Ep 151: A Labor Nurse Has a Freebirth

When your job consists of helping mothers give birth at the hospital, then you’re definitely going to… give birth at the hospital when it’s your turn, right?

This week we’re speaking with Georgia— a labor and delivery nurse and…. Freebirth mama?  Oh, my friends.  You’re going to love this story.

 

Reviewer of the Week- herwildsunshine

Such a joyful & empowering podcast:  I am not into podcasts- I never have been- but these are amazing!  I learn so much & get to see such a wide variety of positive births.  This podcast has a way of pulling me in and I'm hooked!

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Episode Roundup: 

1. I first just have to comment on Georgia’s resolve.  As a pregnant mother working in labor and delivery, she certainly experienced plenty of traumatic events— perhaps events that may make others choose not to give birth at home.  And yet, she had the deep understanding that the outcomes occurring at the hospital were not necessarily the same outcomes that would occur if those labors were not happening inside of the hospital.  Again, thank goodness for medical care during emergent situations, but Georgia was able to separate these events from her own pregnancy experience.
2. I love that she had zero expectations for when and how labor was going to begin—except for maybe the expectation that it would never happen!  The way Georgia discussed nit-picking symptoms was such a great point, and I know that it can be so easy to fall into this trap of, “oh, is it time?!”  “maybe it’s time!”  “is that labor?!” “was that my mucous plug?” Which truly can throw us into an anxious state. 
3. And finally, Georgia was scared.  She admits it.  And that’s okay.  We’re designed to give birth, and part of that design is a beautiful interplay of hormones.  Sometimes those hormones might make you feel fearful, and that can be protective.  I think that much of the time we end up getting a fear of our fear, which is far less helpful.  But experiencing the emotions and allowing them to be there is all part of this big work that we’re doing.  Like Dr. Rachel Reed has said and I’ve quoted before, “feel the fear and give birth anyway.”

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