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A wrong email address reshaped an entire birth story. We sat down with a scientist‑mum whose path wound from Berlin’s buzz to Zurich’s quiet trails, through months of trying to conceive, a surprise double‑line at dawn, and a chance discovery of a birth house (Geburtshaus Zollikerberg, in the Zurich, Switzerland area) that aligned with her values.

What followed was a swift, deeply supported labour: hip squeezes practiced in class, affirmations in the bath at 1 a.m., a midwife’s steady calm when vomiting signalled progress, and a simple mirror that turned confusion into effective pushing. She cut the cord herself, sobbing with relief and power, then nested for two days while the team protected rest, food, and the golden hours.

The fourth trimester told a different story. Low milk supply, jaundice, and weight charts pulled her into relentless pumping and anxiety until a hard pivot to combo feeding brought her baby back to comfort—and brought her back to herself. Then came a quiet miracle: a neighbour and colleague with oversupply left pumped milk in the mailbox three times a day; in return, our guest tucked snacks and fruit into hers. That small, daily exchange felt like rediscovering a village in the middle of a city, a reminder that donor milk, formula, and friendship can coexist to support a thriving baby and a steadier parent.

We also wade into the tender parts most people avoid: how parental leave assumptions clash, why sleep deprivation can unravel even strong bonds, and what repair looks like when you’re still in the thick of it. Between early crawling, stop‑start workouts, and lingering illness, we talk honestly about postpartum depletion and the slow return of identity through help from her mum and the relief of adult conversation at work. If you’re curious about birth houses, hypnobirthing, partner roles in labour, donor milk, combo feeding, or simply how to build a real support system, this story delivers practical insight and hard‑won compassion.

If this resonated, follow and subscribe for more Swiss birth stories of birth stories in Switzerland and expert guidance, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. We’d love to hear your thoughts—tag @SwissBirthStories or send us your story at SwissBirthStories.com.

Resources:

Birth House Zollikerberg, Birth House Zurich, Geburthaus Zollikerberg: https://geburtshaus-zollikerberg.ch/
Lilybee prenatal course: https://www.lilybee.ch/antenatal-classes/

Please connect with us! See below for how to contact and interact with us:

To share your story: https://www.happydayhypnobirthing.ch/swiss-birth-stories

All episodes:

https://swissbirthstories.buzzsprout.com

Our websites:

www.swissbirthstories.com

www.happydayhypnobirthing.ch

www.lilybee.ch

Instagram:

@swissbirthstories

@happy.day.bumps.babes.beyond

@lilybeezurich

Tiktok:

@swissbirthstories

Substack:

https://julianeale.substack.com/

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Johanna's resources (including her website and new podcast) are below this description

The journey to motherhood transforms us in ways we never expect. For Joanna, an Australian expat living in Switzerland, what began as a dream-come-true pregnancy turned into a birth story filled with unexpected twists – from her water breaking in the bath to a husband who wouldn't answer his phone (and was immediately presumed dead), a taxi driver who got lost en route to the hospital, and ultimately, a challenging posterior labor that demanded everything she had. She gave birth at Paracelsus, a unique hospital in Richterswil which unfortunately no longer exists. This is another example of smaller hospitals with birthing capabilities having to close their doors.

Though her birth experience was difficult, it was also profoundly empowering. Joanna vividly recalls the ethereal moment during transition when she felt connected to generations of women throughout history: "I had this awareness that I am this woman doing this thing that women have done for all eternity." With the encouragement of a compassionate Australian midwife who reminded her of her strength, she found the power to bring her baby into the world.

But the real challenges began after birth. Despite her lifelong dream of breastfeeding, Joanna encountered devastating difficulties that were met with insufficient support and harmful messaging about her anxiety being the cause. For six months, she never got more than 45 consecutive minutes of sleep while trapped in an exhausting cycle of feeding, pumping, and supplementing. Years later, she discovered the true cause wasn't her "personality flaws" but her babies' tongue restrictions – a revelation that completely transformed her understanding of her experience.

This discovery sparked Joanna's journey to become a lactation consultant, now dedicating her life to ensuring no mother endures what she went through. "It wasn't my fault at all," she shares, challenging the narrative that blames mothers for breastfeeding struggles. Her story reminds us that birth is just the beginning of a profound transformation, and that with proper support and understanding, we can rewrite the narrative of early motherhood for ourselves and others.

Have you faced similar challenges? Share your experience or reach out if you're struggling – support makes all the difference in this transformative journey.

Johanna's resources:

https://milkandmotherhood.com/

@milkandmotherhood

https://www.thelatchrevolution.com/

Please connect with us! See below for how to contact and interact with us:

To share your story: https://www.happydayhypnobirthing.ch/swiss-birth-stories

All episodes:

https://swissbirthstories.buzzsprout.com

Our websites:

www.swissbirthstories.com

www.happydayhypnobirthing.ch

www.lilybee.ch

Instagram:

@swissbirthstories

@happy.day.bumps.babes.beyond

@lilybeezurich

Tiktok:

@swissbirthstories

Substack:

https://julianeale.substack.com/

Send us a text

Marie's resources are available at the end of this description- including a discount for her online prenatal yoga series!

What happens when careful preparation meets the unpredictable reality of childbirth? Marie, an American yoga and fitness instructor living in Switzerland, takes us on her journey from visualization to adaptation as she welcomes her daughter at Spital Lachen in Canton Schwyz.

Marie's story begins with perfect timing. A five-week yoga teacher training in Bali while her Swiss husband was deployed, creating ideal conditions for her body to be "ready to receive" when they reunited. After experiencing a chemical pregnancy months earlier, Marie approached conception with intentionality, even manifesting a dream of a positive pregnancy test the very morning she discovered she was pregnant.

Drawing on her decade of yoga experience, Marie navigated pregnancy by deeply listening to her body's changing needs. "Movement was still prioritized," she explains, "it just started to look really different." From first-trimester naps between teaching classes to modified third-trimester practices when pelvic pain limited her mobility, Marie embodied the balance between activity and rest. This wisdom inspired her to create "Empowered Pregnancy," a series of accessible yoga videos for expectant mothers.

Though Marie had visualized a peaceful water birth, her actual delivery required quick adaptation when her baby's heart rate began dropping during contractions. The medical team discovered her umbilical cord was unusually short, necessitating a vacuum-assisted birth. "My biggest fears going into labor were having to have a C-section, getting cut, and the epidural needle," Marie shares candidly. "And I experienced two out of the three." Yet through breathing techniques learned in hypnobirthing and her husband's steady presence, she remained grounded even as plans changed.

The most profound insight from Marie's journey comes from the yogic concept of "sankalpa"—a heartfelt intention stated as if already true. For months before conceiving, she affirmed "I am a mom" during meditations. "I feel like I spoke that into existence," she reflects, tears welling up. "What we truly desire desires us too... It doesn't always look the way that we think it will, but it always turns out better than we would have imagined."

Marie's Resources:

Follow her on social media: @swipedbyaswiss

Empowered Pregnancy: A prenatal yoga series. This is the yoga series that I filmed during pregnancy and hope to help other pregnant women feel empowered in moving their bodies throughout pregnancy. 5chf off to your listeners using code SWISSBIRTH in the Twint message.

Physio mentioned in the episode: Sara Polo IG @saramphysio.ch

Marie's birth playlists (click for spotify link): 1 and

Please connect with us! See below for how to contact and interact with us:

To share your story: https://www.happydayhypnobirthing.ch/swiss-birth-stories

All episodes:

https://swissbirthstories.buzzsprout.com

Our websites:

www.swissbirthstories.com

www.happydayhypnobirthing.ch

www.lilybee.ch

Instagram:

@swissbirthstories

@happy.day.bumps.babes.beyond

@lilybeezurich

Tiktok:

@swissbirthstories

Substack:

https://julianeale.substack.com/