Healing Birth
178 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago -Conscious conversations about birth, rooted in trusting the inherent wisdom of our bodies.
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Episodes
I Genuinely Thought I Was Going to Die
June 21, 2022 23:32 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MBAt just 21 years old, Trae’s experience giving birth to her first baby was a truly life threatening one. Although she is still processing the events of that day, Trae is very passionate about advocating for other mothers who experience traumatic births. She shares the whole story with us today, including ways she has found healing in the aftermath. Please note that this episode contains a description of a traumatic birth, and take care of yourself accordingly. You can follow Trae on i...
A Cesarean in Bali, A Freebirth in California
June 16, 2022 01:19 - 1 hour - 95.3 MBAfter a failed induction, a very long bout of prodromal labor, and getting ultimately kicked out of her birthing center, Ita’s first baby was born surgically, under general anesthesia, in Bali. After this birth experience, Ita had a hard time bonding with her daughter, and they struggled with their breastfeeding relationship. After that first tough year, and a move to the US, Ita became pregnant with her second baby. And as the pregnancy progressed, Ita felt increasingly called to freebirt...
Samantha’s Psychic Pregnancy and Homebirth
June 07, 2022 02:22 - 43 minutes - 60.3 MBIn honor of #internationalhomebirthday (June 6th), I’m sharing this beautiful home birth story. Samantha, a twin who was born at 33 weeks, wisely dealt with the trauma of her own birth before becoming pregnant herself. She says that the day she gave birth was truly the best day of her life, but that she worked really hard for it. The most remarkable part of her story for me was the dreams she describes during her pregnancies which were clear communications from her babies' souls. Join ...
What Ten Years of Working for Health Insurance Companies Taught Me
June 02, 2022 00:09 - 23 minutes - 32.3 MBBefore having children, and doing the work that I do now, I spent ten years working within the health insurance industry. I sat in on a lot meetings that (accidentally) shared what I believe to be the truth about our healthcare system - namely, that it doesn't really create health. Above all, it's a really big business. I focus this episode mainly on the myth of preventive care, because it's of particular relevance to pregnancy and prenatal care. If you love the show, please conside...
Healing Birth Trauma is Easy
May 24, 2022 03:03 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MBGena McCarthy is an educator, nurse, and perinatal psychotherapist. Her work is to support you to build bridges between your heart and your womb, between your birth imprints and your present life, between your spiritual, parenting and professional paths. During our conversation she shares the story of her own birth 70 years ago, with her mother under twilight sleep, and the home birth of her son. She takes us through a couple different practices to help us heal birth trauma, one, an EMD...
The Only Positive Thing Was You
May 19, 2022 02:46 - 1 hour - 104 MBAfter two pretty straightforward births, Amy’s third birth resulted in a traumatic, unplanned cesarean, where she experienced obstetric violence, PTSD, and postpartum depression and anxiety. Amy had a lot a trauma from childhood come up for her after this birth. She says that the experience made her second guess everything she believed about the medical system, and even her beliefs about God. After that birth, and two losses, Amy had her fourth baby at home. Amy graciously shared with ...
An Initiation into Trust: Ally’s Three Day Freebirth
May 10, 2022 02:38 - 35 minutes - 48 MBAfter a conscious conception, Ally went into labor at almost 43 weeks. Her epic, three day long birth process included many things that could be considered a “problem” or otherwise pathologized, but with the right support, and unwavering trust in herself and her body, this birth initiated Ally into a more powerful, sovereign version of herself. You can follow Ally on instagram @ally_aura JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, plea...
When Survivors of Sexual Assault Give Birth, Part Two: Rebecca’s Story
May 03, 2022 21:53 - 59 minutes - 82.3 MBThis is part two of a series exploring, through personal stories, how the experience of prior sexual assault can show up when we give birth. Rebecca shares the incredible story of the birth of her fourth child, born at just 32 weeks, in a teaching hospital. This is one of the most emotionally intense stories I have ever recorded, both in its beauty and pain. (Please note that while we do discuss sexual assault, this conversation does *not* contain a description of sexual assault). You ...
When Survivors of Sexual Assault Give Birth, Part One: Gemma’s Story
April 28, 2022 02:23 - 38 minutes - 53 MBThis is part one of a two part series exploring, through personal stories, how the experience of prior sexual assault can show up when we give birth. (Please note that this conversation does *not* contain any description of sexual assault). You can follow Gemma @wyldbirth and www.wyldbirth.com JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR EVENT: ...
The Wisdom of Breech Birth
April 19, 2022 21:59 - 1 hour - 86.9 MBWhat if breech birth is not the inherent emergency we are conventionally told, but rather, an expression of intelligent, deeply empathic, communication between mother and baby? Jess shares her three birth stories with us - actually four, as we begin with her own - all of which carry the through line of breech presenting babies and maternal communication. This is another one of those stories where ancestral and matrilineal healing come from a powerful reclamation of what it means to bir...
Women’s Healthcare is a Gateway Drug
April 11, 2022 22:25 - 11 minutes - 15.7 MBIn this solocast I explain why. Let me know what you think! HMU @healingbirth or www.healingbirth.net JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth
It’s Okay to Feel it All | Ariana’s Homebirth Cesarean
April 05, 2022 21:02 - 28 minutes - 38.5 MBAriana shares the story of her daughter’s birth, a planned homebirth that ended in a cesarean. Recorded at only four months postpartum, she shares some of the insights she’s already gained from this experience, and reminds us that’s its okay to feel it all - happy that you have a healthy baby, and perhaps, sadness or other complicated feelings about how the birth itself happened. This is exactly the kind of story that I needed to hear, years ago when I went through a very similar experi...
The Sacred Pause | Christine’s Life-changing, Out of Body Freebirth
March 31, 2022 22:11 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MBI love stories that illustrate how the births of our first babies (maybe every baby?) often prompt us to change and shift our lives, and this is definetly one of them. Christine shares the story of free birthing her son in Canada. There are so many juicy elements to this one - making love during labor, having a psychedelic, out of body experience, spirit baby communication, just to name a few! Christine also shares how, after such a powerful birth, she felt alone in the postpartum time. ...
I Trusted Myself to Know What I Needed | Victoria’s Birth Stories
March 21, 2022 22:29 - 55 minutes - 75.6 MBVictoria’s first birth was unmedicated, in a hospital, and although everything went “right” it left her feeling like something wasn’t quite right. Her postpartum experience with that baby was very challenging, and she later connected the challenges postpartum with some of the disempowering things that happened during the birth. She shares the experience of miscarrying at home after that hospital birth, and how that miscarriage helped her realize that her body was completely capable of birt...
You are Perfect, Whole, and Worthy | Jenna Walenga
March 14, 2022 22:28 - 57 minutes - 78.3 MBJenna, a spiritual life coach for moms (and friend of mine!), shares her two birth stories. One, midwife assisted at a birth center, and the second, a very consciously chosen free birth. Guiding her through her pregnancies and birth experiences was Jenna’s strong intuition and willingness to trust herself. She also shares much about the always unfolding lessons of motherhood, and has a special message for anyone who is struggling to process a birth experience that left them in pain. Sh...
I Will Never Birth in a Hospital Again | Ashley’s Story
March 01, 2022 02:12 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBIn a heart wrenching and raw interview, Ashley shares the story of the unnecessary cesarean birth of her first child. From showing up in labor and being misidentified as a different patient, to having her doctor rush her labor process due to his golf tournament, her whole story is infuriating and deeply sad, most of all, because it’s simply so common. Many times during this conversation, I had to mute my mic and take deep breaths, because so much of her story was personally relatable to ...
A Series of Magical Synchronicities | Healing After a Traumatic Induction
February 14, 2022 22:55 - 1 hour - 114 MBMargeaux, a therapist who works in maternal mental health, went into her first pregnancy having heard first hand the many ways that a birth experience can leave us traumatized. Unfortunately all that knowledge was not enough to prevent her from being coerced into an induction that left her in the kind of pain she counsels her clients through. After the first year postpartum, a series of beautiful, magical synchronicities, and a deep connection to her inner voice, led her to become pregnant...
“I Want Women to Know What’s Possible” | with Dr. Elizabeth Wade
February 01, 2022 22:49 - 1 hour - 107 MBElizabeth shares two very different home birth stories with us today. This first, included almost every traumatic thing I can think of that can transpire at home, including a postpartum hospital transfer for blood loss. After that experience, she says she never wanted to give birth again. But when she had healed enough from that experience to become pregnant and birth again, that birth was so powerful and blissful she wanted to experience it over and over. You will not want to miss her d...
The Only Way Out is Through | Charlotte’s 11lb HBAC + The Importance of Listening to Your Body
January 20, 2022 23:02 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MBCharlotte shares her three birth stories with us - one cesarean (the reason for which is definetly the most unique one I have ever heard!), and two home birth VBACs. Her entire journey is so beautiful, she has so much wisdom to share, and now has stepped into working with other women who want to birth in sovereignty. You can follow her @the_vbac_coach JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Pa...
REBROADCAST: A Coronavirus Message from March, 2020
January 11, 2022 22:19 - 16 minutes - 22.3 MBOn March 15, 2020, I recorded a bonus episode with my thoughts about the then currently emerging global situation. It was fun for me to go back, almost two years later, and listen to what I had to say! Largely I asked us all to stay out of the fear. And, I still feel that way. I hope you guys enjoy this and I'd love to hear your thoughts! www.healingbirth.net IG: @healingbirth JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, pleas...
Healing Ourselves, Healing the Ancestors | Andrea’s Freebirth After a C-section
January 03, 2022 04:19 - 1 hour - 141 MBAndrea’s first birth experience is a perfect example of what it can look like when your midwives work for the state, not you. After a traumatic cesarean birth, she was determined to birth her second baby at home. Unfortunately (or maybe, fortunately?) no one in her province you could offer her the kind of support she needed, so she birthed that baby with just her partner as support. That birth was a firewalk, but in it, she found the connection to her ancestors that wasn’t present the ...
Why I am so passionate about sharing traumatic birth stories (but will never normalize them)
December 17, 2021 00:21 - 11 minutes - 16.2 MBHint: It has to do with finding grace for yourself. This is a bonus solocast. JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth
The Incredible Power of a Mother’s Intuition | Spirit Baby Communication, Freebirth, and Resolving a Retained Placenta Naturally at Home
December 08, 2021 20:48 - 1 hour - 90.3 MBKristen shares her two pregnancy and birth stories, one, a home birth with a midwife, and the second, a planned free birth. Throughout her pregnancies, Kristen was in direct communication with the spirits of her babies on the other side, waiting to come through. In fact, it was they who guided her to make the decision to free birth the second time. Kristen also shares how she resolved the retained placenta from her free birth naturally at home - something I have never heard anyone do befor...
Solocast | Are we on the cusp of a birth revolution? It feels like change is coming.
December 01, 2021 06:12 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MBEveryday I speak with women who are realizing that the maternity care system, no matter which one (midwifery or obstetric care, private or public), and no matter even the country, is a crumbling system that does not actually serve women and babies. I share some thoughts about what I am hearing from you, and why we perhaps are in a revolution. I love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] Follow us @healingbirth
From The Underworld, To Bliss
November 26, 2021 06:45 - 59 minutes - 81.9 MBEsme vividly describes her first birth experience as a descent into the underworld. Ultimately, that birth process was interrupted by an overly cautious midwife, which had long term physical and emotional ramifications for both her and her son. After a lot of healing work, her second child was born, in an experience she describes as blissful. Esme’s entire story is nothing short of pure magic! I loved every second of our conversation. You can follow Esme @esmeannarose If you enjoy th...
Fighting Back Against Obstetric Violence
November 15, 2021 22:28 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBNelia was assaulted during her first birth experience at her local hospital. Immediately understanding that what happened to her was wrong, she fought to get justice and to heal. The second time she gave birth, she took back her power in a massive way. We mention @birthmonopoly as a great resource for anyone who has experienced obstetric violence. You can find the map of obstetric violence, read other survivor’s stories, and other resources here: https://birthmonopoly.com/obstetric-v...
BONUS: God, Faith, and Birth (a deeply intimate solocast)
November 04, 2021 05:51 - 15 minutes - 21.2 MBA personal share about faith, my relationship with God, and how it all relates to birth.
A loss, a cesarean, an awakening
November 03, 2021 00:27 - 43 minutes - 59.7 MBAfter her first pregnancy ended in a loss, Lisa quickly fell pregnant again. The story of her labor and the birth of her baby is the all too common one of a cascade of interventions, beginning with an induction, that ends in a cesarean. In the aftermath of the trauma of that experience, something beautiful blossomed. I hear this theme commonly from women who experience the utter failure of the maternal healthcare system first hand - if that system is a lie, what other systems or institutio...
Chaya’s Freebirth After Three Cesareans
October 19, 2021 06:01 - 1 hour - 86.5 MB“It was so boring” This is how my guest today described her birth, several times, during the course of our conversation. Of course, birth is not actually boring and certainly the journey that brought her to this birth is anything but - but that statement illustrates so perfectly the central theme of her story. That birth, when left alone, even in someone deemed high risk, even in someone who has only had cesareans, can and often does unfold in a very straightforward manner. This is a sto...
Why Medical Freedom Matters to Mothers (Part 3 of 3: Roxanne's Story)
October 01, 2021 01:13 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBDuring her pregnancy, Roxanne was coerced into taking an injectable pharmaceutical product that injured her, greatly affecting her quality of life postpartum. Her son was later also injured by the same product. This is their story of healing together. #believemothers If you appreciate the show, please consider supporting us on Patron! www.patreon.com/healingbirth Visit our website, join the newsletter, and stay in touch with me! www.healingbirth.net
Why Medical Freedom Matters to Mothers (Part 2 of 3: Najma's Story)
September 10, 2021 06:17 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBNajma spent her early career in the pharmaceutical field, and trusted the medical system. During this time, she also had the sense many times that something wasn't right. When it came time to have her own children, she chose to keep them pharmaceutical drug-free, until that choice was taken away from her without her consent or knowledge. As a result, her child suffered a vaccine injury. This is warning to anyone who has their child in a government school, it could happen to any of us....
Why Medical Freedom Matters to Mothers (Part 1 of 3)
September 03, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MBMothers have always been at the forefront of the medical freedom movement - the fight for the freedom to decide what is or is not injected into their bodies and those of their children. We are a time in history where the fight for medical freedom has never been so crucial, and so heated. This is part one of a three part series where mothers share their personal stories of why medical freedom matters to them. #believewomen. This is Sarah's story. To find out more about ILLUMINOUS, ...
Feeling God’s Presence in Birth | Miranda’s Story
August 11, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 83.6 MBMiranda was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome near the end of her first pregnancy, which led to an induced, traumatic birth experience. As she began to heal herself, she also helped to heal her son. This is a story of healing, transformation, and spiritual growth. Follow Miranda on IG @rooteddaughter If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patron! www.patron.com/healingbirth
Rejecting Pharmacological Birth Control, and Reclaiming Physical Sovereignty with Serendipidi Day
July 09, 2021 18:10 - 1 hour - 92 MBSerendipiti Day is a radical feminist who has spent the last ten years of her life hitchhiking all over the world, mostly by herself. Her passion for women's work was influenced by her childhood, when she experienced firsthand what it meant to be exploited because of her sex. At the age of 12, she was taken out of a sexually abusive home and put into the foster care system, where she stayed until she aged out. From there, she launched herself into the world, visiting over 40 countries, wi...
Happy #internationalhomebirthday!
June 07, 2021 06:34 - 14 minutes - 19.6 MBA bonus episode with some thoughts on homebirth for this day.
Trusting Birth at 35 Weeks | Hannah Tovar
May 26, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 114 MBHannah shares her two birth stories, both at 35 weeks gestation. One, in a hospital with all the standard things that come with a pre-term birth, and the second, freebirthed at home. Her story is one of a journey to trust herself, her body, and her baby to be born at the right time. There are also some wild twists and turns! Follow Hannah @tovarhomestead www.hannahandbabes.com
Spiritual Healing After Birth | Katie Sutherland
May 12, 2021 04:00 - 42 minutes - 58.1 MBKatie Sutherland is an energy medicine healer, teacher and holistic wellness practitioner who supports mothers to thrive and reclaim their empowerment and vibrancy while navigating the journey of motherhood and childbirth. Katie had a powerful initiatory experience through the birth of her daughter almost a decade ago. It was one of the most intensely challenging rites of passage in Katie’s life, yet held an important key in the awakening of her greater purpose, and was a catalyst for much...
Re-connecting to Our Wombspace | Bethany Wilde
April 28, 2021 04:00 - 43 minutes - 60.4 MBBethany is a holistic womb-pelvic bodyworker, wild mama, and author of the book Pelvic Awakening. She guides women and mothers through deep-dive journeys into womb and pelvic healing, weaving together the physical and energetic and cultivating deep magical awareness, that makes big shifts. She believes that when a woman roots within her pelvic bowl, she finds the deep well of power and knowing that lives within – she comes back home to herself. This is a wonderful, healing conversation for...
Healing with Plant Allies | Arielle’s Birth Story
April 15, 2021 04:00 - 43 minutes - 60.1 MBArielle was induced at 41 weeks. During the induction process, it was discovered that her baby’s cord had prolapsed, which led to an emergency cesarean birth. Arielle shares how she emotionally processed this experience, and the important role that healing plant allies played in her journey. Join us this Sunday, April 18th, for Healing the Heart, a collaborative webinar between Healing Birth + my guest this week! Arielle will share her knowledge and experience using plant allies to support...
I Had to Push Through | Chaya’s Three Birth Stories
March 31, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 119 MBChaya shares her three birth stories which include a loss, a cesarean twin birth, two subsequent cesareans, and a fairly harrowing experience with post-partum birth control and PPD. Throughout her story is the theme of having to push through these difficult experiences in order to survive them. Mentioned in the episode: Nancy Wainer Cohen’s Silent Knife and Jennifer Block’s Everything Below the Waist (a must read!) Follow Chaya: @themindfulwoman365 and www.themindfulwoman.org Join ou...
How do I know if I Have Experienced Birth Trauma?
March 22, 2021 04:07 - 16 minutes - 22.4 MBI am often asked to define birth trauma. Or other times, new moms will ask me, how do I know if I was traumatized by my birth experience? For some the answer is clear as day, but it's not a dumb question at all. For many of us, we emerge from the birth experience grateful to be alive and have a healthy baby, and yet can still be haunted by certain parts of the experience. If you enjoy the show, please support us on patreon! www.patreon.com/healingbirth We have several amazing virt...
Finding the Joy | Gemma’s Freebirth after Cesarean
March 10, 2021 01:16 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBDuring labor with her first baby, Gemma’s midwives transferred her from home to the hospital due to her waters being opened “too long.” This experienced ended as it so often does in a coerced, unnecessary surgical birth. Gemma got extremely clear during her second pregnancy on the kind of support she wanted, and found a radical birth keeper to support her autonomy. She gave birth to her posterior, ten pound son wildly and freely in her own home, with only her partner and family present. ...
BONUS EPISODE: Lessons From VBAC Mothers, Coercion, and Medical Freedom
March 06, 2021 02:03 - 21 minutes - 29.7 MBI share some recent observations and thoughts I've had from listening to a LOT of VBAC stories these past few months. www.healingbirth.net/events for the upcoming webinars!
The Role of Faith | Megan's HBAC
February 24, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 99 MBMegan’s first birth was a cesarean for breech presentation, which she describes as a giving of herself and her baby over to the system. Her strong faith in God helped her find the courage and conviction to trust herself, her baby, and the intelligent design of birth the second time. She birthed her second baby at home, in power. My apology that the audio quality is quite imperfect, we actually tried to record this twice and this was the best we got! I think her beautiful story is worth h...
Divinely Guided | Ellie's HBAC on the Farm, Part Two
February 03, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 69.8 MBEllie’s first birth could be described as a classic cascade of interventions that ended in a cesarean, and left her devastated. She gave birth to her second baby at the Farm in Tennessee, after a series of divinely guided incidents and after having committed to trusting her own instincts. Recorded just six weeks postpartum from her second birth, this is a beautiful, raw, emotional story of courage, faith, and Divine Guidance. This is part two of her story. Follow Ellie @ellieromaira...
Divinely Guided: Ellie’s HBAC at the Farm, Part 1
January 27, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 84.9 MBEllie’s first birth could be described as a classic cascade of interventions that ended in a cesarean, and left her devastated. She gave birth to her second baby at the Farm in Tennessee, after a series of divinely guided incidents and after having committed to trusting her own instincts. Recorded just six weeks postpartum from her second birth, this is a beautiful, raw, emotional story of courage, faith, and Divine Guidance. Ellie’s story is so rich and powerful I made it into two par...
Meet Kristyn | Raising Awareness Through Craftivism
January 13, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 69.3 MBKristyn was 37 weeks pregnant with her first baby when she developed acute appendicitis. in order to be treated for it, her baby needed to be delivered immediately, but due to delayed diagnosis and dismissive care at the hospital, she suffered a great deal of pain, delivered via cesarean under general anesthesia, and had her baby separated from her postpartum. Kristyn shares with us the long term ramifications of this experience, the impact of having a healing, subsequent birth at home, an...
Fertility Freedom | Tarina Mosley
December 30, 2020 05:00 - 49 minutes - 67.4 MBTarina is a certified FEMM Instructor and a student midwife. Her own struggle with high blood pressure, headaches, cramping, and spotting from an IUD led her to explore natural birth control options. She now guides women as they learn to confidently use this science-based, natural method of birth control. Fertility Freedom is available to everyone. Follow Tarina @fertilityfreedom www.fertilityfreedom.net
10 Questions You Must Ask Your Midwife | Freya Kellet
December 16, 2020 05:00 - 59 minutes - 81.5 MBFreya Kellet is a radical birth coach, and a regenerative farmer who works with women who are dreaming of a wild birth, at home, in power. Do you long to be witnessed by an authentic wise woman? Do you wonder if you’ve found her? I’ve heard too many stories of medically minded midwives sabotaging birth, abandoning women at the end of their pregnancies, or coercing them into unnecessary or unwanted tests, procedures, and transfers. Freya and I discuss ten questions to ask your midwife to ...
Meet Jasmine | Giving Birth While Grieving
December 02, 2020 05:00 - 39 minutes - 54.3 MBJasmine was 41 weeks pregnant, and about to give birth to her first child, when her brother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. She tells us the story of what it was like to be induced and give birth while dealing with the whirlwind of stress, emotions, and grief. Jasmine also shares the story of her second birth which was near a completely opposite experience, at home, and was (as so many subsequent births often are), a healing experience. Follow Jasmine! @thebirthzone