Shows
Whole Woman AwakeningDiana Forsell Tayan on the Healing Birth Journey: From C-Section to VBACWe are taught that birth is a medical event our bodies are not divinely designed to succeed at. Our men believe the safest thing they can do is get us to a hospital when we go into labor. In truth, the overwhelming majority of birth trauma occurs within the walls of medicalized birth. Diana Forsell Tayan, host of Healing Birth podcast, shares her deeply personal story of her first born's unplanned c-section to her second born's at-home VBAC and how she came into her current role of nurturing women and providing education and hope through their birth stories.
2025-04-1850 min
Healing BirthChaya's Simple FreebirthDuring her first pregnancy, Chaya was dropped from her midwife's care for the sin of going past 40 weeks. She gave birth to that baby in the hospital, an experience that left her feeling a lot of anger. When she quickly conceived again, a series of life circumstances (and some slight denial), led her to have a wild pregnancy, and to freebirth her baby. Do you have a story you'd like to share on the podcast? I would love to hear from you! Email me via the contact page at www.healingbirth.net. PLANNING...
2023-04-1846 min
Healing BirthFrom my Heart to YoursAn end of year message from my heart to yours. Thank you so much for listening! I love you! Send me a note at www.healingbirth.net We're on Instagram @healingbirth Diana
2022-12-2210 min
Healing BirthAn Unplanned Cesarean at 35 Weeks and Its AftermathJackie shares the story of having her first baby via unplanned cesarean at 35 weeks. After the NICU stay, and very tough first year, she found healing in getting answers from a spiritual perspective to the "what, why and how" of that birth experience. When she was ready, she and her daughter had a rebirthing ceremony that also helped to heal the trauma of the birth. Be sure to check out our instagram page @healingbirth for a bunch of photos that accompany this episode! Jackie is a listener who reached out to share her...
2022-12-0757 min
Healing BirthHealing Our Relationship to Sex After a Traumatic Birth | A Raw ConversationHow do you ravish a mother? In this vulnerable conversation, Lisa and I share our experiences coming back to our sex lives after a traumatic birth. I strongly suspect that feeling shut down sexually after giving birth, especially a traumatic one, is something that is way more common than is openly discussed. The reasons can be myriad. Our relationship to our bodies change, our very identity changes, some of us have complicated physical healing to do, and many of us have experienced medical rape or assault during the birth process, just to name a...
2022-11-291h 01
Healing BirthAnahel's Wild and Free 50-Minute (!) BirthTwo births in the Finnish medical system left Anahel angry and knowing, in her words, "something is not right here." She planned to have her third baby at home. That whirlwind birth experience completely healed the pain of the past two. Anahel is a listener who reached out to me to share her beautiful story. If you have a story you'd like to share too, reach out! Send me a note at the contact page at www.healingbirth.net If you love the show, support us on patreon! www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2022-11-241h 08
Healing BirthThe Whistleblower MidwifeAfter years of working in hospitals as a midwife, being a part of the broken maternity system that causes 1 in 3 women to experience birth trauma, Anna chose to step out on her own, become a whistleblower and actively work to speak the truth about the power of natural physiological birth. She exposes the over medicalized maternity system for the harm it is causing women, babies, families and the world at large. Follow Anna @the_spiritual_midwife Anna has some amazing offerings including a course, her own podcast, and works one on one with women to...
2022-11-1700 min
Healing BirthAn Empowering Birth at 34 WeeksJulia was planning for a peaceful home birth with her third baby, but plans changed when her labor began at 34 weeks gestation. Even though she gave birth in an environment she didn't want, she did an amazing job advocating for herself and her baby during his subsequent NICU stay, and medical complications. She truly believes that the circumstances around his birth were exactly as they should be. I am always amazed at the miracles that happen when we honor our maternal intuition, and listen to guidance from our babies. This story is perfectly illustrative of...
2022-11-101h 28
Healing BirthFinding Peace In a HurricaneJuanita's story begins with the heart wrenching experience of becoming pregnant at 14 after a sexual assault, and giving that baby up for adoption. Later in life, the birth of her second child was a re-traumatizing experience for her, as it commonly can be for survivors. The third time, Juanita used mindfulness tools, meditation, a trauma-informed team to support her, and super strong boundaries to have exactly the birth she desired, even in the midst of a time of national chaos. She says that you (yes, you!) CAN you have the birth you desire.
2022-11-031h 26
Healing BirthYour Body Isn't Broken | Mandy's Healing Homebirth After CesareansMandy was induced for all of her births, until her fourth. She was told by medical professionals that her body just "didn't go into labor on it's own" and she "needed a little help." The resulting distrust in her body was something she carried within her until, after having had enough with the conveyer-belt style standard maternity care, she sought out a midwife who would support her to birth at home. And after three previous births, all induced and two of them, cesareans, she birthed this baby at home without surgery or drugs. ...
2022-10-251h 18
Healing BirthThese Are My Power Stories | Leah's FreebirthsLeah's first daughter was born still, but this isn't the story of trauma you might be expecting. Supported at home with just her husband and best friend, she says that the somatic experience of that birth was so intact, that it left her feeling the fullness of her power, full of oxytocin, even ecstatic. Leah quickly conceived again after her loss, and under rainbow filled skies on the island of Kauai, freebirthed her second daughter. This one feels really special for me to share because as you will hear quite early on, I have a...
2022-10-181h 13
Healing BirthGiving Birth Again After the Unthinkable - An Unanesthetized CesareanLast season, (episode linked below) Natalie shared the truly jaw-dropping story of giving birth via cesarean with completely failed anesthesia - she had full sensation of the procedure. We talked about what it looks like to heal from an experience like that, and the total lack of accountability from anyone at the hospital where this birth occurred. This year, Natalie reached out to me to let me know she'd had another baby, and I'm happy to say, this time it was different. You can hear her first birth story here: https://o...
2022-10-1124 min
Healing BirthThis Baby Healed MeThe best definition I know of trauma goes something like this: Anything that was too much, too soon, and too fast for us to process and integrate. It causes elements of the past to get stuck in the biology of our bodies and our subconscious experience. This story is a perfect example of how that can show up in birth. You can follow Katie @clairehaven_farm and @littleonedoula Please consider supporting the show! www.patreon.com/healingbirth Visit our website! www.healingbirth.net
2022-10-051h 26
Healing BirthREBROADCAST: What Do I have to Do, Deliver This Baby Myself?!Dr. Sarah is a chiropractic physician, birth educator, and mother of three. She became entrenched in the birth world after a traumatic, unnecessary cesarean led her to have a subsequent, healing freebirth. In this episode, she shares the stories of both of those births. Sarah is an advocate for bodily autonomy and human rights in childbirth, and believes that you deserve to be in charge and have a birth that transforms you. You will hear us talk quite a lot about that! Follow Sarah @birthuprising www.birthuprsing.com JOIN US! BIRTH...
2022-09-261h 19
The Heart of the Soul with Amana36. Diana Forsell-Tayan, Healing Birth, C section to Home Birth: then Amana’s storiesHappy New Moon Beautiful Souls!I am beyond excited to share this magical episode of story sharing between Diana & myself. I adore her podcast Healing Birth & was SO grateful to have the opportunity to have her here on the show & share time & space with her through the cosmos!What to expect:The first half Diana shares her journey into motherhood with a C section, then the home birth of her second son years later.After that Diana asks me questions of my births and mothering.
2022-09-251h 43
Healing BirthThe Magic of Story Medicine | A Conversation Between Amana and Diana, Part TwoAmana is a mother, birth keeper, death keeper, and host of the show The Heart of the Soul. Recently she invited me onto her podcast as a guest, and the conversation we had was so epic we decided to release it to both of our audiences! In this part two, Amana shares the stories of her journey with birth and loss, including that of her daughter Hartly, who passed shortly after her birth at home. From working as a hospice nurse, to the ways death has touched her as a mother, I have rarely met...
2022-09-211h 13
Healing BirthThe Magic of Story Medicine | A Conversation Between Amana and Diana, Part OneAmana is a mother, birthkeeper, deathkeeper, and host of the show The Heart of the Soul. Recently she invited me onto her podcast as a guest, and the conversation we had was so epic we decided to release it to both of our audiences! In this part one, Amana interviews me. I share both of my son's (very different) birth stories, and if you are a new listener and not familiar with my story, I think you will understand why I am so passionate about birth and birth trauma. Next week, in part two, you'll h...
2022-09-1340 min
Healing BirthThe Gift of SurrenderJessica's first baby was born in a hospital in Australia. Although she had the natural birth that she desired, some interventions happened that, in retrospect, she realized were not necessary. Her second baby was born in Bali, at home, attended by Balinese midwives who barely made the birth. That birth helped her to realize she never needed to outsource her power to give birth. She had everything she needed within herself all along. Jessica is the founder of Mothers of All, a wife and a mother of two boys. She created Mothers of All so...
2022-09-061h 00
Healing BirthIVF, Multiple Losses, and a RainbowBella shares the birth story of her first baby, after multiple pregnancy losses and multiple rounds of IVF. She speaks candidly about the experience of infertility, loss, and how best to support others going through it. She serves as the assistant director of Empty Cradle, a loss support group local to the southern California area. They offer in person and virtual support, and hold several events annually honoring the lives of babies who have passed. You can connect with her, and Empty Cradle, by searching for Empty Cradle on Facebook. Support the show! ...
2022-08-3137 min
Healing BirthChanneling The Cosmos | Nicole's Three Birth StoriesNicole shares her three, epically different, each beautiful in their own way, birth stories. They include a cesarean, a powerful hospital transfer VBAC, and a free birth. The daughter of a midwife herself, Nicole grew up attending home births, tagging along with her mother. She is now a traditional birth witness, postpartum keeper, and embodied motherhood guide. She is offering a coupon code for listeners of this podcast for her postpartum course, NOURISHED! You can purchase it through the link below, or, use the code "HEALINGBIRTH" for nearly 30% off. https://www.s...
2022-08-251h 16
Healing BirthI Wanted a Redo So BadlyLaura's first baby, born in 2020, came with the most severe birth complication I have personally ever heard of. While she was postpartum, trying to heal, and figuring out how to be a mom, she was left almost completely alone due to fears from the community of spreading covid. This left her in a postpartum depression so dark, she attempted to take her own life. After recovering emotionally and physically, she had a second child under much better circumstances. To say the pregnancy was rough is a massive understatement, but the eventual experience of giving birth...
2022-08-161h 34
Healing BirthGiving Birth During Covid (Part 3) | Sian's StorySian was 12 weeks pregnant when the United Kingdom announced a national lockdown, and she shares what it was like navigating her pregnancy, the birth, and the NHS during this strange time. Her second baby was born just two months ago at the time of this recording, and overall her two birth stories are not at all what I was expecting to hear (which is always my favorite kinds of stories to share!). Sian is now training to be doula, and you can find her on instagram @diaryofmrsk and at @sacredmagicbirthing Support the show!
2022-08-091h 14
Healing BirthGiving Birth During Covid (Part Two) | Ali's StoryAli shares her experience giving birth at home with a midwife, and navigating a hospital transfer during covid, for post-partum blood loss. While the transfer was a scary thing to happen to Ali, her partner was the most traumatized by the experience, which was exacerbated by pandemic protocols that kept him separate from her for a time. Her story also includes hands down the most unique pregnancy symptom I have ever heard - comment on our social medias if you have ever heard of it too! Support the show! www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2022-08-021h 10
Healing BirthGiving Birth During Covid (Part One) | Sondra's StorySondra, a former healthcare worker herself, shares her experience of navigating the healthcare system, and giving birth, during the covid pandemic. Her story is such a beautiful example of what is possible when we are spiritually prepared for birth. Even when the outcome is not what we desire (or perhaps, even what we fear the most), we can emerge from our birth experience empowered and avoid trauma. Sondra now works as a doula, and you can follow her on IG @maternalintuition, and find her at www.nursedoulabirthworker.com Support the show! www.patreon...
2022-07-2845 min
Healing BirthThe Spiritual Battleground for BirthEvery now and then a story takes a twist I am not expecting during the interview - and it always makes for an even better story than the one I thought I would hear! This episode is a perfect example of that. Rebecca shares two birth stories with us. First, a traumatic, unnecessarian (major kudos to whoever coined that term), and a redemptive, led by faith freebirth. It is the extraordinary experiences around that second birth that gets us into talking about spiritual warfare, the spirit realm, and the truth that birth is designed to...
2022-07-201h 18
Healing BirthThere's No Such Thing as a "Natural" Induction | Lauren's StoryLauren was pressured into a "natural" induction by her midwives as she approached 40 weeks pregnant. After multiple rounds of herbal cocktails and finally, the dreaded castor oil, her body was forced into the labor process. She believes that the labor was so intense, painful, and her baby mal-positioned because her body and baby weren't actually ready to begin. And, after a very long time laboring at home, she transferred to the hospital, which had been her biggest fear. While postpartum with her son, Lauren's twin sister (who has also been a guest on this podcast...
2022-07-121h 27
Healing BirthWe Need a New Postpartum ParadigmIrina had just moved to the United States from another country when she found out she was pregnant. Without knowing much about our maternal healthcare system, she gave birth in the local hospital, and the care she received was unimpressive to say the least (among the crazier parts of this story was a nurse telling her, mid-labor, that giving birth on her hands and knees would "kill her baby"). When it came time for her second birth, she decided she didn't need the healthcare system at all. And although she had a beautiful birth that time, she...
2022-07-0636 min
Healing BirthGiving Birth With High Blood Pressure | In the System, and Out.After an unplanned pregnancy very newly into her marriage, Melissa planned a home birth, but was transferred out of midwifery care due to a pre-eclampisa diagnosis. She was given no other option than an induction in the hospital. Overall, she was grateful to have not ended up with a cesarean, but there was so much that happened during that birth that was violating and unnecessary. After her baby was born, she started listening to birth story podcasts and realized that birth didn't have to be that way. During her second pregnancy, Melissa knew she wanted...
2022-06-291h 14
Healing BirthI Genuinely Thought I Was Going to DieAt just 21 years old, Trae's experience giving birth to her first baby was a truly life threatening one. Although she is still processing the events of that day, Trae is very passionate about advocating for other mothers who experience traumatic births. She shares the whole story with us today, including ways she has found healing in the aftermath. Please note that this episode contains a description of a traumatic birth, and take care of yourself accordingly. You can follow Trae on instagram @traethurston Join our online community! www.healingbirth.net/membership
2022-06-2239 min
Healing BirthA Cesarean in Bali, A Freebirth in CaliforniaAfter a failed induction, a very long bout of prodromal labor, and getting ultimately kicked out of her birthing center, Ita's first baby was born surgically, under general anesthesia, in Bali. After this birth experience, Ita had a hard time bonding with her daughter, and they struggled with their breastfeeding relationship. After that first tough year, and a move to the US, Ita became pregnant with her second baby. And as the pregnancy progressed, Ita felt increasingly called to freebirth this baby despite having initially hired a midwife. At 43 weeks and four days gestation (!) Ita...
2022-06-161h 09
Healing BirthSamantha's Psychic Pregnancy and HomebirthIn honor of #internationalhomebirthday (June 6th), I'm sharing this beautiful home birth story. Samantha, a twin who was born at 33 weeks, wisely dealt with the trauma of her own birth before becoming pregnant herself. She says that the day she gave birth was truly the best day of her life, but that she worked really hard for it. The most remarkable part of her story for me was the dreams she describes during her pregnancies which were clear communications from her babies' souls. Join our online community! www.healingbirth.net/membership ...
2022-06-0743 min
Healing BirthWhat Ten Years of Working for Health Insurance Companies Taught MeBefore having children, and doing the work that I do now, I spent ten years working within the health insurance industry. I sat in on a lot meetings that (accidentally) shared what I believe to be the truth about our healthcare system - namely, that it doesn't really create health. Above all, it's a really big business. I focus this episode mainly on the myth of preventive care, because it's of particular relevance to pregnancy and prenatal care. If you love the show, please consider supporting our work on Patreon! www.p...
2022-06-0223 min
Healing BirthHealing Birth Trauma is EasyGena McCarthy is an educator, nurse, and perinatal psychotherapist. Her work is to support you to build bridges between your heart and your womb, between your birth imprints and your present life, between your spiritual, parenting and professional paths. During our conversation she shares the story of her own birth 70 years ago, with her mother under twilight sleep, and the home birth of her son. She takes us through a couple different practices to help us heal birth trauma, one, an EMDR practice to help us feel safe in our bodies when big feelings come u...
2022-05-2453 min
Healing BirthThe Only Positive Thing Was YouAfter two pretty straightforward births, Amy's third birth resulted in a traumatic, unplanned cesarean, where she experienced obstetric violence, PTSD, and postpartum depression and anxiety. Amy had a lot a trauma from childhood come up for her after this birth. She says that the experience made her second guess everything she believed about the medical system, and even her beliefs about God. After that birth, and two losses, Amy had her fourth baby at home. Amy graciously shared with me some of the resources that were most helpful to help her heal:
2022-05-191h 15
Healing BirthAn Initiation into Trust: Ally's Three Day FreebirthAfter a conscious conception, Ally went into labor at almost 43 weeks. Her epic, three day long birth process included many things that could be considered a "problem" or otherwise pathologized, but with the right support, and unwavering trust in herself and her body, this birth initiated Ally into a more powerful, sovereign version of herself. You can follow Ally on instagram @ally_aura JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR...
2022-05-1035 min
Healing BirthWhen Survivors of Sexual Assault Give Birth, Part Two: Rebecca's StoryThis is part two of a series exploring, through personal stories, how the experience of prior sexual assault can show up when we give birth. Rebecca shares the incredible story of the birth of her fourth child, born at just 32 weeks, in a teaching hospital. This is one of the most emotionally intense stories I have ever recorded, both in its beauty and pain. (Please note that while we do discuss sexual assault, this conversation does *not* contain a description of sexual assault). You can follow Rebecca on instagram @cosmic_love_child
2022-05-0359 min
Healing BirthWhen Survivors of Sexual Assault Give Birth, Part One: Gemma's StoryThis is part one of a two part series exploring, through personal stories, how the experience of prior sexual assault can show up when we give birth. (Please note that this conversation does *not* contain any description of sexual assault). You can follow Gemma @wyldbirth and www.wyldbirth.com JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR EVENT: Discovering Your Mothering Superpower with Emily Bruce on May 15, 2022 4PM PST...
2022-04-2838 min
Healing BirthThe Wisdom of Breech BirthWhat if breech birth is not the inherent emergency we are conventionally told, but rather, an expression of intelligent, deeply empathic, communication between mother and baby? Jess shares her three birth stories with us - actually four, as we begin with her own - all of which carry the through line of breech presenting babies and maternal communication. This is another one of those stories where ancestral and matrilineal healing come from a powerful reclamation of what it means to birth in sovereignty. You can follow Jess @jess.aralia JOIN OUR ON...
2022-04-191h 03
Healing BirthWomen's Healthcare is a Gateway DrugIn this solocast I explain why. Let me know what you think! HMU @healingbirth or www.healingbirth.net JOIN OUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth
2022-04-1211 min
Healing BirthIt's Okay to Feel it All | Ariana's Homebirth CesareanAriana shares the story of her daughter's birth, a planned homebirth that ended in a cesarean. Recorded at only four months postpartum, she shares some of the insights she's already gained from this experience, and reminds us that's its okay to feel it all - happy that you have a healthy baby, and perhaps, sadness or other complicated feelings about how the birth itself happened. This is exactly the kind of story that I needed to hear, years ago when I went through a very similar experience with my own first baby, and her story i...
2022-04-0528 min
Healing BirthThe Sacred Pause | Christine's Life-changing, Out of Body FreebirthI love stories that illustrate how the births of our first babies (maybe every baby?) often prompt us to change and shift our lives, and this is definetly one of them. Christine shares the story of free birthing her son in Canada. There are so many juicy elements to this one - making love during labor, having a psychedelic, out of body experience, spirit baby communication, just to name a few! Christine also shares how, after such a powerful birth, she felt alone in the postpartum time. This prompted her to shift her life to...
2022-04-0147 min
Healing BirthI Trusted Myself to Know What I Needed | Victoria's Birth StoriesVictoria's first birth was unmedicated, in a hospital, and although everything went "right" it left her feeling like something wasn't quite right. Her postpartum experience with that baby was very challenging, and she later connected the challenges postpartum with some of the disempowering things that happened during the birth. She shares the experience of miscarrying at home after that hospital birth, and how that miscarriage helped her realize that her body was completely capable of birthing without anyone's help or interference (this is something I have heard often and am so fascinated by - that pregnancy loss...
2022-03-2155 min
Healing BirthYou are Perfect, Whole, and Worthy | Jenna WalengaJenna, a spiritual life coach for moms (and friend of mine!), shares her two birth stories. One, midwife assisted at a birth center, and the second, a very consciously chosen free birth. Guiding her through her pregnancies and birth experiences was Jenna's strong intuition and willingness to trust herself. She also shares much about the always unfolding lessons of motherhood, and has a special message for anyone who is struggling to process a birth experience that left them in pain. She's funny, wise, and spiritual, I loved every second of this conversation!
2022-03-1457 min
Healing BirthI Will Never Birth in a Hospital Again | Ashley's StoryIn a heart wrenching and raw interview, Ashley shares the story of the unnecessary cesarean birth of her first child. From showing up in labor and being misidentified as a different patient, to having her doctor rush her labor process due to his golf tournament, her whole story is infuriating and deeply sad, most of all, because it's simply so common. Many times during this conversation, I had to mute my mic and take deep breaths, because so much of her story was personally relatable to me. I believe that as long as w...
2022-03-0157 min
Healing BirthA Series of Magical Synchronicities | Healing After a Traumatic InductionMargeaux, a therapist who works in maternal mental health, went into her first pregnancy having heard first hand the many ways that a birth experience can leave us traumatized. Unfortunately all that knowledge was not enough to prevent her from being coerced into an induction that left her in the kind of pain she counsels her clients through. After the first year postpartum, a series of beautiful, magical synchronicities, and a deep connection to her inner voice, led her to become pregnant again. She was guided that she would have a baby girl, and that this time...
2022-02-141h 23
Healing Birth"I Want Women to Know What's Possible" | with Dr. Elizabeth WadeElizabeth shares two very different home birth stories with us today. This first, included almost every traumatic thing I can think of that can transpire at home, including a postpartum hospital transfer for blood loss. After that experience, she says she never wanted to give birth again. But when she had healed enough from that experience to become pregnant and birth again, that birth was so powerful and blissful she wanted to experience it over and over. You will not want to miss her description of dancing through labor, in the wake of her father's...
2022-02-011h 17
Healing BirthThe Only Way Out is Through | Charlotte's 11lb HBAC + The Importance of Listening to Your BodyCharlotte shares her three birth stories with us - one cesarean (the reason for which is definetly the most unique one I have ever heard!), and two home birth VBACs. Her entire journey is so beautiful, she has so much wisdom to share, and now has stepped into working with other women who want to birth in sovereignty. You can follow her @the_vbac_coach JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth
2022-01-2140 min
Healing BirthREBROADCAST: A Coronavirus Message from March, 2020On March 15, 2020, I recorded a bonus episode with my thoughts about the then currently emerging global situation. It was fun for me to go back, almost two years later, and listen to what I had to say! Largely I asked us all to stay out of the fear. And, I still feel that way. I hope you guys enjoy this and I'd love to hear your thoughts! www.healingbirth.net IG: @healingbirth JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the...
2022-01-1116 min
Healing BirthHealing Ourselves, Healing the Ancestors | Andrea's Freebirth After a C-sectionAndrea's first birth experience is a perfect example of what it can look like when your midwives work for the state, not you. After a traumatic cesarean birth, she was determined to birth her second baby at home. Unfortunately (or maybe, fortunately?) no one in her province you could offer her the kind of support she needed, so she birthed that baby with just her partner as support. That birth was a firewalk, but in it, she found the connection to her ancestors that wasn't present the first time when she called on...
2022-01-031h 42
Healing BirthWhy I am so passionate about sharing traumatic birth stories (but will never normalize them)Hint: It has to do with finding grace for yourself. This is a bonus solocast. JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www.healingbirth.net/membership If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon/healingbirth
2021-12-1711 min
Healing BirthThe Incredible Power of a Mother's Intuition | Spirit Baby Communication, Freebirth, and Resolving a Retained Placenta Naturally at HomeKristen shares her two pregnancy and birth stories, one, a home birth with a midwife, and the second, a planned free birth. Throughout her pregnancies, Kristen was in direct communication with the spirits of her babies on the other side, waiting to come through. In fact, it was they who guided her to make the decision to free birth the second time. Kristen also shares how she resolved the retained placenta from her free birth naturally at home - something I have never heard anyone do before! JOIN OUR NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HERE! https://www...
2021-12-081h 05
Healing BirthSolocast | Are we on the cusp of a birth revolution? It feels like change is coming.Everyday I speak with women who are realizing that the maternity care system, no matter which one (midwifery or obstetric care, private or public), and no matter even the country, is a crumbling system that does not actually serve women and babies. I share some thoughts about what I am hearing from you, and why we perhaps are in a revolution. I love to hear from you! Email us at contactus@healingbirth.net Follow us @healingbirth
2021-12-0115 min
Healing BirthFrom The Underworld, To BlissEsme vividly describes her first birth experience as a descent into the underworld. Ultimately, that birth process was interrupted by an overly cautious midwife, which had long term physical and emotional ramifications for both her and her son. After a lot of healing work, her second child was born, in an experience she describes as blissful. Esme's entire story is nothing short of pure magic! I loved every second of our conversation. You can follow Esme @esmeannarose If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on patron! www.patreon.com...
2021-11-2659 min
Healing BirthFighting Back Against Obstetric ViolenceNelia was assaulted during her first birth experience at her local hospital. Immediately understanding that what happened to her was wrong, she fought to get justice and to heal. The second time she gave birth, she took back her power in a massive way. We mention @birthmonopoly as a great resource for anyone who has experienced obstetric violence. You can find the map of obstetric violence, read other survivor's stories, and other resources here: https://birthmonopoly.com/obstetric-violence/ Follow Nelia @neliathedoula www.neliathedoula.com If...
2021-11-151h 02
Healing BirthBONUS: God, Faith, and Birth (a deeply intimate solocast)A personal share about faith, my relationship with God, and how it all relates to birth.
2021-11-0415 min
Healing BirthA loss, a cesarean, an awakeningAfter her first pregnancy ended in a loss, Lisa quickly fell pregnant again. The story of her labor and the birth of her baby is the all too common one of a cascade of interventions, beginning with an induction, that ends in a cesarean. In the aftermath of the trauma of that experience, something beautiful blossomed. I hear this theme commonly from women who experience the utter failure of the maternal healthcare system first hand - if that system is a lie, what other systems or institutions we are taught to blindly trust that are also built...
2021-11-0343 min
Healing BirthChaya's Freebirth After Three Cesareans"It was so boring" This is how my guest today described her birth, several times, during the course of our conversation. Of course, birth is not actually boring and certainly the journey that brought her to this birth is anything but - but that statement illustrates so perfectly the central theme of her story. That birth, when left alone, even in someone deemed high risk, even in someone who has only had cesareans, can and often does unfold in a very straightforward manner. This is a story of a woman who radically trusted herself to...
2021-10-191h 02
Healing BirthWhy Medical Freedom Matters to Mothers (Part 3 of 3: Roxanne's Story)During her pregnancy, Roxanne was coerced into taking an injectable pharmaceutical product that injured her, greatly affecting her quality of life postpartum. Her son was later also injured by the same product. This is their story of healing together. #believemothers If you appreciate the show, please consider supporting us on Patron! www.patreon.com/healingbirth Visit our website, join the newsletter, and stay in touch with me! www.healingbirth.net
2021-10-0129 min
Healing BirthBONUS EPISODE: Free your birth, free your mind.I speak about the connection between trauma based mind control and the ritual trauma of mainstream childbirth practices.
2021-09-2617 min
Healing BirthWhy Medical Freedom Matters to Mothers (Part 2 of 3: Najma's Story)Najma spent her early career in the pharmaceutical field, and trusted the medical system. During this time, she also had the sense many times that something wasn't right. When it came time to have her own children, she chose to keep them pharmaceutical drug-free, until that choice was taken away from her without her consent or knowledge. As a result, her child suffered a vaccine injury. This is warning to anyone who has their child in a government school, it could happen to any of us. Located in Egypt, Najma also offers us a wi...
2021-09-1039 min
Healing BirthWhy Medical Freedom Matters to Mothers (Part 1 of 3)Mothers have always been at the forefront of the medical freedom movement - the fight for the freedom to decide what is or is not injected into their bodies and those of their children. We are a time in history where the fight for medical freedom has never been so crucial, and so heated. This is part one of a three part series where mothers share their personal stories of why medical freedom matters to them. #believewomen. This is Sarah's story. To find out more about ILLUMINOUS, our newest offering, go to...
2021-09-0331 min
Healing BirthFeeling God's Presence in Birth | Miranda's StoryMiranda was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome near the end of her first pregnancy, which led to an induced, traumatic birth experience. As she began to heal herself, she also helped to heal her son. This is a story of healing, transformation, and spiritual growth. Follow Miranda on IG @rooteddaughter If you love the show, please consider supporting us on Patron! www.patron.com/healingbirth
2021-08-111h 00
Healing BirthRejecting Pharmacological Birth Control, and Reclaiming Physical Sovereignty with Serendipidi DaySerendipiti Day is a radical feminist who has spent the last ten years of her life hitchhiking all over the world, mostly by herself. Her passion for women's work was influenced by her childhood, when she experienced firsthand what it meant to be exploited because of her sex. At the age of 12, she was taken out of a sexually abusive home and put into the foster care system, where she stayed until she aged out. From there, she launched herself into the world, visiting over 40 countries, witnessing what womanhood looks like all around the world. We...
2021-07-091h 07
Healing BirthHappy #internationalhomebirthday!A bonus episode with some thoughts on homebirth for this day.
2021-06-0714 min
Healing BirthTrusting Birth at 35 Weeks | Hannah TovarHannah shares her two birth stories, both at 35 weeks gestation. One, in a hospital with all the standard things that come with a pre-term birth, and the second, freebirthed at home. Her story is one of a journey to trust herself, her body, and her baby to be born at the right time. There are also some wild twists and turns! Follow Hannah @tovarhomestead www.hannahandbabes.com
2021-05-261h 21
Healing BirthSpiritual Healing After Birth | Katie SutherlandKatie Sutherland is an energy medicine healer, teacher and holistic wellness practitioner who supports mothers to thrive and reclaim their empowerment and vibrancy while navigating the journey of motherhood and childbirth. Katie had a powerful initiatory experience through the birth of her daughter almost a decade ago. It was one of the most intensely challenging rites of passage in Katie's life, yet held an important key in the awakening of her greater purpose, and was a catalyst for much of the transformational work Katie now shares in empowering and supporting other mothers. Her birth story is...
2021-05-1242 min
Healing BirthRe-connecting to Our Wombspace | Bethany WildeBethany is a holistic womb-pelvic bodyworker, wild mama, and author of the book Pelvic Awakening. She guides women and mothers through deep-dive journeys into womb and pelvic healing, weaving together the physical and energetic and cultivating deep magical awareness, that makes big shifts. She believes that when a woman roots within her pelvic bowl, she finds the deep well of power and knowing that lives within – she comes back home to herself. This is a wonderful, healing conversation for any woman who has experienced a surgical birth, a traumatic birth, or any trauma to the pelvic area (an...
2021-04-2843 min
Healing BirthHealing with Plant Allies | Arielle's Birth StoryArielle was induced at 41 weeks. During the induction process, it was discovered that her baby's cord had prolapsed, which led to an emergency cesarean birth. Arielle shares how she emotionally processed this experience, and the important role that healing plant allies played in her journey. Join us this Sunday, April 18th, for Healing the Heart, a collaborative webinar between Healing Birth + my guest this week! Arielle will share her knowledge and experience using plant allies to support healing the emotional heart and wombspace, in regards to birth trauma. We will cover plant allies associated with:
2021-04-1543 min
Healing BirthI Had to Push Through | Chaya's Three Birth StoriesChaya shares her three birth stories which include a loss, a cesarean twin birth, two subsequent cesareans, and a fairly harrowing experience with post-partum birth control and PPD. Throughout her story is the theme of having to push through these difficult experiences in order to survive them. Mentioned in the episode: Nancy Wainer Cohen's Silent Knife and Jennifer Block's Everything Below the Waist (a must read!) Follow Chaya: @themindfulwoman365 and www.themindfulwoman.org Join our upcoming webinar with the wonderful birth educator Maha Al Musa on April 11th! www.healing birth.net/events
2021-03-311h 26
Healing BirthHow do I know if I Have Experienced Birth Trauma?I am often asked to define birth trauma. Or other times, new moms will ask me, how do I know if I was traumatized by my birth experience? For some the answer is clear as day, but it's not a dumb question at all. For many of us, we emerge from the birth experience grateful to be alive and have a healthy baby, and yet can still be haunted by certain parts of the experience. If you enjoy the show, please support us on patreon! www.patreon.com/healingbirth We have sev...
2021-03-2216 min
Healing BirthFinding the Joy | Gemma's Freebirth after CesareanDuring labor with her first baby, Gemma's midwives transferred her from home to the hospital due to her waters being opened "too long." This experienced ended as it so often does in a coerced, unnecessary surgical birth. Gemma got extremely clear during her second pregnancy on the kind of support she wanted, and found a radical birth keeper to support her autonomy. She gave birth to her posterior, ten pound son wildly and freely in her own home, with only her partner and family present. Just four months postpartum at the time of recording, she s...
2021-03-101h 01
Healing BirthBONUS EPISODE: Lessons From VBAC Mothers, Coercion, and Medical FreedomI share some recent observations and thoughts I've had from listening to a LOT of VBAC stories these past few months. www.healingbirth.net/events for the upcoming webinars!
2021-03-0621 min
Healing BirthThe Role of Faith | Megan's HBACMegan's first birth was a cesarean for breech presentation, which she describes as a giving of herself and her baby over to the system. Her strong faith in God helped her find the courage and conviction to trust herself, her baby, and the intelligent design of birth the second time. She birthed her second baby at home, in power. My apology that the audio quality is quite imperfect, we actually tried to record this twice and this was the best we got! I think her beautiful story is worth hearing even with the imperfections!
2021-02-241h 12
Healing BirthDivinely Guided | Ellie's HBAC on the Farm, Part TwoEllie's first birth could be described as a classic cascade of interventions that ended in a cesarean, and left her devastated. She gave birth to her second baby at the Farm in Tennessee, after a series of divinely guided incidents and after having committed to trusting her own instincts. Recorded just six weeks postpartum from her second birth, this is a beautiful, raw, emotional story of courage, faith, and Divine Guidance. This is part two of her story. Follow Ellie @ellieromairalford
2021-02-0350 min
Healing BirthDivinely Guided: Ellie's HBAC at the Farm, Part 1Ellie's first birth could be described as a classic cascade of interventions that ended in a cesarean, and left her devastated. She gave birth to her second baby at the Farm in Tennessee, after a series of divinely guided incidents and after having committed to trusting her own instincts. Recorded just six weeks postpartum from her second birth, this is a beautiful, raw, emotional story of courage, faith, and Divine Guidance. Ellie's story is so rich and powerful I made it into two parts! Enjoy this part one, and tune in next week...
2021-01-271h 01
Healing BirthMeet Kristyn | Raising Awareness Through CraftivismKristyn was 37 weeks pregnant with her first baby when she developed acute appendicitis. in order to be treated for it, her baby needed to be delivered immediately, but due to delayed diagnosis and dismissive care at the hospital, she suffered a great deal of pain, delivered via cesarean under general anesthesia, and had her baby separated from her postpartum. Kristyn shares with us the long term ramifications of this experience, the impact of having a healing, subsequent birth at home, and finding her place in the movement to improve birth for women in Australia via craftivism.
2021-01-1350 min
Healing BirthFertility Freedom | Tarina MosleyTarina is a certified FEMM Instructor and a student midwife. Her own struggle with high blood pressure, headaches, cramping, and spotting from an IUD led her to explore natural birth control options. She now guides women as they learn to confidently use this science-based, natural method of birth control. Fertility Freedom is available to everyone. Follow Tarina @fertilityfreedom www.fertilityfreedom.net
2020-12-3049 min
Healing Birth10 Questions You Must Ask Your Midwife | Freya KelletFreya Kellet is a radical birth coach, and a regenerative farmer who works with women who are dreaming of a wild birth, at home, in power. Do you long to be witnessed by an authentic wise woman? Do you wonder if you've found her? I've heard too many stories of medically minded midwives sabotaging birth, abandoning women at the end of their pregnancies, or coercing them into unnecessary or unwanted tests, procedures, and transfers. Freya and I discuss ten questions to ask your midwife to become 100% clear on what kind of midwife you have, so...
2020-12-1659 min
Healing BirthMeet Jasmine | Giving Birth While GrievingJasmine was 41 weeks pregnant, and about to give birth to her first child, when her brother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. She tells us the story of what it was like to be induced and give birth while dealing with the whirlwind of stress, emotions, and grief. Jasmine also shares the story of her second birth which was near a completely opposite experience, at home, and was (as so many subsequent births often are), a healing experience. Follow Jasmine! @thebirthzone
2020-12-0239 min
Healing BirthBirth is a Holy Experience | Maha Al MusaBUCKLE UP for a powerful conversation with one of the wisest women I've had the pleasure of speaking to. Maha Al Musa is a Wise Birth Oracle, an award-winning international birth mentor, author and speaker as well as the founder and creator of EmbodyBirth™ School and BellydanceBirth. Maha gave birth to her 3rd child at home, a full water lotus birth when she was 46 years of age and has been featured in several worldwide media outlets for her strong stance on natural term breastfeeding, an experience she shares here. If you want to fe...
2020-11-181h 03
Healing BirthMeet Erica | Coping with the "Why"Erica hired a "midwife," had a healthy uneventful pregnancy, and meticulously planned for an unmedicated vaginal birth. What transpired at the hospital when it was time to deliver was a cascade of dehumanizing and unnecessary interventions, culminating in Pitocin and finally, a cesarean. Erica is now 15 months postpartum, and shares how she's healing the PTSD from this experience. We talk about how difficult it is to struggle with the question, why did my birth go this way, when it is so easy for others? We end with some thoughts on how traumatic births impact our babies, and...
2020-11-111h 28
Healing BirthHealing the Trauma in our Tissues | Dr. Beebe DericksDr. Beebe Dericks is a Naturopathic Doctor, Acupuncturist, Holistic Pelvic Care© Practitioner, Birth Healing Provider, and Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialist. She's obviously brilliant, but I wanted her on the show not merely to share her vast body of knowledge about healing, but her passion for serving women. We go DEEP into the science of why trauma, of any kind, is literally stored in our tissues, and how to heal it. Beebe also shares the powerful story of her own births, the first of which was made difficult due to an IUD injury, and the second, a...
2020-10-1456 min
Healing BirthMeet Jennie | A Dragon Mother is BornMy guest this week shares the story of the births of all three of her babies, with an emphasis on the birth of her twins one year ago. Her story is of the clearest examples of coercive, abusive, obstetric violence I have ever heard. We also talk about the importance of telling your story, as many times as you can, the importance of sisterhood, and how we can begin to hold physicians and hospitals accountable for experiences like hers. Please note that this episode contains a description of a traumatic birth, skip it if you a...
2020-10-011h 06
Healing BirthBONUS EPISODE: A raw audio diaryI took a poll on instagram and you have spoken! Tune in to hear me speaking about what it's like to parent a child with special needs during this very interesting year. I speak about why it's taken me so long to talk about parenting an autistic child, major compromises I have had to make, masks, surprises, and most of all, solidarity with all of you who are going through the same thing. This kind of content is only something I create for Patreon. If you like it, please consider supporting us there! Either way, thanks for l...
2020-09-2924 min
Healing BirthEarly Birth | With Wild Luna RavenBirth work is also death work. Meet Wild Luna Raven, a radical birth keeper, and death keeper, who does not shy away from the death work. She offers beautiful support for women who experience an early birth (a term we use intentionally, and you'll learn why). We talk about her own experiences of early births, and the different ways that early births can unfold. We also talk about the birth of her son within the medical system, which (as so often happens!) led her on a path to offer women an alternative way. ...
2020-09-1655 min
Healing BirthRadical ResponsibilityWhat does it mean to take responsibility for our birth experiences? How do we learn from it, digest it, and, in the case of a traumatic birth, heal from it, without staying in a place of victimhood or self blame? This is extremely tricky work! Join us this week as explore this topic with sensitivity and loads of compassion, for all of us. If we can get to the point of owning our stories, we can be the ones to heal it. If you love us, support us on Patreon! Patreon...
2020-08-1939 min
Healing BirthMeet Tessa | Most Importantly, I Trusted MyselfYou know I love a VBAC story! Tessa shares her victorious, home birth, VBAC story, after having experienced a coerced cesarean due to breech positioning with her first child. Her story is such powerful testament to listening to your own instincts, self-education, and the importance of leaving behind a system that consistently fails birthing women. Join me for our August Group Call - Healing Your Birth Story in Community 8/12 1pm HST / 4pm PST / 6pm CST. Book online at www.healingbirth.net Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-08-051h 27
Healing BirthMeet Natalie | I Could Feel EverythingNatalie shares her story of giving birth via a cesarean that she could feel. We talk about her healing process, and the total lack of accountability from anyone at the hospital where her birth occurred. Please be advised, this episode contains a graphic description of a traumatic surgical birth. Skip this one of you are pregnant, and need to protect your space. Follow Natalie @mermaidnat1 Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-07-0838 min
Healing BirthInduced Disconnection with Lynnea LaessigWhy is the practice of inducing labor so ubiquitous? What does it mean to have someone else decide when your baby should be born? What are the long term ramifications of giving a synthetic form of oxytocin, the bonding and love hormone, to so many women during birth? Join Lynnea Laessig (@mamatukibirth) and I for a philosophical discussion about labor induction. Please note, nothing we say in this episode should be considered medical advice. Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-06-2456 min
Healing BirthMeet Olivia | Miscarriage, Precipitous labor, and Taking Your Power BackMost people probably wish for a fast labor. But the experience can hold a different type of trauma than you might imagine. Join Olivia and I as we discuss her experience with miscarrying her first pregnancy, laboring so fast with her second that she describes it as an out of body experience, and how she went from delegating all decision making, to taking her power back in subsequent deliveries. Be sure to stick around for the end, when we get into the woo stuff - manifesting a longer labor for her fourth, healing ancestral trauma...
2020-06-101h 10
Healing BirthThe Medical System is Not a Good Place for Women of ColorJoin Jonea and I this week as we talk about the massive maternal healthcare crisis facing black women and their babies in America today. The information contained in this conversation is absolutely vital for us all to grasp in order to, quite literally, help saves lives. Anti-Racist Resources: So You Want to Talk about Race White Fragility Rachel Cargle Discussed in this episode: History of the African American Midwife Dr. J. Marion Sims Experimented On Black Women & His New York Statue Has People Outraged
2020-05-271h 02
Healing BirthTransmuting Trauma into Power with Emilee SaldayaEmilee Saldaya is the trail blazing leader and founder of Free Birth Society. She was a doula for over ten years, until the reality of her complicity with the obstetric system and the harms that it does to women and babies prompted her to find a better way. In aligning with freebirth, Emilee's dharmic path became clear. She quickly evolved into a "Radical Birth Keeper" who serves women birthing outside the system. Join us this week as we discuss freebirth, intuition vs. fear, taking radical responsibility, transmuting trauma into power (by saying NO MORE), and so much...
2020-05-131h 06
Healing BirthMeet Clancey | A Reclamation of Power Through MiscarriageClancey share the stories of her two births. The first, a traumatic forceps delivery, and the second, a free miscarriage. Connect with Clancey - https://www.clancyallen.com/healing-from-birth/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/clancy_allen_doula/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clancyallendoula/ Website https://www.clancyallen.com/ Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-04-2947 min
Healing BirthShift The Power Back to Them: A Conversation with Radical Birthkeeper IsabellaJoin us this week for another conversation about giving birth in the time of coronavirus. We discuss what authentically supporting birthing women looks like now, how we can show up for our sisters, and near the end of the show, Isabella has a beautiful message for anyone who is pregnant and facing uncertainty about her birth. Follow Isabella - @whosebodyisit www.whosebodyisit.com Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-04-1546 min
Healing BirthBirthing in the Time of Coronavirus: An Invitation to Step Into SovereigntyLynnea Laessig (@mamtukibirth) returns to the show to discuss the topic that's on all of our minds. We explore the rapidly changing recommendations and regulations affecting birthing women during the perceived pandemic. Spoiler: they're not good for women and they're not good for birth. Lynnea sums it up best when she says: " this isn't a new issue, it's just being amplified." Can it be that, at the highest level, what we are experiencing right now is a wake up call to examine societal systems that haven't been working for a long time, and...
2020-04-0148 min
Healing BirthMeet Britney | You Are Not Your TraumaCan childhood trauma affect how we experience giving birth? This week, my guest Britney shares how trauma showed up for her in her first two birth experiences, and how she as able to totally shift it for a healing third birth. She invites a surprise guest to that birth, a story you will not want to miss. Article link: https://birthboobsandbabies.com/2020/02/17/how-my-third-birth-began-healing-a-lifetimes-worth-of-trauma/ Follow Britney @birthboobsandbabies Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-03-1842 min
Healing BirthBONUS EPISODE: Corona Virus MessageDiana has a message for you about the pandemic. https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2020-03-1612 min
Healing BirthI'm Terrified to Birth Again. Now What?FEAR. Most of us experience some fear when approaching a birth. It's practically taught to us. It's in the cultural ether, passed down in the stories we hear, and the media depictions of birth. But maybe your fear comes from a place of having had a previous traumatic birth experience. How do you cope with that? Is it possible - maybe even necessary- to be completely over your fear? Will being afraid of birthing again mean you will manifest a bad birth experience? In this episode, Diana talks about all of those questions and more...
2020-03-0426 minHealing BirthDoulas, Midwives, and False SecurityTune in for a RADICALLY HONEST conversation between Diana & Lynnea on the transparency (or lack of) around the cultural expectations of these roles. Women serving women in birth is not a new concept, and it's crucial for the preservation of birth and the well-being of women and babies to acknowledge the appropriation of traditional wise-woman practices into the modern day "band-aid" we market to women today. Hiring a doula or midwife alone is not enough to save you from the system, or the trauma that comes with it. Here we explore why and how you...
2020-01-2255 minHealing BirthMeet Diana | The Healing Journey from C-section to HomebirthMeet the host of the Healing Birth Podcast, Diana Forsell Tayan. In this episode, Diana shares her two birth stories. She shares about the healing journey from a traumatic cesarean with her first, to a beautiful, powerful home birth with her second. Follow us @healingbirth www.healingbirth.net Follow Diana @aninstrumentofthypeace www.dianaforsell.com Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/healingbirth
2019-12-2050 min