168. MyMaine Birth: Anna's first birth story, a home birth with loving support from her midwife

Send us Fan MailChoosing a home birth for a first baby can feel bold, especially if you come from a family that is involved in the Western medical system. In this episode I sit down with Anna as she shares her candid Maine home birth story that moves from a pandemic-era relocation to a fast, intense labor in a cabin birth tub. We talk about the surprising ways birth can feel mystical and medical at the same time, plus the hard-earned postpartum lessons about sleep, feeding anxiety, and learning your baby over time.We discuss:• Moving from remote Alaska back to Maine for support and logistics• Choosing a home birth midwife who feels meticulous and risk aware• Staying flexible and resisting a rigid birth plan• Early labor that arrives intense and progresses quickly• Relief in the birth tub, then rapid transition • Fully dilated without an urge to push and the “hand” vision that creates connection• Baby born above water and an out-of-body first meeting• Postpartum hemorrhage handled quickly at home with skilled support• Placenta prints, community care, and the bliss of the first 24 hours• The grind of the first six months, sleep deprivation, and breastfeeding stress• Letting go of the myth of instant intuition and building trust over timeYou can find more about Anna's midwife Tiffany Carter Skillings by clicking here and visiting  her website TwoRiversLactation.comIf you'd like to join the community of Maine moms sharing birth stories on the podcast you can fill out the form on my website   or you can also always message me over on instagram @mymainebirth Additional Resources:MyMaineBirth.comClosing song by Kate Sutherland.  You can find Kate's community songs and deep nature connection work online at KateSutherland.ca