073: HOME BIRTH STORY - An Expat Planning a Home Birth in Ireland with Katie McCormick

In this episode we're talking with Tammy Williams. Tammy is a 38 year old first time mom who chose to have her baby at home. She is an amazing momma who approached her home birth without fear, and had a magic experience. If Tammy could, she would shout from every rooftop about how awesome her home birth experience was and how every woman can give birth without fear. Since finding every rooftop would take some time, having her on our “podcast rooftop” will suffice for now. Unsure of whether or not she’d be able to get pregnant, Tammy had a surprise first pregnancy at 38. In a circumstance where many women might find themselves fearful and worried about the risks, Tammy powered up and she and her partner David decided on home birth after a close friend who was also pregnant at the same time shared her intentions of having a home birth. Overwhelmed with emotion in an amazing way, Tammy sought out empowering information and resources with the support of her midwives that she selected from a nearby birthing center. Tammy is a powerful example of knowing her body and trusting the inner voice. To her, home birth is such an important opportunity to strengthen all aspect of your life from your relationship to your partner to how you raise your children. And through the course of her journey, she has actually inspired, influenced and encouraged other women and families in their home birth experiences as a resource and friend. “I truly believe that by sharing these stories we can educate women about the importance of birthing without fear and helping to change the stigma around home birth,” says Tammy. Links From The Episode: The Business of Being Born Tree of Life birthing center Your Pregnancy Week by Week Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth Hypnobirthing - Mongan Method Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Apr 55min

In today's episode we're talking with Danielle Turk-Bly, two time mom with a third on the way. Danielle is a self described "crunchy mom" (#represent) and we have an amazing conversation on this episode. We talk about all kinds of things from the birth planning to cloth diapering and homeschooling, running while pregnant, facing your fear demons around birth, placenta previa and how that has been impacting her current pregnancy, having a community of like-minded people to support you, cultivating your voice for what you want, and intimacy with your partner during pregnancy. Danielle's first birth was in a birthing center. When it came time to plan for the second pregnancy, she and her husband Ryan made the shift to home birth. Despite Ryan being a little bit more conservative than Danielle, he was fully on board and in support of the decision. Danielle doesn’t revel in “going against the grain” or defying anyone else’s way of going about things. She just simply does what resonates most with her. I really appreciate that perspective, because often times you think that home birth is the choice as a result of a defiance or rebellion against something. Danielle’s example is a powerful one in just being proactive and true to yourself. And heads up - Danielle has thought about doing a podcast of her own. This is something we totally support and will definitely update you on when she decides to jump into that venture! Links From The Episode: Danielle’s blog Danielle’s Instagram Danielle’s Facebook Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Apr 44min

In this bite-sized episode, I share some realness with you. This week has been tough for me. At any point, I’ve felt frustrated, tired, stressed, over-extended, low, and a bunch of other adjectives you use when everything feels difficult. I didn’t take time for myself and had myself convinced that I wasn’t doing enough - that I wasn’t feeling productive enough. Bottom line: this was my ego playing some huge mind tricks. So for any mama out there, future and present, who has felt this way. This is for you. I talk about how I got into the dark place and what I did to get out of it. Take advantage of the opportunities to remind yourself how awesome you are - especially for pregnancy and birth planning. Experience your joy! Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 Mar 14min

In this episode we're talking to Sara-Beth Reuter about her inspiring journey to home birth.  Sara-Beth is a great example of courage and determination. After her doctor told her that she would not be able to deliver naturally and would need a c-section because of the size of her baby, she and her husband Matthew decided to get another opinion on the matter. They reached out to Matthew’s grandmother, an experienced midwife, and explored their options. Already not too keen on hospitals and clear that she wanted a natural birth, at 19 years old and 31 weeks pregnant, Sara-Beth switched over to the midwifery model of care and planned for a home birth with the help of Matthew’s grandmother. Sara-Beth has a solid sense of confidence in her body’s ability to do what it’s meant to do, and it comes across when she talks about the rest of her pregnancy and her birth. Sarah-Beth believes that “labor is not a sickness,” and is all about putting empowering information out there to support women in having a home birth if that’s what they want for themselves and their families. We’re so grateful to her for sharing her time with us, especially with 2-month old baby Silas in the picture. We understand how valuable time is for a new mama! Links From The Episode: Miami Maternity Center Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Mar 36min

In this episode we're talking all about having sex after baby. Yes, this is the much anticipated followup to our episode about sex while pregnant (link below). Postpartum sex can be tricky, and for us it involved patience, compassion and creativity. But now, both Matthew and I can say without a doubt, that we're having the BEST SEX OF OUR RELATIONSHIP, and that's after pushing out a kid! If you’ve listened to the Doing It At Home podcast for a while, you’ve probably gathered that Matthew and I value transparency a whole lot. It’s important for us to be as candid, raw and real as possible - because the greatest breakthroughs we’ve had as a couple and as individuals have been made possible by others showing the example of bold and authentic living. It’s for this reason that we share parts of our experience of home birth and beyond - because if it helps and empowers anyone like others did for us, then we feel in our purpose and mission. So that’s why we include talking about our sex life in the show’s topics. We covered sex while pregnant in episode 6. And now that we’re on the other side, we figured it was worth taking time to talk about postpartum sex. Sex after giving birth is a whole other dimension of a sexual relationship - or at least it has been for us. It has brought its own set of unique opportunities and challenges. For one thing, after some minor tearing during Maya’s home birth, I had some fears around how my vagina would heal and whether or not I’d ever be able to make love the way we used to (forget the possibility of expanding our repertoire or level of intimacy). I judged myself when I thought about the timeframe of when we’d return to having sex. When I asked other women how long they waited, I catalogued the responses and started comparing myself. And when we did have sex for the first time after giving birth, I was a little disheartened and frustrated. It was pretty painful. So here I was back to the time I lost my virginity and thought, “Why would anyone ever want to have sex?! This is the worst thing ever. I can’t believe people do this and like it!” I saw what I thought would be a long road of recovery up ahead. Not to mention I was getting used to my new body - everything leaking and in a different position from where it was a year ago. I am blessed to have an amazingly patient partner in Matthew. Over the course of postpartum recovery we worked together to communicate clearly and connect intimately. It’s been a process of opening up, drawing upon the trust and surrender process of giving birth, and allowing that to carry over into our sexual relationship. It’s taken time, conversations, and some deep breathing...but now we’re at a place where the sex is juicier than it ever was! How is that possible? Listen to this episode and find out! Links From The Episode: DIAH Episode 6 - Sex While Pregnant: The Ins, The Outs, The Reach Arounds Orgasmic Meditation (aka OMing) Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Mar 1h 6min

This episode is part two of our conversation with Christie Andersen, our first-time mom planning her home birth while her husband Ryan had been stationed in Korea throughout the whole pregnancy. And a lot has changed since our last conversation! For one, we had a baby! Little Charlotte has since stepped on the scene, and we get to hear all about her grand entrance. Christie shares Ryan’s homecoming, anxiety around whether or not she’d actually go into labor while he was home, and how she dealt with the pressure of all the calls and texts inquiring as to baby’s arrival. We get to hear the whole process, as it’s still fresh in her mind (Charlotte is just 2 weeks old now! They welcomed their baby girl into the world from the comfort of their home along with Christie’s mother, a close friend, a midwife, a doula and 2 midwife assistants (quite the full house, which we can relate to!). One of my favorite takeaways from Christie’s story is “be open, go with the flow.” It sounds simple, but it’s incredibly profound and relevant when it comes to birthing babies. Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Mar 28min

In this episode we're talking with Christie Andersen about her upcoming home birth. Christie was pregnant at the time of our recording, just days away from giving birth. We were incredibly excited that Christie wanted to share her homebirth story with us and let us into her experience as a soon-to-be-mom. On top of all of that magic, Christie was excitedly awaiting the return of her husband, who was on active duty and heading back home that very evening. This is a great story because it’s ongoing. Christie Andersen is pregnant - in fact just a couple of days away from her due date at the time of this interview. So this is our first “before and after” style interview where we’re talking to a mom who is actively planning and preparing for her home birth (her first!). Then in a couple of weeks, once mom and baby are a little bit settled, we’re going to do another interview to recount the actual birth and compare thoughts and feelings for both before and after birth. Christie’s husband Ryan was deployed right after they found out they were pregnant. Christie originally intended for a hospital birth but decided to make the switch around 20 weeks, in a bold move to follow her heart and trust her body. Even though he’s been thousand of miles away for the entire pregnancy, Ryan has been fully supportive of Christie in her process of transitioning to home birth planning and was traveling home for the birth at the exact moment we were chatting with Christie on the phone for our interview. So already Christie’s story is an amazing one - planning a home birth and also representing the community of women and families who experience pregnancies and births often without spouses or other family present because of active military duty. We’re so honored to share her journey and excited to bring you the rest in part 2 sometime soon! Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Feb 30min

In today's episode we're talking to two-time mom Melissa Thormahlen, about the home birth of her son Tyler. Melissa's home birth story is a beautiful example of trust and surrender to the process of childbirth. Melissa Thormahlen knows how to give me “all the feels.” I knew her story would impact many when her first email to me about her birth story had me tearing up. She experienced most of her birthing experience at home with her first baby Emeline, before transferring to a hospital and having a beautiful birth. For Tyler, baby number 2, she knew she wanted to go for a home birth again because she trusted her body and her amazing birth team. In Tyler’s birth story, Melissa explains the trust and surrender to the process. She also took time to be close and intimate with her husband, Paul in the time before active labor. When baby Tyler was born in the bathtub after a strong surge that took everyone by surprise she exclaimed, “I DID IT!” We even get to hear from baby Tyler as he chimes in a couple of times. We love when the babies make little appearances, they’re the reason we’ve come together to chat after all! Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order The FamilyAlbum app: Share your family’s precious moments with your loved ones + get 11 free photo prints delivered each month CLICK HERE. More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU DIAH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ DIAH YouTube: https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC DIAH Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/doingitathome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Feb 45min