Free Birth - Exploring Autonomy In Childbirth

Rebecca left her first hospital birth thinking that the doctors saved her life. She went on to become a doula in the system, but all that did was normalize her traumatic birth experience. After removing her IUD unassisted, Rebecca discovered a newfound trust for her body. When she found out she was pregnant again, she asked for two things from her partner: total trust, and total support to birth unassisted at home. Rebecca herself remained in total trust throughout her pregnancy, despite bleeding often. She birthed her baby in her bathroom, with her family present, and in total power. Rebecca also shares the autonomous pregnancy release she experienced, and the mantra that gets her through anything.     Check out Free Birth Society’s courses and offerings!  https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com   Get The Complete Guide to Freebirth: A sweeping, all-inclusive childbirth education course, designed to prepare pregnant mothers and families for the most powerful independent birth experience possible: https://w

On today’s episode, we have Maura Sternberg: a healer dedicated to pelvic integrity, and the radical self-responsibility of the women she serves. We dive deep into the lineages of mainstream self-care practices, and their roots in patriarchy. Maura shares with us the wisdom of the cervix being the base of the vagus nerve, and the importance of somatic healing as a way to dismantle embodied patriarchy.  Connect with Maura: www.blossomingdaughters.com @blossomingdaughters/@callmeawitch   Connect with Rachelle Garcia Seliga: https://www.innatetraditions.com/   Learn more about Byron Katie: https://thework.com/   Cervical Wellness with Denell Barbara: http://www.cervicalwellness.com/   Read A Thousand Names for Joy: https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Names-Joy-Living-Harmony/dp/0307339246   Check out Free Birth Society’s courses and offerings!  https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com   Get The Complete Guide to Freebirth: A sweeping, all-inclusive childbirth education course, designed to prepare pregnant mothers an

Before OBGYNs, stirrups, and forceps, there were wise women, herbal remedies, and soft touches. The procedures which we now view as “normal” in the birth world are actually a fairly recent addition to the patriarchal and medical model of modern industrial birth, and they do not center or serve women. In this episode, we answer the question: “How did women possibly survive childbirth before men and hospitals came on the scene?!” Historian Ana Sabrina walks us back a couple hundred years before men came to “deliver” women from the “pathology” of childbirth. Settle in, and listen with open ears. If we know our roots, we can rise into our future.   Connect with Ana Sabrina on Instagram: @anasabrina.b   On women as healers before male care was the norm- “The Healer’s Calling: Women and Medicine in Early New England”   On the history of abortion, miscarriage, and stillbirth- “The Myth of the Perfect Pregnancy”   On the systematic medical rape of enslaved black women in the American south- “Medical Bondage: Race, G

Arielle Martinez is Free Birth Society’s in-house healer and herbalist who has spent the duration of her motherhood journey navigating illness outside of the system. She mentors mothers about plant medicine and natural healing in her local community, guides women as they hone their intuition, develop their skills, and find their confidence as mothers and leaders through the potent initiation of illness. The Wild Mother’s Medicine Chest is a course for matriarchs who have realized the lies of allopathic medicine and are ready to take charge of their family’s health and wellness. Despite knowing deeply that you don’t want to pop pills or go to a doctor, when your kids get sick it's scary and you wish you just knew exactly what to do. Through the Wild Mothers Medicine Chest, you will learn how to turn sickness into an opportunity for your children to not just heal, but to become stronger, more robust, and *truly* healthy... So that you can ensure your family gets sick less, respond to illness with natural remedi

It was following the death of her father, that Rebecca got total clarity that it was time to call in her children. Rebecca shares about the harassment she dealt with from the NHS midwives in England, and how medical supposed midwifery felt wrong the entire time. She was unnecessarily and unfortunately transferred right before her son emerged, and Rebecca shares how the sabotage of her birth also led to a sabotaged breastfeeding relationship.    Four years later, she was thrilled to be pregnant again. She connected to the concept of free birth, found this podcast, and solidified her truth to birth her way, even in the absence of a supportive partner.    Check out Free Birth Society’s courses and offerings!  https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com   Our Gift to You: Gorgeous pregnancy affirmations straight to your inbox: https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com/opt-in-pregnancy-affirmations-gift   Get The Complete Guide to Freebirth: A sweeping, all-inclusive childbirth education course, designed to prepare pre

After finding out she was pregnant just 3 months into her relationship, Omni shares her story of stepping into full trust of herself and her baby. She speaks about letting it be easy, awakening to her instincts and her intuition, and how the mother always knows just what to do. Her freebirth story is an example of just how simple, and just how beautiful birth can be.    Check out Free Birth Society’s courses and offerings!  https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com   Craving your village? Join Free Birth Society’s Private Membership: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/pages/private-membership   Are you searching for clarity and alignment? Work with Emilee: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/collections/coaching   The Radical Birth Keeper School starts again September 1st, 2021. You won’t want to miss it: https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com/radicalbirthkeeper   The Complete Guide to Freebirth: https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com/cgtf

Courtney Piper is a mother, birth attendant, activist, spiritual warrior, and director of Women Picket DC. She brings to us today the truth of how patriarchy seeks to destroy and erode our intuition, and how our embodiment is the antidote. We cannot afford not to speak out, and together, we dream of a woman-centered world where all are liberated.   This podcast is dedicated to Carla Hartley- a devoted homebirth midwife, mother, survivor, and mentor who pioneered the Ancient Art of Midwifery Institute. She is an inspiration in truth-telling, midwifery, and activism.    Buy Courtney at coffee!  https://www.witchnbitch.org  Women’s Human Rights Campaign: https://www.womensdeclaration.com/en/about/ Please support the resistance. You can donate and give signatures to help fight this bill at www.womenpicketDC.org. Women’s Liberation Front: https://www.womensliberationfront.org Read about Executive Order 13988: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01761/preventing-and-combating-discrimination-o

Kara Dansky is a feminist and attorney, here to talk with us today about Executive Order 13988. In this EO,  the definition of sex is rewritten to include gender identity throughout all federally funded agencies. Kara brings us a message of hope-filled action as she informs us of what our future will look like if we don’t protect sex-segregated spaces for women and girls. How many women are we going to sacrifice at the altar of this ideology?   Please support the resistance. You can donate and give signatures to help fight this bill at www.womenpicketDC.org.   Feminist Current Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feminist-current/id603245791   Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights: https://www.womensdeclaration.com/en/   Women’s Liberation Front: https://www.womensliberationfront.org   Read about Executive Order 13988: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01761/preventing-and-combating-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-gender-identity-or-sexual-orientation   Check out Free Birt

Radical feminist & activist Lierre Keith shares with us how the Equality Act will amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by inserting gender identity wherever biological sex currently exists. If this bill is passed, gender identity will trump biological sex in all federally funded agencies. Boys and men will be legally acknowledged as girls and women if they self-identify as girls and women. At Free Birth Society, we understand the importance and necessity of sex-segregated spaces. We ask the question- if we don’t protect girls and women, who will?   Please support the resistance. You can donate and give signatures to help fight this bill at www.womenpicketDC.org.   Lierre Keith is a writer, radical feminist, food activist, and environmentalist. Find her work here: www.Lierrekeith.com   Read about Executive Order 13988: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01761/preventing-and-combating-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-gender-identity-or-sexual-orientation   Check out Free Birth Society’s

Qiddist Ashé is a birth doula-turned-radical birth keeper who, after years of witnessing hospital birth, made the  switch to supporting women outside of the system. It was in following the lead of her womb intuition, that she was able to go from surviving to thriving both in birth work and the world. From a Black feminist lens, Qiddist centers the experiences of the women of her community, knowing that liberation is ours, and our wombs are home to our deepest power. Connect with Ashé: @asheservices/ https://www.asheservices.com   Check out Free Birth Society’s courses and offerings!  https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com   Want to become the radical birth keeper the world needs? Join The Radical Birth Keeper School: https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com/radicalbirthkeeper   Craving your village? Join Free Birth Society’s Private Membership: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/pages/private-membership   Are you searching for clarity and alignment? Work with Emilee: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/collec

After a standard, routine experience in the industrial birth system, Mallory knew there had to be more to birth than the hospital had to offer. Just before the birth of her fourth baby, Mallory broke up with her midwife, and felt a weight off her shoulders as she began to truly enjoy woman-centered pregnancy. Her decision to take full responsibility for her birth experience led to a deeper connection and communication with her baby as they co-created their birth experience together. Mallory’s  story is a beautiful example of the peace and clarity that can come as you shift more into alignment with your deepest desires.   Check out Free Birth Society’s courses and offerings!  https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com   Want to become the radical birth keeper the world needs? Join The Radical Birth Keeper School: https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com/radicalbirthkeeper   Craving your village? Join Free Birth Society’s Private Membership: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/pages/private-membership   Are you sear

Alia shares how she discovered personal and spiritual freedom within tragedy and how she emerged stronger after contending with death on a regular basis with her firstborn. Alia shares her inspiring story of being called to both freebirth and authentic midwifery.  

Layla Verbance is a free-birthing mama who is well versed in walking the road from confusion to clarity in pregnancy, birth, and mothering. She counsels & guides mothers on a daily basis through her personalized ‘Motherhood Coaching Series,’ into permanent peace of mind and remembrance of one’s own authority, power, and ability to create.   Her passion is to make readily available beneficial tools and information that encourage mothering as a spiritual path of awakening and evolution.  Today, Layla speaks of the journey that brought her from a wild, “jungle-y” pregnancy, to a fierce, protective mother  at the center of her family. She discusses “keeping the field clean” with her children and partner, separating fact from story, and how believing our thoughts is at the root of all suffering.   Layla’s message is one of hope and belief in a powerful, creative force that runs through us all and connects us to each other and the universe.   Get Layla’s book, “Sunlight for a Rainbow”: https://www.freebirthsoci

Nebila admits that she began her mothering journey truly terrified of giving birth, assuming that she would just go in for the epidural straight away. But after her hospital birth, she wanted more. So Nebila stayed home to have a pain free homebirth with a midwife. Nebila tells the charming story of her journey to freebirth with her third, finding herself in a foreign country during a pandemic, and she shares how she created the opportunity for everything to go just right. 

Ashley didn’t know anyone who had birthed at home, but after a less than ideal first birth, she knew she wanted to birth at home without medical assistance. This is a beautiful story of a mother staking her claim, doing the work, and learning how to fully trust birth, herself, and her child. 

We are kicking off the year with a fun episode with four previous guests from the podcast. We have Jessyl, Amanda, Jordan AKA Phoenix, and Layla. All four of these bad ass women were guests on my first two seasons and are back to tell their new birth stories. We get into the challenges of getting birth certificates after freebirth, what it’s like integrating a new child, having older kids at birth, birthing outside, and sexy labor outfits. Join us for a fun chat with four intuitive wild mothers to welcome in 2021.  Jessyl: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast/a-military-familys-freebirth-jessyls-story Jordan: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast/when-motherhood-launches-you-into-self-love-and-conscious-living-the-raw-story-of-pheonix-wild Amanda: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast/amandas-unassisted-childbirth-in-los-angeles Layla: https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast/the-ancient-wisdom-of-birthing-outsid

After two births in the system, Jamie planned a freebirth of her third child. Due to an autoimmune condition, she chose to still seek industrial prenatal care and it is soon revealed that Jamie is pregnant with twins. She continued on with both obstetrical care and plans to stay home when her birthing time came. At 36 weeks, she was surprised by the start of labor and ecstatically births her girls into the world. Jamie also shares about the choice to transfer into the hospital and the discovery that one of her babies needed medical support. 

Today we have my dear friend Amelia, who shares her story of her spiritual journey into motherhood. After becoming sober and meeting her husband, Amelia embarked on a conscious conception journey that brings in her first son. After being mistreated by her midwives she found the courage to critique her birth experience and began the deep discovery process of what it could mean to take 100% responsibility in her next pregnancy. 

Today we have a story of the deep spiritual experience of carrying life and birthing a stillborn baby. Leticia joins us today to share the beautiful and heartbreaking story of her pregnancy, birth, and life after loss. Join us today for an important shared story of stillbirth and hear the sacred grace and wisdom Leticia has to share.  Leticia shares how she opened up to spirit, found her calling within the loss of her child, and is devoted to becoming the woman she didn’t have, for women in birth.

Today we have a sweet story of a young woman named Sophia, who discovered she was pregnant when her pregnancy was already half way through, at 23 weeks. Sophia tells us her insightful tale of adjusting to a surprise pregnancy and how as she leaned into the work of her pregnancy she discovered the beautiful story of taking responsibility for creating her dream birth. Sophia and her partner road trip to a small cabin in Montana and with all the animals and plants supporting her, she births in lightness, presence, and deep intuition.