In today's birth story episode, Barbara Demske shares her experience having a cesarean and then a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with her next baby. Her cesarean was a really traumatic experience which she feared for her life during and after suffering through that, she knew she wanted to have a VBAC.
Today's guest is Katrina Meek who lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. The cesarean rates are extremely high in many parts of South Africa, similar to in Brazil but Katrina knew she wanted a natural birth. After having her first child at a birth center, she decided to plan a homebirth with her second. She faced a great deal of resistance from friends and acquaintances regarding her decision but she ultimately knew it was the perfect birth experience for her.
Leave Katrina a comment on her show notes page.
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Today’s guest is Sarah Villareal who is an L&D (labor and delivery) nurse and mother. She is going to share all three of her birth stories, starting from when she found out she was pregnant, and why she chose to have natural births (one in the hospital, one at a birth center, and one at home) each time.
Sarah says “I am the Mother to 3 amazing children: Arraya (9), Harbor (4), and Solay (17 months). I am married to the love of my life, my soulmate and the guy who keeps life interesting and always funny, Justin. We have been together for 11 years. We are most certainly partners and share in the responsibility of raising this family. I am a full time Registered Nurse in Labor and Delivery and love my job with all my heart. I love being able to support women through what ever type of birth they wish to have, and then also supporting them when the plans need to change.
In this birth story episode, Victoria Easter Wilson shares her two hospital births attended by midwives. The first birth was kind of overwhelming for her husband so when they were pregnant with their second daughter they spent some time processing the first birth story and preparing more this time by hiring a doula. This is a great episode if you want to hear some positive hospital birth experiences - I mean check out that tub and bar she got to use at the hospital!
Victoria is a wife and WAHM who thinks the Internet can be used for good and not evil if you have the right intentions. She is a new doula and birth educator, passionate about supporting women in their motherhood journeys. When she's able to sneak away from the busyness for a few hours, you can find her enjoying a pretty latte and the company of a friend...also probably talking about birth. Connect with her on Instagram.
April Brooks was hospitalized for over a month after going into early labor at just 28 weeks gestation. In this episode, April discusses life living in a hospital for two months with over a month of that being on bed rest. She also shares her son's birth story who was born at 34 weeks and spent 16 days in the NICU. Her son Aemon is now a healthy, happy one year old!
April shares her reasons for coming on the podcast, "As a first time mom in a stressful situation with premature labour, I really do understand how hard it is to get through while keeping positive. I really hope my story can help other woman who are going through the same or a like experience. I think it would have helped me to know that I wasn't completely alone; In those couple months I felt incredibly alone and unclear about what my job was as a mom "Am I making the right choices?" "Am I the only one who has had to go through this?" I want mothers to know that they are NOT alone and there is always someone you can talk to. My province here in Canada has a preemie group on Facebook where moms can all talk about their struggles, stories and accomplishments. I suggest looking into that to see if there is one near you! I have a Blog which I have recently started up which also talks about life after, during and before birth."