What’s the best way to enter birth? Is it with a completely blank slate- not allowing the stories of others to influence your own experience, or…. Is there benefit to listening to the raw stories of others: the gamut of experiences to know what’s possible?

This week we’re speaking with Dr. Elliot Berlin, who we last spoke to on episode 229 titled Have an Informed Pregnancy with Dr. Elliot Berlin. For those of you who have not yet heard of this champion of birth education, let me introduce him. Dr. Berlin is an award-winning prenatal chiropractor, childbirth educator, labor support bodyworker, filmmaker, co-founder of Berlin Wellness Group in Los Angeles, California and the host of the Informed Pregnancy Podcast. Dr. Berlin graduated Summa Cum Laude from Life University of Chiropractic in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Atlanta School of Massage.

Dr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy® Project aims to utilize multiple forms of media (podcasts, YouTube series, documentaries, and online workshops) to compile and deliver unbiased information about pregnancy and childbirth to empower new and expectant parents to make informed choices regarding their pregnancy and parenting journey.

Dr. Berlin lives in Los Angeles with his wife, perinatal psychologist Dr. Alyssa Berlin, and their four fantastic kids.

Episode Roundup:

1. The mainstream birth narrative is so outdated, and the fact that so many people are making fear-based decisions BECAUSE of what they’ve seen in the media is heartbreaking. To have resources like those that Dr. Berlin has created is such a blessing to so many. It’s restoring the truth of what birth is, for those who are curious and want to make informed decisions.
2. I love the rawness aspect of the content that Dr. Berlin is creating. He’s not trying to paint a false picture of birth, not trying to make it scarier than it is, and also not trying to make it more idyllic than it is. His goal is to give an honest view of how this process unfolds, and the many different ways that that can look and feel.
3. Finally, I want to share with you a very special opportunity that Dr. Berlin has provided. He’s giving a free month of “informed pregnancy plus”, his streaming platform, to our listeners. There’s a link below in the show notes. This will expire on October 1st of 2025, so be sure to hop on this opportunity while you have it!

Links:

Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth

Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/

Notify for HHA Pre Sale! | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/notifypresalelink

Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page

Youtube | https://youtu.be/uSDL1pxrvhw

Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!)

Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

Previous Interview: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/episode-229

Link to Informed Pregnancy Plus: informedpregnancy.tv

Discount Code: HHB725 for 1 month free on a monthly membership (new users only)

How do you discern the difference between fear mongering and true concern?

Scarlen is a home birth mom from Chattanooga, TN. She is a wife to Manny and together they have 5 boys. After a rough hospital birth with her first, she knew there had to be a different way to birth. When she became pregnant with her second boy, she decided she would birth at home and has not looked back since. Her love for birth and postpartum has led her to create a thriving home birth group in Chattanooga, TN called Chattanooga Home Birth Community. The group includes over 400 home birth advocates who are mothers and birth workers local to Chattanooga. This group has successfully connected mothers (in all stages of pregnancy) to doulas, midwives, and other home birth moms.

Episode Roundup:

1. The way we are treated in birth MATTERS when it comes to bonding. Scarlen shared how different she felt after giving birth to her first baby compared to her subsequent homebirths. She felt angry and disconnected because of the way that she had been treated– this interfered with the cascade of hormones of birth, and took away from the euphoric experience that is common after childbirth, especially with an unmedicated birth. With her homebirths, Scarlen was able to experience the fullness of labor and birth, and to feel present as her babies entered her arms. She felt the joy and love well up, just as she had always wanted to. This matters. Wherever you give birth, it matters how you are treated. Being in a hospital does not excuse providers for being inhuman. If you were mistreated during your birth, if you feel capable of doing it now, please complain. Please let these people know that what they are doing is wrong. This system has to change, and it’s going to take our voices to change it.
2. Next, the BOLDNESS. WOW! Scarlen and Manny were not going to be coerced– you can see this with Scarlen in her work situation when she had to fight for her right to avoid an experimental shot, and again when she and Manny asked questions of their care providers that made them uncomfortable during their twin birth. They were so clearly walking in their faith and were unafraid. There’s nothing more powerful than living fearlessly, and that’s what I see in Scarlen’s story.
3. And finally, when you are changed, you can’t help but share. Scarlen’s life was transformed on multiple levels, but her birth experience, especially after her twin birth, gave her a desire to help others. She is providing fellowship, information, and choices to her local community within the facebook group she’s created, and her desire to create a system where she can help support families who need financial assistance have the birth of their dreams– it truly shows her beautiful heart to serve.

Links:

Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth

Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/

Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/direct-to-landing-page

Youtube | youtu.be/meiKqqu_OPE

Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!)

Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

The pelvic floor: it can be wounded during childbirth– but– could it be healed during the process instead?

Victoria Hedrick is a wife to her wonderful husband Jonathan, and the mother of their almost three year old daughter, Josie. They live on a small piece of land in Virginia that they are slowly turning into a homestead. Victoria enjoys fishing, canoeing, baking sourdough, and all things babies and homebirth. They are expecting their second baby later this year.

Victoria and Jonathan have walked through quite an amazing journey throughout their marriage, particularly in relationship to birth and the physical and emotional healing it provided. You are going to be in awe with this episode!

Episode Roundup:

1. The loving way this couple worked together and their positive outlook. The entrance that Victoria and Jonathan had into marriage was unexpected and highly challenging. These are the types of situations that can so easily cause discord and animosity between couples. How easy would it be for either one to take their hurt and pain and twist it into a weapon instead of allowing it to pull each other closer? Despite the feelings of “why”, despite the darkness, the hurt, the challenge, Victoria and Jonathan continued on as partners working together. And now, they are reaping the benefits of that choice. They now get to experience intimacy on so many levels, and they know that they can trust one another to be steadfast love even in hard times.
2. Confession and repentance. When Victoria told God the truth, it changed everything. “I want to trust you. Help me trust you.” The truth was she didn’t trust Him, and that’s what she was telling him. God can work with that. HE led her to repentance– He changed her mind with HIS truth and was able to finally help her open her hands and surrender. Sometimes we think of confession and repentance as, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” and maybe a few more “I’m sorry’s”. But that’s not really what confession is. When a detective is asking a criminal to confess, is he asking for an apology, or is he asking for the truth? When we confess, we are telling the truth. And repentance, or the Greek word for repentance, is metanoia. It also doesn’t simply mean “I’m sorry.” It’s the way you think differently after having had your mind changed. And who can change your mind best? In my personal experience, confessing to God and sharing the truth of my heart- even the deepest, deepest darkest corners where my real thoughts hide sometimes even from myself– the ones I wouldn’t want anyone to know– when I can search that out and tell Him the truth, he brings about the repentance. He shows me the REAL truth of the situation. He provides me with new perspective, with HIS heart… and boy, when that happens, my mind is truly changed. Truly healed. Now I’m not striving to be better, I’m made new with new revelation and understanding, usually about just how deep the Father’s love for us really is. Now back to Victoria- isn’t it beautiful how we see this play out? She tells God how she’s feeling, and then wow, low and behold, this new ability to release and surrender comes from… where? From nowhere? No, from her good Father who loves her. I’m linking two of my favorite books that dive into these topics in the show notes if you’d like to dive deeper with this.

Links:

Samaritan Ministries | samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth

Happy Homebirth Academy | happyhomebirth.thrivecart.com/happy-homebirth-academy-checkout/

Interview Application | interviewwithkatelyn.my.canva.site/facebook-landing-page

Youtube | youtu.be/GmPnhTCJx0I

Blueshield | blushield.com/homebirth (use code HOMEBIRTH for 18% off of your order today!)

Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)