Description:
In this episode, Sarah Elizabeth talks about the importance of trusting your body, having self-confidence and always speaking up for yourself to ensure your needs are met and honored throughout your pregnancy, labor, and birth. She also emphasized the importance of doing your own research and reaching out to your support network.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only with no intention of giving or replacing any medical advice. I, Kiona Nessenbaum, am not a licensed medical professional. All advice that is given on the podcast is from the personal experience of the storytellers. All medical or health-related questions should be directed to your licensed provider.
Resources:
- The Art Of Self-Confidence Podcast-Sarah Elizabeth Harrigan
- Driver’s Seat Moms Podcast-Taylor Nosakhere
- Calling in “The One”– Katherine Woodward Thomas
- PICO: Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System
Definitions:
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Transcription of Episode 37:
[00:00:00] Kiona: Hello, and welcome to Birth As We Know It. I am your podcast host, Kiona Nessenbaum. I have experienced birth as a doula, a student midwife, and as a mother of three amazing children with my husband and high school sweetheart by my side. After attending over 130 births, including my own, I’ve realized that each birth experience is truly unique.
So make sure you subscribe and join me every week as we are guided through many different birth experiences through the lens of the storyteller. Please be aware that some of the stories can be triggering to hear, so feel free to pause, take a breath, and come back and listen whenever you’re ready. With that said, let’s prep ourselves to dive deep and get detailed about what really happens in the birth space.
As a reminder, this podcast is intended for educational purposes only, and has no intention of giving or replacing any medical advice. All advice that is given on the podcast is from the personal experiences of the storytellers. All medical or health related questions should be directed to your licensed provider.
Before we dive deep into this episode, I would love to read another review for the podcast with you. This review is written by Kendra Buchholz, and it is titled “Love this podcast!” With a rating of five stars. She writes “I love the safe space for everyone to share their stories and the openness of each person being interviewed to share any information that might help others through their pregnancy journeys.”
Kendra, thank you so much for writing this review. You are episode 10 of this podcast, and I am truly thankful and honored that you shared your story and for writing this review so that people are aware of how you truly feel. Thank you so much.
And for you who is listening to this podcast right now, it would be great for you to leave a review as well. That way, when people come and look at the podcast, they can go down to the reviews and see how it’s impacting you and how you feel about the podcast. It’s one of the only ways that we can create a really strong community and connection on this virtual platform. All right. Let’s dive into the episode.
Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Birth As We Know It podcast. Today, I’m excited to be interviewing Sarah Elizabeth Harrigan who is the mother to an eight week old daughter. And I am super excited to get into the details of this. Sarah, you are currently practicing as a life coach with a focus on confidence. So, that’s super great. And I think it’s definitely needed. So welcome to the podcast.
[00:02:42] Sarah: All right. Thank you So, much for having me, Kiona.
[00:02:44] Kiona: Yeah. So let’s go ahead and just start off by you telling us a little bit about yourself and who’s in your family.
[00:02:51] Sarah: Oh, awesome. So, uh, again, my name is Sarah Elizabeth Harrigan. I’m originally from the British Virgin Islands and I am currently in Virginia, where I had my daughter. in my family, immediate family, it’s me, my daughter, and my partner. And outside of that, I come from a family of six. I’m the eldest of four girls.
And, my dad’s side of the family is big. My mom’s side of the family is big. So I always wanted a nice little tribe of children, I would say.
[00:03:19] Kiona: Heh I love that I love the term tribe of children because it’s just exactly what it is. It’s like your little tribe, you know,
[00:03:26] Sarah: Yes
[00:03:28] Kiona: That’s great. I love that. Before we dive into the specifics of your daughter’s birth, let’s talk a little bit about, your conception process.
[00:03:36] Sarah: Hmm. My conception process. That’s such an interesting question. So, all right, I guess
I’ll give a little detail. so like I said, I’m from the Virgin Islands. I actually lived in
New York post graduation, from 2010 to 2018.
And that was the first year I did a vision board and I got really clear that I want to live on an island, even though I’m from an island.
I was like, I want to go live on an island.
And that’s when I found, life coaching. And probably about… A little less than a year later, I moved to the Virgin Islands in 2019, and as we all know, COVID happened in 2020. The world kind of got shut down. And in that process, I was actually dating someone, who’s also big on family.
And we talked about having kids together and it was very like, okay, I think I should take my IUD out and prepare for a baby. So I went and I spoke to my doctor and she let me know what the process would be. And then in 2022, I decided to take my IUD out, and uh, that was probably like May, and then June, I turned 33, and on my birthday, my friend invited me back to New York, bought my ticket, I flew back, packed up my whole life in a week, and that was July, by August, I had moved to Baltimore with another friend and I was reading a book called “Calling in the One” at that time and it’s all about calling in your partner.
[00:04:59] Kiona: hmm. Mm
[00:05:00] Sarah: In the process of reading that book, you actually get very clear on the attributes of yourself that need to match this person that you want to call in. And I set a date to call this person in by October 1st. I’m on Bumble. I’m swiping. I meet this man on September 30th. We went on our first date on October 1st and by December I want to say about Christmastime, is when we can conceived And I don’t know if we had a we didn’t have a plan to get pregnant but we both agreed that we wanted to be pregnant and that we wanted to have a child and That’s where we were in our lives and he’s about 19 years older than me has an 18 year old son, but he felt like, you know, I want to have another child.
I didn’t get to have one. And I’m like, well, I’m ready to have my first. and so, you know, being very active, very in love, very, you know, having fun in the first couple of months of meeting each other, that’s exactly what happened. So in January I, went to the hospital to have a pregnancy test. And that’s when I found out that I was about five weeks pregnant.
[00:06:05] Kiona: Nice. That is a journey. And I love that a lot of that journey isn’t just the physical side, you know, it’s the emotional preparation for, welcoming this being into your body. I love that. I absolutely love that. That’s a very, I’m a very spiritual person. And so I love that you brought that aspect in.
[00:06:25] Sarah: Yeah.
[00:06:26] Kiona: I love that so much. That is beautiful. And you referring to the book, calling in the one that’s super cool that you set a date and lo and behold, here comes the one on October 1st, you know, it’s all about manifesting and really bringing in that energy to open yourself and be vulnerable to that kind of, that kind of transition or that kind of change in your life.
So
[00:06:52] Sarah: It was a lot of surrendering, I will say, which I’ve, I continue to learn that that has a lot to do with manifesting anything, like really just surrendering to the universe and just being like, this is what I want, I have no idea how it’s gonna look. kind of like what we shared in the beginning, before we started recording, you were sharing that you had your kids pretty young, which doesn’t sound like it was planned, you know? But you kind of say, well, if this is for me right now, let’s do it, let’s embody it, let’s embrace it, and see how it turns out.
[00:07:21] Kiona: Exactly, yeah. Exactly. And it’s like, I love that you also use the word surrender, because you really… It’s so much healthier to do it that way, because if you try to control all the aspects of it, it’s not happening. And if it does, it’s not happening the way that is healthiest for you, because you’re hanging on to these little things that you feel are important, when they’re not. Does that make sense?
[00:07:48] Sarah: Absolutely. Trust me, as someone who grew up in a family where my parents were married before they had me, you know, I had a whole idea of what my life would look like and how it would go and what the steps would be. And this isn’t necessarily what that looked like at all. You know, we got pregnant, I think, two and a half months after meeting each other and had a baby within a year of knowing each other. We both look at each other now, we’re like, we had a baby within a year. And I’m like, yeah. That’s exactly what happened, you know, so
[00:08:15] Kiona: Mm. Mm
[00:08:16] Sarah: obviously I wish sometimes, I won’t say I wish it was different, but I do think like the vision that I had for my life, you know, if I was very attached to that, this would be a very devastating experience.
But because I’m very much trusting that things happen the way they’re supposed to, it was like, okay, let’s just allow it. And I think that’s very important, especially when you want to get pregnant, you know?
[00:08:38] Kiona: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. It’s just taking that step back and allowing it and not looking at it as something that’s traumatizing because your vision or your life, the way that you expected your life to be isn’t as is, you know, and I don’t know about you, but for me, when I became a mother, it opened my eyes so much more to the purpose of what life has in store. And so that vision that I had prior to having kids. Doesn’t necessarily align with me anymore because my vision includes my babies now.
[00:09:11] Sarah: Right, Right, absolutely. Absolutely. It’s funny when I think of the vision board that I created, I didn’t even have babies on there. I had like career on there and relationship on there and traveling, but at the core, I wanted kids, you know? So it’s crazy how, especially in a society where we’re so conditioned to work and to focus on material things, like sometimes we eliminate or don’t include the things that we truly want.
And for me, every time I look at her, I’m just
like, oh my god, I’m So. happy you’re here. Like,
[00:09:40] Kiona: yes.
Yeah, 100%. Like, you know, sometimes the unexpected is exactly what you need.
[00:09:46] Sarah: Hmm, yes.
[00:09:49] Kiona: Yeah.
Awesome. So we know that, you conceived in such a short amount of time. So let us know about how you felt when you actually found out you were pregnant. Were you scared? Were you surprised? Were you happy? Like, tell me all the things.
[00:10:04] Sarah: Ooh, I was, hmm, it’s interesting. I want to say I was not surprised and I was surprised. So what I would say is I was not surprised because I know my flow and my monthly and when it comes I never miss it. So I’m like, okay, she hasn’t been here for like a month and a half or so, two months, so obviously something’s going on. But then at the same time when I actually got the results, I went to the hospital so it was like a, a urine test. And they call you back and let you know, this is how many weeks you are. And I literally just sat in the car and I was like, Oh my God, this is happening right now. and my partner, he was like, “I already knew”.
He was like, I knew you were pregnant. I also knew it was a girl. Like, he knew from the beginning that it was a girl. Cause that’s what he wanted. So I guess his intentions were so strong around the sex of the baby. Like, he knew from then.
So yeah, so there’s a little bit of surprise, but then at the same time, like, okay, we’re doing this.and then there also was a little bit of, okay, I’m not married, like, it’s supposed to be this way. And there was a lot of conversation with him, specifically him just grounding me, like, yo, we’re co creating, I need you to be at peace. I need you to just trust that this is the right thing, that we’re supposed to be doing this right now.
And I’m grateful for a lot of that conversation because there was a lot of back and forth in the beginning of the pregnancy, like, should I be doing this? Should I not be doing this? Our relationship isn’t perfect, all these questioning. So, yeah, that’s what it was like to find out that I was pregnant.
[00:11:32] Kiona: Yeah, yeah. And I love that in that moment you had a partner, and maybe the age gap is actually helpful here, you know, for him to bring in some wisdom of the 19 additional years of like having gone through this at least one time before. And saying, Hey, we are co creating the energy that you are carrying is going and feeding into this baby.
So let’s, let’s go with the flow. Let’s kind of feel it out and let’s, you know, take a breath. Let’s meet each other where we need to meet each other and be strong in that. So I, I appreciate that. I think that’s really awesome.
[00:12:07] Sarah: Me too. Me too.
[00:12:09] Kiona: Yeah. So throughout your pregnancy, did you have any specific, health concerns or any cravings or even just anything that stuck out to you that seemed a little concerning or not?
[00:12:22] Sarah: Okay, so, first trimester, second trimester, uh, and most of the third trimester, I had no cravings, which is the one thing that everyone tells you about, you gotta have cravings. I was like, where are the cravings? Where are they? I didn’t have any cravings, I didn’t have any health concerns I did experience, what was it called?
Uh, lightning shock at some point?
[00:12:43] Kiona: Lightning crotch?
[00:12:44] Sarah: I, Lightning crotch. Yes. I did experience that. That was like, I think it lasted probably like two weeks. I was like, what the hell is this?
[00:12:52] Kiona: Right.
[00:12:53] Sarah: I was like, everyone talked about cravings. No one talked about lightning crotch. Thanks a lot.
[00:12:57] Kiona: Mm hmm.
[00:12:58] Sarah: And then in my third trimester I did, I did establish preeclampsia.
[00:13:03] Kiona: Mm
[00:13:04] Sarah: So that was very scary. just like seeing my blood pressure go so high. I’ve never experienced that before. and I will say that it is a result of some extenuating things that were happening in my relationship at the time. So, the beginning was very peaceful, very calming, very co creating. And then it got a little stressful at the, at the third trimester.
so I, I got preeclampsia and I think when I found out, this was like 35 weeks. And it was about like 154 over 86 or something like that. And they were like, we want to take the baby out. And I’m like, what the, what? And I was like an hour, an hour and a half away from the hospital that I planned to deliver at.
My partner wasn’t there when they were saying all of this. So I literally had to call my mom in the Virgin Islands and I was like, this is what’s happening right now, what should I do? And she calmed me down, he calmed me down, but preeclampsia was scary as F. I don’t think I was scared for myself, but I was scared for the implications on her inside of me.
[00:14:10] Kiona: Yeah. that’s huge because preeclampsia is very, very serious and I will say everybody, I would like to say everybody because I feel like it’s very rare for it not to happen.
As soon as they are aware that preeclampsia is there, that is the first thing that they say is that it would be safer for baby to be on the outside. So let’s figure out a plan on how to make that happen. so when you did find out about the preeclampsia and you talked to your mother and your partner, what were the next steps after that? Like, what happened? What decisions were made?
[00:14:44] Sarah: Well, my choice was to trust my body and trust myself and to just go on bed rest for a bit instead of delivering because I had been really active my entire pregnancy.
[00:14:55] Kiona: Mm
[00:14:56] Sarah: so I chose to trust my body and, really just look into what are some natural remedies to have this. Kind of even out come back down and my mom recommended hibiscus tea.
So I was drinking that every single day And then my partner had to go into “caring for me” mode. I’m very much like I like to care for my partner I love to cook I love to take care of the home and that just like completely switched once we find out that I have preeclampsia and My mom’s advice was you know, just try to make it to 38 weeks I don’t know if you can, but do your best to get to 38 weeks.
And I also reached out to, a friend that is a doctor in Jamaica, because there’s a big difference in what happens in the U. S. medical industry versus what happens in other countries.
[00:15:41] Kiona: Absolutely.
[00:15:43] Sarah: and I was fully aware of that, so I knew that, yes, this is their advice to deliver, but I’m also aware of this is also the medical industry in the United States.
There’s usually another, thought process that they’re having, another agenda, which is… That’s their choice, but I wanted to make sure that my baby was as developed as possible. so I just spoke to a friend in Jamaica and she was like, Hey, this is what we would do if you were here in the islands.
and she gave me her advice on that. It was definitely rest. It was definitely, tap into some more, healthier foods, the teas, etc. And, and wait it out. So, I sent her all of my, like, medical diagnosis, all of my tests, all that. And she was like, yo, just, just rest for a little bit. That’s it. And that’s what I decided to do.
[00:16:26] Kiona: That’s awesome. I think that it’s great that you had the ability to have additional resources, you know, outside of just your primary provider. and the reason why I say that is because the person that you actually reached out to was a doctor somewhere else, which is So, important to have that second opinion from someone else who’s also experienced just in a different area, of the world.
So I think that that’s really, really awesome. And was there anything that your team here in the States had given you, like any specific medications to take or anything like that? Or did they make you sign anything like a form, like against medical advice form, for going home?
[00:17:04] Sarah: No. So, interestingly enough, and that’s what stood out to me and my friend in Jamaica was like, did they, like, suggest anything before delivery? And I was like, no, they just immediately said, we want to deliver you today.
And for me, like, I went into a crying fit. I’m very, like usually a very calm person, but, one, it’s my first pregnancy. Two, you know, they talked a lot about the implications on my child. so I was just, like, I was, like, crying. I was like, you want me to have a baby right now? This is not the plan. Of course, I had a birthing plan in mind.
I was like, this is not the plan. but what really stood out to me as I was crying, but I’m also thinking about myself and my body, and I’m like, How come there isn’t like something in the middle like this is where you are right now. This is what we would suggest and then we can check back in there was nothing in the middle And I thought that that was just odd to me So short answer to your question is no, there was no recommendation of medication or anything like that
[00:17:57] Kiona: Yeah, that’s also very interesting to me as well because, okay, a couple of things come into mind for me. the preeclampsia must not have been severe enough for the absolute need for a baby to come out immediately if they didn’t offer you anything and if they let you go home. and then the other side of this, my mind, you know, both of us are women of color, so it makes me think of the. potential discriminatory actions or suggestions that you were given for being a person of color to try to make it easier on them to be able to be like, all right, come on, let’s just get you into surgery, get this baby out or start this induction process to get this baby out as early as you were. Cause you said you were 34 weeks,
[00:18:45] Sarah: 35 weeks when found
[00:18:47] Kiona: 35 weeks. Yeah. Which is early. so interesting.
[00:18:52] Sarah: Oh yeah, trust me, the skin color thing, the skin color race, I think it’s skin color because we’re humans and we’re both spiritual, so we both understand that, but, you know, my entire pregnancy, my mom was like sending me articles of this is what’s happening, you need to be careful, and I’m like, okay, I got it, but what’s interesting I had a Check, a check in, like a 34 week check in or something, and my pressure was high that day.
So they sent me to the adjoining hospital, and I got some tests done that night. And that night is when a doctor that looks like us came in, and I was like, oh my god, I’m so happy to see you, you look like me, da da da. But then when they said that I had preeclampsia, her recommendation was just like everyone else’s.
So while I was all excited, we have the same, we come from the same race, it was just like, hey, this is the medical advice that her entire team and hospital, that’s what they give. So just because we have the same color, race, that doesn’t really necessarily make a difference because for legal reasons, They have to have one message, one accord, no one can switch from that.
And so, while I was like, oh, let me call my doctor, let me do, it was just like, you’re getting the same message, no matter who I spoke to and that’s why I had to reach out to that friend outside of the country because I recognized that they were all on one accord and it wasn’t my accord, you know.
[00:20:11] Kiona: Yeah, yeah, and I think that that’s a good point, because there are also a lot of people. That are of color that are going through the medical system training in order to become doctors and support people in their community and have someone that looks like them in the spaces where they’re needed.
They are still getting the same training. They are still under the same, like policies, procedures and protocols. And then they put themselves at risk when even if they know.
This isn’t necessarily the best thing for this individual right now. I still have to follow procedure. I still have to do these things, but I feel like
the part where they’re kind of stuck is, at that point, they may just have to do their best within their parameters to support that person.
You know? Which is challenging. It’s really challenging.
Because I can tell you it would probably be really quick for a doctor of color to lose their license if they went against protocol.
[00:21:10] Sarah: Absolutely.
[00:21:11] Kiona: So, yeah. I feel you on that. And I feel the complications that arise from the provider. And the, just the struggle of emotions with you being in the seat of being told what advice it is. And then, Again, I really appreciate your friend and doctor over there in Jamaica, like, if you’re like, girl, just get some rest, please.
[00:21:32] Sarah: That’s exactly what it was. That’s exactly what it was. So, yeah, it was really, it’s really interesting like every other day they would call me to like, we’re just checking in and make sure you’re okay. We highly recommend that you come in and deliver today. And eventually I had to tell them like, I appreciate your checking in and at the same time I want you to know that I trust myself and I’m asking you to no longer make that recommendation. If you’re not going to call and really connect with me as the human being versus me as the patient that you give the same diagnosis to and the same instructions to, then I don’t want you to call me.
[00:22:08] Kiona: Yeah. Yeah. That was actually going to be my next question, is I was going to say, how did the providers that gave you the diagnosis of preeclampsia follow up after you went home? Did you do any in person visits prior to giving birth
[00:22:23] Sarah: Uh, in person visits too?
[00:22:25] Kiona: To the providers that diagnosed you with preeclampsia?
[00:22:28] Sarah: Yes. So that, that’s actually how we found out was in person visits. And then they referred me to so I was going to the local, kaiser center here. Kaiser Permanente is the insurance that I have. So I was going to that center and once they found, once they deemed that I had preeclampsia, they sent me to another center which dealt with high risk. so I had seen, I would say, a slew of different doctors and they all gave the same message.
My primary doctor, OBGYN, During my pregnancy was actually African and my mom was like, Oh my God, he’s African. Call him. Let’s see what he says. And we called him and he gave the same thing. My partner was on the line too and he just got so frustrated because he was like, we’re hoping that we could get some guidance that’s in alignment with, a more natural approach.
But again, this isn’t a doula. This isn’t, someone outside of that profession. So I had to just receive what they said. Based on the schooling that they did, the education that they did and not necessarily make them wrong for that.
[00:23:28] Kiona: right. right. Yeah. And that goes back to what I was saying earlier about the complication of needing to follow protocol and fall within specific parameters. and I mean, I will say that they do have these recommendations because preeclampsia is extremely dangerous, but I also am a strong believer in the individual that is carrying the child to be aware of their body and be experts within their body and to know,
like,
Hey, I’m feeling okay.
Like, these are the things that are helping me. Can you be by my side as I do this? Or, Oh my god, I feel like, horrible. What you were saying makes sense now. Like, now I understand. Like, let’s go ahead And take this different direction, you know? And so, I think us being experts in our own bodies should be a strong enough suit for the providers to say, Okay, I’ll follow your lead. but that’s not the case in all circumstances, so…it’s tricky..
[00:24:24] Sarah: Right. definitely wasn’t the case in mine. Yeah. It wasn’t the case in mine and I’m very grateful for my partner again. He just kept reminding me like, hey, you have been great up until this point because you’ve trusted yourself. Don’t let that change because you have new information. And as a new mother. Of course it was scary because I’m like, oh my god, what could happen to my child? so. I am considering what they’re saying, but at the same time having to remind myself like
Trust your body, trust yourself, and see what happens from that point of view. and I will say that every appointment they would ask me like, Are you having these XYZ symptoms of preeclampsia?
And I’m like, no, I’m not having any blurry vision, I’m not having any headaches, I’m not having any of that stuff, the pain on the right side. Like, they kept asking me these things, I’m telling them no, and you’re still like, take the baby out, take the baby out, take the baby out. I’m like, it’s not, what do they say, the math isn’t mathing.
You know
[00:25:16] Kiona: Yeah, yeah.
[00:25:16] Sarah: just ask them.
[00:25:18] Kiona: yeah. it’s not lining up. Yeah, like, it just didn’t. Yeah. You didn’t fit all of the symptoms of preeclampsia outside of the high blood pressure that you were experiencing. Did you continue to have high blood pressure between the initial diagnosis and giving birth?
[00:25:34] Sarah: Oh, absolutely. Yeah. So like I shared, I think that the reason for the preeclampsia was because of the extenuating circumstances, like having difficult conversations in my relationship around that time. and that continued until birth. So that really had my pressure just kind of stay at that level and have days where it would dip and it would look kind of calm. but it continued to just be at that level until, until birth, even when I was in the hospital.
So,
[00:26:02] Kiona: Yeah. So let’s go ahead and navigate in that direction towards birth.
Tell me about what it was like towards the end of your pregnancy when you realized that birth was imminent or labor was imminent.
[00:26:13] Sarah: Hmm. So again, I got the diagnosis at 35 weeks and I did give birth at 38 weeks. So between those two dates, I, that’s when I started to ramp things up in terms of like my baby list. I would like start reaching back out to people. Like you said, you wanted to send me something. This is the perfect time.
I think the baby’s coming. I got her nursery ready in like couple days. I packed my hospital bag. Like, I was doing all the things in a more, I guess, speedier manner. I feel like when you set a date for something and you work backwards, you start to like operate on a different level. So I started to get all that stuff together.
And then, leading up to, I would say, uh, I gave birth on a Saturday, so Thursday and Friday, I measured my pressure and it was high. So Saturday morning, I was like, Okay, I’m gonna call, I’m gonna, I’m gonna read my pressure and if it’s high again, I’m gonna call the hospital. So, I read it and it was high at like 7 o’clock in the morning and I was like, I called the hospital, I was like, this is what my pressure is.
They’re like, okay, we recommend that you come in. Come immediately. And I was like, Okay, I’m going to come around midday. This is seven o’clock in the morning. I’ll come around midday. They’re like, no, you should come right now. And I was like, all right, I’ll be there when I be there. Right? so between that 35 weeks and 38 weeks, I was still like, let’s see how many more days, how many more days can we keep her in there?
so that’s really what the process was like. I wasn’t too excited or scared or anything. I wasn’t trying to rush it. I was just like, let’s take it day by day. So she can have as much time in the oven and come out as full as possible. Mhm,
[00:27:54] Kiona: And I mean, I give you very, very, very. very strong kudos and brownie points or whatever point system you want to go to to doing all the things, listening to your body, getting everything ready, and then actually holding her until 38 weeks. And then you were the one navigating the choices. You were the one with the agency making the decisions and saying, okay, I decide that today I’m 38 weeks. I’m going to go ahead and call and say, Hey, my pressure’s high. Let’s get this thing rolling, you know, on my time still. Cause you tell me to come immediately and I’m like, oh, we ain’t going to rush. We’re going to get there midday, but I know, you know, I’m coming, you know?
[00:28:37] Sarah: Right.
[00:28:38] Kiona: So I, I really, I really like that. And I love the confidence in all of your decisions and knowing that, like, just, you know, listening to your gut, following your intuitions. I really, really love that.
[00:28:49] Sarah: Mhm.
Mhm.
[00:28:50] Kiona: Yeah. So tell me about the next steps when you guys did end up, getting into the hospital and what the admission process was like and all those things.
[00:28:58] Sarah: Okay, so, we ended up, actually getting to the hospital around 3 because we laid in bed for a bit, went to have lunch, and then we finally went to the hospital. So we got there around 3, and the first thing we did was they put me in, like, a receiving room, and Technically, that would be a delivery room if I was giving vaginal birth. So, I got in there, they tested my pressure, they kind of looked at it for a little bit. One of the doctors that I had met throughout my process came in. She was actually Trinidadian and Indian, I think. So it was really like, huh, so cool that this is like aligned, right? So she comes in and she’s basically talking to me about my birth plan and I’m like, well I want to have a vaginal birth and I want the music playing and I want this and this and this And she was like, well based on your blood pressure, like it would make sense to to induce you or have a cesarean labor.
Now, my entire pregnancy, I like avoided reading everything about cesarean because I’m like, that’s not what I want. I’m not even going to put my energy in that direction. But in the back of my mind, I was like mentally, I need to be ready for anything.
So I asked a shit ton of questions and I was like, what would induction look like and I found out in the questioning that induction isn’t like oh you get induced and the baby comes right now Like it’s actually gonna take about 24 to 48 hours and I was just like,
No I was like, that sounds really painful.
And she was like, it actually is painful because we’re actually forcing your body to do what it would do naturally. and she was like, there’s no benefit of keeping the baby in any longer. And I was like, okay. I was like, so, what would that look like? And she was like, well, we could do a cesarean birth and we could just snip you and take her right out.
So, once we’re having this conversation, even though I didn’t want a cesarean, I thought about, well, what’s the point of putting myself through 48 hours of pain potentially to give a vaginal birth because that’s really what I wanted, you know Um, and then there was potential of me even In being induced my pressure going up in that state and then them having to rush and do a cesarean anyways. So it’s like let’s skip all of this stuff that could potentially lead to an emergency situation And we’re going to choose to do a cesarean and we’re going to do that tonight.
So that’s what we ended up doing. So it was technically a planned cesarean, but what’s interesting is, even though it was planned, they started moving as if it was an emergency, and me and my partner both were like, I thought you guys said that there was a difference between emergency and planned. Why are you guys all acting like this is an emergency right now?
And they’re like, well, we need to get it done as soon as possible because there’s other births on the floor. So there was still this sense of franticness that I didn’t want to experience. And I’m very grateful that I always spoke up because the fact that I said that to them had them kind of create a more calm environment.
Instead of running all over the place, everyone started to like move at a slower pace, which had me calm down a bit and really get into this is what we’re about to do.
[00:32:04] Kiona: Mm Yeah, I love that you spoke up for yourself because that self advocacy and the use of your voice is so, so, so powerful, and I love that even though you didn’t do research on Caesarian birth because you’re like, I don’t need that energy, like, that’s not what I want. You were definitely like, okay, let’s be realistic.
This has been tough, this has been rough, you know, these three weeks of constantly kind of fighting battles against not today, I’m not coming in today, not coming in today, you’re exhausted, and so that helps you make the decision of like, do I want to push the energy that I have to go through this induction, even though I really badly want a vaginal birth?
With the possibility of getting a cesarean anyway, based off of how baby responds, based off of how you respond and your body responds to the induction process, you kind of just took all of that out. You took all of the unexpected out and you’re like, you know what? I’m going to make the decision.
And I’m going to say, yeah, let’s go ahead and do the cesarean. And while you’re at it, calm your asses down because I don’t need this energy.
And I, I totally, totally appreciate that and I think it’s important that you mention the difference between an emergency cesarean versus a planned cesarean. My mind, when you said they were still running around frantically, is they were finally like, Oh my god, okay, she said yes, like, let’s, you know, like, oh my god, we got to get this baby out, we’ve been trying to get this baby out for three weeks and, you know, like,
[00:33:33] Sarah: Yep. Yep. You know what’s funny? You just reminded me of something else. So, if you’re listening to this, you may not know, but there’s a bunch of paperwork that happens right when you’re about to give birth in a hospital.
Right? And you’re signing all this stuff. And one of the things that was important to me was to take home my placenta.
[00:33:49] Kiona: Mm hmm. Mm
[00:33:50] Sarah: Very important to me. And throughout my pregnancy, I learned about placenta and what they do with it and how valuable it is, etc, etc. And that was also a piece of paper to sign. And what I recognized happened was they brought all of the other paperwork and I had to ask about three different times to get the placenta paper.
And I was like, Did you recall that we asked for that? And she’s like, oh yeah, we’re gonna bring it, we’re gonna bring it. And they brought everything else. It happened three times. And I was like, we’re not moving out of this room until you bring me that paperwork.
So yes, even though my birth plan didn’t go exactly as I wanted it to, there were particular things that were important to me that I had, one, discussed with my partner, and two, had the capacity to advocate for. And I just feel like… Anyone that is going in to have labor in a traditional sense make sure that that is very clear Like the things are important to you because it’s very easy for it to be stepped over and not be made a priority by the medical staff because That isn’t their priority, you know?
Let’s be honest, it’s not their priority at all, so. Yeah, I reckon the whole franticness definitely was like an easy excuse to be like, Oh, we forgot about that, or it happened too quickly, and I was in the bed breathing, and I was like, No, we’re not moving from here until I get, until I get that paperwork, because I’m taking that home.
[00:35:14] Kiona: Mm hmm. Yeah. I think the advice that you just gave of making sure you know what’s important to you and make sure you keep it at the forefront for you and your partner to advocate for because the priority for the providers isn’t necessarily to give you the ideal birth that you want necessarily. It was proof in your story that your placenta wasn’t their priority because they were like, all right, cesarean birth, let’s get it done. Cause there’s other births happening on this floor. We gotta get you in and out.
[00:35:45] Sarah: Mm hmm, mm
[00:35:46] Kiona: And that is very common. And it’s also understanding for providers, because there’s a limited amount of providers on the floor. I get that. You know, gotta try to see both sides of the coin. But at the same time, your advocacy was like, no, no, no. like, slow your roll a little bit, please.
[00:36:07] Sarah: Yep, yep, yep.
[00:36:08] Kiona: And I love that because from the sounds of it your advocacy made your birth, even though it didn’t go as anticipated, a positive birth experience.
[00:36:16] Sarah: Yeah, I definitely agree with that. Especially living in a world that we manifest what we want, we create our realities. I definitely held that to, the forefront and made sure, yes, all of these different people are involved, but this is still my birth
[00:36:31] Kiona: Mm hmm.
[00:36:32] Sarah: Okay, you guys are players in my story right now and this is how I want it to go.
So, just like you said, even though it could have been, Ah, I’m mad that I’m having a cesarean, and it was like, okay, I’m having a cesarean. At the end of the day, the priority is to have a healthy me and a healthy baby. And we’re gonna do that in the most calming environment possible and that can only happen because I advocated for it.
[00:36:55] Kiona: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. So, did that calming energy kind of follow you into the O. R. when you were getting your cesarean?
[00:37:03] Sarah: Yeah, it absolutely did. I think that set the tone for the anesthesiologist. They were very, I would say very clear,
and they described everything, explained everything very powerfully and
plainly to me. and then, Again, alignment. Every single person in the OR was of color
as
[00:37:22] Kiona: Oh, no, no, they were not. Are you serious? oh my gosh, that is like straight alignment. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cut you off there, but like, that is not common. So, you got lucky.
[00:37:37] Sarah: Yes, I did. I absolutely did and I was like, oh my god, this is my ancestors This is everyone making sure
that I’m good. So the anesthesiologists, there were two of them. One was Caucasian, one was Asian but the actual people that cut me open was the same doctor who was Trinidadian, an African doctor And then the two women supporting them were also of color.
So those four people that cut me open, cleaned me up, did all of that, they were of color. And I was just like, what are the chances? Cause every time I had been to that, medical center, to that hospital, I mostly saw people that didn’t look like me. And then the day I’m in there to deliver, it’s like, where did all these angels come
[00:38:17] Kiona: Yes. Like, honestly, thinking about being in that space full of people of color makes such a difference. Like, I get a little bit of goosebumps. and I’m just like, ooh. Like, I don’t know. What? Like, I don’t know. It just makes me excited. I, I feel excited for you that you got to have that experience and you got to have that connection of like, everything’s lining up and these are my ancestors, baby. Like come, you’re like, welcome to the world surrounded by people that look like you
[00:38:46] Sarah: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. So, I would say that calming energy definitely was there with me. It was very, very powerful to see them. And then they gave me the epidural and I was just like, okay. Experiencing. I didn’t feel anything. and I think they took really good care of me. Even to this day, like, the and I don’t wanna, hopefully I’m not intruding on the questions that you have. But, in terms of my actual cesarean cut, it is so neat. It healed so quickly, and I’m just like, what are the chances?
[00:39:21] Kiona: No. Yeah, I love that. That doesn’t intrude on any questions at all. It’s just, I, I love that for you because not everybody can say that. So,
[00:39:29] Sarah: yeah,
[00:39:30] Kiona: yeah, you were taken care of. That’s great.
So after the birth of your daughter, how was your immediate postpartum, in the hospital? And then also, how was, your recovery once you got home?
[00:39:43] Sarah: So, immediate postpartum I didn’t share this, but she was, she was small, she was four pounds ten ounces. So, initially they brought her to the room, we tried to like, have her latch And all that stuff. But then they recognized, like, her blood sugar was low, so they took her to the, the NICU. So she was there for a full 24 hours, and we got to go see her, which was great.
Had her under the heat lamps, which was crazy. I didn’t even know any of this technology existed, but it’s just, like, really powerful to see that. and then the actual care of me, like… I know this is going to sound crazy, but being pregnant and the aftercare in the hospital is like immaculate. Like, people are taking care of every single thing that you need.
And I was just like, wow, like I need this type of service every day.
[00:40:31] Kiona: Right?
[00:40:34] Sarah: So, shout out to Stafford Hospital, Mary Washington, Stafford Hospital. They did an amazing job of taking care of me. it was the most blissful experience. There are people around the clock, women of, women that, like, all backgrounds, you know. All of them have had children, so we used to have little conversations when they would come into the room.
I think the first night was actually a Jamaican woman, which is, again, alignment. and… So yeah, that was great. Um, then my baby came back, after day two in the, the NICU, and was able to have her there in the room with me, which was really sweet. My partner stayed two nights there as well.
and then when we came home, again, my thought process, and from everyone that I know that talks about cesareans, like, it’s gonna be, you’re gonna be in pain, it’s, you’re not gonna be able to walk, it’s gonna take a long time for it to heal, you’re gonna be bleeding for X amount of time. That wasn’t my experience at all.
I came home and my, there’s this new technology I guess where they actually put something over it that feeds oxygen to it and I had this little battery pack with me the whole time for about a week. So that fed oxygen to the wound the entire time. I literally only bled for maybe, Maybe two weeks. I don’t even think it was that long.
Honestly, probably about 10 days. and I was up and moving, so I was very based on what people had told me and I wouldn’t say what my expectations were because I think information is one thing. Applying it to yourself is a totally different thing. So based on the information that I got, it was like, oh, I’m not having that experience at all.
So my healing process, my aftercare process was actually really, really beautiful.
[00:42:15] Kiona: that’s beautiful. And this technology is intriguing to me. You said there’s this new
technology where they put something over your cesarean, incision and it provides oxygen.
[00:42:26] Sarah: Yes. So it’s called like a pico dressing. So obviously it had the gauze, but then around it was this like plastic, that attached to my skin that kept any liquids out of there. So it kept it very dry. And then in there they had like this little core that went out to the battery pack and that would pump oxygen into it For those couple of days that I had it on and that helped in my opinion probably helped it heal faster as well.
[00:42:55] Kiona: Hmm. Yeah, that sounds like something that would be super beneficial.
[00:42:59] Sarah: Yeah,
[00:42:59] Kiona: that’s super cool. I’m glad that you had access to that technology as well, .
[00:43:03] Sarah: me too.
[00:43:04] Kiona: Yeah. And So it sounds like your, immediate postpartum was great and it kind of just went with the flow. Did you have any additional support people at your home other than your partner?
[00:43:14] Sarah: So my mom and my sister came up from the virgin islands. I want to say In like two weeks after so they had initially booked their ticket for her due date They were gonna get her two days after, she was born supposed to be born. So I told him not to change it I think everything was we’re gonna be fine until you get here So my mom and my sister came up for two weeks and cooked and I would say took care of me But my mom cooked a lot, which is great, and it was just good to see my mom and my sister and to have them love on the new addition to our family.
yeah, so that was the support that we had, and my partner was on paternity leave, for about a month, so he was here with us as Well,
[00:43:55] Kiona: That is beautiful. That is beautiful. I really love that your family came up and cooked for you, and even though you say that they didn’t necessarily take care of you, food is such an important part, so it’s like a godsend, you know? Like, as long as you get me food, you don’t have to rub my back. It’s fine.
[00:44:14] Sarah: Well, somebody else will do that, we’ll take
[00:44:16] Kiona: Right, right.
[00:44:17] Sarah: Mm. hmm.
[00:44:18] Kiona: That’s beautiful. so, after your family left and your partner went back to work, how was that transition with being with babe alone?
[00:44:25] Sarah: Hmm. I would say the transition has been really easy. I mean… First of all, my partner, even though we met a year ago, one, we met when a time in my life where I’d already established myself as a coach. So I had clients and I was already working for myself and working from home. But in addition to that he gave me this environment where I didn’t necessarily have to work. So that was a blessing. Postpartum was very much an extension of that experience where there’s like, no rush to really do anything, just you and baby. I will say that the most challenging aspect has been breastfeeding. I just thought it was like, she comes out, she puts her mouth in a titty, the milk flows, we’re good to go.
That has not been the experience, okay? I have spent so many, appointments with the lactation consultant, and just learning, she’s gonna have to be a certain weight so she has the power to pull down the milk herself. So just be patient. And I’ve had to really learn to be patient with myself, to be patient with the breast milk producing experience.
It’s not the same for everyone. and give myself time, so that has been, I have like three different breast pumps.
[00:45:37] Kiona: hmm. I believe it.
[00:45:41] Sarah: So, so far that has been the most challenging thing. And I’ve actually went from, like I shared before, I love cooking, I love cleaning all that stuff. So I was doing all that before and I have leveled that off where I’m doing less of that and really just focusing on being with her.
[00:45:58] Kiona: Hmm. Mm hmm.
[00:45:59] Sarah: So all I do is pump, feed her, read, go for walks, repeat. Like, that’s it. And for me, I feel like, as a woman, too, I’m in a season of learning about the divine feminine and the divine masculine. It’s like, that’s all we’re supposed to be doing anyways.
[00:46:15] Kiona: hmm. Yeah. it’s, there’s a lot there. And I think that It’s great that you have the opportunity to not have to work and the opportunity to be able to focus solely on your healing postpartum and caring for babe. I think that’s amazing and being able to take that step of hyper focusing on the relationship that you have with your baby and the healing aspect of your body.
I think that’s amazing. And I will also touch on the fact that breastfeeding is not easy. Breastfeeding is not easy. I mentioned this in a previous episode, because breastfeeding isn’t easy, the name of the podcast is Drivers Seat Moms Podcast, and it’s a podcast that’s dedicated to just
moms who really want to be in the driver’s seat of their lives, you know, and making the decisions. And in her first episode, she’s actually interviewing her mother, and her mother is an IBCLC lactation consultant, and she talks about how breastfeeding, yes, is natural, but it’s as natural as walking, not breathing. So, we have to learn how to walk. You know, we have to learn. It takes time. Everybody’s on their own trajectory of when that actually happens and how it happens.
And breathing is natural because we need it for survival. Like, as soon as baby comes out, the first thing they do is breathe, right? So I think that that’s such an important distinction because it just proves that, yes, it is natural, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy.
[00:47:46] Sarah: Yeah.
[00:47:47] Kiona: And so I just really loved that analogy, and I feel like It fits your mold here is like your walking path is different with your little one because she was tiny when she was born, you know, everything about her was tiny, like the size of her mouth, the muscle strength that she had on her tongue, like everything. And so your walking journey, it looks different.
[00:48:06] Sarah: Yeah, Yeah, that’s very, you know, it’s very important that we really focus on that because I think anyone listening to this can really benefit from knowing that your journey will not look like anyone else’s. And, I had my partner and my mom, they may have been being funny, but it was annoying to me to hear someone say like, Did your milk come in yet? You need to be producing more. Like, cause they’re thinking, like you said, it’s natural like oxygen, when it’s actually natural like walking. so grateful for that analogy because her and I both had to learn each other. She had to grow to be able to even pull the milk. And if a baby’s not pulling milk then it’s not producing.
So in me doing my own research so that I could have peace of mind, I’m learning these things and I’m like, Oh, okay. I can take a deep breath right now because there was a period of like, why am I not doing the natural thing? Why is milk not just coming in? And like, I can feed her, you know, so I think it’s very, very great to always empower yourself because what people think is normal may not be normal for you and that is okay.
[00:49:18] Kiona: I 100 percent agree with that because just like everybody has their own conception journey, everyone has their own journey of birthing their child, everyone has their own journey of feeding their child, and everybody has their own journey of how they are emotionally handling being a parent.
You know, there are some people out there that are like, this is way harder than I thought it would be. And then there’s some people that are like, oh, easy peasy, I’m about to have another. You know what I mean
[00:49:44] Sarah: Yes. Yes.
[00:49:45] Kiona: I think it’s important to recognize how wide the spectrum truly is and how everything within that spectrum lies along the line of normal.
They just need different levels of support because what is normal? You know, I have said it multiple times on this podcast, what the hell is normal? Because it’s. I mean, I’d like to say that I’m a normal human being, but somebody might be like, Ooh, she is way too into birth. I don’t know. She might be weird. You know? So yeah, it’s, everybody has their own, own, way of being.
[00:50:18] Sarah: hmm. Absolutely.
[00:50:21] Kiona: Yeah. So let’s talk a little bit about your postpartum now. Like how is breastfeeding going for you now?
[00:50:28] Sarah: So breastfeeding is better. I’m actually not having her on the breasts as much I’m really focused on pumping so I can like get the milk supply up and then as she strengthens Her muscles as well. So I’ll put her on Like maybe once or twice a day and then I’ll pump I have hands free pumps which have been the best investment ever.
so I can walk around and pump at the same time. And I’ve also had to invest in some supplements as well. most recently purchasing legendary milk, which is, I think it’s called, uh, what is it called? Liquid gold is the one that I’m using. so that’s helping as well and so it’s, it’s actually more enjoyable.
I realized that I was using the hands free pump on the highest setting thinking if I like make it pull more that it’ll come and that actually had my nipples like bleeding like oh my god. So then one day I was like how about if I turn it down a little bit and have more of a massaging sensation what would happen?
And it feels so much more enjoyable now.
[00:51:32] Kiona: Yeah. that sounds like it’s a good, good decision to pull back that strength a little bit. And, with you having that feeling of pumping being more enjoyable now, I wouldn’t be surprised if you might actually have a little bit more of a supply,
[00:51:45] Sarah: Mhmm.
[00:51:46] Kiona: Because that oxytocin of the difference of like, Oh my God, let me withstand this so that I can suck out as much to being like okay, I could do this. I could do this. Yeah.
[00:51:55] Sarah: Wow, you just totally, totally, totally. Express my exact situation like oh, I just put them on and be like, oh, oh my god I don’t want to do this. Whereas now I’m like, okay, it’s it’s been two hours Let me go get the pumps and put them on, you know Like I’m excited to produce breast milk for my daughter because we’ve had her on Initially, she was on similac or Enfamil at the hospital Then we got her on similac and then I started reading what’s on the back of similac and I’m like what the hell is in this?
So then we found a UK brand called Kendamil and we tried the goat’s milk one and she’s dealing with like trap gas and that one was terrible for her. So now we’re on By Heart, which is hair made in the US. And so far it’s doing pretty well. So I’m up to like, I would say 50 50 or 60 40 more breast milk than formula.
And I’m moving in the right direction. Like I really want her to be on all breast milk or at least 90 percent breast milk. That would make me really, really happy.
[00:52:58] Kiona: Yeah, yeah, I think that’s great. The part that I think is great is the fact that you tried multiple things. You didn’t limit your, your resources with the kind of formula you weren’t like, okay, the hospital gave us Enfamil, so we’re going to stick with Enfamil, you know? And then you’re like, well, look at Similac.
This is cool. And then you’re like, whoa.
What is that, you know? And yeah, and you did your research and I love that. And I also love that you utilize formulas from different countries. I’ve also heard of other people doing that and it takes a little bit more effort to get sometimes. but when you can and you feel like that’s the one for you, then great. So yeah, trying all the things is 100 percent important. so I love that. Yeah. So I think that we can actually start wrapping this up because your story is amazing and I feel like you just flowed through it so well.
So what is one piece of advice you would give to all pregnant people as they prepare for labor, birth and postpartum?
[00:53:54] Sarah: Mm hmm. Wow, that’s a great question. I would say the one piece of advice is to trust yourself.
[00:54:04] Kiona: Hmm.
[00:54:05] Sarah: Yeah, no one has lived in your body as long as you have. No one has experienced the things that you have with your body. So trusting yourself is major. I think that is what will have you go through pregnancy and really listen to yourself.
It will have you, create a birthing plan that really resonates with you. It will have you be able to advocate for yourself. And it will have you be able to ask for what you need when it comes to support.
[00:54:32] Kiona: Yeah, I, I love that. I love that. And I agree. I think that having that trust in yourself and knowing that you’re the expert within your own body can make a huge difference in how you reach for the resources that are available to you.
[00:54:48] Sarah: Absolutely.
[00:54:50] Kiona: Yeah. My next question is, what is one resource that I can share. with the listeners on your behalf?
[00:54:59] Sarah: Hmm. Well, I do have a podcast. I think that would be great to share. It’s called the art of self confidence.
[00:55:06] Kiona: Mm
[00:55:07] Sarah: Yeah, I think that would be great because I think honestly my life experience of going through not being so confident because of outside feedback, and having to establish my confidence in myself. I think we all go through that in some shape or form and I believe that being confident in yourself is the most powerful thing that you can be. Believing in yourself, believing in what you deserve, being able to express yourself powerfully is like, no one can take that from you.
[00:55:38] Kiona: Yeah, 100%. And where can people find this podcast?
[00:55:42] Sarah: Uh, it’s on Spotify and it’s also shared to all the other platforms like Apple podcasts and google And all those things.
[00:55:50] Kiona: I think that’s a great resource because especially after becoming a parent, having confidence in your ability to parent or having confidence in your ability to be yourself is impacted tremendously. So I think that’s an amazing resource. So my final question for you is if you could describe your birth with one word, what would it be?
[00:56:11] Sarah: Exemplary.
[00:56:13] Kiona: Oh, I love it.
[00:56:17] Sarah: Yeah. It was exactly what it was supposed to be.
[00:56:21] Kiona: That’s great. I love that so much. And I think that that’s amazing. And it just, I just feel the energy as you’re telling me about your story about how much confidence you had in yourself and just the ability that you had to make the decisions and be where you are and end up having this amazing, cute little human being and then working with the flow of all of that, you know, I love that. I love it so much.
[00:56:48] Sarah: Yes. Thank you.
[00:56:50] Kiona: Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Sarah. I’m super excited that I was able to connect with you and to share your story with the world.
[00:57:01] Sarah: Oh, I appreciate it. Thank you for having this wonderful platform and for being what I’d say is a really beautiful being like everything about you is calm and peaceful and inviting. And this has been a very enjoyable conversation.
[00:57:15] Kiona: Thank you. so much. Thank you so much.
[00:57:17] Sarah: You’re welcome.
[00:57:27] Kiona: Y’all when I say something about this interview made my energy just vibe so well, I can’t even describe it. I really, really, truly enjoyed interviewing Sarah Elizabeth for this episode. I learned so much from her story. I learned that everybody makes different decisions throughout their care. I learned that it really makes a difference when there are people that look like you in your space when you’re giving birth. So I’m just so excited that she has such a positive experience, even though it was really stressful and scary at the end with her preeclampsia diagnosis. Sarah Elizabeth. I want to thank you so much because you just have a beautiful soul and I felt it through the screen when I was interviewing you. So thank you so much for just sharing your positive and confident energy with me.
And for those of you who are listening, if you have made it to this point, that means you also enjoyed Sarah story. So leave a review and let everybody else know about how you feel when it comes to the diversity of stories that this podcast brings to the surface.
Next week. I am super excited to share a story from Athena Estelle on the birth of her daughter, Cecilia. Athena is the host of a podcast called, Delivered: finding victory after postpartum depression. In her episode, we talk about the depths of what it was like for her throughout her pregnancy journey, her birth, as well as what she struggled with postpartum, because it was a really long journey to get to where she’s at today. So tune in next week to hear Athena Estelle’s story. It’s one you’re not going to want to miss.
Do you have a birth story or experience you would like to share on the podcast?
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