What can we do to prevent the experience of trauma?
 
This week we’re speaking with Kasey, who, despite having two homebirths, experienced quite bit of trauma from her first birth.  We’ll listen in to hear how it unfolded, and what she did differently to prepare for her second experience.
 
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Episode Roundup:
What a wonderful story.  As we jump into this week’s episode roundup, I want to focus on the concept of trauma. 
I don’t want anyone to ever get the wrong impression about homebirth: Choosing to give birth at home is not a guarantee that things will go 100% perfectly, and it’s certainly not a guarantee that you won’t experience difficulty, or even trauma.  There are no situations that we can control completely, like Kasey’s first baby having a large head combined with a nuchal fist.  However, what we can control is how we prepare ourselves for the vast variety of experiences that we may have.  This is our only certain defense against trauma.  No, we can’t control outcomes, but we can do everything on our end to prepare ourselves both physically, yes, but more importantly, mentally and spiritually. 
Kasey learned this after her first labor which was unexpectedly long and surprisingly difficult.  She brought these lessons into her next birth, and I loved when she said that she was determined not to leave this birth with trauma, no matter what.

I feel so strongly that this outlook helped her through the difficult parts of her second birth, and even improved her view of postpartum, allowing her to bond more easily with this second baby. 
If you’re looking for a way to prepare physically, mentally, and spiritually for your homebirth, don’t forget to check out Happy Homebirth Academy, the premier childbirth education program for homebirth mothers.  I cover preparation on every level, leaving you feeling confident and prepared for your homebirth, no matter how it unfolds.  If you’re interested, go to myhappyhomebirth.com/happyhomebirthacademy and I’ll drop a link in the show notes.  Okay, my friends.  That’s all I’ve got for you today.  I’ll see you back here next week.
 
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