Julia was planning to give birth at a birth center throughout her pregnancy, but at 37 weeks, she learned that it was closing its doors. With little time to make a new plan, she and her husband chose to transfer their care to a home birth midwife, a decision that would profoundly shape the way their son's birth unfolded. During labor, Julia experienced an unusual contraction pattern, with contractions coming close together and then unexpectedly spacing back out. In a hospital setting, this pattern may have been interpreted as labor failing to progress and prompted intervention. Instead, Julia was given the time and space to labor patiently, eventually welcoming her son at home after nearly three hours of pushing. After he was born, they discovered that he had an exceptionally short umbilical cord, offering a remarkable explanation for the unusual rhythm of her labor. Julia's story is a beautiful reminder of the inherent wisdom of the birth process: that what appears to be "wrong" or dysfunctional from the outside may sometimes be the body adapting to the unique circumstances of a particular mother and baby. Her experience invites us to wonder what birth may be accomplishing when it is given the time and space to unfold in its own way. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

After spending years supporting families as a doula, Nina Spears had witnessed birth in hospitals, birth centers, and homes. So when it came time to welcome her own babies into the world, she made a choice that surprised many: she chose to give birth at home. In this episode, Nina shares her own birth story, why home birth felt like the right path after years of witnessing birth in so many different settings, and what becoming a mother taught her that no amount of professional experience could. Our conversation then turns to the transition into motherhood. Drawing from decades of experience as a doula, childbirth educator, founder of The Baby Chick, and now author, Nina reflects on a pattern she's seen again and again: women often spend months preparing for labor, yet many still enter postpartum feeling emotionally overwhelmed and underprepared. We discuss: • What mothers commonly wish they had prioritized before birth and postpartum • The hidden mental load that often begins during pregnancy • How to choose a provider and birth setting that aligns with your values • Practical ways to prepare emotionally for the postpartum season Whether you're expecting your first baby or welcoming another, this conversation offers both a deeply personal birth story and practical wisdom for preparing not just for birth, but for the life-changing transition into motherhood. Nina also shares insights from her new book, The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy, a resource designed to help women feel informed, confident, and emotionally supported throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Find Nina @thebabychick and www.baby-chick.com If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

When Elena decided on a homebirth at 37 weeks pregnant with her first baby, many people questioned her choice. Then, when her waters broke and the fluid was stained with meconium, it seemed to confirm everyone's fears. But Elena trusted herself. Despite advice to head to the hospital, she chose to remain at home with her birth team. Her baby was posterior, then became caught with a hand beside her face, leading Elena to spend labor doing squats on the stairs to help her baby find the best position to be born. Surrounded by positive birth affirmations, squeezing a comb through each contraction, and supported by her husband, midwife, and even her mom quietly documenting the journey from the hallway, Elena welcomed her 8 pound, 13 ounce daughter into the world at home. The story didn't end there. After the birth, the umbilical cord tore, resulting in a trip to the hospital and a brief NICU stay that brought moments of fear and uncertainty. Now, 18 months later, Elena reflects on a birth that wasn't pain-free or perfect, but was deeply empowering. She believes that preparing thoroughly, advocating for herself, and trusting her instincts made all the difference. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

Terra was the kind of kid who was terrified of hospitals and doctors. As a young woman, she never wanted to have children because of it. But when she learned about the option to homebirth, it immediately resonated with her, and her fears began to subside. What followed was an unexpectedly long journey to conception. During that time, Terra immersed herself in birth podcasts, and through hearing other women's stories, she gained greater clarity about the birth she wanted. Eventually, she decided she would freebirth. Terra welcomed her first baby at home with her husband and in-laws by her side. She says it was especially meaningful to have her mother-in-law witness the experience, having experienced only highly medicalized birth herself. Watching her grandchild enter the world in a peaceful, undisturbed setting became more than the birth of a new baby - It was an opportunity to rewrite a family's birth story. In that room, healing didn't happen in just one generation; it rippled across several. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow us on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / outro music: Dreams by Markvard

While on a fertility journey to conceive her second child, Olivia discovered an unexpected spiritual gift: the ability to connect with and communicate with the souls of babies and children who are still in spirit, often referred to as "spirit babies." In this episode, Olivia shares her journey of discovering this ability and offers a unique spiritual perspective on conception, pregnancy, motherhood, infertility, miscarriage, and loss. We discuss: • How Olivia discovered her connection with spirit babies during her own fertility journey • What messages often come through for women longing to conceive or those who have experienced pregnancy loss • The concept of spirit babies and whether all parents have children waiting to come through • How to connect with your intuition and your baby before conception • A spiritual perspective on miscarriage, infertility, and the challenges many women face on their path to motherhood • Autism and neurodivergence through a spiritual lens Whether you are trying to conceive, navigating infertility, healing from pregnancy loss, or simply curious about the spiritual side of conception and motherhood, this conversation invites a deeper exploration of the unseen connection between parents and the children they are meant to welcome. Listen to Olivia's first appearance on this podcast, where she shares her beautiful birth journey, here. Click Here to receive a free monthly Letter of Love from your Spirit Babies Email Olivia: [email protected] If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

Courtney was a fit, 25-year-old fitness coach when she walked into the hospital to deliver her first baby. She hoped for a natural birth, but instead experienced a classic cascade of interventions and medical gaslighting, leaving the experience with trauma she never expected. Sharing her story with others has helped Courtney find healing. She also holds hope for a redemptive, different birth experience in a future pregnancy. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

Madelyn's first son's birth came with an induction, a NICU stay, and a feeding journey she never expected. Although she wasn't ready for another baby right away, she carried with her a desire for a more healing birth experience. Four years later, she welcomed her second baby in a completely different way: a peaceful homebirth surrounded by love, trust, and support. With the guidance of a trusted midwife, the presence of her husband, her two best friends, and her hypnobirth doula, she experienced a birth that was truly on her terms. In this episode, she shares her journey from a difficult first birth to a transformative second birth, and how creating a supportive birth team and trusting her intuition allowed her to experience the healing birth she had hoped for.  If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

Carley prayed for an uneventful, redemptive birth experience after her first hospital birth left her with mixed emotions. For her second baby, she switched to a midwife-run birth center, and describes the difference in care as night and day. But her child wasn't born at the birth center as planned. This baby had other plans, surprising Carley in the most joyous way with an "eventful yet uneventful" birth experience she never expected. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

In honor of Father's Day today, I am rebroadcasting one of my favorite interviews I've ever done, first aired in 2024, and one of the only times I've had a father on the show to share his experience of what it was like to support his birthing partner. Couple Marion and Banks together share the sweet, intimate conception and homebirth story of their daughter. Banks was Marion's sole support person during the birth and shares what it was like to witness, hold space, and play a vital role in this transformative experience. I got to ask Banks some of the questions I've always wanted to hear from a conscious, intentional father about birth. Among other things, he shares: • How witnessing his partner birth their baby at home, sovereignly, helped heal generational birth trauma from his family of origin • How this birth experience transformed their relationship • What he would say to other fathers who carry fear around childbirth This is a wonderful story to share with the men in your life! If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto    

Emmy's first birth experience ended in a way no one imagines: an "emergency" cesarean under general anesthesia. Her son was welcomed into life by strangers rather than into the loving arms of his mother and father, a source of pain that stayed with her for a long time. Determined to have a different experience with future pregnancies, Emmy began exploring her options and learning more about physiological birth. Her journey ultimately led her to have two subsequent home births: one attended by a midwife and another supported by her sister. Through these experiences, she discovered the healing power of informed decision-making, trusting her instincts, and creating the birth environment she desired. A pivotal part of Emmy's healing journey was finding Birth Story Medicine, a counseling process that helps mothers process their birth experiences. Find Emmy on Instagram @emmy_kissinger  If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto