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In this episode, Hayley shares her experience with a traumatic first birth in the hospital followed by two redeeming births. Even though she chose midwifery and an unmedicated approach from the beginning, she learned that all midwives are not created equal and found herself switching practitioners at 33 weeks pregnant. Themes in her first pregnancy include high blood pressure and white coat syndrome, talk of big baby and other scare tactics, induction, anxiety, serial ultrasounds, coached pushing with an epidural, and fear in pregnancy.
After her first experience, Hayley learned everything she could about birth and went on to experience empowering second and third births at a freestanding birth center. Hayley's journey highlights the importance of knowing her options, advocating for herself, informed consent, emotional processing, and human connection in pregnancy. She talks about the stark differences in prenatal care between the hospital and birth center settings and how her redemptive experiences gave her a renewed sense of confidence in motherhood.
You can find Hayley on IG @hayley.felch -
Marissa Anderson's redeeming twin birth is nothing short of miraculous. After retaining rightful custody of her son who the government medically kidnapped (the saga discussed in part 1), Marissa and her family had a LOT of healing to do.
In this episode, she shares how she finally got her baby healthy, worked through her traumatic past, helped create a documentary about her case, and decided to continue expanding her family. Marissa's faith and intentionality played a significant role as she prepared her body for her next pregnancy and navigated her state laws while searching for the right midwife who would support her twin home birth. This conversation highlights the importance of advocacy, research, autonomy, and trusting her God-given instincts during labor and birth which ultimately resulted in a hospital transfer and C-section that saved her daughter's life. Marissa's journey is filled with gratitude, proving that even the darkest circumstances can be healed and redeemed in ways beyond our wildest imagination.
You can find Marissa on IG @marissachavoya_anderson -
Puuttuva jakso?
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Marissa Anderson is a doula and mom of three, including twin babies. After a smooth pregnancy and birth at a birth center, her family's story made national news.
Marissa sought appropriate medical care for baby Cyrus when he was 10 months old, and in a wild turn of events, he was unjustly and without evidence taken into custody by the state of Idaho. Multiple members of Marissa's family were arrested, and the incident was live-streamed on Facebook. Support from the public and morally convicted insiders at both the hospital and CPS eventually led to all charges being dropped and baby Cyrus being returned to Marissa and her family.
In part one of this gripping conversation, Marissa shares her harrowing experience with the police, Child Protective Services (CPS), and the overwhelming fear and emotional turmoil she faced during this traumatic ordeal. Marissa's determination to fight for her child's well-being, coupled with the support of her community, showcases the resilience of a mother navigating a corrupt and broken system.
Stay tuned for part 2 - Marissa's redeeming twin birth story!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Family-Centered Legal representation with a 24/7 hotline: https://heritagedefense.org/
Freedom Man Press: Freedomman.gs
These Little Ones Documentary: https://rumble.com/v1ef8w5-these-little-ones.html -
Dr. Stuart Fischbein is a community-based obstetrician and an Associate of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology. He is the author of the book “Fearless Pregnancy, Wisdom & Reassurance from a Doctor, A Midwife and A Mom” and peer-reviewed papers Homebirth with an Obstetrician, A Series of 135 Out of Hospital Births and Breech Birth at Home: outcomes of 60 breech and 109 cephalic planned home and birth center births. Dr. Stu is also the co-author of a pre-print Twin Homebirth paper. After completing his residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Stu spent 24 years assisting women with hospital birthing and, for the next 12+ years, was a homebirth obstetrician who worked directly with midwives. Since retiring from attending home births in 2022, Dr. Stu has turned his focus to traveling around the world as a lecturer and advocate for reteaching breech & twin birth skills, respect for the normalcy of birth and honoring informed consent. He hosts a weekly podcast with co-host Blyss Young and together they offer hope, reassurance and safe, honest evidence-supported choices for those women who understand pregnancy is a normal bodily function not to be feared.
In this episode, we explore:
-What got Dr. Stu started in medicine and why he chose obstetrics
-How to help shift the medical model's hierarchical power dynamics to be more focused on moms
-C-section rates and mother/infant outcomes compared to 50 years ago
-What led Dr. Stu into the midwifery model of care and what prompted him to start supporting home births
-Why the term "standard of care" is misleading
-Where is the line between high and low risk, and how does Dr. Stu define high risk
-Statistics of VBAC uterine rupture
-Advice for families deciding where to give birth
Follow him on Instagram @birthinginstincts. His websites are www.birthinginstincts.com & www.birthinginstinctspodcast.com -
Jamie’s journey is nothing short of miraculous. After being told by doctors that she might never have children due to her extensive medical history, she found hope and healing at a holistic retreat in Michigan. This pivotal experience not only alleviated her chronic pain but also transformed her outlook on health and shifted her career path from medical school to holistic health. As Jamie shares her story, we learn about the profound impact these experiences had on her life choices, particularly in her journey to motherhood.
Jamie’s personal narrative underscores the importance of self-advocacy. From her home birth to preparing for her second pregnancy with spiritual intention to managing a twin pregnancy with meticulous care, her insights offer valuable lessons for expectant mothers. We discuss the complexities of labor, the emotional highs and lows, and the significance of creating a supportive birthing environment. Jamie's candid reflections remind us of the balance between medical interventions and personal instincts during pregnancy and childbirth.
Join us as we explore the profound, spiritual, and sometimes unexpected journey of childbirth through Jamie’s eyes, celebrating the resilience and strength of motherhood.
On Instagram you can find:
-Jamie Raisleger @triumphant_birth
-Dr. Stuart Fischbein @birthinginstincts
-Midwife Blyss Young @birthingblyss -
Kristine Lauria is an international treasure and an absolute legend in the birth world. As a midwife for 36 years, she's attended over 5,000 births in at least 25 countries including hundreds of vaginal breeches and twins. Kristine uses most of her time working with MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and teaching for Breech Without Borders, a nonprofit organization dedicated to breech education, training, and advocacy.
In this episode, we explore:
-Her origin story and what inspired her to be a midwife
-How her mother's births impacted her
-The challenges of supporting vaginal birth in low-resourced settings in her work with MSF (Doctors without Borders)
-The problem with the perception of obstetrical risk in the United States
-One of her biggest triumphs in the field: building rapport through postpartum psychosis and a language barrier in Sierra Leone
-Staying grounded and present in challenging situations and maintaining nervous system resilience
-The birth of her own son in Guatemala
-Her biggest fear, living life to the fullest, and honoring the preciousness of life
You can find Kristine via:
-Instagram @globalmidwife
-Her blog https://midwifewithoutboundaries.wordpress.com/
-Breech Without Borders: https://www.breechwithoutborders.org/ -
Triumphant Birth with Jamie Raisleger explores the transformative power of healing through childbirth. Join us as we delve into the options, receive guest expert wisdom, and hear inspiring stories that pave the way for healing and wholeness throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond. In a culture where birth is often viewed with fear, we aim to shift the narrative by showcasing pregnancy and birth as opportunities for personal growth, enhanced experiences, and generational healing.
Whether the journey is smooth sailing or filled with unexpected challenges, this podcast offers a supportive space for birth workers and individuals navigating their profound realities in the childbearing season of life. Tune in to the Triumphant Birth podcast and embark on a journey toward empowerment, resilience, and triumph. Your babies' babies' babies will thank you!
