#35 Debunking Misconceptions about the Magic of Home Birth with Laurie Fremgen

Many of the arguments against home birth are based on misinformation. At the end of the day, birth is a very personal event, a miraculous rite of passage, and only you can decide where and how you want it to take place. Today on the Manifest Miracles Podcast, we hear from Austin-based midwife, Laurie Fremgen, who is a passionate advocate for empowering women through the natural birth process. Laurie has been a midwife for 25 years and has been active in advocating for the right to choose midwifery care, currently serving as the Chair of the Midwifes Advisory Board. In this episode, we talk about the differences between midwifery and OB care and some of the most common misconceptions she encounters when it comes to home birth, midwife care, and everything that goes into it. We also touch on the medical industrial complex and how it impacts birth, the presence of systemic racism in the birthing world, and what women of color can do to ensure that they receive culturally competent care, plus a whole lot more. This is an illuminating and informative episode for anyone who feels called to explore working with a midwife and empowering themselves through pregnancy, birth, and even conception, so make sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Birth as a sacred, holy experience that was designed to give women power.
• Safe home birth, safe mom, safe baby; why Laurie always errs on the side of safety.
• How the expectations of the care provider can influence outcomes more than anything else.
• Find out why Laurie says that birth is a spiritual practice and an exercise in presence.
• The hormonal cocktail that makes natural birth such a profound ‘love event’.
• Laurie outlines some of the major differences between OB care and holistic midwifery care.
• The importance of prioritizing mental health throughout pregnancy and birth.
• How to approach risk assessment when it comes to natural birth and midwifery.
• Questions to ask and qualifications to look for when finding a midwife to work with.
• How the patriarchy and the medical industrial complex impacts birth and women’s reproductive rights.
• Systemic racism in the birthing world and how it results in mortalities for Black women.
• What women of color can do to ensure that they receive culturally competent care.
• How to support initiatives that advocate for the rights of BIPOC midwives and mothers.
• One of the coolest things Laurie has manifested: her children.
• What the word ‘miracle’ means to her: miracles are mundane, everyday things.
• Words of wisdom for pregnant women: hire a doula, get support, get quiet, slow down.
• Why Laurie believes that pregnancy is an important opportunity for ‘emotional housekeeping’.
• Birth as an opportunity for healing and why we need to dispel the fear of the birthing process.
• What you can do to ensure your birth is an empowering as possible: trust your uterus!
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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Laurie Fremgen

Laurie Fremgen on Instagram

Black Home Birth Matters ATX

The Body Positivity Journal

The Lotus Collective