S4 EP135: Marie Brandon: Fearful Pregnancy/Physiological Birth in Hospital/High BMI + Wild Pregnancy/Freebirth

Today we're diving into Marie's incredible story, one that beautifully illustrates the profound transformation that took place following her unplanned, intervention-free physiological birth in the hospital.

In her first pregnancy and birth, Marie found herself consumed by anxiety and fear. She willingly handed over her power to medical professionals, following their guidance and even entertaining the idea of a planned caesarean or induction. But an unexpected turn of events changed everything. At 36 weeks, her waters broke, and on arrival to the hospital she was placed in a small room due to how busy they were, feeling abandoned as she waited for a more suitable space. Little did she know that this challenging situation would turn out to be a monumental gift. With only her husband by her side, she could labour undisturbed. When they finally secured a room for her, Marie caught her son shortly after, an empowering moment that shattered her preconceived notions about childbirth. This moment became the catalyst for her journey of unlearning.

Marie's conscious conception of her daughter marked a new beginning. Determined to approach her pregnancy differently, she chose to take each day as it came, avoiding unnecessary medical interventions that had marred her first experience. Fearful of re-entering the system, given her higher BMI and prior experience of excessive testing, she was instead led by her intuition and the knowledge she’d gained on childbirth. This time around, she opted for a free birth at home with only her husband by her side.

Marie's journey is a testament to the power of birth, self-discovery, intuition, and the unlearning of societal birth norms ⋒

Show Notes:

Instagram: @mama_fairy_

Resources: Sovereign Birth Sessions by Amy Lou

Sacred Birthing by Sunni Karl D.D

10 Moons by Jane Hardwick Collings

Mentioned in this episode:

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