Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Happy Homebirth
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
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| Ep 353: A Cervical Lip, a Cesarean, and the HBAC That Followed | 19 Oct 2026 | 01:02:27 | |
Have you ever lost something so specific that the people around you didn't even know to name it?
Marley Collins is a wife to her husband Clayton, mama to Maren and Lenora, and an engineer in Temecula, California who's currently doing part-time consulting and teaching herself to sew. Her family is from the Netherlands, where several of her aunts gave birth at home, so she knew she wanted a homebirth before she was ever pregnant.
In this episode, Marley shares two births. Her first, in Texas: her water broke at 39 and a half weeks, and what followed was the better part of two days of labor and pushing against a cervical lip that would not move, an unhurried transfer, and a cesarean. Her second, in California: an HBAC at home in the water, with her mother's hand in one of hers and her husband's in the other, and Marley reaching down to catch her own baby herself.
She's honest about the very specific grief that sat between those two births — not the surgery, not the transfer, but the fact that she missed Clayton becoming a father — and honest about the exact moment it lifted. She's also wonderfully clear-eyed about choosing her birth team, switching midwives mid-pregnancy, and knowing precisely where she stood.
In this episode:
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| Ep 352: Fast Homebirths, Twin Sisters, and Biologically Normal Sleep | 12 Oct 2026 | 00:45:27 | |
What happens when the birth story that scares you most is your own sister's?
Shey Munoz has given birth to both of her boys at home in South Florida, and both times her baby came faster than anyone planned — under five hours the first time, under two the second. Both times her husband set up the birth pool, and both times she never got in it.
In this episode Shey shares the midwife who made the decision simple, a first labor that was over by 8:18 in the morning, the fear she carried into her second birth after her twin sister gave birth in under two hours with no midwife in the room, and the one question her midwife asked that shrank that fear down to something she could actually answer. She also tells us about her mother's twin cesarean in India in the nineties, what she counted on to get through her contractions when she had nothing else in reach, and the work she does now helping mothers understand what's actually normal in the first year after birth.
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| Ep 351: Twin Home Birth After Being Told She Had "No Pain Tolerance" | 05 Oct 2026 | 01:05:02 | |
Has someone who loves you ever told you what your body would and wouldn't be able to handle? And did some part of you file it away as true?
Emily Lewenczuk had already done the research — for a client — and found that nobody in St. Louis would take twins at home. A few weeks later she was looking at two positive pregnancy tests of her own.
Emily is a wife to Josh, a mama of three, and a birth and postpartum doula and childbirth educator who was working in birth long before she had babies of her own. In this episode she shares her first homebirth — gestational diabetes managed through diet, a Christmas Eve baby ten days after her due date, and a postpartum transfer for a tear — and then her twin pregnancy: MoDi twins, a velamentous cord insertion, biweekly scans from sixteen weeks, and an MFM ready to induce her at thirty-eight weeks.
She also shares what she said back to him. The top goal of healthy mom, healthy baby, Emily told him, is the floor. It isn't the ceiling.
Her boys were born at home on the one day her midwife had said she couldn't come, with three midwives, a student midwife, a doula, her mom, her husband, and her almost-three-year-old in the house. Baby A arrived in the caul in about four pushes. Baby B came an hour later. Emily is honest about the bleeding that followed, about the fear she carried into that morning, and about what it meant to have her daughter in the room singing Jesus Loves Me while the midwives joined in.
If you've just found out you're carrying two, or you've been told there's only one way this can go, this conversation is for you.
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| Ep 350: A Homebirth After Hyperemesis Gravidarum | 28 Sep 2026 | 01:28:56 | |
Have you ever come through something so hard that when it was finally over, the smallest ordinary thing felt like a miracle?
This week, we're speaking with Chelann Watt. Chelann is wife to her husband Sam– who she met in Glasgow, Scotland and married ten months later, because when you know, you know– and she's mama to a little boy named Clyde. They live in Yakima, Washington in a 1918 house with English gardens that she is absolutely obsessed with, and she and Sam run their advertising company together, side by side, all day long.
In this episode, Chelann shares the diagnosis nobody gave her for ten weeks and the ER doctor who finally did. She shares the birth she got anyway– hands off, at home, with a sunny side up baby and a midwife who never once lost her calm. And she shares her husband, who I'm telling you is one of the best characters we have ever had on this show, and he barely says a word.
Resources Mentioned:
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| Ep 349: Student Interview episode: Abby Johnson/Carley Overbey | 23 Sep 2026 | 00:10:55 | |
Student Interview episode: Abby Johnson/Carley Overbey "I would have definitely panicked if I hadn't known." Links
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| Ep 348: Homebirth After Cesarean Story: From a 29-Week Preemie to a Birth at Home | 21 Sep 2026 | 00:55:53 | |
If your first birth went nothing like you'd planned, does that tell you anything about how your next one will go? Or is it possible that your first story doesn't get to write your second?
Julia Moore is a wife to her husband John and a mama of two, living in Northwest Arkansas. She's a birth videographer and a new doula, which means she had spent a couple of years in other women's birth spaces with a camera in her hands, long before she ever had a labor of her own.
In this episode, Julia shares two experiences that could not look less alike. Her first: bleeding at seventeen weeks, her water going at twenty four, a month of hospital bed rest while she finished her last semester of college from the bed, spontaneous labor at twenty nine weeks, a cesarean for her frank breech daughter, and then a diagnosis nobody saw coming and months in the NICU. Her second: a homebirth she prepared for in a state where she couldn't hire a licensed midwife to attend it, a misdiagnosis that cost her a month of fear, and an all day labor at home with her husband and a doula she had turned into a real friend on purpose.
We talk about building a birth team from scratch, about deciding whose call your care actually is, and about the postpartum she finally got to have. You're going to love her steadiness, and how honestly she holds both stories at once. Links
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| Ep 347: Birth is magnetic | 16 Sep 2026 | 00:13:41 | |
I want to tell you about two births. Same woman. Same husband. Same house, more or less. And afterward, two completely different marriages. Not because one birth was easy and one was hard. That isn't what made the difference. I've thought about this for years and I want to tell you what I think it actually was. Links
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| Ep 346: A Homebirth Story About Learning How to Relax | 14 Sep 2026 | 01:07:37 | |
Have you ever tried to relax on purpose– and realized you had no idea how? That you could feel the tension sitting in your body, but you couldn't figure out which part of you to let go of first?
In this episode, we're speaking with Sabrina Brooks. Sabrina is a wife to Sam, a youth pastor, and mama to Freeman and Whitley, who are four and one and a half and who were both born at home. She grew up in California and now lives in a small town in southeastern Illinois. And some of you will recognize her already– Sabrina is Cynthia's daughter, from episode 338. Cynthia went first in her family more than thirty years ago, and today we get to hear from one of the babies she birthed.
Sabrina shares a year and a half with almost no cycles, the friend at a pickleball game who changed everything, and conceiving without ever having a period that month. She takes us through a first birth at forty-two weeks where she hit the wall and lay there certain she was about to be labeled failure to progress– in her own home. And then a second birth where she finally understood what everyone meant by embracing a contraction. Links
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| Ep 345: Preparing the whole woman: mind, body, heart, home, and marriage | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:11:07 | |
Here's something I've watched happen more times than I can count.
A woman prepares beautifully for her birth. Really well. And she's still blindsided.
This doesn’t happen because she was lazy about it. It happens because she unknowingly prepared one part of herself extremely thoroughly and left the other four areas almost untouched, and she didn't know there were five.
That's what today is about. What actually needs preparing, and what happens when you only do some of it. Links
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| Ep 344: Homebirth at 42 Weeks After a GBS Positive Test | 07 Sep 2026 | 01:14:27 | |
Have you ever felt like the Lord told you something about your birth… and then watched every circumstance line up to tell you it wasn't going to happen?
Gracie Gould is a wife to Jesse and a mama of four in Greenville, South Carolina, where they work with a local Christian theater and homeschool their crew. She came to homebirth by watching her own mother do it — and one of her midwives turned out to be the daughter of her mom's midwife.
In this episode Gracie shares four births: a planned homebirth that became a transfer and a short NICU stay, a homebirth in a fifth wheel camper trailer with a double shoulder dystocia, a hospital birth with midwives that surprised her, and a water birth at 42 weeks and 3 days after a pregnancy that tested her at every turn — breech at 32 weeks, GBS positive, two snowstorms, and castor oil that failed her twice. All four of her babies are here and healthy, and her youngest is on the recording with us. Links
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| Ep 343: The Moment in Labor Nobody Warns You About | 03 Sep 2026 | 00:08:58 | |
The moment in labor nobody warns you about
The one idea: the moment arrives for almost everyone, and everything depends on whether she was told it was coming. The one action: take the Homebirth Readiness Check. And a free workshop is coming.
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| Ep 342: Six Births, Zero Patterns: Rebecca's Story of Trust Over Formula | 31 Aug 2026 | 01:11:27 | |
Have you ever looked at something in front of you and thought, "there's just no way"– no way that's going to fit, no way that's coming out, no way I can do this… and then watched it happen anyway?
In this episode, Rebecca walks us through six births, and not one of them looks the same. A 38-hour first labor that ended in a hospital transfer. An eight-hour second birth she almost didn't believe was real. A three-and-a-half-hour third birth that woke her out of a dead sleep. A dreamy fourth birth with three answered prayers. A fifth where she had to do something she'd never tried to bring her baby down. And a sixth– a peaceful water birth where she found herself smiling through the contractions, whispering "birth is easy." We talk about surrender, about God's provision, about the difference between shallow positive thinking and real honesty, and about what it means to stand at the edge of life and death and choose trust.
Episode Roundup:
Bonus episode this week: Katelyn's solo episode, WThe Moment in Labor Nobody Warns You About, releases Wednesday 9/2.
Links:
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| Ep 341: Why More Research isn't Making You Feel Ready | 26 Aug 2026 | 00:10:24 | |
Why more research isn't making you feel ready
The one idea: you don't have a knowledge gap. You have an integration gap, and you've been treating one as the other. The one action: take the Homebirth Readiness Check.
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| Ep 340: Freebirth Story: What Changed Between Her First Birth and Her Third | 24 Aug 2026 | 01:00:33 | |
What if you could do all of it right– read every book, listen to every episode, interview the midwife, make the plan… and still walk into your birth completely unprepared?
Emily Swann is a wife to John, a mama of three, and the woman behind For the Love of Breastfeeding, where she teaches a bodywork course for babies and toddlers and runs a six-month program for mothers called Guided and Grounded. She's a nurse, an IBCLC, and holds a master's degree in public health and nutrition. She also binge listened to every episode of this podcast before her first baby was born.
In this episode, Emily shares three births that look nothing alike. Her first: a planned homebirth that became four days of labor, a house full of onlookers, and a transfer to the hospital. Her second: a baby born at 35 weeks after eleven days of an unexplained 105 degree fever, followed by the NICU and a readmission– and a mother who protected breastfeeding through all of it. Her third: a baby born at home, unassisted and en caul, on the evening she cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner in labor.
We talk about the difference between being informed and being formed, about drama versus transformation, about where a woman's authority goes when she hands it off, and about why the magnifying glass in the lactation world is pointed at babies instead of mothers.
Bonus episode this week: Katelyn's solo episode, Why More Research Isn't Making You Feel Ready, releases Wednesday 8/26 and picks up exactly where Emily's first birth leaves off.
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| Ep 339: Cholestasis, Raw Spleen, and a Dream Homebirth: Angelica's Full Journey | 17 Aug 2026 | 01:01:09 | |
Have you ever decided — fully, completely, no-turning-back decided — that you were done doing something a certain way? And then done everything in your power to make the changes necessary? In this episode, Angelica walks us through the full arc — from a surprise first pregnancy that ended in an emergency C-section and a baby born blue, to a rogue homebirth with her third child that she knew, in that very moment, she would never be able to go back from. And then to her fifth pregnancy, which became the most intentional season of her life — researching her liver health, rebuilding her iron through raw organ meats, and navigating cholestasis, low ferritin, and a medical system that didn't always have answers — all so she could bring her sweet baby earthside in her own home, with her husband by her side. We also talk about what happened when her baby came down asynclitic and her body instinctively moved into a position her midwife had never seen before. That moment alone is worth the listen. This podcast is sponsored by Samaritan Ministries. As a paid Samaritan member content creator, I receive compensation for sharing about the ministry.
Samaritan Ministries International is not an insurance company and does not guarantee that medical bills will be paid by SMI or other individuals. Participation in health care sharing is voluntary. Members remain personally responsible for their own medical expenses.
Required legal notices for residents of certain states are available at: https://samaritanministries.org/about/transparency-legal.
Episode Roundup:
First, The image that keeps coming back to me is Angelica on that half lunge off the side of her bed — one leg up, one hanging, holding on to the headboard — her baby asynclitic, her body moving into something she had never planned, had never read about, had never been told to do. And her midwife standing there saying, "I've never seen that before." That is body literacy in its most primal form. That is what it looks like when a woman has truly learned to lean into the intuitive urges. Next, there’s something very meaningful about this storyline: it wasn't linear. Angelica had her third baby at home, had to go back to the hospital with her fourth because of cholestasis, and then….Angelica did everything in her power to prepare for that fifth birth — the diet, the supplements, the research, the sacrifices through Thanksgiving and Christmas and her sister's wedding. She stayed the course when it was hard, and it led to an absolutely amazing experience for her. That wasn’t the end, as we heard. 10 days postpartum she did have to go to the hospital due to retained placenta…. And yet — she didn't hemorrhage. Her body had the reserves. Her husband could look at her and say, "You were prepared for this. Even for the part you didn't plan." That is what preparation actually does. It’s not a guarantee. Instead, it builds capacity in you. It gives your body what it needs to meet the unexpected with something left. I also want to hold onto what Angelica said about women and body literacy — that we are probably the ones who should be most aware of our bodies, and yet we're going into everything blind because that knowledge isn't being passed down. That landed for me. It might have landed for you too. I’m so excited to change that for the next generation, aren’t you? So let this episode be part of that reclamation. Share it with someone who needs it. Leave a review if it moved you. And come find me on Instagram — I'd love to keep this conversation going.
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/HskwrYUDmLo?si=RBreBoM5_y9dC7_k
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
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| Ep 338: A Midwife, the Yellow Pages, and Two Babies Born at Home | 10 Aug 2026 | 00:38:35 | |
What if the most powerful birth preparation isn't a course, a class, or a stack of books at all, but a mother who's simply willing to go first, so everyone behind her can follow? Today I'm speaking with Cynthia Cruz, known to some of you online as Mama RAC. Cynthia is a wife to her husband Ron of 36 years, a mother, a grandmother, and a woman who chose homebirth in California more than 30 years ago, back when almost no one was talking about it. Her daughter Sabrina and her son Robert Anthony were both born at home. And if you have a baseball lover in your house, you may already know her son as Coach RAC of the Savannah Bananas. In this episode, Cynthia takes us back to a time before social media, before the million courses and videos, when preparing for a homebirth meant finding a lay midwife in the Yellow Pages and filling your mind with Ina May Gaskin, Weston A. Price, and every birth story you could get your hands on. She shares the spiritual breakthrough that ended five years of infertility, a first birth surrounded by twelve onlookers, a second birth so fast and primal that it was over in about an hour and a half, and the family legacy of homebirth that her children are carrying now. You're going to love her heart for going first.
This podcast is sponsored by Samaritan Ministries. As a paid Samaritan member content creator, I receive compensation for sharing about the ministry.
Samaritan Ministries International is not an insurance company and does not guarantee that medical bills will be paid by SMI or other individuals. Participation in health care sharing is voluntary. Members remain personally responsible for their own medical expenses.
Required legal notices for residents of certain states are available at: https://samaritanministries.org/about/transparency-legal
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/9lYbyLWaP7g?si=v5rrR9BtDzc9IIKj
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
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| Ep 337: "I Got Everything I Wanted": Carly's Two Very Different Homebirths | 03 Aug 2026 | 01:03:59 | |
Have you ever worked so hard for something — prepared for it, prayed over it, given it everything you had — only to watch it unfold nothing like you pictured? And then found, on the other side, that it shaped you anyway?
Carly Hartwig is a wife and a mama of two little girls up in upstate New York, a former special education teacher who followed her own journey with fertility awareness all the way into a new calling — she's now a certified fertility awareness educator and holistic reproductive health practitioner, walking women home to their bodies from the comfort of her own. And here's what makes this one so special to me: Carly has been listening to this podcast for years. She got ready for both of her births with these stories in her ears. So it is a true honor to hand her the microphone now. In this episode, Carly shares two homebirths that could not have been more different. Her first: a forty-nine-and-a-half-hour labor with a baby who flipped posterior and asynclitic, relentless back labor, a catheter, and a middle-of-the-night conversation about whether to transfer — and how she stayed. Her second: a birth she manifested and prayed over down to the smallest detail, a water birth so fast her midwife said the baby "fire-hosed" out, with her four-year-old in the room to announce her little sister. She takes us through the hard beauty of both, and the tender, honest reality of two very different postpartums. You are going to love her perseverance, and the way she holds it all with so much gratitude.
This podcast is sponsored by Samaritan Ministries. As a paid Samaritan member content creator, I receive compensation for sharing about the ministry.
Samaritan Ministries International is not an insurance company and does not guarantee that medical bills will be paid by SMI or other individuals. Participation in health care sharing is voluntary. Members remain personally responsible for their own medical expenses.
Required legal notices for residents of certain states are available at: https://samaritanministries.org/about/transparency-legal.
Episode Roundup:
The first is the contrast itself. Two births — same woman, same home, same midwife — and worlds apart. One asked her to endure: forty-nine and a half hours, a posterior baby, back labor that left a welt on her back for weeks. The other asked her to surrender: a water birth so fast her baby "fire-hosed" right out. It would be so easy to rank them, the hard one and the easy one. But Carly won't let us, and she's right. Neither was a reward for good behavior. Neither was luck. Both were the fruit of a woman who prepared the whole of herself and then met her birth as it actually came. Next, let’s talk about where her confidence came from. When Carly walked into her second birth so grounded, so sure — that steadiness wasn't handed to her by the manifesting, as beautiful as that practice was. It was forged in the first birth. "If I can deliver a posterior and asynclitic baby," she told us, "I can take whatever this baby throws at me." The hard birth is what made her sure. That's redemption at work: it doesn’t erase the difficult story, but it transforms what it means. And third: I deeply appreciate Carly’s honesty about after. Her dream birth was followed by her harder postpartum — a feeding journey she didn't expect. Carly doesn't smooth that over, and I love her for it. Because a beautiful birth was never a promise that everything after would be easy. It was, however, preparation and encouragement that this woman can carry it and move through it. So wherever you are in your own preparing — whether you're doing the forward-leaning inversions and the daily birth stories, or you're lying awake wondering whether your body will know what to do — keep this in mind. You don't have to earn your birth. You get to meet it. You cannot script the length of your labor, or which way your baby will face, or how postpartum will unfold. But you can become the woman who meets any of it grounded, supported, and trusting. As Carly said it best: both hard, both beautiful, both empowered. And that woman — the one who's prepared in mind, body, heart, home, and marriage — is exactly who I get to walk with inside Whole Mother Homebirth. It's not about scripting the perfect birth. It's about becoming a prepared woman, the way Carly was for both of hers. If your heart tugged a little listening today, that's worth paying attention to. You can find everything in the show notes whenever you're ready.
Links:
Carly's IG: instagram.com/cleanlivingwithcarly
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/7mHvzla8Qyg
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
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| Ep 336: You're Going to Meet Your Power: A Pain-Free Homebirth in Sweden | 27 Jul 2026 | 00:59:46 | |
Have you ever sat in that strange, sacred in-between, when labor has whispered its beginning but hasn't fully arrived, and felt something rise up in you that you couldn't quite name? What if that feeling wasn't fear to push away, but power to say yes to?
Petronella is a mother, a wife, and a lover of nature, art, and creativity, joining us all the way from Sweden. She grew up with one of the rarest gifts a woman can carry into her own birth: a mother who *loved* to give birth, and who told those stories with such joy that they shaped how Petronella saw birth her whole life. Long before she was ever pregnant, she was steeping herself in birth. Assisting at her friends' homebirths. Witnessing her sister's birth. Listening to birth stories nearly every single day.
In this episode, Petronella shares what it looked like to birth at home in a country where homebirth is deeply uncommon. Finding private midwives outside the system, stepping back from routine checks, and trusting her own knowing. She tells us about her water breaking under the biggest full moon of the year, the moment of fear that turned into the words *you're going to meet your power*, and a birth she experienced not as pain, but as wave after wave of intensity and surrender. And she shares the tender, grounded peace of meeting her daughter, and discovering, as she put it, a brand new heart. You're going to love her presence and the way she tunes inward.
Episode Roundup:
First… I keep coming back to the power of preparation. Petronella didn't start getting ready for birth when she got pregnant. She started years before. She assisted at her friends' homebirths. She witnessed her sister's birth. She listened to birth stories nearly every single day, so many that her husband would laugh, another birth story? By the time labor arrived, trust wasn't something she had to summon in the moment. It was already woven into her. What a picture of how preparation works. Not as control, but as a foundation you get to stand on when the day finally comes. Next… I was so moved by the moment Petronella described as meeting her power. Early in labor, before things had fully begun, a fear rose up in her. Quiet. Deep. And instead of pushing it away, she got still and asked it what it was. What came back to her was an invitation: you're going to meet your power. She said yes. And from that yes, the fear was gone. No doubt. No question. How often do we treat fear as a stop sign? Petronella's story is such a reminder that sometimes the fear we feel in birth isn't a warning at all. It might be a doorway. And finally… The theme that stayed with me most was surrender. Petronella prepared more intentionally than almost anyone I've spoken with. And still, she said it so simply: even when we know, we don't have any control over it. It's a miracle. And a miracle asks us to surrender.
This podcast is sponsored by Samaritan Ministries. As a paid Samaritan member content creator, I receive compensation for sharing about the ministry.
Samaritan Ministries International is not an insurance company and does not guarantee that medical bills will be paid by SMI or other individuals. Participation in health care sharing is voluntary. Members remain personally responsible for their own medical expenses.
Required legal notices for residents of certain states are available at: https://samaritanministries.org/about/transparency-legal.
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/SvtI4BWYfMM
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
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| Ep 335: A Homebirth Story of Faith, Fear, and Trusting Harder | 20 Jul 2026 | 00:42:18 | |
What happens when you're preparing for birth while carrying far more than the weight of pregnancy? When your family is spread across the country, your husband's health is in crisis, and every plan you've made seems to unravel?
This week, we're speaking with by Tricia Prado, a mother of seven whose journey into her seventh birth came during one of the most challenging seasons her family has ever faced. As her husband's health declined and their family became separated across multiple states, Tricia found herself learning a lesson that would carry her through both life and birth: trust harder.
Episode Roundup:
Link: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Youtube Episode Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEYbjJsfsfs
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| Ep 334: "I Did It Scared": An 11-Pound Unmedicated Home Birth | 13 Jul 2026 | 00:55:26 | |
Have you ever felt called toward something… but been completely terrified to do it? This week, we're joined by Ally Roberson, a wife, mother of two, homesteader, and creator documenting her family's journey toward a more intentional life in rural Georgia. When Ally became pregnant with her second baby, she found herself pulled toward homebirth. But there was one major obstacle standing in the way: Fear. My friends, today's episode is for the woman who wonders if she's strong enough. The woman who loves the idea of physiological birth but in the back of her mind thinks, "That might work for other women, but not for me."
Episode Roundup:
First... Fear does not always have to disappear completely before you move forward. I think so many women are waiting for confidence to arrive before they commit to homebirth, before they trust their bodies, before they step into labor. But Ally's story is an example of leading with courage, not confidence. She didn’t feel confident, but boy did she prove to be courageous. Ally admitted that she remained afraid throughout her pregnancy. She didn't suddenly wake up at 39 weeks feeling fearless. She simply continued taking the next step. That fear is actually one of the reasons I created Whole Mother Homebirth. Because fear is one of the most common concerns I hear from women preparing for birth. Not necessarily fear of homebirth itself—but fear that they won't be able to cope. That labor will be too intense. Fear that they don't have what it takes. Inside the course, we spend a significant amount of time addressing fear, nervous system regulation, mindset, relaxation techniques, and practical tools to help women prepare mentally and emotionally for labor. Podcast listeners get a 10% discount when they use the code PODCAST at checkout- the link is in the show notes or go to myhappyhomebirth.com and click homebirth course
next… I loved hearing the contrast between intervention-heavy care and family-centered care. One of the most striking parts of Ally's story wasn't even labor itself—it was the difference in how she felt: The difference between being on the clock and being supported…feeling managed vs. feeling cared for…being a patient vs being a mother. Birth is physiological, but good golly is it also deeply emotional. The environment, the people surrounding us, the sense of safety and support…. It all very much matters. And Ally's experience highlights that beautifully.
Finally… Can we talk about that 11-pound baby? Woof, I think that's going to be the headline everyone remembers. But I hope you’ll take away even more than the fact that Ally birthed an 11-pound baby at home. Through the process, she realized she was designed to do more than she believed she could. For so long she had been telling herself, "Other women can do this, but not me." But then she did it. She kept moving forward despite her own fears, and she reached the other side with a whole new perspective of herself and her body. Is that you? Are you on the before side wondering if you can actually pull it off? You don’t have to be completely fearless– you can still be courageous and keep moving forward.
Link: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/O2IXrQ66VGQ?si=XrSAjlRsymV2izED
Ally’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@allylothman
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| Ep 333: The Midwife Who Told Her She Didn't Need a Midwife | 06 Jul 2026 | 01:02:59 | |
Have you ever been so certain about a decision that, even when everyone around you questioned it, you knew deep down it was the right path for you?
My friends, today’s conversation is a fascinating look at conviction, trust, and what it means to take full responsibility for your birth experience. This week, we're speaking with Gabrielle Lacey, a wife, mother, welder-turned-farmer, and soon-to-be mother of three living in the mountains of North Carolina. Gabrielle shares the stories of her first two free births, both of which unfolded in unique and memorable ways.
Episode Roundup:
1. I keep coming back to the power of preparation. Whether or not you’d give birth unattended, one thing is undeniable about Gabby’s choices: she spent years thinking about birth before she ever became pregnant. She listened to stories, studied, asked questions, and spent time considering what she believed about birth and motherhood.
2. I loved hearing the difference between Gabby’s first and second births. Her first birth felt very independent. It was just Gabby and her mother-in-law, taking the situation as it came. In the end, they were the only ones who witnessed her daughter’s entrance, with Gabby’s husband Hayden arriving 15 minutes later. But by her second pregnancy, she had built a community– one that she wanted to witness her birth. She talked about hosting women's circles, finding friendships with other mothers, and inviting support into the experience. How special that she’s experienced the birthing process in two very different ways.
3. The theme that stayed with me most was trust. Trusting her body. Trusting her baby. Trusting the process. There was that incredible moment during her first birth when her baby's head was born and then everything paused. Instead of panic, Gabby prayed. She spoke to her baby. She stayed present. And eventually labor resumed exactly as it needed to. What a reminder: Fear is not the only option when something unexpected happens. And one more thing before we close. I loved Gabby's reflection at the very end of our conversation when she talked about trusting babies. Not rushing them. Not forcing timelines or assuming we know better than they do. How beautifully does this translate to motherhood: Trusting that our children are participating in this journey with us. We’re working together as we grow.
Link:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/nTGVW4bIHH4 Gabby's Instagram | www.instagram.com/humble.hill.homestead
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| Ep 332: 42 Weeks and Learning to Wait | 29 Jun 2026 | 01:05:17 | |
Have you ever looked back on a past birth experience and realized… “Wow, I didn’t actually know how powerful my body was”?
This week, we're speaking with Melissa Gurd, wife to her husband Jason and mother of six children living on a family homestead in Florida. Melissa shares the progression of her birth experiences over the last decade—from medically managed hospital births, to a frustrating cesarean in 2020, to finally discovering the peace and redemption of homebirth.
Episode Roundup:
First… For some mothers, the deepest birth education happens through experience. Melissa described entering her early births with very little understanding of physiological birth, or at least without a sense of deeper purpose or desire around experiencing it for herself. So many of us in our childbearing years grew up hearing that birth is something to manage– that it’s risky, and it’s something best left to the professionals. But over time, Melissa began learning more about how the body works, how positioning matters, how nourishment matters, how patience matters… and it transformed the way she approached birth. Second… I loved hearing the redemption woven into her homebirth after cesarean. Especially the moment when she realized that her fourth baby weighed exactly the same as the baby she had previously been told was “too big” to birth naturally. How powerful is that? Melissa was able to see what her body was capable of when she was supported, unrushed, and allowed to labor physiologically. She knew now for certain that she could do this. Another thing that stood out to me was Melissa’s honesty about waiting. Forty-two week pregnancies. Prodromal labor. The emotional ups and downs of wondering – is today the day? I think prolonged pregnancy and prodromal labor can be one of the most refining parts of pregnancy, and extremely applicable to motherhood: You can’t force it. You can't control it. You can only sit in the reality that this is outside of you. I loved when Melissa said that birth taught her patience because it’s one of the few things in life that so tangibly shows us we do not have control. And finally… I just loved the family-centered beauty expressed through Melissa’s journey. Children waiting excitedly for their siblings. A daughter hearing the baby cry and bursting into tears of joy. Generations living together on the same property. Babies entering the world surrounded by love and loved ones. Wow. In this way, birth is not separated from family life— it’s integrated directly into it. Which is one reason so many women are drawn to homebirth in the first place. It honors the entire family ecosystem.
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/LuRSr2-0sZk?si=4vwBJNQ4MjBXZPgp
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| Ep 331: From Cesarean Grief to a Healing Homebirth | 22 Jun 2026 | 00:56:41 | |
What happens when the birth you prayed for…doesn’t happen? And how do you move forward when the thing you prepared for so carefully ends in grief, disappointment, and questions you never expected to ask?
This week, we're speaking with Raylee, a homeschool mother of two from Texas who is passionate about Montessori education, physiological birth, and intentional motherhood. Raylee grew up in a large homeschooling family and witnessed homebirth from a young age, which shaped the way she viewed birth long before becoming a mother herself.
Episode roundup:
First… I think this episode speaks so deeply to the grief that can come when birth doesn’t unfold the way we hoped. Raylee prepared intensely for her first birth. She studied. She visualized. She cared for herself well. And yet—her birth ended in a way she never expected. I know that many mothers understand that kind of heartbreak. When your expectations and your reality feel worlds apart. But what moved me most was hearing how her perspective was renewed over time—not minimizing the pain, not pretending it was easy—but Raylee found profound meaning and growth within her experience and decided to take responsibility for her journey. This intentional step out of victimhood catalyzed a huge spiritual change in her life. One she wouldn’t take back even if she could. Next… I kept thinking about the difference between control and prepared surrender. With her first birth, Raylee described feeling very certain about how things would go. And after that experience, she entered her second pregnancy differently. She still prepared, she was still intentional, but her edges truly softened in a noticeable way. Raylee was less attached to perfection and far more open-handed. Surrender does not guarantee a certain outcome—but it changes the way we move through the experience itself, however it unfolds.
And finally… Raylee’s second birth was such a beautiful picture of trust– and it was revealed slowly. Over days of early labor, Over intentional healing work, prayer. And through choosing to believe her body was capable again. I loved hearing her describe labor as intense… but not frightening. Powerful… but not pathological. Which is a huge distinction: Physiological birth is not necessarily painless. But it also does not have to feel traumatic. And when women are supported, uninterrupted, nourished, and safe… the body often knows exactly what to do.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/FSypyheqzoY
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| Ep 330: Why This Labor Nurse Chose Homebirth | 15 Jun 2026 | 00:49:25 | |
What happens when the person working inside the hospital system… still chooses homebirth for herself? And… what does it look like when years of witnessing birth— the beauty of it, the interventions, the emergencies, the physiology— leads someone not further from instinctive birth… but deeper into trust? This week, we're joined by Alehson Treadwell, a labor and delivery nurse, IBCLC, and mother of three, whose personal birth experiences evolved alongside her years caring for women inside of the hospital system.
Episode Roundup:
First… I think her story is such a powerful reminder that knowledge does not have to create fear. Alehson has spent over sixteen years working as a labor and delivery nurse. She has seen complications. She has seen intervention. She knows the hospital system deeply. And yet—rather than moving further away from physiological birth, she moved into it. Sometimes understanding physiology more deeply actually increases trust in the body—not decreases it.
Next, I love the progression we hear across her births. Her first birth held anxiety, timelines, and the pressure of approaching forty-two weeks. Her second birth was fast and overwhelming in a completely different way– But by her third birth, we hear a mother who has settled into pregnancy, labor and trusting herself more thoroughly. I especially loved hearing how specific she became in prayer during that final pregnancy. She prayed for the right people to be there, to be present, and to have peace. And finally… This conversation around postpartum nourishment is so important. Alehson spoke candidly about postpartum anxiety, depletion, low ferritin, and the connection between nourishment and mental health. The truth is we cannot separate the physical from the emotional. What happens in the body can impact the emotional, and vice versa. Which means that rest matters.Minerals. Water. Warm nourishing food. It’s foundational.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/TXEaxJEg1-I
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| Ep 329: This Story Does Not Belong to Fear: Lydia's Homebirth Story | 08 Jun 2026 | 01:22:33 | |
Can hope return after something painful changes the way you experience motherhood?
This week, we're speaking with Lydia Ashford, a flower farmer, worship leader, wife, and mother of two daughters born at home on the Northern California coast. Lydia and her family live and work together on a flower farm with her parents and sisters, raising babies alongside one another in a deeply connected community. In this conversation, Lydia shares the beautiful homebirth of her first daughter—but also the traumatic postpartum complications that followed– and the transformational healing that slowly took place after.
Episode Roundup:
1. “Postpartum is porous.” Lydia described postpartum as “spongy”—that everything spoken over a mother during that season goes straight to the heart. YES. The postpartum period is incredibly vulnerable. The voices around a mother matter. The support, the encouragement, it is all so critical. And hearing how her midwife, her mother, her husband, and her community continually spoke hope over her while she struggled with breastfeeding… it’s such a powerful reminder that support can completely shape a postpartum experience. 2. I was deeply moved by Lydia’s honesty about fear after trauma, because it’s such a common experience. Sure, not everyone has experienced sepsis or emergency surgery postpartum, but many mothers have walked through complicated births or postpartum seasons that left them afraid to do it again. And I loved hearing how Lydia described God slowly transforming fear into hope—not all at once… over time. Through prayer walks, community, stories, scripture, and through intimate moments of healing.
3. This line Lydia shared just got me at my core: “I will not nurse fear. I will nurse hope.” What a powerful renewing of her mind. She intentionally refused to let fear become the center of the story. Wow, doesn’t that apply so far beyond birth? What are we feeding? What are we nurturing? What are we allowing to shape the atmosphere of our homes, our motherhood, our hearts? Lydia’s story is such a beautiful reminder that healing does not always mean the absence of difficulty. Healing is allowing hope to return.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/_zhc9aKXtME
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| Ep 328: One Contraction at a Time: Faith's 47 Hour Homebirth | 01 Jun 2026 | 00:53:58 | |
Have you ever reached the point in labor—or honestly, in life—where you truly didn’t think you could keep going?
This week, we're speaking with Faith Robinson, a stay-at-home mom from Kansas City, wife to her husband of three years, and mother to baby Ezekiel. Faith grew up around birth through her mother’s work as a doula, but despite always wanting an unmedicated birth, she initially viewed birth primarily as a medical event. That slowly began to change after witnessing a peaceful birth as a teenager—and eventually led her and her husband to prayerfully pursue homebirth for their own family. In this episode, Faith shares her pregnancy journey, navigating back pain from previous spinal injuries, concerns about preeclampsia symptoms late in pregnancy, and the emotional challenge of going well past her due date. And then came the loooong labor. You’re going to love hearing her perseverance.
Episode Roundup: 1. I keep thinking about the importance of support. Not just during birth itself—but throughout pregnancy too. Faith described so many moments where she felt deeply cared for by her midwives. They listened to her concerns, helped her navigate anxiety, supported her through physical discomfort, and treated her as a whole person rather than just managing symptoms. That kind of care changes the way women experience pregnancy and birth.
2. This story is such a reminder that labor does not always unfold quickly or neatly. Forty-seven hours is a long time. And I appreciated Faith’s honesty about how difficult that became mentally. The discouragement after learning she was still only two centimeters after hours of strong contractions… the exhaustion… the moments of saying, “I don’t want to do this anymore.” I think many women need to hear stories like this because sometimes physiological birth is portrayed as effortless if you just “trust enough” or if you do the precise right things to prepare. But birth is intense, so trusting birth doesn’t mean pretending it’s always easy. Sometimes trust looks like continuing one contraction at a time.
3. I was so moved by the way Faith described the Lord meeting her during labor. The difficulty was not removed. The pain was not instantly ended. But He gave her exactly what she needed for the next step. A moment of encouragement. A reminder that she was safe. The strength to continue. Truth be told, I think that mirrors motherhood so often too, at least for me. We’re not always given the full picture ahead of time. But grace does meet us where we are. Ps. Shout out to Faith’s mom Kim. You’re the best, love you girl.
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off) Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/PFkl9gpM_k8
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| Ep 327: Rebuilding a Family Legacy Through Birth and Parenthood | 25 May 2026 | 01:00:30 | |
What does it look like to re-build a family legacy? And how do birth, motherhood, healing, and even hardship become part of that restoration? Gabrielle Manier is a wife, homeschool mother of four, homemaker, gardener, and passionate homebirth mother living in Michigan with her husband Dustin and their children. Since her first appearance on the podcast, their family has welcomed two more babies while continuing to walk through healing from a difficult past marked by addiction, homelessness, and generational brokenness.
Episode Roundup: 1. The idea of rebuilding. Gabrielle and her husband came from incredibly difficult backgrounds, and yet the way they are intentionally building their family now—with faith, purpose, nourishment, connection, and presence—it’s such a reminder that generational patterns do not have to continue forever. Healing, change, renewal really is possible.
2. I loved hearing how intentionally Gabrielle prepared for postpartum this time. So many mothers focus all of their energy on birth preparation, but postpartum can feel deeply vulnerable if we don’t also prepare to be cared for afterward. And hearing how her mother came to help… how they restored their relationship… how she hired postpartum support… how her husband stepped in so fully… It’s such a picture of what women were always meant to experience after birth: Care and space to heal.
3. Another part of Gabrielle’s story that really stayed with me was the way she navigated her son’s clubfoot diagnosis. An unexpected diagnosis in pregnancy can bring so many emotions. Fear, confusion, and a sense of pressure to make quick decisions and “do something”. What I appreciated so much was hearing Gabrielle approach the experience in sugh a grounded, thoughtful, prayerful way. She didn’t ignore reality, but she refused to allow fear to overtake the beauty of her experience of pregnancy and motherhood. I think many women need to hear that it is possible to walk through unexpected circumstances while still remaining connected and even joyful. And Gabrielle’s experience is such a reminder that a diagnosis does not change the value, beauty, or purpose of a child. Sometimes it’s these very moments that invite families deeper into trust, advocacy, and dependence on God in ways they never expected.
4. I was so moved by Gabrielle’s description of birth as exhilarating. Not that it was painless or easy, but because she experienced birth as something full of purpose, connection, and joy. There can be intensity and peace at the same time. Difficulty and beauty in the same breath. That’s exhilarating.
5. I so appreciated Gabrielle’s honesty about fear and anxiety. I think that sometimes women may hear peaceful birth stories and assume those mothers never struggle with fear, confusion or anxiety. But that’s not what Gabrielle described– She described continually bringing those fears before the Lord… and continuing to move forward in faith.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
Youtube Episode | https://youtu.be/0upk9wjTHz0
Previous Episode with Gabrielle: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000588746221
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| Ep 326: Trusting God with Her Baby's Life: Sarah's Micro Preemie Birth | 18 May 2026 | 01:18:14 | |
We all know that life is unpredictable in many ways, but when you’re experiencing extreme unpredictability in the midst of your pregnancy, how do you imagine you’d feel? Would ‘peaceful’ be the first word that comes to mind?
This week, we’re speaking with Sarah, mother to two babies– Timothy and Lydia. We’ll hear Sarah’s extremely difficult experience during her most recent pregnancy and birth of a micro preemie, but take heart– you will leave this story feeling overwhelmed with gratitude and beauty for having heard it.
Sarah does an incredible job of summing up the amazing points of her story at the end, so we won’t have a typical episode roundup.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 325: From Infertility to Birth in her Own Home | 11 May 2026 | 01:00:03 | |
Coincidences– How many of them can you experience before you stop thinking they’re coincidences and start realizing that they are a beautiful divine gift?
This week, we're speaking with Kaylee, a mother of 3 living in Athens, Georgia. Kaylee and her husband experienced struggles with infertility before becoming pregnant, and they are now in the process of raising the large family they always dreamed of. We’ll hear how a “high risk” hospital-birthing mother found herself at home with her most recent baby.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 324: From Monitoring to Trusting: A Nurse’s Birth Transformation | 04 May 2026 | 00:56:41 | |
What happens when you know too much about birth… and you’re experiencing pregnancy and birth for yourself?
This week's episode, I’m joined by Emily—a labor and delivery nurse who found herself navigating pregnancy and birth as both a provider and a patient. We talk about how working inside the hospital shaped her first birth… what shifted in her mindset the second time around… and how she ultimately chose a homebirth rooted in surrender.
Episode Roundup:
First—this idea of knowing too much: how too much information can sometimes lead us to questioning ourselves, our bodies and our instincts– information overload can create fear instead of clarity. I love how Emily was so aware of this– how what she’d seen and experienced at work actually needed to be balanced with nervous system regulation, surrender, and leaning into her own intuition. During postpartum with her first baby, Emily felt like she missed much of the experience because it seemed impossible to turn her brain off and simply trust. But that first experience transformed how she would interact with pregnancy, birth and motherhood from then on. Second—the shift from control into surrender… not just in birth, but in motherhood as a whole. What a learning curve it is to go from taking care of only your own needs to the needs of others. As Emily said, she had to reorient herself to life now that she was a care provider– no longer could she simply bop off and workout on a whim or head to the grocery store alone. Even her ability to regulate her nervous system after her second child had to shift– It wouldn’t be 30 minutes on the couch with her warm cup of tea, but instead breathing exercises while she rocked and nursed her baby. Our willingness to be flexible and do things differently– to be creative– is a gift to both ourselves and our babies. And finally—birth can shape the way we step into motherhood… Emily went from anxiety and overthinking in her first pregnancy and birth… into presence, peace, and confidence during her homebirth, and the impact has continued far beyond.
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 323: How One Mother Reclaimed Trust in Birth | 27 Apr 2026 | 01:24:38 | |
What happens when your first experience of birth leaves you shaken… and the providers you’re supposed to trust tell you not to try again? Where do you go from there?
Sarah Marie is the owner of Entering Motherhood, a wife and a mom of three who spends her days soaking up life with her little ones, whether that’s through slow mornings at home, time in the garden, or exploring a new coffee shop.
As a certified birth and postpartum doula, Sarah is passionate about walking alongside women as they step into motherhood. She also hosts the Entering Motherhood podcast, where she shares encouragement, education, and real conversations about pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Sarah believes that birth is more than just an experience, it’s a beautiful moment to reflect on and embrace. She loves helping moms feel confident, informed, and supported so they can truly own their journey as they are entering motherhood.
Episode Roundup:
First—how much our early experiences can shape us. Sarah’s first birth didn’t go the way she expected. It left her questioning herself, her body, and what was possible for future births. And I think many women can relate to that… carrying questions after birth, wondering, “What does this all mean?” But what stands out to me is this: She didn’t stay there, stuck and unchanged. She intentionally began to dig for more– to ask questions, and to physically place herself in spaces where she could see birth differently. And because of this, over time, her perspective changed– her ideas about what she was capable of changed. Next—the power of exposure and understanding. As Sarah stepped into doula work, she witnessed birth again and again. And with each experience, she gathered a new understanding of what the body can do– the vast array of what birth can be like. And this is such a key point: What we see, what we hear, what we surround ourselves with—it shapes what we believe is possible. Sarah went from being told not to pursue a vaginal birth… to confidently planning and experiencing a homebirth. And finally—can you guess it? Surrender. Even in conception, Sarah described letting go of trying to control the outcome… and that was the moment things shifted. And isn’t that often the rhythm? We prepare. We work. We do what we can. And then… we’re left with nothing to do but release. And so often, that’s the final step. Sarah’s story is such a clear picture that confidence in yourself and your ability to birth can be rebuilt. And that your previous story does not have to hold your current experience captive.
Links: Entering Motherhood LLC www.enteringmotherhood.comFREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 322: Scars Redeemed--Surrendering Fear and Embracing Trust through a Home Birth | 20 Apr 2026 | 01:26:02 | |
When your body has experienced legitimate physical trauma during two back to back births, what do you do for your next experience? What would it look like to play it safe– would that be a planned cesarean? Or… What if you swing the other way and bring it home?
This week we’re speaking to Janie Hobbs, a stay-at-home wife and mom of three littles. She is happily married to her husband Sam, and they recently moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario from Missouri where Sam serves as one of the pastors at a local church. Janie has been a birth enthusiast for years and has experienced so much personal and spiritual growth through the births of each of her children. When she is not chasing her energetic toddlers or nursing a baby, she enjoys baking, photography, coffee, and exploring the beautiful Canadian countryside.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 321: Rethinking Pelvic Floor Health for Pregnancy and Postpartum with Whitney Sippl | 13 Apr 2026 | 00:44:45 | |
What if the discomforts we’ve been told are “just part of pregnancy” are actually signals that something needs support?
This week, we're speaking with Whitney Sippl, a pelvic physical therapist who works closely with women in pregnancy, postpartum and beyond.
In this episode, Whitney walks us through what pelvic physical therapy really is, why it matters in all stages of life, even before birth, and how simple techniques can make a meaningful difference in both birth and recovery.
Episode Roundup: First… this idea that symptoms are not something to ignore. So many women experience things like leaking, heaviness, or discomfort and are told it’s normal. And while it may be common… that doesn’t mean it’s something we have to live with. Our bodies are communicating. And when we listen early— during pregnancy— we often have the opportunity to support healing before we ever reach postpartum. Second… I love the shift from thinking about the pelvic floor as something to “strengthen”… to something to balance. Because labor itself is not just about being strong — it’s also very much about release.
And finally… this reminder that preparation can be gentle. It doesn’t have to be complicated or feel overwhelming. Small, consistent awareness of your body— your breath, your posture, your movement— can create significant change.
Links:
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 320: A Mobile Birth: Twins Born Precipitously! | 06 Apr 2026 | 00:46:28 | |
You’ve done it- you’ve decided to give birth at home, and NOTHING is going to stop you, right?
This week we’re speaking to Heather Whitehead, a mother to 5 living in East Tennessee. We’ll hear how Heather and her husband settled on homebirth for their most recent pregnancy, and how they navigated certain obstacles that arose after their decision. You know, like the realization that they were pregnant with twins, to start.
Episode Roundup:
Links:
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth | |||
| Ep 319: What Are You Creating? A Birth and Motherhood Story | 30 Mar 2026 | 01:09:54 | |
Pregnancy is the height of creativity– you are literally creating a brand new human… from scratch? But have you noticed that sometimes the creativity of pregnancy moves into other aspects of your life?
This week, we’e speaking with Khylir Patton, a mother of two and a homebirth mom based in Tampa Bay, Florida. After navigating an unexpected late-pregnancy loss of care and ultimately experiencing a deeply empowering homebirth, she became passionate about helping mothers feel supported, informed, and less alone in their journeys. Khylir is the founder of IYA, a maternal care platform inspired by her own experiences navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. At her core, she believes birth is intuitive, sacred, and a powerful initiation into motherhood.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 318: Pregnancy After Loss and Learning to Trust Again | 16 Mar 2026 | 00:58:43 | |
Have you ever found yourself wanting something to happen so desperately, and at the same time realizing you have absolutely no control over its happening?
This week, we’re speaking with Erica: a wife, mother of two, one of nine siblings, and a woman who entered marriage already having seen family members give birth beautifully at home.
Episode Roundup: 1. Generational Trust in birth is a GIFTErica didn’t stumble into homebirth hoping it might work. She had seen it. She watched her mother birth. She watched her sister birth. She grew up witnessing women trust their bodies. When birth isn’t something foreign and medicalized — when it’s something you’ve seen unfold in your actual living room —where you LIVE– it builds a different kind of confidence. What are we modeling for our daughters? What are our sons witnessing about women’s strength? Erica is now continuing that legacy. Absolutely amazing. 2. Surrender Is Not Passive — It’s Active and continual Two weeks of prodromal labor. Contractions that start… and stop. Hopes rising… and falling. Over and over again. And that shower moment — head against the tile, sobbing, praying, “I trust You… but please let it be now.” That is such an honest prayer. That’s a prayer of confession. Surrender doesn’t mean we don’t have desires. It doesn’t mean we don’t long for relief. It means we bring those desires into God’s presence instead of trying to control the outcome. And eventually… her body opened. Not through force or fear, but because it. Was. time. 3. And finally, there is such power in undisturbed birth.Erica pushed without cervical checks. She followed her body’s cues. She reached down and felt her baby descend. That image — a mother with her own finger on her baby’s head, feeling him move down and through her body — is one of the most instinctive, embodied images I can imagine. She didn’t need someone to tell her where she was, because she felt it. And then… she caught him herself. Born fully en caul. Waters intact. Her hands the first to lift him from the water. What a picture of partnership between body, baby, and Creator.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 317: Choosing the Unmarked Path: Navigating Limited Options in Care | 09 Mar 2026 | 00:50:54 | |
When you want to give birth at home, but the local midwives are overbooked and not taking new clients, what are your options?
This week we’re speaking to Regan, a mother to two kiddos in the Manitoba area of Canada who knew that she wanted to give birth at home, but had to think outside the box to make it happen for her.
Regan is a wife of 7 years and a stay at home mom to her two beautiful young children. A small part of her life includes helping manage a midwifery advocacy group, whose main desire is that all women in her Province can have the birth experience they desire! She loves her quiet country home life raising kids, running her two small businesses and discussing birth with anyone who wants to talk!
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 316: Holding the Plan Loosely: Pamela’s Birth Story of Trust and Change | 02 Mar 2026 | 00:49:58 | |
How do you feel about the specifics of your upcoming birth? Are you clinging to particular desires and feeling like things MUST happen a certain way for you to feel successful? Or do you feel the peace of flexibility? This week, we're speaking with Pamela, a homeschooling mother of 3 precious kiddos, who decided to give birth at home with her third child. Throughout the end of her pregnancy and labor, Pamela went on a journey of learning that she wasn’t in control of every event that happened, but she was able to surrender— and through the process of surrender she found something even better than certainty- she found freedom.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 315: From Hyperemesis to Homebirth | 23 Feb 2026 | 01:00:05 | |
Have you ever done everything right…and still watched things unfold in a way you never expected? This week I’m joined by Daryl Hogan — a nurse, nursing professor, wife, and new mama — who navigated a laundry list of unexpected aspects of pregnancy that she certainly wouldn’t have excitedly chosen…. And yet her story doesn’t end in suffering, but in a powerful, physiologic homebirth that left her standing in awe of what her body had carried her through.
Episode Roundup:
First — preparation does not guarantee ease. Daryl did the research. She changed her products. She tracked her cycles. She took the supplements. She prepared her body thoughtfully. And still she experienced hyperemesis. Still she lost weight. And still she battled prenatal depression. But she endured. She continued, and while her preparation did not prevent suffering — It did equip her to endure it. Second — the humility of needing help. As a nurse, Daryl understood the medical system. She works in the hospital. She knows the language. But during her pregnancy, she found herself needing the IV fluids, the medication. Needing support beyond what she had hoped for. And I love the way she processed that. She asked herself: “Would I shame another woman for this?” Of course not. And so she chose to release the shame. My friends, sometimes trusting God also looks like accepting the help He places in front of you. Third — the power of relational care. Did you hear the contrast between her midwife and her OB? Long appointments. Text messages. Honesty. Consultation. Home visits. Versus… Cold. Rushed. Directive. Care changes experience. Not just outcomes — experience. And finally — redemption through birth. After months of vomiting. Crying. Exhaustion and Fear. Her labor came. She drove home from the birth center on all fours in the back seat — because her body told her to. And she birthed her baby at home. Oh my goodness, the triumph in that! Not because it was pain-free or especially easy, but because she endured. She trusted. She surrendered. And what strikes me most is this — she didn’t just get a baby at the end. She got awe: Awe of her body. Awe of the design. Awe of the way suffering can shape strength. So if you are in a season where you are doing your best just to make it through Whether that’s in pregnancy, motherhood, or another aspect of your life —
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 314: An 11 Pound Baby and the Importance of Trust | 16 Feb 2026 | 00:46:44 | |
Have you ever wondered how much the environment and the people around you shape the way birth unfolds?
Hey there Happy Homebirthers, and welcome to episode 314 of the Happy Homebirth Podcast. I’m your host Katelyn Fusco and today, we’re speaking with Caroline Hendel, a mother from France whose story beautifully illustrates the difference between being managed through birth vs. being trusted in it. Caroline shares two very different experiences: her first birth in a hospital after being transferred due to concerns about her baby’s size, and her second—an intentional home birth of an eleven-pound baby, surrounded by a team who provided a sense of belief, calm, and support. This conversation touches on big babies, cultural differences in birth care, choosing your team wisely, and what it truly means to feel safe in birth.
First, I’m struck by how clearly her experiences show that big babies are not the problem—fear is. Over and over again, we see that when providers don’t trust mothers, size becomes a liability. But when belief is present, the body often does exactly what it was designed to do. Second, Caroline’s story highlights how important it is to choose your team carefully—and to change course when something doesn’t feel right. Trusting your intuition doesn’t mean rejecting care; it means seeking the right care. And finally, I love her reflection on how birth intensity can be a bridge into motherhood. For Caroline, her second birth gave her something her first did not— she was able to experience the fullness and intensity of the act of bringing forth her baby, which was exactly what she wanted as she re-entered the fullness and intensity of motherhood. If you’re preparing for birth, I pray this story reminds you that you deserve belief, support, and peace—no matter the size of your baby.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5yY5p5Wm6Y
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| Ep 313: Presence Over Perfection: Madeline Murray on Birth and Growth | 09 Feb 2026 | 01:07:58 | |
Have you ever noticed how each birth teaches us something different—no matter how many times we’ve done this before?
Today, I’m welcoming back a dear friend of the show, Madeline Murray—midwife, mother of four, and someone whose story has unfolded alongside this podcast over the years. Madeline has been here before to share her first and second homebirths, and today she’s bringing us into her third and fourth. Two births that took place in very different seasons of life, and yet both marked by growth, presence, and a deepening sense of trust.
Episode Roundup: First, I’m struck by how much presence mattered in these later births. Madeline talks about the difference between surviving a birth and actually participating in it—and that distinction feels so important. Sometimes peace doesn’t come from changing the circumstances, but from being able to stay with yourself through them. Second, I love her honesty about how seasons of life affect birth. Giving birth while navigating business ownership, older children, and a body that’s changed with time looks different than it did before—and that doesn’t make it lesser. In many ways, it makes it richer. There’s wisdom there. There’s perspective. And finally, Madeline’s story reminds us that even when we’re experienced—even when we’ve attended births or lived inside this world for years—birth still has something to teach us. It continues to shape us, humble us, and invite us into deeper trust. So wherever you are on your own journey—first baby or fourth—may this story remind you that growth doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like calm. Sometimes it looks like confidence. Sometimes it looks like finally feeling at home in your body.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 312: Trusting the Process: Kaylee Matthews’ Mountain Homebirth | 02 Feb 2026 | 01:06:07 | |
Which is more important when it comes to birth: preparation or intuition? In this week’s episode, we’re hearing from Kaylee Matthews, a first-time mom from the mountains of Southern California whose story is a reminder that intuition and preparation can coexist beautifully with surrender. Before she even met her husband, Kaylee was learning the fertility-awareness method, studying midwifery podcasts, and building an understanding of her body. So when she and her husband conceived—on their very first try—she felt both prepared and grounded. Her pregnancy unfolded with ease until an unexpected “high-risk” label and pressure from hospital providers tested her confidence. Leaning on research, prayer, and intuition, Kaylee chose to continue midwifery care, learning firsthand the value of informed decision-making and peace over fear. When labor finally began at 40 weeks + 6 days, it moved from calm to intense quickly—so quickly that her earlier intuition proved true: her midwife nearly missed the birth. What followed was a long, determined labor that called for patience, movement, and deep trust. Kaylee’s story highlights the balance between preparation and surrender—the way knowledge can empower us, but peace is what carries us through. First, knowledge really is power—but trust and peace are even greater powers. Kaylee studied, planned, and prepared for this birth. But when things went off-script, she leaned not on fear or outside pressure, but on the peace and confidence she had in her body as it did exactly what it was designed to do. Second, I love how her preparation allowed her husband to step confidently into birth, too. From the packet of questions at their first appointment to the way he supported her through every phase, their teamwork is a picture of partnership in birth, and the way that birth can truly bring couples together as they enter or re-enter parenthood. And finally, Kaylee’s intuition was spot-on. Even when it didn’t make logical sense—like feeling her midwife might miss the birth—she honored that God-given intuitive thought and made space for it. What a reminder that we are so connected to our Creator, and when it’s intuition, that knowing you feel isn’t scary, it’s simply confident. Here’s to quiet confidence, to listening inward, and to letting birth be the teacher it’s meant to be.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 311: Midwifery Care Documentary: The Birthing Revolution Project | 26 Jan 2026 | 00:52:37 | |
What if understanding midwifery care didn’t require convincing—but simply seeing? This week on The Happy Homebirth Podcast, I’m joined by Caleb Phipps, filmmaker and father of four, and Midon Wingo, licensed midwife and passionate advocate for family-centered birth care. Together, they’re creating a documentary called Birthing Revolution—a film designed to show what midwifery care actually looks like. Prenatal visits. Birth spaces. Families. Trust. One of the most powerful ideas from this conversation is the way they frame birth as a story: the mother as the hero, the midwife as the guide.
Episode Roundup:
First, I’m struck by the power of seeing. Caleb shared how witnessing midwifery care firsthand changed his understanding in a way facts and statistics never could. That’s exactly why Birthing Revolution matters—because when people can actually see birth unfolding with trust and respect, fear begins to loosen its grip. Second, I love the way both Caleb and Midon frame birth as a journey where the mother is the hero and the midwife is the guide. That story deserves to be told well—and protected—so families everywhere can understand what’s possible. And finally, I want to invite you into this work. If this episode resonated with you—if you’ve ever wished your partner, your parents, or your friends could see what midwifery care really looks like—this film could be that bridge. If you’re able, consider supporting the Birthing Revolution project. Even a small contribution helps move this vision forward and makes these stories accessible to families who need them.
Links:
Donate to Birthing Revolution: https://phippsphilms.com/birthing-revolution-movie/
Birthing Joy: A Home Birth Experience | https://youtu.be/iyhCAG2CQE8?si=YzgT2NRb3J_rd87E
Midon Wingo Beautiful Blessings | https://www.beautifulblessingsbirthservices.com/
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 310: When Strength Runs Out: Finding Grace in Birth with Jamie Krstev | 20 Jan 2026 | 01:03:24 | |
Do you have any highly specific desires in regards to your upcoming birth? Maybe that it will be at a certain time of day, or that you’ll labor for a specific amount of time…? What happens when those desires are unfulfilled and you’re given a very different experience instead? This week we’re speaking with Jamie, a first-time mom from Chicago who had some very beautiful ideas of what she wanted her birth to look like. After a very long pregnancy, she hoped for a very short labor… and today we will hear how she learned to surrender both her plans and her fears.
Episode Roundup:
First, I love how Jamie’s story began before pregnancy — with a season of deep healing. When she leaned into holistic restoration, she wasn’t just preparing her gut or her body; she was preparing her spirit for motherhood. That alignment and surrender created the foundation for the birth that would later test her faith in such profound ways. Second, her honesty about fear is so relatable. Even with all the preparation, the reading, and the prayer, fear can creep in. And yet, in those moments when she felt she couldn’t go on, God’s Word met her — “My grace is sufficient for you.” What a testimony to the truth that sometimes the victory in birth doesn’t come through ease, but through endurance. And finally, the image of her midwife stepping in, calm and capable, to help her baby take his first breath — that moment captured the essence of womanly strength and care. It’s such a powerful reminder that when birth is held in reverence, even the most intense moments can become sacred. Jamie’s story reminds us that birth is both holy and humbling. It’s where heaven meets earth, and where a woman’s body, soul, and spirit are refined in love.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 309: Peace in the Presence: Paige Schwickerath’s Faith-Filled Home Birth | 12 Jan 2026 | 00:53:23 | |
What does it look like to walk through birth with deep peace — even when things don’t go exactly as planned?
This week we’re speaking to Paige Schwickerath, a young mom from central Iowa whose life has been beautifully transformed through marriage, motherhood, and her first home birth. Paige and her husband welcomed their son, Boaz, at home in an experience that tested their faith, strengthened their trust, and revealed the calm presence of God in every moment. In this episode, Paige shares how her husband’s encouragement first led her to explore home birth, the ways she prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually for labor, and how her peaceful birth at home unfolded — even when her baby needed a little extra help transitioning earthside. Her story is one of surrender, support, and steady faith — a powerful reminder that birth can be both holy and human, unpredictable and yet perfectly held by God’s design.
Episode Roundup: First of all, I love the role that Paige’s husband played in leading their family toward a more holistic way of living—before they were even pregnant. It’s not often that we hear about the husband introducing the idea of homebirth, but what a beautiful example of partnership and trust. His faith in God’s design and confidence in Paige’s ability to birth set such a peaceful tone for their entire experience. What a gift it is when husband and wife move forward in unity like that. Next, I was struck by how Paige prepared—physically, mentally, and spiritually—while still holding her plans with open hands. She stayed active, saw a pelvic floor therapist and chiropractor, and filled her mind with encouraging homebirth stories, all while surrendering her timeline and experience to the Lord. That blend of readiness and release—that’s such a powerful lesson for all of us. And finally, what a testimony of peace under pressure. When her son needed help transitioning after birth, Paige didn’t spiral into fear. She began quietly saying the name of Jesus over and over, trusting that He was present and that her birth team was equipped to care for her baby. Within minutes, her son was breathing in her arms. From the outside, someone might see this as a scary story, but for Paige, it was a story of God’s sovereignty and the calm assurance that she was exactly where she was meant to be. Wow—what an incredible reminder that even when our stories don’t unfold perfectly, they can still be perfectly the Lord’s.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 308: First time Peaceful Homebirth as a First Time Foster Mom with Alexis Meisenholder | 05 Jan 2026 | 00:46:55 | |
Change can be tough. How do we integrate the arrival of our new baby? Moreover, how do we integrate the arrival of our new baby mere weeks after the arrival of our foster child and a move into a new home?
This week, we're speaking to Alexis. A foster-turning adoptive mother to a 7-year-old daughter, and homebirth bio mom to a 1 year old baby boy at the time of this recording. Alexis and her family experienced so. much. change. during her pregnancy, and leading up to her birth, and yet you will love the attitude and perspective with which she holds all of this as we hear her journey.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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| Ep 307: Surprise Pregnancy Brings Healing to Old Traumas with Amanda Lopez | 29 Dec 2025 | 01:30:23 | |
When you found out you were pregnant, what emotions ran through your brain? Excitement? Thrill? Joy? Or did you experience fear, shame, or a resurgence of old traumas?
This week, we're speaking to Amanda Lopez. A mama to 3 children, two of whom were born to her while Amanda was still a teenager. We'll be discussing Amanda's experiences as a teen mother, and how her most recent homebirth (at the time of this recording) brought incredible healing to her previous perceptions of pregnancy and birth.
Episode Roundup:
Links:
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off) Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth | |||
| Ep 306: From Addiction and Homelessness to Hope and Homebirth with Gabrielle Manier | 22 Dec 2025 | 00:59:14 | |
What was life like for you before you became pregnant? Were you pretty much the same person then as you are now, or have you changed drastically?
Today we'll be speaking with Gabrielle, and precious mother who has truly been pulled from death to life. From addiction to heavy narcotics and homelessness to being pulled out and called into life through Jesus. This story is unbelievably powerful, and I'm so thrilled that Gabrielle's heart desires to share how she has been forever reborn.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
Previous episode with Gabrielle: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000588746221
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| Ep 305: A Primal First Time Homebirth With Sara Middleton | 15 Dec 2025 | 01:43:27 | |
First births: You don't know what's going on with your body, they're long, and mothers enter them feeling uncertain and needing reassurance.... right? This week we're speaking to Sara, who lives in Travelers Rest, South Carolina with her husband Rob, their first child and son, Charlie, and their two big all american mutts, Captain and Bucky. Sara and her husband Rob strive to live a gospel-centered and holistic/ancestral lifestyle to create the best and safest environment for their children to learn and thrive. Homebirth was their Plan A and Charlie’s birth Story wasn’t exactly what Sara envisioned, it was BETTER and one of the best and most intimate memories she and Rob will ever share together.
Sara is a former student of mine, and she’s gone on to have a second beautiful experience. I love hearing the power and confidence in her story, and that’s my desire for every single mother that I work with inside of Whole Mother Homebirth.
Episode Roundup:
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
Your Brilliant Body Course: https://www.intelligentmovementlab.com/your-brilliant-body-1fde4c68-3b5d-4a67-aa51-3541ad2262b
$50 discount code: HAPPYHOMEBIRTH50 expires: 1/4/26
Previous episodes with Paris: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000614823851
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000715087698
Paris on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ParisLatka
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| Ep 304: Cross-Country Homebirth | 08 Dec 2025 | 00:57:42 | |
When you’re unable to have a homebirth in your area, what happens? Are you totally out of luck…. Or are there other ways to get creative?
This week we’re speaking with my friend Shanies Pearcey- a stay at home mother to 8 children at the time of this recording, but she’s since had a few more sweet babies, and a minister's wife in Northwest NJ. Shanise enjoys cooking, sewing, and spending time with her precious kids, and I can tell you right now you are going to gain SO MUCH from this interview, as we unpack her journey to a homebirth… across the country from her own home. Get ready for a beautiful, uplifting story.
One thing I love about Shanise is the confidence she’s gained throughout her experiences of birth and motherhood, and that is my goal for all of the mothers I get to work more closely with inside of Whole Mother Homebirth. You were gloriously designed to give birth. With this as my driving truth, it is my greatest pleasure and privilege to come alongside mothers seeking to give birth not only at home, but more importantly, with a deep sense of connection to their instincts and intuition. This birth course is for the woman who is ready to be transformed into the new, powerful iteration of herself as Mother.
Episode Roundup:
“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset
Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off)
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth
Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90 “Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”
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