Being A Birth Nerd and Trusting The Process with Katie & Chris McGrath
In this episode we chat with mom-to-be Katie about her journey to home birth, and the days ahead. At 39 weeks pregnant, she’s prepped and ready for birth day!
And this episode has a surprise special guest - Katie’s husband Chris! He joins us for the call, a first for the show. We were super excited to hear from him and get his perspective on the whole process.
Both were heavily influenced by The Business of Being Born, and knew they wanted to have labor and birth be on their own terms.
A self-described “birth nerd,” Katie loves to dive into researcher mode. Their pregnancy was no exception. They searched their options for a local midwife and never looked back.
Katie and Chris feel like old friends to us. The conversation was effortless, fun, light and empowering. They set a great example for doing what feels best to them and creating a loving, welcoming space for baby to enter into. We can’t wait to chat with them once baby is earthside!
Links From The Episode:
The Business Of Being Born
Offers From Our Awesome Partners:
Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order
More From Doing It At Home:
Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU
DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC
DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome
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33:22
"Birth Is Not Pain, Birth Is Power!" with Megan Kibling
In this episode we're talking with Megan Kibling as she shares her empowering home birth story with us.
Megan is 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://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order
More From Doing It At Home:
Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU
DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC
DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome
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50:42
Thinking About Hiring A Photographer For Your Home Birth? An Interview With Birth Photographer Christina Benton
In this episode we're talking with Christina Benton - birth photographer, birth and postpartum doula, mom and wife. Christina shares her beautiful home birth and hospital birth stories, from behind the lens, and she shares why moms and families should highly consider hiring a photographer for their homebirth.
This is a first for the Doing It At Home Podcast: an interview with a birth photographer! We were very excited to chat with Christina Benton, a doula and birth photographer. For starters, we didn’t have a formal birth photographer. If you’ve listened to our birth story you know that most of our birth team came equipped with their camera phones, which we are extremely grateful for, however it meant a bunch of lights and phones up in my business at different points in time, and the pictures themselves are scattered in their composition and quality. We weren’t really aware of birth photography and its value until after the experience.
So chatting with Christina was as much for us and it is for our listeners, quite frankly. Because we were taking our own notes for the future!
Christina is a birth and postpartum doula and over the last 8 months she has extended her birth work into the realm of photography.
The first thing that struck us about Christina’s images is just how real and raw they are. They capture the sacredness and beauty of the births in such an authentic way.
Christina shares with us her journey into birth work, some stories of some memorable births that she has photographed and advice for how to research and select your birth photographer.
We asked Christina why someone should hire a birth photographer, what’s the value in it?
Her response, “Because every woman deserves to see herself like that - the moment you meet your baby for the first time.”
If you’re unsure or considering hiring a birth photographer, this is an episode to bookmark.
Links From The Episode:
Christina's website
Christina's Instagram
BirthPhotographers.com
Offers From Our Awesome Partners:
Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order
More From Doing It At Home:
Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU
DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC
DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome
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45:12
So, What Happens After Your Home Birth?
In this episode we're commenting on a blog article that Matthew found in Romper, called ”7 Things That Happen After You Give Birth At Home.” The article covers everything from what happens with the mess, to baby's first checkup, to bonding with your new baby.
This was such a great article, simple and informative, that it inspired us to do this episode! So Angela Johnson, if you’re out there and see this, thank you for writing the article and spreading the awareness. (We’d love to have you on the show by the way!)
A lot of times when we’re planning for a big event, like say...birth, we’re not always focused on what happens afterwards. And it makes sense because birth can have a lot of moving parts to it. Especially with home birth, there’s a lot of planning and preparation that comes into play.
So this episode goes through a lot of the likely scenarios and traits of home birth that you can expect to experience once the main festivities (launching a baby out of your body and into the world) have concluded.
Some things you might be wondering: What about clean up? Can I eat? What happens to baby? What about the birth certificate?
Well wonder no more, because we cover it!
This is a great episode to help you get on the same page with your partner, midwife and/or doula and any birth team members. All of this information is designed to help you feel more relaxed once baby comes, so that all you have to do is soak up all the delicious new baby smells and snuggles!
Links From The Episode:
The article that inspired this episode "7 Things That Happen After You Give Birth At Home"
Angels Johnson's author profile
Is this breast milk still good? (freshness tool)
Episode 14: Is Home Birth Messy?
Episode 9: Star Wars, Kiddie Pools, and Hypnobabies: Our Home Birth Story
Offers From Our Awesome Partners:
Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order
More From Doing It At Home:
Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU
DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC
DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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32:29
Fearless First Time Mom at 38 with Tammy Williams
In this episode we're talking with Tammy Williams. Tammy is a 38 year old first time mom who chose to have her baby at home. She is an amazing momma who approached her home birth without fear, and had a magic experience.
If Tammy could, she would shout from every rooftop about how awesome her home birth experience was and how every woman can give birth without fear. Since finding every rooftop would take some time, having her on our “podcast rooftop” will suffice for now.
Unsure of whether or not she’d be able to get pregnant, Tammy had a surprise first pregnancy at 38. In a circumstance where many women might find themselves fearful and worried about the risks, Tammy powered up and she and her partner David decided on home birth after a close friend who was also pregnant at the same time shared her intentions of having a home birth.
Overwhelmed with emotion in an amazing way, Tammy sought out empowering information and resources with the support of her midwives that she selected from a nearby birthing center.
Tammy is a powerful example of knowing her body and trusting the inner voice. To her, home birth is such an important opportunity to strengthen all aspect of your life from your relationship to your partner to how you raise your children.
And through the course of her journey, she has actually inspired, influenced and encouraged other women and families in their home birth experiences as a resource and friend.
“I truly believe that by sharing these stories we can educate women about the importance of birthing without fear and helping to change the stigma around home birth,” says Tammy.
Links From The Episode:
The Business of Being Born
Tree of Life birthing center
Your Pregnancy Week by Week
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
Hypnobirthing - Mongan Method
Offers From Our Awesome Partners:
Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order
More From Doing It At Home:
Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU
DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/
DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC
DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Doing It At Home - The Home Birth Podcast is a weekly podcast about home birth and our decision to go from a traditional hospital birth with an OBGYN to a natural birth at home with midwives. This is a raw and honest show that explores homebirth from every angle. We talk about the fears and judgements thrown at you when you choose home birth. We share resources that we found tremendously helpful for understanding our birthing options. We confess the magic and craziness in preparing for pregnancy, home birth, motherhood and fatherhood. We talk about having sex while pregnant and maintaining your connection and intimacy as a couple. We reveal how to stay centered and not lose yourself through pregnancy, and tons more! This show is all about adding an empowered conversation to the topic of home birth and natural birth, while keeping it real, grounded and fun. So strap in and join us as we’re doing it at home!
New Zealand