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  • Hannah, a mother to two daughters aged 3 and 6 months, joins me on the podcast from her rural home, a yurt, in a remote part of Northland here in Aotearoa. Her story is in equal parts, unsettling and inspiring.

    She began her journey into motherhood with full trust that birth, as a healthy part of life, would happen naturally. But Hannah learnt the hard way that relying on the guidance of a midwife whose philosophy was a misalignment for her own, was not going to allow her to feel safe enough to get on and birth her baby. Instead, she ended up being flown by helicopter to Whangārei Hospital where she and her baby would meet via cesarean section.

    Hannah shares with us the crucial self-connection work that she did to heal her birth trauma, and the journey she took to prepare herself for her next pregnancy and birth. The story of the birth of her second baby was wildly different to her first. Hannah chose to have no medical or midwifery input into her pregnancy or birth, instead leaning on the support of her wise-woman sisters who would regularly sit in circle together.

    We take a deep dive in this podcast episode, so she’s a bit of a lengthy one. I can guarantee though, that you’re going to want to listen until the end with its taste of nourishing sweet redemption.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * Interventions related to prolonged rupture of membranes

    * Coached pushing

    * Syntocinon (Pitocin) use without consent

    * Dissociation

    * Emotional release for baby’s healing

    * Support circle for women (preconception - birth - Motherhood)

    * Child/sibling at the birth

    Connect with Hannah via her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/wild_flower_nz/



  • Gwen lives in Washington State USA after travelling the US for the past year in their RV and before that living in Australia, the place where she birthed her three babies who are now 1, 5 and 6 years old.

    She has an honours undergraduate degree in Sociology, Masters in Teaching and she is certified by the International Coaching Federation as a Spiritual Psychology Coach and trauma specialist. Gwen is founder of her business Connecting Consciously Collective and is very passionate about supporting mothers to fully step into their power and create their intuitive desires.

    She had two very traumatic birth experiences herself which was the catalyst to her doing her inner work and learning about the subconscious mind and manifestation. Using this knowledge, Gwen was able to manifest the empowered birth she desired and have a healthy baby and healing birth experience - one that doctors had told her she should abort due to ‘high risk’. Now, she is able to coach women from around the world on how they too can harness this power and have the empowered birth experience they desire.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * Hypnobirthing

    * Pre-labour & premature rupture of membranes (PROM)

    * Induction of labour

    * Failure to progress leading to emergency cesarean

    * Elective repeat cesarean

    * Dissociation

    * Newborn apnoeas - near death experience at 4 weeks old

    * How traumatic experiences can serve us

    * Miscarriage - cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (baby growing into lining of uterus)

    * D & C - large haemorrhage

    * Healing the red line (maternal lineage)

    * Uterine infection

    * Subconscious reprogramming - shifting beliefs

    * Advised against having anymore children

    * Abortion recommended due to risk of placenta accreta

    * Lotus cesarean

    Check out Gwen's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/connectingconsciously.co/⁠

    Email her: [email protected]

    Book a call with Gwen: https://calendly.com/connectingconsciouslycollective/30min

    Watch Gwen's YouTube video: Create the birth you desire (youtube.com)

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    Klik hier om de feed te vernieuwen.

  • Ella, a home-birthed, surprise breech baby herself, knew, before she was even pregnant, that she would be having an unassisted birth at home. In this podcast episode she shares with us the explorations she did before and during her pregnancy, including attending Radical Birth Keepers School, conversations with her man about “what if our baby dies?”, the decision to hire a virtual doula, and conversing with her baby when unsure about his quietness, in terms of movements.

    Just shy of 42 weeks pregnant, Ella’s labour began. I love how she depicts the story of her son’s birth as being so utterly normal, hard, for sure, but also really quite uneventful. We talk about whether this may have been the inroad to a very easeful breastfeeding experience with not even a hint of nipple damage.

    Ella now runs a monthly Free Birth Circle for women who are planning a free birth themselves. If you’re inspired by her story and want to learn more, get in touch with her via her website or Instagram links below.

    Other things we discuss on the episode:

    * Free birth preparation

    * Radical Birth Keepers School

    * Free Birth Society podcast

    * Questionable safety of pregnancy ultrasounds

    * Tests for Downs Syndrome

    * Irregular contractions throughout labour

    * Self vaginal checks in labour

    * Water birth

    * Cord burning ceremony

    * Tongue tie

    Ella's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/earth.mama.wellbeing/

    Ella's website: https://www.earthmamawellbeing.com/

    Get your hands on a copy of my (Carla's) book which includes the story of Ella's own birth - a surprise breech birth at home: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/mybook

    Follow my work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

    Check out the Healing Birth YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

  • I first met Elvisa when, pregnant with her second child, she joined my online Soulful Birth course. Although she had planned to birth her first baby at home, she said she wasn’t mentally prepared and decided to transfer to hospital for an epidural. The birth of her first baby resulted in a big tear, and breastfeeding struggles and PND ensued.

    In describing her experience, Elvisa says that the birth itself wasn’t traumatic for her, but rather it was the transition to motherhood that she grappled with. In this podcast episode Elvisa shares with us the ways she overcame her depression and things she did to set herself up for an empowering and positive next birth and postpartum.

    Her newest baby, Wiremu, was born in the water at home, with Elvisa being cared for by wonderful wise women midwives. Enjoy listening to the challenges she faced and how she rose above them.

    Other topics discussed:

    * Hapƫ Wānanga

    * Long early phase of labour

    * Trails & Tots - walking group for mums

    * Importance of physical activity and nature for mental wellbeing

    * Being a career-driven woman

    * Stay at home dad; working (from home) mum

    * Early shift to bottle feeding for mental wellbeing

    * Navigating cultural differences with a Filipino mother

    If you are interested in finding out more about my (Carla's) Soulful Birth course - a holistic birth & postpartum preparation series held online - head to this webpage: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep

  • In today’s episode I interview Olivia about her two very different birth stories that, in some key ways, looked set to head down the same path. It’s hard to fathom how she maintained the self determination and belief that she could birth vaginally with her second when, like her first birth, which was a cesarean, Olivia’s second baby remained very high, not seemingly keen or able to drop into her pelvis, and she was in early labour for many, many days with very little sleep.

    Olivia’s story of the birth of her second baby is a powerful example of how beautifully designed we are for birth, despite what our modern birth culture would have us believe. And I love the reflection that she provides near the end of our talk when Olivia says, “When you let go and allow your body to take over, magic happens.”

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * Hypnobirthing

    * Doula care

    * Women’s Health Physio

    * Osteopathy

    * S&S and induction of labour

    * Acupuncture in pregnancy

    * Reduced baby movements

    * Fears of stillbirth

    * Mental health struggles in pregnancy

    * High head - lack of engagement - Miles Circuit

    * Labial abscess

    * CPD - Cephalopelvic Disproportion

    * Positive elective cesarean experience

    * Hind leak

    * Prolonged early labour

    * 3rd degree tear

    * Spinning babies

  • Today I dive into a passionate conversation with UK-based Shellie, aka The Serenity Doula. Shellie caught my attention with the Instagram reels she creates, depicting some of the many ways birthing women’s bodies and rights are undermined, and challenging a lot of mainstream narratives and maternity system practices that contribute to so much unnecessary birth trauma.

    We talk through the importance of understanding and respecting birthing physiology, something Shellie has a very in-depth knowledge of, about the impacts of birth place and birth companions, about informed consent in birth care (or more accurately, the lack thereof), about advocacy, about doulas, and about induction of labour.

    Throughout our conversation Shellie’s heart-led approach to her work as a doula shines though. She is a rare gem and a true gift to the birthing world.

    Also covered in this episode:

    * the drive to be a doula

    * freebirth

    * birth trauma enquiry in UK

    * holistic healthcare vs allopathic medicine

    * abusive ‘care’ within the system

    * the ‘self work’ of preparing for a physiological birth



    Follow Shellie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/

    Check out Shellie's Website: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/

    Join the Home Birth Support Group UK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/homebirthsupportuk

    Check out the Physiological Birth Club clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/house/physiological-birth-club

  • Rural living saw Chloe choose a sight unseen birth centre as her birth place and she anticipated she’d do just fine, like the thousands of animals she and her man had seen giving birth on the farm. A hideous car ride during labour to what turned out to be an incredibly unappealing birth space, followed by a lack of attentive support and meconium in the waters, meant that Chloe ended up being transferred to hospital
 by helicopter and without her man or midwife by her side. What is more, she was terrified of heights. Her girl was born via a ventouse delivery which also involved an unconsented to episiotomy.

    Chloe has yet to experience giving birth again since the traumatic birth of her daughter 2 Âœ years ago. Unlike the podcast episodes you’re used to around here, this one doesn’t share a positive and empowering story of birth. Instead, Chloe and I delve into the healing journey she has embarked on in the wake of her traumatic birth and all that she has done and continues to do to prepare herself for the conscious conception of her next babe.

    We talk about tracking menstrual cycles, women’s circles, discovering spirituality, nature-based rituals and celebrations, and so much more. Enjoy the journey that Chloe takes us on.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * working with a Healing Birth Practitioner trainee

    * becoming a Healing Birth practitioner

    * painful postpartum sex

    * paganism and witchcraft

    * home birth

    * contraceptive pill for heavy, painful periods as a teen




    To find out about Carla's Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

    To follow Carla's work on Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

    To follow Chloe on Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimingherpower/

  • Today’s episode is a bit of a different one and quite possibly my favourite interview to date. Tessa gave birth to her first baby just 4 months ago. I met her during her pregnancy when she did my Soulful Birth course and then she also went on to do my Healing Birth Practitioner Training in the final months before she gave birth. Tessa shares with us the path she walked to prepare herself for a truly wonderful home birth experience, with just her man, her doula and her friend present for support.

    If, as you listen to Tessa’s story, you feel inspired to either join my Soulful Birth course or train with me to become a certified Healing Birth practitioner, be sure to click on the relevant link at the bottom of the show notes. Both courses are run multiple times throughout the year so it doesn’t matter when you are tuning into this episode there’s bound to be a course offered in the not-too-distant future.

    But for now, let me grace your ears with this beautifully inspiring story of courage, trust, wisdom and growth, and oodles of delicious love.

    Also discussed:

    * medical trauma related to pandemic

    * tuning into and trusting her intuition

    * contemplating the potential for death in birth

    * taking responsibility for the things that are within our control regarding birth

    * partner’s role in free birth

    * unpacking of conditioned fears surrounding birth

    * guided meditations, journaling, somatic tools

    * vulnerability of first latching baby at breast

    * managing visitors in early postpartum

    * vaginal tear - supporting the natural healing process


    You can follow Tessa on her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/tessaleighpitt/

    Information on my (Carla's) group Soulful Birth course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulfulbirthgroup And on my 1:1 Soulful Birth For You offerings: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulfulbirthforyou

    More information on my Healing Birth Practitioner Training course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

    Check out other content I have created on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

    Tessa's doula, Alexa (who has also done my Healing Birth Practitioner Training), is based in Hastings NZ. Here's her website: https://www.alexadoulaphotography.co.nz/

  • Abi is Mum to 4 year old Bill, 2 year old Freya, and 8 week old Ida, living on their rural property 2.5 hours drive from the nearest hospital. Her first two births were medical affairs, involving epidurals, induction and a large postpartum haemorrhage. Her most recent birth, however, was a gentle water birth experience at home, an utterly ordinary, yet simultaneously extraordinary occasion.

    Abi shares with us the journey she went on to confidently prepare for a rural home birth, and the buzz of ordinary delights like climbing into bed together as a family after a wondrous birth at day break.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    Meconium stained liquor Lack of initial mother-baby bond Tongue tie Milk oversupply Hypnobirthing The Freya app Breech at 36 - 38wks TENS Sibling involvement with birth Retained membranes

    Learn about Carla's Soulful Birth course here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep

    Listen to Carla talk about birth and birth trauma related topics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

    Follow Carla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

  • Pregnant with her first baby in Australia, Grace did her doula training and was planning a gentle home birth. She had an epic support team who she fully trusted, but then at 36 weeks of pregnancy Grace had to make the excruciating call to move to NZ for her partner’s work.

    Aside from the struggles with leaving behind her wonderful home birth midwife and having to find a new match, Grace was also met with a few other challenges during her labour, the key one being a swollen lip of cervix and having the near impossible instruction to stop pushing. Not long thereafter, Grace succumbed to a hospital transfer, followed by an epidural and then a c section.

    The biggest struggle was yet to be faced though. It makes heartbreaking listening, hearing Grace describe the trauma she was met with as a new mum dealing with a low milk supply, a lack of bond with her baby, and isolation during Covid lockdowns in a town where she knew no one. Being advised that her baby required a formula top-up at 3 days of age, culminated in massive breastfeeding hurdles for the next five months.

    Her next birth was an entirely different experience, as was her breastfeeding journey. Hear how Grace navigated her healing and prepared for an empowering home birth.

    Also included in this episode:

    * stretch & sweep

    * 42+ week pregnancy

    * deflexed head

    * triple feeding (pumping)

    * nipple shields

    * doula care

    * PPH

    * birth debrief

    Visit Grace's website to learn more about her work: https://www.modernvillage.co.nz/

    Follow her work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modern.village/

    Find out about my (Carla's) Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

    Did you know I now have a Healing Birth YouTube channel. Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

  • Donna takes us on quite the journey, vulnerably sharing the stories of her two very different birth experiences. Her first birth was a harrowing time, fraught with abandonment, labouring in a motel room, meconium stained waters, a terrifying hospital transfer, exhaustion, a delayed epidural, and then finally culminating in a cesarean section. In stark contrast, Donna’s second was an incredibly empowering, healing and triumphant water birth at home.

    It’s quite something to imagine Donna having gone from the devastating fall-out of her first birth, including a deep sense of failure and confusion surrounding it all, PTSD and relationship struggles, to feeling strong in her conviction that she could, and would, birth her next baby at home. She shares with us the various supports and tools she utilised to begin healing and to ready herself to fully embrace her power and wisdom as a Mother and as a birthing woman.

    Also included in this episode:

    * Unsupportive vs supportive and respectful midwifery care

    * TENS

    * Doula support

    * Hypnobirthing

    * Posterior baby

    * Complications with living rurally

    * Inability to communicate or think during labour

    * Counselling support

    * NZ College of Midwives Resolutions process

    * Miscarriage

    * VBAC course

    Donna forgot to mention in her story that she found Havening a really helpful therapeutic tool for managing her PTSD symptoms.

    My (Carla's) Healing Birth work...

    Donna had a 1:1 Unravelling Your Trauma session with me. For more information on these and other healing services I offer, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

    And the Soulful Birth course that Donna participated in is an 8 weeks long holistic birth and postpartum preparation course that is held online. I also now offer personalised 1:1 Soulful Birth For You options (which include a gorgeous journal that I have created). To find out more about both of these services, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep

    You can also access a lot of free information and guidance from me via my new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingbirth

    Donna's doula was Lily. You can connect with Lily via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilythedoula/

    The Havening therapy that Donna found really helpful was with Robin Youngson: https://neuroscienceofhealing.com/

    Donna also had wonderful acupuncture support from Anna-Lena Tews in Hamilton, NZ: https://altews-midwifery.com/





  • In this episode I speak with Aroha and her partner, Tihikura, about the home births of their two children, 5 year old Te Rangimoeke and 4 month old Rangiāniwaniwa. We hear about the challenges of having a long labour, including the influence of other people and their energies within the birth space, as well as a sense of abandonment when labour dragged on.

    Within the conversation, a lot of Māori words and practices are shared. I have included many of the words and their definitions in the shownotes, so hopefully you don’t feel too lost with the various elements of the experiences that Aroha and Tihikura describe. It brings such a unique and spiritual approach to the telling of their story and to honouring birth as the rite of passage that it is.

    We cover many moving and important themes, such as the impacts of midwifery interference in birth and the healing that can come through the debriefing process, super supportive postpartum preparations, the influence of children and siblings at births, Māori-based antenatal education, unhelpful expectations and predictions when it comes to birth, and so much more.

    Tikanga - customs, practices

    Whare - house

    Whenua - placenta and land

    Kainga - home

    Tamariki - children

    Whanaunga - relatives

    Tangi - cry and funeral

    Hapƫ - pregnancy

    Kƍtiro - girl

    Harakeke - flax

    Mahitahi - working together

    Atua - gods and goddesses

    Wairua - spirit

    Tipuna - ancestors

    Wharepaku - toilet

    Tangaroa - god of the sea and fish

    Rangatiratanga - chieftainship, self-determination, sovereignty




    and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hapuwananga

    Contact Aroha via email: [email protected]

    If you're interested in my (Carla's) Soulful Birth online antenatal series, click here for more details: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/birthprep

  • Today’s guest, Sarah, vulnerably shares about the various struggles and traumas associated with her Mothering journey, including horrific Hyperemesis in her first pregnancy, numerous ultrasound scans which involved a lot of professional misconduct and needless fear mongering, being medicated for perinatal depression, feeling completely disconnected from her baby girl, amongst other medically managed challenges.

    She talks us through the grief and rage that resulted from her first birth and how she chose to navigate her next pregnancy. Sarah was faced with further systemic challenges nearing the end of that pregnancy, but ultimately decided that birthing at home with a trusted midwife was the best path for her.

    Be prepared to be taken on an emotional ride as Sarah tells her story with much passion and heart.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * Group B Strep - antibiotics

    * Induction & epidural

    * Breastfeeding challenges - torticollis & tongue tie

    * Growth scans - SGA/IUGR babies

    * Different types of midwifery care

    * Postpartum rage

    * Postnatal depression in fathers

    * Psychotherapy

    * Marginal cord insertion & velamentous cord insertion

    * Waterbirth

    To check out my (Carla's) 1:1 birth trauma support offerings visit this link: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

    To follow my work on Instagram, head here: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/



  • Chelsea is a young mum of two littlies, Bindi and Wolf, and has another bub blossoming in her womb. Although she had hopes for a birthing centre water birth with her first, like so many, Chelsea found herself pushed down an interventionist path that culminated in a ceserean.

    In this episode of the podcast, Chelsea vulnerably shares the impacts that this experience had on her and how determined she was to ensure her next birth was a more gentle and respectful experience. Her birth with Wolf took place at home with midwives present. Although Wolf’s birth was really empowering for Chelsea, she reflects on the many ways her experience was disturbed unnecessarily and the effort required of her to ensure that her birth wasn’t derailed by the impacts of the birth system that were playing out in her home.

    Now, pregnant with her third, and with the insights and wisdom gained from her previous births, Chelsea is planning a wild pregnancy and free birth. Get ready to be taken on an inspirational, perhaps triggering, hopefully enlightening, and surely validating journey. So much of what Chelsea shares are experiences and feelings that many traumatised mums share with me in my work.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * Induction

    * Cervical lip

    * C section for ‘failure to progress’

    * VBAC/HBAC

    * Home birth

    * Impacts of choice of birth attendants

    * Perineal tear

    * Co-sleeping

    Follow Chelsea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseaearley_/

    Follow me (Carla) and my work on Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/ or check out my website: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/

    Find out more about VBAC and Kristin's work via her MamaRise Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/mamarisedoulanz/



  • Elsie is the host of the Birthing at Home podcast, a mission that was inspired after the empowering home birth of her second baby. Both of Elsie’s children were born at home, but not all home births are created equal, and in this podcast episode she shares with us the various ways she was negatively impacted during her first birth, comparing them to the ways she stood in her power in her second. We also discuss medicalised midwifery training, as Elsie was once a student midwife herself, and how restrictions of their licence limit the ability of midwives to honour physiological birth and a mothers’ right to choose her birth path.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    Shoulder dystocia Manoeuvres by the midwife to get the baby ‘unstuck’ after the birth of the head Hypnobirthing Impacts of Covid Pressures when ‘overdue’ Managed third stage (without consent) Unnecessary early cord clamping Low lying placenta (20 week scan) Pre-labour rupture of membranes

    Follow Elsie and her work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birthingathome_apodcast/

    Find her podcast via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/birthingathome_apodcast

    And find out more about me (Carla) and my work on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/ or website: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/

  • Kate’s story is a bit of a different one to those that are typically shared on here, not because she didn’t have a traumatic first birth, she did, and not because she didn’t have a healing next birth experience, she did. But, Kate’s second birth went nothing like the peaceful home birth she had hoped for and dreamed about.

    Thankfully, the self work and birth preparation that she did during her second pregnancy, part of which involved us working together, meant that Kate continued to experience her birth as empowering even when it appeared to be heading down the same harrowing path as her first.

    This is such an important story to be sharing. Kate was empowered to fully own her birth experience, and she shares about the multitude of things she did to ensure that her medicalised birth was a positive and healing one.

    She also opens up about how her births led her down the path of training with me to become a certified Healing Birth practitioner, something that has been a life altering experience for her. So, it’s a bit of a longer episode but definitely a worthwhile listen. Enjoy!

    Also discussed in this episode:

    Home birth Big baby, small mama Stretch & sweep Failure to progress Artificial rupture of membranes Epidural Syntocinon (also known as Pitocin) Emergency c section for fetal distress (wrongly diagnosed) Traumatic start to breastfeeding Separation from newborn 1:1 birth trauma healing with me Supportive midwifery care HBAC planning & repeat c section planning Microbiome seeding Gentle c section options Healing Birth Practitioner Training course Becoming a Healing Birth practitioner

    To connect with Kate email her on [email protected]

    Follow my (Carla's) work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

    Or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healingbirthwithcarla

    My website contact page: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/contact

    Details on my Healing Birth Practitioner Training course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

  • Nicola is Mum to 3 year old Skye and 6 week old Luca. Her first birth was a traumatic 5 day long ordeal that involved a posterior baby, an excruciating induction of labour, and an epidural that took far too long to be administered. During her next pregnancy, Nicola sought my support to unravel her trauma and to make plans for a healing birth experience. She talks us through how that 1:1 guidance encouraged her to have an empowering home birth, despite it being another long, posterior labour. In listening to others’ stories on this podcast, Nicola hadn’t been convinced that the descriptions of women going from traumatic to healing birth experiences had been completely honest
 until she walked that journey for herself. Now that she knows what is possible, she wants to share her own inspirational story.

    Also included in this episode:

    pre-labour and prolonged rupture of membranes accidental first pregnancy and a partner who didn't want children Covid challenges bad morning sickness random bleeding in first pregnancy breastfeeding struggles doula support

    For information on how you can receive 1:1 birth trauma support from me (Carla), head here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

    To find out more about my Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

    And to access my free Understanding Birth Trauma Basics course, click here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/understanding-birth-trauma-basics-course

  • This episode is a deeply vulnerable share which delves into all the taboo topics surrounding birth and new motherhood. Poppy, a home birthing mother of two, one of which was a free birth, speaks frankly about herpes, about miscarriage, about radical responsibility, about being confronted with the potential for death in birth, about vaginal wall prolapse, about healing ourselves, and about postpartum sex. We leave no stone unturned with this wildly honest conversation that gets right to the heart of things most are too confronted by to ever really face.

    Covered in this episode:

    home birth free birth wild pregnancy ‘small’ baby and growth charts in pregnancy genital herpes infection near birth vaginal exam experienced as a violation birthing during a Covid level 3 lockdown an interfered with placental birth early pregnancy loss managed at home confronting the fear of death in birth vaginal wall prolapse during labour/postpartum a long pushing phase of labour posterior & brow presentation perineal tear - natural healing great sex less than a month after birth naturally healing a prolapse

    Follow Poppy's motherhood journey & podcast here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/outthegateparenting_podcast/⁠

    Find out more about my (Carla's) holistic birth & postpartum preparation course here: ⁠https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulful-birth

  • Pippa is Mum to 5 year old Greta, whose planned home birth ended in cesarean, and 8 month old Flora, whose empowering home birth involved an unexpectedly healing postpartum transfer to hospital due to a third degree tear.

    In this episode, Pippa shares various dimensions of the healing that becoming a mum has encouraged her to delve into. She talks about how peeling away the layers of the mother wound has supported her to find her voice and be her authentic self, and she shares the journey she has been on to offer her own daughter the opportunity to heal her birth wounds. Threaded throughout this conversation is the notion of generational healing that can take place when we do the work to access our inner healer.

    I am particularly grateful to Pippa for sharing about the ways she has supported her daughter to heal. In my work, I hear a lot of grief and guilt from new mums about what their baby must have experienced during, and in the wake of, their traumatic birth, and a sense of helplessness around how to heal the damage done. Pippa and I discuss some great tools to guide this process, so hopefully some of you listeners who can relate to this, feel encouraged with helpful suggestions.

    Also discussed in this episode:

    * Artificial rupture of membranes

    * Epidural

    * Breastfeeding challenges

    * Laid back nursing

    * Mother Blessing

    * Physical support during pushing phase

    * Setting loving boundaries with children

    * Laughter & play as tools to help our children heal

    * The Aware Parenting podcast

    If you are interested in following my (Carla's) work on Instagram, here's the link: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/

    You can find out more about the Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

    And here's the link for my free Understanding Birth Trauma Basics course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/understanding-birth-trauma-basics-course














  • As humans we are also mammals, and like all other mammals, evolution has ensured that we are well equipped to birth in safe and rewarding ways with a very rare need for outside interference. In fact, disturbing our innate birth design in the countless ways us humans do, often creates a lot more difficulties and harm than safety.

    Today’s podcast guest, Lindsay Askins, knows a lot about mammalian birth. She shares with us how her decade long experience as a vet tech, witnessing untold births of horses and other mammals, led her to understand that birthing at home without a midwife in attendance was going to be the safest way to birth her first baby, a profoundly life-changing and positive experience for her.

    We dive into some great conversations about mammalian biology, about the mind-body connection, about how disturbing a woman’s birth and creating fear in the birth space can lead to all sorts of complications, including damage to the mother-baby bond, and about the needless trauma that is created due to over medicalisation and obstetric violence.

    Hear about the Exposing the Silence project that Lindsay co-founded with Cristin Pascucci, from Birth Monopoly, and about the Birth Like a Mammal business that Lindsay now runs. She’s a juicy and informative podcast episode, folks!

    Check out Lindsay's website here: https://www.birthlikeamammal.com/

    Follow her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/birthlikeamammal/

    Here's a link to the Exposing the Silence project: https://www.exposingthesilence.com/

    Email Lindsay at [email protected]

    If you're interested in my (Carla's) work, here are some links for you...

    My free birth trauma training course: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/understanding-birth-trauma-basics-course

    My Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

    My Soulful Birth online antenatal series: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/soulful-birth

    And you can follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/healing.birth/