Ep. 15 Inside Look With Home Birth Midwife Rachel Hart

“What if it is better than you ever imagined?“ This is the counter idea and affirmation to the question “What if something bad happens?” which is a common question we hear a lot when our clients talk to us about home birth. Home birth is an opportunity to experience your true potential and witness not only your baby being born but yourself as a new woman being born and this experience can set the stage for the rest of your life!

We are so excited to have Rachel Hart on our show to share about her journey into midwifery and what she does to help support birthing people in their unique path to giving birth. Rachel Hart wears many hats, she is an incredibly gifted and hard working mother to 5 children. She is a Certified Professional Midwife providing support for home births. 

In this episode, we talk about all things home birth, midwifery, the safety of home birth, known risks, and how she handles issues in the rare event they arise. She also shares her top tips and resources for having a safe, healthy, and empowering home birth experience. This episode provides a sneak peak into the life of a midwife and home birth. Even if you have never considered home birth as an option for your birth, this is a great episode full of helpful information. Our goal is to share this conversation with you so that you can feel more empowered and confident to make decisions that align with your ultimate desires for your birth.

The resources mentioned in this episode are listed below:

Mama Natural Pregnancy Guide by Genevieve Howland

Connect with Rachel Hart, CPM:

Website: Birthing Way Homebirth Midwifery Care 

Facebook Group: Birthing Way Families

Instagram: Birthing Way Midwifery

Be sure to listen to part 2 of this conversation airing next week where we talk with Rachel Hart about her life coaching business, ReConnected to Life, which focuses on educating about self-care and redefining what it means to be self-centered through quarterly workshop, retreats, priv

Transcript

0:00

Hello hello and you are listening to the aligned birth podcast and I always say this, but today's an exciting day because it's interview day but it's interview day with the twist. So Dr. Shannon here. We've got Rachael Hutchins, who is also one of the hosts on this aligned birth podcast and she's an amazing doula childbirth educator but we also have Rachel Hart on today. And so to Rachel's we're going to try to keep it non confusing but Rachel Hart is a certified professional midwife. And as part of the duo of birthing way Midwifery, so she's a mother of five children, all born at home, and she's been practicing midwifery for 15 years now, and she also does a lot of extra things to besides parenting five children and helping women and families bring more children into the world. She serves as president of Georgia birth network, and she's the secretary of Georgia midwifery Association, and she co owns reconnected to life, which is a company dedicated to teaching the importance of self care through workshops retreats and private coaching. So, fun stuff today because we're gonna get into lots of things with both Rachel's but with Rachel Hart we're really going to go into home birth midwifery and what is a home birth look like, What questions can you ask a midwife, what do you look for when you're looking for a home birth midwife what is home birth Midwifery, and we really want to dive deep into all of those questions, and we have so much to talk to her about that we're going to do two parts to this. So, with part one is really going to cover all of those midwifery questions and part two we really want to get into self care for motherhood and self care for people, and what she does with her reconnected to life business as well. So lots of exciting things today and welcome to the show Rachel heart.

1:47

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here you to have been instrumental in the Georgia birth community and so it's just going to be a pleasure to play with you today. I've been so excited for this interview. Yay.

2:05

I know I know it's so good so we're gonna try and keep it not confusing with having like three of our voices on here but we all love birth, and so when we get to talking about birth it might get, you know, it might get fun and crazy so stick with us in our recording today, but I would love to start with. And Rachael Hutchins and I were even talking about this like what do we start with today like we need to kind of assume that maybe folks listening to the show, have no clue about home birth, and that it's an option. And so, I would love to get a good you know definition foundational starting point from you, Rachel heart as far as defining home birth midwifery.

2:47

Right, so that's good that you bring that up because if there still exists, a population who when they hear about the idea of home birth, their first responses, people still do that. Uh huh. Yeah, it's like, I, yeah, they still do that they've been doing it for millions of years and we are still doing it. So, um, and I have to say that even with my own first birth. It never occurred to me that I could do that, I was lucky enough to have a sister in law who had all three of her babies at home. And when I heard that, I don't know why but for me it just resonated with me immediately, and I thought, Oh yeah, I'm going to do that, too, and the wind up of that story is that I did do that with my first child, and the midwife who assisted me in that birth is the one that ended up training me. Ah, so I was gonna say, I love that I love that she assisted my first three births, and that was in Las Vegas before we moved here and I trained with her. And then, yeah, so I ended up actually taking over her business because she retired so

4:12

and so I love to that you saw through like you said your sister in law, you saw that she did it and was like, Oh, I can do that and so I think that's a beautiful thing too is like when we talk about. Yes, women are still doing this, we may have lost that vision a little bit because we don't see it as much. And so that was so impactful for you is to see it and think, oh, I can totally do that.

4:34

Right, and also what I want to say about homebirth in general, is that not only does it maybe have a reputation or no reputation at all like, like I said there's some people that don't even know that it's a thing. And then there's the other aspect of it, that has gotten a bad reputation. And then, it being a choice that people do if they can't afford to go to the hospital, maybe a second class choice, a choice. If you don't have enough money or. But the idea is that somehow it's not as safe. It's not as respected as going to the hospital. And that's just completely untrue. and in fact when it comes to a normal physiological birth out of hospital midwives are the only trained out of hospital birth, professionals, because they follow a woman or a woman, all the way from the first prenatal visit through the birth through the postpartum period, they're the same one who is resuscitating a baby and assessing baby for their well being, the same one that's following up with the mom as it relates to her bleeding or her postpartum mood, so you have one person maybe to, you know, practice, following this model, the whole entire time so that alone is superior care.

6:08

And so what do you say Rachel, to those who say, because I ran into this when I was planning my home birth but I'd love to hear what you say to people, when you talk about home birth and they ask well, isn't being in the hospital, safer like you're, you have access to all the things you would need, just in case. What's your response to that to help dispel the misconception that home birth is not safe.

6:39

My first response is that we don't just take anyone as a client. So, when a person comes to us for a consultation and wanting a home birth, we are vetting them as much as they are bad enough, and homebirth works when our moms are really taking care of themselves nutritionally, and they are considered low risk so they don't have any underlying conditions. Also, we are not doing any interventions in labor. So, we know that the cascade of interventions in a hospital setting, starting with inductions, moving into C sections. Those are largely contributing factors to complications, and not only with birth but when with other things in life. The more you let things lie to its own devices, the healthier, it usually is.

7:46

And I hear and I think what I hear people say is that they think that being in the hospital saved them. Like I hear the phrase. If I hadn't been in the hospital, I would have died and I always the thing I think about is what led you to that point of meeting the life saving thing, and as it was the interventions.

8:08

Exactly, and that's what I say oh, in a lot, a lot of times, because I have to say, of course we know that there's wonderful providers in a hospital setting. Of course, yes, I want to start off, There, I am in no way anti medical establishment anti hospital because if we need them. We thank God that they're there. The problem is we rarely need them. And their whole model is that we can't do anything without them, that it's an illness, rather than a natural event. And so when people say, Oh, I would have died. You know, I rarely respond to that because a I wasn't there and I course, know exactly what led to those events, but be nine times out of 10. When I am privy to the all of the story. It's like, oh, okay, here are they did all of these interventions and then it didn't go well and then they acted like they saved you. Right,

9:14

well so that's yeah so that's my story, you know, in that I had that emergency C section. And I always say emergency C section because I didn't plan it, but I was privy to that cascade of events, and so I'm taking all kinds of notes as you two are kind of discussing this because everything you're saying is, yes, you take the clients that have that, too, that have that certain health and wellness to them now, and to allow that normal, normal physiological birth to happen, but it's so tough you hear, because you know I did think that in my head for a bit too like, oh, the same thing that, oh, everyone was like, I'm just glad that the baby is safe, that you are safe, you know, you hear those things but in my head I was like well you know what I should have labored at home a little bit longer, and not sure, I don't like shooting on myself but like looking back on it I you know, what could I have done and what could I do differently next time around to maybe prevent that and it is looking and researching into these interventions that can lead to this and so yes, sometimes, those things are necessary but when you look at birth as a whole, and you look at how long we've been giving birth. Without that medical establishment that it can be done safely, effectively calmly beautifully at home. Well, so

10:31

I'll say that the numbers don't lie, and by no means do we do as many births as a hospital on a monthly basis, but for the year, on average, we do about 80 births a year. And on average, the number of C sections are between two and four. Wow. So if we can run that number really quick what is that percentage wise. Girl you don't ask me to do math on my show.

11:10

It's point 025 So 2% Two and a half percent. Yeah.

11:18

Okay, and, and just, you know, what's the low end, C section rate in any hospital oh gosh, my best case might be 18 to 20% Yeah, that's what I've given that let's just give them that there's still a huge problem. Yeah sure, and it's not us.

11:37

I know that shows it right there. And so I think that's important for people to recognize and understand the numbers and understand that for healthy low risk individuals I think they think the World Health Organization says that Syrian birth should occur about 10% of the time. So you're even crushing that number. And but that is, I know, I always like to reinforce and like you started by talking about with homebirth is that it is, you have to meet certain criteria to birth at home and people, if you are out of that criteria, you are at higher risk. And so you birth in a hospital, therefore you have a higher risk of having a Syrian so that's why like it's, it's important for people to know that you don't just take anybody, it's a, it has to meet certain criteria so that it stays safe

12:29

correct but, and the other thing is that now I think we're moving into another topic which is personal responsibility. And that is the first thing that we say to a client. This is not, this is a partnership. You have a responsibility in the outcome of your birth based on how you are caring for yourself, we have very high expectations in pregnancy, we want them to be taking a good whole food prenatal vitamin. We want them to be drinking at least a half a gallon of water a day 65 grams of protein a day. Plenty of dark leafy greens, at least three times a week of cardiovascular exercise we have them do a diet diary so we can get an idea, not only can we get an idea of what a woman's diet, like, but they you know because as with anything when we see it on paper it kind of changes our understanding of, Oh, I thought I was getting enough but I see I could really get some more dark leafy greens. And so that's the whole process. And, again, part of what I think is a superior experience with home birth midwifery care because our prenatal visits are 45 minutes long, and so we have that time to have these discussions. And when you don't have that time, then you are made to feel like it's not really that important. And if you feel like it's not really that important, then you're not going to put your attention on it. And that alone, start the cascade of interventions. Hi, even going even if we've decided you're not low risk, enough to give birth in a home setting. What can you do next because it's all about we say that we are all about empowering women so it's not home birth at all cost. You should be in a hospital, but you still have complete control of the way you care for yourself, and you have complete control in the research you do and the questions that you demand answers to because remember these people work for you and not the other way around.

14:50

I love all of this so much is what I still like and I love this conversation because it can bridge the gap between people who want home bars or don't. And I, I, what I wish I saw in our, in the medical model of care is that focus on the whole being. So the nutrition, you know, if, if care providers who support hospital birth just did that alone, imagine the improvements we would see like the deep dives you do in your, in your prenatal visits where you talk about nutrition, you talk about what's going on at home How are you feeling like there's this room to like verbally process and feel safe and ask questions and have some self discovery and connect with your care provider, and that is not afforded in the medical model of care and so you might have 10 or 15 minutes with your obstetrician in a visit and while it's not because they don't want to take care of you. That's just the model or the structure of their office and so you're just not afforded the time and like you said, if it's not brought up and spoken about and talked about then you don't feel like there's an importance of it so you're not going to prioritize that in your own care. So I think that like refocusing the partnership aspect on the birthing person and the care provider and taking like that self determination to make it your own experience and, and seeing your role in that I just, I love that and I think more people need to hear that, even if they don't choose home birth

16:26

right, there's no for, For us, you know, we're also on call for our clients 24 Seven. And you know we don't encourage you to please don't call me if you, you know have a stomach ache at three o'clock in the morning or but you know what I mean. But if, if someone's worried, I haven't felt the baby move, or, you know I've been throwing out too much. Even if they do just have a stomach ache, they can still call us at three in the morning and we are there. And so that's really nice. Now, I want to go back to the hospital setting because it's just like you said, in no way in my bash in a hospital setting the truth of the matter is, they're just overwhelmed. There's so many women to take care of that, they're doing it in the best model, the most efficient way they know how. And that's not their fault, it's, It's what they are capable of. So again going back to you and your own responsibility and your own desires, you just go in there, educated and knowing that about your experience, or you decide this is too important. And because this is not just about giving birth. It's about giving birth to your womanhood, your motherhood, everything from here on out. And so, if you understand that and that's important to you, then you either have to decide that you're going to try to navigate that hospital system. Anyway, or you're going to have to remove yourself from the situation and decide I want more individualized care. I,

18:11

that's so beautiful though too because I don't think I ever looked at the beginning of that cascade of events. As part of that personal responsibility, it's making those informed decisions and it's like you said, it's really like looking at the importance of birth because it's all the, it's not just the baby being born, it is a whole new journey in your life being born to. And so it's important for you to feel heard, I think that's a big thing too because what I'm feeling from you right now is that you listen, you spend that time with clients and so we can alleviate some of those fears or, and they can ask those questions, and sometimes in the hospital setting it does feel rushed, like you said they are doing the best they can, within the means that they have because there are such a high number of people, but it really does come down to my preset that personal responsibility, and I love that

19:02

can also through relationship matters, because, and that's when the listening is so important that spending time. It's one of those intangibles that I don't know if it can ever be measured, but what I can tell you is that when I have developed this deep relationship. I've also created a trust so that if I tell him mom, At the very last second. We need to go to the hospital. She is going to be the first person to put on our pants because she's gonna know me and know that I wouldn't be telling her this, unless it was true, versus unfortunately in a hospital setting. There's lots of inductions around holidays and tee time or golf tee time stories right. So, the listening is everything, the relationship is everything.

20:03

And I can speak to that as far as my first hand experience with you, Rachel and Beth and for Mike for my first birth, which was a hospital birth. I feel like it was a it was an uncomplicated, positive experience like I always say I didn't have like this traumatic first birth that led me to home birth. And so I was like, Oh wow, can I get better than this. And then with my second choosing the home birth route, like, realizing that the prenatal care, cracked me wide open, as far as like seeing the potential and appreciation for the whole process and how important all of the aspects you've spoken about are in the time y'all spent with me and what I learned and what I felt like I already like already had a good understanding of but then it was like a whole nother level, and it was more than just giving birth to a baby, it was this birth of myself and like, like you said into womanhood and I did it all over again even though I had already given birth once. And that experience is invaluable. And I believe that women are birthing people should have access to that. And so that's like, that's a conversation probably maybe for part two of this is the accessibility to home birth and, and making it to where more people can have that experience and not just those who can afford it or who, you know, feel like they don't have any other options.

21:27

Right, and I. Interestingly enough, when I had my first home birth. My sister in law had the three homebirths, but my husband at the time was abusive, and he would drag me down in the hall by my hair and drain our bank account, drinking and gambling and all sorts of things. And I was the last person in the world, anyone would consider to be a battered woman, and even myself How did I end up in this situation. But my home birth was the thing to change everything for me because afterwards. I thought what I was left with this, and I still think it, if I can do that. I can do anything. There's nothing in this whole wide world that I can't do. After coming through that process of birth, and after four months, I left him. And I say, it was my birth that gave me the strength to actually do that. And that is what motivated me for my midwifery career is that women understand their true potential their true power as not not just by giving birth, but that setting the stage to understanding your potential for life, for whatever it is you want to do.

23:11

Rachel, I'm covered and chills right now. Oh, me too, me too profound and and vulnerable and very real and thank you because that brings it into perspective as to the potential and the bigger picture right it's not just about the birth.

23:29

It is the bigger picture, it's that feeling and that journey and you are forever changed, and how you use that to really propel yourself and your family, your kids, from now on, you know, all of that. Exactly. I love it I love it. And I'm thankful that you, you know, speak that and are vulnerable with that too, though, because, um, you know, I, that's the whole point of part of this podcast too is learning some of the things within the birthing community but then it's, it's exactly what you just said said and shared in your story of what I want women to know to in in the birthing community is the power that you do have, and that there's power in the story that you have and sharing it can help others, you know, research things, even if it is just as simple as researching well I don't want to, you know, I'd rather be more comfortable in this birthing position than that like those little things can lead to those bigger life events and cascades of things that you can do to empower yourself, so I do appreciate you. Yeah,

24:42

I believe homework just affords a birthing person the opportunity and, and I do believe this is possible inside of a hospital birth, it just takes finding a very unique provider but having a support person like yourself, like a home birth midwife, give you information, get to know you teach you about the importance of nutrition and taking care of yourself, your emotional well being and your physical well being. And then being there for you and that 24 Seven capacity that like trust and that deep relationship that's where my combination of things and then when things arise and they have questions, you probably give them information, and then give them time and space to make a decision that's right for them and so it's like they're always in the driver's seat, and I feel like that is the one of the many beautiful things of home birth that is harder to find inside of a medical setting.

25:43

Yeah, no, that's very true and it's you know, it's interesting to coming from my perspective of having to hospital birth. One not going quite the way I had, you know, wanted or intended it to do. And I will say sometimes it's a hard space to be in knowing and seeing the potential of what birth could be. And so, um, it's just so empowering to hear, to hear it though. And so sometimes it's I love seeing it in the office though when moms come in they're, they're planning on having their hospital birth and the next thing I know we're talking about home birth and we're interviewing and we've changed our plans and stuff and I'm like, You go girl because I didn't do it but I want you to

26:31

a great point too, that I would love to drive home to someone, It is never too late, it if you learn and you know better in your 30 weeks, seek it out, because if you really want that homebirth bad enough, somebody is going to help you right now is a very busy time and I know that homebirth midwives are. Oh, you guys are slammed. Yeah, we're slammed, but I guarantee you, somebody is going to help you. And there's not anybody in this community, really, that I would say can't help you. We tell our women, you know, when we do the consultation. Your body is perfectly designed to do this, you could do it without us, but you're, you don't do it because you want us there to clean up and do the newborn exam and all that stuff but you know if nobody was ever around the baby, nine times out of 10 is still gonna come out. That's just how safe and perfectly designed birth is when you leave it alone and let nature take its course.

27:49

And I think the unfortunate perspective is not that right it's that birth is an emergency. Well you need to be safe from it.

27:57

Yeah, and, and also just this whole culture of fear around it, that's, that's the main problem, the fear of pain.

28:08

It is it's rooted in a lot of fear and I think Rachael Hutchins I've talked about in previous episodes, I know my decisions were rooted in fear. And so the ways that we can alleviate that is informed decisions, you know, and doing the research and asking the questions, and finding the providers who will listen to you and provide some of those answers to the viewer because it is unknown, I mean birth is, it can be unpredictable we've talked about this with you know we still crave birth plans even though it's unpredictable, but it's how do we combat that fear.

28:42

Well I'm I think in that vein, Rachel, I've got a question for you to maybe answer, and that I get as a doula when when clients are considering home birth is like, what if we choose home birth and something arises, that wasn't, you know your low risk but at the birth, you know, things go a little sideways.

29:07

Yeah. So, I always say that that's absolutely a possibility. First of all, I don't talk anybody out of that scenario, because it is a real thing, when you're dealing with life and death. It's a reality. So, the but the real, the other reality is that it is extremely rare, that it is a crisis. So most transports are first time moms who are just having a really long labor and not dilating and they've been up all night, they're tired, the more tired they are, the more it hurts, and it just becomes a cycle like that it almost becomes to a point where it's just inhumane, not to have some kind of relief when you know you can, You know it gets into a whole nother aspect of like you, you've worked harder than most women who actually have their baby at home you have nothing to feel guilty about. And now you just need an epidural and a nap. Back to bringing home. Thank God we have medical care when we need it we just don't often do so in these situations, it's so welcome, because most moms will go in there and get an epidural and a nap and that will help them finish up dilating and they can still have a vaginal birth, which is the next best thing to not being able to have the home birth to being able to have the vaginal birth because that's still ultimately healthier than having to have the C section if it can be avoided for not only immediate postpartum. But for long term healing and then, you know, If you've had a C section, then you have to wonder, Is your body capable. If you've had a C section you have to wonder about the safety of VBAC and all of that so again if we can get through with even imaginal birth, that's a victory. But I always say to, if you need to go to the hospital. I'm going to be the first one to take you because I have a family who I adore, much more than I adore you or your baby. And so I'm not trying to let anything happen to either one of you because that affects my life.

31:30

Yeah and I think that's important for people to hear when they're considering home birth is to hear about the, the true numbers as far as the, the safety and risk, and in the, the, the events that usually do lead to a transfer, and what that looks like and they're usually not emergent and that they truly emergent events or even, like, they're more rare, and that you're you have a priority over you're protecting yourself and your client. And that hearing that and understanding, you know, I think when people don't hear that it's easier to look from the outside and and think that, Oh, that's not for me. And then reminding people that there's, there's risk everywhere right when you give birth in a hospital, it has inherent risks too it's not like a gold standard for like yeah, you're gonna for sure have a safe birth so

32:18

the other thing I really like to tell people because the two biggest concern at. Usually when someone comes in for a consultation is, what if the baby is not breathing when they're born. And what if I bleed too much. And again I go back to saying that your nutrition is everything when it comes to preventing any kind of complication prenatally during the birth and postpartum so that's number one. Number two, if for some reason you are bleeding too much, then we have emergency medication that is exactly the same protocol, they will do so in the hospital, and also other herbs that we try to stop the bleed. The other thing is, it's very rare, like, very rare that anybody is going to bleed, so much in an amount of time that you couldn't safely get to a hospital while also doing emergency measures. If necessary, but again, that stuff is so rare, and I think so. Just having people understand that component. And then as far as babies ago most home birth midwives are certified in neonatal resuscitation and that class is something that we are required to recertify every two years, I actually just finished recertifying mine, and we take the same course that they take in a hospital setting, it's exactly the same course. And what I really love about that book is that on page one, they'll tell you that 90% of all babies born are going to be born without needing any kind of help. They're just going to be born, and they're going to come out and start crying. No problem at all. And only 10% of babies will need any kind of stimulation or resuscitation so that means, 10%, like rubbing up the baby's spine or using the bulb syringe to suction out any mucus that might be superficially in the mouth and nose, only 1% of that 10% will ever need anything more than that, meaning bag and mask or medications, things like that. But if you have a baby that needs help. The main thing to know is the only thing that babies want to do is breathe and when you ventilate their lungs. It's usually going to be okay and so most midwives carry bag and mask as well as part of their equipment, in case they need to take it to that next level. But what I really love and what I think is the treasure in this book when I say that 90% of all babies are born not needing any kind of resuscitation. That means all babies born to diabetic mothers severely preeclamptic mothers advanced maternal age mothers meconium aspirated mothers. All of those factors and still 90% of babies are born breathing perfectly fine making that transition on their own mother's given epidurals mother given C sections mother's given narcotics. Imagine how much lower that number has to drop when none of those interventions are happening in a home setting.

35:59

That's really important for people to hear that. Yeah, that's significant and again I think people focus on that, the smaller percentage because those are the stories that are always circulated as far as the bad outcomes and that those numbers don't lie. And

36:16

I hate to interrupt but while I'm at it, it's like when you say what if I mean I have to drive this home because this goes into my life coaching stuff and the reconnected to life but it's so important across the board. What if this happens, what if this terrible things thing happens, when did we start making that our starting point for things versus what if it's a magical like variance. What if it changes my whole life for the better. What if my baby is so respected and cared for in the process that she's peaceful. What if we get to have this bonding experience, and it sets the stage for every decision I make, as far as she's concerned in a positive way.

37:10

I think that's where it starts, Rachel, I think that's where it has to start is flipping the script on that question that we are all probably guilty of, what if this bad thing happens,

37:21

it's that fear, it goes back to that fear that's exactly what you were saying,

37:26

you know, it's the what if but what if it's more than you could have ever imagined and beautiful. More beautiful than you

37:31

could have and I think the what if it's magical and empowering and amazing and healthy and satisfying is a better thing that we should aim for and that that is worth any amount of risk. Like any amount like the, it's worth the low risk, right, of choosing it for sure. And I think that is a flipping the script moment that I think is the best

37:54

thing I want people to hear nothing in our life comes without risk nothing, right. Mm hmm. Rachel That's so good. I know, I love it. I have so many.

0:00

notes written,

0:01

and you know keep going and keep going, Rachel, keep going because I you know one thing I wanted to get into is this, and you probably touched on it here and there but some of those. I now call it misconceptions of homebirth, but like parents coming to you, what are some of the stuff that you hear because now it seems like that, you kind of just answered that like well what if, you know, but what are some of those things that you do wish people kind of knew about home birth or is there anything else that we haven't mentioned that you're like you know what I do you wish people knew this about home birth.

0:47

I wish people knew, I covered a lot of, I think the physiologic stuff, and the fear based stuff of what if, and it's true, there are situations that you would be better off in a hospital setting, you know, and that said, in our informed consent agreement. But the risk is very low and I wish people spent more time thinking what if I wish people spent more time, like, imagining their children being around to witness how normal birth is so that when your daughter watches you give birth, you have just created a whole blueprint for how her life is going to go as it relates to pregnancy and her own body. I wish you knew how important what you do, will change generations. The ripple effect. Yeah. I mean, for sure. I just that's so beautiful. It's so beautiful.

1:59

Well Rachel, what do you think, Gosh, you've given so many great tips and now I'm birthing people, I mean we have that like self determination, taking responsibility, asking the right what if questions like flipping the script on that. Seeing that bigger picture, asking questions, asking

2:20

question remains whether you're in a hospital setting or a home birth setting, because I have moms that want home births, and then they have other family members who are against it. And I know they're against it because they're just an educated because when you are an educated, there wouldn't be any reason to be against it. So, I always invite them in. Your mom wants to come, your dad, your cousin's. Hey, come on and let's all have a discussion because I know I can answer those questions. And what I will say when it comes to comparing hospital to home birth is that there's not even a comparison. You asked any OB nurse. Even midwife. How often do they actually get to see a intervention free physiologic birth. I want to know what the percentage of that is, you know, I would say low, low, and in which case, it's what we do has nothing to do with what they do. So you cannot compare it, because all of this is coming from the idea that your body is already perfectly designed to do it. You're only hiring me for anything that there is outside the realm of normal we are experts in normal birth, and if anything goes off the rails from that, then we're going to the hospital because that's when we need our partners. What we really wish would be our partners in a medical community, so that we can make a smooth transition and a mom can get the care that they need, when it veers outside the realm of normal.

4:19

And that's it. I love that you put that there because it. I do hate the connotation Society of, oh, I had a hospital birth because Bo and I had a home birth because you know it can be that it can feel so divisive, I mean Lord knows we don't need any more of that in society but like I do love that there is that working relationship and that you were doing something different than what I am doing because you know hospital birth is trained in a different manner and a different way to treat birth but it doesn't mean that it has to be negative, you know, and it doesn't have to be so me versus them thing, but it's really looking at that normal physiological birth and this is a safe route to do it.

5:02

If people will ask questions and questioning in the hospital setting is, it can be in any setting can be intimidating because you think that you're in the presence of the expert. And so what right do you have my daughter and she's not pregnant, but she has. She's on a birth control type, and she was 19 she lives outside the house, and she has Medicaid for herself, and she was having lots of bleeding. With this implant. And the way that she was treated because I did not go with her to that appointment. The first appointment that is, she literally said they don't care, they just want me to shut up. I've heard that my office. The next appointment I went to Mama Bear, friends and treatment was night and day because she knew that the nurse practitioner knew, I knew what she was talking about. So the game changes when you go in, educated, and also questioning the process, the system, demanding answers that make you feel okay with the course of action. And that's what I say about home birth or hospital. If somebody is not 100% about home birth, they shouldn't be having a home birth, because I'm not here to talk anybody into home birth right. It used to be 100% about whatever decision you make.

6:41

That's, that's right. That's 100% right. Rachel, I have a question for you, sort of something that you could think of, regarding something like you do at a home birth that people may not know about, like something that happens that either isn't glamorous but that is makes a difference, or that you know just isn't as talked about right. Is there anything because I know from my experience, like I was blown away by some of the things you guys did so would you share something that you think might inform someone else.

7:16

Well, I would love to hear what you were blown away by but the thing, the thing that I'm so proud of and it's such a weird little thing but I'm kind of an OCD type. So, I don't, I like in my house for everything to be put in its place. And so it for me. My, I'm always like playing a little game with myself not to get a drop of blood anywhere off a little pad, or if I'm inspecting the placenta, basically, I want it to look like the birth, never happened. So that when the family comes in, you know, it's not like because there's a perception of that too, like, Oh, what do you do with all the blood, but is it like a, you know crime scene. Yeah, and it's really not you know we have our moms get shower curtain liners, which is just a perfect plastic drop, and then we use the chuck pads, and really, everything can be caught on that and bundled up and thrown in the trash, and it looks like it never happened. So I pride myself on not having any evidence.

8:36

The baby, except baby is proof of birth. Yeah, my own. That is so funny because it's like we were destined for each other before I knew that about you. Because I was like, This sounds like Rachael Hutchins, how I keep my home, but that is a thing that I was tremendously impressed by, and it is, you make it look like nothing happened but the reality is a lot happened, and your, your diligence with the checks pads I mean so I have white bedding, I have white. I have white rugs in my bathroom like and I was just like, Whatever, I'll, it's all replaceable and clean up I wasn't like worried about it. Yeah, but like the care you took and so like before I knew it I mean I'm birth is over I'm nursing my baby in the bed I'm like in that you know you forward, I don't really notice what's happening around me but before I know it. It is like nothing happened my entire spaces cleaned up their stuff because they come in with stuff like they've got, you've got all kinds of stuff to take care of me during birth, and all of that's packed up and they're doing it very quietly, and, like, no disruption and just like they take care they cleaned me, They made sure I was taking care of the, they're not focused on cleaning the baby, not that that part but like the room and me and that sort of like care so that when you're done you can really rest and relax. Even my husband was able to rest and relax because we didn't have to do all that work, they help drain the tub, they helped just and the ease of which it was done, and it wasn't a first and I don't know I just think that's one of the things people, I hear a lot like Oh god, I hear the crime scene comment a lot, and I hate even repeating it because I feel like it just perpetuates a negative connotation but it is not that at all. And it is simple, you know, it was like when I lay it around, they follow Me with all Chuck's pads and

10:41

I love it, but this is the stuff that people want to hear, like, oh, I never really thought about that or that meticulous but that care that preparation that knowledge of, well this is what can help.

10:54

Yeah, and she loaded us up with all the things like told us all the things we needed to have to make all that easier like, you know, I bought cheap towels from Walmart, that could have been either either washed or disposed to, you know like you had them all in bags so they stayed clean and

11:10

right we give you a supply list so whenever anybody new starts, we have a binder full of information that we give them, as well as that list and so that's stuff that you can normally just gather from your home towels and wash clubs and mirror shower curtain liner, things like that and we have you have it set up at 36 weeks so in case you go into labor early, then all that stuff is there and ready to go.

11:41

Yep, So cool, I love it and then for to sort of round out this bit of our episode would you like to share any of your favorite pregnancy expecting mama resources that we could link in the notes for our listeners. Sure. So,

11:58

again, at the first visit, when somebody first starts with our practice we give them not binder full of information we also give them the mom unnatural book so it's the mom unnatural week by week guide to pregnancy and childbirth by Genevieve Howland. Yes, so good. Oh yeah, I love this book because it does not fit, it's more naturally minded, but it does not shy away from any thing that would be happening if you chose a hospital setting, so it goes, it gives information about the different types of midwives, it gives different information about the different places you may choose to give birth, but ultimately it's about you taking your health into your own hands, your own education so that you know the difference between your hospital care in the home care what kind of test would be run at any particular time in your pregnancy but it also has really awesome recipes as well at the end of each chapter so I love that. And then in times of COVID There's plenty of people that are wary about going into childbirth education classes you know with a group of people so she also offers an online childbirth education class and lots of my clients have taken it and really enjoyed that and then they have been able to get their education in the comfort of their own home, so it's been a really nice resource.

13:31

That's great. We'll be sure to add that information to our notes so that the listeners can have that I have the mama natural book. I use it, and refer to it and share it with my clients as well so that's a great one. I know I have lots of moms that use it too. So,

13:49

I don't know today's interview has been really really good. I have so many notes I hope everybody listening, has taken notes as well too, because there's just lots of good things that you went over today. And if anybody,

14:03

even if you're not having a home birth, we have lots of information on our website for pregnant women, even chiropractor recommendations pediatrician recommendations waterbirth pool recommendations. So we're at WWW dot birthing way.com And we also have a Facebook group that's open to the public, which is birthing way, families, and then we are on Instagram as birthing way midwifery as well.

14:36

Well there you go, I was just about to ask that you knew. So yes, we're gonna link all of those things in the show notes as well to make it easy, but I thank you so much for coming on today and sharing my personal vulnerable parts of you but also spreading that knowledge that you have because this is so so important. So, talk about it for like eight hours straight. I know we got to rein it in.

15:04

I am refraining I am holding back over here, I'm like, I have so but this has been just such a gift, and I'm so grateful for your time, Rachel and your service in our community and for all the birthing people you've served like forever grateful.

15:20

And I'm so happy to do it and I am grateful for all the services that you all provide because it's just like creating this little holistic community all the things that these part of being mamas need with the type of love and energy they need as well is really important. Oh, thank you.

15:40

I agree, I agree. So again, thank you so much for coming on today, and I'm so excited just to kind of preview part two of our interview for diving more deeply into how you help with self care, and taking care of ourselves first to help us be the best people we can be so stay tuned for part two of our interview.

Keywords:

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