Husbands, what can you tangibly do to support your wife during postpartum, especially those first few critical weeks? And today we’re having a GUEST interviewer! My very own hero of a husband, Thomas Fusco. Thomas will be taking over the interview reins as he sits down with a father-to-father chat with Eric Stein, CEO of Restorative Roots, and husband to Holly Stein, last week’s podcast guest. If you didn’t hear my interview with Holly, make sure to click the link in the show notes and give it a listen next. Moms, this week’s dad chat episode is going to be one that you’ll want to go ahead and send to your spouse so that he can feel ready and prepared for the postpartum phase. On an unrelated but exciting note, do you have birth photos and videos that you feel deserve to be shared with the world? I want you to send them to me! I’m collecting birth photos and videos to share on social media platforms, my website that’s in the process of being rebuilt, AND… I want to feature your photos and videos inside of the new weekly newsletter that I will be sending out. Both mothers and birth photographers, you’re welcome to submit! Episode roundup: Preparation can make or break your postpartum experience — Eric and Holly’s shift from a stressful first postpartum to a deeply supported experience for their second and third children shows how meal prep and intentional planning can deeply impact recovery and bonding. Next, isn’t the story behind Restorative Roots so inspiring? — A personal need was transformed into a national impact. What started as preparing meals for themselves grew into Restorative Roots, a regenerative postpartum meal company now shipping 900 meals weekly and offering resources to educate and empower other families. Finally, and I believe most importantly: The partner’s role matters — Dads, you truly can become the hero of the postpartum experience, AND you can take the lead on making this happen for your wife. Eric highlighted the importance of the masculine role in birth and postpartum. He shared about presence, support, and setting aside his own ego to truly care for his wife and family. This is your time to shine, fathers. If this becomes important to you, it will make your wife feel so loved and cherished. If you can help her achieve a restful, healing postpartum, you are investing in your family for weeks, months and years to come. It blows my mind just how much YOU can steer the ship towards deep connection. What a gift. Links: Ep 291: Postpartum Healing & Nutrition with Holly Stein of Restorative Roots | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-291-postpartum-healing-nutrition-with-holly-stein/id1446934537?i=1000724335999 Submit your Birth Photos and Videos: https://happyhomebirth.myflodesk.com/birthphotos Youtube | https://youtu.be/S_LLorCMlEs
What do you think you’ll want your first meal to be after having your baby? And does it really matter how we’re fueling our bodies after the baby is born? Holly, her husband Eric, and their 3 children live in Southern California, where they love homeschool, skateboard, and cook. They have built an incredible company, Restorative Roots, that delivers nutrient-dense postpartum meals to mothers across the country. From a tiny kitchen venture to a nationwide business, Holly and Eric are proud to offer support during such a transformative time- the postpartum experience. This week, we’ll be speaking to Holly about her 3 birthing experiences, how postpartum has changed for her over time, and ways in which we can be set up for success and healing in the critical first few days and weeks after birth. Episode Roundup: Isn’t there so much beauty in the concept of taking radical responsibility for what we can control, and then allowing grace and faith to fill in that which we cannot? I can see this both in birth, along with postpartum. Holly mentioned how she did what she could to prepare for a healthy labor and birth, but she knew that there was ultimately a level that she could not control. Let’s apply this to postpartum. There are things that we CAN do: We can plan. We can make or purchase nutrient-dense meals and ready our space for rest. We can seek to have support as much as possible. However, some things may truly be out of YOUR control. Maybe you don’t live near family, or you don’t have income to spare to hiring help… Let’s take charge where we can, do the best that we can with what we have, and give grace where we are not in complete control. I loved all of the creativity that Holly shared about preparing for a nutrient-dense postpartum: Having cooking days with your friends, sharing a list of approved recipes or instructions on your meal train, asking for friends and family to pitch in for a box from Restorative Roots as a pregnancy gift instead of some random contraption that your baby will probably outgrow in a week anyway… nourishment and healing after birth are the gifts that keep on giving and impact you for months to come. And finally, Holly ended so beautifully with this: Let’s all practice asking for and accepting help. Let people help you. Let them bring you food. Let them refill your water. Let them put your groceries in the car for you. What a beautiful thing it can be both for you as the receiver, but also for the other person– allowing them to truly be helpful and a blessing. Links: Whole Mother Homebirth | wholemotherhomebirth.mykajabi.com/presale Youtube | Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
We talk about trusting your instincts a decent amount around here– but what does it look like to LEARN how to lean into those instincts? This week we’re speaking with Lisa, who found the confidence to trust her instincts during pregnancy, which has changed her trajectory both as a mother as well as an entrepreneur and coach. Lisa Villani is a rebellious doula, sassy sales coach, hip-hop dancer, and mama to her spunky son in Buffalo, NY. She's married to her ride-or-die and believes fiercely in building a life where both parents get to thrive. After an unmedicated, out-of-hospital birth cracked her wide open, Lisa made it her mission to help women rewrite the narrative of motherhood, money, and identity. A survivor in every sense—of divorce, disordered eating, and a medical system that tried to silence her—she now stands as the loudest voice in the room for women ready to own their power, whether they're giving birth or selling their offers. She's also the host of the Loudmouth Lisa podcast—because playing small was never an option. Episode Roundup: Connection. We see the theme of connection flowing through Lisa’s story, and I think that we also see connection in the way that Lisa tells her story. Lisa is so clearly a connector. One of my favorite parts of this interview was hearing the beauty in Lisa’s connection with her son, Enzo, from the very beginning. She spent time dancing with him en utero, and she felt this pull their physical connection together. During the first part of the day as she went into labor, she spent time connecting with him as she labored alone, during her pushing phase, we see her turn inward to reconnect with her baby and to tell him that they were going to work together to push him out now— and they did! And then immediately postpartum, Lisa spent those six hours that her husband needed to sleep connecting individually with this beautiful little soul that was now on the outside. As I think of Lisa stepping into this new area of motherhood, where she allows Enzo to go spread his wings through beginning his new co-op, I think of how that connection is what is allowing that little boy the confidence to try new things. Lisa cut the cord after her birth and traded one connection for another, and she like all of us as mothers, will experience those cord cutting moments again and again. The connection didn’t end when she cut the cord, but it transformed. And here she is again with a transforming connection as her little one starts something new. My goodness, the depth and beauty of growing and changing while maintaining tethered to one another. And next, I want to emphasize the power of what Lisa is sharing with other mothers, women and mompreneurs through her deep understanding of sales. She sees that her ability to trust herself and to know and accept the value that she brings to others is what makes herself and the women that she works with successful. These very same lessons that she has learned through motherhood: To listen to her instincts, to be the vibrant, bold mother and woman that she was designed to be. That is her gift to her family, and that is her gift to the world and those whom her work touches. Links: Whole Mother Homebirth | wholemotherhomebirth.mykajabi.com/presale Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | https://youtu.be/vOX6ZwIKrB0?si=89yOWGXndtEa5yVe Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
If you had an arduous labor due to your baby’s positioning once, it’s sure to happen similarly if your next baby takes the same position, right? Ashley Atwood and her husband Sam have 3 active and lively boys. They are a homeschooling family and love adventure and being outdoors. Ashley is a self described birth nerd and loves educating herself about all things birth and pregnancy and discussing all they entail. She feels that education about birth and pregnancy is so important to the birthing experience. Her hope is for all women to take the initiative to learn because birth matters! If it’s in the cards, she would love to become a midwife or doula one day when her children are grown. Episode Roundup: Ashley’s second birth unfolded in a way that seemed completely different from her first baby’s birth, despite the two being born posterior. I think this is such a helpful reminder to those of you who have had a birth experience that was difficult- and you’re worried about it happening exactly the same way the next time. Remember, this birth is not your last birth. This is a different birth and can be a different experience. For those of us who may fall into the labor denier category, it’s important to remember that someone on the outside may be able to see what’s happening more clearly than we can, and I’ll add this is especially true with second, third and beyond births when both spouses have been through the experience before. When Ashley was doing laundry and dropping to the floor for contractions, it clued Sam in that she was a good bit further along in labor than she realized. Thankfully he was able to reach out to the team and loop them in on what was happening! And now, I want to end with a section of Ashley’s own words from her application. This was so touching, and I feel like it needs to be heard by so many: “And with my third, it was like he was lavishing on his grace- giving me what I absolutely don’t deserve, but did it anyway! It was like he one upped Himself to show me His goodness. He knows me intimately and knows how much birth means to me and how I deeply value it and am in awe of it, and he gave me all my births as a gift, and I am so thankful. He could have made babies come any way He wanted, but He chose to use us, women to bring forth life in a truly miraculous way. I struggle to understand His love and grace and also struggle to believe it about myself and my births have helped me to experience more of His love and to just be in awe of Him that He loves us because He loves us- he chooses to and that’s it. It has nothing to do with what I have done, but all of what He’s done for me. And what a reminder that is of His ultimate love poured out for me on the cross.” Links: Whole Mother Homebirth | wholemotherhomebirth.mykajabi.com/presale Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | https://youtu.be/aeSddUAUrEA Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
Vaginal births after cesarean- are they really safe? And what about vbacs at home, or outside of the hospital? This week we’re speaking with Meagan Heaton, Host and founder of The VBAC Link. Meagan co-founded the VBAC Link in 2018. Although she always felt called to the baby world, she really found her love for birth in 2014 after her second C-Section. Through these two birth experiences, her love and passion grew around VBAC. She wanted to help people feel supported and loved. She had two C-sections and then went on to have a VBA2C, and has now supported over 300 families through their birthing journeys as a doula. Her drive is to help women like herself feel educated, supported, and empowered during their birthing time. Meagan is so incredible- we’re going to hear her birth stories along with all of the wisdom she has to share for mothers who are seeking to have a vaginal birth after cesarean. Episode Roundup: As we head into this week’s episode roundup, here are a few little thoughts I’m having: Partner support is so crucial. Meagan shares about this on her own platform, and she’s got the story to prove just how important this piece is. While Meagan had gained a good amount of education between her first and second birth, her husband was still of the mindset that the doctors truly were the experts, and he trusted what they said. However, when she was able to work with him more on the subjects in their third pregnancy, he was willing to support Meagan in her desire to give birth outside of the hospital- even if he didn’t fully understand it himself. Now, he’s a believer, just like so many other homebirth dads! Next, I love how Meagan mentioned the importance of vetting your care provider, both inside and outside of the hospital. Sometimes we fall into the mental trap that “homebirth midwife equals perfect care provider for me” and honestly, that’s just not the case. There are lots of midwives in my area, and many of them practice quite differently from one another. In fact, many of them are unwilling to take on VBAC clients. Seeking a care provider who knows your story and feels confident working with you- and gives you peace– wow, that’s critical in terms of having a successful VBAC. And finally- I want to leave you with this reminder: It can be different this time. It can be different than before. Maybe you’ve had one, two, three other experiences that all ended in a cesarean– or that whatever happened, ended in a way that felt disempowering to you. I want you to remember that this birth is different, the outcome can be different, and no matter what, your perspective can always be different. Change is possible! Links: Whole Mother Homebirth | wholemotherhomebirth.mykajabi.com/presale Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | https://youtu.be/mSvLScNwm2E Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
Is it possible to hold space for both joy and grief simultaneously? This week we’re speaking with Ivana Burbage. Ivana is a mom, wife and photographer from San Diego but now lives in Hawaii with her husband Justin. She loves being creative, surfing, spending time in the ocean and since having her babies is passionate about birth and motherhood. And as Ivana’s story unfolds, you will certainly notice the mingling of both joy and pain throughout and between her two pregnancy and birthing experiences. And isn’t this such a picture of the reality of our lives? We don’t always have perfectly separated, segmented experiences of extreme elation or depthy grief– often times our lives unfold in a way where both must share space and coexist. I am so grateful to Ivana and her family for sharing this reality, both the pain and the beauty. Episode Roundup: Ivana’s first pregnancy began by greeting new life while also saying goodbye to one of the most important figures of her life. This tension is overwhelming, and the grief of this was so heavy. What I am so happy to hear is the way that Ivana’s community surrounded her. Her husband, Justin, who is familiar with loss himself along with Ivana’s midwife, who stepped in as a support figure both made sure that she was processing her grief in a meaningful way, not allowing the pain to take her as a fearful captive. It is so clear that this made a massive impact in how Ivana was able to experience the rest of her pregnancy, along with her beautiful first birth. When grief struck her family again during her sister’s birth, the same support system came alongside to offer the care that was so desperately needed. What a picture of what it means to live in community and to receive the comfort and love that is so desperately needed in times of such deep pain. Next, keep in mind that each birthing experience is its own– it’s easy to assume that our births will follow a specific pattern or that they will look and feel similarly to a previous experience, but as Ivana mentioned in this episode. Her first birth and her second birth began quite differently, which did add to the experience of labor denial! Ivana thought that her second birth would involve losing her mucous plug over the course of several days and having her water break just like it did with her first, but this second birth followed its own pattern and blueprint! The beauty is that Ivana was able to very comfortably flow with the birth that presented itself, which allowed her to absorb every little moment of her rather short labor. Finally, I want to end with a name. Te’a. God’s promise. We aren’t promised that everything in life will go exactly how we want it to, and this is so clear throughout the stories that Ivana shared today, but there’s one thing that Ivana stands firm on– we are promised that God will be there. That He will show up with and for us, and we will not walk any of it alone. Sweet baby Te’a, a rainbow baby after a tumultuous storm. What a gift. Links: Whole Mother Homebirth | wholemotherhomebirth.mykajabi.com/presale Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | https://youtu.be/4TR1W5_VM2o Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
Does an empowering birth change you all at once? Or does it do so incrementally? Pulling back layers as time goes on, exposing truths– behaving more like a well-cultivated seed than an instant shift? Abigail Pyle is wife to her husband Jeff, and a stay-at-home mom of five very energetic and delightful children ages 10-2 years. She is navigating homeschool and parenting on the Central Coast of California with lots of prayers for wisdom, grace and humility! Through her five unique homebirths, she has become very passionate about sharing with women about what a gift birth was meant to me! Today we’ll get to hear how Abigail’s experiences have unfolded over time, and the beautiful growth that she has undergone. Episode Roundup: And really harkening back to the question I asked at the beginning of this episode– Abigail shares how her birth experience did not overhaul who she was in one instant. I’m sure that it did, actually in many ways, but in connection with her perspective, her spiritual life, and beliefs about herself— Abigail’s first birth was a seed planted. Over time and through very different births, that seed was watered, cultivated, and grown to fruit. We see this fruition in her most recent birth where, one week after her due date, she is so ready to meet her baby that she has completely relinquished all fear of how her baby will be born. Back labor again? Who cares. She was fearless and ready to surrender to the process of birth. And that leads me to this second point– surrender and submission. Abigail said something so beautiful that had me thinking about this idea. The more we are able to surrender to our Creator, the more HE will work and do. Here we are circling around the concept she brought up about laboring to rest. We labor, yes, but we MUST rest. We must submit. We must surrender so that he can bring about the bounty that he desires to bring about. If we continually labor whether physically or metaphorically in our own strength, there will be so much less of a harvest. But the more we submit, the more we trust, the more we open our hands to the experience that HE has for us… the more we get to enjoy his great abundance. And finally, Abigail touched on something that I think is such a tangible reminder: You don’t have to experience the negative birth before you plan for the positive homebirth. This is your permission slip. Give it a try, let the Lord bless you however your birth unfolds. Let the seeds be planted. Links: Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Notify for WMHB Pre Sale! | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/notifypresalelink Youtube | https://youtu.be/ahv7--6Yfms Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!) Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
What’s the best way to enter birth? Is it with a completely blank slate- not allowing the stories of others to influence your own experience, or…. Is there benefit to listening to the raw stories of others: the gamut of experiences to know what’s possible? This week we’re speaking with Dr. Elliot Berlin, who we last spoke to on episode 229 titled Have an Informed Pregnancy with Dr. Elliot Berlin. For those of you who have not yet heard of this champion of birth education, let me introduce him. Dr. Berlin is an award-winning prenatal chiropractor, childbirth educator, labor support bodyworker, filmmaker, co-founder of Berlin Wellness Group in Los Angeles, California and the host of the Informed Pregnancy Podcast. Dr. Berlin graduated Summa Cum Laude from Life University of Chiropractic in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Atlanta School of Massage. Dr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy® Project aims to utilize multiple forms of media (podcasts, YouTube series, documentaries, and online workshops) to compile and deliver unbiased information about pregnancy and childbirth to empower new and expectant parents to make informed choices regarding their pregnancy and parenting journey. Dr. Berlin lives in Los Angeles with his wife, perinatal psychologist Dr. Alyssa Berlin, and their four fantastic kids. Episode Roundup: The mainstream birth narrative is so outdated, and the fact that so many people are making fear-based decisions BECAUSE of what they’ve seen in the media is heartbreaking. To have resources like those that Dr. Berlin has created is such a blessing to so many. It’s restoring the truth of what birth is, for those who are curious and want to make informed decisions. I love the rawness aspect of the content that Dr. Berlin is creating. He’s not trying to paint a false picture of birth, not trying to make it scarier than it is, and also not trying to make it more idyllic than it is. His goal is to give an honest view of how this process unfolds, and the many different ways that that can look and feel. Finally, I want to share with you a very special opportunity that Dr. Berlin has provided. He’s giving a free month of “informed pregnancy plus”, his streaming platform, to our listeners. There’s a link below in the show notes. This will expire on October 1st of 2025, so be sure to hop on this opportunity while you have it! Links: Notify for WMHB Pre Sale! | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/notifypresalelink Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | https://youtu.be/uSDL1pxrvhw Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order) Previous Interview: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/episode-229 Link to Informed Pregnancy Plus: informedpregnancy.tv Discount Code: HHB725 for 1 month free on a monthly membership (new users only)
How do you discern the difference between fear mongering and true concern? Scarlen is a home birth mom from Chattanooga, TN. She is a wife to Manny and together they have 5 boys. After a rough hospital birth with her first, she knew there had to be a different way to birth. When she became pregnant with her second boy, she decided she would birth at home and has not looked back since. Her love for birth and postpartum has led her to create a thriving home birth group in Chattanooga, TN called Chattanooga Home Birth Community. The group includes over 400 home birth advocates who are mothers and birth workers local to Chattanooga. This group has successfully connected mothers (in all stages of pregnancy) to doulas, midwives, and other home birth moms. Episode Roundup: The way we are treated in birth MATTERS when it comes to bonding. Scarlen shared how different she felt after giving birth to her first baby compared to her subsequent homebirths. She felt angry and disconnected because of the way that she had been treated– this interfered with the cascade of hormones of birth, and took away from the euphoric experience that is common after childbirth, especially with an unmedicated birth. With her homebirths, Scarlen was able to experience the fullness of labor and birth, and to feel present as her babies entered her arms. She felt the joy and love well up, just as she had always wanted to. This matters. Wherever you give birth, it matters how you are treated. Being in a hospital does not excuse providers for being inhuman. If you were mistreated during your birth, if you feel capable of doing it now, please complain. Please let these people know that what they are doing is wrong. This system has to change, and it’s going to take our voices to change it. Next, the BOLDNESS. WOW! Scarlen and Manny were not going to be coerced– you can see this with Scarlen in her work situation when she had to fight for her right to avoid an experimental shot, and again when she and Manny asked questions of their care providers that made them uncomfortable during their twin birth. They were so clearly walking in their faith and were unafraid. There’s nothing more powerful than living fearlessly, and that’s what I see in Scarlen’s story. And finally, when you are changed, you can’t help but share. Scarlen’s life was transformed on multiple levels, but her birth experience, especially after her twin birth, gave her a desire to help others. She is providing fellowship, information, and choices to her local community within the facebook group she’s created, and her desire to create a system where she can help support families who need financial assistance have the birth of their dreams– it truly shows her beautiful heart to serve. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/meiKqqu_OPE Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!) Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
The pelvic floor: it can be wounded during childbirth– but– could it be healed during the process instead? Victoria Hedrick is a wife to her wonderful husband Jonathan, and the mother of their almost three year old daughter, Josie. They live on a small piece of land in Virginia that they are slowly turning into a homestead. Victoria enjoys fishing, canoeing, baking sourdough, and all things babies and homebirth. They are expecting their second baby later this year. Victoria and Jonathan have walked through quite an amazing journey throughout their marriage, particularly in relationship to birth and the physical and emotional healing it provided. You are going to be in awe with this episode! Episode Roundup: The loving way this couple worked together and their positive outlook. The entrance that Victoria and Jonathan had into marriage was unexpected and highly challenging. These are the types of situations that can so easily cause discord and animosity between couples. How easy would it be for either one to take their hurt and pain and twist it into a weapon instead of allowing it to pull each other closer? Despite the feelings of “why”, despite the darkness, the hurt, the challenge, Victoria and Jonathan continued on as partners working together. And now, they are reaping the benefits of that choice. They now get to experience intimacy on so many levels, and they know that they can trust one another to be steadfast love even in hard times. Confession and repentance. When Victoria told God the truth, it changed everything. “I want to trust you. Help me trust you.” The truth was she didn’t trust Him, and that’s what she was telling him. God can work with that. HE led her to repentance– He changed her mind with HIS truth and was able to finally help her open her hands and surrender. Sometimes we think of confession and repentance as, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” and maybe a few more “I’m sorry’s”. But that’s not really what confession is. When a detective is asking a criminal to confess, is he asking for an apology, or is he asking for the truth? When we confess, we are telling the truth. And repentance, or the Greek word for repentance, is metanoia. It also doesn’t simply mean “I’m sorry.” It’s the way you think differently after having had your mind changed. And who can change your mind best? In my personal experience, confessing to God and sharing the truth of my heart- even the deepest, deepest darkest corners where my real thoughts hide sometimes even from myself– the ones I wouldn’t want anyone to know– when I can search that out and tell Him the truth, he brings about the repentance. He shows me the REAL truth of the situation. He provides me with new perspective, with HIS heart… and boy, when that happens, my mind is truly changed. Truly healed. Now I’m not striving to be better, I’m made new with new revelation and understanding, usually about just how deep the Father’s love for us really is. Now back to Victoria- isn’t it beautiful how we see this play out? She tells God how she’s feeling, and then wow, low and behold, this new ability to release and surrender comes from… where? From nowhere? No, from her good Father who loves her. I’m linking two of my favorite books that dive into these topics in the show notes if you’d like to dive deeper with this. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/facebook-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/GmPnhTCJx0I Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!) Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)
The pelvic floor- can you truly heal it and restore function? Or is there a point where you’re beyond help? This week we are speaking with Paris Latka. Paris has been involved in the practice of Bowspring since 2016, and this transformative movement system has deeply reshaped both her body and her life. Teaching for the past six years, she shares this work from a place of embodied passion and reverence for its healing power. Bowspring continually amazes Paris with its ability to restore balance, uplift the spirit, and invite joy into our everyday lives. It supports healing from the inside out and opens the door to a more optimistic, radiant way of being in life. Paris will be sharing more with us about this practice and specifically it’s amazing relationship with the pelvic floor. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/fs4u9GsJBM4 Paris’s Course | intelligentmovementlab.com/pelvic-floor-freedom (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH10) Free Bowspring on Youtube | youtube.com/@ParisLatka Click here for my previous interview with Paris | podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000614823851 Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!)
Breech birth is supposed to be rare, right? How would you feel if you had more breech babies than head down babies?! This week we’re speaking to Stephanie Kase, who has had twice as many breech babies as she’s had cephalic presentations! Stephanie is mama to 3 under 3, wife, and online business coach from Greenville, SC. She's married to her husband, Michael, of 7 years with 3 girls - twin toddlers and a baby girl. She's a huge believer in trusting your God-given intuition in birth. Episode Roundup: 1. I can’t help but start with Stephanie’s mindset. Wow. As soon as she heard that she was pregnant with twins, her reaction was delight. Her first thought wasn’t, “oh my goodness, how are we going to do this?” but instead, “oh my goodness, what a blessing.” This could be seen throughout her story– Even when she shared about her experience with the NICU and the obvious difficulty that had to have come from having her plans change and giving birth in the hospital, and then spending weeks at that hospital….. It’s very clear to me that Stephanie has taken these experiences and learned to look at them with positive eyes– quickly pulling out the goodness in how things unfolded, even while acknowledging the areas that she wouldn’t have chosen for herself by any means. I feel this is so worth highlighting. Truly, it can be the easier route to see all of the things that didn’t happen the way we expected and then find ourselves hanging in that upset place for days, months, years, even decades. There is something so powerful in being able to take our story, see it for what it truly is: The good parts, the hard parts– acknowledge them all! And then choose the way we are going to interact with that event. Sometimes this requires help and support. But when we are able to genuinely process our births– and many other intense situations– we are able to accept them, see the good parts, perhaps even focus on those, and move on in our lives even more empowered, more confident, and filled with more gratitude. Stephanie really embodies this, and I hope you were as encouraged by that as I was. 2. And next, I love the way Stephanie thoughtfully interacted with her birthing choices. For example, she could have been convinced by the first doctor she spoke with at the hospital who told her she would need a cesarean. Instead, she and her midwife sought another provider. Another example could be seen in her second birthing experience, where she knew that she didn’t want to be checked. She knew that there was no information at that time that she would gain from a vaginal exam that would change anything about her plans of how she would give birth. This resulted in a beautiful breech birth with no need to transport into the hospital. Education combined with intuition– wow, it’s a powerful thing, my friends, and it serves us so well not only during birth, but throughout the whole of motherhood. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/rRJzYokLTGY?si=jggrV5d9yt8Vrv4F
If you had a pretty good experience in the hospital with your first baby, what’s the point of changing things up with subsequent births? Today we’re speaking with Kylie, who is living the dream as a stay at home mom of 3. She is married to her husband of 10.5 years, Tim and they live in Franklin, TN. They are passionate about embracing the adventure of life wherever it takes them and celebrating both the little things and big things in life! Kylie is a self-proclaimed birth junkie and could talk all things birth with you all day if you'd let her, which we did in this episode, and you are going to love the conversation that came from this. Episode Roundup: I loved the flexibility Kylie and Tim allowed to have their minds changed. Before becoming pregnant, Kylie believed that she would most certainly give birth in the hospital with an epidural. But as the reality of pregnancy hit, Kylie was open to the experiences of the friends around her that had positive things to say about giving birth unmedicated. Instead of shutting down, Kylie listened and was open to reconsidering her desires. This is half the battle, my friends- allowing our minds to think, “But what if things could be different…” It was so special to hear the beautiful way that prayers were answered throughout Kylie’s births, but the moment that stands out to me the most happened in her second birth. When Kylie and Tim didn’t know what to pray, they just asked the Lord to do what was best in terms of timing. The fact that their oldest daughter was asleep for the birth but woke up directly after was so beyond what could be considered a coincidence, right?! That’s not something she did! And yet here she was, awake and able to immediately meet her new little sister in the height of the experience. And finally, I want to touch on something so beautiful that Kylie shared. She mentioned the importance of intuition– listening to your intuition, hearing the Holy Spirit guiding you and acting in that faith… I just wanted to share how special it is that Kylie journals so much, because she has the evidence of this relationship. She has the evidence of her intuition being correct again and again. I cannot tell you how much I have loved keeping a journal this last year to be able to look back on situations and see exactly what I was processing in the moment, and then to see how those events unfolded or resolved or were transformed. To have all of these special, specific accounts… It’s beautiful. That’s where the Lord meets me- in my journaling. That’s where I hear Him guiding me, and I have these beautiful records to reflect on and even share with others. I feel like this message is for someone specific listening to this episode. Get the journal! Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/wTQMlqb5RLE
What is the balance when it comes to preparing for our birth, but also holding it all with an open hand, knowing that outside factors can contribute to our experience? Sara West and her husband Andrew live on Florida's sunny Space Coast with their four children. Her passions include writing, singing, drawing, and crocheting, though she has a little less time for those things while starting her homeschooling journey and bringing up toddlers! She hopes to one day finish a novel... or at least get a Substack up and running. Episode Roundup: I love how Sara chose to grow with new information. She didn’t hold onto her past ways of doing things, and she also didn’t punish herself for not knowing what she didn’t know. She simply gained the new information and put it into action for herself and her family. No blaming, no shaming, just growth. I also appreciate Sara’s perspective how she wanted to enter her birthing experience. She didn’t feel like she had to control everything, and in fact, she was very aware that she could not. She simply took control of the areas that she could, and then held the rest with an open hand and mind. She was comfortable with the idea that she couldn’t predict every little detail, and that she would be willing to make the decisions that made sense in the moment. And finally, just– how beautiful is it to hear a mother experience their first unmedicated birth and think at the end, “That was easy!” What a joy to see just how wonderfully we are made, and how beautifully birth was designed. Whether you come to the end of labor thinking, “that was easy” or “that was intense,” my prayer is that you feel a sense of deep strength at what you’ve been designed to do. You were made with intention and love, as is your baby. I want you to feel flooded with that knowing as you bring your baby into your arms. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/aHZ87iPxgH8?si=d9yi4q6XPGlQFV1Z
You’re either for something or you’re against it, right? Like, you either love ultrasounds or you don’t. Or you want testing done or you don’t….. Or… gasp, could there be more to it than right or wrong? This week we’re speaking to Taylor Shaffer: a wife, mother of two beautiful girls, holistic doula and online educator. She is passionate about nourishment, holistic living and taking radical responsibility for your health and birth choices. She serves women locally in Upstate SC through her doula agency, Nested & Nourished, as well as online through her Holistic Mama Pregnancy & Birth Course, virtual doula support offerings, podcast titled Holistic Pregnancy, and more. Episode Roundup: If there’s one word that demands your attention in this episode, I hope it’s “intuition”. Taylor’s decisions were not informed by sheer logic or dogma. No, the seat of her decisionmaking came from a deeper source. From what I believe to be Holy Spirit guided intuition. Intuition. That inner knowing that often times goes against your expectations. Taylor isn’t a huge fan of ultrasounds for herself, but she sensed that an ultrasound is what she needed. This ended up providing her with the information she used to support her body and baby through gestational diabetes. And again, we see this intuition work in the complete OPPOSITE direction at the end of pregnancy, where Taylor felt that she shouldn’t have a scan. Looking back, she knows that this prevented her from unnecessary fear regarding her baby’s weight. I love how this example unfolded. We take the same topic: Ultrasounds and apply intuition to them in two different directions. That, my friends, is what it looks like to listen to your intuition. Next, I want to remind you of just how deeply our emotions are connected to labor and birth. Taylor needed to take her baby into her arms, hold her, and grieve the change that was coming. Yes, of course, adding a new baby is a massive blessing to a family! But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a sense of pain at the leaving behind of the old ways. Honoring this feeling is exactly what led Taylor deeper into labor. Feel those feelings and don’t be afraid of them. And finally, Taylor’s love for birthwork came from her own experiences. She realized that she had something to offer other mothers, other families after having her first daughter. She decided to seek out a way to be both the mother that she desired to be, and to also build a thriving business at the same time. Sounds impossible, right? But Taylor is doing it, very successfully I might add! Her online business, her doula agency… It's incredible! Taylor sought education from someone who values family, business AND birthwork. She found a coach who wouldn’t tell her to push aside family for money, but who would encourage her to and teach her to make a way for both. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/0yWrppdhZNs Kyleigh’s Workshop Sign Up Lily Nichols Episode Taylor’s Instagram Taylor’s Podcast The Glucose Revolution The Glucose Goddess IG Dr. Rachel Reed- Gestational Diabetes Review Article Dr Sara Wickham- Gestational Diabetes Article
A shocking medical diagnosis is never easy to grapple with– but what happens when it comes in the middle of your pregnancy? This week we’re speaking to Chloe, a wife and mother to two precious little boys. Chloe’s story will have you on the edge of your seat, but it will also instill a level of beauty beyond my ability to express in this little intro, so let’s not waste any time and jump right in. Episode Roundup: If something is going on in your pregnancy that you feel unsure of, even if your care provider thinks it’s a variation of normal, follow your intuition. Chloe’s scenario was so hard because her friend had experienced a very difficult pregnancy and her midwife thought that this was simply a tough pregnancy– so even though Chloe felt that she was dying each day, she didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t until someone else with medical background laid eyes on her and said, “Hey, this doesn’t seem right” that she and Brandon sought more medical attention. I am just so grateful that they were able to receive the care that they needed. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Late in her pregnancy when Chloe felt that homebirth was the right option for her, she could have just given up after the first midwife said “no.” She recalls thinking, “Oh,great I’m going to be known as that crazy girl who had brain surgery” but honestly, who cares? She had the sense that homebirth was the right call, and she went after it. And wow, didn’t that pay off? Finally, let’s end here: This event that Chloe experienced– it wasn’t good. It’s not good that it happened, and there’s no delight in the suffering that she experienced. But what’s amazing is the ability for something so un-good to be used for such extraordinary good. For Chloe to come to the other side and say, “Through this, I learned just how good God is…” You can’t make that up. Chloe’s story is a story of hope, and a blessing to all who hear it. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/leVR9scxDQ8
Dads- how does the idea of your wife giving birth make you feel? Does the idea immediately excite you, or does it put a level of fear on you– do you wonder how you can protect her and your baby? Do you feel out of control? This week, all the way to episode 276, we are doing something new. We are hearing a homebirth story completely from the perspective of the father. Today we’re speaking to Dustin Garrett, a husband, father to two, and new to the club- homebirth dad! Episode roundup: Dustin’s story is so vulnerable, and I feel so certain that with a listenership this large, there are a number of you who can relate to his experience with abortion and the potential pain that has stayed with you for years. Dustin realized at some point that he was not truly accepting all of the Grace and forgiveness available to him– that he felt like he needed to experience continual punishment, and that maybe he and his wife would never be able to have kids– maybe that was his punishment. But at some point it became clear, when Jesus died on the cross, he died for every single one of Dustin’s sins, and every single one of yours. He came to give us freedom, and our job? Our job is to receive it. Next, I love how honestly Dustin shared what I know many fathers to feel- the sense that they want to take care of their wife, their baby. The reason that birth often makes men feel uncomfortable is the glaring reality that, “Wow, actually I don’t have control here.” And boy, that uncomfortable feeling, if you’re honest with yourself, might turn to the realization that, “Oh, wow. I guess I don’t actually have control over a lot of events and situations around me.” To release control, while it can be so difficult, is one of the most beautiful things we can do as humans. And finally, I just love the joy that Dustin expressed as he caught his daughter in his own arms. As he saw her look at him while between worlds, really. Both in, and out. To imagine this happening, all while his son is singing “Jesus loves me” in the next room… it’s just beautiful. And healing for the entire family. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube | youtu.be/5xVqa-SB22s
When a midwife gives birth to her first baby, she’ll know exactly what to expect, right? This week we’re speaking with Leigha Fairchild, a midwife who serves mamas and families in the Kansas City area. She became a midwife while living in the Philippines and serving at a low resource birth center for two and half years. Yet her even greater role is that of wife to her husband Cody, and mother to her 3 beautiful children, with another one on the way. Episode Roundup: Ask questions of your care provider up front. Don’t get taken off guard when you realize there are issues at 40 weeks. If you feel like you don’t know what questions are important to ask, I believe that spending time listening to the stories of others can help you articulate what’s important to you. Figure out what is important to you– this is critical. That way, when you are interviewing your midwife, you can assess whether or not the two of you are a good fit for one another. I do have a questionnaire inside of my birth courses to help with this. Every birth is different. Isn’t it incredible to realize just how individual each experience is? Here’s Leigha, a midwife who has attended numerous births, and she is not immune to the fact that each labor is unknown before it happens. To enter our birthing experience with open hands and an open mind is a beautiful approach, especially if we’ve prepared ourselves well beforehand. And finally, I loved how Leigha shared this: God gives you the strength you need when you need it. At one point, Leigha wished she could just KNOW how things were going to unfold. To know how much longer it would be before giving birth. And while she didn’t get that, she did learn that The Lord is faithful to provide the strength you need when you need it. Is that message for you this week? I feel so strongly that there’s someone out there who needs to hear this. I don’t know what season you’re in, it’s probably not birth related at all. But something is going on in your life that feels insurmountable and you just want to know when it’s going to be done. My friend, He loves you. I pray you feel the Lord wrapping you up in the warmest, most comforting hug right now. I pray you feel him imbuing His strength upon you right now. You are not alone. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube Link | youtu.be/IqjAjKtUkGc
Is it really safe to have hopes and desires for your birth? What if you plan but things don’t unfold the way you’d wanted? This week we’re speaking to Lindsey Fuller, a homemaker and former registered nurse living in Tampa, Florida. She is married to her husband John and they have 3 wonderful kids. She loves spending her days devoted to raising her children and supporting her husband in his medical practice. Episode Roundup Reject the naysayers. Prepare fully for the birth you desire. Don’t fall into the trap of fearing “failure” so much that you don’t commit to preparation. Of course birth can go a million different ways, but when you do what you can on your end to prepare, you’ll be served and more ready for however it all unfolds. Surrender your birth. Once you’ve prepared, it’s time to surrender. The beautiful gift of birth is that no matter what, it can be a teacher. It can provide you with the most valuable lessons. It’s so much less about the specific events that happen to you and so much more about how you are able to process and integrate those events into your motherhood experience. And finally, I just want to emphasize something that happened to Lindsey. In her most recent birth, she experienced a pivotal moment. She realized that she was holding onto control in areas that she’d never noticed before. Not only in birth, but in life. This birth– this very moment in birth, gave her an opportunity to break down an entire stronghold in her life– it allowed her to rewire a part of her brain. This, my friends is the beauty that is held in the birthing process. This is what I mean when I say that yes, homebirth is great, but it’s not the whole story. Homebirth is the car that can drive you to a destination of new revelation, just like it did with Lindsey. Links: Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/ Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page Youtube Link | youtu.be/JbyV4z7_OF4?si=7XE93R8am6u62RQE
Have you ever found yourself clinging so tightly to something- only to realize that it wasn’t serving you the way you once thought it would? Today we’re speaking with Carey Glenn, a Certified Professional Midwife who is keenly aware of the traps of dogma in all areas of the birthing world. Often times we’re so able to see what’s “wrong” in the hospital system, but do we ever stop and look at our own choices and question why we’re making the decisions that we’re making? This episode is such a delightful conversation for both mothers and midwives, and I know that you’re going to gain beautiful insight on what it’s like to walk a balanced path– whatever that looks like for you. Episode Roundup: I love Carey’s well-rounded approach. In the years that I’ve been involved in birth, I’ve certainly seen strong, dogmatic camps. You HAVE to give birth in the hospital- it’s the only way! You HAVE to have a nurse midwife, it’s the only way! You HAVE to have a freebirth– it’s the only way! My friends, let’s make space for nuance. When we cling to ideology instead of intuition, it’s easy to become confused and honestly, manipulated. Next, the importance of care providers choosing to heal. This is huge. Midwives, are you processing your trauma? Do you feel that you have the resources to do so? Seek support. Seek community. Please do not isolate yourself– this work is heavy, but beautiful. Finding healing can help you prevent burnout and allow you to care for your clients as fresh individuals without carrying in the baggage of previous experiences along with your midwifery bag into the birthing space. Finally, you’ve got to check out Carey’s drumming tracks. They are so beautiful, so enjoyable, and so likely what I’ll be listening to the next time I give birth. Rooted Birth Rhythms by Sacred Heart Beats: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1K898fhwDdVUj2oEqSouME?si=XJZSdO32T0iB2S0zCfaCFw Links: Samaritan Ministries Happy Homebirth Academy Interview Application Youtube Link
Michelle O'Riordan
this episode is painful to listen to.