How One Midwife's Own Birth Experiences Turned Her Into a Passionate Advocate for Informed Consent

From a young age, Sophia felt a powerful calling to support babies entering the world. By the time she became pregnant with her first child, she was already deep into her midwifery training, and ready to welcome life, both professionally and personally. She gave birth at home, surrounded by care and familiarity, with a trusted colleague by her side. But soon after her son arrived, it became clear that something wasn't right. He was quickly diagnosed with VACTERL, a rare and complex combination of birth defects. At just 36 hours old, he underwent his first surgery — the first of many. When Sophia became pregnant again, she hoped for a smoother path. But her second baby was breech, leading to a cesarean birth and more unexpected complications after delivery. Through both of these challenging journeys, Sophia learned to navigate the medical system with resilience and grace, finding her voice as a mother and an advocate, not just for her children, but for others walking a similar path. Sophia Henderson is a certified home birth midwife and host of the Born Wild Podcast. With over 16 years of experience, she blends traditional wisdom and evidence-based care to support families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Passionate about reproductive autonomy and the transformative power of birth, Sophia creates calm, connected spaces for families to welcome their babies in safety and love.  Find Sophia on Instagram @sophiabirth and @bornwildmidwifery  Born Wild Midwifery Born Wild Podcast If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Check out the website for lots of other birth related offerings, and personalized support: www.healingbirth.net Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto