HOLY WILD BIRTH : Training Christian Birthkeepers, Traditional Midwives in Faith-Based Birth Work

This is an episode about loss, specifically first- and second-trimester loss.

They say that 1 out of 4 of women will experience miscarriage at some point in their childbearing years. This is not uncommon, but it is often hidden and unspoken.

In this episode, we hope to bring our own stories -- as well as the stories and wise reflections of our friends in the Believing Birth Keepers Circle -- into the light. We hope that hearing of them will communicate to you that you are not alone and that perhaps you will hear your own heart and experience mirrored in what is shared here, then paired with a powerful hope.

These stories include experiences of being very well supported and also very much alone. There are stories of the miscarriage process happening at home as well as in the hospital, with varying degrees of medical intervention. These are stories of grief, and also stories of meeting Jesus in places of great sorrow.

Be warned that this episode is long, and of course, the content is sad. Please take your time and take care of yourself as you listen through this at a pace and in a place that is best for you. If that means skipping this episode altogether, that's ok too.

CONNECT

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

This is our first FTM home birth story! So often we think that only moms who have already had a baby in the hospital have a home birth. NOT TRUE! Brooke's first was born at home, too, but today we have a beautiful guest mama to share her experience of having her first baby at home.

Ella's first pregnancy was a surprise, but she was pretty clear right out of the gate about her desire to have a home birth, even though some voices around her said they'd never have been brave enough to have a first baby at home. Even with some scary first trimester incidents, and even when she was thrown a couple of curve balls at the beginning of her labor, she went on to have a beautiful and pretty textbook home birth, keeping her curiosity and connection very much online through it all. Her story shows how home birth is a wonderful choice for first-time moms!

But breastfeeding turned out to be the bigger challenge. Ella had to navigate her self-judgment for "failing" to live up to some cherished ideals, connect with her underlying values, and make some compromises to give her baby what he needed in order to thrive (and herself too!). Her message for moms here is SO important.

Ellla is a jazz singer and a teacher of somatic practices (hello, nervous system regulation!). You can find her and her music/work here:

CONNECT WITH LAUREN AND BROOKE

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

How do you know when your family is complete or when you're "done" having babies? What does God's word have to say about having babies and how many? What if you and your husband have differing convictions about how many children to have?

In this episode, we're going to get personal about our own personal convictions and journies up to this point... while simultaneously giving a very NO one-size-fits-all answer to the above questions.

We know this is a topic that comes up a LOT in the FB groups we moderate, so we hope this episode will give some good fodder for discerning conversations between you, your husband, and the Lord.

CONNECT

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

Taleitha Selby, wife and 4x homebirth momma, tells the story of her 3rd pregnancy and birth that she attributes to breaking her out of the mold of what she thought birth was. Listen to her share her story of how stepping out from how she had always done things prepared her for an accidental unassisted precipitous birth and self-led neonatal resuscitation.

Our conversation also turned to the end caps of the physical life on this earth, as returning both to birth and death to the home holds special places in both of our hearts.

CONNECT

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

They aren't stone statues, and we don't bow down on a literal knee, but they're idols all the same.

Certain "brands"/styles of mothering, nutritional principles/disciplines, birth choices or outcomes, birth attendant titles/positions.... we're tearing 'em down in today's episode.

That may seem strange coming from a couple of passionately opinionated gals like us, but we're striving to keep all things rightly ordered.

Mentioned in this episode:

CONNECT

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

Arguably, one of the most important decisions you'll make about your birth is not WHERE or HOW you give birth but WHOM will be there with you. For an expectant mother, the birth team MATTERS and we have some things to offer up for consideration as you're selecting your attendants. 

The lesser-known other side of the coin is how important it is for a birth attendant to carefully select which mamas/families she will serve. If that sounds iffy to you, this episode is a must listen for you, too!

We cover:

...and more!

RESOURCES mentioned in this episode:

CONNECT

From Lauren:

From Brooke:

You know the story of Abraham, right? Of how God told him it was time to hit the road and go to... a place he would show him later (huh?!). In other words, "Pack up everything you have and everyone in your family and get going. But you don't get to know the destination just yet." How do you plan a road trip (with thousands of livestock, nonetheless) when this is all you have to go on? FAITH is what carried that man forward.

As Marina shared her story with me for this episode, that biblical story kept coming to mind because the similarities are many. Walking in faith, Marina and her (big!) family ended up in places they didn't expect to be -- metaphorically and literally -- for the birth of their 8th baby. It wasn't always easy, but in the end, it was just right.

May you be encouraged also, dear listener, to walk by faith. Like Abraham. And Marina. 

You can connect with Marina (and her incredible wisdom as a big family mama and mission to share Jesus) on IG at LewandowskiAdventures or email her at [email protected].

CONNECT:

From Lauren:

From Brooke: