After going into labor unexpectedly at just 35 weeks with her first baby, Hannah's plans for a midwife-assisted homebirth quickly turned into a hospital transfer and a traumatic experience that left her feeling deeply let down by the very system of support she had trusted.
She went on to freebirth her next two babies at home, experiences she remains incredibly grateful for. But looking back, Hannah can also see how her choice to birth without professional support was shaped, at least in part, by what she had experienced the first time around.
By her fourth pregnancy, something had shifted. She no longer felt like she needed to do it all on her own. She wanted support, and for the first time since her first birth, she felt ready to invite a midwife back into her birth space.
She experienced weeks of exhausting, mind-bending prodromal labor before Hannah finally welcomed her fourth baby peacefully at home, surrounded by her midwife and supportive friends.
This is a story about much more than one homebirth. It's about the ways our previous birth experiences shape the choices we make, the difference between choosing independence and feeling like we have no other choice, and Hannah's journey toward healing her relationship with midwifery and allowing herself to be supported again.
You can listen to both of Hannah's powerful, previous birth stories here:
A (Surprise!) Breech Freebirth
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Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at contactus@healingbirth.net
Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard
Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto