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The Happy Homebirth podcast is your source for positive natural childbirth stories, and your community of support, education and encouragement in all things homebirth and motherhood.
Episodes
Monday May 01, 2023
Monday May 01, 2023
When you have fast, uncomplicated births, does the location really even matter at that point?
This week, we're speaking with Lauralee Kirkland, a mother to 3 babies earthside and one in heaven. We'll hear how Lauralee's decision-making has changed with each new birth, and how she's been able to step into both labor and motherhood more confidently each time.
Before we jump in, I'm going to give a little spoiler alert. Lauralee shares about the benefit of truly preparing for the birth experience you desire, and how it's really not up to anyone but YOU to educate you. This is such an important piece of advice, and I completely agree. In fact, this is why I've created Happy Homebirth Academy. The reality is that no one is going to care about how this birth unfolds as much as you will-- so let's get educated. Let's take the time to decide what's important to you, to prepare for all of the potential situations that may arise, to learn how to not only cope but ENJOY our birthing experience, and to deeply ready ourselves for postpartum.
And...I've got a coupon code for you: use the code PODCAST to get 10% off at checkout!
Episode Roundup:
- Like I mentioned at the beginning of the episode, It’s so important for you to invest in your growth if you have an idea for your birth— as opposed to leaving it to chance. In Lauralee's journey, she spent so much more time preparing for her 3rd birth, which led to a sense of preparedness and joy in her actual birthing process that she had yet to feel before. She also felt far more settled in her third postpartum, and I have to imagine that her preparation played a role in this as well.
- Even with births that looked both "good" and similar on paper, the reality is that this doesn't necessarily mean that they're experienced the same way. Lauralee was able to internalize and metabolize her third birth experience immediately in a positive, joyous light because of, once again, the type of preparation that she did beforehand.
- And finally, this type of preparation leads to one more amazing birthing aspect: The feeling of being PART of your birthing process as opposed to it simply happening to you. When we've prepared thoroughly, we are able to feel like an active participant with AGENCY in our birth, not a helpless bystander whose body just happens to be birthing a baby. What a mindset shift with lasting implications.
Use code HOMEBIRTH for 10% off
Make sure they're the pre-countdown links!
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Monday Apr 24, 2023
When it comes to postpartum periods, what can we do to encourage healthy cycles? And... what do our cycles tell us about our health status?
This week, we're speaking with Leisha Drews, a holistic hormone coach, and host of the podcast Happily Hormonal.
Leisha is going to help us understand how our hormones postpartum will affect the return of our cycle, and what we can do to support those hormones, and thus support our entire health and wellbeing. And once you're finished with this episode, jump over to Happily Hormonal and listen to the interview that she released with me this week, too!
Quick reminder that my heart is to serve you in your preparation for both homebirth and postpartum. While we're able to cover the surface of a number of topics on this podcast, if you're looking for an in-depth and step-by-step approach to preparing for your Happy Homebirth, I would love to have you inside of Happy Homebirth Academy OR The Homebirth Collective. Inside of Happy Homebirth Academy, we prepare diligently for your empowered homebirth experience, including postpartum. And the homebirth collective? Well, it's all that and SO MUCH MORE. We focus on the transition from maiden to mother and prepare on a foundational level so that you can experience motherhood from a place of sacred comfort-- feeling grounded and joyful-- beginning in pregnancy. The link to both programs can be found in the show notes, and don't forget to use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout for being a loved listener.
Episode Roundup:
How helpful was that?! I love how Leisha made this information so accessible and so, so bite-sized. Wherever you are in your journey, whether that's preconception, pregnancy or postpartum, this is for you. You can begin right now. Right where you are. We can focus on our nutrition, our minerals, our hormones now so that when we experience the normal, beautiful stressors of birth and postpartum, our bodies are ready carry us through. And we can provide them with the support that they need, little by little.
Podcast: Happily Hormonal with Leisha Drews
Instagram: leishadrews
Courses + Coaching: msha.ke/abundantlifewellness
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
We speak a lot about physiological birth around here- but how do we prepare for and experience a physiological postpartum? What does that even entail?
This week, we're speaking with Kela Futrell, a postpartum wellness doula with three babies of her own. Kela has had one hospital birth and two homebirths, and she's had quite an array of postpartum experiences between her three children. Today we'll hear her stories and glean from her wisdom.
Before we jump in, I want to remind you that if you're looking to plan in-depth for both your homebirth and your postpartum, check out Happy Homebirth Academy and The Homebirth Collective. My heart is to serve mothers in their transition from maiden to motherhood or back into motherhood, and my program are where you can gain streamlined, easy-to-apply information for all things birth and motherhood. And for being a podcast listener, you get 10% off at checkout when you enter the code PODCAST. I can't wait to see you inside!
Episode Roundup:
- Fascia and all of its fascia-nating glory strikes again! When Kela's third child began showing midline defects at birth and as time went on, her intuition began to buzz. She decided to reach out to a fascia-knowledgeable provider and ask some questions. Upon further discussion, Kela and her family traveled 5 hours for a 3-day intensive for her son Bear. And the results? They were incredible. My friends, I recorded this episode before hosting the Craniosacral fascial therapy conference in Greenville, and now... listening back.... I'm just so excited. We had an infant travel to receive bodywork for craniostenosis, the very same diagnosis that Bear had. And just like him, this baby experienced massive change. This work is just constantly amazing me. If you ever wonder "Could this be related to the fascia?" please consider reaching out! I'll once again link the Gillespie Approach facebook group where you can search for providers in your area.
- Next, we've got to talk about the lessons Kela learned between her first and second postpartum. She realized just how little she'd allowed herself to heal the first time around, and she was determined to "know better, do better" as she puts it, with both baby #2 and #3. And because this change was so profound to her, she now dedicates her time to supporting other mothers as they move into their fresh, new role. What a gift.
- And finally, when it comes to experiencing a beautiful postpartum... just like homebirth... it typically takes planning and consideration beforehand. Birth and postpartum are physiological events. As natural as can be. But our society is so disconnected with the process that we have to build up an arsenal of support for BOTH beforehand. It's so much easier to prepare ahead of time than to try to figure it out as we're wading through the thick of it... though if that's you, REACH OUT FOR HELP... it's not too late!
Instagram: @KelaMFutrell
Beyond Birth Wellness podcast
Resources:
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Monday Apr 10, 2023
What happens when birth goes well, but postpartum throws you for a loop?
This week, we're speaking with Caitlin Cooper, a first time mom to her 4 1/2 month old son named Luke. Caitlin and her husband and I have been married for 5 years and they live in Hagerstown, MD about an hour and a half away from DC and Baltimore.
Caitlin will be sharing the rawness of her pregnancy, labor, and deeply important to her, her postpartum experience.
We CAN prepare. We DESERVE to have access to this type of information. Inside of my childbirth education programs, I make sure that mothers know what to expect and know how to receive help. Because I was drowning during my first postpartum experience, and I never want that for any other mother. As you consider how you'll prepare for your birth and postpartum, I pray you'll consider Happy Homebirth Academy or The Homebirth Collective.
My heart's desire is to serve you deeply. And.... as a special token for listening to this podcast, I've got a 10% discount code for you! Use the code PODCAST at checkout for 10% off today.
Episode Roundup:
I am so grateful for Caitlin's rawness and real insight into her experience. What a helpful story. As we jump into today's episode roundup, I could talk about ALL of the possible resources that you have at your disposal and should consider while you're pregnant. But we'd be here all day, and you can certainly find that information inside of HHA or The HBC. Instead, I want to take just a moment to shed light on a few lesser-known options that are fabulous for the immediate postpartum.
If you're currently pregnant, consider finding a Craniosacral Fascial Therapist in your area if at all possible. Fascial restrictions are behind sooooo much of the postpartum struggle.... for baby, yes, but for mothers, too. For mothers...Our fascia is so deeply tied to our nervous system. If we're feeling stressed out and anxious and overwhelmed, finding a CFT practitioner can do so much to help us find balance. And for babies... oh my goodness. Let's not forget that they've been in quite a confined space for quite a while. If there's one thing I could give to every baby, it would be a CFT session within hours or days of their birth. This can be so helpful in terms of breastfeeding struggles, and it's generally unknown. Any type of fascial bodywork can be amazing, but I know the specific benefits of CFT for myself and my family, so I'm happy to take a moment to shout it from the mountains.
And I want to end with this. If you're struggling, you are not alone. Don't allow yourself to sink into isolation. Reach out for support in whatever way you feel will be best for you, but please, do not be made to feel alone or strange for your experience. There are so many people who would love to support you through this experience.
CFT/Gillespie Approach Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/128162437281535
Monday Apr 03, 2023
Monday Apr 03, 2023
When we've experienced tragedy, how do we heal and maintain a positive outlook?
This week, we're speaking to Jacy, a teacher-turned-homeschooling mom of four living children and a daughter in Heaven. After four very different hospital births (including a stillbirth), Jacy unexpectedly became a homebirth convert. Her fifth baby was born healthy at home in August, which was an incredibly healing experience for her.
As you can tell, this birth story is going to cover some extremely sensitive content. Jacy hopes to provide encouragement to bereaved mothers, as the Lord placed several women in her life that had been open about their experiences with loss before she had her own. This was extremely helpful to her, and her desire is to help others with her story of both heartaching pain and at other points, heart-bursting joy.
Episode Roundup:
I'm so grateful for Jacy's willingness to come on and share such a vulnerable piece of her life and her heart with us. As we head into today's episode roundup, I wanted to simply focus on this one aspect: When we come across those who are grieving, for whatever reason, but especially those who have lost a child at any stage- I think that far beyond our words, we can love people with our actions. Bringing a meal, offering to watch the other little ones, providing house cleaning services. acknowledging the personhood of the little life who is no longer here, and acknowledging the physical trauma and need for recovery of the mother, too. We don't have to have the perfect words, but having a servant's heart is a treasure above all else.
Related Books:
Safe in the arms of God by John McArthur
The Moon is Always Round by Jonathan Gibson
Safe in the arms of God by John McArthur
The Moon is Always Round by Jonathan Gibson
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Monday Mar 20, 2023
When you get pregnant on your wedding night and thrown into prenatal decision-making a little sooner than expected, what kinds of decisions do you make?
And this week we're speaking with my friend and student, Kelly Benner.
We'll learn about how Kelly and her husband Ian were thrown straight out of wedding prep and straight into baby prep.
It was such a joy and an honor to work with Kelly inside of The HBC-- where we dig so much deeper into preparation than simply looking for coping techniques. If you're interested in taking a mentorship approach to pregnancy, homebirth and motherhood, I'd love to have you check out my free resource, the Achieve Your Empowered Homebirth mini-course. You'll get to see where we're missing the mark in terms of typical childbirth education, and what we can do to prepare instead. Send me a DM on instagram @happyhomebirthpodcast with just the word homebirth- all one word, no emojis or exclamation marks, however excited you may be, and you'll get access immediately to the course. Or you can click the link in the show notes and have it sent to your email.
Episode Roundup:
- Sometimes our spouse is not going to be immediately on board. I always love to remind mothers that this is typically coming from a place of love, concern and protection, not just a strong desire to not support you in what you want. So what can we do? We can lovingly educate our spouses. Share with them what you're learning. Bring them alongside you. Invite them to learn with you. This facilitates bonding and encourages you to work together as a team.
- Variations of birth don't have to be a big, dramatic, scary event. Kelly and her baby experienced a shoulder dystocia, but this was not a traumatic experience. In fact, her midwife was able to quickly free baby and Kelly was still left with the feeling that he "shot right out". Sometimes the biggest "what if's" happen.... and they still don't cause any issues.
- And finally, the transformation from maiden to mother is huge. This is caterpillar to butterfly stuff, and there are growing pains, just like there are in puberty. If we can walk into this experience supported and with an understanding of what's happening, we can be gentle with ourself and recognize that we're upgrading. I mean, how much nicer to have wings and drink nectar than to slowly amble around eating leaves? But, the transition is still very real. When we can acknowledge this and be supported by our spouse, family and friends, we end up with a strong, confident mother, even if the transition is still hard.
Monday Mar 13, 2023
Monday Mar 13, 2023
What is matrescence and how do we prepare for it?
This week, we're speaking with Anisha Patel, published author, speaker, postpartum coach and founder of MasalaMommy.com. Anisha has a heart for supporting women in their transition into motherhood, and she's going to be sharing her understanding of Matrescence and Ayurveda with us today.
I've got a free gift for you-- The Achieve Your Empowered Homebirth Mini Course. This course helps break down where we're having breakdowns in terms of preparation for homebirth and motherhood, and what we can do to prepare instead. If you're interested in joining me inside of The Homebirth Collective, my group mentorship program for mothers who want to truly prepare for birth and motherhood on a foundational level, this is the best way to learn about my approach. To grab the mini course, send me a DM on instagram with just the word homebirth-- all one word, no excalamation, no emojis...seriously the chat is so sensitive... and that will send the course right to you! Or click the link in the show notes to have it sent to your email.
Episode Roundup:
Yes, preparation for birth is so important. This is an experience that will live with us forever, and the way that we prepare for it, no matter how it actually unfolds, can highly influence our transition into motherhood-- AND ALSO... postpartum. This huge life shift into matrescence-- this is so critical to understand, appreciate, and to prepare for. The birthing process lasts for a few hours or a few days... and motherhood lasts forever. Let's take both aspects seriously.
Find Anisha Here:
www.masalamommy.com
Instagram: @masala.mommy
Facebook: facebook.com/masalamommy
Monday Mar 06, 2023
Monday Mar 06, 2023
When your first birth leaves you feeling the victim, and when that feeling pervades into your experience of motherhood-- is that it for you? How do you recover?
This week, we're speaking with my incredible friend Aimee Rowden. Aimee is the wife of Ben and mother of Benjamin & Ivy. She and Ben are working towards a more sustainable future for their family. Aimee enjoys time with her family, a strong cup of coffee, and living life unconventionally.
Aimee took part in The Homebirth Collective, and I am so thrilled for you all to be able to hear the incredible transformation of this amazing woman. Her story inspires me to my core and brings about so much hope for the weary mama- I know you're going to love this.
Speaking of The Homebirth Collective, I want to ask you- what does it mean for you to achieve your empowered homebirth? What does it mean to be prepared for birth and motherhood? I'd love to give you a free gift: a mini course that discusses and teaches on that very concept. This is also the very best way to learn more about my techniques and perspective and more about The Homebirth Collective. Easiest way to get the course sent straight to you? send me a dm at happyhomebirthpodcast on Instagram with the word homebirth-- JUST THE WORD homebirth, the chat is very sensitive about that... no emojis! Homebirth is all one word-- and I'll send you my course right over. OR click the link in the show notes!
Episode Roundup:
- Aimee's first birth was felt as a traumatic experience, while her second was not-- despite the fact that both included extended time in the NICU. What does this tell us about trauma? SO. Much of trauma is based on how we're treated, and how much control we feel we have over a situation. Aimee was a new woman when Ivy was born, and she felt confident in her ability to stand up for her child, to know what to do, and to make the best decisions for her. Despite the fact that the situation was difficult, it was not something that her body or heart perceived as traumatic. This is so critical to understand.
- Next, I want to talk about preparation. Aimee had already given birth before, so in her mind, why on earth would she need another program to prepare? And honestly, I quite agree with her... when most childbirth education is merely slapping a band- aid on birth and teaching how to "deal" with labor.... it truly can be more harmful than helpful. But Aimee realized that despite the fact that she'd given birth before, she needed a deeper type of preparation. She needed to dig down to the depths of her being and find the primal mother that she was designed to be. Inside of the homebirth collective, THIS is our focus. My desire isn't just to help you have a painless labor-- no-- I want you to transform into motherhood in a way that's so powerful that others around you can't help but take notice. I want you to feel so confident and courageous in your own skin-- in who you are as your baby's mother. Isn't that so much more of what we need for both birth and... life? If you want to learn more about this philosophy, be sure to dm me the word homebirth on Instagram at happyhomebirthpodcast so that I can send you my thoughts.
- And finally... it's not too late. Did you have a less-than-ideal previous birth? Have you- up unitl now- felt anxious and overwhelmed in your motherhood? It doesn't have to be this way. We can choose a new path forward. We can step into the role that we were designed to fill, just like Aimee did. What an incredible, uplifting message. And what a change our generation of mothers can make for the future of humanity- if we all step into our confident, God-given role.
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Monday Feb 27, 2023
This week I'm sharing all of the updates! From pregnancy to family to business... I want to give you a peek of what's going on in my world.
⚡FLASH SALE⚡
This week only- 40% Savings on The Homebirth Collective & Happy Homebirth Academy:
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Monday Feb 20, 2023
When you found out you were pregnant, what emotions ran through your brain? Excitement? Thrill? Joy? Or did you experience fear, shame, or a resurgence of old traumas?
This week, we're speaking to Amanda Lopez. A mama to 3 children, two of whom were born to her while Amanda was still a teenager. We'll be discussing Amanda's experiences as a teen mother, and how her most recent homebirth brought incredible healing to her previous perceptions of pregnancy and birth.
I have a free gift for you! The Achieve Your Empowered Homebirth Mini Course. If you're looking pull back the curtain and see what it means to truly prepare for your homebirth experience and motherhood as a whole, THIS is the resource for you. Get your hands on it, and learn more about my approach inside of The Homebirth Collective, by sending me a DM in Instagram @happyhomebirthpodcast with the word homebirth. JUST the word homebirth. All one word. No emojis. No exclamations. It's very sensitive, seriously. But that'll send the course right to you.
OR, click the link in the show notes to have it sent to your email!
Episode Roundup:
What an emotional, incredible episode. I cannot get over Amanda's strength, and I know that will certainly pour into this episode round up.
- I am so blown away by how Amanda used her experience of becoming pregnant at 14, having a baby at 15 to propel her forward in her aspirations. At a time when she felt so alone and was struggling so deeply, she still saw the worth of her child and knew that she was worth the struggle and toil. She turned something so difficult into something so triumphant, even graduating from high school with a 4.0 GPA.
- When Amanda became pregnant for the second time as a teen, she felt so much pain and confusion, and yet... she looked at her other daughter and knew that this baby was going to be a blessing. I am so overwhelmed at the beauty of Amanda's choices to celebrate life. And what seemed so tragic at the time, having two daughters as a teen herself, turned into the beautiful blessings of her daughters. As Amanda and her mother discussed, sometimes the things that seem so difficult at the time are, in retrospect, the things that save us. Praise God for his provision for Amanda in terms of her ability to raise her babies, and in the loving support, yet firm boundaries that her parents set out for her in the process.
- And finally, when Amanda became pregnant with her third child... DESPITE the fact that she is a fully grown adult woman and certainly capable of taking care of another baby, one of the first things that happened when she sat looking at the pregnancy test was a rush of old traumas... of feeling down on herself because this pregnancy was "unexpected". But what I loved about this story was the fact that Amanda now so clearly sees... this pregnancy, along with her two other pregnancies... they weren't unexpected. They were known, they were seen, and they were expected by the Creator. Amanda was able to triumphantly and confidently give birth to her third baby, safely in her own home. She was able to reclaim motherhood with a new sense of power and confidence, and I am so thrilled that Amanda's children are able to see what a strong, loving, beautiful mother they have-- one who will lay it all down for them.
Related Links:
Gain Instant Access to the Mini Course:
DM @happyhomebirthpodcast with the word HOMEBIRTH