The Gift of Giving Life

I loved interviewing Melissa and hearing her experiences and wisdom.   As a mom of 8 and birth worker, she had amazing things to share. I especially loved her experiences with angels at her VBA3C. Topics and Time Stamps [00:00:12] Book Review [00:00:58] Meet Melissa - Mom of 8 and a Birth Worker [00:01:51] One of Our First Readers! [00:02:42] Reading The Gift of Giving Life Increased Her Spirituality [00:04:07] Turning To God, Pleading for Chance to Have a VBA3C [00:07:18] Angels at the Birth Tub [00:10:45] I Have to Do This Myself! [00:12:10] Advice to Other Moms - Trust Your Instincts! [00:14:45] VBAC Support and Information [00:19:02] How to Find Melissa Helpful Links from todays podcast Find Melissa at birthwithmelissa.com This weeks episode transcripts and/or show notes -  www.thegiftofgivinglife.com Get your copy on Amazon Follow us on Instagram @giftofgivinglife

 was so great to interview Maile, a mom of 8 and hear about her different births and the way The Gift of Giving Life helped her with births.   Sadly, there were a few connection issues while we were recording. I tried to edit them best I could, but you can always read the show notes if it isn't clear.  www.thegiftofgivinglife/maile-harnessed-the-power [00:00:31] Meet Maile and learn a bit about her 8 births [00:01:49] Feeling the presence of another baby [00:04:32] How Maile's 5th Pregnancy helped her better appreciate the Atonement of Jesus Christ. [00:05:52] Covid Uncertainty led Maile to choose her first homebirth for her 8th baby [00:07:02] The power of affirmations in preparing for her homebirth [00:09:00] The power of spiritual creation [00:10:45] Affirmation tips [00:12:57] Trust that God will help you parent your children Helpful Links This weeks episode transcripts and/or show notes – www.thegiftofgivinglife.com/maile-harnessed-the-power Get your copy of The Gift of Giving Life on Amazon  https://amzn.to/3LUcGn5 Follow us on Instagram @giftofgivinglife

After Valerie had her 3rd baby, her doctor advised her to not have any more. The Spirit reassured her it was ok to and also led her on a journey of healing. She turned to natural healing methods and after years of healing, she got a second opinion of having more babies and got the OK She went on to have 5 more babies! I loved interviewing Valerie. She was one of my Hypnobabies Student – 2 times, for baby number 7 and 8! I also was her doula for those 2 births. She had Toxemia (high blood pressure) during her 3rd birth and was told to have no more children. However, that didn’t feel right to her and she had a spiritual experience to reassure her she would be safe having more children. This led her on a path to alternative medicine. This allowed her to become strong enough to have more children. She got a second opinion and changed careproviders and went on to have 5 more children! I was amazed at the story she shared about her friend who broke multiple bones and after a surgery was struggling with pain. Valerie felt inspired to lend her friend her Hypnobabies CDs and they made a huge difference. Valerie also shares how Hypnobabies has helped her after having babies. Of course, she shares her birth experiences and it will be especially interesting to moms who have had posterior babies, as all 8 of her babies presented that way. HELPFUL LINKS This weeks episode transcripts and/or show notes – http://thegiftofgivinglife.com/the-spirit-reassured-me-it-was-safe-to-have-more-babies/ Get your copy of The Gift of Giving Life Book here Sign up for our Newsletter Follow us on Instagram @giftofgivinglife You Tube Channel Podcast Episodes

When one of my dear friends got preganant and wanted me to be her doula,  I really wanted to be there, but her guess date was near a cruise my family had planned. She had other friends that were planning on being there too,  which ended up being a good thing, as she had a major change of plans the day before I left! Listen to hear the miracles that happened.  

We have an Easter Slant on sympathy pains and discuss how watching with people, holding space is helpful, in all challenging situations.  I don’t know if Christ’s apostles could see Him as He prayed. The scriptures aren’t entirely clear. Perhaps they could see Him or yearned to help Him. Or perhaps they could simply feel a small portion of the heaviness and pain projecting from Him as He accomplished the Atonement. They offered “sacred support” in much the way fathers and doulas support their wives and clients through childbirth (see “A Father’s Sacred Support” in The Gift of Giving Life). They could not remove His burden, but I suspect they were able to feel some of the weight of it as they struggled to remain conscious.

Robins musings as she attends Sacrament Meeting in the midst of the struggles of the First Trimester. Here is a snippet: My mind turned to the Savior.  He was tired – heavy the scriptures say.  Was he overcome with nausea as his body lurched forward taking upon Him the sins of all mankind?  I’m sure his bones ached with tiredness.  I sat humbled knowing that the cup that He begged taken away was not removed but filled to the brim and consumed willingly.  What He suffered for me was much more than I can comprehend, so much more than what I felt or would ever feel.  My heart turned to Him and I was grateful for the blessing to give life in similitude of the Savior who gave life to all mankind through the power of the Atonement.

I am likely not the only woman to have felt her “mind called up to serious reflection” regarding the war of words concerning pregnancy and childbirth. Each pregnancy and birth has brought feelings that were especially “deep and often poignant.” Every time I have felt a certain measure of conflict inside me between the fear-based medicine of the world and the faith-based wisdom of God. I can never take for granted that I know it all. Each pregnancy has offered me the opportunity to study and pray, and, because each time I have lacked wisdom, I ask God.

I loved Valerie's insights she got  when she was pondering how Jesus could understand childbirth.  She was inspired to look up a Hymn and it gave her a deeper understanding of The Atonement.

Heather wrote a Facebook Post that went viral two years ago. Have you ever noticed in the scriptures men are always going up into the mountains to commune with god? Yet in the scriptures we hardly ever hear of women going to the mountains, and we know why-right? Because the women were too busy keeping life going; they couldn’t abandon babies, meals, homes, fires, gardens, and a thousand responsibilities to make the climb into the mountains! As modern day women we may feel like we are never free enough from responsibilities, never in a quiet enough, or holy enough spot to have the type of communion we want with God. But this is why God comes to women. Men have to climb the mountain to meet God, but God comes to women where ever they are I have seen it spread around the internet and still parts of it posted here and there. I love her attitude, that even if it isn’t contributed to her, she is fine with that. This viral post led to Heather’s most recent book. God Comes to Women Today I interview her to learn more about that! HELPFUL LINKS Get your copy of The Gift of Giving Life Book here Sign up for our Newsletter Follow us on Instagram @giftofgivinglife You Tube Channel Podcast Episodes

This is a lovely birth story of faith and hope. 

This is the second part of the Sacred Space Birth Story.... Such a tender experience. "Then little Aaron left my body, and I pulled him right up to my chest. The emotions that I experienced at that time cannot be described with words. It was overwhelming, it was so special, and yet so normal, like “Of course, I just had a baby.” I was on top of the world. I stayed in the water for just a few minutes as I let it sink in and looked at my baby"

My first encounter with childbirth started with the birth of my first child. That experience was eye opening, disappointing, affirming, traumatic, magical, overwhelming and set the stage for the worst depression of my life. I had resisted an induction but eventually caved to the pressure I was receiving from my obstetrician. The ultimate result was a healthy baby boy born via cesarean and my broken heart and body. My second birth was an empowering vaginal birth in the hospital, but I was met with mistrust, abandonment and even violence though I had carefully chosen my provider and a “natural birth friendly” hospital. Even more disenchanting was to have my baby caught by a resident student as there was no obstetrician in the hospital at that time. If something catastrophic had occurred, I would either have had to wait until someone arrived or transfer to another hospital. It was then that I asked myself, “Why did I get out of my bathtub at home and tear down the freeway in transition to come here and meet negativity and contention when the help I was going to the hospital to potentially receive wasn’t even there?” I knew my next baby would be born at home. Should a need arise, I would then go to a hospital.

I share the most powerful experience  I have had using affirmations and share tips on how you can  use affirmations during your  pregnancy and birth

Listen to how this mom adjusted after her surprise pregnancy. The Gift of Giving Life played a big role in helping her to adjust!

Life as a doula.  Every birth changes me in some way. I always learn.  Often the lessons are unexpected.  A little over three years ago, I attended at birth that I recognize as one of those unexpected yet key experiences that shape a doula.  I still talk with this friend and I mentioned to her that this birth changed me profoundly.  She asked me to explain.  I have to admit that I struggle to put it into words on a page because it was a change in my heart and mind.  So I will make an attempt to put words to how my heart was changed but just know that I’m not sure I can fully capture what I want to express.