Moony Birth Stories

Liz, a doula and pharmacist from Saskatoon, SK joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share the pregnancy and birth story of her daughter Marjorie.  Liz and her partner, Pete, were able to conceive with no complications after a few months of trying and while she'd hoped for a home birth, Liz explains the factors that ended up leading her in a different direction.  She opens up about her struggles with a labour experience that felt out of her control and not supported by her medical team in the ways she should've been.  She talks about her path to processing and healing after birth trauma as well as her struggles with postpartum anxiety.Support the show

Desley from Regina, SK joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share her two pregnancy and birth stories.  Desley and her partner Allen took two months to get pregnant with their first baby and since Desley had done some research prior to conceiving and wanted a homebirth, she knew she'd need to apply for a midwife immediately.  She was able to get in with midwifery care and moved forward with her plans for a home water birth.  After an enjoyable pregnancy, labour started on it's own at home.  She was able to labour at home until the very end when stalled pushing led to the recommendation of a transfer to hospital and everything went quickly from there.  At 9 months postpartum, Desley and Allen got an unexpected surprise when they discovered they were pregnany with their second.  This pregnancy same with more challenges and Desley's plans for a home waterbirth remained the same.  She shares how this birth ultimately ended in hospital transfer as well and how she coped with a more challenging postpartum.

Hannah, from Saskatoon, SK joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share the pregnancy and birth story of her son Oakland.   Hannah and her husband were together for quite some time before deciding to have a baby but once they started trying, they were able to conceive right away.  That first pregnancy unfortunately ended in a miscarriage and the couple conceived again later that year.  The pregnancy was not enjoyable for Hannah due to being very sick and struggling with hip pain.  She wasn't afraid or nervous for birth and shares the funny story of her labour beginning and involving a lot of laughter.  She then goes on to share the details of her hospital birth and a handful of issues she experienced with epidurals.  Hannah was diagnosed with postpartum depression and anxiety 3-4 months after birth and talks about that experience as well.

I'm joined on this episode of Moony Birth Stories by Eve, from Saskatoon, SK.  She shares the pregnancy and birth story of her daughter Zahra.  Eve and her partner were pleasantly surprised to find out they were pregnant after four months of natural family planning and although Eve was happy to be pregnant, the pregnancy itself was challenging as she was extremely sick and struggled with nausea and vomiting.  In her third trimester, it was discovered that she was very anemic and needed an iron infusion.  Eve shares the details of her hospital birth with the support of an epidural for pain management.  She also talks about the scary experience of witnessing her newborn daughter have a seizure and the resulting diagnosis and treatment.

Kaitlyn from Martensville, SK, shares the story of her pregnancy and birth on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Sadly, before getting pregnant with their son Lincoln, Kaitlyn and her husband experienced a miscarriage at 8 weeks.  They went on to conceive again and Kaitlyn absolutely loved being pregnant.  At just over 38 weeks pregnant, labour started on it's own and Kaitlyn shares the details of how things progressed from there.  After a great pregnancy and delivery, she was caught off guard when she started to hemorrhage right after birth.  It was discovered that she had a tear in her cervix and was losing a dangerous amount of blood.  Kaitlyn talks about the events that followed and how she worked through the trauma of the experience.Healthy Lifestyle Solutions with Maya AcostaAre you ready to upgrade your health to a new level and do so by learning from experts...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Kayla from Regina, SK shares her experiences on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Kayla and her husband took a little while to get on the same page about having children but once they decided to try, they were able to conceive quite quickly.  The pregnancy went well and Kayla planned to have a hospital water birth with the support of her midwives and doula.  After her due date came and went, she eventually moved forward with an induction and delivered her first son in the water, as planned, without pain medication.  Kayla opens up about her significant struggles postpartum and how she was able to get the support she needed and move forward feeling healed.  She then shares the story of her second son's pregnancy and birth which was also an induction but went very quickly.  She was also able to avoid the same mental health struggles this time due to proper preparation adn supports. Dirt Road DiscussionsAnything and everything about agriculture. We talk to captivating people who are...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Jenn, from Saskatoon, SK shares her two pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of the podcast.  She opens up about her and her husband's struggles with infertility and their journey with IVF.  Once Jenn was pregnant with their first daughter, it was discovered later on that she had a very rare placenta issue and would require a scheduled c-section to ensure that labour would not start on it's own.  She also had gestational diabetes which she was able to manage with an appropriate diet.  After deliver, they were hit with some unexpected issues that required a difficult stay in NICU. Once they were able to take their baby home, postpartum went well and after about 10 months, they decided to start trying for their second baby, again with IVF.  Jenn got pregnant surprisingly quickly this time and was able to go on and have a successful VBAC delivery.Soraya -Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of HopeHost Soraya Coffelt shares lifechanging stories of hope to encourage and motivate you.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Meghan of Saskatoon, SK shares the pregnancy and birth story of her son Nolan on this episode.  Her and her husband Mitch conceived quite quickly after only two cycles of trying and while Meghan thought she'd be very excited, she didn't initially feel that way.  She talks about how her feelings evolved throughout her pregnancy and the anxiety she had surrounding birth, as well as the choice to hire a doula for birth support.  Physically, Meghan also found the pregnancy to be quite difficult as she suffered with back and hip pain.  A few weeks before her due date, Meghan's water unexpectedly broke in the night.  Things took off from there and she shares how she coped with contractions and ended up having an unmedicated birth despite having expected she might want an epidural. Free to Be Mindful PodcastFocusing on Mindful Living, Mental Health & Personal Growth with Guided Meditations.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Kelli of Shift Birth Work in Edmonton, AB joins me on this episode to share her pregnancy and birth stories.  Kelli and her husband got pregnant with their first baby very quickly and had a relatively smooth pregnancy until she got a kidney infection at 32 weeks and developed irritable uterus.  She was hoping for an unmedicated birth but was open to whatever she might need.  Kelli shares the story of this lengthy labour and talks about some challenges she experienced postpartum.  She then goes on to share the story of her second baby and the vast differences in her experience this time.me&my health upOur mission is to enhance and enlighten the well-being of others... welcome to 'health...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Part 2Megan moved from California to Sweden over 6 years ago to be with her husband and start a family.  They were fortunate to get pregnant immediately with all three of their children but did sadly suffer two miscarriages after their first baby.  Megan's first and second pregnancies were generally very good but she found her third to be a little bit more challenging.  All three of her births were in hospital and while she had an epidural for the first birth, she chose to go without one for the second and third.Megan opens up about her long and severe struggle with postpartum depression after her first baby and later shares how she managed to stop it from progressing to that level again after her second and third babies.Live Well and FlourishIf you're ready to think beyond material and external success, if you're ready to take...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Holistic Life NavigationThis podcast explores how to heal stress & trauma holistically. I am your host, Luis...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Trigger Warning- Part one of Megan's episode describes her experience with severe postpartum depression and self-harm and can be difficult to listen to.Megan moved from California to Sweden over 6 years ago to be with her husband and start a family.  They were fortunate to get pregnant immediately with all three of their children but did sadly suffer two miscarriages after their first baby.  Megan's first and second pregnancies were generally very good but she found her third to be a little bit more challenging.  All three of her births were in hospital and while she had an epidural for the first birth, she chose to go without one for the second and third.Megan opens up about her long and severe struggle with postpartum depression after her first baby and later shares how she managed to stop it from progressing to that level again after her second and third babies.Live Well and FlourishIf you're ready to think beyond material and external success, if you're ready to take...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Holistic Life NavigationThis podcast explores how to heal stress & trauma holistically. I am your host, Luis...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

This episode features Darya from Saskatoon, SK.  She shares the pregnancy and birth story of her 6 month old daughter, Jovie.  Darya and her husband started trying to conceive in 2019 and had hoped it would be a smooth and seamless process.  Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned and Darya shares the details of their struggles with infertility, and a confusing experience with her first pregnancy which didn't end up being viable.  She then goes on to share the story of her successful pregnancy and a smooth and positive induction in hospital.  Darya did also end up having retained placenta after birth, which was discovered after her 6 week follow-up, and she talks about what that experience looked like.

Kelsey of Hey Babe Nutrition in Calgary, AB joins me on this episode to share two birth stories.  Kelsey and her husband unfortunately experienced a miscarriage the first time they conceived and about one year later, got pregnant with their daughter.  Kelsey struggled with nausea for the first half of the pregnancy but was excited about birth and took some empowering classes to prepare.  She also hired a birth doula to support her and her partner for labour.  At the end of pregnancy, more specifically on her due date, Kelsey's water broke but when nothing happened after that, they decided to induce the next evening.  Kelsey shares how the induction went for her and talks about some breastfeeding and anxiety issues she experienced postpartum.  Their second pregnancy was a pleasant surprise and went very smoothly.  This time, Kelsey planned for a homebirth with a midwife.  Things ended up needing to change at the end of pregnancy when she went overdue and their household contracted Covid.  Kelsey talks about the speedy birth that followed and what it was like not being able to have her husband physically present for the birth.AUTHENTICALLY FRAHELIS Self love,Self development , Perspective on love relationships , friendships ,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Kayla shares her story on this episode of the podcast.  The story begins with her and her husband Jordan conceiving after about 5 months of trying.  The pregnancy went generally well but she struggled with nausea and vomiting and ended up being diagnosed with Gestational Hypertension early on in the pregnancy.  Although some care providers had talked about induction very early on, she was able to avoid it until the very end of her pregnancy.  They did end up inducing Kayla around her due date and she goes into detail about the lengthy process which ultimately ended in a c-section and her needing to be fully put under general anesthesia.  She then shares the next intense part of the story involving her son having breathing issues and needing to be flown to a NICU in another city with her husband while she had to stay behind.  & HappinessJoin & Happiness on our quest to explore the bold question "what makes us happy?" Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Consciously CluelessWant to change the world? Start with you. Sustainability | Mindfulness | Wellness | VeganListen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Caitlyn from Queensland, Australia shares the pregnancy and birth story of her daughter Sunny.  Once Caitlyn and her husband started trying, she was able to get pregnant right away.  After a generally good first trimester, she went on to find out she had gestational diabetes in the second trimester.  At around 28 weeks, something felt wrong and Caitlyn talks about how and why she required immediate assessment and ultimately needed to be airlifted to another location and put on bedrest for several weeks.  When she made it to almost 38 weeks, she started having some pain and after discovering her amniotic fluid was low, she was induced and shares how that process went for her.  She also talks about her experience with baby blues in the very early days and the development of Postpartum Anxiety later on postpartum.& HappinessJoin & Happiness on our quest to explore the bold question "what makes us happy?" Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Stefanie Antunes from Toronto, ON joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share her three birth stories.  When she unexpectedly got pregnant with her first baby, she didn't know much about birth and felt generally quite fearless and confident.  The pregnancy went well and though her birth would have been considered straight-forward from a medical perspective, there were many things about it that ended up leaving a bad taste in her mouth.  It was that experience that ultimately ignited her passion for birth support and started her down a new path.  Stefanie goes on to share her second and third birth stories and talks about how she shifted the power back into her possession.  She also shares helpful and encouraging wisdom she's gained in over 20 years of birth work.& HappinessJoin & Happiness on our quest to explore the bold question "what makes us happy?" Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

This extra episode of Moony Birth Stories is definitely different from the usual content and could be consider a follow-up to my first birth story from Season 1, Episode 3.  I had honestly mentally blocked this experience out for quite a while and didn't even think of it when I originally shared my story, which is wild to me since it was quite an intense period in my life.  It's the story of my experience with a copper IUD and the rare extreme reaction I had to it.  Unfortunately, it took several months and a lot of pain to determine the issue and heal it.

Julia joins me on this episode from North Smithfield, Rhode Island to share her two birth stories.  She and her husband got pregnant with their first child after about 5-6 months of trying.  Julia's pregnancy wasn't too bad for her but she did struggle with some emotions during her 2nd trimester that caused her to question if she wanted to be a mother.  This did passed after she found out the sex of the baby and got away for a little bit.  She planned a hospital birth and was surprised when she ended up having gestational hypertension around 36 weeks and needed an early induction.  After a lengthy process and three hours of pushing, her baby arrived.  Julia then talks about some issues her daughter was having with regulating her breathing and the NICU stay that resulted. Julia's second pregnancy happened when her first baby was 11 months old and she unfortunately miscarried early on.  6 months later, they began trying and got pregnant right away.  This pregnancy was much more difficult than her first and Julia struggled quite a bit.  She planned for an unmedicated hospital birth and again ended up with pretty extreme hypertension late in pregnancy.  This time, her body was already quite ready to have the baby and with the assistance of having her water broken, things began to progress quickly.  Julia talks about how her second baby arrived and the issues she experienced immediately postpartum that resulted in her needing a D&C.

Jesslyn from Edmonton, AB shares her three pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Her first pregnancy came as a surprise to her and her boyfriend (now husband) but they welcomed it with excitement.  Jesslyn was very excited to become a mother and looked forward to having her baby, fearlessly.  Under the care of an OBGYN, she delivered her first baby in hospital with an epidural and without complication.  It wasn't until 8 years later that Jesslyn and her husband decided to have a second child.  By this time, Jesslyn was training to be a full spectrum doula and had a lot more knowledge surrounding birth and her options.  This time she went with midwifery care and planned a home water birth which turned out to be just as she'd hoped for.  She talks about some bleeding issues immediately after this birth due to some retained placenta and how the midwives were able to manage this at home.  A year later, Jesslyn got pregnant with their third child and while this pregnancy was much more difficult, she looked forward to having another homebirth under the care of the same midwife that had supported her with her second.  Due to some unpredictable circumstances in the day or two after her due date, Jesslyn ended up deciding to transfer to a hospital birth and required an induction.  Things went smoothly and though she experienced a lot of bleeding again, it was managed well and postpartum went well.

On this episode of Moony Birth Stories, we here the two pregnancy and birth stories from Janelle of Humboldt, SK.  Janelle sadly suffered a miscarriage at 11 weeks with her first pregnancy.  After processing that, she was able to get pregnant again and went on to have a really great pregnancy.  She LOVED being pregnant.  She wasn't nervous about birth was did have fears regarding cesarean sections.  Thankfully, her fears were not made reality and she was able to have an unmedicated birth in hospital after she went into labour quite early.  When Janelle's first child was around a year old, she got pregnant with her second and aside from a bit more nausea early on, it was another great pregnancy.  She shares the detail of another unmedicated birth at 39 weeks and the joys of having her birth photographer, Bri Coop of Driftwood & Co Photography, there.

Ashlyn from Grandora, SK joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share the pregnancy and birth stories of her three children.  Ashlyn and her husband were fortunate to conceive easily for all three of their pregnancies.  Ashlyn's  first pregnancy was relatively easy on her and she planned to have a hospital birth since they live on an acreage.  Later in this pregnancy, it was discovered that the baby was breech and folded in half.  Ashlyn planned to try to deliver the baby vaginally but at the end of the pregnancy, the baby was measuring quite large and Ashlyn didn't have enough fluid remaining so an urgent c-section was recommended.  After a great recovery and smooth postpartum, time marched on and they got pregnant with their second.  This pregnancy was a little more challenging than the first and Ashlyn wanted to try for a VBAC.  She explains why that didn't happen a how her second, more planned, c-section went.  Ashlyn's third pregnancy was the most difficult of all and though she wanted to attempt a VBAC again, it didn't work out that way.  This c-section went well but her baby did end up needing to be in NICU for a period of time. The Influencer Green Room podcastWhere creators, brands, and strategists talk about the business of being an influencer.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

On this episode, Nat Rolland, owner of Altered Senses joins me all the way from Queensland, Australia to share her journey to getting pregnant and her hospital water birth.  Nat didn't always want children until she found out she may not be able to have them and her perspective and feelings about it changed.  Though she was able to get pregnant quite quickly, she sadly suffered a miscarriage and this was the beginning of a very unfortunate series of losses.  She eventually saw an infertility  specialist who offered some very unique treatments including a poppy seed oil flush, a particular immune protocol, and a natural killer cell biopsy, among other things.  She explains the various steps taken and how she ultimately was able to conceive their son Onyx and have a successful pregnancy.  She then shares her birth experience and what it was like to not have her husband there since he works away and how they balance life as a FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) family.

Anais from Penbrook, ON shares the stories of her two pregnancies and homebirths on this episode.  Anais got pregnant for the first time after about 7 months of trying and enjoyed her pregnancy.  When she was a week overdue, she started worrying about needing an induction and tried various things to get labour started.  Luckily, labour ended up starting on it's own and she was able to have the homebirth she'd hoped for.  She talks about her feeding difficulties as a result of her baby having severe lip and tongue ties, as well as her challenges with the physical healing. Anais got pregnant for the second time quite quickly.  She felt more overwhelmed than expected and unsure of the timing but this feeling did pass.  The pregnancy was more challenging this time with much worse nausea/morning sickness.  She decided she wanted to have another homebirth but did feel a bit nervous.  She shares how labour started and how her second homebirth went and also opens up about experiencing baby blues postpartum. 

Alana Matus from Langham, SK shares three pregnancy and birth stories on this episode.  For Alana and her husband Patrick, it was a very long road to getting pregnant after fertility issues as a result of PCOS.  After a couple of years of trying and several cycles on fertility drugs with no success, they were fed up and decided to focus on other things.  It was at this point that they were finally able to conceive.  Alana's first birth began with her water breaking but when things didn't advance much, she was induced and ultimately ended up needing an emergency c-section.   Getting pregnant with their second baby also took a while and after trying for several cycles on fertility drugs again, Alana saw a different OB who recommended trying a procedure called ovarian drilling.  She ended up getting pregnant right after this procedure.  She went on to have a successful VBAC for this birth but a very challenging postpartum.  Alana's third pregnancy was a bit more unexpected as they weren't trying.  She talks about being induced and the details of another successful VBAC as well as what postpartum was like as a mom of three.

Jen Cox from Ottawa, ON joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Her and her husband were able to get pregnant with their first child quite quickly and had a generally good pregnancy.  When Jen's water broke on her due date, they went to the hospital to labour and she got an epidural for pain management.  After pushing for three hours with no movement, they proceeded with a c-section and recovery went well.  They were, once again, able to get pregnant quickly with their second baby and though she'd hoped for a VBAC, Jen was considered high risk and after a consultation with an OB, decided to plan a c-section for this baby as well.  After this c-section is when things took an unexpected turn and Jen experienced some very rare and traumatic medical complications.  

This episode of Moony Birth Stories has Mackenzie Basiove of Saskatoon, SK sharing the pregnancy and birth story of her son.  It took Mackenzie and her husband Mitch a while to get pregnant and once she did conceive, she had  a challenging pregnancy that she especially noted when looking back on it.  The pregnancy involved a lot of severe nausea and a diagnosis of irritable uterus.  As a result of that diagnosis, she experienced contractions early on in her pregnancy and prodromal labour.  She was ultimately induced and shares the details of her labour and delivery beyond that.  She also goes in depth about the feeding issues she encountered with her son during the postpartum period and the supports she used to overcome that challenge.

This pregnancy and birth story is shared by Brooke Dixon of Calgary, Alberta.  Brooke and her partner Adriyel weren't actively trying for a baby when they first found out they were expecting, so they were shocked but very much happy and excited.   That pregnancy unfortunately ended in an early loss and it was a very sad time for the couple.  They decided to start trying, casually, by not preventing and they were able to conceive again.  Brooke's pregnancy was overall good but she struggled with a lot of nausea.  As birth approached, she was feeling really good about it and planned to have a waterbirth at home under the care of a midwife.  Brooke shares how labour started on the night of her due date and how things progressed ending in the successful homebirth she'd planned for.  After the birth story, she talks about her postpartum experience and her difficulties managing the exhaustion. 

Anna Mbuyi from Saskatoon, SK shares her birth story on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Anna and her partner Kent were very surprised when they found out they were pregnant as she was on birth control and they hadn't been trying.  After getting over the initial shock, Anna went on to have a smooth pregnancy and was excited to meet her baby girl.  She didn't have any specific hopes or plans for her birth and went into it with an open mind, trusting her body.  Anna  shares the details of her labour and the smooth delivery of her baby.

Leah Coghlan, from Havelock, ON shares two pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Leah and her husband, Evan, got pregnant with their first child after trying for three cycles.  Aside from some morning sickness, Leah had a good pregnancy and was excited for the experience of labour and was hoping for an intervention-free birth.  After multiple stretch and sweeps, labour started a couple of days after her due date and Leah gave birth in hospital, opting for an epidural in the end.  Leah talks about her struggles with postpartum and how she worked through that.   When they decided to try to get pregnant again, it happened quickly but very unfortunately, they suffered a loss.  A few months later, they began trying again and conceived on the third cycle again.  Leah went into this labour with an open mind and hoped to try again for an unmedicated birth.  She got her wish, but not quite in the way she expected.

This episode features Makayla Wilson, from Edmonton, AB.  She shares two pregnancy and birth stories.   Her first pregnancy came with all of the symptoms and was a struggle for the duration.  It also involved prodromal labour beginning at 33 weeks and continuing through to the end.  This birth was very fast but Makayla was able to make it to the hospital in time to give birth.  Her second pregnancy was more manageable as far as symptoms went and though she had prodromal labour again, it didn't start until a bit later in the pregnancy.  She planned for this birth to be a homebirth due to how quickly her first baby had been born, but she explains why that didn't happen and how she ended up giving birth in a Jeep.

Abigail Barth from Calgary, AB shares her pregnancy and birth story on this episode.  After initially suffering a miscarriage and processing a lot of grief, Abigail and her partner were able to get pregnant with their daughter.  The pregnancy was uneventful and though Abigail felt a little bit nervous, she was generally positive about her upcoming birth and hoped to experience it unmedicated with the support of her midwives and doula.  When her water broke at 3 days past her due date, it began the very long and difficult journey to meeting her baby.  Abigail shares the details of what that process looked like and the birth trauma that resulted.  She also shares her postpartum struggles with feeding and connecting with her baby.  As a result of her experiences, Abigail went on to open a private practice specializing in perinatal mental health, called Two Birds Counselling.

Jordyn Broadbent from Saskatoon, SK shares her two pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Jordyn and her husband, Jeff, got pregnant with their first baby on their second cycle of trying.   She had a generally great pregnancy but was informed after her anatomy scan that the cord was abnormally positioned, which would require some extra monitoring.  She talks about labour beginning when she was a few days overdue with her water breaking and how things progressed from there, at home and in hospital.  She then goes on to talk about her second pregnancy, which was also good, but how the Covid-19 pandemic affected things.  This labour started a little sooner than her first and progressed a little bit quicker as well. 

On this episode of Moony Birth Stories, I share my most recent experience with the pregnancy and birth of our second daughter, Miloh.  Andy and I were able to get pregnant after only a couple of months of trying and other than some nausea and heartburn, the pregnancy went quite smoothly.  I had gone overdue with my first baby by 11 days and in hopes of avoiding a Pitocin induction, I had three membrane sweeps near the end of this pregnancy.  Labour ultimately started after the third sweep when I was 4 days overdue.  I share the details of how my baby was born very quickly, in under three hours, after my water broke and regular intense contractions started.  I also share about the difficulties I've been having with anxiety during this postpartum period.

This episode of Moony Birth Stories features Grace Ford from Edmonton, Alberta.  She share the birth story of her son Rhodes.  Grace and her partner Curtis were surprised to find out that they were pregnant with their "pandemic baby" as they weren't actively trying for a baby at the time.  Both of them ended up contracting Covid-19 when Grace was about 10-12 weeks pregnant and they both recovered.  Grace loved being pregnant and wanted to have a natural, unmedicated birth so she did a lot of research and made sure she was educated on all things birth.  She was very excited to be gifted a doula and was very much looking forward to birth.  Grace shares the details of her hospital birth experience after going into labour at 41 weeks with a big water break.  Grace also shares her experience with some breastfeeding issues and baby's reflux issues postpartum.

Maria Fradette joins me for another episode of Moony Birth Stories to share the pregnancy and birth story of her second son, Arden.  You can find her first episode with the story of her first son, Foster, on season one of the podcast.  When their first son was 13 months old, Maria and her husband Lance started trying for another baby.  They were able to conceive on the second cycle and Maria went on to have a smooth pregnancy.  She shares the details of having the home water birth she had hoped for under the care of the same midwives who supported her throughout her first pregnancy and birth.

Jordan Haase from Waterloo, Ontario shares her pregnancy and birth story on this podcast episode.  Jordan and her husband had a lengthy and difficult journey getting pregnant with their daughter, involving over a year of trying and two consecutive miscarriages.  When they did finally get pregnant with their daughter, Jordan went on to have a pretty great pregnancy aside from some pelvic pain issues, which were treated by a chiropractor.  Under the care of a midwife, Jordan decided she'd like to have a home birth, especially due to Covid-19 restrictions as she wanted to have her mother there for the birth.  Six days before her due date, Jordan's water broke and labour slowly started.  Things were unfortunately not progressing as quickly or favourably as hoped and Jordan shares how and why her homebirth ended up needing to shift to the hospital for her health and safety.

Lesha Leslie from Swan River, Manitoba, shares here three pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  With her first, Lesha got pregnant after 6 cycles of trying and had a smooth and easy pregnancy with just a bit of spotting early on.  She also ended up having PICA disorder for this pregnancy, and both subsequent pregnancies, which is a disorder where you crave and want to eat things not normally considered food.  She was excited about birth and knew she wanted to have an unmedicated birth and shares how she was able to successfully achieve that birth at 6 days overdue, under the care of an OB.  With this first birth, she did require an episiotomy, which was not something she had wanted.  Lesha and her husband got pregnant right away with their second and it was also a smooth pregnancy, aside from having PICA again.  She was able to have another unmedicated birth; this time  a half-lotus birth under the care of a midwife.  For her third, Lesha got pregnant quickly again but had a much tougher pregnancy with nausea, fatigue, and some emotional struggles.  She went on to have another unmedicated birth under the care of a midwife.  Lesha also shares her experiences postpartum with each of her babies.  

Aleisa Wolf from Saskatoon, SK shares two pregnancy and birth stories on this podcast episode.  Aleisa and her husband were able to get pregnant with their first baby after a few months of trying.  She dealt with some nausea and severe swelling throughout pregnancy but powered through, working at her job until very late in her pregnancy.  After several weeks of false labour, her real labour started early in her 39th week and she was able to have the unmedicated birth she'd hoped for, supported by a family doctor and a doula.  Aleisa also talks about the feeding issues they had with this baby and how they managed it.  Once they decided to have a second baby, Aleisa got pregnant a little sooner than she had hoped and felt very nauseous and sick for that whole summer.  Later in pregnancy, she found out her baby was breech and after discussing it with her care provider, accepted that a c-section was their best option.  This whole pregnancy was during the Covid-19 pandemic and Leisa goes into detail about what happened when, just before delivery, her, her husband, and their daughter all tested positive for Covid-19, resulting in Aleisa having to have her c-section alone as her husband wasn't allowed to be there.

Jesse Bauman is a birth and postpartum doula from Calgary, Alberta who joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share her two pregnancy and birth stories.  Her and her partner got pregnant with their first child early on in their relationship when they weren't trying but also weren't preventing.  The pregnancy went quite smoothly and Jesse was monitored under the care of a midwife.  She wanted a natural birth and shares the story of her swift delivery in hospital shortly before her due date.  Jesse struggled with the postpartum period and her and her partner didn't end up deciding to start trying for another baby until several years later.  They got pregnant easily but this second pregnancy was much more challenging with a lot of nausea for a large portion of the pregnancy.  This time, Jesse was hoping for a homebirth but goes into detail as to why that didn't end up being the best option with this pregnancy.  After sharing this birth story, she talks about how different this postpartum experience has been for her and why.

Tynnille Bouchard from Brandon, Manitoba shares her two pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  It took her and her husband 5-6 months to get pregnant with their first daughter and while it started off as quite a smooth pregnancy, the nausea and vomiting hit by about week 6 and was consistent until week 12 when it suddenly stopped.  From this point on, she struggled with severe congestion and some pelvic dysfunction.  She had hoped for an unmedicated birth and had feared an induction, but ended up being induced nonetheless.  After a lengthy labour and attempted interventions to deliver vaginally, she shares how she ultimately needed an emergency c-section for this first birth.  With her second child they ended up getting pregnant on their first try, cutting it a little bit close timewise to attempt a VBAC and the pregnancy was very similar to her first.  She goes into details of how she avoided a c-section this time and was able to have a successful VBAC.  She also shares a little bit of her postpartum experience during the Covid-19 pandemic and some resources that were helpful to her.

Rylee Dupuis, from Saskatoon, SK, joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share her two pregnancy and birth stories.  Rylee and her husband were able to get pregnant quite easily by the second cycle, which was surprising to them as their doctor had told them it may be difficult to get pregnant.  Her pregnancy was pretty smooth and easy but she did feel quite anxious about birth and, looking back, realizes she was uneducated on her care and birth options.  Labour started on its own a few days before her due date.  Her labour went quickly and she ended up getting an epidural at her care providers recommendation, though it wasn't something she really wanted.  Rylee shares her postpartum experience, going through a stage of euphoria, then onto experiencing post-partum depression while her baby simultaneously developed colic, a very difficult experience that lasted several months. Getting pregnant with their second child took a little bit longer and the pregnancy came with more symptoms and discomfort.  This time, Rylee felt more educated and decided to go with a midwife as her primary caregiver.  She had more of a plan this time and felt less anxious.  This labour started on its own but ended up stalling for some time.  Once things got going again, after a membrane sweep, Rylee went on to have an unmedicated water birth in hospital and shares how she managed the postpartum period this time around!

Emily Clemens of Kitchener, Ontario joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  After finding out that she had multiple ovarian cysts, her and her husband expected it would take quite a while to get pregnant so they were pleasantly surprised when it didn't. Emily had a smooth pregnancy and labour started a bit before her due date when her water broke while dining out at a restaurant.  After labouring through the night and next morning, Emily was told that the baby was presenting face-first and a c-section was recommended.  She shares her experience with having a vaginal labour-turned c-section as well as her struggles during the postpartum period.

This episode features Tessa Creary from Saskatoon, SK.  She shares the pregnancy and birth stories of her three sons, all of them being conceived with ease and all exactly 22 months apart.  She takes us on a wild ride with her three very different birth stories!  The first birth was a bit a longer in hospital, with vacuum support and an episiotomy, the second was a precipitous birth at home, and the third was also a very quick birth as well after barely making it to the hospital.  Tessa also discusses her varied postpartum experiences with each of her babies.

Renee Bankole joins me as the guest on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  After getting pregnant quickly using the Fertility Awareness Method, Renee and her husband experienced an unfortunate early loss.  They then went on to conceive their daughter the next month.  The pregnancy was relatively smooth and easy but there was an incident around the 32 week mark where Renee got very sick and dehydrated and ended up being air-lifted to the hospital in Saskatoon.  As her pregnancy progressed, she began dilating quite early at around 37 weeks pregnant, yet still managed to go overdue by a week.  Renee shares the details of her birth experience in hospital and talks about her experience afterward when she found out her cervix had tore.

Kendall MacMillan shares her two pregnancy and birth stories on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Kendall's first pregnancy was easy and without complication until her blood pressure registered higher than usual at around 34 or 35 weeks pregnant.  This unexpected increase in her blood pressure began the whirlwind that Kendall didn't see coming.  She talks about how she went from double-checking her blood pressure at a pharmacy to being admitted to the hospital and told she would have to deliver that night, resulting in a NICU stay.  Years later, she got pregnant with their second child and her issues with blood pressure showed up much earlier; right at the beginning of pregnancy.  She shares how this issue was managed throughout this pregnancy and how it ultimately developed into a syndrome called HELLP.  She opens up about the resulting anxiety and OCD that she developed during this pregnancy.  This baby, too, was born early and required a stay in NICU.

Blair, from Calgary, Alberta, is featured on this episode of Moony Birth Stories and shares the birth stories of her daughter Willow, and son Robson. Using the Fertility Awareness Method, her and her husband Graham were able to conceive on their first try.  Blair was cared for by midwives during her pregnancy and it was, overall, pretty uneventful.  She had always dreamed of a homebirth  but goes on to explain why this first birth story didn't end up that way.  Following this birth, she struggled with her mental health and, after seeing a psychologist, was diagnosed with PPD and PTSD.  It took quite some time for her to feel like herself again but when she felt ready, her and Graham started trying for a second child.  They were lucky enough to conceive on the first try again!  This pregnancy and birth were very different from her first and she goes into the details of how she ended up getting the experience she'd always hoped for.

Lindsay Potter, from Kitchener, Ontario joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  Despite having quite severe PCOS, Lindsay was able to get pregnant quickly with their first child.  She struggled with nausea and heartburn for a large portion of her pregnancy and when labour still hadn't started at 41 weeks and 3 days pregnant, she was induced with a Foley bulb.  After several hours of no progression, she opted for an epidural and things started to progress.   With their second, they'd planned to get pregnant quite quickly after having their first and were successful.  This time Lindsay was VERY nauseous during first trimester and was vomiting 4-5 times per day.  She took medication until the second trimester when things started to improve.  The pregnancy was otherwise quite smooth but Lindsay, her husband, and their daughter all caught head colds near the end.  Even though the colds had passed by the time labour started, Lindsay explains how it affected their birth plan and how they ended up choosing an unplanned homebirth.

Jillian Ruiter-Cochrane from Guelph, Ontario joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories.  After sadly suffering a missed miscarriage with her first pregnancy at 11 weeks, she was surprised to get pregnant again soon after.  She didn't feel ready quite yet and experienced a lot of anxiety during her pregnancy after having experienced the previous loss.  Jillian ended up having a relatively smooth pregnancy, supported by midwives, and though she planned a home water birth, things ended up heading in a different direction.  She shares the details of this birth as well as the two successful pregnancies and home water births that followed, despite being told she had low ovarian reserves.  Jillian also talks about advocating for herself in many situations where the information she was being given by healthcare providers wasn't necessarily accurate or right for her. 

Meredith de Ruiter, from Waterloo, Ontario,  joins me on this episode to share the pregnancy and birth story of her daughter Matilda.  Her and her husband struggled with infertility for a couple of years, due to a blocked tube and probable endometriosis, prior to becoming pregnant using IUI.  Meredith had a pretty smooth pregnancy under the care of a midwife, aside from some severe nausea for the first half, which she ultimately took medication for.  She had anticipated going overdue so was surprised when labour started naturally right around her due date and  progressed swiftly.  She was able to labour at home for the majority of her time in labour but things got a bit hectic when they discovered at 9.5 cm dilated that baby was breech.  This led to a quick trip to the hospital and immediately into surgery for a C-section.  After a two day stay in hospital, they were able to take their sweet little one home.  Meredith then talks about her struggles with breastfeeding and some postpartum anxiety.

This episode of Moony Birth Stories feature McKenzie Hodgins from Saskatoon, SK.  Her and her partner at the time, being a same-sex couple, had a few options when it came to how they'd like to have children.  After considering things carefully, they decided to use sperm donated by someone very close to them.  McKenzie talks about their reasons for choosing this path and how great it was for them.  She shares the details of how they conceived and the pregnancies and births of two of their three daughters; both being hospital births with epidurals for pain management.

Kyla Cutts joins me on this episode of Moony Birth Stories to share the story of her son Owen's birth.  Kyla and her husband took about 5 months to get pregnant and she had a relatively smooth pregnancy.  Being a large animal veterinarian, she struggled with her nausea at the beginning having to be around many undesirable smells.  For this reason, she started medication to help with it quite early and was able to stop using it in her second trimester.  When Kyla was over a week overdue, her water broke at home and it was time!  She shares the details of her hospital birth and then talks more about their struggles postpartum.  Owen ended up having dietary issues involving allergies and intolerances which made it very challenging to keep him gaining weight.  Kyla goes into detail about how they navigated these challenges and what the outcome was.