Donna takes us on quite the journey, vulnerably sharing the stories of her two very different birth experiences. Her first birth was a harrowing time, fraught with abandonment, labouring in a motel room, meconium stained waters, a terrifying hospital transfer, exhaustion, a delayed epidural, and then finally culminating in a cesarean section. In stark contrast, Donna’s second was an incredibly empowering, healing and triumphant water birth at home.

It’s quite something to imagine Donna having gone from the devastating fall-out of her first birth, including a deep sense of failure and confusion surrounding it all, PTSD and relationship struggles, to feeling strong in her conviction that she could, and would, birth her next baby at home. She shares with us the various supports and tools she utilised to begin healing and to ready herself to fully embrace her power and wisdom as a Mother and as a birthing woman.

Also included in this episode:

* Unsupportive vs supportive and respectful midwifery care

* TENS

* Doula support

* Hypnobirthing

* Posterior baby

* Complications with living rurally

* Inability to communicate or think during labour

* Counselling support

* NZ College of Midwives Resolutions process

* Miscarriage

* VBAC course

Donna forgot to mention in her story that she found Havening a really helpful therapeutic tool for managing her PTSD symptoms.

My (Carla's) Healing Birth work...

Donna had a 1:1 Unravelling Your Trauma session with me. For more information on these and other healing services I offer, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

And the Soulful Birth course that Donna participated in is an 8 weeks long holistic birth and postpartum preparation course that is held online. I also now offer personalised 1:1 Soulful Birth For You options (which include a gorgeous journal that I have created). To find out more about both of these services, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep

You can also access a lot of free information and guidance from me via my new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

Donna's doula was Lily. You can connect with Lily via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilythedoula/

The Havening therapy that Donna found really helpful was with Robin Youngson: https://neuroscienceofhealing.com/

Donna also had wonderful acupuncture support from Anna-Lena Tews in Hamilton, NZ: https://altews-midwifery.com/