Hayley's Birth Stories: From Induction Anxiety to Bliss at a Birth Center

In this episode, Hayley shares her experience with a traumatic first birth in the hospital followed by two redeeming births. Even though she chose midwifery and an unmedicated approach from the beginning, she learned that all midwives are not created equal and found herself switching practitioners at 33 weeks pregnant. Themes in her first pregnancy include high blood pressure and white coat syndrome, talk of big baby and other scare tactics, induction, anxiety, serial ultrasounds, coached pushing with an epidural, and fear in pregnancy. After her first experience, Hayley learned everything she could about birth and went on to experience empowering second and third births at a freestanding birth center. Hayley's journey highlights the importance of knowing her options, advocating for herself, informed consent, emotional processing, and human connection in pregnancy. She talks about the stark differences in prenatal care between the hospital and birth center settings and how her redemptive experiences gave her a renewed sense of confidence in motherhood.You can find Hayley on IG @hayley.felch