A couple of months ago, I was listening to the song “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” and I thought: this would be a great song for childbirth. Especially this line…

Come, come, ye saints, no toil or labor fear;

Then I got thinking about some of the other hymns and realized that so many of them could be seen through the lens of childbirth and take on new meaning. For instance,”work,” “toil,” “labor” and related words can be considered in terms of childbirth. 

“Temple” can refer to our bodies/wombs or the holy places where we choose to give birth to our babies. 

Here are some passages I found particularly meaningful as potential aids for women in childbirth.

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Heather shares her birth stories and how focusing on charity helped her shift one of her births into a more spiritual event.

And of course we talk about all of the joy and challenges of helping to birth The Gift of Giving Life

Enjoy this episode where Heather and I discuss how she became a part of the book and how it helped change her births.

Find the show notes at thegiftofgivinglife.com

And sign up for our newsletter to get access to our online class!

You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

To celebrate Pioneer Day this week Robyn compiled a history about a special midwife. 

A special thanks to Shani Allen Dutton, one of our readers and a descendant of Jane Johnston Black, for introducing me to the story of this courageous woman.

Here is a little snippet - "When she got to Montrose, Iowa, on the other side of the Mississippi River, she buried her gun under her wagon wheel. She was given a tent as shelter for the women that were in labor.  The trauma of this final exodus had hastened their births. She recorded, “I was the mid-wife, and delivered nine babies that night.” Their provisions were sparse, “until the Lord sent quails among us. We had nothing to sweeten anything until the Lord sent honeydew, which we gathered in bushes until we got all the sweets we wanted. I also boiled maple juice and got cakes of maple sugar.” If you ever visit Nauvoo Illinois, you can see two plaques bearing her words along Parley Street’s “Trail of Tears.”

Find the show notes at thegiftofgivinglife.com

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You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

I am so excited to share the second half of our interview with Stephanie from @lightuntolighthomeschool on Instagram.

In this episode, she shares that while she didn’t have any specific manifestations of her ancestors at the birth, except for a powerful feeling of love, which she felt was their presence, that the support they gave her through her pregnancy was invaluable.

She also shares a wonderful experience she had at roots tech, with her unborn daughter.

Find the show notes at www.thegiftofgivinglife.com

And sign up for our newsletter to get access to our online class!

You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

It was so fun to interview Stephanie and hear how she harnessed the power of her ancestors stories to encourage her through her pregnancies and births.

She messaged me on Instagram

I really loved the story she shared about how learning one of her ancestors had a baby during a world-wide pandemic and the challenges she overcame, helped Stephanie, as she also had a baby during a world-wide pandemic.

Find the show notes at www.thegiftofgivinglife.com

And sign up for our newsletter to get access to our online class!

You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

Take some time to enjoy listening to this beautiful birth story of a VBAC mom.

I came to know Janice when she took childbirth classes from me while she was pregnant with her first baby.  

We have become friends since and work together in our local ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) chapter. 

 I also had the privilege of being present at the birth of her third baby which was also her second VBAC.  

For me it was a special birth because of our friendship.  It happened on early on a Sunday morning.  I got home just in time to shower and go to church.  I had a special spirit in my heart that entire day as I reflected on the birth I had just witnessed.  

Thank you Janice for sharing your birth story with us.  -Robyn

www.thegiftofgivinglife.com 

Buy your copy on Amazon. 

Robyn shares how she got involved in The Gift of Giving Life.

Her favorite parts and the most challenging parts.

She also shares what she has been up to the past few years, working towards her nursing degree.

It may not lead exactly where she thought it would at first, but she knows God will lead her where she needs to go.

And yes, she thinks birth will be a part of it.

Find the show notes at thegiftofgivinglife.com

And sign up for our newsletter to get access to our online class!

You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

You are helping to host a “normal” baby shower, but you want to make it a little bit more spiritual and meaningful for the mom.  A party with gifts and food is fun, but it is easy to add a few simple things to make this celebration more about the Mom and her journey to mothering this baby and therefore make it a bit more special.

1. Write and Share Wishes

2. Add some Beads

3. Connected by Ribbons of Love

See full show notes here 

http://thegiftofgivinglife.com/3-simple-tips-to-add-blessing-way-awesomeness-to-a-normal-baby-shower/

Find your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

It was Dieter F. Uchtdorf that said, “Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter” 

As women we do not move from one period of creation to the next in the same way or order. 

We each have different experiences, talents, gifts, and challenges that pull us toward a particular form of creation. 

For a long time it was childbearing for me. 

That period of time may be shorter for other women or longer.  

It may not even happen in this life, but that period of creation will come, 

“If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next.”

Find the show notes at thegiftofgivinglife.com

And sign up for our newsletter to get access to our online class!

You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.

On todays episode I interview Felice Austin.

She is the one who was inspired to create the book and we talk about how the idea first came to her and then all the steps she had to take to actually get the book published and all the joy and excitement in between.

It was so fun to chat with Felice and get all of her insights.

Our conversation will help inspire you to follow through on your inspirations as well as to get a better appreciation for how the book came to be.

You can find Felice online at Tree of Life Hypnosis

Find the show notes at thegiftofgivinglife.com

And sign up for our newsletter to get access to our online class!

You can buy your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon.