Nuchal Hand at Birth-Center Birth, with Sarah Winward

Sarah Winward’s story starts with some lovely swing dancing in the living room, and stomping through deep snow with her dog, then gets really intense, having Sarah ask herself over and over “Where is the break?! There’s supposed to be a break. Where is the break?!” Check it out.

To listen here, click the play button on the player above, or click the button below to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Play.

What we talked about:

• 3 years a doula, now it’s her turn to birth
• Approaching birth with curiosity instead of fear
• Long baby kicking her in the ribs
• Swing dancing into early labor
• Stomping through the snow and trying to have a normal day
• “I hope it’s active labor”
• Arriving at the birth center, and stripping right into the tub
• “Where is the break?!”
• Hypnobirthing vs. loud vocalization vs. nitrous oxide
• Contractions doubling and tripling on each other
• “WHERE IS THE BREAK?!”
• Pushing in all the positions… and liking being on her back
• Husband catches slippery, baby that comes all at once!
• Taking a moment to breathe, surrounded by calm
• Processing with the birth records
• Over preparing for postpartum, and when it’s not as bad as you thought
• Do the things that make you feel normal
• Getting past the initial breastfeeding difficulties
• Get a doula!

Sarah as postpartum goddess

Resources and links to info mentioned on the show:

• Hypnobirthing.com
• Nuchal hand diagram (hand is by the face or below the head during labor; usually by the face when baby is born)
• Matrescence: The Birth of a Mother, at Alexandrasachsmd.com

Laughing milky goddess

Related podcast episodes:

• The Baby’s Birth Experience, with Karen Strange
• Baby’s Position and Labor Flow, with Gail Tully
• How Will Birth Transform You? with Britta Bushnell
   

Photos by Shelly Ferguson Photography, courtesy of Sarah Winward

About Sarah Winward

Sarah is the mama of a busy 14-month-old​ son, Henry. She works as a Naturopathic Doctor, birth doula and lactation counselor in Toronto, Canada. She is passionate about taking the fear out of birth and hopes that sharing her story will help others trust their instincts and their bodies.​ You can learn about her work at yourdowntowndoula.com​

Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).

Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).