Rachel's birth of Sol at home (Aotearoa/New Zealand) || healing homebirth, bleeding in pregnancy, Māori traditions

Episode 29! Wow, I really loved hearing Rachel's stories. Rachel is mum of 4 from Aotearoa that had her first 2 babies in a 'maternity home' or birth centre in Aotearoa, then travelled to Australia planning her first homebirth which resulted in a traumatic transfer related to bleeding in her pregnancy, which also was retraumatsising. Rachel then returned to Aotearoa and had a wild pregnancy and homebirth - the birth of Sol. 

** Trigger warning ** Rachel's story is incredible, it does include a traumatic homebirth transfer to hospital at approx. 35 mins and mention of sexual assault. If you are soon to give birth or anxious, this might not be the episode for you <3 

Rachel's stories are thought provoking and special & I'm so grateful for her honesty and authenticity in sharing. 


Links to businesses/resources: 

• History of birth in Aotearoa https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-time-of-natures-trial-childbirth-in.html
  • Maternity Homes https://sites.google.com/site/nzprivatematernityhomes/new-zealand-private-maternity-homes?authuser=0
• Bleeding in pregnancy - Birthing Instincts Podcast episode  https://open.spotify.com/episode/7757iOu1vHHAHBaCNckEP8?si=91791bde3f0e4176
• Mirimiri massage https://temanutoroa.org.nz/wellness-centre/mirimiri/#:~:text=Mirimiri%20means%20%E2%80%9Cnatural%20gift%E2%80%9D%20and,by%20kaum%C4%81tua%20to%20successive%20generations.
• Yoni Steaming https://www.wildwoodbirthpdx.com/yoni-steam
• Pacific Mother film https://www.pacificmotherfilm.com/

CHAPTERS: 

00:58
Rachel's Birth Center Births

05:01
Birth Centers in New Zealand

06:25
Placenta Traditions

08:19
Traumatic Birth Transfer

09:14
Birth Experiences with Meadow and Sky

12:01
Preparing for Reef's Birth

16:29
Moving to Australia

19:09
Bleeding and Hemorrhage

21:07
Considering Home Birth Again

25:47
Deciding on a Home Birth

28:54
Waters Breaking and Bleeding

34:38
Transfer to Hospital

37:33
Traumatic hospital birth experience

43:16
Decision to return to New Zealand

46:13
Conscious conception and wild pregnancy

49:24
Pregnancy experience with Sol

54:34
Preparing for Sol's birth

58:44
Labor begins

01:04:28
Birth of Sol

01:05:54
Tearing and postpartum recovery

01:09:06
Reflection on Sol's birth