"Let us know what you think about this episode"

A powerful home birth story highlighting the incredible strength of women and the sacred honor of supporting birthing families. Doula Debra shares her evolving approach to home birth support and the beautiful outcome of a recent birth where connection, trust and protecting oxytocin flow created magic.

• Creating deeper connections with birthing families before labor begins
• Understanding the importance of protecting oxytocin flow during labor
• Preparing spiritually and emotionally as a birth worker
• Recognizing transition signs even when contraction patterns aren't textbook
• Witnessing the power of women birthing on their own terms
• Sharing positive birth stories to help women trust their bodies again
• Standing as a support without taking up space in the birthing room

If you find the right doula, she'll help you find your strength, your voice, and your peace in your birth journey.

🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befriend!

🌿 Learn More & Work With Me:
💻 Visit Website for my birth course, resources, and to book a session with me.

📲 Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @deborahthedoula
📘 Facebook: @deborahthedoula

💡 Loved this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it!

🔗 Find all links here: Our website

I hope to talk to you soon!!

"Let us know what you think about this episode"

There's a life-changing moment when a woman transforms into a mother – regardless of whether she always knew motherhood was her path. This raw, honest conversation with art therapist Ainsley Winter reveals her journey from uncertainty about motherhood to an empowered hospital birth experience.

Ainsley's story dismantles the false dichotomy between medicated and unmedicated births. Using the powerful "mountain versus gondola" analogy, she explains how she navigated her options and ultimately chose what felt right for her body – a hospital birth with epidural support. Yet her preparation was anything but passive. From childbirth education classes to doula support, breastfeeding preparation with her partner, and deep connection to the book "Birthing From Within," Ainsley created a foundation of knowledge that allowed her to maintain autonomy throughout her hospital experience.

What makes this episode particularly valuable is Ainsley's candid discussion of both the physical and mental aspects of birth. She describes the moment when her epidural began wearing off during transition, and how rhythmic breathing techniques grounded her through intense sensations. Her pushing experience – just 40 minutes ending with one powerful "monster roar" push – demonstrates how effective guidance and body awareness can create efficiency even with pain management.

The conversation extends beautifully into postpartum reflections, where Ainsley shares her surprise at how unprepared she felt for recovery despite extensive birth preparation. Her analogy of "training for a marathon and then getting hit by a bus" perfectly captures what many new mothers experience. She offers practical insights about creating protective space in those early days and honoring the profound bodily changes that continue long after birth.

Perhaps most compelling is how Ainsley connects her birth experience to her work as an art therapist, revealing how both journeys involve accessing wisdom beyond words. Her newfound "mother bear" energy now fuels her commitment to creating healing spaces where people can express complex emotions through creative processes.

Whether you're pregnant, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about authentic birth experiences, this conversation offers wisdom, warmth, and a refreshing perspective on how preparation and autonomy create empowerment, regardless of birth preferences. Listen, share, and join our community of women supporting women through life's most transformative experiences.

🔗 You can find out more about Ainslee at her website www.revivalthroughhands.com or her instagram @revival_through_hands

🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befriend!

🌿 Learn More & Work With Me:
💻 Visit Website for my birth course, resources, and to book a session with me.

📲 Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @deborahthedoula
📘 Facebook: @deborahthedoula

💡 Loved this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it!

🔗 Find all links here: Our website

I hope to talk to you soon!!

"Let us know what you think about this episode"

We explore epidurals in childbirth, examining what they are, their risks, and why unmedicated birth options deserve equal consideration in your birth plan.

• Epidurals are regional anesthesia using local anesthetics and opioids to block pain signals from the waist down
• Research shows epidurals can slow labor progression, especially during the pushing phase by up to 90 minutes
• Associated with higher likelihood of requiring vacuum extraction or forceps during delivery
• Can contribute to a cascade of interventions including Pitocin, continuous monitoring, and potentially C-section
• Side effects include maternal hypotension in 14-33% of cases, which can reduce blood flow to the placenta
• Rare complications include post-dural puncture headaches and nerve damage
• Can cause maternal fever (15% higher risk), potentially leading to unnecessary antibiotic treatment for baby
• May affect baby's alertness and rooting reflexes, creating challenges with early breastfeeding
• Despite risks, epidurals have benefits including pain relief, stress reduction, and making complicated labors manageable
• Create a "moment of crisis plan" to determine your first step when you need help during labor

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or subscribe for more evidence-based discussions on pregnancy and birth. Thank you for your support.

Links to research:

Epidurals effect on second stage of labor -https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24499753/

Epidurals effects on vacuum or forceps use in birth -https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6494646/

Reducted risk of cesarean delivery with discontinuation of pitocin in active labor - https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(25)00161-9/fulltext

Epidurals and maternal fever - https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)00480-X/fulltext

Epidurals and early breastfeeding difficulty - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501222/

🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befriend!

🌿 Learn More & Work With Me:
💻 Visit Website for my birth course, resources, and to book a session with me.

📲 Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @deborahthedoula
📘 Facebook: @deborahthedoula

💡 Loved this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it!

🔗 Find all links here: Our website

I hope to talk to you soon!!