


For those mamas who experienced their waters breaking - how long did it take for labor to begin after that? Well in the case of today’s guest, Jenna Lehr, her water broke on a Tuesday, and her baby was born that Saturday! What we love about this detail is the opportunity it provides to normalize all the unique aspects of every woman’s body, baby and birth itself. Sometimes waters break and it takes a while (or days) for active labor to begin). Sometimes the waters break in the middle of labor. Sometimes during delivery. Sometimes they break multiple times. And sometimes they don’t break! In this birth story we get to hear how Jenna and her husband Jason planned for their home birth. It evolved from knowing nothing about birth to watching “The Business of Being Born” and seeking more information to having preconception appointments to talk about what birth could be and look like. We also talk about dealing with the doubt that can creep in - the pressure, stress and emotion that pops up and tests your conviction. And how her husband Jason was super involved and supportive in the whole process. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


How do you prepare for birth beyond the physical factors? Today’s guest is Amy Zhou, a certified Health Coach and Medicine Woman who specializes in teaching women (and men) how to heal their body, mind and spirit naturally at home. She’s also a new mama to her son Nathaniel, who is three and a half weeks old at the time we recorded this episode. We cover a lot of great things with Amy. For starters, she gave birth in the exact days the situation of COVID-19 dramatically shifted and accelerated in the United States, and specifically in her area of Los Angeles, California. According to Amy, it was like the world was a certain way when they entered the hospital, and then completely different when they emerged. So we chat about initial postpartum during an interesting time in the world and how she’s processing that. We also hear about Amy and her husband Ed’s preparation process for the birth experience. Their internal spiritual work was vital. Particularly when some challenges popped up, like an IUGR diagnosis (intrauterine growth restriction). This meant there were concerns about baby Nathaniel’s small size and how that could impact possibly inducing Amy before her due date. And bonus - Amy shares some of her gifts and expertise with listeners and leaves some tips for pregnant mothers both from her own experience as well as her extensive training and coaching. Links From The Episode: Amy’s website: https://www.amyzhou.com/home Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Have circumstances impacted your pregnancy and/or birth? Today we’re chatting with Heather Delaney, childbirth educator, certified labor and postpartum doula and CEO of Maryland State Doulas. Heather walks us through how she and her team of doulas and birth professionals shifted during the 2020 Pandemic to serve their clients with virtual support. When policies (like partners and/or doulas not allowed in birthing rooms of hospitals and centers) and communications have been challenging, they’ve found alternative ways to educate and empower, regardless of the birthing location. We talk about what some of the biggest changes/challenges have shown up in the birth world, what families can do in the midst of everything as well as how to minimize the fear around birth that already exists and can be magnified when blended with the conversations around COVID-19. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


In today’s episode we’re talking with Kimberly Huck, mama to Henry and wife to Dan. And we have a special connection with Kimberly. We live near each other and...we used the same midwives! So the same women who helped deliver baby Maya, delivered baby Henry just a few months earlier. Kimberly and I connected after she posted a cool home birth related article on Facebook that happened to make its way into my awareness (article link in the show notes). Kimberly is a chiropractor, and she and her husband Dan own a fitness studio in Marietta, Georgia called American Row House. They met while attending Life University, while Kimberly studied chiropractic and Dan studied sports health science. The Huck household is very into health and fitness, healthy habits and lifestyle and living as natural and toxin-free as possible. Kimberly grew up in a natural home, being unvaccinated herself. She became interested in home birth after working for a chiropractor in her early 20s who had a home birth in their family. So for she and Dan, home birth is just a part of the world they live in. In their environment it’s “normal.” Kimberly’s story highlights the concept of honoring the body’s natural process and timing. Also - birth is not an exact science. Enjoy her journey and story! Links From The Episode: https://crunchi.com/rep/KimberlyHuck/ http://arhfitness.com/ http://www.dawninglife.com/ http://www.bradleybirth.com/ http://www.birthtakesavillage.com/dear-home-birth-skeptic/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Why home birth? That’s typically a question we ask every guest in some form or another. For today’s guest, the response circled around family and culture. Because when you were born at home and your father helped deliver you and all your siblings, as was custom in his home in Nigeria, it will probably influence you to explore home birth for yourself when the time comes. Our latest DIAH mama is actually a close friend (a first for the show!). Mimi Adeogba, yoga instructor and yoga teacher trainer and all around amazing human being, joins us to retell the home birth story of her son Adeyemi from 23 years ago. And it’s amazing how decades can pass, and yet the memory of a birth can stick so strongly. The way Mimi tells the story, you would think it was yesterday. Beyond getting to have a powerful conversation with someone whom we love dearly, we greatly appreciate the perspective that Mimi brings to the DIAH community. Mimi was a 21-year-old PhD student at Baylor University when she found out she was pregnant. Her baby’s father chose not to be a part of the picture. So in the midst of fearing being alone, Mimi gained strength in the team she gathered around her to support her - namely her mother and a trusted licensed nurse-midwife. Her storytelling and heart behind it are compelling and endearing. Trust us, this is an episode you do not want to miss. Thank you, Mimi. We love you! Links From The Episode: Mimi’s website - http://www.yoginimimi.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Have you experienced postpartum PTSD? Today we’re talking with Stephanie Aberlich, not only about her home birth of her son Arlo (which she and her husband Dustin planned for and kept a secret from friends and family), but also the traumatic ER visit and hospital stay for baby Arlo just 24 hours after he was born and was experiencing fast breathing. Doctors later diagnosed him with polycythemia and kept him in the PICU and then the NICU for a total of 5 nights and 4 days. Stephanie talks about their experience, including all the procedures that Arlo underwent as well as the treatment and care from the hospital staff (particularly around their decision to home birth) and how she’s processed since the event. Stephanie is beautifully open about the whole thing and shares with a reliability and vulnerability that we know will touch other families who have experienced something similar, as well as inform others who have not. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


What does it mean to become a student of birth? For Lauren Leduc, that was the role she took on when she planned for her home birth. “I took on pregnancy and birth like it was my major in college!” Who else can relate to that? Lauren shares her birth story of her daughter Gemma. Unsure at first if she wanted to have children, things shifted for Lauren after she turned 35. Eventually she and her husband Arthur made plans to grow the family. Lauren walks us through some of the challenges that popped up along the way during the pregnancy, the magical birth experience and then the unplanned transfer to the hospital after birth because of complications with the placenta. One of the big takeaways from this episode is to use your resources and go with your intuition. Things we talk about in this episode: subchorionic haematoma, progesterone, velamentous cord insertion, postpartum hospital transfer, fetal ejection reflex, D&C Links From The Episode: Lauren’s website: www.Thrivewithlauren.com Lauren’s yoga studio: www.trueloveyogakc.com Lauren’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivewithlaurenleduc/ Sacred Song Home Birth: http://sacredsonghomebirth.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Here we have another magical home birth story for you. Maria reached out to us after listening to the show and felt inspired to share her experience of home birth. We love stories like these - full of candor, vulnerability and humor. Maria has the experience and perspective of giving birth in a birthing center as well as at home, so we were really excited to sit down and pick her brain about it all. We learn about the birthing center experience and why Maria was certain on the drive home with her new daughter that she’d never do it like that again. We also hear about the process of home birth, and what can happen when your waters break and you don’t go into labor that day...or even the next day! Birth was such a transformational experience for Maria that it ignited a passion that would shift her career. She became a doula and now owns a business dedicated to birth work which includes placenta encapsulation and childbirth education. Links From The Episode: Maria’s website ThriveBirth.org - http://www.thrivebirth.org/ Hypnobabies - https://www.hypnobabies.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


How should you approach your home birth plan? In today’s episode Sarah reads listener emails and talks about creating a home birth plan. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Why would a labor and delivery nurse choose home birth? There are quite a few reasons, at least for today’s guest Corrie Oyinloye. Corrie has been a labor and delivery nurse for 10 years. And two years ago, she chose home birth for the birth of her daughter, Rachel. While working in the hospital, Corrie saw how midwives’ rights were being taken away. She also did her own research and found home birth to be safer for mothers, and just as safe for babies. That in combination with her feelings around delivering in a hospital, given all she knew and had seen in the hospital setting. The fact is that many hospital birth workers suffer from PTSD from the trauma they’ve witnessed. Some of this hospital-induced anxiety moved Corrie towards exploring home birth for herself. Corrie’s story also includes creating the space for her husband Gabe to feel confident in the decision, a move to a different state, prodromal labor, a cervical lip, occipito posterior position of baby and a double nuchal cord. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


How do we move through the discomforts of pregnancy and birth? This comes up in today’s interview with Melanie Meador. Melanie shares her journey with both of her home birth experiences. Melanie had hyperemesis gravidarum with both pregnancies (extreme and persistent nausea during pregnancy, often with frequent vomiting). With her first birth experience, she was feeling a little rushed going into the process, because her midwifery practice was going to close 3 days after her due date. Plus she was working full-time. The birth lasted 34 hours with her waters broken. This is a stark contrast from her second birth, 6 hours and baby was born en caul (waters still intact). Melanie is the only person in her group of friends to have had a home birth. And with her mother and almost all of her aunts having cesarean births, this was something unique. Melanie says, “My mom was so excited to be at the birth of my son that she told anyone that would listen for the first 2 years!” This birth story includes: hyperemesis gravidarum, doula, acupuncture, TENs machine, membrane stripping, en caul, cervical lip, and red raspberry leaf tea. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


In today’s episode we speak with Dr. Sarah Buckley on the science of natural and undisturbed birth. Dr. Sarah Buckley is the author of the best selling book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, the author the report Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing (January 2015), and all around natural childbirth expert. We are honored and grateful to have Dr. Sarah Buckley join us on the Doing It At Home Podcast for many reasons. To start, her book "Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor's Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices" was a huge influence on us during our pregnancy. Sarah (our Sarah...Sarah Bivens that is) started reading Dr. Buckley's book while we were still planning for a birth with an OBGYN in a hospital. We learned about Dr. Buckley from her appearances in a DVD series called "Happy Healthy Child" (another resource we highly recommend and link to in the show notes.) Dr. Buckley's extensive research and evidence based information on pregnancy and birth, along with her own accounts of her 4 home births left quite the impression on us. It got the wheels turning and prompted us to think about the elements we wanted in our birth. Overtime we found that the best way to experience all of that would be at home. So we're very grateful to Dr. Buckley and the work that she does, because it's like she's been a part of our journey. Dr. Buckley integrates what would seem like differing philosophies at first glance: in the mindset of a medical background, training, practice and care, and natural, holistic, unassisted, physiological birth. Dr. Buckley talks about physiological birth as the type of birth that's in alignment with how the body is designed to work. And low tech models of care support this process. Home birth is an ideal situation to allow for this. We also talk about the core requirements for birth and what a woman needs to feel private, safe and unobserved. And if you didn't know or fully understand the hormonal cocktail that a woman experienced in natural birth, you will by the end of this episode. Want to know what ecstatic birth is? Listen to this episode. One of the key takeaways here is the potential to reclaim power in the experience of birth. That with a healing birth, we can heal the earth! Links From The Episode: SarahBuckley.com Sarah Buckley on Facebook HappyHealthyChild.com Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor's Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices by Sarah Buckley Hormonal Physiology Of Childbearing (report) Pain In Labor (ebook) Ecstatic Birth (ebook) Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


How could lessons from surviving cancer empower you in your birth? For Eva Whipple, going through cancer at age 19 shifted up her perspective on things. It taught her about priorities and her ability to push through. She recognizes that it also taught her to be present. And this carried into both of her births, both on the same day two years apart. For her first birth of her daughter Lois, Eva was in a birthing center (birthing at home was illegal). Then for surprise pregnancy number two, she decided on a home birth for son Sonny. We chat about the road to home birth and the comparison of her two births, nursing a toddler while pregnant and how her practice of yoga has been a part of her life as a mother. Links From The Episode: First Descents - https://firstdescents.org/ Ina May Gaskin’s “Spiritual Midwifery” - https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Midwifery-Ina-May-Gaskin/dp/1570671044 Eva’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soulyogamama/ Eva’s yoga studio - http://www.soulyogastudiosalisbury.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Ever heard any of these approaches to birth: couples birth, daddy delivery, husband and wife birth? Well today our guest Lynn Griesemer, who is a mother of 6, marriage coach, podcaster and author (among many other things) joins us for a conversation about including your partner in the birth experience. Giving them an active role and making birth a family-led experience. We chat about some of Lynn’s own experience with 4 hospital births, followed by 2 unassisted births (or free births), as well as her insight into creating a safe and trusting environment for birth that can influence and empower later parenting experiences and decisions. This is a great resource for those families who want their husband or partner to be very involved in the birth experience. Links From The Episode: https://www.marriagecoachlynn.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


What does a midwife do? Might seem like an obvious answer if you’ve been in the birthing world for a while. But if you’re unfamiliar with different models of care or exploring home birth for the first time, it’s a very legitimate question with answers that could be very significant in your birthing journey. Today we’re joined by Sarah McClure and Charli Zarosinski, midwives of Hearth and Home Midwifery and hosts of The Homebirth Midwife Podcast. We unpacked a lot of really great topics in this conversation including: The different routes to take to become a midwife Explaining the midwifery model of care to someone new to the concept What’s an average day in the life of a midwife like? What support do midwives and birth workers need? How can clients be best informed and create the best relationship possible with their midwife? How to determine if your area is home birth-friendly Links From The Episode: Hearth and Home website: www.hearthandhomemidwifery.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearthandhomemidwifery/ Hearth and Home Childbirth Education: https://courses.hearthandhomemidwifery.com/ The Homebirth Midwife Podcast: https://homebirthmidwifepodcast.libsyn.com/ Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Store: https://yoursuccessfulhomebirth.com/ DIAH Merch: https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Meet Megan, mom to 6-year-old Aurelia and 19-month-old Leonardo Iztali from Denver, Colorado. We connected with Megan via another DIAH mom, Marissa (whom we interviewed a few weeks before). Megan had sent a banner to Marissa to decorate her home in preparation for home birth. The same banner has made its way to other mamas since then, and Megan plans to continue to send it to friends as they want it. Besides supporting other women in their home birth journeys, Megan has an amazing story of her own. After having a great experience with her first birth in a birthing center, she felt inspired to move into home birth for the next time around. She says she felt empowered and knew a home birth was the next step. In between Aurelia and Leonardo, Megan experienced a miscarriage at 10 weeks. Megan shares openly on the fear and guilt that crept in during that time, and how she embarked on a journey of forgiveness, back to grace, comfort and love. By the time she was pregnant with Leonardo, Megan felt in full trust of her body, her baby and herself. She listened to the flow and went the whole pregnancy and birth almost completely unassisted. She did yoga, meditated, read, watched home births, created affirmations and playlists -- all to create the sacred space for her birth. Megan is a total inspiration. This episode has a lot of great quotes and mantras to pull from. My favorite? “PURE MAGIC!” Links From The Episode: Sacred Living Movement - http://www.sacredlivingmovement.com/ Indie Birth - https://www.indiebirth.com/ Peaceful Birth Project - http://thepeacefulbirthproject.org/ Ina May Gaskin - http://inamay.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Were you surprised when your labor started? For mama Caitlin Thompson, she shares that even though she felt somewhat ready, there was still a part of her that didn’t expect it. Today’s home birth story is a followup to our interview with Caitlin back in episode 126 when we spoke to her about the emotional journey to conception for her and her wife Sho (definitely listen to that episode if you haven’t yet - it’s amazing). Now today we have Sho joining us (and even a little cameo from baby Florence!) to talk birthing day. From the moment they realized labor was starting to Caitlin taking a work call during contractions (Say what?! Go mama!) to baby Flo’s arrival. Plus their dogs hung out and provided emotional support. And they had a sweet friend offer to photograph the birth. Basically, it’s a magical story that you need to listen to right now. The whole crew agrees that home birth was “the most amazing thing we’ve ever done!” Links From The Episode: Part 1 of Caitlin and Sho’s story - https://p.podderapp.com/1587082483/chrt.fm/track/D349DG/traffic.megaphone.fm/POD5346009855.mp3?updated=1660573238 Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Any mamas out there who have birthed in multiple countries? Today’s guest, Lindsay Wolff shares her two home birth experiences with us. Her first with her daughter Isla was in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and her second daughter Marin was in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Both times Lindsay and her husband Jeremy had to navigate entirely new birthing communities, laws and care systems. Some of the highlights of our conversation include her water breaking 5 days before labor starting in her first birth, along with 7.5 hours of pushing! And now 3 years as a doula, Lindsay has attended over 200 births and works to support women like herself. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


How do we prevent birth worker burnout? This is one of the great topics we dive into this week with Martha Lerner, birth doula and photographer. Martha shares her wisdom with us around the following topics: some of Martha’s memorable moments from home births she’s attended in the birth worker role tips for those who want to get into birth work best practices for staying in birthwork long term how to balance/manage all the space holding as a birth worker and what the birth community collectively can do to support the birth workers out there Links From The Episode: Martha’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenmamalove/ Martha’s Website: https://www.instagram.com/zenmamalove/ Doula’s Care Collective: https://doulascarecollective.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


We have a fun and little different kind of episode for you today. Katy emailed us after her great friend and fellow DIAH mama Katie McCormick (from episode 73) shared the podcast with her. Katy thanked us for what we’re up to with the show. As a “non-mom” (though she plans to be in the future), she’s always been fascinated by pregnancy and birth. She’s been exploring the option of home birth for herself when that time comes. So we figured...let’s get on the phone, hit record and see what happens! We believe that what Katy’s doing is an awesome example. If women who are not yet mothers are interested in exploring their future options, educating themselves, having conversations with other women at different stages of motherhood, then that means we have a lot more women empowered, confident and supported in their decisions. We are all for that! This doesn’t mean all women need to be doing this. It’s whatever works for you. We would just like to see more positive energy around conversations of pregnancy and birth, regardless of what phase of it someone is in. So Katy shares with us some of her thoughts on why home birth would be a good fit for her. For one, she likes to take the most natural route possible with things. She’s also a more private person, and looks at birth as a very sacred time. We also talk about how resources like the Doing It At Home podcast have helped, supported and informed on home birth related topics. So if you are not pregnant yet, but considering home birth as an option, this is a perfect episode for you! Links From The Episode: Ann Margolis episode - https://www.diahpodcast.com/single-post/2017/01/27/Normal-Natural-and-Joyful-Childbirth-with-Anne-Margolis Ann Margolis website - http://homesweethomebirth.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Would you consider using an enema during the labor process? In today’s birth story, we’re chatting with Alyssa Reeves, wife to Kirk and mama to twin boys Sam and Niko and daughter Zooey. And while there’s a lot more and totally magical elements to Alyssa’s story, she’s the first mama on the show to share her experience of using an enema during her transition phase of labor. We’re so grateful for her open and informative sharing on how helpful it was for her in preparation for pushing. So now other mamas listening to the show can learn from Alyssa’s experience and have another possibility for themselves if they have similar challenges during birth. As a long-time listener of the show, Alyssa was excited to pay it forward and be a part of the conversation that helped her in her own journey. We talk about her process of choosing home birth and the comparison between that and some of the traumatic elements of her first birth with her twins. Also the support of her birth team and a lot of the resources she used in preparation and during birth itself. Links From The Episode: Orgasmic Birth - https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/about/what-is-orgasmic-birth/ Business of Being Born - http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/ Rebozo technique - https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/rebozo-techniques-unfolded/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Has anyone ever felt like a failure because their birth didn’t go exactly the way they planned? We think this happens far too often. That’s why we’re happy we have conversations like the one we have today on the podcast. Allison Rich joins us to share her birth story. After a false diagnosis of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) medically mismanaged miscarriage, Allison and her husband Rafe wanted a different experience the next time they got pregnant. Allison actually met with a group of midwives after her miscarriage (before becoming pregnant again) to talk about her experience, process and discuss what it could look like in the future for her. Finally when she was pregnant again, she felt both excited and terrified at the same time. We go into her birth planning process and then the “incredible blur” of the birth. Allison talks about extending grace to yourself and realizing how hard we can be on ourselves when it comes to our births. This is a must listen for anyone nervous about hospital transfer or who experienced one and could use some extra support and affirmation. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Warning: this is an amazing episode. Full of conversation around pleasurable, joyful, ecstatic birth. It may cause you to feel empowered and excited around birth. There, we gave you a heads up! But seriously, we are so honored to have Debra Pascali-Bonaro join us on the show. She’s another one of the powerhouses of the birthing community that we’ve been anxious to meet and chat with. She is the creator and director of the documentary, “Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret.” She’s also the co-writer of “Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth.” Oh and also a Lamaze International childbirth educator, birth and postpartum doula trainer with DONA International. And the Founder & President of the revolutionary online childbirth class Pain to Power, which prepares expectant mothers, fathers, and partners to be positively prepared for birth and focuses on the intimate and sacred nature of birth. Debra’s passion comes from her over 30 years of working with women, men, midwives, doulas and physicians in over 40 countries bringing comfort, love and pleasure to birth and life! In our interview, we talk about her path to being obsessed with birth, learning from her own birth story. We also chat about the concept for the documentary and where it came from. We explore themes from the documentary and the impact it’s had on the conversation of birth. Plus we talk about other cool projects that Debra has her hand in, and a surprise for any of those interested in checking out her online childbirth class “Pain to Power.” Thank you to Debra for her knowledge, passion and tireless effort to serve and inspire! Links From The Episode: Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret - https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/ Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth - https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/products/books/ Pain To Power Childbirth Class: https://www.paintopowerchildbirth.com/ Happy Healthy Child: http://www.happyhealthychild.com/ Eat Pray Doula: https://www.eatpraydoula.com/ Sign up for 3 Free Videos on finding your power and pleasure in birth: http://www.paintopoweroptin.respond.ontraport.net/optin Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


How do you plan for a positive hospital birth experience, when you were originally intending to have a home birth? This is such a great topic to cover. For many who start out with a home birth plan, sometimes that changes for various reasons. Sarah Schade shares her story with us. From a diagnosis of an “incompetent” cervix (definitely not a term we’re fond of around here) to another diagnosis of IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction), Sarah and her husband Jeremiah went through a lot of ups and downs. She shares all the thoughts and emotions that came up, and ultimately the arrival of her daughter Clementine. Things we talk about in this episode: incompetent cervix, cervical cerclage, IUGR, D&C procedure for placenta removal, home birth plan, hospital birth From Sarah: “It was really difficult being labeled as “incompetent”, or “high risk”, especially because being healthy and active is something really important to me, and I never thought I would have any problems with my pregnancy, being so young and healthy. We shifted from working only with our midwife, to the medical treatment model, which neither of us envisioned for our pregnancy… My pregnancy was filled with joy, sadness, fear, and anger. Our baby is healthy, and we are so in love with our little fighter, and her strength. But we have learned so much about the health care system, how women are treated, and why women need to be given more options in treatment. We had a lot of positive aspects to her birth, but were also threatened with an episiotomy, forceps, and vacuum. Our midwife and the hospital nursing staff was amazing, but the doctor on call severely violated some of my wishes without consent. I want to share my birth story, because it’s not enough to believe that “doctors know best” when in actuality birth experiences matter to the mental and physical health of women and their babies.” Links From The Episode: Sarah’s Schade’s website: SarahSchade.com Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


Is one way to birth “better” than another? Sometimes there are misconceptions and unhealthy conversations floating about in the birth community around natural vs. medicated birth or hospital vs. home. That one is better than the other or there’s a sense of superiority or higher moral code to choose one over the other. And competition comes in as a factor, like there is something to prove or defy. This topic is relevant for the conversation we have today with Lillie Cooke, sharing her birth story with us. Lillie and her husband Josh planned for a home birth with their first child, son Judah. Along the way towards planning for the birth, Lillie noticed little things that indicated she wasn’t really connecting deeply with her midwife. There was also a big fear of going to the hospital, seeking to avoid that at all costs. This fear stemmed from, as Lillie put it “hearing terrible hospital stories and only fairy tale home birth stories from the homebirth community.” Labor began at 40 weeks and 6 days. After laboring for 4 days, things started to feel chaotic and the midwife’s hands-off approach wasn’t very helpful for what Lillie needed. Lillie made the choice to transfer because of pain and exhaustion. What helped make the transfer a less fearful event was the great experience she had with the staff there. They were respectful and she felt empowered, calm and peaceful. Some words from Lillie: “I ended up having so much better care and such a peaceful birth. The OB was more of a midwife than my own midwife! We ended up with a peaceful vaginal delivery. She also didn’t check on me until 3 weeks after my birth. After I just felt abandoned and not welcome in the home birth community. I felt the one in our area was not very inclusive to all births and made it feel like you didn’t have a good enough or “superior” birth if it wasn’t at home. My experience woke me up from the tunnel vision I had before from being in that community and showed me that none of that was true. That’s why I love this podcast because it is the only homebirth podcast that is inclusive with ALL births and shows the pros AND cons of homebirth. I want to share my story to other first time mamas so they have a better perspective and know there is no superior way or place to birth despite what people promote. And there are good stories and traumatic stories at home just like at the hospital. But no one lets people come on and talk about that with home births and that’s a shame. Everyone’s experience is so powerful. Birth is so powerful. I've learned a lot from my first birth and would just love to share my story and my thoughts surrounding it.” And - Lillie is currently pregnant with her second child. What birth plan are they creating? Listen in to find out! Topics we cover in this episode: Business of Being Born, Ina May Gaskin, relationship with your midwife, choosing a care provider that’s best for you, Miles Circuit, hospital transfer, epidural Links From The Episode: The Miles Circuit: http://www.milescircuit.com/ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


What would you do if you really trusted yourself? This is a beautiful question that comes up in today’s episode, and I think everyone can take something from it and carry it into their lives. Mellisa Reeves of Motherbirth is sharing part of her journey with us. From some of the traumatic elements of her first hospital birth with her first son Aiden, a stillbirth in hospital at 41 weeks pregnant with her second son Rowan and two subsequent miscarriages, she brings us to the healing process and experience of her home birth with her daughter, Etney. And along the way, Mellisa leaned into her passions and opportunities to help other women with loss. She started a podcast and online community called Motherbirth with her friend Laura, and has been coaching and providing resources for women and families. Links From The Episode: Mellisa’s website - www.motherbirth.co Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


In this episode, we continue our conversation with Joy Kiesch, our DIAH mama who had her first baby Dakota at home. We dive into some of the things that pop up in the early postpartum stage. Things like dealing with family and visitors, informing people about the birth and how you deal with the outside energy and comments. What happens when the whole “I just had a baby!” thing starts to sink in. You’re 72 hours in and just lose it. Crying. Don’t know what to do. Joy is real, raw and totally awesome to share what she experienced. Anyone interested in consuming your placenta in some way after birth? How about a smoothie?! And of course we chat about how this new phase can impact your relationship with your partner, and how you can work on staying connected. Thank you so much to Joy for being brave and bold and for sharing your story with us and the DIAH community! Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


In today’s episode we speak with Joy Kiesch, wife to Yamil and mama to Dakota. Our conversation flowed so organically, that we decided to make it a two-parter! More on that in a second. The way Joy describes the home birth of her son Dakota goes something like this, “born peacefully at home, surrounded by love.” Joy considers herself a great candidate for home birth given her health and overall mindset. There were also other factors that influenced their decision - like for one, home birth is actually the more affordable option in many instances (not that we’re saying you should bargain hunt when it comes to your birth plan, however it is fascinating that this is an area where sometimes cheaper is better!). Joy also felt like a number when it came to the OBGYN offices. She was looking for a more intimate connection, which she found in her midwife. She has family members who practice homeopathy, and even her mom and aunt had home births of their own! Top it off with an incredibly supportive partner in Yamil, and we’re going home birth, folks! We really explore what it looks like to move through the discomforts that can arise in pregnancy and birth. And...how sometimes surrender isn’t enough. Maybe it requires a further step of embracing it all. Listen in to learn more, and be sure to check out part 2 where we talk about some of the postpartum challenges Joy experienced. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


What do you do when it’s difficult to come to terms with how your birth unfolded? In today’s episode, Katie Suder shares her journey with us. From her unexpected and joyful pregnancy to currently 9 months postpartum and still processing a lot of her birth experience. While waiting the few weeks before she could see an OBGYN for her first appointment, Katie had time to reflect and research her options. This led her and her fiance Andrew to a home birth midwife. Fast forward to birth, baby Andrew Michael was 13 days past the guess date. After laboring for 30 hours at home, Katie and her team transferred to the hospital. Katie and the supportive staff did everything possible to facilitate a vaginal birth. The cesarean, though necessary, was traumatic. Katie is beautifully honest about how she’s felt over the months and we know her story will touch the community and have a ripple effect of healing. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


What do you do when you want a home birth, but life circumstances make it a bit challenging to create? Cami Harper is sharing her story with us and how she embraced her situation to make it beautiful, even though it wasn’t exactly what she wanted. Cami herself was born with the help of midwives, so she knew she eventually wanted a holistic and natural approach to birth. She shares her process of both of her pregnancies with her sons James and Howie, along with the support of her husband Dustin. With moving in the middle of one of them, financial elements, challenges finding doctors and/or midwives and insurance changes, they decided on hospital births. With a powerful mindset, resources and support, Cami was able to create an empowering experience. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order Splash Blanket: https://bit.ly/3JPe1g0 - use code DIAH for 10% off your order Esembly: https://bit.ly/3eanCSz - use code DIH20 to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Send us your birth story: https://bit.ly/3jOjCKl Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: www.diahpodcast.com/merch Give Back to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices