S2 EP 9 | Kaela’s Story: Home birth | Third Degree Tear and a Hospital Transfer

For years, Kaela carried a deep fear of birth.Instead of letting that fear guide her decisions, she immersed herself in learning everything she could about physiological birth, home birth and informed consent. The more she learned, the more confident she became that home was where she felt safest.In this episode, Kaela shares the complete story of welcoming her daughter Sophia into the world through a planned home birth.We talk about:• What shifted her mindset from fear to confidence before pregnancy• Preparing physically and mentally for a physiological birth• Why she chose a private midwife and home birth model of care• Labouring at home and the freedom of moving through birth in her own space• The powerful moment her partner caught their daughter in the birth pool• Discovering their baby's gender together after birth• The unexpected third-degree tear and why she ultimately transferred to hospital• How her midwife advocated for her wishes throughout the hospital transfer• Choosing local anaesthetic over theatre so she could remain present with her newborn• Recovering from a significant birth injury while protecting her postpartum space• Preparing nourishing postpartum meals, embracing the 40 days of rest and supporting healing• Her honest reflections on birth, informed choice and what empowerment in motherhood now means to herWhether you're planning a home birth, exploring your birth options or simply love hearing honest birth stories, this episode is a beautiful reminder that birth doesn't have to be perfect to be deeply empowering.Want more?You can find episode photos over at:⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearemotherspod/⁠You can find me at:⁠https://www.instagram.com/iamsarahcusack/⁠You can find Kaela at:https://www.instagram.com/kaela_banney/Mentioned in the episode:Shetland Eller. The Birthing Mumhttps://birthingmum.com.au/about-2/about/https://www.instagram.com/birthingmum/