Adam and Lauren came on to share their 5 year journey navigating infertility both in the U.S and abroad and how this lead them to pursue fertility treatment options in Spain. They also share about what it was like to process how going to the nations could impact their journey to parenthood, how their faith shaped their journey, what it is like to find care in a new country, researching fertility treatment options, the complexity of grief related to infertility, and so much more!

In this episode we discuss: The reality of home-birth abroad. Water-birth Pregnancy in the first year abroad. The energy it requires to track down care options. Host culture expectations in pregnancy Traveling frequently in pregnancy Relocating for birth Supportive expat community Nausea/Vomiting in labor Unplanned cesarean Processing and grieving unmet birth expectations. Planning for further VBAC

In this episode, Alex joins us to share her story of navigating pregnancy and birth in her first 13 months of living abroad. She shares about figuring out a new medical system, inducing labor, leaning on a newly formed community to care for her older son, being unable to get an epidural, and much more! She also shares about her Facebook community for parents of TCKs 0-5 years and her upcoming services to offer fertility awareness coaching and education for families serving cross-culturally.

Isabell joins us to share her story. She shares about her experience beginning her pregnancy Togo, then going to the U.S. due to side effects of malaria prophylaxis, and ending her pregnancy in France. Through all of the change, she has a beautiful vaginal birth.

In this episode Denise, from It's Tea Time Somewhere podcast, joins us to share how her family's story of loss, stillbirth, and two high risk pregnancies before moving overseas impacted their three pregnancies between Indonesia and Malaysia. She shares the wisdom she has gleaned from navigating birth multiple times abroad and how she strives to support others.

In this episode Jamie shares three birth stories from Belarus. We discuss: universal v private healthcare, c-sections, VBACs, moving internationally while pregnant, transverse position, leaning on the expat community, postpartum depression, and navigating testing after a prenatal marker for Down Syndrome.

Ansley joins us to share her birth story from Central Asia. In this episode we talk about: being RH negative, placental abruption, emergency c-section, the NICU, exclusively pumping, postpartum infection, postpartum depression, and God's faithfulness through it all.

Join us as Jessica tells her birth story after the death of her little boy. She explains how her original hope for a home birth ended in a planned hospital birth in Panama City after multiple provider changes during pregnancy. She also shares how this pregnancy/birth intertwined with the grief of losing their son.

Iris joins us to share two home-birth stories. The first is a home-birth in Nigeria with visiting midwives and a subsequent medical evacuation to South Africa when their daughter was experiencing respiratory distress. The second birth is at the beginning of the pandemic in Canada with local midwives.

In this episode I discuss a recent online survey I conducted and where I hope to go from here.