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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 Sep 18, 2023
Monday Sep 18, 2023
What happens when you live and breathe homebirth, but you can't quite visualize how you want your birth to unfold.
Today I (Katelyn) am sitting down with my husband Thomas to share the birth story of our precious son, Thomas Jr.
For our previous birth stories:
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Monday Sep 11, 2023
Monday Sep 11, 2023
Making Birth Choices From a Place of Empowerment with Leigh Anne McGiff
How do we respond to the unexpected? We know we can't control all of the circumstances of life, but what do we do when we're faced with new choices that must be made?
This week, we're speaking to my friend and Homebirth Collective student, Leigh Anne. Leigh Anne will be sharing about her two birth experiences and how she and her husband Colton were able to navigate "game time" decision-making in a way that led to a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Before we jump in, I want to encourage you to consider joining The Homebirth Collective, which is currently open for self-study. Throughout her story you'll hear the lessons that Leigh Anne learned inside of the program, and I am so grateful to hear how beautifully she was able to apply what she learned to her experience and her perspective of that experience, even now. If you want learn how to prepare for your homebirth, yes, but you also want to take seriously this transition into or back into motherhood as the sacred right of passage that it was always meant to be, join me inside today. Click the link in the show notes, and don't forget to use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout for being such a dedicated supporter of the show!
Episode Roundup
- Leigh Anne and Colton were confident and excited in their decision to give birth at home from a logical standpoint, but this didn't mean that there weren't mental aspects that had to be considered and dealt with during the end of her second pregnancy. Leigh Anne had loving, well-meaning family around her who were truly concerned for her decision to give birth at home. I loved how Leigh Anne was able to consider the WHY behind the actions and feelings of the people closest to her. Listen, not everyone is going to agree with your choices in birth.... just as they won't for the rest of motherhood. It comes with the territory. But being able to pull the positive meaning from something without changing your own decisions is an incredible skill, and Leigh Anne showed that quite gracefully.
- Some of us KNOW that we're homebirthers well before we get pregnant. We're confident, we're on fire and ready to go. On the other hand, some of us are more tentative. Maybe we see the benefits and accept them, and yet we still have aspects to work through. You're both welcome here. My prayer is that you'll gain courage and encouragement through these stories, yes, but even moreso my desire is to serve you on a deeper level by being able to walk through preparation with you. Whether that's in Happy Homebirth Academy or The Homebirth Collective, my desire is to have you excitedly anticipating the experience that is to come.
- And finally, decision-making. My friends, I've said it before and I'll say it again. We can't control every outcome. We can, however control our mindset. We can control how we make decisions. When we remember that we ALWAYS have a choice and we GET to make the choice that's best for us, even if it doesn't feel like a super fun choice-- like transferring care to a new provider 8 weeks before birth, or transporting to the hospital when we have extended fetal heart decelerations-- we still get to decide what we're going to do. And when we can OWN that choice, we are able to maintain our agency in the situation. We can look back confidently on our choices and feel proud of what we did with the information we had. Just like Leigh Anne and Colton.
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Monday Sep 04, 2023
Monday Sep 04, 2023
How did your birth location make you feel during your birthing experience-- confined and imprisoned, or totally set free?
This week, we're speaking to Esmeralda, a mother to 3 children, doula and homebirth shop owner. We'll hear how Esmeralda went from a confined hospital experience to absolute freedom in her homebirths.
If you're looking to prepare for your homebirth and motherhood, and you find yourself aligning with the information that I share, I would love to have you inside of one of my programs: Happy Homebirth Academy or The Homebirth Collective. Whether you're simply looking for straight-forward but REAL childbirth education for homebirthers inside of HHA, or you're ready to deeply prepare for not only your homebirth, but for motherhood as a whole inside of The Collective, I am so excited to support you. Click the link in the show notes to join today, and use the code PODCAST for 10% off at checkout.
Episode Roundup
Goodness, as I reflect on Esmeralda's story, one major, beautiful point comes to my mind. Instinct requires us to go internally. We've got to stop listening to the outside noise and focus on that depthy, God-given inner-knowing that we all hold as Primal Mothers. When Esmeralda did this for her third birth, it truly shifted everything. She found complete freedom in her birth, and she knew exactly what she was capable of as a mother-- that she had everything she needed inside herself all along.
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Monday Aug 28, 2023
Monday Aug 28, 2023
The wait is almost over, are you ready for the Fall2023 season of Happy Homebirth?
Join me from your favorite podcast platform on September4 for our first brand new episode and mark your calendars for September 18, when my husband and I will be sitting down to tell all about our most recent birth experience.
It is completely unlike our previous experiences, and you don't want to miss it.
What do Obstetricians have to say about homebirth? Well, the one we're speaking to today certainly has some opinions that may surprise you in the best way.
This week, we're speaking with the incredible Dr. Stu Fischbein, a homebirth-attending Obstetrician, founder of Reteach Breech, and one of the two lovely co-hosts from the ever-inspiring podcast Birthing Instincts.
In this conversational episode, Dr. Stu, as usual, holds nothing back and shares his opinions regarding the current state of the medical oligarchy and how the last two years of pandemic chaos have exposed the realities that have existed for a long time, how this encroaches on midwives, mothers and people as a whole... and we discuss the responsibility that each one of us can choose to take in regards to our own health.
He shares the massive shifts in perspective that he's had over his career in terms of how maternity care should be managed, or better yet left alone, and he unabashedly shares his thoughts on the Covid, the vaccine and more.
Episode Roundup:
- 10 or so years into his career, Dr. Stu made a choice. He decided to recognize the fact that the way he'd been caring for patients did not align with the new knowledge and perspective that he was gaining. Honestly, it could have been a lot easier, a lot more comfortable for him to have stuck his head in the sand, continued down the ol' path of typical obstetric care and never be faced with the discomfort of change. I'm so grateful that he didn't do that.
- It's important that we listen to medical professionals--who have seen how things work on the inside-- when they share that things are often not done for the best interest of the patient. Of course, I'm sure many of this know this, but experiential knowledge is a whole other kind of knowledge. Dr. Stu was pushed out of his hospital position and privlidge because he wouldn't cow to the mainstream model. How frustrating to hear that those who DO truly care for the patient are often the first ones to be removed.
- And finally, let's end on something to consider and meditate on: You, the mother, should be the one deciding the risks you are willing to take. Yes, it is incredible to have trusted advisors and providers, but the authority of how and where and with whom you give birth should remain in your hands. You have options.
Resources
Links:
Birthing Instincts
Atlas Shrugged
Dissolving Illusions
Casa Blanca
The Business of Birth Control
The Highwire
Monday Aug 21, 2023
Monday Aug 21, 2023
The wait is almost over, are you ready for the Fall2023 season of Happy Homebirth?
Join me from your favorite podcast platform on September4 for our first brand new episode and mark your calendars for September 18, when my husband and I will be sitting down to tell all about our most recent birth experience.
It is completely unlike our previous experiences, and you don't want to miss it.
What the heck is a rite of passage… and why does this matter in regards to birth?
This week, we are speaking with Rachael Jean, a homebirth midwife and birth rite enthusiast. In this episode we delve into the meaning of rites of passage, why they’re important, how to reclaim birth as a rite of passage, and… how to prepare for birth through healing. Immediately I can tell you this will be an episode you’re going to want to save and listen to a couple of times. I’m so excited for the wisdom that Rachael brought to this conversation.
Show Notes
Rachael Jean is a midwife practicing in Maine
She’s been working in ceremonial work, and feels that midwifery is her mission.
Rites of passage: a normal social and cultural event that brings societies together: It brings honor and celebration.
birth, puberty, marriage, eldership, death
There is not a very strong entrance into adulthood in our current society
How do we begin to prepare ourselves for this rite of passage?
-It’s about healing: Birth was robbed from women with “twilight sleep” and midwives having to go underground
-Rachael’s main goal is to go back through childhood and heal generational traumas: relationship to mother, to father, to child, and wounding patterns related to the elements
-Rachael strongly feels that babies are master teachers— they come down and know exactly what lessons you need to learn
“Birth is the utmost of the feminine….”
The goal is to gain awareness and presence so that we can create space to make choices.
Women deserve to love their birth story, no matter what.
It’s about honoring the mother, the father and the child. In presence, we get a chance to bring honor back to daily life.
Rachael’s recommendation: Unpack the baggage while you’re pregnant!
Episode Roundup:
- I promise I didn’t pay Rachael to talk about this— But the topic just keeps coming up, and I know it’s vitally important. The concept that we can choose not to feel like victims of our birthing experiences. We can ready ourselves for the balancing act of both birth preparation and feminine wildness, and we can positively claim our birth stories, no matter the specifics of how they unfold.
- I love the concept of honoring these rites of passage in order to more deeply appreciate the beauty in our day to day being. The element of presence in each moment— wow, it just adds such depth to every experience, both big and small.
- Finally… unpack your baggage. I love the emphasis Rachael puts on finding a way that works for you to heal yourself in pregnancy. You know, gestation is such a time of transformation already, adding this highly important work of healing only makes sense in such a time, and it seems to reason that our minds are already in a place of willingness to take on such a task. As she mentioned, there are so many ways we can approach healing, so find what works for you. Counseling, Rachael’s course, self-directed. During my second pregnancy I found such great healing and fear release through reading the Psalms. But whatever you choose, set the intention to heal those wounds and I know the results will overwhelm you.
Reclaiming pregnancy and birth as a rite of passage (facebook)
Elemental Birthrites IG
Monday Aug 14, 2023
Monday Aug 14, 2023
Let’s say you’re a birth expert- you’ve been working with pregnant mothers for years, and you’re finally having the homebirth of your dreams. Is firm education enough, or will there possibly be unexpected tests in the emotional and mental aspects of birth?
This week we’re speaking with the marvelous Dr. Courtney Kahla. Dr. Courtney is a nervous system centered chiropractor specializing in families. She is the owner of Our Well House: a multidisciplinary wellness center in Dallas, TX. Her mission is to encourage others to experience freedom in their physical, mental, and spiritual health. She is passionate about empowering others to take control of their health by living a lifestyle that honors their God-given innate ability to heal.
We’re going to spend part of this episode discussing chiropractic care, and then the rest diving deep into Dr. Courtney’s own homebirth journey. And wow, you’re in for so much wisdom sprinkled throughout her story.
One theme we discuss in Dr. Kahla’s story is the need for emotional and mental preparation when it comes to homebirth, beyond the basics of childbirth education. With that in mind, I want to invite you to join me as you prepare for your own empowering homebirth experience. Let’s use the unbelievably transformative time of pregnancy as a catalyst into the most incredible motherhood journey. How? Join me inside of Happy Homebirth Academy, where preparing for your homebirth is both thorough and joyful. Learn to comfortably step into your role as the responsible, intuitive mother that you are, and hone those lifelong skills while we educate you on all aspects of midwifery care, physiological birth, and preparing your heart and home. We cover the physical, yes, but we also go deep into the importance of emotional and mental preparation, all while inviting your spouse to be deeply involved and connected from pregnancy, through labor and on into the blissful postpartum period. You ready to transform? Head to myhappyhomebirth.com/hha to get started today.
As always, please remember that the opinions of my guest may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and this show is not medical advice, it’s an educational tool, so continue to take empowered responsibility for yourself and your family.
Episode Roundup:
- I loved the way that Dr. Courtney approached the selection of her care provider. Yes, there were a number of providers in her area that she liked and trusted, but she knew that she needed someone who was going to be comfortable with the informed decisions she was planning to make during her pregnancy and labor. She knew the right questions to ask. “What would cause me to risk out of care with you? What procedures would you be uncomfortable with me declining?” Knowing what you want in a care provider before you walk in for the interview makes this so much easier. Make sure you check out episodes 157 and 159 if you’re looking for more specific help in this area. I’ll link those below.
- I really appreciate the discussion of how vulnerable we are to ideas in labor. Dr. Kahla knew she wanted to fully listen to her body, but when her midwife gave her the very loving tip of giving a few pushes if she wanted— Dr. Courtney did, even though outside of labor she had adamantly wanted to experience Fetal Ejection Reflex on her own. Listen, midwives are human and like Dr. Courtney said, this was totally well-intentioned. But it does go to show us that nobody outside of your body can feel what’s going on inside of your body as well as you can— This is a great lesson for all of us to learn from. If your midwife gives you advice, it can be really easy to just go along with it— of course—we trust them— but remember to trust yourself, too. Listen to the advice, but then try to take a moment before you accept it just because you think that’s what you’re supposed to do.
- And finally, wow. Labor can be so, so mental. Dr. Courtney, the mother that her midwife said she had ZERO worries about desiring to transfer because of her endurance and grit, got to a vulnerable place where she needed her team’s support and reminder that she could, in fact, do this thing. And do it, she did.
Resources:
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Have you ever been disqualified from something? Maybe you were in a swim meet and your feet touched the bottom of the pool. Maybe your scholarship essay was too short and you were taken out of the running…. But have you ever been considered disqualified in your birthing location?
This week we’re speaking with an incredible woman, Ginny Yurtich, founder of 1000 hours outsideJih, and mother of 5 children with very different birth stories. In her first birth, Ginny’s pre-eclampsia “disqualified” her from her birth center experience, and we’ll see just how she handled this in subsequent births.
Episode Roundup:
- The people who surround us can play such a huge role in our decisions. When we look back at Ginny’s first birth, she was considering an elective c section, as her friend very much enjoyed hers. But then, her brother’s roommate introduced her to the work of Ina May Gaskin, and her whole story was changed. Though the first two births did not work out nearly how she had desired, the seed was planted, and Ginny’s perception on birth was forever changed.
- Small changes can add up to massive results. Ginny discussed how after simply “getting through” her third pregnancy/first homebirth, she was ready to start making changes during her next pregnancy. She was able to head off her pre-eclampsia symptoms with liver support and appropriate nutrition, and her labor was dramatically shortened.
- And then… Ginny learned that birth was her responsibility. She took complete control in her final homebirth, and that 95 minute experience taught her so many lessons. We are always responsible for our birth, but when we recognize that and actually capitalize on it— what an incredible difference it can make in the lives of our entire family.
- And finally, simplicity is so beautiful. Ginny simplified her birth through unmedicalizing it, and she simplified her life by putting the focus on spending time in nature. The real nectar comes from the basics, and Ginny’s life is a glorious testimony to it.
Follow Ginny: @1000hoursoutside
Ginny's website: www.1000hoursoutside.com
Monday Jul 31, 2023
Monday Jul 31, 2023
What surprised you most about your homebirth? Was it… the way you vocalized during your surges? Or maybe it was how incredibly accomplished you felt afterward? Or… was it the number of babies that you gave birth to?
This week we’re speaking to Elizabeth Parsons, who really brought the surprise factor to her fourth birth and first homebirth.
Episode Roundup:
Can you imagine that experience? The shock of thinking you’re pushing out a placenta, but then being handed a second baby? Absolutely incredible. As we head into this week’s episode roundup, I wanted to focus on a few things that came up.
- I love that Elizabeth brought up the ridiculousness of due dates. Number one, they’re not even a good average of first time labors. Number two, why? Why must we assign this additional stress to our bodies and our babies when they’re simply just trying to grow and work together?
- Elizabeth brought up some great points regarding the immediate postpartum, and just how… not conducive the hospital can be to bonding, and not even conducive to healing or establishing our milk supply— nutrition is so important, and jello just doesn’t really cut it…. You know, unless it’s grass-fed gelatin made at home, which is actually my favorite.
- One of my favorite aspects of Elizabeth’s final labor was when her midwife so tenderly read her affirmation and scripture cards to her. I’m sure it was such an encouraging moment in her labor.
- And finally, my friends…birth is a mystery. Sometimes it unfolds similarly to what we expect, and other times we birth a surprise second breech baby. No matter how it presents itself (pun intended), birth is so beautiful, and so transformative. And mamas, we can do amazing things.
- Okay my friends, that’s all I’ve got for you for today. Before you hop off, would you take a screenshot of this episode and share it on your instagram stories? Tag happyhomebirthpodcast and purqelyparsons and tell me your favorite takeaway from this episode!
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Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Today's guest: Dr Rachel Reed is a midwife, academic, author, and international speaker who focuses on childbirth physiology, midwifery practice, and women's rights (and rites). She has provided midwifery care for many women and has attended births in a wide range of settings and circumstances. Rachel is the author of the award-winning blog MidwifeThinking and the co-host of The Midwives' Cauldron podcast. She has published widely in journals and magazines, and her first book Why Induction Matters is a popular resource for women and care providers. Her most recent book Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage: weaving ancient wisdom with modern knowledge will be published early 2021. Further information about Rachel and her work is available at www.rachel-reed.website. and….she’s just delightful.
I find myself getting sucked into her blog archives for hours at a time, and for today’s episode I decided to ask her about several topics that she covers quite wonderfully there. I know you’re going to deeply enjoy this episode. With that, let’s jump in!
Show Notes:
Big Babies
Most women having homebirth in Australia have “big” babies, and they’re not scary.
In hospital, however, it can be a different story. If a doctor diagnoses a mother with a “big baby” on ultrasound, it can begin to cause stress and fear for her.
Dr. Reed mentions that the research does not separate healthy, normal big babies from those whose mothers have gestational diabetes. These babies tend to have bigger shoulders and can have more difficulty coming out (though most of them come out just fine, too).
“Big babies don’t scare me, but what people do about big babies does scare me.”
Women who are told they have a big baby: C sections, tearing, poorer outcomes are more likely— so it’s the outside causing the problem.
A care provider’s fear of the big baby can cause many of the interventions
Gestational Diabetes as a label— fairly nonsensical
If there are abnormally high blood glucose levels circulating, that does impact the baby and potentially the birth. However, the blood glucose levels being used are not evidence-based
In Australia, around 17% of women are now labeled as a gestational diabetic.
When Dr. Reed was training, we only tested those who had risk factors.
The issues with challenge tests: it’s an abnormal test— many pregnant women are not drinking sugary drinks, so the tests results can be very off.
VBAC- Mountain or Molehill?
Is this as dangerous as the medical community seems to happen?
Research related to this is mixed with those who are having inductions and those who are not— when we remove those who are having inductions, we see the already small number of issues become all the smaller.
Statistically a <1% chance of uterine rupture, compared to all of the issues that may occur during a Cesarean (there is a higher chance of losing the uterus due to hemorrhage during c-section than having a uterine rupture).
Inside the hospital, there’s been higher support for VBACs… if it’s done the right way: prepared for surgery, continuous monitoring, etc.
Many women are choosing to have home births because they’re having VBACs to avoid all of the issues that can occur in the hospital
The woman is the decision-maker. It’s her body, her baby, her experience. Dr. Reed discusses how the care provider’s role is to support the woman in whatever decisions she is making.
It’s so important to make sure that the midwife and client are on the same page at the very beginning of the relationship.
“This is who I am, this is what I want, this is what I expect of you” from both client and midwife.
Fear Around Childbirth
Dr. Reed considers fear to be an important aspect regarding birth, as ancestrally we always would have had some amount of respect/fear for birth.
Separation Phase (early labor)— There’s anxiety and stress because you’re feeling the contractions begin. The neocortex needs to be functioning at that time to prepare your surroundings.
Liminal Phase (active labor)— High endorphins, you look stoned— a woman should not be frightened significantly during this phase
Emergence Phase (birthing baby)— Requires neocortex function again, as you need to be able to push out your baby and then care it.
How does this happen? (transition) The body sends a huge serge of adrenaline— many people experience this as fear. “I can’t do it” “help me” “I’ve had enough”
Preparation phase— all about the woman building self-trust. Instead of trying to get rid of fear, we should focus on nurturing self-trust. What do YOU need in order to trust that you can do this?
Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage
It’s been a very long labor, post dates!
Chapters:
Herstory
Legacy
Blood Mysteries
Childbirth as a Rite of Passage
Preparation (physiology, rites of passage, rites of protection,
Separation
Liminality
Emergence
Integration
Medical Birth Rites
Episode roundup:
I really want to end today’s episode focusing on the first two words in the title of Dr. Reed’s upcoming book: Reclaiming Birth. What does that mean to you, to reclaim birth? The honest truth is that this momentous event, this life-altering rite of passage has indeed been stolen from mothers. Generations of women didn’t even realize this, and many in my own generation still do not see that their power to be decision-makers in their own birthing experiences has been removed. But… now, there’s such easier access to information. Now we can look back, see the atrocities of the medical system in regards to birth, and CHOOSE something different. We can choose to be in charge of our care, in charge of our birthing experience, in charge of our motherhood. I want to thank Dr. Reed for adding to the evidence with her continued work.
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Monday Jul 17, 2023
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Show Notes:
Christine and Andrew started their pregnancy journey traditionally with OB care. However, as the pregnancy progressed, they began feeling more and more frustrated about the fact that appointments were fast and shallow. There was not in-depth preparation for childbirth, and they felt there must be something missing.
The couple decided to begin their own research, which led them to switch to midwifery care and homebirth.
Their commitment to giving birth at home grew as they became closer with their midwife, and as she answered their questions and prepared them deeply on what to expect during the entire process. Both Christine and Andrew recognized the added layers of safety in their homebirth experience because they did know their midwife so well.
Whenever there were questions about what happens if something goes wrong, their midwife always had a quality answer on what to expect and the protocol.
Christine expected to go beyond 40 weeks, for at 38 weeks she and Andrew decided to go camping. On the trip, her water began leaking. They went home the next morning and prepared for the onset of labor.
Throughout the process of labor, Christine and Andrew worked together. He kept up with what she needed and encouraged her through contractions— reminding her to breathe and relax. This was incredibly helpful during Christine’s long and arduous pushing phase.
Andrew recalled how amazing it was that the midwife was able to recognize when to step in and provide feedback and when to stay back and remain an observer.
He truly understood that it was his duty to be Christine’s support person.
After baby was born, he needed resuscitative breaths. Christine and Andrew were calm and confident during this experience.
Once he was breathing and stable, the midwives began tended to Christine, as she was bleeding a good bit.
After a while, the midwives had to perform an internal examination of the uterus to see what was causing the bleeding.
Though uncomfortable, Christine and Andrew both felt completely calm during what could have otherwise been a traumatic experience, as the felt heard, understood, and like the most important people on the birth team.
Episode Roundup:
I am so appreciative of this episode and the perspective it brings. It’s so important to focus on mothers and their experience of birth, yes, but what a disservice we are doing if we’re not showing up for dads and helping them see how they fit into the equation. Christine and Andrew worked together so beautifully before, during and after their birthing experience, and Andrew’s understanding of his responsibilities as the birth partner certainly added massive value to their homebirth. I hope this episode acts as inspiration and as a roadmap for other fathers who are looking for ways to be involved in the birthing experience. You’re part of this team, and you’re incredibly important.