Happy Homebirth

Ep 318: Pregnancy After Loss and Learning to Trust Again

Have you ever found yourself wanting something to happen so desperately, and at the same time realizing you have absolutely no control over its happening?

 

This week, we’re speaking with Erica: a wife, mother of two, one of nine siblings,

and a woman who entered marriage already having seen family members give birth beautifully at home.

 

Episode Roundup:

1. Generational Trust in birth is a GIFT 

Erica didn’t stumble into homebirth hoping it might work.

She had seen it.

She watched her mother birth.
She watched her sister birth.
She grew up witnessing women trust their bodies.

When birth isn’t something foreign and medicalized —
when it’s something you’ve seen unfold in your actual living room —where you LIVE–
it builds a different kind of confidence.

What are we modeling for our daughters?
What are our sons witnessing about women’s strength?

Erica is now continuing that legacy.  Absolutely amazing.

 

2. Surrender Is Not Passive — It’s Active and continual

Two weeks of prodromal labor.
Contractions that start… and stop.
Hopes rising… and falling.
Over and over again.

And that shower moment —
head against the tile, sobbing, praying,
“I trust You… but please let it be now.”

That is such an honest prayer. That’s a prayer of confession.

Surrender doesn’t mean we don’t have desires.
It doesn’t mean we don’t long for relief.
It means we bring those desires into God’s presence
instead of trying to control the outcome.

And eventually…
her body opened.

Not through force or fear, but because it. Was. time. 

3. And finally, there is such power in undisturbed birth.  

Erica pushed without cervical checks.
She followed her body’s cues.
She reached down and felt her baby descend.

That image —
a mother with her own finger on her baby’s head,
feeling him move down and through her body —
is one of the most instinctive, embodied images I can imagine.

She didn’t need someone to tell her where she was, because she felt it.

And then…
she caught him herself.

Born fully en caul.
Waters intact.
Her hands the first to lift him from the water.

What a picture of partnership between body, baby, and Creator.

 

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

Ep 317: Choosing the Unmarked Path: Navigating Limited Options in Care

When you want to give birth at home, but the local midwives are overbooked and not taking new clients, what are your options? 

 

This week we’re speaking to Regan, a mother to two kiddos in the Manitoba area of Canada who knew that she wanted to give birth at home, but had to think outside the box to make it happen for her.  

 

Regan is a wife of 7 years and a stay at home mom to her two beautiful young children. A small part of her life includes helping manage a midwifery advocacy group, whose main desire is that all women in her Province can have the birth experience they desire! She loves her quiet country home life raising kids, running her two small businesses and discussing birth with anyone who wants to talk!

 

Episode Roundup:

 

 

1. It can feel so frustrating to hear how difficult it is in so many places to find a quality care provider at home.  Whether it's because of a lack of midwives or because of an over-taxed system, it leads to the same issue– Mothers have to think outside the box to find the care they need.  But what’s beautiful is the fact that for some mothers, like Regan, their desire to have a certain kind of experience leads them to explore other options and find a solution that works for them.  This doesn’t always look the same for every family.  For some, maybe it’s a hotel or airbnb birth.  For others, maybe it’s finding midwives to travel to you from a distance.  Whatever it looks like, the sense of creativity that you can bring into a difficult situation can truly flip it on its head.
2. There’s something to be said for having to keep information confidential when you deeply want to share.  Regan spoke of how the sense of secrecy she needed to maintain in order to protect her labor support felt very heavy to hear.  While it’s such a good reminder that your private medical information is yours to keep close and it’s really nobody else’s right to know, that doesn’t change the experience that comes with WANTING to share and feeling unable. Regan thinks this may have impacted her ability to connect to the idea that she was really growing a baby prenatally – which, as I mentioned, I believe makes quite a bit of sense that she needed to truly feel all of her labor to make the connection that, yes, this is happening! I’m becoming a mother again!
3. And finally, one of the beautiful counter balances to the struggle Regan had with not being able to share about her labor support– was her labor support itself.  She had a team of two women who loved her, cared for her, encouraged her and walked with her as she went through one of the most pivotal days of her entire life.  What a delight that these women cared so deeply for her, and were also so deeply impacted by Regan’s birth.  

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

Ep 316: Holding the Plan Loosely: Pamela’s Birth Story of Trust and Change

How do you feel about the specifics of your upcoming birth? Are you clinging to particular desires and feeling like things MUST happen a certain way for you to feel successful? Or do you feel the peace of flexibility?

This week, we're speaking with Pamela, a homeschooling mother of 3 precious kiddos, who decided to give birth at home with her third child. Throughout the end of her pregnancy and labor, Pamela went on a journey of learning that she wasn’t in control of every event that happened, but she was able to surrender— and through the process of surrender she found something even better than certainty- she found freedom.

 

Episode Roundup:

1. First, I love the fact that Pamela was being encouraged by the young mothers around her– in her community group, and then within her family.  The women in Pamela’s circle gave her a new perspective of what birth could be like– and what she could be capable of!  When you share your experiences with others, who knows who you will influence and how that could change their trajectory.  How beautiful to simply share your story.
2. Next, I cannot–not comment on Pamela’s perspective.  While she did have ideas of what she wanted her birth to be like– in the water, untouched– She allowed herself the freedom to change her mind as her birth unfolded. She was not a victim of birth, even with its changes.  Instead she acknowledges the part that she played: She chose to change her mind.  We cannot control numerous aspects of our births, but we can control our perspective.  And when you pair a healthy perspective with the lesson of surrender, oh my, that’s how mothers transform.
3. And finally–Beauty and Tragedy exist simultaneously. At the same time that Pam was approaching birth, there was tremendous flooding and loss in her region of Texas. And then her grandfather broke his hip the day before labor. Life is being lost, pain is being experienced, and at the very same time beauty is being created. New life is being freshly breathed. The clear truth is that there is beauty, even in the hardest of times.

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

Ep 315: From Hyperemesis to Homebirth

Have you ever done everything right…and still watched things unfold in a way you never expected?

This week I’m joined by Daryl Hogan — a nurse, nursing professor, wife, and new mama — who navigated a laundry list of unexpected aspects of pregnancy that she certainly wouldn’t have excitedly chosen…. And yet her story doesn’t end in suffering, but in a powerful, physiologic homebirth that left her standing in awe of what her body had carried her through.

 

Episode Roundup:

 

First — preparation does not guarantee ease.

Daryl did the research.
She changed her products.
She tracked her cycles.
She took the supplements.
She prepared her body thoughtfully.

And still she experienced hyperemesis.
Still she lost weight.
And still she battled prenatal depression.

But she endured.  She continued, and while her preparation did not prevent suffering —
It did equip her to endure it.

Second — the humility of needing help.

As a nurse, Daryl understood the medical system.
She works in the hospital.
She knows the language.

But during her pregnancy, she found herself needing the IV fluids, the medication.
Needing support beyond what she had hoped for.

And I love the way she processed that.

She asked herself:
“Would I shame another woman for this?”

Of course not.

And so she chose to release the shame.

My friends, sometimes trusting God also looks like accepting the help He places in front of you.

Third — the power of relational care.

Did you hear the contrast between her midwife and her OB?

Long appointments.
Text messages.
Honesty.
Consultation.
Home visits.

Versus…

Cold. Rushed. Directive.

Care changes experience.

Not just outcomes — experience.

And finally — redemption through birth.

After months of vomiting.
Crying.
Exhaustion and
Fear.

Her labor came.

She drove home from the birth center on all fours in the back seat — because her body told her to.

And she birthed her baby at home.

Oh my goodness, the triumph in that!  

Not because it was pain-free or especially easy, but because she endured. She trusted. She surrendered.

And what strikes me most is this —
she didn’t just get a baby at the end.

She got awe: 

Awe of her body.
Awe of the design.
Awe of the way suffering can shape strength.

So if you are in a season where you are doing your best just to make it through
Whether that’s in pregnancy, motherhood, or another aspect of your life —

 

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

Ep 314: An 11 Pound Baby and the Importance of Trust

Have you ever wondered how much the environment and the people around you shape the way birth unfolds?

 

Hey there Happy Homebirthers, and welcome to episode 314 of the Happy Homebirth Podcast.  I’m your host Katelyn Fusco and today, we’re speaking with Caroline Hendel, a mother from France whose story beautifully illustrates the difference between being managed through birth vs. being trusted in it.

Caroline shares two very different experiences: her first birth in a hospital after being transferred due to concerns about her baby’s size, and her second—an intentional home birth of an eleven-pound baby, surrounded by a team who provided a sense of belief, calm, and support.

This conversation touches on big babies, cultural differences in birth care, choosing your team wisely, and what it truly means to feel safe in birth.

 

First, I’m struck by how clearly her experiences show that big babies are not the problem—fear is. Over and over again, we see that when providers don’t trust mothers, size becomes a liability. But when belief is present, the body often does exactly what it was designed to do.

Second, Caroline’s story highlights how important it is to choose your team carefully—and to change course when something doesn’t feel right. Trusting your intuition doesn’t mean rejecting care; it means seeking the right care.

And finally, I love her reflection on how birth intensity can be a bridge into motherhood. For Caroline, her second birth gave her something her first did not— she was able to experience the fullness and intensity of the act of bringing forth her baby, which was exactly what she wanted as she re-entered the fullness and intensity of motherhood. If you’re preparing for birth, I pray this story reminds you that you deserve belief, support, and peace—no matter the size of your baby.

 

Links:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5yY5p5Wm6Y

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

Ep 313: Presence Over Perfection: Madeline Murray on Birth and Growth

Have you ever noticed how each birth teaches us something different—no matter how many times we’ve done this before?

 

Today, I’m welcoming back a dear friend of the show, Madeline Murray—midwife, mother of four, and someone whose story has unfolded alongside this podcast over the years.

Madeline has been here before to share her first and second homebirths, and today she’s bringing us into her third and fourth. Two births that took place in very different seasons of life, and yet both marked by growth, presence, and a deepening sense of trust.

 

Episode Roundup:

First, I’m struck by how much presence mattered in these later births. Madeline talks about the difference between surviving a birth and actually participating in it—and that distinction feels so important. Sometimes peace doesn’t come from changing the circumstances, but from being able to stay with yourself through them.

Second, I love her honesty about how seasons of life affect birth. Giving birth while navigating business ownership, older children, and a body that’s changed with time looks different than it did before—and that doesn’t make it lesser. In many ways, it makes it richer. There’s wisdom there. There’s perspective.

And finally, Madeline’s story reminds us that even when we’re experienced—even when we’ve attended births or lived inside this world for years—birth still has something to teach us. It continues to shape us, humble us, and invite us into deeper trust.

So wherever you are on your own journey—first baby or fourth—may this story remind you that growth doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like calm. Sometimes it looks like confidence. Sometimes it looks like finally feeling at home in your body.

 

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

Ep 312: Trusting the Process: Kaylee Matthews’ Mountain Homebirth

Which is more important when it comes to birth: preparation or intuition?

In this week’s episode, we’re hearing from Kaylee Matthews, a first-time mom from the mountains of Southern California whose story is a reminder that intuition and preparation can coexist beautifully with surrender.

Before she even met her husband, Kaylee was learning the fertility-awareness method, studying midwifery podcasts, and building an understanding of her body. So when she and her husband conceived—on their very first try—she felt both prepared and grounded.

Her pregnancy unfolded with ease until an unexpected “high-risk” label and pressure from hospital providers tested her confidence. Leaning on research, prayer, and intuition, Kaylee chose to continue midwifery care, learning firsthand the value of informed decision-making and peace over fear.

When labor finally began at 40 weeks + 6 days, it moved from calm to intense quickly—so quickly that her earlier intuition proved true: her midwife nearly missed the birth. What followed was a long, determined labor that called for patience, movement, and deep trust.

Kaylee’s story highlights the balance between preparation and surrender—the way knowledge can empower us, but peace is what carries us through.

First, knowledge really is power—but trust and peace are even greater powers. Kaylee studied, planned, and prepared for this birth. But when things went off-script, she leaned not on fear or outside pressure, but on the peace and confidence she had in her body as it did exactly what it was designed to do.

Second, I love how her preparation allowed her husband to step confidently into birth, too. From the packet of questions at their first appointment to the way he supported her through every phase, their teamwork is a picture of partnership in birth, and the way that birth can truly bring couples together as they enter or re-enter parenthood. 

And finally, Kaylee’s intuition was spot-on. Even when it didn’t make logical sense—like feeling her midwife might miss the birth—she honored that God-given intuitive thought and made space for it. What a reminder that we are so connected to our Creator, and when it’s intuition, that knowing you feel isn’t scary, it’s simply confident.

Here’s to quiet confidence, to listening inward, and to letting birth be the teacher it’s meant to be.

 

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

 

 

Ep 311: Midwifery Care Documentary: The Birthing Revolution Project

What if understanding midwifery care didn’t require convincing—but simply seeing?

This week on The Happy Homebirth Podcast, I’m joined by Caleb Phipps, filmmaker and father of four, and Midon Wingo, licensed midwife and passionate advocate for family-centered birth care.

Together, they’re creating a documentary called Birthing Revolution—a film designed to show what midwifery care actually looks like. Prenatal visits. Birth spaces. Families. Trust.

One of the most powerful ideas from this conversation is the way they frame birth as a story:
the mother as the hero, the midwife as the guide.

 

Episode Roundup:

 

First, I’m struck by the power of seeing. Caleb shared how witnessing midwifery care firsthand changed his understanding in a way facts and statistics never could. That’s exactly why Birthing Revolution matters—because when people can actually see birth unfolding with trust and respect, fear begins to loosen its grip.

Second, I love the way both Caleb and Midon frame birth as a journey where the mother is the hero and the midwife is the guide. That story deserves to be told well—and protected—so families everywhere can understand what’s possible.

And finally, I want to invite you into this work. If this episode resonated with you—if you’ve ever wished your partner, your parents, or your friends could see what midwifery care really looks like—this film could be that bridge.

If you’re able, consider supporting the Birthing Revolution project. Even a small contribution helps move this vision forward and makes these stories accessible to families who need them.

 

Links:

 

Donate to Birthing Revolution:

https://phippsphilms.com/birthing-revolution-movie/

 

Birthing Joy: A Home Birth Experience | https://youtu.be/iyhCAG2CQE8?si=YzgT2NRb3J_rd87E

 

Midon Wingo Beautiful Blessings | https://www.beautifulblessingsbirthservices.com/

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

 

Ep 310: When Strength Runs Out: Finding Grace in Birth with Jamie Krstev

Do you have any highly specific desires in regards to your upcoming birth?

Maybe that it will be at a certain time of day, or that you’ll labor for a specific amount of time…?

What happens when those desires are unfulfilled and you’re given a very different experience instead?

This week we’re speaking with Jamie, a first-time mom from Chicago who had some very beautiful ideas of what she wanted her birth to look like. After a very long pregnancy, she hoped for a very short labor… and today we will hear how she learned to surrender both her plans and her fears.

 

Episode Roundup:

 

First, I love how Jamie’s story began before pregnancy — with a season of deep healing. When she leaned into holistic restoration, she wasn’t just preparing her gut or her body; she was preparing her spirit for motherhood. That alignment and surrender created the foundation for the birth that would later test her faith in such profound ways.

Second, her honesty about fear is so relatable. Even with all the preparation, the reading, and the prayer, fear can creep in. And yet, in those moments when she felt she couldn’t go on, God’s Word met her — “My grace is sufficient for you.” What a testimony to the truth that sometimes the victory in birth doesn’t come through ease, but through endurance.

And finally, the image of her midwife stepping in, calm and capable, to help her baby take his first breath — that moment captured the essence of womanly strength and care. It’s such a powerful reminder that when birth is held in reverence, even the most intense moments can become sacred.

Jamie’s story reminds us that birth is both holy and humbling. It’s where heaven meets earth, and where a woman’s body, soul, and spirit are refined in love.

 

 

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)

 

Ep 309: Peace in the Presence: Paige Schwickerath’s Faith-Filled Home Birth

What does it look like to walk through birth with deep peace — even when things don’t go exactly as planned?

 

This week we’re speaking to Paige Schwickerath, a young mom from central Iowa whose life has been beautifully transformed through marriage, motherhood, and her first home birth. Paige and her husband welcomed their son, Boaz, at home in an experience that tested their faith, strengthened their trust, and revealed the calm presence of God in every moment.

In this episode, Paige shares how her husband’s encouragement first led her to explore home birth, the ways she prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually for labor, and how her peaceful birth at home unfolded — even when her baby needed a little extra help transitioning earthside.

Her story is one of surrender, support, and steady faith — a powerful reminder that birth can be both holy and human, unpredictable and yet perfectly held by God’s design.

 

Episode Roundup:

First of all, I love the role that Paige’s husband played in leading their family toward a more holistic way of living—before they were even pregnant. It’s not often that we hear about the husband introducing the idea of homebirth, but what a beautiful example of partnership and trust. His faith in God’s design and confidence in Paige’s ability to birth set such a peaceful tone for their entire experience. What a gift it is when husband and wife move forward in unity like that.

Next, I was struck by how Paige prepared—physically, mentally, and spiritually—while still holding her plans with open hands. She stayed active, saw a pelvic floor therapist and chiropractor, and filled her mind with encouraging homebirth stories, all while surrendering her timeline and experience to the Lord. That blend of readiness and release—that’s such a powerful lesson for all of us.

And finally, what a testimony of peace under pressure. When her son needed help transitioning after birth, Paige didn’t spiral into fear. She began quietly saying the name of Jesus over and over, trusting that He was present and that her birth team was equipped to care for her baby. Within minutes, her son was breathing in her arms. From the outside, someone might see this as a scary story, but for Paige, it was a story of God’s sovereignty and the calm assurance that she was exactly where she was meant to be.

Wow—what an incredible reminder that even when our stories don’t unfold perfectly, they can still be perfectly the Lord’s.

 

Links:

 

Redeem ™ |  https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

 

Restorative Roots  | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

 

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)