Episódios
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When Nathalie got married in her 20s, she and her husband were set on a life without children. They had met in an ashram in India, studying Vedanta philosophy, and were of the view that parenthood was a distraction from the spiritual path. But some years into their marriage, Nathalie developed a growing, undeniable urge to become a Mother.
With her biological clock ticking, and a marriage where needs were no longer aligned, Nathalie and her husband separated. He returned to NZ, and she went on a wild journey of self discovery, delving into the more feminine aspects of her nature, and doing her all to call in the man who would father her children.
As I talk to Nathalie today, her boy Sage, now 7 weeks old, is being cared for by his Dad, Ivan, in their LA apartment. She shares with me about the challenges she faced, and preparations she undertook, to achieve a positive and rewarding birth experience. Find out how her childless ex-husband came to be the one who enthusiastically encouraged Nathalie to explore home birth, and suggested that she contact me for guidance around achieving that. It’s quite the story!
Also discussed in this episode:
* Breast reduction surgery and its impact on milk production
* Donor milk, low supply, supplemental nursing system, triple feeding
* Home birth obstetrician
* Fears of going post-dates. ‘The labor salad’ & castor oil smoothie
* Chinese medicine - Nathalie is an acupuncturist
* Denial/suppression of feminine aspects of self - healing the guilt and shame of being a woman
* Dr Sarah Buckley’s work
* Bed-sharing
* Positive impacts of home birth on postpartum
Nathalie worked with me (Carla) via both my 1:1 and Group Soulful Birth (holistic birth and postpartum preparation) options. For more information on these, head to this webpage: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep
Check out Nathalie’s work here: https://nathalievitality.com/
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For someone who, like so many out there, had been under the illusion that their hideous cesarean births were ‘just the way birth was’ and not justifiably classified as traumatic, Kiki, having just birthed her third baby at home, has quite the story to tell! She and her husband, Adam, share about initially being under the veil of disempowering conditioning, and the journey they went on to achieve an undisturbed home birth just 6 weeks ago.
Kiki’s is a powerful story of courage and self-determination. The system had her labelled as ‘high risk’ due to multiple factors that Kiki came to see were not based on good evidence, didn’t align with what she instinctively knew, and were tools in the patriarchal birth machine, designed to keep her scared and under the control of the system. Once she learnt that she was rightfully the one behind the steering wheel, Kiki stood in her power and readied herself for the birth that she and her baby needed and deserved.
I had the honour of being a part of Kiki’s pregnancy journey, helping her to learn the truth about her earlier births, and sourcing the tools, understandings and wise woman sisterhood that she needed in order to take radical responsibility for the way her birth would unfold. At almost 39 weeks of pregnancy, her midwife dropped her, afraid of Kiki’s uncompromising approach to planning her birth. This turned out to be an absolute blessing, opening the door for some incredible midwives to rally around Kiki, supporting her right to birth her way.
Kiki now seeks to pay it forward. She has found her voice and has a fire in her belly, and she’s determined to do all she can to tear down the patriarchal structures that keep birthing women from accessing their power in the wondrous rite of passage that birth is.
Also discussed in this episode:
* NFP ‘The Village NZ’
* Australian maternity system - no continuity of care
* Artificial rupture of membranes - meconium
* Syntocinon augmentation
* Epidural
* Crash c section under GA
* Lack of initial bond with baby
* Gestational diabetes
* Inaccurate ultrasound scans
* ‘Advanced maternal age’ (41 years)
* VBAC
* Detailed birth plans
* Responsibilities
* Soulful Birth course
* Freebirth
* Doula
* ‘Unravelling Your Trauma’ session with Healing Birth Practitioner trainee
* Born at Home and Birth Time films
* Sibling at birth
Join the Wise Women Network NZ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/538842372367843
Check out The Village NZ: https://thevillagenz.org/
Contact Michelle if you’re a birth worker who is interested in becoming a part of the ‘Authentic Midwifery - Wise Women Collective’ - email her on [email protected]. Or connect with her via her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleandIzzy
Join my (Carla’s) Soulful Birth course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulfulbirthgroup
Look into my Healing Birth Practitioner Training: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training
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Estão a faltar episódios?
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Nell was one of a number of wonderful, and sorely needed, home birth midwives who was mandated out of her job when the Covid epidemic swept the world. When she was legally allowed to re-enter her profession, she chose not to, instead asking the Midwifery Council to remove her from the register altogether.
Nell had not lost her passion for supporting women to birth their babies, their way, but she had lost trust in the professional midwifery bodies to enable her to work as a midwife, in the truest sense of the word. Instead, Nell became a sovereign birth keeper, perhaps better known as a doula, and focuses on working with families who are seeking out home birth or free birth.
In this podcast episode we are two friends, two former midwives, two women who know that birth belongs with women, and that true midwifery is an endangered profession, discussing the in-and-outs of what this all means.
Also discussed in this episode:
* NZ maternity care model
* what is ‘true midwifery’?
* impacts of Covid lockdowns and mandates on birthing families
* doula support for partners at birth
* mind-body connection - impacts of birth place and birth companions
Check out Nell’s website: https://nurturingmamas.co.nz/
Or follow Nell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nurturing_mamas22
And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nurturingmamasnz
Check out my (Carla’s) webpage on Healing Birth Practitioner Training: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training
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Clancy is an Australian based birth worker and mother of three. Although she had planned to birth her first baby at home, instead she ended up with a traumatic hospital birth experience.
In this podcast episode Clancy shares with us the terrain she has traversed in the 8 ½ years since Louie’s birth, including an early loss experience followed by a four years long journey to conceive her next baby. She talks about the solo bush retreat she went on for 4 nights with just water and a tarp, a life-changing ceremonial undertaking that enabled her to drop into full trust when she became pregnant again. This time she had a wild pregnancy and free birth, an incredibly healing experience despite the fact that Clancy was really sick when she went into labour! And it was not to be her last birth either… she found herself unexpectedly pregnant when Opal was 9 months old.
Clancy also shares about her doula work and why she no longer attends births within the system, as well as the role she plays in supporting others to heal after a traumatic birth. I’d been looking forward to talking with Clancy for some time, and now I’m excited to get to share her story and her wisdom with you.
Also discussed:
unhelpful 'optimal positioning' focus PROM, ARM, posterior baby 'good girl' impacts obstetric violence forceps & episiotomy postpartum incontinence prophylactic antibiotics for baby early birth/miscarriage conception struggles slow birth of placenta doula training birthing physiology & what interferes with it (causing unnecessary trauma) Healing a bad second degree tear naturallyFollow Clancy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womancraftway/
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This podcast episode is such a potent mix of deep trauma, powerlessness, hope, faith, determination and sisterhood. Chaya carries us through the births of her seven children, starting with the cesarean birth of her twins and ending with the free birth of her newest baby, just a few weeks ago.
Among her sharing are stories of placental abruption and stillbirth, breech presentation, postpartum haemorrhage, unconsented to sedation, threats of labelling Chaya as psychotic as a means of forcing her to go to hospital, which I’ll just add at this point, she is not just perfectly sane in an insane world of traumatising birth ‘care’ (read control), she herself is a practising psychologist… and it gets worse, at the end of her most recent pregnancy she was forced into hiding from the police since there was a hearing underway where the authorities were attempting to make her give birth via cesarean. Of course there was no legal basis for the court hearing since it is a basic human right to choose what medical interventions we do or don’t have in birth, and ultimately Chaya’s case was won in the supreme court.
Needless to say, it was a remarkable feat for Chaya to welcome her baby gently and peacefully with a couple of women friends at her side and without an ounce of medical interference during the birth process… a free birth, the most liberating of experiences, after four previous cesareans.
Also discussed in this episode:
* ECV for breech twin pregnancy
* 42 - 43 week long pregnancies
* Pregnancy with an IUD in place
* Faith as an orthodox Jew
* Birthing in the US and Israel
* Meconium
* PPH at free birth
* Dismissed signs of PET by doctors
* Blood loss following SROM at home
* Loss of sense of safety in the world
* Rising maternal mortality rates, particularly for women of colour
* Separation from children at end of pregnancy
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Alexa’s six year old daughter was born in the water under the big Oak tree, just as she’d seen in her dream. This loving, gentle and oh so powerful free birth experience added further fuel to the fiery passion that Alexa held for working with the divine wisdom of birth.
In this heart-fuelled podcast episode, Alexa shares with us her path to becoming a birth doula and much of the philosophy surrounding the ways she navigates this role. She also talks about the birth trauma support she offers and the part that birth photography (another of Alexa’s skill sets) can play in honouring the transition into Motherhood.
Also discussed in this episode:
* midwifery practice
* mastitis
* breast abscess
* birth photography
* free birth
* waterbirth
* Healing Birth Practitioner Training
* birth trauma
Follow Alexa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexa.doula/
Check out her website: https://www.alexadoulaphotography.co.nz/
Find out more about my (Carla’s) Healing Birth Practitioner Training course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training
Follow my work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/
Check out the Healing Birth YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth
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This podcast episode with Sarah is one of the most powerful stories of trauma, resiliency, courage, vulnerability and healing that has ever been shared with me… and over the years I have been privy to hundreds of stories of traumatic birth and healing. I feel it’s important to forewarn my podcast listeners of the, what will be for many, hugely confronting topics that we discuss in this episode, including rape and sexual abuse, suicide, cancer, early pregnancy loss, extreme postnatal depression, suicidal ideation, a near-death experience of early postpartum septicaemia, and complex PTSD.
Please take a moment to tune into your mind, heart and body to ascertain whether you are in an okay space to be taking in this conversation right now. If not, honour your current needs and come back to this episode if and when you feel ready to do so. Should you decide to listen and find that the themes trigger your own trauma responses please contact a trusted friend, therapist or local support service to garner the help that you are needing.
Sarah is a mum to two children, aged 2 and 4. She is a survivor of adolescent sexual abuse, and cancer, as well as having dealt with the trauma of losing both her parents by 13 years of age. In this podcast episode she talks through the coping strategies she adopted, including fawning, numbing and dissociation, and how these impacted her birth and postpartum experiences. Sarah wants to share her story so that others won’t feel so alone in their traumatic experiences of new parenthood. In her sharing, she offers guidance, hope and inspiration to those who may be feeling a sense of hopelessness surrounding the hardships that life, birth and new parenthood can sometimes bring. She is an absolute heroine and is courageous beyond measure.
Other topics discussed include:
* Ectopic pregnancy
* PCOS
* Hypnobirthing
* Artificial rupture of membranes
* Rebozo
* Epidural
* Isolation and loneliness in postpartum
* Workaholic tendencies & people pleasing as a trauma response
* Milk oversupply
* Sleep deprivation
* Father - anxiety attacks, depression and medication
* Covid impacts on postpartum and pregnancy
* Hypervigilance
* Postpartum suicidal ideation
* PND
* Pelvic floor physio
* Amazing doula support
* Home birth
* 42+6 week pregnancy
* Influence of VEs on mindset
* Melanoma surgery and treatment
* ACC sensitive claim - therapy for cPTSD
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Hannah, a mother to two daughters aged 3 and 6 months, joins me on the podcast from her rural home, a yurt, in a remote part of Northland here in Aotearoa. Her story is in equal parts, unsettling and inspiring.
She began her journey into motherhood with full trust that birth, as a healthy part of life, would happen naturally. But Hannah learnt the hard way that relying on the guidance of a midwife whose philosophy was a misalignment for her own, was not going to allow her to feel safe enough to get on and birth her baby. Instead, she ended up being flown by helicopter to Whangārei Hospital where she and her baby would meet via cesarean section.
Hannah shares with us the crucial self-connection work that she did to heal her birth trauma, and the journey she took to prepare herself for her next pregnancy and birth. The story of the birth of her second baby was wildly different to her first. Hannah chose to have no medical or midwifery input into her pregnancy or birth, instead leaning on the support of her wise-woman sisters who would regularly sit in circle together.
We take a deep dive in this podcast episode, so she’s a bit of a lengthy one. I can guarantee though, that you’re going to want to listen until the end with its taste of nourishing sweet redemption.
Also discussed in this episode:
* Interventions related to prolonged rupture of membranes
* Coached pushing
* Syntocinon (Pitocin) use without consent
* Dissociation
* Emotional release for baby’s healing
* Support circle for women (preconception - birth - Motherhood)
* Child/sibling at the birth
Connect with Hannah via her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/wild_flower_nz/
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Gwen lives in Washington State USA after travelling the US for the past year in their RV and before that living in Australia, the place where she birthed her three babies who are now 1, 5 and 6 years old.
She has an honours undergraduate degree in Sociology, Masters in Teaching and she is certified by the International Coaching Federation as a Spiritual Psychology Coach and trauma specialist. Gwen is founder of her business Connecting Consciously Collective and is very passionate about supporting mothers to fully step into their power and create their intuitive desires.
She had two very traumatic birth experiences herself which was the catalyst to her doing her inner work and learning about the subconscious mind and manifestation. Using this knowledge, Gwen was able to manifest the empowered birth she desired and have a healthy baby and healing birth experience - one that doctors had told her she should abort due to ‘high risk’. Now, she is able to coach women from around the world on how they too can harness this power and have the empowered birth experience they desire.
Also discussed in this episode:
* Hypnobirthing
* Pre-labour & premature rupture of membranes (PROM)
* Induction of labour
* Failure to progress leading to emergency cesarean
* Elective repeat cesarean
* Dissociation
* Newborn apnoeas - near death experience at 4 weeks old
* How traumatic experiences can serve us
* Miscarriage - cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (baby growing into lining of uterus)
* D & C - large haemorrhage
* Healing the red line (maternal lineage)
* Uterine infection
* Subconscious reprogramming - shifting beliefs
* Advised against having anymore children
* Abortion recommended due to risk of placenta accreta
* Lotus cesarean
Check out Gwen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/connectingconsciously.co/
Email her: [email protected]
Book a call with Gwen: https://calendly.com/connectingconsciouslycollective/30min
Watch Gwen's YouTube video: Create the birth you desire (youtube.com)
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Ella, a home-birthed, surprise breech baby herself, knew, before she was even pregnant, that she would be having an unassisted birth at home. In this podcast episode she shares with us the explorations she did before and during her pregnancy, including attending Radical Birth Keepers School, conversations with her man about “what if our baby dies?”, the decision to hire a virtual doula, and conversing with her baby when unsure about his quietness, in terms of movements.
Just shy of 42 weeks pregnant, Ella’s labour began. I love how she depicts the story of her son’s birth as being so utterly normal, hard, for sure, but also really quite uneventful. We talk about whether this may have been the inroad to a very easeful breastfeeding experience with not even a hint of nipple damage.
Ella now runs a monthly Free Birth Circle for women who are planning a free birth themselves. If you’re inspired by her story and want to learn more, get in touch with her via her website or Instagram links below.
Other things we discuss on the episode:
* Free birth preparation
* Radical Birth Keepers School
* Free Birth Society podcast
* Questionable safety of pregnancy ultrasounds
* Tests for Downs Syndrome
* Irregular contractions throughout labour
* Self vaginal checks in labour
* Water birth
* Cord burning ceremony
* Tongue tie
Ella's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/earth.mama.wellbeing/
Ella's website: https://www.earthmamawellbeing.com/
Get your hands on a copy of my (Carla's) book which includes the story of Ella's own birth - a surprise breech birth at home: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/mybook
Follow my work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/
Check out the Healing Birth YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth
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I first met Elvisa when, pregnant with her second child, she joined my online Soulful Birth course. Although she had planned to birth her first baby at home, she said she wasn’t mentally prepared and decided to transfer to hospital for an epidural. The birth of her first baby resulted in a big tear, and breastfeeding struggles and PND ensued.
In describing her experience, Elvisa says that the birth itself wasn’t traumatic for her, but rather it was the transition to motherhood that she grappled with. In this podcast episode Elvisa shares with us the ways she overcame her depression and things she did to set herself up for an empowering and positive next birth and postpartum.
Her newest baby, Wiremu, was born in the water at home, with Elvisa being cared for by wonderful wise women midwives. Enjoy listening to the challenges she faced and how she rose above them.
Other topics discussed:
* Hapū Wānanga
* Long early phase of labour
* Trails & Tots - walking group for mums
* Importance of physical activity and nature for mental wellbeing
* Being a career-driven woman
* Stay at home dad; working (from home) mum
* Early shift to bottle feeding for mental wellbeing
* Navigating cultural differences with a Filipino mother
If you are interested in finding out more about my (Carla's) Soulful Birth course - a holistic birth & postpartum preparation series held online - head to this webpage: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep
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In today’s episode I interview Olivia about her two very different birth stories that, in some key ways, looked set to head down the same path. It’s hard to fathom how she maintained the self determination and belief that she could birth vaginally with her second when, like her first birth, which was a cesarean, Olivia’s second baby remained very high, not seemingly keen or able to drop into her pelvis, and she was in early labour for many, many days with very little sleep.
Olivia’s story of the birth of her second baby is a powerful example of how beautifully designed we are for birth, despite what our modern birth culture would have us believe. And I love the reflection that she provides near the end of our talk when Olivia says, “When you let go and allow your body to take over, magic happens.”
Also discussed in this episode:
* Hypnobirthing
* Doula care
* Women’s Health Physio
* Osteopathy
* S&S and induction of labour
* Acupuncture in pregnancy
* Reduced baby movements
* Fears of stillbirth
* Mental health struggles in pregnancy
* High head - lack of engagement - Miles Circuit
* Labial abscess
* CPD - Cephalopelvic Disproportion
* Positive elective cesarean experience
* Hind leak
* Prolonged early labour
* 3rd degree tear
* Spinning babies
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Today I dive into a passionate conversation with UK-based Shellie, aka The Serenity Doula. Shellie caught my attention with the Instagram reels she creates, depicting some of the many ways birthing women’s bodies and rights are undermined, and challenging a lot of mainstream narratives and maternity system practices that contribute to so much unnecessary birth trauma.
We talk through the importance of understanding and respecting birthing physiology, something Shellie has a very in-depth knowledge of, about the impacts of birth place and birth companions, about informed consent in birth care (or more accurately, the lack thereof), about advocacy, about doulas, and about induction of labour.
Throughout our conversation Shellie’s heart-led approach to her work as a doula shines though. She is a rare gem and a true gift to the birthing world.
Also covered in this episode:
* the drive to be a doula
* freebirth
* birth trauma enquiry in UK
* holistic healthcare vs allopathic medicine
* abusive ‘care’ within the system
* the ‘self work’ of preparing for a physiological birth
Follow Shellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/
Check out Shellie's Website: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/
Join the Home Birth Support Group UK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/homebirthsupportuk
Check out the Physiological Birth Club clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/house/physiological-birth-club
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Rural living saw Chloe choose a sight unseen birth centre as her birth place and she anticipated she’d do just fine, like the thousands of animals she and her man had seen giving birth on the farm. A hideous car ride during labour to what turned out to be an incredibly unappealing birth space, followed by a lack of attentive support and meconium in the waters, meant that Chloe ended up being transferred to hospital… by helicopter and without her man or midwife by her side. What is more, she was terrified of heights. Her girl was born via a ventouse delivery which also involved an unconsented to episiotomy.
Chloe has yet to experience giving birth again since the traumatic birth of her daughter 2 ½ years ago. Unlike the podcast episodes you’re used to around here, this one doesn’t share a positive and empowering story of birth. Instead, Chloe and I delve into the healing journey she has embarked on in the wake of her traumatic birth and all that she has done and continues to do to prepare herself for the conscious conception of her next babe.
We talk about tracking menstrual cycles, women’s circles, discovering spirituality, nature-based rituals and celebrations, and so much more. Enjoy the journey that Chloe takes us on.
Also discussed in this episode:
* working with a Healing Birth Practitioner trainee
* becoming a Healing Birth practitioner
* painful postpartum sex
* paganism and witchcraft
* home birth
* contraceptive pill for heavy, painful periods as a teen
To find out about Carla's Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training
To follow Carla's work on Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/
To follow Chloe on Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimingherpower/
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Today’s episode is a bit of a different one and quite possibly my favourite interview to date. Tessa gave birth to her first baby just 4 months ago. I met her during her pregnancy when she did my Soulful Birth course and then she also went on to do my Healing Birth Practitioner Training in the final months before she gave birth. Tessa shares with us the path she walked to prepare herself for a truly wonderful home birth experience, with just her man, her doula and her friend present for support.
If, as you listen to Tessa’s story, you feel inspired to either join my Soulful Birth course or train with me to become a certified Healing Birth practitioner, be sure to click on the relevant link at the bottom of the show notes. Both courses are run multiple times throughout the year so it doesn’t matter when you are tuning into this episode there’s bound to be a course offered in the not-too-distant future.
But for now, let me grace your ears with this beautifully inspiring story of courage, trust, wisdom and growth, and oodles of delicious love.
Also discussed:
* medical trauma related to pandemic
* tuning into and trusting her intuition
* contemplating the potential for death in birth
* taking responsibility for the things that are within our control regarding birth
* partner’s role in free birth
* unpacking of conditioned fears surrounding birth
* guided meditations, journaling, somatic tools
* vulnerability of first latching baby at breast
* managing visitors in early postpartum
* vaginal tear - supporting the natural healing process
You can follow Tessa on her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/tessaleighpitt/Information on my (Carla's) group Soulful Birth course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulfulbirthgroup And on my 1:1 Soulful Birth For You offerings: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulfulbirthforyou
More information on my Healing Birth Practitioner Training course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training
Check out other content I have created on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/
Tessa's doula, Alexa (who has also done my Healing Birth Practitioner Training), is based in Hastings NZ. Here's her website: https://www.alexadoulaphotography.co.nz/
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Abi is Mum to 4 year old Bill, 2 year old Freya, and 8 week old Ida, living on their rural property 2.5 hours drive from the nearest hospital. Her first two births were medical affairs, involving epidurals, induction and a large postpartum haemorrhage. Her most recent birth, however, was a gentle water birth experience at home, an utterly ordinary, yet simultaneously extraordinary occasion.
Abi shares with us the journey she went on to confidently prepare for a rural home birth, and the buzz of ordinary delights like climbing into bed together as a family after a wondrous birth at day break.
Also discussed in this episode:
Meconium stained liquor Lack of initial mother-baby bond Tongue tie Milk oversupply Hypnobirthing The Freya app Breech at 36 - 38wks TENS Sibling involvement with birth Retained membranesLearn about Carla's Soulful Birth course here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep
Listen to Carla talk about birth and birth trauma related topics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth
Follow Carla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/
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Pregnant with her first baby in Australia, Grace did her doula training and was planning a gentle home birth. She had an epic support team who she fully trusted, but then at 36 weeks of pregnancy Grace had to make the excruciating call to move to NZ for her partner’s work.
Aside from the struggles with leaving behind her wonderful home birth midwife and having to find a new match, Grace was also met with a few other challenges during her labour, the key one being a swollen lip of cervix and having the near impossible instruction to stop pushing. Not long thereafter, Grace succumbed to a hospital transfer, followed by an epidural and then a c section.
The biggest struggle was yet to be faced though. It makes heartbreaking listening, hearing Grace describe the trauma she was met with as a new mum dealing with a low milk supply, a lack of bond with her baby, and isolation during Covid lockdowns in a town where she knew no one. Being advised that her baby required a formula top-up at 3 days of age, culminated in massive breastfeeding hurdles for the next five months.
Her next birth was an entirely different experience, as was her breastfeeding journey. Hear how Grace navigated her healing and prepared for an empowering home birth.
Also included in this episode:
* stretch & sweep
* 42+ week pregnancy
* deflexed head
* triple feeding (pumping)
* nipple shields
* doula care
* PPH
* birth debrief
Visit Grace's website to learn more about her work: https://www.modernvillage.co.nz/
Follow her work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modern.village/
Find out about my (Carla's) Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training
Did you know I now have a Healing Birth YouTube channel. Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth
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Donna takes us on quite the journey, vulnerably sharing the stories of her two very different birth experiences. Her first birth was a harrowing time, fraught with abandonment, labouring in a motel room, meconium stained waters, a terrifying hospital transfer, exhaustion, a delayed epidural, and then finally culminating in a cesarean section. In stark contrast, Donna’s second was an incredibly empowering, healing and triumphant water birth at home.
It’s quite something to imagine Donna having gone from the devastating fall-out of her first birth, including a deep sense of failure and confusion surrounding it all, PTSD and relationship struggles, to feeling strong in her conviction that she could, and would, birth her next baby at home. She shares with us the various supports and tools she utilised to begin healing and to ready herself to fully embrace her power and wisdom as a Mother and as a birthing woman.
Also included in this episode:
* Unsupportive vs supportive and respectful midwifery care
* TENS
* Doula support
* Hypnobirthing
* Posterior baby
* Complications with living rurally
* Inability to communicate or think during labour
* Counselling support
* NZ College of Midwives Resolutions process
* Miscarriage
* VBAC course
Donna forgot to mention in her story that she found Havening a really helpful therapeutic tool for managing her PTSD symptoms.
My (Carla's) Healing Birth work...
Donna had a 1:1 Unravelling Your Trauma session with me. For more information on these and other healing services I offer, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing
And the Soulful Birth course that Donna participated in is an 8 weeks long holistic birth and postpartum preparation course that is held online. I also now offer personalised 1:1 Soulful Birth For You options (which include a gorgeous journal that I have created). To find out more about both of these services, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep
You can also access a lot of free information and guidance from me via my new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth
Donna's doula was Lily. You can connect with Lily via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilythedoula/
The Havening therapy that Donna found really helpful was with Robin Youngson: https://neuroscienceofhealing.com/
Donna also had wonderful acupuncture support from Anna-Lena Tews in Hamilton, NZ: https://altews-midwifery.com/
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In this episode I speak with Aroha and her partner, Tihikura, about the home births of their two children, 5 year old Te Rangimoeke and 4 month old Rangiāniwaniwa. We hear about the challenges of having a long labour, including the influence of other people and their energies within the birth space, as well as a sense of abandonment when labour dragged on.
Within the conversation, a lot of Māori words and practices are shared. I have included many of the words and their definitions in the shownotes, so hopefully you don’t feel too lost with the various elements of the experiences that Aroha and Tihikura describe. It brings such a unique and spiritual approach to the telling of their story and to honouring birth as the rite of passage that it is.
We cover many moving and important themes, such as the impacts of midwifery interference in birth and the healing that can come through the debriefing process, super supportive postpartum preparations, the influence of children and siblings at births, Māori-based antenatal education, unhelpful expectations and predictions when it comes to birth, and so much more.
Tikanga - customs, practices
Whare - house
Whenua - placenta and land
Kainga - home
Tamariki - children
Whanaunga - relatives
Tangi - cry and funeral
Hapū - pregnancy
Kōtiro - girl
Harakeke - flax
Mahitahi - working together
Atua - gods and goddesses
Wairua - spirit
Tipuna - ancestors
Wharepaku - toilet
Tangaroa - god of the sea and fish
Rangatiratanga - chieftainship, self-determination, sovereignty
and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hapuwanangaContact Aroha via email: [email protected]
If you're interested in my (Carla's) Soulful Birth online antenatal series, click here for more details: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep
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Today’s guest, Sarah, vulnerably shares about the various struggles and traumas associated with her Mothering journey, including horrific Hyperemesis in her first pregnancy, numerous ultrasound scans which involved a lot of professional misconduct and needless fear mongering, being medicated for perinatal depression, feeling completely disconnected from her baby girl, amongst other medically managed challenges.
She talks us through the grief and rage that resulted from her first birth and how she chose to navigate her next pregnancy. Sarah was faced with further systemic challenges nearing the end of that pregnancy, but ultimately decided that birthing at home with a trusted midwife was the best path for her.
Be prepared to be taken on an emotional ride as Sarah tells her story with much passion and heart.
Also discussed in this episode:
* Group B Strep - antibiotics
* Induction & epidural
* Breastfeeding challenges - torticollis & tongue tie
* Growth scans - SGA/IUGR babies
* Different types of midwifery care
* Postpartum rage
* Postnatal depression in fathers
* Psychotherapy
* Marginal cord insertion & velamentous cord insertion
* Waterbirth
To check out my (Carla's) 1:1 birth trauma support offerings visit this link: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing
To follow my work on Instagram, head here: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/
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