The Birth Abroad Podcast

Today we hear Mariam's (IG: @⁠andthenwemovedto⁠) Part 2 of her stories of pregnancies and births literally all over the world :D In today's Part 2, Mariam shares falling pregnant by surprise in Singapore, and then moving to the United Arab Emirates where she gave birth. We discuss a variety of topics such as special considerations for prenatal care, legal discussions about being pregnant in an Arab country, breastfeeding, postpartum and even exercising choice over circumcision despite socio-cultural pressures. Mariam recently published a book called This Messy Mobile Life which can be found on Amazon here: ⁠www.amazon.com/This-Messy-Mobile…lly/dp/1999304012⁠ She can be found also on the following channels: IG: ⁠www.instagram.com/andthenwemovedto/?hl=en⁠ Website: ⁠andthenwemovedto.com/⁠ Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/pg/andthenwemove…ef=page_internal⁠ Twitter: ⁠#andthenwemovedto⁠ ⁠⁠Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

We have a world tour of an episode here this week! This is Part 1 of Mariam's (IG: @andthenwemovedto) 2-part story where she takes us on a global adventure through her pregnancies and births. Mariam - who grew up in Pakistan, Bahrain and the US - met her German-Italian husband while living in the UK. In today's episode, Mariam shares her fertility journey which resulted in a conceiving via IVF in Denmark, an international move, and birth / postpartum in Singapore. In Part 2, she continues her story which included a naturally conceived 2nd pregnancy in Singapore, an international move, and a delivery and postpartum in the United Arab Emirates! It's an adventure of a story and I invite you all to come join us and take a listen to all the interesting comparisons and contrasts Mariam was able to convey between Scandinavian, Asian and Arab birth cultures and models of care! Mariam recently published a book called This Messy Mobile Life which can be found on Amazon here: www.amazon.com/This-Messy-Mobile…lly/dp/1999304012 She can be found also on the following channels:IG: www.instagram.com/andthenwemovedto/?hl=enWebsite: andthenwemovedto.com/Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/andthenwemove…ef=page_internalTwitter: #andthenwemovedto TOPICS DISCUSSED: Miscarriage, IVF ⁠Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Welcome back to another episode on the Podcast! This week we have one heck of an episode ;D Erin comes on the show and tells us of her 3 extremely different births in Australia... one that might be considered somewhat traumatic with various interventions during delivery, one that came as a total surprise at home, and another that... well... you'll just have to listen to get the story :D Erin gives us fabulous insight also into the Australian model of care including pros and cons of public versus private insurance and hospitals as well as great advice on tandem breastfeeding. Erin can be reached by Instagram @twoplustwinpirates. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Twin birth, forceps delivery, vacuum-assisted delivery, accidental home birth, transient tachypnea of the newborn, postpartum bleeding, surprise pregnancy ⁠Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

In this episode we kick off a new series to be run parallel to the the "expats abroad" series, where we explore pregnancy and birth in all countries of the world from the expert perspective of a native in their own home country. Today we talk to Sofi - a Bulgarian - moved to the UK when she was 19 where she met her husband and was settled in. Their first pregnancy was a small surprise but still very much full of excitement! Unfortunately, it ended in an early loss.. but it made it very clear to Sofi and her husband that they were ready and wanted to start trying to expand their family. After falling pregnant again shortly after, Sofi straddled the UK and Bulgaria prenatal care systems by flying back and forth between the countries to be cared by both health systems. She speaks about how she preferred the organisation and work flow of English care, yet she preferred her doctor in Bulgaria better - she found that they were more willing to do tests and help her with issues that her English doctors rather blatantly called a waste of NHS money. It is a really interesting episode and one I'm excited to offer as the beginning of this new series! You can find Sofi on Instagram at @the.sofi.amor or on Facebook as Sofi Ben Amor - Skinner. Thank you for sharing your stories with us, Sofi! Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Simone followed her heart and desire to travel several years ago and moved to Spain to be an au pair and see where the adventure would take her. The family she worked introduced her to some locals so that she could begin developing her friends network... which later led to her meeting her future husband! Although experiencing an early miscarriage in the beginning of her TTC journey, Simone and her husband conceived their son shortly after. Although she had hoped for an unmedicated water birth, circumstances involving her water breaking without contractions following led her to require an induction which she found challenging to cope through. But after contracting a fever and receiving a minor episiotomy, her baby boy made his grand entrance into the world. You can find Simone on Instagram at @mommyinspain, on YouTube at Mommy in Spain, on Facebook at the group The Heart-Centered Moms Group, and at http://www.simoneclement.com. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, early miscarriage, induction, episiotomy Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Sarah and Alan got married in 2016, and from there it kicked off a whirlwind of travel with the US Military that found them stationed in Germany where they decided to grow their family. As Sarah explains, she spent the first 2 trimesters of her pregnancy seriously on the move - both literally and figuratively. She was running 50 miles a week and traveled to 30 different countries just in her first 2 trimesters! She also relocated with her husband to the country of Georgia in her 3rd trimester, and shares how she established herself there to have the confident and well-supported birth that she envisioned. Sarah's story is a smart and well-thought out one of making educated and informed choices coupled with a bit of luck :) She kept herself very informed and well-connected with a local mommy tribe so that she could advocate for herself, and as a result, she had a very positive experience. Even still though, Sarah points out various scenarios where she was so thankful to have had a midwife-doula on her side that could serve as a translator during her labor and delivery, and other moments immediately postpartum where she didn't have that support and felt lost in the confusion of language barriers. This is a great episode with a powerful and positive story and a lot of great takeaway advice for other mommies birthing abroad! "Just the day before [my water broke], I was in the gym doing deadlifts and running at an incline and just being super active, so I couldn't believe this was happening!" --on her water breaking very suddenly, a week early. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Military insurance, positive birth, unmedicated birth, waterbirth, midwife-supported birth, informed consent, hypnobirthing. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

After living in New York and London for several years with her English husband, Eileen and Andy were ready to start a family. They had a beautiful pregnancy with their son in the UK but a challenging delivery, with baby being admitted to the NICU and facing challenges with breastfeeding [Episode 13]. But nothing quite prepared them for the long fertility storm they would face in their quest to have one more baby to complete their family. After suffering 7 miscarriages divided between two countries, Eileen and Andy pursued IVF in Switzerland. They had only one opportunity - only one round of IVF, that resulted in only one embryo that survived the thaw.... [Episode 14] "Don't give up. It all works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, then it's not the end yet." You can get in touch with Eileen on her Instagram at @eileenvincett, and you can find her on YouTube at ⁠Eileen Vincett⁠. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, long labor, heart decels, infant dehydration and NICU stay, chronic miscarriage, unexplained infertility, IVF. ⁠Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson⁠

After living in New York and London for several years with her English husband, Eileen and Andy were ready to start a family. They had a beautiful pregnancy with their son in the UK but a challenging delivery, with baby being admitted to the NICU and facing challenges with breastfeeding [Episode 13]. But nothing quite prepared them for the long fertility storm they would face in their quest to have one more baby to complete their family. After suffering 7 miscarriages divided between two countries, Eileen and Andy pursued IVF in Switzerland. They had only one opportunity - only one round of IVF, that resulted in only one embryo that survived the thaw.... [Episode 14] "Don't give up. It all works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, then it's not the end yet." You can get in touch with Eileen on her Instagram at @eileenvincett, and you can find her on YouTube at Eileen Vincett. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, long labor, heart decels, infant dehydration and NICU stay, chronic miscarriage, unexplained infertility, IVF. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Emily met her Swedish husband in The United States while they were both studying abroad for a year. After returning to their respective countries and finishing their degrees, they got married and settled down in The Netherlands where each of their 3 children were born. Emily shares the positive stories of each of her three pregnancies and unmediated births in The Netherlands in this episode. However, even with beautiful births, postpartum posed a bit of its own challenge for her at times. Emily shares about how she was affected by a bit of postpartum depression triggered by breastfeeding complications and bonding issues after having her first, and she talks about a postpartum bleed she experienced after having her second. For her third birth, Emily chose to employ hypnobirthing and had a birth center water birth - and she gives touches upon how to use hypnobirthing in a way that won’t set you up to be disappointed if you don’t have the “totally zen” experience you might have been anticipating. In her previous two births, Emily reached a point where asking for an epidural was definitely crossing her mind. And with her second birth, she found herself so present and analytically aware of how her labor was progressing that it made the process more difficult to bear than it probably should have. So with her third birth, by using hypnobirthing and being deliberate about certain aspects, such as not being told how far she was dilated during checks, she found that it allowed her to find a deeper, primal, more confident and relaxed space to move through labor in. "Because I [went into labor] feeling so calm and so positive and not worried, I think that was what made the difference - because it didn’t cross my mind even once to ask for the epidural or anything – it didn’t cross my mind at all." Emily wrote a beautiful piece on postpartum depression on bonding, breastfeeding and postpartum depression on her blog, entitled "Life With A Newborn Might Not Be All Sunshine and Daisies". After immigrating with her family to her husband's home country of Sweden shortly after her third birth, Emily pursued becoming a doula where she now practices in Stockholm. If you would like to connect with her, you can reach her on Instagram @yourdoulaemilystockholm, on twitter @yourdoulaemily, or online at http://www.yourdoula.se. Thank you for your candidness and willingness to share your shories with us, Emily! TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, positive births, unmedicated births, waterbirth, postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum depression/baby blues, hypnobirthing Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Sarah was the adventurous type that always sort of knew deep down that she wanted to see what the world had to offer; though not impulsive, when she set her mind to something, she would follow through with it, no matter how ambitious it might be. So it didn't come as much of a shock to her parents when she said that she was moving to Costa Rica... without ever even having stepped foot in the country before! Sarah's story is one that takes us on an journey through the true meaning of following one's heart, listening to one's gut, and letting present life itself be the best healer of yester-year's wounds. Beyond just a birth story, it is one which examines the outcome of facing challenges head on, checking in with the soul for proper guidance, and trusting that knowledge that all things work out in the end. Sarah always knew she wanted to live abroad and experience all the different things life had to offer. She had a conventional education and a conventional career, but it didn't stoke the fire from within too much. So, she packed some bags and moved to Costa Rica to work at a retreat her friends owned there...without ever having even stepped foot in the country! A little while into her stay, a new relationship resulted in a surprise pregnancy that Sarah felt in her heart was an adventure she was willing to take on. The experience was very casual, very relaxed, and quite self-healing. Because one aspect of Sarah's story that really came full-circle was that she, herself, was the daughter to a younger, unwed woman in Russia. Sarah was able to experience her own story in a different dimension by going through many of the same things with her own pregnancy, but was able to close lingering wounds by breaking the cycle and chosing whole-heartedly to embrace the new challenge of motherhood with an "Ok, let's do this!" attitude. Sarah had an active, healthy pregnancy which culminated with her waters breaking in a "flood gates opened" fashion. Upon arrival to the hospital, it was noted that she had hardly any amniotic fluid at all, and her doctors chose the route of cesarean delivery to ensure a safe delivery of baby. It was an unexpected yet positive experience for Sarah, and she went on to make many empowering decisions for herself, her daughter, and their future to ensure they stayed on a path that felt right and true to heart heart and gut. ”It's a lot of trusting; it's not like a casual 'I don't care what happens in the future', it's just that I'm really putting a lot of trust into leading with decisions from my heart, and not from a place of fear." If you have any questions and would like to contact Sarah about her experiences or about immigrating to Costa Rica in general, she can be reached on Instagram @la.sarah.elena on Instagram, on YouTube at Sarah Elena (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCalHokE9PKivEfGDwBuj3aw) or on her blog at https://www.lasarahelena.com/. Her company Mindfulness Horse Connection can also be visited on her facebook page here:https://www.facebook.com/costaricahorseconnection/. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, unplanned pregnancy, healthy pregnancy, oligohydramnios, cesarean birth, single motherhood, adoption story, a journey to self-healing. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Mary knew two things in her heart from time as far back as she can remember: she wanted to move abroad, and she wanted to be a mother. But while both of those dreams came true, one was a journey far more difficult than anticipated. After multiple rounds of IVF with ICSI, several cases of OHSS (ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome), multiple early pregnancy losses, postpartum depression, and a personal journey through faith and self-actualization, Mary shares the path which led to her beloved daughter Audrey, and one which will hopefully lead to a second rainbow baby to complete her family. Having known for all her life that she wanted to move abroad, Mary took an opportunity to volunteer in Germany, where she later met and married the love of her life, Philip. Shortly after settling down, they stopped actively preventing pregnancy... but after several years of not actually falling pregnant, Mary and Philip sought fertility help. It was then that Mary heard the words that no person wishing to be a parent wants to hear: that conceiving naturally was literally impossible for her and her husband. Thus began a long and challenging journey including multiple rounds of IVF with ICSI (the stim phase leading to OHSS every time she went through it), and multiple miscarriages. Mary did have one beautiful, successful pregnancy though which resulted in her beloved daughter Audrey, however the stress of a move, a baby who slept poorly, lack of family & friends to help, and various cultural elements that left Mary feeling judged in her parenting decisions led to postpartum depression and anxiety. Through it all, though, the desire to be a mother and to ensure her daughter would never grow up alone drove Mary to walk the difficult path of infertility once more in the hopes of conceiving once more. And although they have not succeeded yet, her determination and desire to complete her family is much stronger than the pain of setback. ”[Those of us who have struggled with fertility] think we're being punished, but God loves us unconditionally; he can't punish us. There is no punishment for you - there are just certain lessons for you that you have to go through, to love more, to be a better person, or a better version of yourself.” If you have any questions and would like to contact Mary about her experiences or about her fertility Germany in general, she can be reached on Instagram @mary.c.54 or on her YouTube Channel, "Mom's Diary", at ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf2mC_tpTpRTGHw96MkQ11A⁠. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, infertility, IVF with ICSI, OHSS, pitocin-induced birth story, vaginal birth, postpartum depression, and multiple miscarriages. ⁠Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Mary knew two things in her heart from time as far back as she can remember: she wanted to move abroad, and she wanted to be a mother. But while both of those dreams came true, one was a journey far more difficult than anticipated. After multiple rounds of IVF with ICSI, several cases of OHSS (ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome), multiple early pregnancy losses, postpartum depression, and a personal journey through faith and self-actualization, Mary shares the path which led to her beloved daughter Audrey, and one which will hopefully lead to a second rainbow baby to complete her family. Having known for all her life that she wanted to move abroad, Mary took an opportunity to volunteer in Germany, where she later met and married the love of her life, Philip. Shortly after settling down, they stopped actively preventing pregnancy... but after several years of not actually falling pregnant, Mary and Philip sought fertility help. It was then that Mary heard the words that no person wishing to be a parent wants to hear: that conceiving naturally was literally impossible for her and her husband. Thus began a long and challenging journey including multiple rounds of IVF with ICSI (the stim phase leading to OHSS every time she went through it), and multiple miscarriages. Mary did have one beautiful, successful pregnancy though which resulted in her beloved daughter Audrey, however the stress of a move, a baby who slept poorly, lack of family & friends to help, and various cultural elements that left Mary feeling judged in her parenting decisions led to postpartum depression and anxiety. Through it all, though, the desire to be a mother and to ensure her daughter would never grow up alone drove Mary to walk the difficult path of infertility once more in the hopes of conceiving once more. And although they have not succeeded yet, her determination and desire to complete her family is much stronger than the pain of setback. ”[Those of us who have struggled with fertility] think we're being punished, but God loves us unconditionally; he can't punish us. There is no punishment for you - there are just certain lessons for you that you have to go through, to love more, to be a better person, or a better version of yourself.” If you have any questions and would like to contact Mary about her experiences or about her fertility Germany in general, she can be reached on Instagram @mary.c.54 or on her YouTube Channel, "Mom's Diary", at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf2mC_tpTpRTGHw96MkQ11A. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, infertility, IVF with ICSI, OHSS, pitocin-induced birth story, vaginal birth, postpartum depression, and multiple miscarriages. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

An overseas work assignment for Jessica and her husband didn't only offer the perfect opportunity to travel and grow their relationship more, but also presented a unique option of trying for a baby in a social system that provided a variety of benefits they wouldn't necessarily have at home. After a year of living abroad, they chose to take the plunge and pursue a different kind of adventure together! Jessica and her husband were an adventurous couple who chose to pursue a 3-year work assignment stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. Beyond the career benefits and a chance to travel more, the pair had also considered that the timing was right in their relationship to start trying for children. And, what better way than to do so in a country that provided unique economic advantages! After traveling and learning the language for a year, the couple decided to start the conception process, assuming it could take a number of months or years. But on a girl's trip to Paris after their first cycle of trying, Jessica was in for quite a surprise when she took a test before traveling! She had a healthy pregnancy but after her waters broke with no progress in dilation, her labor was induced with pitocin to strengthen and encourage contractions. A bit of an epidural debacle was encountered, but in the end, she received the pain management she needed and dilated from 3cm to 10cm in a mere couple of hours. ”And then [when the epidural finally started working], the anesthesiologist came back in with Google Translate up and it said, ”Do your legs feel furry??” And I was like, ”Actually, yes - that is exactly how my legs feel!” Jessica rounds out her story by discussing issues with weight gain and some jaundice for her baby, and then the process of re-patriating back to the US with a 3-month old baby and a case of mastitis on the day she traveled back! TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Immigration story, quick conception, healthy pregnancy, PROM, pitocin-induced birth story, vaginal birth, weight gain issues, and repatriation. If you have any questions and would like to contact Jessica about her experiences or about immigrating to Germany in general, she can be reached on Instagram @roomforgelato or on her blog at ⁠http://www.roomforgelato.com.⁠ The YouTube childbirth classes taught by the Canadian midwife which were referenced in this episode can (at the date this blog is published) be found ⁠here⁠ (Part I), ⁠here ⁠(part II) and ⁠here ⁠(part III). Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

Allison was having a textbook pregnancy - she worked, she was physically active, and she was really enjoying the experience. However, later into her 3rd trimester, she realized that her baby was just simply not rotating to a head-down position. After no luck with Spinning Babies, acupuncture, and a failed ECV, her North American frame of reference had her convinced that a cesarean was her only option. So it came as a great shock when her care providers suggested that she qualify for a vaginal delivery anyway. Allison and Gustav were happily married living in Vancouver, Canada for many years. However, a draw to move closer to family and "home" prompted the pair to move to Gustav's home country of Sweden. After a difficult immigration process, no time really felt like the "right time" to jump into parenthood. Allison chose instead to immerse herself into the language and settled into a new job before deciding that she was ready to take the plunge. After an easy conception process and a smooth pregnancy, it came as a surprise when Allison learned her baby was breech. After a failed ECV and no luck with other known techniques through Spinning Babies and acupuncture, Allison had assumed that a cesarean delivery was her only option. Instead, the hospital who conducted her ECV suggested she speak to the Breech Delivery Team to see if she qualified for a vaginal delivery. "I just had no thought that this was an option for us... It's really interesting to me because in North America, it's the mom having to seek out somebody who is qualified and willing to deliver vaginally for a breech baby and having a lot of difficulty doing so. But for me, I was like - Ok, c-section - and then this opportunity came up that I hadn't even thought was possible, just delivered right in front of me." Her labor was extremely fast and the delivery was even faster. It did require an episiotomy when her contractions stopped, leaving the baby's head still in the pelvis with the body already delivered. But swift and calm action made by a well-prepared and educated team brought baby Nova gently and safely into the world to a very grateful and appreciative mom and dad. If you have any questions and would like to contact Allison about her experience, she can be reached by email at allison.r.mackey@gmail.com. The research study discussed in this episode was the Term Breech Trial of 2000 ("TBT"). Further studies have since been conducted around the world examining the results of TBT with mixed results erring toward the opinion that vaginal breech birth of qualified birthing persons is a safe option. TOPICS DISCUSSED: Immigration story, quick conception, active pregnancy, complete breech presentation, failed ECV, vaginal breech delivery, episiotomy.

When Katie and Mårten's contraceptive failed while they were on assignment in South Africa, Katie was overjoyed with what felt like an answer to prayer. Unfortunately, several weeks later, it would be confirmed that the pregnancy was lost, and Katie would go through a rather daunting experience of D&C in the public healthcare system. But as fate should have it, not too long after, she and her husband learned they were expecting a double rainbow - TWINS! Katie met Mårten not too long into a work assignment in Germany. The two clicked instantly with their creative personalities and similar interests in life. They traveled around for work for several years after being married, but as much as Katie wanted to start a family, it didn't seem like the "right timing". During an aggrevating separation whereby Katie and Mårten had to return to their respective home countries while their South African residence permits processed, Katie got the shock of a lifetime - she was pregnant! Unfortunately, while going through routine prenatal screening in South Africa, it was discovered that Katie had what appeared to be a blighted ovum - a situation in which the gestational sac developed, but a fetus did not. Katie underwent a rather harrowing D&C in the public healthcare system there - a process that would have been a quick outpatient procedure in most places, but a 3 days / 2 nights ordeal where she was living. After much prayer, the two decided to actively try to conceive, and shortly after they got the shock of a lifetime: TWINS! It was decided that Katie would move to Mårten's homeland of Sweden while he finished his work assignment in South Africa to be looked after by his family. As luck should have it, not even a week after Mårten moved back to Sweden with Katie, she went experienced PROM (premature rupture of membranes) at 32 weeks and delivered by cesarean in Sweden when it was discovered that Baby A had rotated transverse. "Have you ever felt your water break before? It is like a fire hose in your pants!" Their girls were healthy and thrived however, and Katie concludes her story with some beautiful advice to moms in Sweden (and just in general!) about coping with new motherhood and all the pressures placed on us to "be good moms". TOPICS DISCUSSED: Miscarriage, blighted ovum, D&C procedure, twin pregnancy, PROM, cesarean birth, premature babies, and a happy ending <3 Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

In this week's two-part episode, Jovana shares her experiences with pregnancy and birth in The Netherlands. after having already lived in Serbia, Canada and the United States. After having spent most of her life in Canada and the United States, Jovie found that she was hesitant to adopt Dutch birthing norms - but a single birthing class taught by a local doula would change her entire path and perspective on the matter. When Jovie moved to The Netherlands to practice as an international war crimes lawyer, she had already lived much of her life abroad. So when she met her Spanish husband Alex, starting a family together in a country that was not native to either of them was probably not as shocking to her way of life as it might have been for others. Even still though, she felt very conflicted with the idea of a midwifery model of care. Despite not having much information or experience on the competency of midwifery in The Netherlands, Jovie fought to have a model of care that was more familiar to her - and was rather begrudgingly seen by an OBGYN who would question why she was even there at every appointment. But after taking a birthing class with a local doula, Jovie's entire perspective changed on the power and beauty of childbirth, and she quickly saw that the midwifery model of care was the way she wanted to go. "By trying to insist on having the Dutch system adapt to what I was expecting from the US's system, it really caused me a lot of grief and the antenatal depression and anxiety [I suffered from] was not diagnosed because I was not under the correct care, and it ended up ultimately hurting me." Jovie's first birth ended in an emergency cesarean which was not handled properly by the staff anesthesiologist, and it left her husband rather traumatized by being made to feel like he had to make a life-or-death decision which was not in any way necessary. For their next birthing experience, Jovie chose to have an elective cesarean which was peaceful, gentle, and observed all of Jovie's wishes. She found the experience empowering, beautiful, and an important experience to share with others. Topics discussed: Emergency cesarean, elective (planned) cesarean, pregnancy-related edema, omphalopobia, gestational diabetes, antenatal anxiety, and elective tubal ligation. ⁠Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson⁠

In this week's two-part episode, Jovana shares her experiences with pregnancy and birth in The Netherlands. after having already lived in Serbia, Canada and the United States. After having spent most of her life in Canada and the United States, Jovie found that she was hesitant to adopt Dutch birthing norms - but a single birthing class taught by a local doula would change her entire path and perspective on the matter. When Jovie moved to The Netherlands to practice as an international war crimes lawyer, she had already lived much of her life abroad. So when she met her Spanish husband Alex, starting a family together in a country that was not native to either of them was probably not as shocking to her way of life as it might have been for others. Even still though, she felt very conflicted with the idea of a midwifery model of care. Despite not having much information or experience on the competency of midwifery in The Netherlands, Jovie fought to have a model of care that was more familiar to her - and was rather begrudgingly seen by an OBGYN who would question why she was even there at every appointment. But after taking a birthing class with a local doula, Jovie's entire perspective changed on the power and beauty of childbirth, and she quickly saw that the midwifery model of care was the way she wanted to go. "By trying to insist on having the Dutch system adapt to what I was expecting from the US's system, it really caused me a lot of grief and the antenatal depression and anxiety [I suffered from] was not diagnosed because I was not under the correct care, and it ended up ultimately hurting me." Jovie's first birth ended in an emergency cesarean which was not handled properly by the staff anesthesiologist, and it left her husband rather traumatized by being made to feel like he had to make a life-or-death decision which was not in any way necessary. For their next birthing experience, Jovie chose to have an elective cesarean which was peaceful, gentle, and observed all of Jovie's wishes. She found the experience empowering, beautiful, and an important experience to share with others. Topics discussed: Emergency cesarean, elective (planned) cesarean, pregnancy-related edema, omphalopobia, gestational diabetes, antenatal anxiety, and elective tubal ligation. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

In today's episode, Lina shares her story of pregnancy and birth in Argentina, including some unexpected challenges in navigating shared care between public and private systems, and the beautiful way her Argentinian family came together to support her and her son in their path to getting him the special care he needed. Lina met her husband in Japan during a year-long work assignment, and not long after moving back to Argentina together did their baby boy beat all the odds in his path to being conceived. However, several rare conditions identified late in the third trimester ended Lina up on bed-rest, with her son being delivered early via an unplanned cesarean. “It was very strange that [the cesarean] was so casual for them in a moment that was a really traumatic, absurd experience for me; but I guess, for them, it was just another day at the office.” Lina was at peace during an otherwise worrisome conclusion to her pregnancy; she had a lot of trust in her care providers, and was very well-supported by her Argentinian family members. However, a complicated and unexpected situation in which she straddled public and private healthcare for her delivery made for a difficult postpartum experience as she and her family worked to get her son the NICU care he needed. Her son was diagnosed at birth with a condition called Esophageal Atresia which required a simple but immediate surgery to correct a malformation of the upper GI tract. Topics discussed: Pregnancy, childbirth; Polyhydramnios, single vessel cord, cesarean delivery, esophageal atresia, NICU stay, successful nursing after a cesarean. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

In this episode, host Megan shares her story of becoming a mother for the second time in Sweden, including experience with early miscarriages, natural labor, and the hopes of a redemptive breastfeeding experience. In today's episode, host Megan Jennings shares her second birth story, including a quick but difficult journey in trying to conceive. After 2 early miscarriages, Megan shares what the Swedish approach to antenatal care for her third pregnancy was like, as well as advocating for herself for an extended postnatal hospital stay for extra support in breastfeeding. Megan shares about her empowering labor and delivery without medicinal pain management, and takes us along for the journey in navigating low milk supply and exclusive pumping. "I immediately called my midwives and I said, "Look, I've already had two early losses, I'm pregnant again, can I please come in and get some blood work done?" And I asked for these things because this is what it seemed like all the women got done in the U.S. I had expected the same thing here in Sweden..." Topics discussed: Miscarriage, chemical pregnancies, pregnancy, childbirth, natural labor, back labor, breastfeeding and exclusive pumping, postnatal depression, and advice to other mothers. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson

In our first episode, host Megan shares her experience becoming a first time mom in Sweden, including discussions about postnatal depression and issues with breastfeeding. The whole concept of The Birth Abroad Podcast was born the day Megan gave birth. It was the most beautiful and awe-inspiring experience of her life, but it was also terribly eye-opening at just how difficult it could be to become a mother for the first time (or anytime, really!) abroad. Language barriers, cultural differences, and difficulty finding help in times of need - these were just a few of the many variables that led to a severe case of postnatal depression for Megan. "I didn’t know how to ask for help; I didn’t know how to navigate the medical system." Megan was already 14 weeks pregnant when she moved to Sweden to live with her husband, after a grueling 13.5 month immigration process. She had a gorgeous pregnancy and a beautiful birth, but difficulties with a birth injury and breastfeeding made postpartum a harrowing experience. Megan shares what she learned, how she navigated the various challenges she faced, and how it impacted her in terms of preparing for future children. Topics discussed: Immigration journey, trying to conceive, pregnancy and antenatal care, labor and delivery, birth injuries, postnatal depression, breastfeeding, and advice for other mothers. Intro and outro music credit: "Reverie" by Ikson