132: World Doula Week 2018: Serving and Advocating for Women in Pregnancy and Birth with Sharon Randolph

In today’s episode I’m sharing my postpartum story. I get into the nitty gritty details of the very first postpartum stages after my home birth. I also talk about what I experienced with postnatal visits with my midwives, healing a perineal tear, breastfeeding, diastasis recti (aka ab separation), postpartum sex and more! --  Hey all, Sarah here. In this episode I’m solo and talking all about my home birth postpartum experience. I’m currently almost 4 months postpartum, and it’s been quite the journey for me. Postpartum is this fascinating transition stage of life - first off, you just launched a human being from your body! And for a first-time mom like me, not only are you learning what the heck this whole motherhood thing is about - you’re adjusting to the new normal of a seemingly endless cycle of feeding, diaper changing and “moments” of shut eye. You’re responsible for keeping a little creature alive, whilst trying to figure out why you’re leaking from every orifice, your organs are bouncing around and you’re starving all the time (or at least that was the case for me). Postpartum could be its own series of episodes...nay, probably a whole podcast dedicated to it. For now, I take one episode to skim the surface of my experience and how it ties in with our home birth. I talk about: First stages of postpartum after home birthPostnatal visits with midwivesHealing a delivery tear (ouch!)Placenta pillsBreastfeeding and mastitisPostpartum sexDiastasis recti (aka ab separation) and post-baby weight lossAnd here are some links from some of the references I make in the show: Stuff You Should Know Podcast episode on breastfeeding - http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/breast-feeding.htm You can sign up to be notified for the new version of the Balance Chart tool that I mention here - http://ydbg.launchrock.com/, if you are so excited and can’t wait and are interested in getting on the current version, you can email me at hello@diahpodcast.com and I can help you out. 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

9 Jan 201738min

Today we're talking with Maria Mengel about her 2 birth stories. Maria's first daughter was born at a birthing center with a midwife, and her second was an unassisted home birth (also known as "freebirth"). In this episode Maria gets honest about her two birth experiences and shares some of the things she learned during the process. Maria reached out to us after listening to the show and felt inspired to share her experience of home birth. We love stories like these - full of candor, vulnerability and humor. Maria has the experience and perspective of giving birth in a birthing center as well as at home, so we were really excited to sit down and pick her brain about it all. We learn about the birthing center experience and why Maria was certain on the drive home with her new daughter that she’d never do it like that again. We also hear about the process of home birth, and what can happen when your waters break and you don’t go into labor that day...or even the next day! Birth was such a transformational experience for Maria that it ignited a passion that would shift her career. She became a doula and now owns a business dedicated to birth work which includes placenta encapsulation and childbirth education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 Dec 201645min

In today's episode we talk about 6 comments and questions that you absolutely don't want to say to a homebirth mom or family! We heard these things as we prepared for our home birth and can say from experience that they are not helpful at all. Some things are better left unsaid, and that applies to commentary on someone’s decision to have a home birth. In this episode we share 6 big statement/topics to avoid when you’re talking to a mom who’s planning a home birth. While they may be well-intentioned, these are the things that don’t help the process. And if you are a home birth mom, we talk about ways to address these comments and how you can deflect them like Neo with those slow motion bullets in the Matrix. Let’s leave the fear and judgement out of it. Because we all know birth could use less of that. So steer away from these 6 things, please. And if you must comment then simply tell the mom how much of a badass she is! (that'll win you some brownie points) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Dec 201626min

Continuing our work to bring real and honest stories of home birth to you, we sat down with Debbie Schneider, CPM extraordinaire. Debbie is actually our midwife. She delivered Maya, and has become a very important part of our lives. We’ve known we wanted to interview Debbie since we started the podcast. She’s an amazing and wise source of information and support of all things home birth. Her story in becoming a midwife is an inspiring one, deciding to shift into her life’s passion at 44. Now 18 years later and some 700 births attended, Debbie talks about “normalizing birth again,” that is, putting it back in the hands of mothers and families to choose the birth plan that aligns best with them. We could’ve talked with Debbie all day, but for the sake of time, we kept it to about an hour. And you won’t want to miss one minute of it. You’ll get some of the history of home birth, obstetrics’ attempts to “make birth more efficient,” and the differences in the experiences of home and the typical hospital birth. Here are some of the resources Debbie mentions in the episode: The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth Ina May Gaskin Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities DawningLife Midwifery Other 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

1 Dec 201658min

In this episode we're talking with mom of 4 Jenny DiPietro, who has had multiple home births, a homebirth turned hospital transfer, a water birth at home, and who performs placenta encapsulation for families. We get into a lot in this one!  Oh yeah, and we’re also entering a new phase of the podcast! In addition to our episodes that feature Matthew and me discussing some topic related to home birth, we’re publishing our conversations with moms and families who have experienced home birth along with professionals and thought leaders on the subject. First to kick off this endeavor is our chat with Jenny DiPietro. Jenny is a mom of 4, who has experienced both home and hospital birth. In our talk, we cover things like: The details of her births What went into her decision-making process to choose home birth Her work as a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist The importance of education in the pregnancy and birthing journey  We’re very excited to bring other stories and perspectives of home birth to you. Enjoy!  For more on Jenny and her work, you can check her out on her website here. 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

23 Nov 201634min

In today’s episode we address the question, “Is home birth messy?” It's a great question that I know crossed my mind once or twice during pregnancy, because let's be honest, most images we have about birth is that it's a bloody, sticky, gross mess! But here’s the truth on mess during a homebirth: yes there are parts of it that can be messy (as I’m sure you can imagine fluids can go everywhere), but you do not have to make a mess while giving birth at home. I repeat, you do NOT have to walk away from your home birth with your house looking like a crime scene. With the right supplies, preparation, and team, you can have a completely comfortable, mess free home birth. I guarantee it! Listen as we share tips to keep your home birth as mess free as possible, give you a list of the things you’ll want to have on hand and set up before hand to ensure your birth is as pleasant as possible.  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 Nov 201626min

Today’s episode was inspired by a listener email. Leonie, listening all the way in Australia, reached out to share her birth story. She had planned for a minimal intervention birth in a midwife led public hospital program (way to go Australis!) but things didn’t go exactly as anticipated. Her email was amazing - raw, honest and transparent - and at the end she had a few questions for me about home birth, my connection to Maya, and more. So when we received this email we knew we wanted to record an episode with our response. Here are the questions we cover in this episode: Sarah how did you feel after Maya was born? Did you feel an instant connection? Can you go into this time a bit for us? How do you feel now weeks down the track, looking back? Do you look back with any regrets, and trauma, and worries? How do you feel overall about the home birth concept, how did it fit into your dream/vision? Is there anything you would change? Is there anything your would recommend? Leonie, and every mom and family out there with similar stories and questions, this one is for you! 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

10 Nov 201647min

A lot goes into creating a badass and powerful team. You want a team that works together and has synergy. You want individual members who can hold their own yet contribute to the totality of the group. You want to be able to trust everyone’s competence and commitment to the overall goal. These teams win championships, seal the deals, and set the example for all other teams. Now when it comes to choosing your team for your home birth, how do you go about creating the ultimate, most awesome group of people to support you in such an amazing, magical experience? That’s exactly what Matthew and I talk about in this episode. Maybe you haven’t even thought about having a birth team and this is a new concept for you. We’re here to help give some context around it. We share our experience of selecting the members of our home birth team - our thought process in how we chose them and why, the vision we had in mind for the people who would be involved, the roles they played and how they contributed to the whole experience. It takes a village to raise a child, so why not recruit the best team possible to usher him/her into the world? 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

2 Nov 201634min