Big Birth Junkie

This is a fun podcast for me because I have been on (literally) the whole journey with Jeni and Monique. I supported them with their conception and then they chose to birth with the GraceFull Midwives to have an unmedicated out of hospital birth. Their plans changed when they found out their child was breech; but, we are very lucky in Los Angeles because we have an amazing doctor in town who will support unmedicated vaginal breech births in the hospital. This podcast is choc-o-bloc filled with great information about same-sex couple conception, using acupuncture for conception (thank you Susan Minich!) IUI and vaginal breech birthing (thank you Dr. Emiliano Chavira). We hope you find this episode as inspirational and fun as we did!   _________   For more information about me, Elizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie. Our guest Jeni is a therapist with coaches same-sex couples navigate the conception process from the emotional to the legal. You can find Jeni at @yarbroughlcsw __________   This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.   And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Becky is an active and healthy person, so she assumed pregnancy and birth would come easily to her. Instead, she was met with many complications and challenges that forced her to slow down and take it easy as she was on modified bed rest and medicated until she made it to 36 weeks. Becky experienced prodromal labor and daily contractions for the last 8 weeks of her pregnancy. When her son was finally born at 39 weeks, he came very quickly.  In the immediate post-partum at the hospital, she experienced a severe post-partum hemorrhage and lost 3/4 of her blood supply because her cervix was torn during birth. The postpartum recovery was challenged by a lack of support after almost losing her life during birth. She found that people asked about the baby, but not about her and she had to return to work 6.5 weeks after giving birth. As you can imagine, she was still very much healing physically and mentally. Yes, a lot happened. Becky women are strong, and Becky is able to resource how resilient and strong she was during her son's birth. She reminds herself to this day that she was able to remain calm and do what needed to be done to save her and her baby. A real lot happened at the birth of her son, but she knows that she can handle anything now and that she will do anything she can for her child.   _________   For more information about our hostess, Elizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie. You can find our guest at IG: @becca__mv or Becky Marie Vroom __________   This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.   And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

“There are all different normals”. That basically sums up the 3 very different pregnancies, births and post partum period for Jamie Batten. We cover a lot of ground on this epic (in length) podcast: induction, pitocin, epidural, bed rest, early labor, OP (Back Labor), formula feeding, cutting of the cord on the perinium, reastfeeding for 2 years, hyperemisis, placenta previa, birth center, waterbirth, testicular torition and trusting your care provider.   There is SO much growth, and learning and growing up that Jamie shares with us. Yes, this is a long podcast, so grab a cuppa and enjoy the wisdomshared.   Also, a shout out to Jamie’s OB Dr. Tara Wiebe and her birthing center @Mountain_Midwifery who I am very impressed with!   _________ For more information about me, Eizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie and our guest at @jamie.nicole.batten.__________   This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.   And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.  

Amy lives in Utah with her husband and is the mother of 3 children (all under the age of 3!). The first two were born in the hospital and both were pitocin inductions with an epidural - the first at the suggestion of her doctor the second at her request. Looking back Amy realized there was trauma and a lot of feelings that were not validated, which lead her to do her research and start to becoming informed about her choices when she became pregnant with her third child. There was a lot of healing that happened for Amy after she experienced connected prenatal care where she was seen and heard. Oh, and she had a beautiful water birth too. _________For more information about me, Eizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie. You can find out guest Amy at @Meyersfam__________ This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free. And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Faith is the eldest of 10 children, 7 of whom were born at home. When she became pregnant with her daughter Kiss, she had an idea of what to expect, but it did not prepare her fully for her own homebirth journey. We chat about birthing babies in Oklahoma as a midwife, expectations vs reality in birth and what it is like to grow up where low-risk births at home are normalized. _________ For more information about me, Elizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie. And if you want to watch Faith’s birth video and learn more about her go to gracefull.com and click on “About Us”. __________ This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free. And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

This is not only the story of an unexpected diagnosis of IUGR and the need for a hospital induction but also how Jessica's past history influenced her current thinking. Jessica was holding on to a lot of shame and polarised thinking that showed up to be healed so she could step fully into the role of motherhood. ______ For more information about our guest, Jessica Hooper and her events go to: @stuffjesslikes or @onthefence.life me, Eizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie_________ This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free. And if you are doula, watch for it as we are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.  

Danielle's journey to becoming a mother taught her things she never expected. She left her home in Miami to move to Los Angeles and found a new strength she did not know she had for the unmedicated birth of her daughter Samaya at GraceFull's Birthing Center.  That is where she thought the lessons would end, but they kept going. Becoming a mother brought a new drive to heal herself.    As a former Bullimic, during her challenging postpartum adjustment, her loneliness and laziness drove her back into the shadows where she found the courage to find the root cause, which has transmuted into a newfound sense of tremendous power.  Finding ways to create discipline and motivation in her life have saved her and she found her purpose: to share that with other mothers going through postpartum struggles. ___________   DRIVE by DANIELLE BIGBY Www.drivebybigby.com Danielle is a Holistic life coach and Cofounder of MAMA CHILL (a mama daycation). You can sign up for a free discovery call to learn how to manifest the life of your dreams: Health. Love. Career. Money: http://eepurl.com/ghRX3j, sign up for a free manifestation workshop: http://eepurl.com/gdsAEj and look out for the soon to be released: “Launch your first business (even if you’re a mom) get unstuck and inspired.” MAMA CHILL Daycations are locared at The Palms Hotel in Miami. Even if you don’t live in miami, you can still come! http://www.miamyyoga.com/yogaevents/2019/3/10/chill-mama-one-day-staycation-retreat-for-moms It is Danielle's hope is that she may be a voice for that shadow in other postpartum mother's life. She wants to help others feel empowered to seek freedom from that shameless place and begin to live connected and listening to your body. ______________ This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free. And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Sera and Adam took the time to talk with me about what it is like birthing overseas as foreigners in a foreign land. _________ Sera Bonds is a midwife, doula, activist and Founder of Circle of Health International (COHI). You can currently find her in Austin, TX where works as a @Carriagehousebirth doula and Childbirth Educator. Also, Sera is a kick ass activist who is a really great speaker. For more information about Sera, or to book her as a speaker or teacher worldwide, check her out at @serabonds on IG.   For more information about me, Elizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull.com or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie__________   This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free. And if you are doula, watch for it! We are doing international case reviews real soon...If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Tessa always knew she wanted a homebirth and it took some time for Chase to get on board with the process, but once he got educated and started to understand the difference between low and high risk pregnancy he was 100% on commited.   _________ If you wanna reach out to Tessa and Chase please do so! They love to talk about birth and their children! Tessa is a Birth Doula and Birth Photographer serving families in the Los Angeles area. You can visit her website at http://truemotherhood.com or follow her on Instagram @truemotherhood and @tessareyesphotography.   Her husband Chase Benz is a dancer/choreographer/dad-extraordinaire and you can find him on Instagram @chasebenz_   For more information about moi, Eizabeth Bachner, go to GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth  or @BigBirthJunkie__________   This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Jana and Mark Roemer share their story of love, burning man and a father’s healing through the journey of parenting their son Freddie. We do a deep dive into conception, a homebirth, postpartum challenges and the healing traumas. "Having a little boy allowed me to parent the little boy in myself." This episode is filled with a lot of wisdom! _________ For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guests: @jana_roemer or @mindful_mamas __________ Check out Jana for yoga teacher training, yoga nidra for yourself or get astrology updates.  This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free. If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Melissa Hemphill is a BIRTHFIT Coach Director, and Air Force Officer, Biology Instructor, CrossFit Coach, Mind Body Nutrition Coach, wife, and mom to 3 children (with a 4th born on 1/14/19). She shares with us the stories of her conceptions, births and insightful musings around birth while being in the military. _________For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @coachbirthfit__________Check out BIRTHFIT for safe, strong and educational videos on pregnancy and postpartum fitness. This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

This is the first time that Amy has shared her birth journey and is doing so in front of a live audience in Miami. Amy teaches yoga and prepared for a homebirth that led to a hospital transport and a cesarean section. Please stick around for the BONUS: Behind the Scenes (we recorded this bit after the live episode) where we talk in detail about the discussion that is not happening - but needs to happen - about how strong ab muscles (dancers, pilates, yoginis) can hinder the cardinal movements of the baby and could possibly lead to a surgical birth. _________For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @miamy to follow along with her parenting journey and see where she is teaching yoga in Miami and on retreats.__________This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @HelloMyTribe__________This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

A man, a woman, a white picket fence and 2.3 children is the fantasy that I was raised on and has been long gone in many cultures for a while. Families come in all shapes and sizes and this family is one of my favorites. Hudson has 2 moms and 2 dads: Cara his biological mommy, Jim his biological daddy, Dawn his Momma, and Paul his, well, his Paul!   This is a story of conception (and it is quite the interesting one because Jim is HIV positive), birth, communication, mutual respect, family and lots and lots of love for one boy (who is not so little anymore). Welcome to 2019 and welcome to the new definition of family. __________ For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guests: Cara at @holliblu and Jim’s blog ComingCleanDad.This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Jenny Silva is a local doula who holds within her in the ancient wisdom passed down to her by her ancestors. It was an honor to share sacred space (or what I like to call ceremony) with her and her mother, Maria Silva, inside the Judy Chicago Birth Stories exhibition in Pasadena, CA in September of 2018.  In this episode we go deep into quite a few places around childbirth. We talk about Jenny's 4 births and her mother, Maria's 11 births. They share with us some of their traditional wisdom around herbs (but they don't give away all the secrets :), frustrations with hospital care, the wisdom of the ancestor and the ultimate lesson: Birth is not an illness, the body always tells us what it needs. __________   For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @doulajennysilva __________This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes. Also, thank you to our sponsor BEB Organic, a natural, vegan certified, NICU approved line of 5 baby products that do what they say (and I use on my face too!). To get your free gift with purchase go to their website BEB Organic and add "WEEKENDER SET" to your cart and use the code: BBJ at checkout to get the weekender set for free!  

After embracing an unplanned pregnancy Arista Ilona moved forward preparing for her dream homebirth. After she transported to a hospital she had an unexpected c-section. Leading up to motherhood, Arista Ilona endured years of emotional trauma, a lack of self-love, judgment, and depression. Her birthing journey transformed into a profound healing journey in which she shares her wisdom as a mother, mentor and post partum doula. _________For more information on me or todays guest, to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth and our guest: @aristailona or aristailona.com __________Thank you to our sponsor BEB Organic, a natural, vegan certified, NICU approved line of 5 baby products that do what they say (and I use on my face too!). To get your free gift with purchase go to their website BEB Organic and add "WEEKENDER SET" to your cart and use the code:BBJ at checkout to get the weekender set for free!   This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

This is a special podacst for me because you really get a peak into my world and listen to what happens when a group of doulas and birth junkies get together to listen to a birth story and share wisdom. In sharing the stories of both of Sam’s kids we delve into a lot of wisdom around water breaking, the fear of going past 42 weeks, homebirthing, doula support, what happen when a birth goes REALLY fast and some real truths about the post partum period.   A big heartfelt thankyou to my doula posse - Karla @douladoula,  Sufi @sufiertur, Katherine @dareallalucedoula, Lindsey @doulabliss, Sam @Samhgg and of course my birth junkie family for life - @carriagehousebirth. Love ya ladies!!!  xxx _________For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @Samhugg or Carriage House Birth   __________This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes. And check out Carriage House Birth for all things birth in NYC and LA - doula trainings, doula agency, and childbirth ed classes.

This is a story of renewed faith. It is about believing in one's body and asking for support. Despite being told by traditional OBs that there was only a 13% chance of having a homebirth after her first cesarean, Jennica chose to invest in herself financially, mentally, physically and emotionally to make make sure she had what she needed to safely birth her second child (who, BTW, was 9 pounds 12 oz at birth!) at home. In this podcast, we will not only hear mom’s perspective, but we also hear from dad. If you know of someone who is considering an HBAC (especially if the partner is unsure) please do pass on this podcast. __________ For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @jennicarenee__________This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Lauren Archer, who you may know as the vagina behind the policy changes for IG and FB around showing vaginal births, shares her journey into becoming a mother that has quite a few twists and turns before she learns the ultimate lesson, “Your body won’t give you anything you can’t handle.” _________For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @loveofalittleone __________ Thank you to our sponsor BEB Organic, a natural, vegan certified, NICU approved line of 5 baby products that do what they say (and I use on my face too!). To get your free gift with purchase go to their website BEB Organic and add "WEEKENDER SET" to your cart and use the code:BBJ at checkout to get the weekender set for free! This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Today we are talking with We are going to talk with one half of the podcast & blog The Mother Loving Future and GraceFull Mama Amber Lestrange. We recorded this podcast live at an event with did with Hatch Collection and covered a lot of ground. We chat about her “sexy” conception for her first child, her home waterbirth at her Venice cottage, her view on her postpartum journey and what she would change, and her current health challenges - she has had two miscarriages and one an ectopic pregnancy. Amber has been on an amazing journey to reclaiming her health as she prepares to conceive her second child. There is a lot of great wisdom here that might be helpful for you or a friend. _________For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @themotherlovingfuture or @lestrange_land __________A BIG thank you to Hatch Collection for sponsoring the live taping of this podcast. If you are pregnant, in the postpartum period or just looking for super comfy and stylish clothing, check out Hatch Collection. This episode is also sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support. Go to GraceFull to download the ebook for free.If you live in Los Angeles, check out GraceFull's midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes. __________