In this episode, I talk with Bethany from Woodstock, Ontario, who shares the birth stories of her two children, her daughter Eloise and her son Henrik.
For her first birth, Bethany chose midwifery care and planned a hospital birth. She went 10 days past her due date and was advised to have an induction after an ultrasound showed low amniotic fluid. Although she had done a lot of preparation for labour, she found it difficult to use the pain management techniques she had learned because her contractions came one after another with very little break in between.
For her second birth, Bethany decided to hire a doula to help advocate for her birth preferences and remind her to use those same coping techniques during labour. Partway through that pregnancy, she learned at her anatomy scan that she had a partial placenta previa and had to wait until 34 weeks before it resolved and she could begin envisioning another vaginal birth. Once again, she went past her due date, and another ultrasound showed low amniotic fluid, leading to a second induction.
Bethany also shares her experience navigating breastfeeding challenges with both of her children. With her first, she was advised to triple feed to help increase her milk supply, and she ended up pumping for nine months. She reflects on what she learned from that experience, how she approached feeding differently with her second baby, and how she ultimately found peace with her decision.
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If you enjoy the show, please consider following, sharing with a friend, or leaving a rating and review. I'm also always looking for guests from across Canada who would like to share their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences.
Resources shared in this episode:
Guide to Childbirth - Ina May Gaskin
Expecting Better - Emily Oster
Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better - Siobhan Miller
Hypnobirthing The Mongan Method - Marie Mongan
Tummies to Toes Prenatal class
Gentle Birth app
