Two Powerful and Unmedicated Birth Center Stories, with Sarah Pion

Sarah Pion shares her two unmedicated, intense, and wonderful birth center birth stories, along with how much she values having found the right care provider, why even in labor she can’t leave the house without makeup, and the newfound appreciation and deep love she now has for her body. Stay tuned.

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:

• Switching care providers
• Loving midwifery care at a birth center
• First adjustment: facing the possibility of an induction
• Life goes on, even with contractions!
• “If I’m not over 4 cm dilated, I’m going to strangle someone.”
• Loving laboring alone
• How can a bag of waters break twice?
• The beauty of not feeling pressured during the process
• 2 days of no sleeping and 4 hours of pushing
• Dad catches baby!
• Are you going to see what you have?
• Second time around: so different, and so similar
• (Prenatal) yoga: where have you been all my life!
• Going back to the birth center
• Two very different and intense experiences
• Her appreciation of her postpartum body
• Putting on her make-up (aka. ‘war paint’) before heading out
• The longest car ride of her life!
• Shoulder dystocia and taking a bit to pink up
• Feeling calm and knowing deep down that everything was alright
• Huge support from her doula
• Yoga for an easier recovery
• Next baby? Eat as if having gestational diabetes

Baby’s head being born

Mom meets new baby

Related resources*:

• HypnoBirthing.com
• Hypnobabies.com
• Shoulder Dystocia, from March of Dimes
• All-fours maneuver for reducing shoulder dystocia during labor (aka The “Gaskin” maneuver), research study
• Real Food for Gestational Diabetes: An Effective Alternative to the Conventional Nutrition Approach, by Lily Nichols
• Real Food for Pregnancy, by Lily Nichols

Big sister meets little sister

Big sister and dad fly the “It’s a girl!” flag

Related Birthful episodes:

• Self-hypnosis for pain management, with Julietta Appleton
• Prenatal Yoga, with Deena Blumenfeld
• The Baby’s Birth Experience, with resuscitation expert Karen Strange
• Delayed Cord Clamping, with Dr. Mark Sloan
• Gestational Diabetes, with Lily Nichols

Newborn tuckered out

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).