it’s on pause/archived for now): Gemma Epp 🕊️ (@wyldbirth) • Instagram profile

• reach out by email [email protected]

• A Sacred Beginning book: A Sacred Beginning: Nurturing Your Body, Mind, and Soul during Baby's First Forty Days

  Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team:

  • • • Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      • Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      • Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      • Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook):⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hearthmother Ministries Community⁠⁠⁠⁠

      • Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      From Lauren:

      • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      • Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      From Brooke:

      • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

      • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

      • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

In this episode of This Cup of Tea, we share what’s been unfolding behind the scenes in our lives and work lately — the questions that keep coming up, the slower-than-expected growth of Hearthmother Journey, and the sacred moments reminding us why we’re doing this work.

From an 8-year marriage misunderstanding that finally came into clarity, to Brooke’s confirmation, to witnessing a breathtaking breech birth, we talk about the small and big ways God has been moving.

We also share about the development of our Hearthmother Midwifery Unschool, our love of spreadsheets, app creation, and why building slowly might actually be the point.

Pour a cup of tea and join us for a conversation about faith, vocation, motherhood, and trusting the quiet seasons.

Show Notes:

rainbow arch - Chris Harrison | BibleViz

Laurens Bible Plan app - Threads of Scripture — Hearthmother Reading Plans

bible project podcast Two Psalms That Sum Up the Hebrew Bible

brookes substack - https://open.substack.com/pub/sothisisbrooke/p/on-the-eve-of-my-confirmation?r=6cizmf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

• • Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team:

    • Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook):⁠⁠⁠ Hearthmother Ministries Community⁠⁠⁠

    • Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    From Lauren:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    From Brooke:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

  
  

The Way of the Hearthmother episode

In this special roundtable conversation, we gather students and graduates of the Hearthmother Journey to reflect on how The Way of the Hearthmother has shaped not only their birth work, but their inner lives, families, and daily rhythms.

From first impressions to unexpected transformation, this conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply encouraging for anyone walking the path of sacred birth work — or considering it.

Whether you are a doula, birthkeeper, mother, or woman longing for rooted work that flows from presence rather than performance, this episode offers lived testimony of what happens when formation runs deeper than information.

In This Episode We Discuss:

First Encounters

Each woman shares her first introduction to The Way of the Hearthmother — whether through the podcast or through the course itself — and her initial reaction.

• What surprised them

• What felt confronting or affirming

• How they knew (or didn’t know yet) that this would change something in them

We explore the difference between consuming content and being formed by a way of life.

• The shift from technique to presence

• Offering care that flows from rootedness rather than hustle

• Reimagining what “success” looks like in birth spaces

• Creating offerings that feel aligned, spacious, and deeply personal

They reflect on how their posture — not just their skills — has changed.

• Marriage and communication

• Parenting and homemaking

• Community leadership

• Personal boundaries and discernment

• Spiritual formation

How does The Way of the Hearthmother show up in the ordinary?

• In morning rhythms

• In hospitality

• In tending a home

• In how they listen

• In how they hold space for themselves

  
  

  Panel participants (all Hearthmother Journey grads or current students):

  • Olivia Shingledecker, midwife apprentice, doula, and health coach

  • Autumn Rose, traditional midwife

  • Krista Matlock, birthkeeper

  • Trinity Miller, student midwife and doula

  • Hannah Gingerich, doula and student midwife

    
    

    Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team:

    • Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook):⁠⁠ Hearthmother Ministries Community⁠⁠

    • Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    From Lauren:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    From Brooke:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

    
    

    
    

    
    

We recorded this conversation on the anniversary of her sixth birth story — a sacred full-circle moment that set the tone for everything we shared.

In this deeply vulnerable episode, Brandy opens her heart about the way God gently positioned her marriage and family to be ready to welcome new life. What looked ordinary at the time was actually divine preparation.

During this pregnancy, she said yes to two big things:

• Enrolling in Hearthmother Journey

• Hiring Brooke as her birthkeeper

Those decisions shaped not only her birth experience — but her spiritual formation in motherhood.

We talk about the beauty and freedom of a wild pregnancy — where “prenatal care” meant whatever truly nourished her body, soul, and spirit. From our lakeside picnic prenatal visit to the quiet rhythms of listening and trusting, this pregnancy unfolded differently.

She shares about:

• The false labor that surfaced deep emotional layers she needed to address

• The walking, sobbing, and long showers that became her late-pregnancy coping rituals

• The bold prayer: “Bring this baby forth.”

We explore the sacred space at the end of pregnancy — the surrender, the unknown, the allowing things to flow instead of forcing.

Brandy also opens up about something tender:
The weight March has carried in her life. The loss and death associations tied to that month.

And then — the redemption.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing.”

This episode is about trust.
About surrender.
About facing generational fear.
About God rewriting timelines and associations.
About new life blooming in months that once held grief.

Connect with Brandy:

Website || Instagram

Blythe's written birth story and vlog by Brandy

Birth Film made by Brooke

Brooke's poetic reflections on Brandy's birth

Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team:

• Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook):⁠ Hearthmother Ministries Community⁠

• Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From Lauren:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From Brooke:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

In this episode, we’re debriefing our recent Skills Workshop — It was everything birth education should be.

We’re talking about:

• Why we believe in failing fast to fail forward
• The “ahh” moments when the pelvis finally clicks
• The creative simulators we built to actually understand physiology
• Trauma responses and how embodied practice changes everything
• Why how you practice is how you show up

At HJ, we don’t just teach information.
We train skillsets.

Because reading about birth is not the same as holding birth.

Social media has created a generation of loud birth voices — but personality is not the same thing as embodied presence. Posting infographics doesn’t make you a birth keeper. Memorizing stats doesn’t make you safe in the room.

Being a birth servant requires:

– Hands-on anatomical understanding
– Nervous system regulation
– The ability to read a room
– Trauma-informed awareness
– Humility
– Real practice
– Real feedback
– Real people

At our workshop, we practiced how we intend to show up.
We spoke to the models and dolls the way we speak to women and babies.

Links for show notes:

• hearthmotherministries.com/journey

• first-to-know list

• private community

• email us: [email protected]

  
  

  • Connect:

    • Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rooted in Eden PMA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    From Lauren:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    From Brooke:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

    
    

    Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is licensed under a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    
    

    
    

    
    

  
  

With travel on the calendar and meaningful work unfolding, we talk about what it looks like to tend the hearth when life is moving fast—and how the systems, relationships, and small comforts we build really do matter.

Brooke is heading to Arkansas for an upcoming skills workshop, while also preparing for an interview with a reporter from WORLD Magazine. We reflect on what it means to steward both private life and public conversations with intention.

From there, the conversation moves into home rhythms and support systems—how tools like shared calendars and simple home management structures can make a tangible difference, especially during seasons of solo parenting. We explore how these same dynamics show up in birth spaces too: trust, preparation, delegation, and knowing when to ask for help.

We also touch on miscarriage recovery and the quiet power of community—how love can be held and felt even across long distances, and why being witnessed matters so deeply in loss.

There’s practical comfort here too: wool sheepskins on the bed, hot water bottles for rest and recovery, and the grounding presence of natural materials in the home.

Mentioned in this episode:

• When the Day Comes: An Inspirational Colonial and Gilded Age-Era Time-Travel Historical Romance (Timeless)

• Natural Sheepskin Hot Water Bottle with Rubber Inner

• Natural sheepskin products + bespoke wool rugs

• The publication Brooke is being interviewed for - https://wng.org/magazine

• Our private community → RSVP for the Hearthmother Journey Open House on February 16

  
  

  Connect:

  • Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rooted in Eden PMA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  From Lauren:

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  From Brooke:

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

  
  

  Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is licensed under a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

  
  

  
  

Birth is one of the most intimate, vulnerable, and powerful experiences a family will ever walk through. To invite someone into that space—especially someone holding a camera—requires trust, presence, and a deep understanding of birth itself.In this episode, we’re talking about birth photography: what it really means to witness birth from behind a lens, how this work is different from any other kind of photography, and why presence matters more than the perfect shot.

We explore what draws people to birth photography in the first place, what you learn about labor and birth when you’re quietly observing it unfold, and why birth photography adds something profound for families long after the day itself has passed.

We also get practical—talking equipment, settings, lighting, and the realities of photographing births in unpredictable, low-light environments. For photographers who already know their way around a camera, we share lessons learned over years of being in real birth rooms, not styled sessions.

We talk about what qualifications birth photographers need that other professional photographers don’t—why understanding birth, consent, and emotional safety is just as important as technical skill.

We spend time on what it actually looks like to be in the birth room: how to be present without hovering, how to observe without making a birthing woman feel observed, and how to move in a way that supports the energy of the space rather than disrupting it.

We also tackle the ethics of birth photography—who owns birth photos, how sharing should be handled, and how to have clear, respectful conversations with families about consent, boundaries, and image use.

This episode is for photographers, birth workers, and anyone who feels drawn to the quiet, sacred work of witnessing birth well.

Shownotes:

• Birth Becomes You photography courses - ⁠Comprehensive Birth Photography and Business Courses — Birth Becomes You⁠

• Basic needs of a woman in labor book (⁠The Basic Needs of a Woman in Labour⁠ ) and podcast (⁠The Basic Needs of a Woman in Labour⁠

Connect:

• Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rooted in Eden PMA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From Lauren:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From Brooke:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is licensed under a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Birth is good.
And birth is not tame.

Birth is holy and wild. It is powerful, unpredictable, and not something we can fully control or make “safe” in the way modern culture often promises. When we forget that, we can be left confused or unprepared for how deeply a birth experience might impact us—even when everything looks fine from the outside.

In this episode, we’re talking about the difference between disappointment and trauma in birth. Disappointment often comes from unmet hopes or expectations. Trauma goes deeper. Trauma is a deeply distressing experience—or series of experiences—that overwhelms the nervous system and leaves a lasting imprint on the body, the mind, and our sense of safety.

And trauma is not defined by what happened on a chart.
It’s defined by how the experience was received in the body.

We talk about why it’s so important to process hard or intense birth experiences, and why this work should be done with someone who understands both birth and trauma. Not someone who rushes to silver linings or spiritual bypassing—but someone who knows how to sit with the body’s story and help it integrate what happened.

We share supportive tools that can help the nervous system come back into regulation, including:

• Bilateral stimulation (EMDR, binaural tracks, walking, brainspotting, butterfly hug/tapping)

• Shaking and gentle movement to release stored stress

• EFT / tapping

• Simple supports like nourishment, warm baths, flower essences, rest, and deep gentleness with yourself

We also touch on surprisingly practical tools like playing Tetris in the early aftermath of a hard experience, which has been shown to support memory integration.

This conversation includes pieces of our own stories:

• Lauren’s interrupted third stage

• Brooke’s manual placenta removal
  Both moments where necessary intervention still left an imprint that required care, time, and compassion to heal.

We also talk about prevention—how having the right team, realistic expectations, and emotional support can cushion the wildness of birth. Birth does not need to be controlled to be held well. But it does need to be witnessed, respected, and supported.This episode is an invitation to approach birth honestly:
to honor it as good, holy, and life-giving—
and to acknowledge that its wildness sometimes leaves tender places that deserve gentleness, care, and wise support.

Connect:

• Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rooted in Eden PMA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From Lauren:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From Brooke:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is licensed under a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In a world where birth is often defined by medical intervention and fear-based decision-making, Cody and Carly Fletcher’s story offers a powerful return to trust—trust in God, in the body, and in the natural design of birth.

In this episode, Brooke Collier sits down with Cody and Carly as they share their journey from hospital births to home birth, and the unexpected path that led them there—including a vasectomy, a canceled appointment, and ultimately, a vasectomy reversal prompted by a clear conviction from the Lord.

The couple experienced eye-opening moments around informed consent, intervention, and trust in the birth process. Their preparation culminated in a transformative ten-hour home birth, marked by peace, confidence, and joy unlike anything they had experienced before.

Carly also opens up about surrendering control in family planning, trusting Cody’s leadership, and walking through the faith-filled decision to reverse the vasectomy—an act of obedience that bore fruit not only in their family, but in their marriage and walk with God.

This episode is an honest, hope-filled conversation for anyone wrestling with surrender, fear, obedience, or the belief that it might be “too late” for God to move.

resources & links mentioned:

• Vasectomy Reversal Doctor
  Thomas S. Sommers Jr., MD
  Midwest Vasectomy Reversals – St. Louis
  💲 $3,500 Reversal
  https://www.midwestvasectomyreversals.com

• Contact Cody & Carlee Fletcher
  📧 [email protected]
  📧 [email protected]

Connect -

• Email us to say hi: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

• Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: ⁠⁠⁠Fill out the form⁠⁠⁠

• Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application⁠⁠⁠

• Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): ⁠⁠⁠Rooted in Eden PMA⁠⁠⁠

• Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside ⁠⁠⁠Hearthmother Journey⁠⁠⁠

From Lauren:

• ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

• Midwifery consults: Email  ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

From Brooke:

• ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop⁠⁠⁠ - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

• ⁠⁠⁠Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop ⁠⁠⁠- a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

• ⁠⁠⁠Embrace Birth Journey ⁠⁠⁠- comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By ⁠⁠⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠⁠⁠ is licensed under a ⁠⁠⁠Creative Commons License⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, we’re settling into the slower, more reflective rhythm of the Christmas season and pushing back on the cultural pressure to rush ahead into “new year” mode before it’s time.

We talk through the Christmas traditions and observances in our own families and churches, and why honoring the full liturgical season matters—especially in a world that’s always eager to move on too quickly. Along the way, we unpack why January is not actually the new year, and how reclaiming sacred time shapes the way we live, worship, and build.

We also address recent developments within MAHA, including a response to Abigail Iovine and why it’s important to stay informed and engaged. If you’ve been wondering how to take action or understand what’s happening behind the scenes, this conversation provides context and next steps.

Finally, we share an update on what’s coming next for us, including the launch of a brand new website—with more features and resources being added slowly and intentionally over the coming months.

• Nate Bargatze Nativity Comedy
  A Nate Bargatze Nativity Scene | Nate Bargatze’s Nashville Christmas

• Abigail Iovine’s Position Statement & Organizational Endorsement Form
  👉 Take action here

• New Website Launch
  🌿 hearthmotherministries.com
  (More sections and features will be added gradually over the coming months)

Connect:

• Email us to say hi: [email protected]

• Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form

• Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application

• Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA

• Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey

From Lauren:

• Instagram

• Midwifery consults: Email  [email protected]

From Brooke:

• Instagram

• Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)

• Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox

• Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)

• Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way

Intro and Outra Music Credit -
Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License.