Birth is good.
And birth is not tame.
Birth is holy and wild. It is powerful, unpredictable, and not something we can fully control or make “safe” in the way modern culture often promises. When we forget that, we can be left confused or unprepared for how deeply a birth experience might impact us—even when everything looks fine from the outside.
In this episode, we’re talking about the difference between disappointment and trauma in birth. Disappointment often comes from unmet hopes or expectations. Trauma goes deeper. Trauma is a deeply distressing experience—or series of experiences—that overwhelms the nervous system and leaves a lasting imprint on the body, the mind, and our sense of safety.
And trauma is not defined by what happened on a chart.
It’s defined by how the experience was received in the body.
We talk about why it’s so important to process hard or intense birth experiences, and why this work should be done with someone who understands both birth and trauma. Not someone who rushes to silver linings or spiritual bypassing—but someone who knows how to sit with the body’s story and help it integrate what happened.
We share supportive tools that can help the nervous system come back into regulation, including:
Bilateral stimulation (EMDR, binaural tracks, walking, brainspotting, butterfly hug/tapping)
Shaking and gentle movement to release stored stress
EFT / tapping
Simple supports like nourishment, warm baths, flower essences, rest, and deep gentleness with yourself
We also touch on surprisingly practical tools like playing Tetris in the early aftermath of a hard experience, which has been shown to support memory integration.
This conversation includes pieces of our own stories:
Lauren’s interrupted third stage
Brooke’s manual placenta removal
Both moments where necessary intervention still left an imprint that required care, time, and compassion to heal.
We also talk about prevention—how having the right team, realistic expectations, and emotional support can cushion the wildness of birth. Birth does not need to be controlled to be held well. But it does need to be witnessed, respected, and supported.This episode is an invitation to approach birth honestly:
to honor it as good, holy, and life-giving—
and to acknowledge that its wildness sometimes leaves tender places that deserve gentleness, care, and wise support.
Connect:
Email us to say hi: holywildbirth@gmail.com
Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form
Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application
Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA
Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey
From Lauren:
Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com
From Brooke:
Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)
Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox
Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)
Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
