Doing It At Home - The Home Birth Podcast

Some of you may remember Malina from when she and her mom, Char, joined us to share her pregnancy news. We start this episode by replaying that moment, then catch up with Malina and her husband, Craig, on everything that's happened since.

Malina and Craig share their journey through a hospital birth, a frightening emergency at sea, loss, and healing, and then the home birth they had been dreaming of. There's a brownie craving, twinkle lights in the birth tub, and a dad who catches his daughter. They also talk about navigating dual care with a supportive doctor and a midwife, handling other people's opinions, the moment Malina chose to dig in, and why the recovery made it all worth it.

Content note: this episode includes a medical emergency and a mention of pregnancy loss.

Connect With Us

Website: https://diahpodcast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast

Merch: https://doingitathome.dashery.com/

Our Book: https://amzn.to/45Sxyr1

Support DIAH: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KA3QQRRU58VPL

Check Out Our Partners:

Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your first, one-time order

Splash Blanket: http://splashblanket.com - use code DIAH15 for 15% off your order

Dr. Wholeness and Blood Vitality: https://drwholeness.myshopify.com/products/blood-vitality-1?variant=31396528062517 - use the code DIAH15 for 15% off

How do you set yourself up for success when it comes to your birth?

For one thing, that requires looking at what you want to create and experience.

In today’s episode we get to hear Lauren Thomas’s journey to home birth and the research, education and preparation that brought her there.

After a birthing center to hospital transfer with her first son Finn, Lauren had to take time to come to terms with some of the trauma around it.

We talk about her special connection with her midwife and the gut decisions she trusted throughout her process. Also the risk of placenta previa and how she doula-ed herself during her labor of her son Rory in the middle of a snowstorm!

Links:

Lauren’s website - ⁠http://www.laurenjollyphotography.com/⁠

Lauren’s Instagram page - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/laurenjollyphoto/⁠

Lauren’s Facebook page - ⁠https://www.facebook.com/laurenjollyphotography⁠

Lauren’s birth story of her son Finn - ⁠http://laurenjollyphotography.com/finns-birth-story/⁠

Lauren’s episode on The Birth Hour podcast - ⁠https://thebirthhour.com/birth-center-hospital-transfer-birth-story/⁠

Doing It At Home book on Amazon: ⁠https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU⁠

DIAH website: ⁠https://www.diahpodcast.com/⁠

DIAH Facebook Group: ⁠https://bit.ly/3jKtIYv⁠

DIAH Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/⁠

DIAH YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC⁠

DIAH Store: ⁠https://yoursuccessfulhomebirth.com/⁠

DIAH Merch: ⁠https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe ⁠

Donate to DIAH: ⁠https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9

What happens when a listener's life is changed by the podcast she binged? Lexi found Doing It at Home while researching her options years before she became pregnant, listened to every episode from the very beginning, and was inspired to become a doula and plan the home birth she'd wanted since she was 18.

In this episode, Lexi shares her story of preparing early and intentionally, a long, slow labor with a good dose of labor denial, the hypnobabies tracks that carried her, the bathtub that changed everything, and being surrounded by her husband, her mom, and her birth team. She also shares two sweet details she added after our conversation: her midwife discovered her placenta was perfectly heart-shaped, and her grandma stayed up through the night making her favorite first postpartum meal.

In Lexi's words: "Give yourself time to listen to 400 podcasts of birth stories, if that's your jam, or to read a couple dozen books on the topic. Your future self and baby will thank you."

Links From The Episode:

Lexi’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefeistydoula

Connect With Us

Website: https://diahpodcast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast

Merch: https://doingitathome.dashery.com/

Our Book: https://amzn.to/45Sxyr1

Support DIAH: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KA3QQRRU58VPL

Check Out Our Partners:

Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your first, one-time order

Today we bring you Laura’s incredible birth story. Laura and her partner Mikey live in Homer, Alaska with their daughter Hannah. 

I honestly don’t know the best manner or order to present all of the awesome elements of this story, so I’ll do my best to share it all as it hits me.

First of all, Laura is an incredibly strong young woman. She experienced 4 miscarriages over the course of 2 years, as well as the miscarriage of an adopted baby. After ending her marriage, she packed up her life and moved to Fairbanks, Alaska. She eventually met her partner Mikey and they became pregnant shortly after dating. Not knowing if she’d be able to carry a pregnancy to full-term, along with the new relationship, a lot of things seemed uncertain. 

But as love and life would have it, Laura did carry to term. She gave birth to their daughter Hannah in a cabin (with no running water!) on a day when the temperature was twenty degrees below zero!

Laura describes her birth as a dream come true. She’s also a birth doula, postpartum care specialist, placenta specialist, and certified lactation counselor - so as a fellow birth junkie, she had lots to share!

Listening to Laura’s story gave me goosebumps - it gave me warm and fuzzies - it made me tear up - it made me grateful - it made me hopeful. 

We’re so thankful for Laura and her tenacity and willingness to share with us. Oh and major PS - she straight up ate part of her placenta after giving birth. Like, her midwife cut off a piece and she held it in her mouth for a few minutes before eating. Total badass.

Connect With Us


Website: https://diahpodcast.com/


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@diahpodcast


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast


TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doingitathome


Merch: https://doingitathome.dashery.com/


Our Book: https://amzn.to/45Sxyr1


Support DIAH: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KA3QQRRU58VPL

Check Out Our Partners:

Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your first, one-time order

Warning: this is an amazing episode. Full of conversation around pleasurable, joyful, ecstatic birth. It may cause you to feel empowered and excited around birth. There, we gave you a heads up!

But seriously, we are so honored to have Debra Pascali-Bonaro join us on the show. She’s another one of the powerhouses of the birthing community that we’ve been anxious to meet and chat with. She is the creator and director of the documentary, “Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret.” She’s also the co-writer of “Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth.” Oh and also a Lamaze International childbirth educator,  birth and postpartum doula trainer with DONA International. And the Founder & President of the revolutionary online childbirth class Pain to Power, which prepares expectant mothers, fathers, and partners to be positively prepared for birth and focuses on the intimate and sacred nature of birth.

In our interview, we talk about her path to being obsessed with birth, learning from her own birth story. We also chat about the concept for the documentary and where it came from. We explore themes from the documentary and the impact it’s had on the conversation of birth. Plus we talk about other cool projects that Debra has her hand in, and a surprise for any of those interested in checking out her online childbirth class “Pain to Power.”

Thank you to Debra for her knowledge, passion and tireless effort to serve and inspire!

Links From This Episode:


Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret - https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/


Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth - https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/products/books/


Pain To Power Childbirth Class - https://www.paintopowerchildbirth.com/


Happy Healthy Child - http://www.happyhealthychild.com/


Eat Pray Doula - https://www.eatpraydoula.com/


Sign up for 3 Free Videos on finding your power and pleasure in birth:  http://www.paintopoweroptin.respond.ontraport.net/optin

Connect With Us


Website: https://diahpodcast.com/


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@diahpodcast


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast


TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doingitathome


Merch: https://doingitathome.dashery.com/


Our Book: https://amzn.to/45Sxyr1


Support DIAH: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KA3QQRRU58VPL

Check Out Our Partners:



Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your first, one-time order