Birth Matters

In this episode, professional dancer and voiceover artist Elisa Toro Franky shares her transformative birth journey with a depth and poetic beauty that makes this conversation truly special. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Elisa brings her unique perspective as a performer to the birthing experience, drawing profound connections between dance and labor.Elisa opens up about her conception journey, including navigating two early miscarriages with wisdom and grace, and how she reframed those experiences to move forward with hope rather than fear. She discusses the intersection of dance and pregnancy, how carrying Luna changed her movement practice, and the vital importance of listening to your body with the same attention dancers bring to their craft.The heart of the episode explores Elisa's birth story—from declining induction twice while trusting her intuition, to her decision-making around accepting gentle interventions when she felt ready, to the powerful moment of a very quick pushing stage before meeting baby Luna. She shares candidly about finding her birth team at NYU Langone, working with doula Regina, and the great support of having her mother present from Colombia for over two months postpartum.Throughout the conversation, Elisa weaves in themes of courage, intuition, surrender, and transformation. She speaks eloquently about "becoming the wave" during contractions, navigating the liminal space between her former and new identity, and the essential role of movement and cultural connection in her pregnancy and recovery journey.This episode will resonate with anyone preparing for birth, especially those interested in the mind-body connection, the power of trusting your intuition, and the transformative nature of becoming a parent.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this episode, it's Karen Yi’s and Kristofer Rios's turn to share their story. As a public radio journalist and a producer of documentaries, they both crave education and information and it shows in their birth choices. They share all about challenges of infertility and advocating for better medical care, to the smart decision to hire a doula and the fast-paced reality of labor. They discuss the importance of building a supportive team, the unexpected moments that shaped their birth story, and the lessons they learned about surrender, resilience, self-compassion and patience with partner and baby. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Our guest today is Rachael Rose, speech-language pathologist and owner of Creative Speech Therapy in Manhattan. We discuss the identification and treatment of tethered oral tissues (TOTs) in infants, more commonly known as tongue ties and lip ties, and their impact on feeding, speech, and overall development. Rachael explains the importance of early detection and intervention to prevent long-term issues, the importance of trusting parental intuition, the need for a supportive team approach, and the challenges parents face in getting proper diagnosis and treatment. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Anastasiya and Eric share their candid journey to parenthood, from conceiving after long-term birth control and facing a surprise gestational diabetes diagnosis, to navigating a sudden job loss just days before their daughter’s early arrival. Their story unfolds with an unexpected start to labor in the Poconos, a fast and empowering unmedicated birth in Manhattan, and the vital role of partner support and childbirth education. They open up about the realities of postpartum life—addressing new parenthood’s emotional and practical challenges, breastfeeding struggles, and the process of finding themselves again. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Jane & Sam, New Yorkers who met in San Francisco, share the story of their unmedicated, physiologic birth attended by midwives in a Manhattan hospital and supported by a doula. A year or so into being married, they decide to try to conceive with hopes of having a baby in the Year of the Dragon as Jane is Chinese-American. To their surprise, they get pregnant immediately after removing her IUD. Given Jane’s background having previously worked for a women’s healthcare tech company, she had learned enough about the maternal healthcare system to know she wanted to strategically position herself for a safe, unmedicated birth and to be well-supported by a doula. Jane also shares a bit about her breastfeeding journey and being well supported by two IBCLCs to be sure baby is thriving and to support her when she had some temporary initial nipple damage.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today’s birth story is shared by Aatreyi, a podcast listener who worked with a wonderful doula from East River Doula Collective. She shares her experience navigating pregnancy and birth in New York City (as is usually the case on this podcast). Aatreyi also talks about the pivotal role acupuncture played in starting her labor right before her due date, helping her avoid a medical induction. We discuss how the constant focus on percentiles and dilation numbers during her pregnancy and labor often added more stress than clarity, and how she learned to look beyond the numbers to trust her own experience. From switching care providers to finding support through her doula and community, this episode offers a candid look at the unexpected twists and turns pregnancy and labor can take as well as the importance of listening to your own instincts.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In today's episode, we're joined by Priscilla and Micah, who share their deeply personal journey from miscarriage to a blissful home birth experience. They open up about the challenges of navigating their birthing location and provider and how they had their choice to plan a homebirth affirmed in several ways throughout pregnancy, including through their own research, doula, and birth class. They detail the spiritual, emotional and physical rollercoaster of pregnancy after loss as well as the importance of trusting one's body and instincts. Their story is a testament to resilience and the support of a loving community of women. Quick content warning: there is not only mention of 1st trimester pregnancy loss, but also a bit of a scary mention of blood loss after birth when they decide to transfer to the hospital after birth to be sure that the whole placenta was delivered due to its unusual shape (spoiler alert: it ends up being a false alarm, as you might have seen in this episode’s title). Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Following Michelle’s first baby’s unmedicated hospital birth, which she shared in Episode 86, Michelle is surprised to be told at around 39 weeks that she needs to go straight to the hospital to be induced due to gestational hypertension. She advocates to go home to say goodbye to her son and grab her bag. Once she checks into the hospital for the induction, it goes much more efficiently than anticipated and she’s able to give birth again without pain medications and this time without tearing, using all kinds of proactive comfort measures with the support of her husband and doula. She also describes some of the guilt she felt and grief she experienced in having a second baby at different points in pregnancy and beyond. This story will be particularly supportive to folks who have hypertension, are being induced, and/or are having a 2nd baby or are thinking about it for sometime down the road.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this episode, Liz and Kevin open up about their journey through pregnancy, sharing their firsthand experience with white coat hypertension and the challenges it brought. They discuss the pressures they faced around induction, their decision to delay an induction in hopes of an unmedicated birth, and the lessons they learned along the way. They also talk a bit about breastfeeding and how identifying and correcting a tongue tie their son had helped resolve issues they had early on. Liz and Kevin offer encouragement and practical advice for others navigating similar choices, highlighting the importance of informed decision-making and self-advocacy in the birthing and early parenthood journey.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this episode, we welcome Alaska McFadden—birth doula, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, and occasional home birth midwife assistant—who shares her powerful transition from birthworker to birthing person. Alaska opens up about her path to pregnancy after a previous loss, navigating conception at 37, and the emotional complexities of carrying a baby after supporting so many others in doing the same.Alaska discusses the challenges of pregnancy, including managing a large fibroid, fears of intrauterine growth restriction, and the emotional weight of going 42 weeks and 5 days—setting a new “record” for this podcast. She shares deep reflections on the mental and emotional toll of late pregnancy, her experiences with Dreambirth visualization, and how her community of birthworkers supported her through it all.This episode is a raw, reflective look at what it means to trust your body, make nuanced choices around risk, and still feel the full range of vulnerability—even as a seasoned professional. From making a Guinness pie in early labor to the intense moment of not feeling her baby move, Alaska takes us through the physical and emotional terrain of her labor, birth, and transformation into parenthood.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this episode, Lisa reconnects with Ann Morris—doula, childbirth educator, and mother of two—to hear the powerful story of her second birth: a planned home birth after a positive hospital experience. Ann shares why she chose midwifery care, how her husband became her “moula,” and how she prepped mentally and physically for a peaceful, water birth at home. From laborade popsicles to postpartum healing and navigating breastfeeding challenges, Ann offers practical tips and emotional insight into birth, motherhood, and trusting your intuition. A must-listen for anyone planning a home birth, considering birth work, or seeking inspiration for informed, empowered choices. If you haven’t heard her first birth story, you can listen to that way back in Episode 25.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Due to her experience working in Brooklyn hospitals as a social worker, Lindsay chose to work with midwives for a more personalized birthing experience. Her story includes gleaning lots of tips from friends who gave birth shortly before her, some fairly extreme work stress leading up to labor, the confusion of stop-start labor, how she had to wait a long time to get the epidural and then it slowed progress, how multiple visitors prevented her from resting, as well as the magical moment of welcoming her baby to the sounds of Led Zeppelin. We’ll discover the struggles and triumphs of early breastfeeding, the relentless cycles of pumping, and the delightful detail of her baby smelling like a freshly baked cake at birth.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today, Donna shares her transformative journey from a first birth experience via C-section to achieving a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) with her second child. She describes her extensive preparations, the critical role of her doula, and the stark differences between her two birth experiences. From facing prodromal labor to making informed choices like hiring a supportive healthcare team and deciding on an epidural, Donna relives the emotional and physical steps that led to her ultimately pulling her own baby onto her chest. Her story highlights the importance of preparation, support, and empowerment in achieving the birth you envision, which has been a theme in many of our stories, if you’ve been listening here for a while.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this episode, Rachel, a mother of three boys, a doula, and a passionate advocate for maternal health shares her transformative journey through her three pregnancies and births. She details the challenges of her first traumatic C-section, the struggle and acceptance of her second scheduled C-section, and then her victorious vaginal birth after 2 cesareans with her third baby. We discuss the systemic biases and disparities in healthcare, particularly for Black birthing people, and the importance of trusting one's intuition and seeking supportive providers. Rachel's experience led her to become a doula and an advocate, where she continues to support and educate families. This episode is a testament to resilience, empowerment, and the critical need for improved maternal health practices.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today Bea shares her perinatal journey from dealing with unexpected infertility and IVF to the whirlwind experience of a fast labor and delivery. She discusses the realities of fertility treatments and the specific challenges surrounding her fear of needles, the surprise of her water breaking dramatically while she was asleep, and a bit about the great support she got in early breastfeeding, sleep challenges, and an early thyroid imbalance her son had that required medication.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today's episode is a combination of 3 birth stories and then a chat with a fellow birth worker named Meagan Heaton, co-founder of The VBAC Link. She's going to share a little bit about her three births, which include two cesareans and one vaginal birth after two cesareans. Then we have a chat about vaginal birth after cesarean. This episode should be interesting and educational even if you are expecting your first baby and haven’t ever had a cesarean. The strategies and information you'll hear us chat about could help you ensure you’re hiring a medical care provider who is only going to intervene and do a cesarean if absolutely necessary. It’ll also help you think about questions you might want to ask as you’re hiring a care provider whether it’s your first time or you’ve had a cesarean and would like to VBAC. A lot of expectant or new parents have told me after having a cesarean they thought it’s “once a cesarean always a cesarean” for any subsequent births. But if someone has a cesarean, it’s evidence-based in the majority of cases to give that person a chance to give birth vaginally if they’d like to. So we’ll do some mythbusting on this today. We’ll also discuss some of the reasons why we don’t believe 39-week inductions that’ve been all the rage since 2018 due to the ARRIVE Trial are leading to fewer cesareans. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Seanna had a traumatic first birth in 2020. It was an emergency cesarean in 2020 in which she felt completely unempowered. In her 2nd pregnancy, she makes many different decisions in hopes to have a radically different, more empowering birth. She goes to therapy to process and heal from the birth trauma with the help of EMDR. Seanna takes birth class and learns how to advocate for herself and her baby, hires doulas, chooses a truly VBAC-supportive OB at a different hospital, and seeks bodywork from a chiropractor and acupuncturist. This story will hopefully be of encouragement to anyone who’s had a traumatic first birth that a second birth can be healing – but often not without some thoughtful, strategic choices. And for listeners expecting their first baby, this story will drive home how valuable your birth setting, support team, and education can be to protect your experience and your baby’s birth to be as healthy and safe as it can be.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today NYC obstetricians Drs. Worth & Mussalli chat with Lisa to discuss all the ins and outs of gentle cesarean as well as the different medical indications for a c-section. They also compare and contrast planned cesareans to emergency cesareans to non-emergent cesareans. You’ll also hear them detail a new collaborative care model pathway in which pregnant folks in NYC can get prenatal care with them and then transfer their care for the big day to midwives at a local hospital. Grab a pen/device and take some notes to develop your belly birth plan, whether it’s being planned or just in case!Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Upper West Sider Diana wanted an unmedicated birth and prepared by hiring doulas and switching from a large OB practice to a hospital midwife in an OB practice that she felt much more comfortable with. As she approaches her due time and her provider starts bringing up scheduling an induction at 40 weeks, she does all the things to try to go into labor. At 39 weeks, her water ruptures spontaneously (and loudly) while sleeping and she has an extremely fast labor, giving birth in only about 4 hours. Josh joins Diana for their baby’s birth story and shares how glad he was they had doulas to help them know they needed to go to the hospital far sooner than they had expected.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today we welcome new mom, Chantal. Previously diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, Chantal expected getting pregnant to take a while, so getting pregnant on the first try came as a surprise. On the heels of completing birth class and having a marathon of 3 baby showers, another surprise happens when Chantal’s water breaks prematurely at 35 weeks. When she arrives at the hospital, she learns her hospital has a free doula program, and she gets great support from her assigned doula, alongside her husband. After giving birth prematurely, she faces the emotional rollercoaster of a brief NICU stay for their son. Listen as Chantal navigates the intricacies of early postpartum, breastfeeding challenges, and the invaluable support from her community and medical team. Her story embodies resilience, community, and immense love for her newborn son.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today you’ll hear from one of the two homebirth midwives that was highlighted and praised in the last episode. Our guest today is Sorayya Kassamali Rickicki, a New York City-based home birth midwife whose practice is called Taarab Midwifery. Sorayya shares her journey from being a birth doula to becoming a midwife, inspired by her own physiologic, unmedicated births. The conversation emphasizes the importance of respectful care, the role of midwives in providing individualized and consent-based care, and debunks common misconceptions about the safety and financial accessibility of home births. Sorayya also highlights the differences between home and hospital births, particularly focusing on maternal and neonatal safety, and the benefits of having midwife-led postpartum care. Finally, she touches upon her plans to contribute to maternal health in Tanzania through volunteering at a health clinic.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this episode, Sheyda and her partner Corentin (who goes by Coco) share their experience of having a home birth for their son, Hugo. They discuss their prenatal journey in choosing to give birth at home with a midwife team and doula team and how ideal their birth team was for them because they prioritized consent-based, connected care. They share how, while the labor and birth went pretty smoothly, Sheyda chose to transfer to the hospital due to heavy bleeding afterwards in order to recover more quickly. Coco reflects on the hours he had alone as a new dad with their newborn while Sheyda was in the hospital for just shy of a day. You’ll hear Sheyda & Coco emphasize the value of postpartum support from both friends and professionals such as a postpartum doula and pelvic floor therapist. Sheyda shares how these experiences inspired her to become a postpartum doula, stressing the significance of emotional and practical support for new parents.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Tracy’s second pregnancy surprises her by being much more challenging than the first. Toward the end of pregnancy, baby #2 is persistently transverse (or sideways) and her OB recommends manually turning the baby. Tracy isn’t fond of that idea, so she does some research and goes to a chiropractor who specializes in helping with this using the Webster technique. Baby successfully flips and Tracy’s able to have the vaginal birth she wanted. However, she needs to put the self-advocacy skills she learned in birth class to good use when the hospital staff starts pressuring her for interventions she didn’t want due to holiday overcrowding and not due to medical necessity.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Brooklyn-based craniosacral therapist Regina Patane (BabyCranioNY) joins Lisa to provide some educational insights into this alternative modality of bodywork that can support babies and parents in their recovery from the birthing process. She not only explains the technique itself but also gives specific examples of how powerfully it can help a baby and parent receive gentle adjustments from the physically arduous experience they’ve just gone through together including for both physiologic/vaginal birth and also belly birth/cesarean.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Personal trainer Leia wanted a homebirth, but because her husband wasn’t comfortable with that idea hired hospital midwives instead. She did lots of prenatal education and prep, and hired doulas who were the perfect fit for her. In hindsight she’s very glad she did that because she knew how to both advocate for herself and had an advocate there to help her navigate the unexpected twists and turns of her birth. Things like her water breaking as the first sign of labor as well as labor going on for longer than she anticipated. She’s able to have the birth without pain meds that she hoped for, but certain hospital pressures require some strong self-advocacy all along the way. You’ll also hear her describe how indispensable postpartum support was with her doulas, a lactation consultant, a virtual postpartum support group, and bodywork for her baby.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Taylor and her husband never expected to have kids, and if ever maybe around 40. Then one day when Taylor was only 30, surprise! She was pregnant. In today’s episode, Taylor, who identifies as a biracial Black woman, shares how she went from working with a hospital OB to planning a homebirth with midwives and a doula. Her beloved doula, Chana, joins in today’s sharing, too. Taylor shares how getting off her mental health meds in her pregnancy wasn’t a good idea and how she had never realized that prenatal depression is a real thing until she experienced it. She also shares how well-supported she felt, how everyone deserves to feel safe and supported in their births, and what a gamechanger her choice of birth setting and team has been in supporting her mental health every step of the way. And of course, she shares all the juicy details of her homebirth story, which will include a passionate dislike of castor oil’s unpleasant side effects and an in-home visit from an acupuncturist to help move labor along.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Ellen, who shared her first two babies’ birth stories in Episode 26, returns to share her son’s preterm birth story following a relocation from NYC to California where they are now homesteaders growing toward self-sustainability. She had wanted an unmedicated birth with midwives, but due to her history of two premature births, she stays with a high-risk OB who provides midwife-like, compassionate care. At the 20-week scan, Ellen learns their son has a cleft lip, like his dad. Despite this, he ends up being the only one of the 3 for whom breastfeeding comes easily.   Ellen lays low and stays pregnant a bit longer than with her daughters, and despite her son being born a preemie, he doesn’t need the NICU after birth. She shares how much she struggled in the first month, despite all her preparation for and support in the postpartum period. The details of Ellen’s story drive home the importance of being quick to speak up if you’re ever not okay in the journey into parenthood. And stay tuned for some mental health resources that may be a lifeline for anyone who might be struggling; those will be shared in the commentary after Ellen shares her story.  Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Donna and Sandy share their 7-year-old daughter’s birth story. They had hopes for an unmedicated birth, and investigate switching from a hospital OB to a homebirth midwife toward the end of pregnancy. Ultimately, due to it being so soon before baby was coming, they end up sticking with their OB despite increasing signs of misalignment. Fortunately for them, they labor at home and arrive at the hospital just in time for pushing and the birth of their daughter, who was born en caul, or without the bag of waters releasing. You’ll hear some reflections on pregnancy, birth and parenting from Donna & Sandy specifically from the perspective of parents who have a very dedicated meditation practice and who are on the older end of the reproductive spectrum – as is often the case for New Yorkers.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today, a Nigerian-American doula based in New York named Theresa Lasbrey-Peters shares her two experiences giving birth in her 40s in a hospital without medication or interventions. As she narrates her journey through two pregnancies, she explains how important research, informed decision-making, and self-advocacy were for her. She exudes a refreshing level of confidence in refusing medical interventions during births. She also details a bit on her experience using Hypnobabies. Losing her mother during her 2nd pregnancy reframed what mattered and what didn’t. Theresa came to doula work as she realized the value of providing support for the birthing parent during the postpartum phase. She also shares about the critical role of oxytocin and her work as an Orgasmic Birth Practitioner, highlighting the potential for birth to be an empowering and beautiful experience.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In a bustling city teeming with ambition and dreams, Alexis - an actress, dreamer, and now mother takes us on her journey into motherhood. From the grand stages of New York City to the intimate confines of a 5-story Harlem walk-up, Alexis prepares for the role of a lifetime. As she immerses herself in prenatal yoga, pores over all the books, and engages in birth classes, her transition is magnified by music, art, and deep-rooted determination. Facing an accelerated birth amid apprehensive paramedics, the ties of sisterhood bring comfort as her doula holds the fort. In the midst of chaos, Alexis gives birth at home, keeping her resilience flowing like a quiet undercurrent and a new star, baby Anita, is born.  A tale of dreams, drama, and the divine journey into motherhood... This is the mesmerizing story of Alexis Field giving birth to baby Anita.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In this 2nd episode of a 2-parter, Kaitlin shares her 2nd and 3rd babies’ birth stories. After having a traumatic first birth, Kaitlin finds her voice and makes every effort to help things go differently. This includes finding a VBAC-supportive provider since she was aiming to have a vaginal birth after cesarean, seeking out lots of education and hiring a doula for support. She contrasts the ways in which her 2nd baby’s birth was redemptive and empowering, and then shares her very efficient homebirth with her 3rd. Kaitlin explains how her experiences were what not only drew her to becoming a birth doula but also motivated her to start Be Her Village as a way to help birthing families access the support they need whether they can afford it or not through a gift registry for support and education. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Today’s story is the 1st episode of a 2-parter. In it, the founder of Be Her Village, a baby registry that provides a way to give the gift of support instead of far less important baby gear, shares her first of 3 babies’ birth stories. Kaitlin’s 3 births couldn’t be more different from each other. In this episode, Kaitlin shares planning for a birthing center birth with midwives that shifted to a hospital induction and, ultimately, an unplanned cesarean. She shares how it was traumatic not because of the mode of birth, but largely because of the way she was treated. This first story lays the foundation for both why she made different choices for births 2 and 3, which will be shared in the next episode, and why she started Be Her Village as a way to help folks access the support they need for a great birth and postpartum period. Sneak peek into the next episode: she has a transformative, healing 2nd vaginal birth after cesarean (or VBAC) in a hospital with an OB and doula, and with her third a much faster labor and birth at home. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Melissa had her first baby as a teen but second baby 15 years later with a different partner and with an early pregnancy loss in between. Each journey was very different, and she shares in today’s episode how and why she made quite different choices for her most recent birthing process. This included switching from obstetrical care to hospital midwifery care to, ultimately, have an unmedicated birth in a freestanding birthing center in Washington state. She shares feeling instant love for her firstborn, like she’d never known. She then details experiencing grief stemming from her previous early pregnancy loss during her 3rd pregnancy and shares how that loss created anxiety and hesitation to bond with baby during pregnancy. But then Melissa shares a reclamation of confidence in her body through birthing her second son. Melissa also shares a bit about how easy breastfeeding was with her first son, yet how much more challenging both breastfeeding and pumping was her second time around.And, just a quick content warning, though you probably already picked up on it in the description: pregnancy loss will be mentioned and detailed in this story.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In part 2 of this 2-episode birth story, Jessica shares the rest of her unmedicated birth story with midwives in an NYC hospital. She details the contrast of her very positive birth experience to the postpartum care experience, discusses some initial breastfeeding challenges in which an IBCLC provides stellar support and addresses a lip tie & tongue tie her son had. She also shares how important a postpartum virtual support group the our doula collective offered was for her as a new parent and the essential community of support she discovered there.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Jessica learned about midwives and doulas in a college class, which planted the seed for her desire once becoming pregnant for an unmedicated birth. As a runner, she made connections between how empowering and satisfying running a race can be to her desire to have an unmedicated birth. In this episode, Jessica shares her story of alternative conception while planning a wedding, switching care providers twice to find an ideal match with hospital midwives, hiring a doula and educating herself all with the goal of achieving the unmedicated birth she very much hoped for and was able to achieve. This is part 1 of a 2 part birth story, and fun sneak peek for the next episode: you’ll hear details of how her son was born en caul (with the amniotic sac intact).Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Bettina prides herself on being a thorough researcher. She carries that into pregnancy and  interviews 6 doulas before choosing one, switches from an OB to midwifery care when she doesn’t feel aligned, gets prenatal breastfeeding support due to having inverted nipples, and more. At the end of pregnancy, talk of induction arises due to concerns of fetal growth restriction due to baby measuring small. Knowing that she and her partner are healthy but fairly petite people, she trusts her baby is healthy, advocates for more time, even signing an Against Medical Advice form to not be induced at 39 weeks, and meanwhile tries all the natural induction techniques. Her proactive measures pay off and help her have a respectful, well-supported, unmedicated hospital birth. Bettina also shares some about the breastfeeding challenges she faced and the expert support she received from both lactation consultants and a chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique for newborns.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Following an early pregnancy scare, Taylor proceeds to have a healthy pregnancy. Feeling frustrated when she passes her due date and isn’t showing much change toward going into labor, Taylor tries all the things to start labor and avoid induction. Once her water breaks, she has a super efficient unmedicated birth in which she labors at home for as long as possible until she starts feeling pressure and arrives at the hospital just in time to push and give birth. She and Joey share how educating themselves made a big difference in not feeling the need to rush to the hospital when her water broke, and how her empowering birth experience has awakened an interest in moving into birth work.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Sierra envisioned a waterbirth for her baby, but was disheartened to find it’s hard to find a birthing location where that’s possible and also hard to find birthing center options in NYC. With the help of her doula, she finds the one birthing center in all of NYC and switches her care. Working with midwives, Sierra immediately feels much more cared about, seen and heard than she ever did with her hospital OB. Listen to hear this exciting story of how Sierra’s son had very different plans for where he wanted to be born at 39 weeks!Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Despite the fact that EmJ has always had a self-professed low pain tolerance, she finds instinctive coping mechanisms that work for her to have the unmedicated birth that she had hoped to have in a Manhattan hospital. Part of what helps this happen was how EmJ receives uncommonly doula-like support from the nurses that helps her to manage well when things were at the most intense points. After the birth story, EmJ details navigating breastfeeding, and ultimately, exclusive pumping, in light of having had previous breast reduction surgery. She seeks out pelvic PT and finds it incredibly valuable to do an initial phone consult shortly after birth, particularly since she had experienced a fairly significant tear. Finally, EmJ gives some lesser known info on how she learned as a solo business owner that she could participate in the NY State Paid Parental Leave program and give us some tricks for small business owners. Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

As a teenager, Crystal learned she has a bicornuate uterus which significantly affected her menstrual cycle. So it’s no small miracle years later when she conceives naturally twice after being told she’d probably need to use IUI or IVF. When her son doesn’t seem to have room to flip from breech to vertex (or head up to head down), and because doctors are rarely trained to deliver a breech baby vaginally, Crystal has a belly birth. She shares a few bumps along the way including an allergic reaction to the pre-op antibiotics, challenges with healing from major abdominal surgery and initial breastfeeding, but also shares how overall it was a positive experience. So much so that only 14 weeks into parenthood, she’s already feeling ready to give it another go. She also shares some details about her son’s hip dysplasia, which is more common in babies who are persistently breech.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Cally’s hopes were high for an unmedicated birth. She gets thrown a curve ball when her membranes rupture as the first sign of labor. Knowing that an important strategy for a healthy birth is to labor at home for as long as possible, she doesn’t rush to the hospital. When she does go many hours later, she bravely signs an AMA (“against medical advice”) form in order to go back home after learning she’s barely dilated or effaced and baby is still high. When she later goes to the hospital and agrees to be induced, she’s ultimately very happy to have a vaginal birth with shorter-than-average length of induction, epidural for just a couple of hours, and an efficient pushing stage. She also shares some about her experiences with clinical anxiety and strategies to manage it, challenges with breastfeeding, and experiencing tendonitis due to repetitive stress in holding baby.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

As a doctor of physical therapy specializing in pelvic health, Nidhi is quite well-informed during her pregnancy, and had hoped to have an unmedicated birth with limited or no interventions. As her pregnancy develops, Nidhi learns she has gestational diabetes and goes on insulin and baby has an abnormal quad screen. In light of these things, her OB pushes to induce at 39 weeks, but she advocates to delay the induction until the fluid tests low a day before her estimated due date. She agrees to the induction at that point, but is thankful on the other side of birth to have bought more time because her son actually measured small at the time of birth, contrary to what often happens with gestational diabetes. Nidhi also shares about her severe tearing due to the use of the vacuum, and details her frustration with the lack of helpfulness of medical care in the postpartum period.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

In today’s episode, Jewish doula and mental health therapist Chana Diamond returns to share her 2nd and 3rd babies’ birth stories. She shares the details of two more unmedicated, uncomplicated vaginal births in a hospital attended by the same midwife as her first. Her babies were born healthy, despite a bit of concern due to identifying the rare Kidd antibody for both her 2nd and 3rd pregnancies. Chana also reflects on and describes some of the meaningful Jewish customs and rituals she observed in her pregnancies. (If you missed her first birth story, you can find that in Episode 87.)Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Millennials & die-hard Queens natives Suzanne & Edgar share the many smart things they did to prepare for the journey into parenthood and in hopes of having a healthy pregnancy & unmedicated birth: pre-conception couples therapy, going back on mental health meds in the journey to conceive, physical prep with exercise including yoga, nutritional support, chiropractic, acupuncture, meditation & mindfulness practices, hiring a doula, carefully choosing care provider, taking birth class, attending lactation support meetings during pregnancy, books, and more. Their birth story starts with being told they need an immediate induction due to low fluid. They decide to buy a bit of time by going to Suzanne’s “lucky diner” for a good meal beforehand, and her labor starts spontaneously. Suzanne experiences a faster-than-average 1st stage of labor but longer-than-average pushing stage. When the doctor says a cesarean might be needed after 3 hours of pushing, Suzanne is determined to give birth vaginally. Going into parenthood, she experiences some breastfeeding challenges that hit her mental health and shares about the hard decisions she had to make along the way. This story powerfully demonstrates how strong self-advocacy is often a gamechanger in many hospitals to have a physiologic birth and avoid unnecessary interventions. It also highlights how important supporting our mental health is in the journey into parenthood - directly from a parent who works in the mental health field.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Hallie and Eric had a long 3-year journey to conceive their son. Along the way, previously undiagnosed conditions PCOS and Hashimoto’s are identified. Hallie eventually decides to seek out complementary therapies in her pursuit to conceive such as acupuncture, which seems to make a big difference. She conceives on the first IVF transfer and immediately seeks out doula support and an OB who specializes in endocrinology. She also dives into research to develop her preferences. Though she desired an undisturbed, low-intervention birth, she ends up needing an immediate induction at 38 weeks due to preeclampsia. Despite this not being the preferred path, she still has a positive experience because of the birth team she so carefully chose. Hallie also shares about working with an infant care & feeding specialist as well as a mohel for their son’s bris ceremony. Full show notes at: birthmattersnyc.com/blog/ep93Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Whenever Hannah tried to reconcile her background as a professional dancer with the idea of pregnancy and birth, it felt like the two were incompatible. Yet when she does get pregnant, she finds ways to beautifully integrate the two. While pregnant, Hannah obtains a grant to both create and perform a dance work that tells the story of her journey into parenthood and to hold dance & journaling classes to create a community of support for fellow pregnant people. Ultimately, she chooses to give birth at home. Today’s birth story shares all the details of how Hannah hires a great midwife and doula birth team to support her and her husband in their Upper West Side home birth.Subscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Kelly eagerly educated herself and prepared for giving birth in all the ways – prenatal yoga, hiring doulas and a midwife, taking birth class, strategic nutrition, acupuncture, seeing a pelvic floor therapist. Because she’s a self-professed “jaded” professional working in the medical field, she made very intentional choices surrounding her care provider and support team. Kelly’s surprised when, just before her due date, her water breaks during a prenatal visit with her midwife. From there, listen to hear how quickly Kelly’s labor progresses after her midwife sends her home, how instinctively she labors, and how showing up just in time to push contributed to an easier-than-she-expected birthing process. Kelly also shares a bit about her early breastfeeding experience and how getting her daughter’s tongue-tie oral restrictions released helped lead to gradual improvements.Read show notes/resources, transcript, see photos at birthmattersshow.comSubscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Kaley did everything she could to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle throughout her pregnancy. She continued her running habit, then around 20 weeks she needed to shift to swimming and also did prenatal yoga. Toward the end of her healthy pregnancy, she’s told that her cervix is already 4 centimeters dilated and 90% effaced, yet her labor wouldn't start for another 3 weeks.When she experiences some bleeding at nearly 40 weeks, she checks into the hospital to get checked out. They tell her they’d like to induce, but before they can start the induction, her water breaks with a big gush. She buys a bit of time, and is grateful that her contractions started on their own about an hour later. Kaley shares all of the details about how both fast and positive her labor was, but what very scary complications she experiences after the birth. She also explains how it has helped her to separate the birth from the 3rd stage into distinct events in order to protect the memory of her baby’s birth as a positive one.She then shares a bit about the experience of being a bit disoriented in her postpartum physical body, as well as some of the breastfeeding challenges she faced due to low milk supply caused by having lost so much blood.Full show notes at: birthmattersshow.comSubscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Mara & Dylan did lots of great prep for birth in pregnancy – acupuncture, massage, birth class, hiring a doula, yoga, and more. Having heard her stepmom share how beautiful her own home birth was, this planted a seed of trust in the birthing process. When the time comes for her own baby’s birth, she feels most in her element laboring at home, using the shower for hydrotherapy almost nonstop. In fact, she was so in her element that she labored at home almost too long, and their doula diverts them to a different hospital when Mara starts getting the urge to push in the car. Listen to today’s story to hear how things play out from there. This story carries some striking similarities to a story shared earlier this season in Episode 83 by Nadia. So while we have two last-minute detours in this season, please don’t get it into your head that this is common because it’s not common at all – it’s quite an uncommon coincidence. She also shares a bit about some initial challenges she had with breastfeeding.Show notes (links to resources, transcript, photos, etc.): birthmattersshow.comSubscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]

Lauren’s first time giving birth was pre-pandemic in Australia in a very different healthcare system. So when she and her husband Shaun relocated to the NYC area to suburban New Jersey and wanted to conceive again, she began listening to this podcast as a way to get to know the local birth environment. Today she shares her experience of having an unmedicated birth for a second time but in a New Jersey hospital. Lauren tells us she gleaned wisdom from listening to some of the birth stories shared on this podcast that helped her to more confidently advocate for herself to have the unmedicated birth she hoped for when a nurse was pushing to start pitocin. Then you’ll hear her compare and contrast the Australian birthing environment to that of the NYC area – particularly along the lines of lactation support.Show notes at birthmattersshow.comSubscribe for email updatesShow notes (transcript, resources, photos)Connect: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | [email protected]