Julia is the daughter of a midwife, who grew up immersed in birth culture. For as long as she can remember, she had hoped for a home water birth. What happens when labor has other plans, that include a transfer to the hospital? Check it out.
What we talked about:
- Growing up in a birth-y environment
- Romanticizing birth?
- Midwifery shortage and benefits of having midwifery care
- Suspecting a posterior baby
- “Can I get into the birthing tub now?”
- Horrible back pain the entire day
- Feeling heartbroken by the idea of going to a hospital
- Feeling liberated by deciding on accepting pain options
- Freeing herself from expectations and “shoulds”
- Mom around to “take her wrath”
- Getting her sense of humor back with laughing gas
- Nervous about placenta
- “I wasn’t able to manage pain with mantras and in the end I did feel very much out of control and overtaken by the pain.”
- “The power from labor has just come from doing it at all and having experienced it in all the kinds of stages and all the kinds of ways that I did.”
- “The power of birth is not something to master, it’s just something to be in awe of.”
- We can do hard things
- The importance of advocating for midwifery
Related resources*:
- Spiritual Pregnancy: Develop, Nurture & Embrace the Journey to Motherhood, by Shawn A. Tassone and Kathryn M. Landherr
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin
- Double Hip Squeeze – What Is It And How Is It Used?, by Sam McCulloch Dip CBEd from Bellybelly
- Online prenatal class by Holliday Tyson (3 parts – YouTube video)
- Contact information of Nova Scotia minister of health and wellness, Randy Delorey
- Access and Integration Maternity Care Mapping (AIMM) Study (mapping collaboration across birth settings, and impact of increased access to midwifery care)
Related Birthful episodes:
- Baby’s Position and Labor Flow, with Gail Tully
- Waterbirth, with Barbara Harper
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All photos used with permission, courtesy of Julia C.
About Julia C.
Julia C. lives in Halifax. Nova Scotia. Canada. with partner Pete and 7 month old baby Phoebe. She’s a lawyer, off on one year parental leave. Her mom is a midwife mom (delivered 3000+ babies), and Julia grew up around birth and midwives her whole life.
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).