This is what happens after a year's worth of healing: being able to openly share the behind-the-scenes of one of the hardest years of my life. The transformations I have endured, the closing and opening of chapters, of finding a new identity that aligned with my soul purpose, have all brought me to where I am now, and I couldn't be happier. But the road here was anything but an easy one.

TL;DR this is the episode where everyone gets name-dropped and I tell you how I even had a week-long psychiatric hospitalization amidst all that was happening.

ENJOY!

As we embark on a new season, filled with captivating birth stories, insightful holistic perspectives, and engaging discussions on the evolving dynamics of relationships post-baby, we open this chapter with a compelling narrative. Join us as we sit down with Sheily, a pivotal member of the Miami Holistic Birth Center team, who not only shares her profound birth experiences but also illuminates how these transformative moments have sculpted her journey through motherhood and her role as a dedicated birthworker. Through Sheily's candid reflections, we delve into the depths of empowerment, resilience, and the profound impact of choice in shaping our paths. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment for all mothers and birthworkers alike. Welcome to a new episode of The Birth and Beyond Podcast. Let's explore the transformative journey from birth to beyond together!

It is OFFICIALLY the finale of Birth+Beyond Season 1! we feel like it’s time to take a break from hospital-centered birth stories (which may have been bringing up a lot of PTSD symptoms and ultimately not the best for this host’s mental health!). Going forward, we will shift the focus of our topics towards what pregnancy care looks like at our Birth Center! We will also talk about being more in tune with your body, what our motherhood journeys and mental health struggles have looked like, and discussing things more as friends. We also want to bring you along on our journey running a birth center and working with providers who truly care and respect their patients’ autonomy. Stay tuned for a great season ahead!

In this episode, we speak with Anna- a fellow nurse and mom who shares her experience of giving birth to a breech baby. She describes how she underwent an external cephalic version (ECV) procedure in an attempt to turn the baby to the correct position for vaginal delivery. Despite this, she still required an emergency c-section.

We talk about what she experienced during the ECV procedure and how she coped with it. She also shares her thoughts and emotions leading up to the c-section, including her fears and the potential risks to herself and her baby.

During the c-section, she felt the surgery start before the anesthesia had taken full effect, which was a traumatic experience for her. She describes the physical sensations she felt and how she tried to stay calm during the surgery. We also discuss the recovery process after the c-section and the challenges she faced in caring for her newborn (and toddler!) while recovering from major surgery.

Through her story, Anna sheds light on the emotional and physical toll of giving birth under unexpected circumstances, and the strength and resilience required to overcome them.

Grab your favorite drink and tune in to this episode to hear Lexi talk about her time as a military wife, what finding out about infidelity while pregnant was like, and how she now handles three kids on her own. 

Probably my most favorite episode to have recorded as of yet! You guys, this week's guest Nikki Ramirez aka @Nikki_TheMidwife sat down with us and gave us the nitty gritty on the past year of her working as a midwife. Starting out as a labor nurse and wanting to provide better care than she was seeing was common firsthand, she went back to school to become a certified nurse midwife and be the provider her patients deserve! With a huge focus on prenatal education all throughout pregnancy, and honoring her patients' requests and wishes throughout the labor process, Nikki the Midwife is out there helping these ladies #BirthLikeABoss.

As always, please remember to subscribe and rate our podcast! If you guys want to share your birth story for #BirthStoryFridays I will be having a submission page open soon over on Instagram to schedule Zoom meetings for anyone interested. Our DMs are always open for questions as well over at @LaborNurseLily on ig!