Holy Wild Birth

What makes a good birth attendant? How do I become one? Where can I learn to do this holy work? These questions and variations of, are things we hear often and have lead to some great conversations. Conversations that sparked a project that we are finally ready to share with all of you! Tune in to hear our thoughts, hearts and what we've been working on to bring to the birth world. Mention in...

Hey Sisters! We just wanted to drop a quick hello, to tell you where we have been. Give it a listen and drop your guesses on what you think we are working on!

On this week's episode of Holy Wild Birth I (Brooke) am joined by a graduate of Embrace Birth Journey who is offering up her stories of miscarriage, followed by a rainbow baby and lovely home birth, then a slow transition for her baby, which was punctuated with a difficult NICU stay. ⁠ ⁠ Aly speaks candidly about the highs and lows of every part of her journey to becoming a mother, the ways she ex...

This is an episode about loss, specifically first- and second-trimester loss. They say that 1 out of 4 of women will experience miscarriage at some point in their childbearing years. This is not uncommon, but it is often hidden and unspoken. In this episode, we hope to bring our own stories -- as well as the stories and wise reflections of our friends in the Believing Birth Keepers Circle -- into...

This is our first FTM home birth story! So often we think that only moms who have already had a baby in the hospital have a home birth. NOT TRUE! Brooke's first was born at home, too, but today we have a beautiful guest mama to share her experience of having her first baby at home. Ella's first pregnancy was a surprise, but she was pretty clear right out of the gate about her desire to hav...

How do you know when your family is complete or when you're "done" having babies? What does God's word have to say about having babies and how many? What if you and your husband have differing convictions about how many children to have? In this episode, we're going to get personal about our own personal convictions and journies up to this point... while simultaneously giving...

Taleitha Selby, wife and 4x homebirth momma, tells the story of her 3rd pregnancy and birth that she attributes to breaking her out of the mold of what she thought birth was. Listen to her share her story of how stepping out from how she had always done things prepared her for an accidental unassisted precipitous birth and self-led neonatal resuscitation. Our conversation also turned to the end ca...

They aren't stone statues, and we don't bow down on a literal knee, but they're idols all the same. Certain "brands"/styles of mothering, nutritional principles/disciplines, birth choices or outcomes, birth attendant titles/positions.... we're tearing 'em down in today's episode. That may seem strange coming from a couple of passionately opinionated gals like us,...

Lauren, with guest Jaclyn have a fun conversation swapping their precipitous birth stories, 6 to be exact! They both each have had 3 fast labors and so they not only share their stories but discuss the mutual experience of having babies in a fast and furious style. They chat about way to prepare their hearts and minds to be able to surrender to whatever birth may hand them. It's a fun conversation...

Arguably, one of the most important decisions you'll make about your birth is not WHERE or HOW you give birth but WHOM will be there with you. For an expectant mother, the birth team MATTERS and we have some things to offer up for consideration as you're selecting your attendants.  The lesser-known other side of the coin is how important it is for a birth attendant to carefully select which m...

You know the story of Abraham, right? Of how God told him it was time to hit the road and go to... a place he would show him later (huh?!). In other words, "Pack up everything you have and everyone in your family and get going. But you don't get to know the destination just yet." How do you plan a road trip (with thousands of livestock, nonetheless) when this is all you have to go on? FAITH is wha...

You think you might be called into birth work... And you're also a mother of small children (another calling!).  How can you live out both of those callings without either of them suffering?  We hear women wrestling with this so often, reaching out in the DMs or making posts about it in Natural Christian Home Births. And we ourselves have wrestled through it. In this characteristically meandering...

Grace took a long, meandering path to home-birthing her 4th baby, and that path was inexorably intertwined with her conversion to eastern orthodoxy. You'll love hearing how the practices, perspectives, and prayers of her faith informed her journey through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We touch on facing the fear of death, the church's discomfort with the feminine, offering up our suffering to...

If you missed it, there was recently a court case in Nebraska that made the mainstream media and was even televised on Court TV. The state of Nebraska brought charges against traditional midwife Angela Hock (aka Angee). Angee is a friend of ours and for the three years leading up to her trial, we've been prayerfully holding vigil. We wept when the verdict was declared: NOT GUILTY. In this episode,...

By baby #4, Tori and her husband were united on the plan to have a home birth, but they had to find a midwife. Using a local FB group to gather recommendations, they ended up finding a wonderful Mennonite midwife to work with, and what resulted was a simple, beautiful birth and a new friendship.  Find tori on Instagram or Facebook to connect. The choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sh...

It's a new year and with that come new year resolutions which often include various forms of SELF-CARE. As moms and women we're so often told not to forget to take care of ourselves, to fill our own cup so that we can pour out on others. And while none of that is entirely WRONG, it often seems shallow or laughably unattainable.  That is until you redefine self-care and bring it into alignment...

Today's episode is for those of you who deeply desire a home birth or unassisted birth but whose husbands are not sold on the idea.⁠ ⁠ We'll cover things like: ⁠ ❤️ Why dads might be opposed or resistant⁠ ❤️ What our response as Christian wives should be⁠ ❤️ Tools for having a conversation that might bring you onto the same page⁠ And more!⁠ Oh, and this episode also has a special secret guest appe...

Preparing for birth without preparing for postpartum is like preparing for a wedding without preparing for a marriage.  Though we obviously think preparing for birth is vital, the truth is that it's only 2-48 hours of your life, and if what follows isn't also carefully set up, the negative implications can be vast. Listen in on this conversation between two multiparas (moms of many!) who have...

Our very own Brooke gave birth to her 6th baby, Gilbert Ignatius, on October 29, and today she's telling her story in conversation with Lauren. No two births are ever alike, and Brooke had to learn to flow with some things that she didn't see coming. It wasn't without agitation, but it was all purposeful and ultimately beautiful as she practiced flowing with it. If you prefer to READ a birth story...

"To rediscover midwifery is the same as giving back childbirth to women." - Michel Odent Listen in as Hannah tells her story of rediscovering midwifery and everything that has led to the proclaiming of a promise to herself and women she serves. "I don't midwife with the government" From Hannah: Business Instagram Personal Instagram From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email  lauren.root...

If you found out you were pregnant with twins -- both breech -- at 32 weeks and your midwife wasn't able to keep you on as her client, what would you do? Forced to choose between a scheduled c-section or a last-ditch effort to secure a different midwife and keep her home birth plan, Jessica opted for the latter.  This is her amazing story of overcoming the voices of fear and doubt around and...

In this episode, Lauren and Brooke have a meandering conversation about all the varied aspects of preparing for labor -- mind, body, spirit, heart! Since Brooke is currently in the thick of this process, she'll share a bit from her own current experience. And at the end, you'll get to hear Lauren read a beautiful description of an Anointed Birth.  Show notes: - Christian Hypnobirthing app, Ma...

"They're giving credit to the wrong things! GOD is the one who deserves the credit." This was Audrey's lament as she listened to free birth and birth story podcasts during her last pregnancy. Where she could so clearly see GOD's hand at work on behalf the mother's and babies, the credit was being given to everything and everyone BUT God.  Audrey longed to tell her stories and then to point to...

Cindy (from episode 15) is standing in for Brooke today in this "conversation episode" on the role of food in the physiology of birth. Very vital information here, so be sure to take loads of notes. You'll glean so much from the combined wisdom of Lauren and Cindy on this topic, whether you're an expectant mom or a midwife/birth keeper. Grab Cindy's nutrition guide graphic for pregnancy and nursin...

This is an "extra." I (Brooke) just had it on my heart to insert a little bonus episode into our lineup here in which I share about the journey of my current pregnancy in real time, at 38 weeks, as well as my birth vision/intention for my 6th home birth and postpartum time. It's unscripted and a little rambling, but it's real and hopefully somewhat interesting! And I can't wait to record ANOTHER b...