Ok, if you're a Christian planning a natural birth, you've probably heard the descriptor of "pain-free" tacked to the front of the word birth. Sounds good, right? Who wouldn't want that?

Lauren and Brooke have both had what could be called pain-free births and yet they don't really care that much. Why? Because God's purposes for His daughters in childbirth so greatly surpass the physical sensations or lack there-of that whether or not there is pain is really more of an after-thought.

Join us as we explore the theology of pain, the "curse" on Eve in the garden, why pain-free births end up happening (or not), redemptive suffering, expecting the goodness of God in birth, and what a better focus and goal might be instead of pain avoidance. 

Mentioned in this episode: 

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

Meet Sarah - mama of two, holistic dietician, and amateur crocheter -- as she shares with us her birth stories on today's episode. 

She shares how her primary birth goals shifted from Safety&Survival to Peace&Power and what a difference that shift made.

What struck me most about my conversation with Sarah is how eloquently she weaves deep truths and profound insights into her telling of her stories. She encountered God in some really poignant ways in her second birth, and I know you'll me encouraged by every detail of it.

As always, the choices, beliefs and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke.

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Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 

Connect with Sarah on IG

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

Type "Natural induction methods" into the Google search bar and you'll find loads of information about DIY things to try at home to make labor start. Ask your midwife and she'll probably have a few more tricks up her sleeve to offer up should you so desire/need. 

But...

Join Lauren and Brooke for a conversation about all of that and more.

Get your Holy Wild Woman Sticker here.

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

Lauren and I got to sit down and hear our mutual friend, Angee (a traditional birth attendant and mama to 6) share a deep dive retelling of the birth of her son Killian. It was a quick birth full of happy surprises and loads of redemption.

If you're curious about how a traditional birth attendant navigates her OWN birth, this one will be a fun one for you. 

She also shares meaningful insights about marriage healing and postpartum rest.

As with all birth stories shared on this podcast, the choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke.

Connect with Angee:

SHOW NOTES “FOOTER”

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

When it comes to making birth plans, safety is often a top-of-mind concern. This leads into the concept of understanding and weighing risks, real or perceived, and looking around for strategies, protocols and practitioners who we feel will minimize risk and ensure saftey. But what if, like my flock of chickens locked up too long in a small chicken run, the parameters we put into place to protect ourselves and our babies end up costing us something(s) even more valuable?

Tune into this episode to unpack the myths of safety and risk, in which a real-life metaphor from Brooke's experience of chicken keeping ends up being a helpful framework. (Who would have thought?!)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

After years of infertility, Jalina was led through healing and went on to have 4 sons, though not without significant losses in between. While her first 3 sons were all born in hospitals (albeit barely, in the case of #3!), she always felt she was missing out on something, and that the thing she really needed had nothing to do with the hospital. When she found herself pregnant with her 4th, it didn't make sense to go to the hospital again... but the leap from there to free birth wasn't an easy or light decsion. All the same, God led her and her husband to that plan, and with Brooke in their corner as a virtual birth keeper, they had a totally unassisted birth between dinner and bedtime on an ordinary weekday night.

Please note: the personal choices and beliefs of the mothers sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller and are not necessarily advised by nor reflect the beliefs of Lauren and/or Brooke.

Look up Jalina for Doula Support and Birth Photography in Upstate NY/Vermont:

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From Lauren:

From Brooke:

Lauren and Brooke have each had free births and are supportive of them. But we're also supportive of midwifery (I mean, Lauren IS one!)...

But what does the word "midwife" mean anymore? Doesn't it seem like that word gets applied to lots of very different sorts of birth attendants? 

What do the letters after her name mean? What if she doesn't have any letters? How much do those letters (or lack thereof) really tell you about what sort of a midwife she is? What makes someone a midwife and what are her roles and functions?

And how do you go about choosing one? Does it matter if she's a believer? 

You won't walk away from this episode with a one-size-fits-all guide to finding/selecting a midwife but you will walk away with some great questions to ask yourself, discuss with your husband, and pray through. Don't miss it.

References related to this episode: 

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

What is autonomy and how does it relate to radical responsibility? We'll unpack the meaning of these concepts and their application to pregnancy, birth (and beyond)! Grab practical tips for walking joyfully in your responsibility as a pregnant woman, and consider the big picture theology behind this invitation, too. 

We welcome your thoughts and reflections on this subject, too. Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Find us both online

Lauren's IG: @anointed birth 

Brooke's IG: @sisterbirth / sisterbirth.com

In this episode, we'll introduce ourselves - Lauren Hall (Rooted in Eden) and Brooke Collier (Sister Birth) and let you in on the winding path that led us into birth work, to one another, and then to the creation of this podcast. You'll see the fingerprints of God all over this origin story! You'll also hear more about what to expect in this space moving forward. 

Lauren on IG

Brooke on IG