MyMaine Birth

By Angela Laferriere

MyMaine Birth is a space where we share the real life stories of families and their unique birth experiences in the beautiful state of Maine. From our state's biggest hospitals to Birth Cente

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FAQs about MyMaine Birth:

How many episodes does MyMaine Birth have?

The podcast currently has 151 episodes available.

MyMaine Birth episodes:

April 03, 2026150. MyMaine Birth: Kelly's Story of How a Family-Centered Free Birth rewrote her View of Birth after three Hospital Experiences
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Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In this episode, we discuss:
medically managed breech pregnancy care and a C-section experience
processing disconnection after birth and rebuilding bonding through breastfeeding
planning a hospital VBAC with a doula and staying hoe longer in labor
how hospital coaching and limited options shape pushing autonomy ( or lack thereof..)
hospital water labor without water birth and the exhaustion of advocating mid-contraction
informed consent concerns around Pitocin for placenta delivery
postpartum recovery realities including rest, meal support and co-sleeping
choosing a Maine home birth midwife and feeling equal in care
peaceful family centered home birth where Dad caught the baby just after they made the first call to their midwife to let her know labor was happening
delayed cord clamping, cord cutting as a family and nursing
how respectful care and feeling seen can prevent birth trauma
….and a whole lot more!

You can find Kelly on Instagarm @Cardinal.birth.movement

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com

If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 17min
March 11, 2026149. MyMaineBirth: Choosing Home Birth with Confidence, Hannah's Three Birth Stories
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Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In this episode, we discuss:
Home birth in Maine
Hannah's Three Birth Stories - from a COVID-era hospital birth with the midwives at Maine General in Augusta, to two powerful home water births with care from her loving midwives from MotherSeed Midwifery - we talk through fear, logistics, postpartum anxiety, and what it looks like to "lean in and let go" when life with babies gets loud and messy.
We get into how birth shapes your confidence, your marriage, and your mental health
….and a whole lot more!

Hannah's Midwives - MotherSeed Midwifery

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 33min
March 02, 2026148. MyMaine Birth: Katie's Maine Coast Hospital Autonomous Birth Story in Ellsworth
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Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In this episode, we discuss:
Choosing the midwifery team at the hospital in Ellsworth amid MDI OB unit closure and high costs of home birth midwifery services
supplementing, acupuncture, and anemia infusions
securing the FreshTest and challenging default policies
home blood pressure data to counter white coat anxiety
declining non-evidence-based interventions
managing SPD, prodromal labor, and position work
hospital admission on her terms and consent-first care
hands and knees VBAC, minimal intervention, quick pushing time
placenta choices, cord timing limits, cutting the cord herself
postpartum tissue passage, prolapse scare, pelvic floor therapy
tongue and lip ties, pumping rhythm, and donor milk
holding grief and joy, practicing intuition, and trusting herself
doula support
….and a whole lot more!
Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 40min
February 06, 2026147. MyMaine Birth: A Surprise Free Birth, Grace Shares her Second Home Birth Story
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Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In this episode, we discuss:
home birth in Maine
finding a midwife after moving up the coast
pregnancy while finishing a home build in winter
early labor signs that felt like prodromal labor
practical setup at home for birth
water breaking on the toilet and rapid progress
surprise freebirth - fetal ejection reflex leading to a surprise catch by Dad guided by a calm midwife's assistant, just before their midwife arrived
placenta delivery without the planned Pitocin
calmer postpartum through intentional planning
….and a whole lot more!
Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
41min
February 05, 2026146. MyMaine Birth: Olivia's Maine Home Birth Story with Loving Care from her Midwives at MotherSeed Midwifery
Send us Fan Mail
Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In this episode, we discuss:
Home birth in Maine
Midwifery care in Maine
The benefits of working with home birth midwives and a supportive OB
late-pregnancy bleed, monitoring, and reassurance
labor beginning at work and rallying the team
rapid active labor, meconium, and watchful midwifery care
birth by the Christmas tree, delayed cord clamping, minimal tears
postpartum at home, follow-up visits, and sibling bonding
birth photography as a way to help piece back your memory of your birth story and gain clarity over your experience
….and a whole lot more!
Show Resources
Olivia's Midwifery Team - MotherSeed Midwifery

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
45min
January 23, 2026145. MyMaine Birth: Hannah's Three Birth Stories at Maine Medical Center in Portland
Send us Fan Mail
Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In Episode 145 Hannah is here to share her three births that move from a long induction and cesarean to an empowered VBAC and then to a breath-led hospital birth with a midwife where Hannah catches her own baby. Along the way, we unpack postpartum mental health, provider choice, and practical tools that support healing.
In this episode, we discuss:
first birth at 40+5 induction leading to cesarean and a hard postpartum
postpartum rage, SSRI choice and learning limits
discovering VBAC resources and switching to supportive care
second pregnancy with doula, pitocin use in labor and then the use of an epidural as a tool to relax, leading to a successful VBAC
golden hour, smoother recovery, clearer roles at home
surprise third pregnancy and choosing nurse midwifery care
late-term estimates challenged by hands on assessment
spontaneous labor, movement, and breath-led pushing
catching baby, immediate latch, 24-hour discharge
postpartum setup with meals, and rest
takeaways on mindset, provider fit, and asking for help
Show Notes
Some things Hannah thought of after recording this podcast that she also wanted to share was that during her third pregnancy she fell in love with breathwork. Two of her friends recently became Breathwork instructors. Their retreat gave her the time to focus on her birth intentions and mindset. Her friend Amanda Delorme of Pearl Holistic Health and she shared her birth stories in episode 79.
Pearl Holistic Health - Connect with Amanda
Hear Amanda's Episode from Pearl Holistic Health with MyMaine Birth Here
Hannah's Doula for her second birth and first VBAC was Ariel Bernstein, you can connect with her on instagram @themidwifeariel
Hear Ariel's First Episode with MyMaine Birth Here
Hear Ariel's Second Episode with MyMaine Birth Here
Hannah's Doula for her third birth and second VBAC was Corrine Morse
Morse Doula Birth Coaching
If you want to chat with Hannah more about her birth experiences, you can email her [email protected] or you can connect with her over on Instagram @h_g_harding

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 34min
January 14, 2026144. MyMaine Birth: Ivy's Three Pregnancy and Four Birth Stories at EMMC in Bangor
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Ivy, a labor and delivery nurse shares four births that shaped her faith in her body and her care team, from a cleft diagnosis and cesarean to a healing VBAC and a swift boy-girl twin birth with a footling breech catch from her supportive doctor. We unpack preparation, provider choice, and how calm leadership keeps complex births safe and human.
In this episode, we discuss:
cleft lip and palate found at 20 weeks, early planning and support
first labor to cesarean after long pushing
switching providers to pursue VBAC for her second birth
the value of laboring down and movement, for a healing VBAC
discovering di-di twins
OR based twin delivery with Baby A born head down and Baby B born footling breech with the calm support of Dr. Claire Faggons
Immediate skin to skin, both babies born happy and healthy were able to remain on Ivy's chest after birth.
Postpartum village: meals, childcare and rest for recovery
tandem breastfeeding logistics, nutrition, clogged duct awareness
….and a whole lot more!

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 41min
December 31, 2025 143. MyMaine Birth: How We Birth Matters - Part Three - Receiving the Light and Holding the Charge, Cam's Story
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In this Episode I'm joined by Alannah and her husband Cam as he shares how a traumatic hospital birth shaped their early parenthood. They then trace the long road to a calm, unassisted twin home birth where Cam caught both babies, including their daughter who was breech. The conversation turns to consent, repair, and what real partner support looks like before, during, and after birth.

In this episode we discuss:

• first birth expectations shaped by TV and hospital classes
• separation after birth and lack of consent or clarity
• retained placenta discovery and D&C under anesthesia
• processing avoidance versus vocal processing in partnership
• the weight of unsupported postpartum and surface help
• how birth work reframed hospital versus home risk
• deciding on a freebirth with twins under Maine law
• practical prep: roles, kids, tub, temperature, photography
• catching Baby A, double nuchal cord resolved by Cam
• Baby B breech with cord entanglement calmly untangled also by Cam
• Receiving the Light - Holding the Charge - and the journey of transformation

Show Resources -
Connect with Alannah on Instagram or Facebook @BirthBodyPhotography
Or visit her website BirthBodyPhotography.com
Connect with Alannah's husband Cam if you're looking for any exterior home services in the August, Maine area through his website Finn Property Services

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.

...more
2h 45min
December 14, 2025142. MyMaine Birth: How We Birth Matters - Part Two - Alannah's Twin Freebirth Story
Send us Fan Mail
Are you a soon to be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth? You’re in the right place!
In this episode, we discuss:
Twin Home birth in Maine - *after the new 2020 Midwifery Licensure Laws and Restrictions
Twin reveal at ten weeks and immediate loss of her dream home birth being supported by her loving midwife
finding voice through birth photography and witnessing a free birth
exploring options across state lines and with traveling support
fast labor timeline with Baby A’s water birth at 36 plus 4
Baby B footling breech, arms up, sunny side up, calm problem solving
placentas in a bowl, delayed cord separation, family first moments
managing blood loss, nutrition, and rest at home
breastfeeding twins reality, tandem starts, nine months in
advice on autonomy, intuition, and questioning norms
Midwifery laws and restrictions in Maine
….and a whole lot more!
Show Resources -
You can connect with Alannah on Facebook or Instagram @BirthBodyPhotography or you can visit her website BirthBodyPhotography.com

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 37min
December 12, 2025 141. MyMaine Birth: How We Birth Matters - Part One - Alannah's First Three Pregnancy and Birth Stories
Send us Fan Mail
In this episode Alannah shares her first three birth stories—one traumatic hospital birth marked by separation and silence, a fast unmedicated second that rebuilt trust, and a pandemic‑era third where advocacy met policy. The theme is voice: consent, clear communication, and support change outcomes and memories.

• membrane sweep at 40 weeks and unintended cascade
• birth plan ignored and epidural regret
• hemorrhage managed with poor consent and separation of baby
• rebuilding trust with a new team and doula
• fast second labor, physiologic pushing, golden hour protected
• pandemic policies, water labor, and the emergency button
• postpartum anxiety, under‑support, sleep, and nourishment

Show Resources
Find Alannah Finn and the services she offers at BirthBodyPhotography.com
Find Alannah's Husband and the services he offers in the greater Augusta Maine area over at FinnPropertyServices.com

Additional Resources you’ll LOVE…
MyMaineBirth.com
If you are ready to prepare for an autonomous birth experience, where you’re respected as the authority over your body and your baby… regardless of where you plan on birthing -
CLICK HERE for 10% off the MyAutonomous Birth self-paced, online course!

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered! Check out my FREE resource, 37 Questions to Ask Your Care Provider. Whether you’re interviewing new providers or have already established care, this FREE resource offers guidance on important topics to discuss with your provider.
...more
1h 37min

FAQs about MyMaine Birth:

How many episodes does MyMaine Birth have?

The podcast currently has 151 episodes available.

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