Ep 53: Bring a Beginner's Mind to Birth

Do you bring a beginner’s mind to your births?  What do I even mean by that? I look forward to Amber’s stories today specifically for this reason.  Even with 5 births, Amber learned that each baby will be born in his or her own unique way.  Learning to let go of all of the assumptions of what birth is or is not is a great way to enter labor.  Recognizing that this is a new birth, a new baby, a new experience can help us let go of expectations and become intuitive with what we need and want each time.  Before we get started, I want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!  This year, I am thankful for you.  I’m so thankful for the mothers I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard, and the listeners I’ve connected with.  You’ve all been such a blessing to me, and I pray each day that this podcast will be a blessing to you, wherever you are in your journey.  I hope this brings you comfort, encouragement, and the understanding that you are so powerful and so incredible.  I’m honored to be able to play a small part in your birthing or motherhood journey.  If you’re feeling a little loving, I’d be so grateful for you to take a moment to leave a review on iTunes.  This is such a helpful way for the podcast to grow.  If you’re selected as the reviewer of the week, I’ll be sending you a Happy Homebirth Podcast Sticker.  You can also take a quick screenshot of you listening to this episode and upload it to your Instagram stories.  Tag @happyhomebirthpodcast and I”ll be sure to share it in my stories, too!  Finally- looking for a great gift for your midwife, homebirth mama friend, or yourself?  Happy homebirth t shirts are available again!  You can score yours through the website or the link in my Instagram bio!  3 different styles to choose from, and several colors in each!  I personally love the baseball tee.    Okay, let’s waste no time.  Amber has such goodness to share with us! Please remember that the opinions of my guest may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and neither one of us are medical professionals, so continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if  you’re like me, your chiropractor.    Amber is a British born mom who has had babies both in the US and abroad She’s a doula of 10 years Her first 2 babies were hospital births because she lived in Missouri, where midwifery was practically illegal at the time After her first 2 births, she and her family moved to Scotland, where she had her third baby, a surprise breech birth They moved back to the States when she was heavily pregnant with her fourth baby Moved bac to Missouri and had a homebirth Her first baby was rather textbook, with contractions getting longer, stronger and closer together. However, her hospital experience was upsetting when after her baby was born, they would not allow her to bond immediately, taking the baby off for they routine procedures.  All the while, Amber was saying, “My baby! My baby!” Her second baby was born basically unassisted with the doctor and nurse missing the birth! One great thing about the UK is that there is a duty to provide care, so even if you’re “high risk” Her third pregnancy was hard because she had Symphisis Pubic Disorder She spoke to a midwife on the phone and realized one she liked was about to be on call—she immediately began having contractions When the midwives got there, she wanted to get in the pool. They didn’t discourage her, but it was obvious they thought it was too soon. Within 45 minutes she was pushing As baby was “crowning”, she put her hand down and realized a bottom was coming out Her head was still inside, but she can feel the baby swimming in the water with her legs! Luckily, the relaxed midwife was there, and she said, “It’s fine, just wait for your next contraction and everything is fine and her head will come out. Amber is so grateful she didn’t have a vaginal exam She mentions how her third birth felt quite different- she didn’t want pressure on her back like she had before, but appreciated pressu