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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 Apr 01, 2019
Monday Apr 01, 2019
Thank You, Sponsors!
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Stephanie Sibbio’s Glowing Mama To Be Course: www.myhappyhomebirth.com/glowingmamacourse (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
Instagram: stephsibbiofitness
Body Works Physical Therapy
http://bodyworks-physicaltherapy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MamaBodyWorks
Email: bodyworkspt.llc@gmail.comPhone: (864) 757-2440
Dreckman Family Chiropractic
http://www.familychiropracticinsimpsonvillesc.com/
864-757-9901
Show Notes:
- Carrie is a Licensed CPM working in the upstate of South Carolina
- Her first two children were born traditionally in the hospital. After the birth of her first child, she realized she loved all things related to birth. This was in 1997, so before the ease of internet access.
- She learned about becoming a doula, and decided to take a DONA Certified doula training course.
- Soon after the birth of her second child, she found an ad in a local parenting magazine for a midwife who was looking for midwifery students.
- She contacted the midwife, who invited her to dinner. This midwife explained to Carrie exactly what her job entailed, and Carrie was shocked. “People actually do that? They give birth at home? And pay you? That seems so strange to me!”
- This midwife invited Carrie to a birth, where a precious mother allowed Carrie into her birthing space. Carrie remembers vividly how amazing the experience was. “It almost like time stood still when that baby was born.” She mentions how the mother’s thoughts and feelings were taken into consideration, as was the father’s… how this was their experience and it mattered to the midwife that they were respected.
- Having only worked in the hospital previously, Carrie was overwhelmed with the beauty of this way of giving birth. At that time, in the hospital, there was no such thing as “the golden hour” or “the magic hour,” and babies were typically very quickly and unceremoniously removed from their mothers.
- Carrie explains her route to midwifery, though schooling has changed since she studied. At that time, she had do a self-study course led by a licensed midwife, complete a certain number of prenatal exams, births, and newborn exams, and once everything was satisfied, she was approved to sit for the NARM exam, which is similar to a nursing exam.
- Now, Carrie is on the other end. Not only is she a midwife, but she is a preceptor. Carrie takes on apprentices and teaches them about midwifery from top to bottom.
- “Sometimes it’s still amazing to me that I am a midwife.”
- Carrie discusses how amazing it is to be able to teach others- to watch them replay and sort out births and process how it all works is very worth it for her.
- We now compare the similarities and differences of midwifery vs. a typical ob/gyn
- Carrie shares how all of the same testing is offered: ultrasounds (whether early ultrasound, 20-week anatomy scan, 35 week weight and position scan), gestational diabetes screening, and group b strep. All of these are offered, but more options exist. Carrie also believes strongly in informed consent. A mother is given all of the information and asked to consider it and do research on her own if she feels uncertain. Should she decide to forgo certain tests, Carrie supports her clients in it, knowing that they are owning their own decisions.
- When it comes to the differences between midwifery and OB/GYN care, Carrie mentions how with midwifery, the experience tends to be much more one-on-one, without any middlemen. For example, when she experienced OB care, typically the nurse did the bulk of the work, with the doctor coming in to speak for a few minutes. With a midwife, the prenatals are 45 minutes to an hour, and flexible at that. The midwife is the one checking vitals, listening to baby, palpating the belly (feeling where baby is in the belly—moms love getting to know their baby this one and what kind of position he/she is in), and taking a urine sample.
- Carrie discusses how a large part of the prenatal is made of “teachable moments,” where nutrition is discussed, growth spurts, and information pertinent to that mom’s particular place in the pregnancy journey. She talks about how it’s somewhat astounding to her how many of her second and third time mothers who are having their first homebirth will often say, “wow, nobody ever told me that…”, which Carrie finds rather disappointing, as she feels the information she gives is all very relevant—information mothers should be given.
- “If you give them the tools they need to have a better feeling pregnancy, they’ll use them!”
- Beyond having longer prenatals, Carrie’s clients have access to her 24/7. Of course she asks that they not call her at 11pm to ask what comes in her birth kit, but she does say, “if you’re worried about something- if something is keeping you awake at night- just call me.”
- We next jump into the common misconceptions of homebirth.
- Carrie mentions how the training for midwifery is similar to being trained to work on an ambulance: midwives are trained to deal with whatever comes up in the moment.
- Medications are carried in case a mother were to have too much bleeding postpartum, midwives are required to maintain certification in neonatal resuscitation, and they carry oxygen and resuscitation equipment in the small case that they need to use it.
- Carrie mentions how with homebirth, it’s the mother’s body doing what it’s designed to do- the midwife isn’t adding anything or taking anything away by using interventions. Because of that, the chances of running into true emergencies are so much less.
- “What about the mess?!”
- “That’s what I feel like makes us birth ninjas—we have all of these little tricks”
- Carrie discusses how being a midwife does not mean that she is in any way anti-hospital. In fact, having strong relationships with local doctors, nurse midwives and OB/GYN’s is hugely important to her. Being able to groom these relationships and work with other providers to make sure that her clients are receiving exactly what they need when they need it is what her practice is all about.
- Carrie says her clients range from moms who say, “What is the greatest amount of things you can do for me” all the way to “What is the least amount I can do and get away with it”
- She mentions that each of her clients is seen by a doctor, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife at least twice during her pregnancy. This is to confirm that the client is healthy and a good fit for out-of-hospital birth at the time the care practitioner sees them.
- Carrie’s recommendation for a mother who is considering homebirth: Gather a list of questions together, meet with multiple midwives, and certainly bring your spouse along—especially if he is uncertain or uncomfortable with the idea of homebirth. Often times once he meets the midwife and sees that she is a genuine medical care provider, the fears drop away.
Episode 17 Roundup:
- Midwives (CPM’s) are trained professionals who have to go through rigorous schooling and testing (and it’s getting more rigorous all the time), as well as an intense apprenticeship program. They have to maintain certification in life-saving practices such as neonatal resuscitation and CPR. They carry equipment and medications, should an emergency arise.
- A competent midwife has working relationships with local doctors, hospitals and the like. Of course, some hospitals and doctors are more friendly to homebirth families than others, but midwives do their best to maintain solid relationships and have people to call on when needed.
- Homebirth mothers are well cared for through long prenatals where not only are all of the routine tests and practices offered, but midwives take the time to discuss other pertinent parts of pregnancy, such as nutrition, that often times OB’s just don’t have the time to cover. They are also often overseen by another care provider several times throughout the pregnancy to assure that they are a good candidate for homebirth.
- If you are a mother considering homebirth, go interview midwives. Bring your questions, bring your spouse, heck bring your whole family. Find a midwife that resonates with you and who makes you feel comfortable and supported.
Monday Mar 25, 2019
Monday Mar 25, 2019
Episode 16's Amazing Sponsors:
Mom After God's Own Heart
https://momaftergodsownheart.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomAfterGodsOwnHeart
https://www.facebook.com/MomAfterGodsOwnHeart/
https://www.instagram.com/momaftergodsownheartshop/
Be sure to check out the Giveaway going on this week!
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Body Works Physical Therapy
http://bodyworks-physicaltherapy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MamaBodyWorks
Email: bodyworkspt.llc@gmail.comPhone: (864) 757-2440
Show Notes:
- Megan lives in Texas with her husband and 5 children. She homeschools, and is so grateful to have her in-laws in the same neighborhood, and her parents just 30 minutes away.
- For her first birth, Megan decided to have a birth center birth. This came about in quite an interesting way: during college, she was required to volunteer a certain amount of time. She decided to work at a crisis pregnancy center. The volunteer coordinator there happened to be a midwife.
- She had a good friend at the time who was having children with that midwife, and she saw how amazing her friend’s experiences were.
- Several years later, Megan was married, and she and her husband became pregnant on their honeymoon (isn’t that the cutest?!). Megan and her husband decided they should consider all of their options. They first toured a local hospital. Later, they went to the birth center of the midwife Megan knew at Family Birth Services. The birth center is a renovated historic home.
- “I just felt heard. I felt encouraged. I felt supported.” This is how Megan felt immediately at the birth center. She and her husband came prepared with lots of questions, all of which were comfortably answered by her midwife and the staff.
- “I did not feel like a number. I felt like a person with valid questions, and they did not rush me.”
- Megan read several books to prepare for birth: Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, and Supernatural Birth
- With her first child, she had been praying throughout the pregnancy for a short delivery. At 38 weeks, she called her midwife and told her she was experiencing contractions. Her midwife talked her through everything, and the contractions dissipated.
- At 39 weeks, Megan began feeling contractions again. She laid on the couch, and they still would not subside. Her husband began saying, “Hm, I think we should get in the car and head to the birth center,” knowing that the center was a 45-minute drive away.
- On the drive to the birth center, Megan’s husband had his mother pull the car over so that he could drive and get them there faster (don’t worry, he’s a police officer!). The 45-minute drive turned into closer to a 30-minute drive. By the time they arrived, Megan was quite uncomfortable.
- Once she got into the center, she had her midwives check her. At this point, she was dilated 3cm. This was at 7pm.
- At 9pm, her midwife, who was in the area, stopped by the birth center to check on her. Knowing that Megan is a first time mom, the midwife said, “Oh, I’ll probably have time to go home and take a shower and gather my things, but let me just check you.” At 9pm, Megan was already dilated to 9cm!
- “I just followed my body. I felt like I was being pulled through birth.” Megan mentions that when she wasn’t fighting the contractions, all went well. She did experience moments of pain, however, and she later realized they were the times that she began fighting the feelings and tensing up. She recalls how it was very related to the pitch of her voice getting higher and higher.
- After her first birth, Megan stated that she never wanted to have to go through laboring in a car again. That was the major reason that she switched to giving birth at home.
- “I just thought, ‘if I don’t have to go anywhere, why go anywhere? Why not just be in my own place?’”
- With Megan’s second child, beyond the fact that she really didn’t want to labor in the car, she loved the idea of the coziness of giving birth in her own home. Another deciding factor for having a homebirth instead was that she now had a toddler to contend with. Her in-laws were planning to take the toddler down the road to their house as she gave birth to her son.
- Unlike her siblings, Daniella took her sweet time coming out. At 40 weeks and 6 days, Megan finally felt what she thought were true contractions. She downloaded an MP3 called Childbirth In the Glory and listened to it as her husband and family members still slept.
- Her plan was that once labor truly began, she would have her in-laws come pick up her 3 boys. Her daughter, who is 10, wanted to stay home and witness the birth.
- Unlike all of her other births, which took 4-6 hours, Daniella’s birth was 12-14 hours long.
- Megan’s midwife Bethany texted her and told her to try the Spinning Babies’ Abdominal Lift and Tuck. She decided to walk outside with her 3-year-old and get some fresh air. Megan remembers leaning against her chicken coop performing abdominal lifts and tucks during contractions…. As her son chased chickens with a stick!
- Megan went inside and ate a light lunch, then laid down for a nap. Around 2:00, her contractions began coming stronger, lower and longer. At this time, she still was concerned that maybe she was contacting her midwife too early. Because her labor was so different this time from previous labors, Megan was feeling confused, and even struggling with fear.
- “I think that every woman faces that… fear vs. faith.”
- Around 4pm, Megan finally texted her midwife and said something to the effect of, “My husband would feel more comfortable if you’d come this way.” …Still not wanting to be the reason that her midwife came out all that way if it wasn’t actually time!
- In relation to that feeling, Megan mentions, “And midwives.. that’s their desire. To be there for you in your time of need, whether it’s the ‘real deal’ or not.”
- By the time the midwife arrived an hour later, Megan was in the labor zone. “I think the thing I love most about midwives and labor, is that they are in the background and I get to follow my body’s lead, and I am the star of the show. I’m the queen for the day, at least for a few hours!”
- Megan mentions how wonderful it is that her midwife is so good at waiting in the background, yet anticipating her needs at the same time.
- Her husband was wonderful support- staying next to her and holding her hand when needed, letting go when needed, and praying over her.
- Megan got to the point where she felt the familiar wave of transition nausea run through her. However, this time was a bit different. She got on hands and knees to throw up, and as she did, the baby began crowning! “So here I am… throwing up in the bowl, and the baby’s crowning, and it all happened all at once!”
- Megan’s midwife helped her switch positions to lie on her side so that baby could make a slower entrance and prevent tearing.
- She discusses how her postpartum has been amazing, even now at 4 months out. But the few weeks leading up to Daniella’s birth, Megan felt like she was an emotional wreck. Much of this she feels is because she had certain expectations for when and how she would give birth, and when they did not come to pass, she was frustrated and confused.
- Megan tells us how this postpartum has been very laid back. Daniella sleeps better than her previous babies, and she’s taking supplements to keep her energy and mood stabilized. She says that experience also helps—She knows what kind of mother she is and how she parents. “It’s not about what other people think. It’s about what works for me and my family, and with that comes peace.”
Monday Mar 18, 2019
Monday Mar 18, 2019
We are so grateful for this week's sponsors:
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Body Works Physical Therapy
http://bodyworks-physicaltherapy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MamaBodyWorks
Email: bodyworkspt.llc@gmail.comPhone: (864) 757-2440
Show Notes
- Jenny has been running Nourished Kitchen for over 11 years now- what started as a small hobby has blossomed into a vibrant community of people committed to traditional ways of preparing food.
- She is the mother of two children, ages 13 and 2. She and her husband have been together for almost 20 years now.
- Jenny had been struggling with poor health in a number of ways, which is how she stumbled upon her traditionally-rooted diet. She was suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Thyroid Disease, hormonal imbalances and infertility.
- She was told in her early 20’s that she’d likely be unable to become pregnant on her own. Jenny began working with an endocrinologist, who recommended that she shift her diet. Jenny thought she’d been eating well: low fat vegetarian foods, lots of soy-based products, etc. She decided, however, to take the endocrinologist’s advice and shifted her diet. Within 3 months, she became pregnant with her first child.
- When her son was about 9-10 months old, Jenny came across the work of the Weston A. Price Foundation. This was in 2007, when butter was still considered an unhealthy food by many, nobody was talking about bone broth or kombucha, etc.
- “I’m so pleased to see how these traditional foods have become mainstream.”
- What are traditional foods? The foods that your great-great-great grandparents were eating. The foods that came before the industrial revolution. Before the processes of mono-cropping and the introduction of heavy agricultural chemical use.
- Examples of traditional foods include: sauerkraut, long-simmered broths, sourdough bread
- During Jenny’s first pregnancy, she was so concerned with her health issues that she decided to use an OBGYN. She remembers feeling that her voice was lost in the dynamic of Doctor/Patient instead of Doctor/”Client”.
- By her second pregnancy, she had been adhering to a traditional diet for a decade. She consumed plenty of fresh and fermented vegetables, stews made with grass-fed bison, pastured eggs, fresh oysters (rich in zinc)
- “I wanted the safety to be able to give birth at home. I wanted the autonomy to make decisions, and I wanted to be able to work with a practitioner who truly listened to me.”
- Jenny mentions how when she worked with a homebirth midwife, she felt it was a more collaborative approach. The midwife listened to her, and when it came to health, she took a more proactive approach. During their long prenatal sessions, nutrition and movement were at the forefront of discussion.
- “Instead of waiting for problems related to pregnancy to arise, we made sure I was in optimal health throughout the pregnancy.”
- As a survivor of sexual assault, Jenny discusses how negatively the hospital experience was for her: Her birth plan was thrown out the moment she walked into the hospital. She was checked and prodded without consent, people were in and out of the room… all very strong issues for someone with previous traumas.
- “The homebirth experience that I did have was an incredibly healing experience.” Luckily, her midwife’s proactive approach allowed Jenny to work through much of the trauma.
- “It wasn’t just about giving birth to a healthy baby, it was about becoming a mother again.”
- “With homebirth, it’s a much more organic, holistic, respectful experience.”
- “We talk about these due dates like they’re set in stone… when the reality is you kind of have a ‘due season’.”
- With Jenny’s first birth, she was pressured into having an induction. With her second, her midwife reassured her that as long as everything looked healthy, she would be willing to wait for Jenny’s body to go into labor naturally.
- After a week, Jenny went in for a biophysical profile, which came back saying all was healthy and well. She continued these every few days until finally around 42 weeks, her body was ready to have her baby.
- At 42 weeks, Jenny remembers having contractions that at the time, she thought nothing of… she’d been having them for weeks. She mentioned to her son that her back was feeling very uncomfortable, and he told her she should call the midwife. Jenny laughed it off.
- Later she went upstairs and realized that these contractions were getting more powerful. She called her midwife, who said to give her a call in an hour after she timed some. By the end of the hour, Jenny found herself in full blown transition. In fact, her son was born with in 45 minutes of her arrival.
- She remembers reading about the Fetal Ejection Reflex and thinking how odd it would be not to “have to push,” but rather that her body would actually do it. But there she found herself, in the tub, 3 contractions of her body doing the pushing, and baby was born.
- At one point, not realizing her birth was only going to be 4 hours, Jenny asked her husband to turn on the tv show “Curb Your Enthusiasm”.
- She was not even cognizant that she was pushing, once the time came. She had a contraction, and baby’s head was born. Another, and out came his shoulders and body.
- Katelyn says she feels this MUST be because of Jenny’s pregnancy tea recipe, which she drinks every day beginning in the second trimester.
- Jenny’s tea is a variation of “NORA” tea: Nettle, Oatstraw, Red Raspberry, and Alfalfa. She adds lemon balm, rose hips and rose buds.
- Jenny brings up a book that we’ve had several moms mention in relation to postpartum recovery: The First 40 Days
- Her midwives both told her that in the long run, it would be easier for Jenny to recover if she took the first few weeks especially slow.
- When it came to her diet, Jenny avoided drinking too much dairy, as she knows it can cause fussiness in newborns. She found herself eating lots of iron-rich foods, and she had her placenta encapsulated to help restore the iron she lost during childbirth (a natural part of childbirth).
- Jenny’s magnificent postpartum with her second child is contrasted with her first postpartum experience, where she was called back to work only 2 weeks after giving birth.
- Jenny recommends mothers check out the book “Real Food for Pregnancy” as a good start for learning how to eat during pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Find Jenny’s book The Nourished Kitchen at your local library, on barnesandnoble.com or on Amazon.
- Follow Jenny: instagram.com/nourishedkitchen
- nourishedkitchen.com
Monday Mar 11, 2019
Monday Mar 11, 2019
Please check out our sponsors!
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Body Works Physical Therapy
http://bodyworks-physicaltherapy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MamaBodyWorks
Email: bodyworkspt.llc@gmail.com
Phone: (864) 757-2440
Monday Mar 04, 2019
Monday Mar 04, 2019
Thank you, wonderful sponsors!
Stephanie Sibbio’s Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://glowing-mama-courses.thinkific.com/ (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
Instagram: stephsibbiofitness
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Body Works Physical Therapy
http://bodyworks-physicaltherapy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MamaBodyWorks
Email: bodyworkspt.llc@gmail.com
Phone: (864) 757-2440
Show Notes:
-Stephanie is a fitness and nutrition coach for new and expecting moms.
-She’s been working in the industry for almost a decade now.
- Stephanie began doing this work almost by “accident”… one of her clients became pregnant, so she realized she needed to learn more about pregnancy in relation to fitness. She was a natural at it, and the mother, who had several pregnant friends, asked if she would do a group class.
-Through this experience, her career was born.
-When it came to preparing her own body for a successful labor and delivery, Stephanie said the things she considered were:
-Nurturing her body with proper fluids, eating an anti-inflammatory diet, and making sure she was getting all of the nutrients she needed
-She said it was important to make sure that she was not in any pain, because when you’re in pain, the last thing you want to do is get up and do a workout.
-“It’s important to work specifically for what you want to accomplish”
-She mentions that for labor, our legs need lots of stamina, we need mobility in our hips, and we need overall strength and endurance.
-“Labor is a big interval session, right? You get a contraction, you get some time off. And then repeat!”
-“If you can work out in a way that almost simulates labor, then you’re in a good place when it’s actually time.”
-Stephanie saw a pelvic floor physiologist, a chiropractor and an osteopath during her pregnancy.
“I kept repeating through labor… I can’t believe THIS is how we get people into the world… I can’t believe this is how we populate the planet!”
-Stephanie mentions again how important whole, natural foods were in her prenatal preparation. She made sure to eat all of the colors of the rainbow, and if she had a craving for something unhealthy, she would try to recreate it in a healthy way.
-She also mentions how important supplementation was during pregnancy: A link to her guide for prenatal supplements is mentioned below.
Stephanie’s Birth Story:
-She feels it went pretty much as smoothly as it could be. She wants to note that there was no ego about this- she did not want a homebirth at the risk of her health or her baby’s healthy.
-She was only 38 weeks and 3 days… “My husband said he knew I was in labor because the bathroom was cleaned!”
-The next morning, around 6 am, she felt some contractions and intuitively knew she was in labor. Stephanie had not had any Braxton Hicks, but she felt confident that these were early labor contractions.
-She remembered her midwife saying try to get some sleep during labor, so she tried. By about 7:30, she was ready to get out of bed. She headed for the bath, but became overheated and got out.
-At this point her step sons were awake, so she let them know that she was pretty sure she was in labor, so not to worry if she bent over and moaned or had to work through contractions a bit.
-A while later, Stephanie called her doula to tell her that although the timing of the contractions was still all over the place, she was experiencing more and more pain. Her doula suggested that she come over to work on some acupressure points to potentially get contractions more consistent.
-Stephanie’s mother was also on the way over- Stephanie made a “game time decision” to let her mom come to the birth.
-She discusses how beneficial her decision to hire a doula was for her birth experience. Having someone there to help her determine what needed to be done at what time was invaluable.
-Stephanie mentions how vague the timeline is when in labor. She doesn’t know exactly when her doula came, when she got in the tub, etc. She does know, however, that her entire labor was 16 hours, 6 of those being classified as “active labor”.
- “By the time I was at the pushing phase, my legs felt like Bambi legs.” Stephanie says she was unable to sit down or lie down throughout her labor, so her legs felt incredibly weak towards the end. She mentions how grateful she was that she had trained for this exactly, because she can’t imagine how anyone could do this without muscular endurance in their legs!
-Stephanie says that the great thing about deciding to have an unmedicated birth was that she could feel everything. When her midwife told her to keep pushing, Stephanie responded “I’m done pushing for the moment” because she knew what her body was telling her to do.
-She mentions how there were those moments of defeat-like feelings when she would push and feel baby’s head come closer, and then retreat. But in retrospect, she thinks of how useful that system is- stretching mom and preparing her body for crowning.
-Stephanie’s baby’s head finally emerged. Baby’s body, however, did not immediately glide right out. Her hands were up at her chin, and her arms stuck to the side of baby’s torso…. Making for a much wider circumference, more similar to pushing out the head still.
-“At that point, I knew I had to push beyond where I could,” Stephanie remembers.
-“If I don’t give an extra 10% now, it’s going to mean I have to do so much more work for -another push.”
-Finally, Stephanie’s midwife said, “On this next push, I’m going to hand you your baby from between your legs.” The next push came, and sure enough, Stephanie’s daughter was in her arms.
-She remembers her first words to her little one, “You did a good job, my baby! You did a good job!”
-Moments after, she began shaking and her teeth began to chatter because of all of the adrenaline.
-The midwife got an oxytocin (Pitocin) shot ready for Stephanie to deliver the placenta. Stephanie said, “Hang on a second, what’s that for?” The midwife responded that it was to get the placenta out. Stephanie used the BRAIN acronym and asked about the benefits and risks… she then asked if they could wait for the placenta to be birthed on its own. The midwives said waiting an hour would be fine.
-Within 20 minutes, the placenta was born on its own without the use of Pitocin.
-Stephanie’s mom cut the cord, which was very special.
-“And now we can snuggle and go to bed. And the same place she was born was the same place we stayed for days.”
-To Stephanie, having a homebirth didn’t feel like an act of bravery. In her own head, she was avoiding the things she was scared of: the hospital, the cascade of interventions, etc.
-“During the whole labor, I remember I kept saying, ‘I’m going to die.’ But I knew I wasn’t actually going to die, I just needed everyone around me to know how bad it hurt!”
-Stephanie said she read the book The First 40 Days, which very much inspired her take on postpartum. Personally, she didn’t want to stay in bed for 40 days, but 9 days in bed was perfect for her. After that, she said she was beginning to feel sore from the inactivity, so she knew it was time to begin moving!
-She took the first 6 weeks as a time to absolutely not work out. Stephanie says that in the whole scheme of things, really, what’s 6 weeks?
-Stephanie mentions how if you push yourself too hard at the beginning of postpartum, then you might not be able to do the things you typically do later.
-She says it’s important to remember that you aren’t truly starting over, your going back to the foundation and rebuilding up and out, starting with with the pelvic floor and core breathing.
-Stephanie says, “And I’m six months postpartum and I’m still working up. I’m not back exactly to where I was before, but why should that be the goal?”
-She mentions that just as you have to prepare for birth in a certain way, you also have to prepare for postpartum in a certain way.
-Stephanie discusses the fact that if she were to tear her ACL, at her 6-week appointment, her doctor would clear her for physical therapy… NOT EXERCISE! Why then, after birth (a physical trauma), are doctors immediately clearing moms for exercise at 6 weeks? We need to shift our perspective when it comes to postpartum recovery. “We need to shift the way we look at postpartum recovery.”
-“It took almost a year to build that baby… give your body that amount of time to recover from it.”
-We have to be realistic with ourselves and our expectations of our bodies postpartum.
Connect with Stephanie!
Complete Guide to Prenatal Supplements: https://stephaniesibbio.com/resources/guide-to-prenatal-supplements/
Chocolate Chip Oat Muffins (great to prep and freeze for postpartum recovery): https://stephaniesibbio.com/chocolate-chip-banana-oat-muffins/
Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://stephaniesibbio.clickfunnels.com/glowing-mama-to-be
Glowing Mama Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/glowingmamas/
Monday Feb 25, 2019
Monday Feb 25, 2019
As always, thank you SO MUCH to our sponsors!
Stephanie Sibbio’s Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://glowing-mama-courses.thinkific.com/ (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
Instagram: stephsibbiofitness
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Show Notes:
-Kerry is the founder and creator of Hypnobabies, which was created in 2001.
-She created the program after having her own two births. At that time, she was a Bradley Instructor.
-Both of her babies were posterior (“sunny side up”) which caused for labors that she describes as extremely painful. She felt that the Bradley Method was wonderful for teaching about labor, but did not help her cope well enough with the pain.
-After 26 hours of pain, she had an epidural, which she says helped her become a more understanding childbirth educator- she could certainly understand the need/desire for a mother to have an epidural.
- During her second birth, her sister saw her in agony and said, “It should never have to be this hard.”
-Kerry set forth to find a way to make childbirth easier for women.
-She soon saw a tv program about a doctor who was using hypnosis for his patients, and how their birthings were going much better.
-Kerry went to a training for this. She then attended births using this method, and the women were all still clearly in pain.
-She decided there was something else that she needed to find. She became a Certified Hypnotherapist, and took several specialty courses. One of which was Gerald Kein’s “Painless Childbirth” program.
-She transformed Kein’s information with his excited permission, into a childbirth education program.
-“The goal of Hypnobabies is to have the easiest, most comfortable birthing possible” by using deep, somnambulistic hypnosis.
-Hypnobabies is considered “medical grade” hypnosis. This type of hypnosis is used for patients who are allergic to anesthesia. They use this type of hypnosis when having surgery.
What Makes Hypnobabies Different?!
- Kerry’s philosophy is that if you are learning childbirth hypnosis, you need to learn your childbirth education at the same place. This ensures that the hypnosis and education support a mother’s mindset and belief that she can in fact have an easy, joyful birth experience.
The Hypnobabies program covers all aspects of childbirth education: nutrition, how a mother can help keep herself low-risk, the stages of labor, how to use hypnosis throughout those stages, hypnosis for pregnancy, selecting a compatible care provider and birthing place, questions to ask care providers, information about doulas and midwives, natural comfort measures for pregnancy, risk/benefit analysis for interventions, creating a birth plan, informed consent, optimal fetal positioning, anatomy and physiology of late pregnancy & birthing, avoiding induction and cesarean, benefits of delayed cord clamping, birth partner preparation, and even a birthing rehearsal.
-Hypnobabies even provides information about new mothers and babies: how to take care of the new mother and baby, etc.
-Hypnobabies provides a “change of plans” script: This allows mom to stay in hypnosis, even though something might be changing from the original birth plan.
-Eyes Open Childbirth Hypnosis- this is unique to Hypnobabies. Moms learn to walk and talk an change positions all without losing focus in hypnosis.
-Hypnobabies Birth Visualization Track: Mom goes through a mental birth rehearsal (the way they want it to be) as she listens to this track. Practicing whatever they want to do or accomplish helps on the actual day of labor… the repetition programs your subconscious mind to produce the birth you want. It’s practically a blueprint for the birthing.
-Joyful Pregnancy Affirmations Track: They really do change the state of mind of the mother during her pregnancy.
-Kerry mentions that birth often times progresses more quickly than expected with the Hypnobabies mother. This is why the program comes with a Quick Reference Booklet. More than other times, a mother might seem completely calm and relaxed when she is actually very close to having her baby.
-Many women have told Kerry that they chose to have a homebirth after taking Hypnobabies because they had the confidence of knowing they could give birth peacefully without the use of medication.
-She discusses the fact that Hypnobabies acknowledges how every mother knows what she needs. The program is there to give information, and to allow the mother to feel confident in whatever choices she decides are best for her and her family.
-Kerry mentions that sometimes, for whatever reason, a mom might do all of the practicing, but then not follow through during her birth. She reminds moms that to get the full effect, it’s important to use the cues, listen to the tracks, or have their birth partner read the scripts during the actual birthing time.
-“Peace” is the most powerful hypnoanesthesia cue.
Moms Wanting to Learn More About Hypnobabies/Find Local Instructors:
- hypnobabies.com
- You can select from an online homestudy course, the “classic homestudy”, or find a local instructor
Make sure you also check out:
-Becoming a Hypnobabies Childbirth Instructor: the training is coming up in late April of 2019
-Becoming a Hypnodoula
You can also find more on facebook, twitter, Instagram and Hypnobabies even has a youtube channel!
https://www.instagram.com/hypnobabiesofficial_/
Episode Roundup:
- Labor does NOT have to be scary and painful- prepare yourself for this life-altering event by taking the time to educate yourself about childbirth. I 100% recommend finding a private course, not just the one your hospital dishes out at their tour.
- If you decide to use Hypnobabies, commit! Use the advice and resources given here by the actual creator of the course to give yourself the most joyful, peaceful labor you can have.
- Be sure to involve your birthing team in your childbirth preferences. If you choose to use Hypnobabies, make sure your midwife/doula/OB and birth partner are on board and know what that means for their role.
Monday Feb 18, 2019
Monday Feb 18, 2019
Special Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Stephanie Sibbio’s Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://glowing-mama-courses.thinkific.com/ (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
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Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
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About Our Guest:
Suzzie Vehrs is a birth advocate and lover. After her first birth left her broken and in need of deep healing, she knew she had to do things differently the next time around. Her HBAC birth was the BEST experience of her life. Suzzie is determined to inspire mothers to use pregnancy and birth as a time to explore their creative powers, sink deep into feeling wonderful and creating an experience that truly serves both mother and baby. If you want to find your birthing and mama power you must read her book Divine Birth and check out her article on the surprising ways prenatal yoga helps you birth like a goddess, even if you're terrified of labor.
Show Notes
-Suzzie’s first birth was an emergency c section, where she felt she had no control
-She spent the next few years in therapy, doing her best to process what had happened to her and overcome her birth trauma.
-For her second birth, which was several years later, she decided to research local midwives
-After finding a midwife that she considered a perfect fit, she was finally able to feel excited about the prospect of her second birth.
-Suzzie feels that her second birth was incredibly healing and was able to deeply curb the pain and sense of loss she felt in relation to her first birth.
-She gave birth in the water, and her midwife directed her baby’s body towards her. Suzzie picked up her baby and patted her back. Hazel cried for a few moments, the nestled comfortably into Suzzie’s arms, safe and sound.
-“We just had this moment of total peace, serenity, calmness and happiness… and she was here. In my arms.”
-As mentioned previously, Suzzie’s first birth was not quite as peaceful. She mentions that when she told them her plan to give birth naturally, they were not very supportive of the idea. Looking back, she realizes this was a sign of the care to come.
- Her water broke before contractions began, and she was essentially put on a “clock” by her doctor.
-She labored through the night, and then in the morning when she was beginning to feel rather uncomfortable, she went to the hospital.
-The admitting nurse asked the typical intake questions, and when she found out that Suzzie’s water had broken the night before, she responded by saying, “Your water broke 12 hours ago? You could have killed your baby.”
-These harsh words, unsurprisingly, put Suzzie into a place of shock and fear, and her labor stalled. “My labor just stopped.”
-They put Suzzie on Pitocin, and she did not feel that she was able to cope with the pain of the contractions. Looking back, she says that she did was not as aware of as many coping mechanisms as she was with her second birth.
-“They whisked her away, and my husband away with her. Which, I’m glad he got to go, but that left me alone.”
-Suzzie was so dehydrated that she felt she might die from it, and in the meantime, nobody in the operating room would give her a straight answer about whether or not her baby was okay.
-Once they finished surgery, Suzzie was taken to another room, where she waited for several hours alone and in the dark without knowing what had happened to her baby.
-Suzzie mentions that her decision to have a homebirth after cesarean was made once she saw that the research pointed to uterine rupture not necessarily being caused by having a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), but by the use of Pitocin.
-She knew that she would have to have a homebirth, as birth centers in her area are not regulated to perform VBACs.
-She mentions how comforting it was to be under the care of someone who cared about her in a holistic way: Not just, are you breathing? Do you have a pulse? Does the baby have a pulse?”
-Out of her trauma came healing. Suzzie has since authored the book “Divine Birth: A Collection of Wisdom + Coloring Pages to Inspire and Empower the Pregnant Mother”
-“Pregnancy and birth is really a chance for us as women to explore our creative powers and to step into our womanhood.”
-“I am worthy to have experiences that not only serve me, but are the best for me and my baby.”
-Suzzie mentions that her bravery was shown more powerfully in her traumatic hospital birth where she had to cope with all of the difficulties that followed. In comparison, the homebirth was easy.
-“At some point in your journey, someone will ask you, ‘How did you know you could do it?’ and you will answer, ‘Because I looked within.’”
-“When you make decisions that are lined up with the answers inside of you, you will have a great birth experience.”
Episode Roundup:
- Take note of your care provider’s attitude when you share your birth plans with them. If you notice that you are not being treated with respect, it’s time to search for a new provider. Remember, you are hiring these people! You can fire them, too.
- Educate yourself on what is normal during childbirth. I recommend birthing classes, as well as a number of books that you can find on the happy homebirth website under “resources”. By being informed, you’ll be able to notice anything fishy going on with your care.
- Hire a doula!!!
- If you have experienced birth trauma, seek help. Suzzie sought therapy after her traumatic experience, and if you’ve had something like this happen to you, I urge you to do the same. These experiences and emotions cannot help but to seep into every other aspect of our lives. There is no sense in struggling alone.
- “When you make decisions that are lined up with the answers inside of you, you will have a great birth experience.”
Monday Feb 11, 2019
Monday Feb 11, 2019
HUGE thank you to our sponsors!
Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com
https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/
864-907-6363
Stephanie Sibbio's Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://glowing-mama-courses.thinkific.com/ (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
Instagram: stephsibbiofitness
Mama Moon Birth Photography: www.mamamoonbirthstories.com
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What motivates you to share your story? In Rebecca's case, she knew that she couldn't be the only one who struggled to conceive. She and her husband tried to become pregnant for several years before putting away the idea and beginning to consider adoption. To say that they were surprised several months later when Rebecca became pregnant would be an understatement. In this episode, Rebecca reveals her struggle, her faith, and her eventual success. She shares her story to provide comfort to those who, like her, have experienced deep hurt over infertility.
Show Notes
-Rebecca and her husband were married in 2013
-Because they were 34 and 35, they both thought it would be possible that they could struggle with becoming pregnant, so they began trying soon after their marriage.
-Rebecca discusses the incredible discomfort after getting off her birth control- she likens it to going through withdrawals. Her body was acting as though it was pregnant when she knew she was not.
-She discusses the grief and pain she felt as all of the newlywed couples around her so easily go pregnant, while she and her husband struggled and received the news that IVF was going to be their best option.
-Rebecca says she learned that she had to trust the Lord, and he took her to a place where in December of 2015, she remembers realize her self-worth was not tied up in motherhood, her career, or even womanhood. Rather, her self-worth was completely tied up in God.
-She remembers making a facebook post on December 12, 2015 stating that she had peace and had come to terms with her journey…. And exactly one year from that date, December 12, 2016 Rebecca gave birth to her first son.
-At that point (Dec 2015), they had decided that they were going to stop trying and pursue adoption.
-In April of 2016 Rebecca returned from a conference feeling rather “crummy.” She assumed she had picked some type of bug up on the trip. Her nursing coworkers begged her to take a pregnancy test. She finally did, and it was positive!
-“I choose to speak about the infertility, because so many women feel like they’re alone, and feel like they’re the only one walking this path…. And they’re not.”
-Rebecca was seeing an OB at the time, but decided to switch to a homebirth midwife. She connected very deeply with her midwife and had an amazing prenatal experience
-Labor, however did not go according to plan: She went into labor around 10:00 on a Friday night. By 3:00 am, everything had stopped. Contractions were completely gone. This lasted all day Saturday and into Sunday afternoon. She did everything she could to get labor to progress: Walking, birthing ball, position changes… nothing would get contractions to come back consistently.
-On Sunday afternoon, Rebecca decided she needed to get out of the house and walk (in the freezing cold!!).
-By 11:30pm on Sunday night, Rebecca was at 8 cm. After hitting 8 cm, she once again would not progress.
-By 9:00 am, Rebecca’s midwife mentioned to her that it might be time to head to the hospital to receive some rest with an epidural, and Rebecca agreed.
-She went to the hospital, received the epidural, was able to sleep for several hours, and then was able to push her baby out by 6:00 that evening.
-With her second child, she found out that she was pregnant in a very interesting way! After having a fall through a step in her house, she began taking Motrin for the pain. A few days in, she had the random thought, “Maybe I shouldn’t be taking this Motrin… Maybe I should take a pregnancy test.” No other symptoms, yet the test came back positive!
- For their second birth, Rebecca’s mother came over in the morning to pick up her 2-year-old, as she keeps him while Rebecca works.
-At 7:30 am Rebecca was having small contractions that were irregular and not very timeable. This continued until about 2:00 pm.
-At 2:00 contractions quickly began to become consistent, longer, stronger and closer together.
-With things suddenly moving so quickly, Rebecca was worried her midwife might not make it! When she heard her midwife’s voice in the house, she was completely relieved and ready.
-Within 10 minutes, Rebecca had the baby!
-She had no tearing, no complications, and Donovan was wide awake and crying when he was born.
-“I was on such a high after it was all over—that I had done it—completely at home, completely unmedicated.”
-Her second birth was 11 hours, start to finish.
-When describing the emotions after she gave birth, Rebecca says, “it was both powerful and euphoric all at the same time.”
-Rebecca and her midwife laugh about the fact that they’ve had the birth pool set up twice and never used it… this time she gave birth on the couch!
-When commenting on her story, particularly with infertility, Rebecca says, “There is power in knowing that you’re not alone.”
Episode Round-up:
- Have faith in the hard times
- Sharing your story, even the struggle, removes the crippling grip of isolation and builds stronger communal bonds
- Open communication and trust in your care provider are key to a successful birth
Monday Feb 04, 2019
Monday Feb 04, 2019
HUGE thank you to our sponsors!
Stephanie Sibbio's Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://glowing-mama-courses.thinkific.com/ (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
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Mama Moon Birth Photography: www.mamamoonbirthstories.com
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Warning: This episode contains topics that may be uncomfortable or difficult to hear as a pregnant mother. Please be sure that you are emotionally prepared to discuss: maternal depletion, postpartum depression, nursing difficulties (inverted nipples) and cervical prolapse.
-Kelley has had 5 homebirths within a very short amount of time.
-Her first 3 births were in Connecticut, and she moved south weeks before her 4th child's birth.
-Her midwife left for France, and she was attended by another midwife that she did not know well, though the birth went well.
-For her 5th birth, Kelley found a midwife that felt like her best friend. She loved the experience, though she did not expect to be pregnant so soon.
-Kelley struggled with difficulty accepting her 5th pregnancy and not being able to feel bonded to her baby throughout the pregnancy. She had hoped that her final baby would be a girl, but she learned early on that she would be having her 4th boy.
-Luckily, Kelley's mother was able to be in town for her birth (she and her mom are incredibly close, and Kelley feels like her mom can read her mind during labor).
-With her 5th birth, she had a birth entourage: Lots of friends, her husband, her mom, a doula, her midwife and apprentices. She felt very loved and supported, and she was finally able to have the water birth she had always hoped for.
-Once the baby was born, she put him on her chest. When she looked him over, she realized... HE was a GIRL!
-Kelley was so thrilled and shocked that her final baby was the girl she had hoped for. She sent her mom shopping for girl clothes the next morning!
-Postpartum, Kelley struggled with inverted nipples. She encourages women not to give up if they experience similar struggles. She says that if you can make it through the first 6 weeks, you'll be able to make it through anything else!
-12 hours after giving birth, Kelley realized she had a cervical prolapse. She has been incredibly involved in pelvic floor physical therapy since that time.
-It took 12 weeks of bedrest to recover from her cervical prolapse, 6 of which she spent in Connecticut with her parents' help.
-Kelley recommends that anyone who has postpartum health issues to seek help and guidance.
-19 months later, Kelley is still nursing her little girl and continuing on her journey to recovery. She is enjoying this new stage of life... not being pregnant!
Monday Jan 28, 2019
Monday Jan 28, 2019
HUGE thank you to our sponsors!
Stephanie Sibbio's Glowing Mama To Be Course: https://glowing-mama-courses.thinkific.com/ (15% off with the code: happyhomebirth15 )
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Mama Moon Birth Photography: www.mamamoonbirthstories.com
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Molly stepped into the doula world 3 years ago, after caring for her mother at her end of life. Molly realized that caretaking was something she was drawn to, and realized becoming a doula would be a way to continue this role.
-She quit her tech job and opened up her own business, Doulamee LLC.
-Molly teaches childbirth education, both in person and virtually online.
-She has also founded a client portal, giving a safe community for those giving birth to come and bounce ideas off of each other, as well as molly
-She brings up the “Marathon analogy” (Katelyn is a huge fan of this!): Not preparing for childbirth is like not preparing for a marathon. You could do the marathon either way, but if you don’t prepare, it’s going to take longer, feel more uncomfortable, you might have to walk some or even hitch a ride, etc. If you prepare, your muscles know what they’re doing, you aren’t surprised, and you can get the job done faster and with greater ease.
-She focuses on bringing the birthing partner into the fold of birth by having their job be to stimulate birth hormones and get the birthing mother in the correct frame of mind.
-Molly discusses the difference between a doula and a midwife, and why having a doula, even when giving birth at home, is very useful for the family.
-She goes in depth about what constitutes a good birth plan, especially at home. Molly mentions how important it is to have a good, positive space prepared at home.
-She discusses preparing for any potential changes in the plan: the unpredictability of birth, and how to bring the home to the hospital if that were necessary.
-Molly discusses the use of the rebozo in a number of ways
- She details her postpartum doula work: How they debrief from the birth and help process, supporting parents in the initial transition, going over newborn care, having a meal prepared when they get home, etc.
- She discusses the importance of a postpartum plan: who is coming by when, how long they’re staying, what food you’ll be eating, etc.
-Molly’s recommendations: Take a childbirth education course (it doesn’t have to be at a hospital), read Penny Simpkin’s The Birth Partner, look into Rachel Yellin for any type of hypnosis-based childbirth, work on visualization, and prepare for your “marathon” with nutrition, appropriate attire, and body work.
-Contact Molly and keep up with her!
Instagram: doulamee
Facebook: Doulamee LLC facebook group