Doing It At Home - The Home Birth Podcast

Today’s birth story features Briahnna Roy and Jerry Scott, a couple sharing their journey to home birth.  For their first baby, Briahnna and Jerry chose to deliver in a birth center. The experience wasn’t everything they wanted, and when it came time to decide on the location for baby number two, they opted for home birth.  From Briahnna: “The second birth was incredible. It was the most unreal, beautiful experience. Everything was so calm. I was very quiet and so in control. I was surprised by myself. I can honestly say that it was not painful. It was everything I ever wanted.” Links: Briahnna and Jerry's Youtube Channel “ReadyScottsGo”: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtvyYJ7xRVehO5UydyHZAw The Curtis Method of Childbirth Education: https://curtismethod.com/ “Doing It At Home” book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098GVJ9KL?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ Home Birth Support Group: https://bit.ly/3jKtIYv Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGoKeBfEZ143sWU7V9I5Gdg DIAH Store: https://yoursuccessfulhomebirth.com/ DIAH Merch: https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe  Donate to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 Tammi 20211h 12min

How do we move through the discomforts of pregnancy and birth? This comes up in today’s interview with Melanie Meador. Melanie shares her journey with both of her home birth experiences.  Melanie had hyperemesis gravidarum with both pregnancies (extreme and persistent nausea during pregnancy, often with frequent vomiting).  With her first birth experience, she was feeling a little rushed going into the process, because her midwifery practice was going to close 3 days after her due date. Plus she was working full-time. The birth lasted 34 hours with her waters broken. This is a stark contrast from her second birth, 6 hours and baby was born en caul (waters still intact).  Melanie is the only person in her group of friends to have had a home birth. And with her mother and almost all of her aunts having cesarean births, this was something unique. Melanie says, “My mom was so excited to be at the birth of my son that she told anyone that would listen for the first 2 years!” This birth story includes: hyperemesis gravidarum, doula, acupuncture, TENs machine, membrane stripping, en caul, cervical lip, and red raspberry leaf tea. Links: “Doing It At Home” book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098GVJ9KL?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ Home Birth Support Group: https://bit.ly/3jKtIYv Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGoKeBfEZ143sWU7V9I5Gdg DIAH Store: https://yoursuccessfulhomebirth.com/ DIAH Merch: https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe  Donate to DIAH: https://bit.ly/3qgm4r9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 Tammi 20211h 10min

How do you know when labor is starting? This is a question we put out there into the community, and received some really great answers and examples. So we’re sharing them with you! Plus our experience of what it was like when we realized it was “game time” -- what it felt like, what was going on, and what we did once it was clearly active labor. There’s a wide range of possibilities and experiences when it comes to discovering you’re in labor. Our goal in sharing this conversation with you is to help you should you find yourself experiencing anything similar to these situations. And for those who have already been through the birthing experience, something to reflect back on and connect with. We also share some bonus tips on what you can do when you do discover you’re in labor, to avoid any unnecessary stressors and create a smooth and peaceful environment. Oh, and just for fun -- please message us or engage on social media and weigh in on the epic saga of “the mixed greens” in the Bivens household!  Links: Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Shop: https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Tammi 202144min

What inspired your journey to birth empowerment? For today’s guests, Jazmin and Ben, their journey began in 2017 in Seattle following an ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. It prompted them to do research and plan for future pregnancies in a different way. According to Jazmin, “It was my first experience realizing I had to advocate for myself with medical professionals, especially considering I'm a black woman, as many brushed off my concerns and pain as "normal."” Fast forward to Atlanta in 2018 when they welcomed their first daughter, Elyana. It was a 45-hour vaginal birth in a hospital. Jazmin says, “That experience inspired me to dive much deeper and do additional prep for my second birth (chiropractic care, Spinning Babies, pelvic floor PT, a hypnobirthing class, and the DIAH podcast, to name a few).” Then in 2020, Jazmin and Ben had a home birth with their second daughter Sareya. “ I experienced the fetal ejection reflex, had a retained placenta, and absolutely no tearing. Both of my births were empowering in completely different ways,” Jazmin says.  Jazmin switched care providers with both births, something we go into further in the interview. Also, COVID-19 influenced some of the plans and decisions with their second birth. And we mentioned Atlanta, so Jazmin and Ben live close by! We’re very much looking forward to hanging out in person in future DIAH events and gatherings. This birth story includes mention of: ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, changing providers, hospital birth, home birth, epidural Links: Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Shop: ttps://bit.ly/3qhwgAe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Tammi 20211h 13min

In this episode we're giving you some powerful affirmations to help you prepare for your pregnancy and home birth. We have 2 affirmations for moms and 2 for dads. We’ve talked a lot about affirmations on the show at different points in time - a little bit in our story and then in the stories of other moms, so we thought we’d create some of our own for you beautiful listeners! I thought it would be fun to have some for both pregnancy and the birthing process. And not just for mamas - for the dads too! This episode is a little shorter, but all the more sweeter. We both share our affirmations and a little bit on why we chose them and how they can contribute to a powerful and peaceful mindset and experience of your home birth. We hope these affirmations serve you well or even inspire you to come up with your own! Here are the affirmations for you to copy and use or share with others:   For Pregnancy Sarah: I am fully connected to my body and my baby’s needs Matthew: I anticipate our upcoming birth with joy and peace in my heart. It will unfold exactly as it should.   For Birth Sarah: I am powerful, peaceful and fully supported as I give birth. Matthew: I am strong. I am capable. I am intuitive. I am compassionate. I am patient. I am a parent. Show notes: The blog post Matthew drew inspiration for his affirmations from: Birth Affirmations for Expectant Dads and Partners   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Joulu 202027min

Have the circumstances around COVID-19 impacted your pregnancy and/or birth? Today we’re chatting with Heather Delaney, childbirth educator, certified labor and postpartum doula and CEO of Maryland State Doulas.  Heather walks us through how she and her team of doulas and birth professionals have shifted over the past year to serve their clients with virtual support. When policies (like partners and/or doulas not allowed in birthing rooms of hospitals and centers) and communications have been challenging, they’ve found alternative ways to educate and empower, regardless of the birthing location. We talk about what some of the biggest changes/challenges have shown up in the birth world, what families can do in the midst of everything as well as how to minimize the fear around birth that already exists and can be magnified when blended with the conversations around COVID-19. Links: Heather's website: www.marylandstatedoulas.com Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Shop: ttps://bit.ly/3qhwgAe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

23 Joulu 202059min

How do we cope with the parts of our birth that didn’t go the way we envisioned? In today’s episode we chat with Cadyn about her birth experience. She and her husband planned a home birth, because (in her words) of “how special we consider our home and surrounding space to be, and that this was where it seemed that magical portal of birth was meant to open.” After a long labor, Cadyn transferred to the hospital. It was frustrating and heart-breaking. But after a period of time, she was able to get hydrated and rest. The staff gave time and space and honored her choices. She felt supported. Her husband was even able to assist in “catching” the baby. Cadyn describes the birthing as “the best moment I’ve ever experienced.” More from Cadyn: “My hospital experience was thankfully quite positive, and one student member of our midwife team remained with my husband/best-birth-partner-ever and me through the birth. I know now that nobody, especially myself, is to be blamed— only thanked— for the way our daughter came into this world. There are of course reasons to be nervous about giving birth, but nothing to FEAR. I went through many phases of accepting my personal birth story, and listening to birth story podcasts like yours has sincerely helped me to process everything. I hear stories that share common ground with my own, and I hear stories that remind me that EVERY birth is unique. I hope I can share something with a listener who might need to hear it. This birth story includes mention of: RhoGAM shot, Tay-Sachs disease, hospital transfer, epidural, pitocin Links: Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Shop: ttps://bit.ly/3qhwgAe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Joulu 20201h 31min

What’s your best home birth advice? That is the question we put out to our community. We’re sharing some of those responses in this episode. From exploring your options to looking at fears. Plans, logistics, finances. We cover a lot of the spectrum. Plus we share some of our current best advice when it comes to home birth. Special thank you to our community members Beth, Rachel, Natasha, Cassandra and Monika for their feedback and contributions. Links: Our website: https://www.diahpodcast.com/ DIAH Shop: https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diahpodcast/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1904721379788084/?ref=bookmarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Joulu 202031min