Doing It At Home - The Home Birth Podcast

Latest Episodes:

286: HOME BIRTH STORY - A “Wild Pregnancy” and Two Unassisted Home Births with Jillian Anderson Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

Do you like to be left alone during birth?

Or if you haven’t given birth yet, have you thought about whether or not you might want people around you, or prefer to be undisturbed?

For our guest today Jillian Anderson, she was by herself for the majority of both of her birth experiences. Her partner Aaron was always close by in case he was needed. But Jillian knew what worked for her. That stems back to her decision to have a home birth over 6 years ago with her son Gabriel. It then carried into her pregnancy and birth prep for her daughter Serena. During her second pregnancy, Jillian was her own care provider and had a “wild pregnancy” (meaning without any outside assistance, we learned this term for the first time during this conversation - love how we’re always learning!).

Now as a mentor, writer, birth and fertility activist, Jillian’s birth experiences have greatly influenced the work she does with women.

A few other topics we discuss: fetal ejection reflex, pleasurable birth, placenta delivery and lotus birth, family members calling child protective services upon learning about the unassisted home birth and postpartum doulas.

Links:

Jillian’s website: www.jillian-anderson.com
Jillian’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillianaanderson/
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

285: HOME BIRTH STORY - When Birth Has Raw, Real Challenges and is Still Crazy Beautiful with Ashley McGuirk Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

How can an experience like birth have such a mix of thoughts and emotions around it?

It’s so complex and yet so simple. There’s such a vastness to it and the unique quality of each experience can make it difficult to summarize. This is why each story is so important and why we love sharing as many as we can with you.

Today we’re speaking with Ashley McGuirk, and she tells us the birth story of her son Keegan.

Ashley is a holistic health coach, personal trainer and yoga instructor. With her mother having 3 unmedicated hospital births, a natural birth plan resonated with her. After watching

“The Business of Being Born,” aka “the gateway to natural and home birth” as she put it (haha!), she was clear she wanted a home birth.

Ashley’s husband Ben was on board and a big support during the pregnancy and birth experience. In addition to the birth story, we talk about some of the things that Ashley brought into the pregnancy and birth based on her training and the work she does. Plus a conversation on “pregnant you and non-pregnant you,” fetal ejection reflex and a positive GBS result.

Links:

Ashley’s website: https://www.staysweetwellness.com
Ashley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staysweetwellness
Ashley’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staysweetwellness
Ashley’s Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/staysweetwellness/
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

284: HOME BIRTH STORY - First-time Mom and Doula at 22 with a Positive Home Birth Story with Katherine Ward Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

What is intuitive birthing?

It can look different for each of us. But the general philosophy of allowing for the process to be what it is for you in your own unique way is a beautiful concept that comes up in our interview today.

Katherine Ward shares her home birth story of her daughter Remi with us. Katherine started her doula training at 18-years-old. Through this experience she determined that when the time came for her to give birth, she wanted something different from what she witnessed in the hospital.

By the time she met her husband Connor, she knew she wanted a home birth. This sparks a great dialogue in the interview about how “yet-to-be” mothers can approach conversations with their partners about birthing plans in a loving, open and empowered way.

Katherine also shares about some of the challenges in pregnancy in staying connected as a couple and preparing for the birth experience, as well as some unexpected postpartum challenges. And of course, we’ve got all the details of birthing time!

Links:

Katherine’s Business Instagram: @genesisbirthmassage
Katherine’s Business Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/genesisbirth.massage/
Katherine’s Email: genesisbirth.massage@gmail.com
Lacy from Central Iowa Midwife - https://centraliowamidwife.com/
Birthing from within - https://www.amazon.com/Birthing-Within-Extra-Ordinary-Childbirth-Preparation/dp/0965987302
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

283: HOME BIRTH STORY - A Second Generation Birth with the Same Midwife with Sera Billings Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

What’s one of the biggest challenges of choosing a home birth?

A common response to this is feeling like you have to explain and justify your choice to others, whether that be friends, family, loved ones or total strangers.

This pops up in our interview with Sera Billings, mama to Addy. For Sera, home birth was always a completely normal thing. She herself was born at home. Her mother, in fact, had 6 home births. So home birth was an obvious choice for her when she became pregnant. And her husband Kade was on board and ready, because they had many conversations around birth before even becoming pregnant (we are big fans of this!).

And get this - the same midwife who attended Sera’s mother’s birth was there to attend her birth and help bring baby Addy earthside!

Another great element of this conversation is the reminder to release expectations based on others’ experiences. This is your unique process - embrace it!

Links:

A Guide for Home Birth Partners: https://www.diahpodcast.com/home-birth-partner-guide
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

282: HOME BIRTH STORY - The Magic of Eggplant Parm Plus Getting Baby Unstuck During Labor with Mekensie Gonzalez Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

“What’s going to happen if…?”

This is a question many of us ask as we prepare for birth. And what if instead of ignoring whatever combination of thoughts and feelings that fill in that blank after the “if,” we get them out there and allow ourselves to process?

In today’s interview with Mekensie Gonzalez, she shares her journey to home birth with her daughter Eden. From sitting on an airplane and on an off chance listening to a podcast about home birth with these two crazy people from Georgia (hint hint!), to going forward with plans to have her own home birth, Mekensie’s story is full of topics and themes that every home birthing family can learn from.

First there’s the involvement of her husband Alberto and allowing him to ask questions and be a part of the experience (to later become a big home birth advocate himself!). Then the legend of a local Italian spot featuring an eggplant parm that is rumored to send many women into labor around the time of “guess date.” And then the work of getting baby Eden unstuck during the labor through multiple positions and techniques.

One huge takeaway and affirmation: you are no less of a birthing person if things do not go the way you thought. It doesn’t take away from your power and strength. There is no wrong or right way to birth.

Links:

A Guide for Home Birth Partners: https://www.diahpodcast.com/home-birth-partner-guide
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

281: How to Get Your Partner on Board for a Home Birth Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

What if you want a home birth, but your partner doesn’t?

This is a big challenge that we hear about often. The birthing person is desiring a home birth and the partner is not. It takes conscious time and communication to share thoughts and feelings, work to understand each other and find a solution that best serves the family.

And there could be many reasons for not being on the same page. Maybe your partner has never heard of home birth, has some ideas about it and/or has limited experience and conversation around birth.

So what can you do?

In this episode we’re sharing 5 steps to take in the process of sharing your desires and creating the space for powerful, loving and authentic conversations around the birth plan. Plus we have a brand new, free resource for you and your partner - “A Guide for Home Birth Partners: Real-life Lessons and Advice from Other Partners’ Experiences.” Check out the link below to download!

Links:

A Guide for Home Birth Partners: https://www.diahpodcast.com/home-birth-partner-guide
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

280: HOME BIRTH STORY - When the Road to Home Birth Includes Tough Conversations, Financial Questions and Family Pushback with Jocelyne and Eddie Zaldivar Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

How do you navigate a bunch of challenges that can throw off your birthing plans?

Ideally the only bump in the birth journey is the belly kind, but sometimes the road to home birth presents different obstacles to overcome.

Our guests Jocelyne and Eddie Zaldivar share their experience with us. It includes some of the top things we’ve heard from other home birth families when it comes to hiccups in the process. For one, tough conversations with their OB when they started out planning a hospital birth. Followed up by shifting to a birthing center, only to have it close unexpectedly as they entered their third trimester. And also, fear and resistance from family members around their birthing plans.

Their eventual home birth had such a profound impact on them that it inspired an evolution in their businesses. They now run homebirth.com and have a network for matching families with home birth professionals to serve them. Plus education and resources for empowering the home birth experience. You can see why we’d have a lot to talk about! Listen in to hear more.

Links:

Homebirth.com website: https://homebirth.com/
Homebirth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homebirthdotcom/
Homebirth.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homebirthdotcom
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

279: HOME BIRTH STORY - 2 Unassisted Home Births with Jani Barnes (Rebroadcast) Jul 02, 2020

Show notes

What do you do when you were born at home yourself, over 30 of your cousins have been born at home and you have over 40 chiropractors in your extended family?

It’s a safe assumption that you’d have your babies at home too! For our guest Jani Barnes, having babies at home was all she knew. So having both of her children at home, unassisted, was a no brainer.

Her husband Greg is a chiropractor, and was fully on board and supportive of the process. We talk to Jani about some of mental preparation she did for her births, and she impresses upon the need for positive information and conversation leading up to your birth (regardless of where or how you do it).

Then we get to hear the birth stories of her babes Nora and Leo.

Links:

Birthing Outside the Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birthing-outside-the-box/id1512851843
Birthing Outside the Box Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birthingoutsidethebox/
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

278: Episode Swap with Birth Story Podcast: Interview with Jennifer Farnham Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

Don’t you love the birth world?

We’ve been able to connect with so many amazing people in this space. For today’s episode we’re sharing the #birthjunkie love and bringing you an episode from our friend Heidi and her podcast, Birth Story Podcast. We had Heidi on the DIAH podcast in episode 256 and we genuinely find her wonderful. So why not share some more of that with you?!

Enjoy an episode that originally aired in November 2019 titled: Meet Jennifer Farnham Host of Willow Wisteria on YouTube on her home births and hospital births with her 6 children

And here’s the original episode description from Heidi:

“18 Pregnancies. No you are not seeing spots.

Jennifer Farnham, CEO of Art of Natural Wellness, host of the very popular YouTube channel Willow Wisteria, author of Dear One, Be Kind, and my personal Bengkung belly binding designer tells all.

She takes us on a journey of being married to someone who was not her soul's perfect fit in a job that didn't feel right either. She birthed her first two babies in the hospital before she found herself. Through her pregnancy journeys she found her inner ROAR. She became a vegan, a doula, got divorced and found her soul's match, started her own businesses and went back to school for hypnotherapy focusing on pain management.

She is the essence of a true entrepreneur finding her passion and following the voice inside.

Along the way, she conceived 18 times but her body was unable to remain pregnant while nursing. Once she solved her low progesterone, she was able to conceive her 6th baby while still nursing number 5.”

Links:

The Birth Story Website: https://www.birthstory.com/
Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/

277: Helping Dads to Feel Confident, Peaceful and Powerful About Birth Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

What role is the father-to-be (or parent-to-be) supposed to play in birth? How can that father/parent-to-be show up better in that role?

In today's conversation, Matthew and Sarah dig in on this topic, focusing on the future fathers/parents who don't always get to be in the spotlight.

This is a great episode to listen to if you're a father-to-be, OR if you know one then share this episode with them.

Links:

Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/
DIAH Shop: https://www.bonfire.com/store/diahpodcast/
Parents on Demand Network: https://parentsondemand.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Doing It At Home – The Home Birth Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected