Finding Closure from a Traumatic Birth, with Danielle Ford

Danielle Ford’s first birth happened when she was very young, not very educated in the process, and it included a long induction and an epidural. It wasn’t until getting pregnant 10 years later that she realized she carried a lot of trauma from birth number one. So what did she do differently the second time around to help her heal and have a much better experience? 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:

• High blood pressure leading to induction
• The problem with not self-advocating is you end up on your back for 29 hrs.
• Realizing the trauma your didn’t know you had
• Preparing for an intentional birth experience
• Facing another induction, even though blood pressure was fine
• Gathering herself and advocating to determine if induction was really needed
• Getting through a devastating prenatal appointment
• The joy of going into labor on her own
• Finding so much relief in water
• Connecting through gratitude with baby in the belly
• “Now I won’t be able to eat tacos!”
• Doing dishes and dancing (aka. ignore it until you can’t ignore it anymore)
• The power of a birth preferences worksheet
• And then there wasn’t a tub!
• Setting the stage
• To check or not to check…
• The sacred space of the “quietude”
• To break or not to break (the waters)…
• The unbearable urge that comes early!
• Letting her body decide the position
• What my body did vs. what was done to me
• Having the tools to navigate her postpartum mental state

Danielle Ford and husband connect over wedding song

Related resources*:

• Evidence Based Birth
• Spinning Babies
• Pregnancy and Birth Affirmations, from Desert Birth and Wellness
• What You Need to Know About Postpartum Depression, from Kindred Bravely
• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
• Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR); Small for Gestational Age (SGA), from American Pregnancy
• Peanut Balls for Labor – A Valuable Tool for Promoting Progress?, from Science & Sensibility
• Wildflower Birth Support – Bridget Strub (my back-up doula partner! Yay!)
• Fuel for Fire protein squeeze pouches
• Huma PLUS hydrating Chia Energy Gel

Podcasts she listened to:

• Birthful (Duh! ;P)
• The Birth Hour
• Voices of Your Village

Danielle meets her new baby

Related Birthful episodes:

• Preeclampsia, Eleni Tsigas
• Bed Rest 101, with Darline Turner
• Healing Your Birth Story and Birth Trauma, with Pam England
• The Induction Process, with Toni Golen
• Inductions, with Dr. Gene Declercq
• Birth Principles: Better than a Birth Plan, with Jessie Harrold
• Childbirth PTSD, with Cheryl Tatano Beck
• Postpartum Depression, with Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
  

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).