EP 33
===
Welcome back to the show, mamas. Today, I am interviewing Brandon Gipe, who had a first time pain free home birth. And this story is so beautiful. I had to share it with you. Brandon, welcome to the show. Hello. Hello. I'm so excited to be here. Now tell us you're in California and what year was this that you were pregnant? 2022. We had Quinn in June, or I should say I had Quinn in June. That's right. You pushed her out. So tell us about how did you, what was your mindset going into birth and why did you choose home birth? Oh my goodness. So my mindset going into birth was this can be amazing.
Love that right off the bat. Yeah. Great way to start. Thank you. Yeah. It was just, this can be amazing. We, I mean, you know this, but we're really conditioned in society to think that that's, it can't be amazing. And I worked really, really hard to change my mindsets in order to get into a spot of like, this can be great.
And when it came to home birth it's funny if you had asked me when I was in high school, I was like, under no circumstances, I was like, give me all the epidurals, send me to the hospital, just put me under, get it out. And, but, you know, that was very much like what I thought birth needed to be like, and chose home birth.
Cause I met some hippie mamas that had a bunch of babies at home and I was like blown away because I didn't, I hadn't even heard about it. And they described their births as the most peaceful, beautiful, kind of like holy experiences. And I was like, yeah, I want that. And so it shot me on a learning journey to discover home birth and learn about that.
And Yeah, I just decided that's where it needs to be. It feels safe. It feels right. And it feels like where things should happen, you know, like in your own cozy den. And I was like, yeah, I want I want that. And what was your experience or your journey toward a pain free birth? Was this something you were specifically praying for or believing for?
Yeah. So interesting enough. So back in 2014, I was right out of high school and was living with my best friend and she had awful, awful periods. They would send her home. I remember she would go home from school, like vomiting because she just had terrible, painful, Wow. Menstrual cycles.
Yeah. And. My experiences were never like that, but I would have uncomfortable periods, you know, and no painful periods, but they just weren't, they weren't as intense as hers, we were going to ministry school at the time and she, went to school and had a awful period menstrual cycle day.
And she was gonna go home. And one of the, I don't know, somebody like a prayer person, like a prayer team lady or something was there. And she was like Oh, have you asked God to take your painful periods away? And she was like, okay, like I roll, you know? And the lady prayed for her and her pain went away and she didn't have painful periods after that.
And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I was like, you're telling me. So she came home and like told the story, you know, and I was like, you're telling me this. You saw her like going through. Oh no, this is like for years. This was for years. This wasn't just a like. Oh, I'm glad this happened today for you because you were like having an off day.
No, for years she would go home from school because she was sick from this. And then it just stopped. And it just stopped and they were fine. And so it totally blew my mind. And then I think I was like asking somebody about it or something, like a teacher or something like, why did this happen? Because we've been as women, you know, I'm a Christian.
So this is a big part of everything I'm going to say prep yourselves. But as Christians, we've been taught that women are cursed and we're supposed to have horrible, terrible birthing experience. Yeah. Pain and labor, painful menstrual periods. It's Eve. It's all her fault. Exactly. I'm like this woman, you know, like I'm going to get her when I get to have it.
Kind of thing, you know it's totally the mindset, like this poor, hated woman. Yup. So, yeah. And so I asked somebody about it. I'm like, okay, so how was this able to happen? And they, based on one of my teachers basically explained to me, he was like, well, in theory, I mean, Jesus paid for that on the cross.
Like when he came, he took that all upon himself and dealt with it. And I was like, so you're telling me that we can have painless periods. And pain free birth. And it was just a concept. And he was like, yeah, like supposedly. And then he like had heard rumors of women that had had pain free births. And I, anyways, it just kicked off my journey.
And I was like, okay, it was planted. So 2014 on, I was dedicated to like a pain free period. Cause I wasn't married or anything, you know? And so I was like, all right, like, let's just go after menstrual cycles. And so, for probably like five years, it was probably like a 70 percent to 30 percent ratio a hundred percent of the period would be pain free, but out of 70 percent of all the periods that I had, does that make sense? Yeah. Wow. That's amazing. Yep. Yeah. So yeah, so if I had 10 menstrual cycles, seven would be pain free and maybe three of them were uncomfortable and I found out it was because of my mindset and it was like, All the self talk was like I started my period and those ones would be painful.
And the ones that I like taught myself out of that weren't. And so I was like, okay, so I just committed to shifting it. And that was the kickoff to that. That was winded. That was long, but no, it was, it's amazing. And it's such a, I mean, I should, we should do a whole nother podcast and we could probably go on about that because you know, this, this whole concept of pain free birth and pain free periods. It's like, you, you can practice it in your period and you can practice that mindset shift. And I, when I learned how sacred. And valuable. Our period was not just that we have power over it and it doesn't have to be painful, but it's actually a beautiful thing.
And it's a detail, like a physical and spiritual detox. I've learned to appreciate it and love it. I love my period now. And I didn't used to, I used to be one of those women that complained about it and he had cramps and now all my periods most for the most part are pain free. If I do start to have pain, I'm like, I actually.
Pray and ask God, like, okay, what is it I need to release? What is it I'm still holding on to? Cause that's what your body's doing. It's releasing the old, it's releasing the blood. It's a purging and it's a beautiful thing when you embrace it. That's a whole talk for another day, but it's so true. And it's so in alignment with the pain free birth message that I teach and that you have experienced.
So I love talking about it. tEll us, how did you prepare for pregnancy and birth? So there was that lead up of like kind of years of like, this is possible, changing what I have to do, my, changing my mindsets around like, this can be good. But I, I actually got really interested in like doula work.
I think it was just because I was stirring like internally ready to get pregnant and become a mom. And I didn't know that. But I, so I like committed to being a doula. And so I learned a lot. So I just immersed myself in the birth world. I learned positions, I learned emotional support. I learned.
What was going to help me, what was not going to help me from a perspective of helping somebody else. And then I was able to like apply it in I watched the business of being born, which wrecked me. You'll never look at the birth world again. Is that what like also made you consider home birth?
A lot of definitely watch that movie. Definitely. That's the movie I showed my husband when I was like, I think I want a home birth. He's like, yeah, no, I'm like, just watch that. And then he's like, Oh, I got it. Let's do it. Yeah, totally. My husband was actually always really on board. But I was showing friends left and right.
No, you need to watch this movie. Like you have this and it'll change your mind about everything by itself. Yeah. Yeah. So just a lot of I did do a lot of mental prep going into it. Yeah, it is, it takes a lot of mental prep and you see a difference. Why did you choose to do no interventions, no ultrasounds, free, what do we call that, free pregnancy?
I don't know actually, I've never heard what, what you call it, free pregnancy, I like that, but tagging on to the business of being born, but I just, I know myself really well. And I knew that if I even stepped foot in a medical center and somebody even just like looked in my direction with a, Oh, this is going to be a complication.
I would really, really struggle with that being stuck in my head. And I was like, I just don't want to deal with it. I don't want to, yeah, I was like, I don't want to hear somebody say, oh, well, your placenta is in a weird spot or Oh, your pelvic floor is too small or, you know, it's something weird.
And I was like, I just didn't want to have to do that mental gymnastics to get around that. And so I just didn't, I took like pregnancy tests at home, but I ended up having to go into a lab to prove that I was pregnant by peeing in a cup in a lab to prove that I had a pregnancy, you know, so that we could like do all the documentation stuff after.
Because I was like that committed to like, no, I don't want any form of intervention. Tell us about labor. When did you go into labor? And what was that like? What did it feel like? Yeah, so, it's funny, every, I would often hear mom saying like, like, Oh, I'm ready for this baby to be out of me kind of thing, you know, and that always just didn't sit well with me.
Cause I was like, like, that's part of like rushing the process. And so I mentally prepared to go way past my due date, just to like put my mind at ease. And so I was actually surprised when it was only four days after, because I was like, Oh, we're going to go like two weeks after my due date.
Like, I was just convinced. And so yeah, four days after my due date laying in bed and 4 a. m. I woke up with the most intense need to poop of my life. I was like, I need to poop and I need to poop right now. sOrry, grandma, if you're listening, and so I got up and I was like yeah, I'm just gonna try to go to the bathroom and I was not getting the results I was looking for, you know, so just a lot of pressure.
Yeah. It was just pressure. I knew, I didn't know at the time that this was labor, right. Everything was new. But I was like, I just, I just have to poop. It was like a desperate feeling. Anyways. So I hopped in the shower and I was like if I go jump in the shower, contractions will get going or not.
And like, like if this is labor, like this will make or break it kind of thing. I was like, okay, jumping in the shower. I was like, I think this is labor. So I hollered, I was like, Steve, I think I'm in labor.
He was like, why do you think that? And I like gave him all the reasons. And he was like, yes. And that was how we like kicked things off, which was really, I just love that he was like, so like good with it. You know, I love that response. Like the tone for birth. Yeah, exactly. Awesome. Instead of like, Oh my God, what do I do?
Exactly. He was like, yes. Anyways, so from 4am to around 10 things were just kinda. Chill, but experiencing contractions for the first time. I'm trying to like describe them. It was like, like a tightening, you know? But it wasn't, it was new, but it wasn't painful. It wasn't bad. And then around 10 AM I had, A contraction that lasted for two minutes.
And at that point, everything was like 30 seconds here and there. And it was, it was two minutes and it scared me and I braced and, oh my gosh, I must say that was the only painful moment of the entire birth, but it was so. Painful. It was so shockingly painful that it actually sent me like over the edge.
I thought I was going to vomit. I was like, grab a bucket. Like I was like, pooling in my mouth and And it scared me. It totally freaked me out. And I was like, if this whole thing is going to be like this, I'm not going to be able to do it. And I just had like intense fear. aNd I was like, okay, wait, this is what, this is what I'm not supposed to do.
Like, I've been following your Instagram for like a year now or two now, you know? And I was like, Karen Welton says, don't break things. And so I was like, I just braced, that's why this is like this, and I was praying and asking the Lord like, I'm going after a pain free birth, like help me have a pain free birth.
And so I had to catch all my fears of like, nope, my body's made to do this, so I did a whole bunch of self talk, like waiting for the next contraction, and after that it was pain free again, and never had a moment like that after that. So I'm like, at any point, if there's paint, it was that one contraction and then moving on.
And I actually love that so much because what that tells me is like, number one, it's not just like in your head. You didn't just make up. Oh, well, I just. I, you know, really it was, it was kind of pain free, but you know, birth hormones, like women will tell me this stuff, like, oh, you're just reframing it.
It's just the birth hormones. You just don't remember the pain. And I'm like, no, I know what painful contractions feel like. They are unbearable. It was shockingly painful. Yes. And, and, you know, like, you know, the difference when you're in fear and your body clenches and everything is extremely painful.
Like, I actually love those moments in stories like this because it shows me like It's real, like you can feel an immediate shift when you were in fear and out of fear. And it just like it proves it proved to me like, Oh, this is working. Like, I don't know if that's what it did to you, because there probably was that moment and you probably had this opportunity, this choice to go, Okay, I can either go down this road of fear, and let that freak me out.
And then I get panicked. And then I think the next one's going to be just as painful and brace for that. And you go down that. Path or you go, you know what like you did no my body knows what to do. I braced for it I don't have to do that. I'm gonna get back to my peace and grounding and then they're not painful and I I love that so much that you had the wisdom and self awareness to take your control back that that is not easy to do in the midst of pain.
So good job. Love it. Thank you. Yeah, no, all of that. Yes. So what was transition like for you? So after that point, literally it was pretty smooth sailing from there. I actually, I always throw this in so like people like really get a picture of what it was like. I was like, no, we had a trailer and our truck was full of stuff.
We had just like gutted out our backyard and it was like a mounded trailer of junk that we needed to take to the dump. And I was like, all right, Steve, please go and dump that trash so that it's not in the back of our minds. And he'd be gone for like a couple hours dealing with that, you know?
But I was just peaceful. Everything was good. And I just felt confident that like he could leave. So I'd be like home by myself kind of thing. Was having contractions the whole time, but they were just there. It was just no biggie kind of thing. And at one point I was outside hosing off the chicken coop because it gets really hot here in Redding, California.
And I was just so like, okay with how things were going. I was just out there in a hundred and five degree weather, just hosing off the chickens, having contractions. Like a true homesteading mama. There you go. Yeah. I love her. That's the goal. So But yeah, so it was just, it was good. I really wanted to take a hot shower.
This is probably around four, 4 PM at this point. So I really wanted to take a hot shower, but I knew I was like, showers, make or break. I was like, this is probably going to speed things up. So I'm going to wait till Steve gets home. So Steve gets home and I hop in the shower and I was totally right.
That really kicked things off. So At some point in there I had the whole bloody show thing, the mucus plug came out, and everything was just like, oh, oh, like, just like, interesting. Like, this is new, like, you're first time on, you've never, yeah, exactly, like, oh, And that's when things started to pick up.
I, I am like spotty on some of the details. It's funny. It was like kind of like a blissful blur, but I'm like, I'm good with it though. So I definitely know that I was getting more like primal. Mom, you know, like starting to starting to do the moving and the moaning and I was just really uncomfortable.
Like whatever position I would get in just wouldn't relieve like the fact that I was uncomfortable. I was feeling pressure. Contractions were definitely getting more intense. They were getting longer and more frequent. And I was feeling a lot of pressure in my hips and I was like, I think this was probably around like 6 PM or something.
And my husband comes over. And I was like, I need you to try this move. And it was the double hip squeeze. You know, it's like, I need you to put your fists here and like, like press. And he did. And I was like, Oh my God, this is a game changer. It was like instant, like relief. I was like, Oh, I can go all day.
It'd be like, no, he can't move. You are. Oh yeah. I was like, you can have a job. So and it, when it got to the point where I was like no longer responding in contractions, you know, and so my like signal to him was like slapping the bed angrily. There are no words. That's a good sign. You know, you're in pretty active labor.
There are no more words. You need like motions and exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I was like angrily slapping the bed, like got me hurt. So Anyway, so we were like that for a while. At one point I had a contraction come on and just the gush came out of me and water went everywhere. And I was like, Oh, shoot.
Like, Oh, like this is okay. And from that point on just saying just more just everything just got more intense. Everything got faster and we're together. At some point we, I had a, like a labor team. So I had my doula and then a support, like a wise woman. Who'd just seen a bunch of birth. And so we called my best friend who was dueling for me and I was like my husband, because at this point I'm not talking.
But so he called her to come and I think she showed up like mid contraction and I was like, loudly like moving, you know, which is just like super vulnerable, you know, but I was so like I was so committed to just letting my body do whatever it needed to do position. Yes. I love that. Thanks. It was positions were just like whatever I imagined or felt right.
So we get so in our head in labor and self conscious, especially in a hospital, cause you're like thinking, Oh, Oh, the women next door can hear me and the, and all the people, what if I'm being too loud, like they haven't heard it on a labor and delivery floor, or like you can't in your own home, like be vocal.
And I think it's just social conditioning. And when we just let go of that fear to look good, be good, be right, be wrong, whatever, and just let loose, it's like, Move in whatever way you need, vocalize in whatever way you need, like, let those deep guttural sounds come out if you need to, and be uninhibited, like, it's so freeing to have no fear and no shame when you're in labor, and just be fully in your body, so I love hearing that, that you were able to do that, especially as a first time mom, because we do, we get in our heads, and it's easy to get self conscious, I remember thinking that, like, oh my gosh, am I, Am I being too loud?
Am I being, am I being too happy? Like, I'm kind of, you know, like, it's like all these internal, it really is a mental battle. It's so many internal conversations we have with ourselves and, you know, catching that and giving yourself permission to do whatever you need to do in labor is one of the greatest gifts you could give yourself.
So kudos to you. I'm just loving this whole story. Oh good, I'm done. Oh, wait, when you say like primal noises, at one point I started roaring like a lion, you know, so it got there, you know It got there. It got there. And that's another great misnomer, is like, people think, oh, you had a pain free birth, so you were just quiet, you were just like, totally calm and peaceful.
Like, no, pain free birth can sound like a painful birth to an observer, but you don't know, like, but that's just the release of that energy. Inside it doesn't have to be painful, but it can it's intense. It can be vocal. It can be loud. It It can look a lot of different things. So totally. Yeah.
Actually, I even said, I said it twice and I didn't realize it until after, but it was like shortly before my water broke, I actually said to my husband, like, things are, you know, intense at this point. So I'm no, I'm no longer talking, you know, and I say to him, I'm like, I'm actually really enjoying this.
Like it's intense, but I'm really enjoying this. And then I said the same thing to my doula later. And that was Like we're about to get in the pool later. Kind of, you know what I mean? And so, Like, like this is not early labor. This is active in I was probably like, past, in transition, and I said it.
Like that kind of thing. I actually don't know. I don't know. We never did any checks. We never did a doppler or anything like that. So I have no idea. It's like, we think of birth as like stages and this linear thing. It's not linear. No, it was, It was awesome. It was so awesome. I love that you said that. I'm enjoying this.
It sounds like my birth. It's so fun. Aw. And I was like, I'm having fun in the middle of active labor, and my doula's like, well, that's all right then. Like, I don't think she knows what to do with me. Yeah. Great. Oh, okay. But isn't this great? Like, you can have fun in the middle of active labor, in the middle of transition.
says you have to suffer and it has to be something you have, like, like a burden. I just love, I just think those birth hormones, like once you tap into them and your body is like flooded with oxytocin and endorphins, how can you not have fun? How can you not be having a high in labor?
Not just after the baby comes out, you get the high, we know that, we know about that, but like, that's possible in labor. I don't think a lot of women know that. You know, honestly, when I tell people to like, Oh, I had a pain free birth, you still get the shock and the disbelief. And then they want to like, ask all the questions, but they're like, the, are you sure questions?
I'm like, I'm telling you, it was great. The whole thing was great. Like even I'll fast forward, but I they filled up the pool, the water was too cold. So they were like bailing and boiling at the same time. I was like, I don't care. Same thing. Really? Oh, that's funny. I feel like I'm listening to my own worst story.
They're like dumping giant pots of boiling water in the pool. Why is this like a home birth? Like, I feel like home birth dilemmas. We should do a whole episode on home birth dilemmas. Like, Oh, that'd be fun. The plumbing to hook up the tub, boiling the hot water, like all of the things that you don't think are going to be an issue.
Like the things you only in a home birth, would it be a problem? Totally. Yeah. That's so funny. Yeah, totally. So Steve switched with my doula, so he's doing all the pool stuff and getting it all set up.
And my doula she's doing the double hip squeeze for me. Cause that was like, I was like the double hip squeeze is here to stay. So you're not leaving. But this was probably transitioned because I asked her, yeah, actually, this is when I said that I'm joining it to her too, but I asked her, I was like, can you grab my birth affirmations and just read them to me?
And so I'm doing my thing, having contractions, listening to my birth affirmations. My body was made to do this. One of them was, I am elastic girl. Like my body opens and releases and then bounces back into itself. Sexy shape. That was literally my, I am elastic girl. It's so embarrassing. I am elastic girl.
My body opens and releases and then bounces back to its sexy shape.
And it would crack me up the whole time. There was probably two or three contractions where I was like, I think I'm pushing. Like, I think, I think I'm pushing. And then I had one and I was like, Steve, I was like, I'm pushing. And nobody checked you to make sure you were 10 centimeters.
No, because I didn't, I didn't want any of that. And I'm like, and it doesn't matter. You've said it a million times on your Instagram, but it's like, you, it can happen in a moment, you know, you dilate all the way. Anyways. Yeah. So I was like, I'm pushing. And he was like, okay, do you, do you want to get in the pool?
And I was like, I don't know. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have the baby right here on the floor. And he was like, I think, do you want to be in the pool? I was like, I don't know. He was like, what, can I help you to the pool? I was like, fine. I know exactly what you're talking about in that moment. The last thing you want to do is move like your body is like, no, I can't pop with all this.
Moving sounds like an impossible feat, but once you do, what was it like? Tell us, tell us, tell us, what was it like? To move, it was, I was so happy. It was slightly too cold, but I was still like, Oh yes, this is where I wanted to be. I wanted to be in the pool. From that point on, I was pushing. So it probably, I probably pushed for an hour, but it wasn't like people hear that and they're like an hour.
And I was like, no, it was like amazing. Like the whole time it was like a. There was like kind of a give and take a little bit like the baby was coming down and then she'd go back up, coming down and go back up. And we didn't know if it was a boy or girl at the time, which was awesome. 10 recommend.
Not finding out the gender until the birth. Super fun. But so it was just an hour of like purposeful, laboring her down. Our wise woman friends showed up the, who's like really versed in birth stuff. I just wanted somebody there who's like seen it all.
And she shows up and she looks at me and she's like are you pushing? Cause my husband was updating her and I didn't know he hadn't told her. So she like observed me, are you pushing? And I was like, Yes. And she goes, Oh and she like walks away and then she like looked at me again. She was like, do you feel like birth is eminent?
And I was like, yes. And I think the baby came out like 10 minutes after that. So she was there for, I think she was there for like 20, 30 minutes. Like from that point on and, felt the ring of fire, but it was honestly, like, it didn't bother me at all. But I can tell, like I said, I was like, I'm experiencing the ring of fire.
Like I was like, still randomly, I would like say things I'm experiencing the ring of fire. And they were like, okay. And she, this might be TMI, but for the ladies. I was feeling like my perineum was tight and I told the wise woman that and she was like, okay, well, you can stimulate your clitoris to get some blood flow and it'll help your body relax and open up a little bit. And I was like, all right.
Remember that ladies. Yeah, exactly. There was nothing sexy about it. It was very practical. And if there was. That's okay, too. Yeah, there you go. Yeah, sure. Orgasmic birth is a thing. Yes. That was not my experience, but it, it happens. Usually that's how it works is you stimulate your clitoris and you get the more blood flow and.
A lot of it's the, this, like the same kind of pleasure points in that, you know, would produce an orgasm is being stimulated in labor in some cases, again, no personal experience, but also I'm like, if that is your experience, more power to you. I've heard it happens. It just didn't happen to me. Right, right.
But I love that that is a way to loosen the perennium. I hadn't heard that before. And that's really cool. Yeah. Cool. Yeah. So she said blood flow just warms and loosens up. And I was like, works for me at a certain stage of labor. It's like, whatever you suggest I will try. It doesn't go through the brain anymore.
It's just like either yes or no. Okay. Let's do it. Yeah. At one point I was on hands and knees but we, like, nothing had happened for a while and she was like, you can try. Like a lunge position. And I was like, okay, I'll try it.
And I got into the position and I was like, this is wrong. It just didn't feel right. And she was like, but do it ever feels instinctual. So I went right back into hands and knees and we were there for another 20 minutes or so, you know, but it's just the position that felt right. Anyways
her head came out and I was like, Oh, head is out. And then you can hear my wise woman like walking me through what will happen next. Like, Oh, she'll start to turn. And then it was like a second later. Oh shoot. And she was in my hands. Like she shot out like a torpedo. It was so fast. And she had a nuchal cord.
So her cord was around her neck, but it didn't freak me out because I had just learned a lot. And I was like, this is no biggie. Placenta is doing its job. She's getting her oxygen, you know, and so I just unwrapped her really quick. She's getting the oxygen through the umbilical cord.
She's, she can't strangle a baby. That's yeah. So it was a really short cord. So I just unwrapped it, like just to kind of tucked her in and unwrapped it. And you can even see in the video, my wise woman is like reaching in to help me. And she just backs off because she saw me do it.
She was amazing. And let me back up for a minute. What did pushing contractions feel like? Did you feel like, were they different? Were they like taking over? Did you, or did you have to kind of push with your body? Like everyone's different. I'm always curious. What was your experience with pushing?
I would, I would say there was a lot of fur going on, fetal ejection reflex. Right. Like. My body was definitely saying it's time to push. We're pushing, you know, but it's bearing down. Yes, voluntarily sensation. Yeah, but I was also partnering with that sensation and I was pushing as well. And so and I Yeah.
I could tell that I was doing things as well. It wasn't just my body. And was it still pain free even for that? Yeah, no, that was, I actually, that was my favorite part. Pushing was my favorite part. Really? I love that. Yeah, I was roaring and it wasn't, it wasn't like roaring from like, I'm pushing. It was like, I didn't even know if I was contracting when I was roaring, but it was like, this feels right.
Yeah. And I had to, you said it earlier, but I had to choose like, Oh, I'm going to look ridiculous right now to my husband and my best friend. But this is, what's going to happen. We're going to,
and yeah, it was just great. So came out and had the cord around her neck. And you just unwound it. I just, and you birthed her in hands and knees position, hands and knees. I grab her. There's a video you actually, I don't know if you posted the video, but I will put it in the show notes ladies.
Cause I need to see this video. It's, it's there. It's click it, watch it. Yeah, exactly. I take her out and I, you see me do it really quick and I lift her up and I check and I'm like, it's a girl. And then I just hugged her close and. And that was it. It was amazing. It was the best. It was so great.
And I was a mom. You were, and you were a mom, just like that. A baby is born, a mother is born. What did it, what did that feel like those moments after birth? I was, I'd seen so many videos of like moms, like sobbing uncontrollably. And I was kind of like expecting like, Oh, like, I'm curious what I'll do. And I was just very like, Whoa.
Like I kept, I think I said like, like hi at some point and I was just kind of like amazed, but it also felt, it just felt normal and right. Even though it was the most unnormal thing that had ever happened. You know what I mean? Like I'd never experienced this before, but it just felt like, yes, this is, this is normal.
And I just tugged her and snuggled up into my husband's arms. He was outside the pool, but I just like just snuggled into him and it was, yeah, it was just the best. It was the best feeling like, Oh my gosh. And you were, so you were hands and knees in the water in the pool delivering and then just kind of sat back and he was there.
Yeah. I like shifted. You can see me like reposition a little bit to lean back. It was like maybe a step, you know and I just like snuggled in and then our wise woman, like got a wet towel and just laid it over us. And we just sat there for 30 minutes to an hour. So I don't, it wasn't super long in the pool because the water still wasn't the, like, like an okay temp for baby, basically safe.
Like it wasn't going to shock the baby, but also like, you don't want to stay in here long kind of feeling. So we moved to the couch, which was a interesting, it was just, it was, you know, it was a lot coming out of you. Praise God for hydrogen peroxide.
Cause our carpet was sad. Yep. Keep those on hand ladies. If you're having to hold your, that's hydrogen peroxide and that's it. Like, Chucks pads, plastic, plastic shower curtain, blankets, just cover everything. We missed the tarp completely. You didn't get the tarp, oh you need the tarp, you gotta have the tarp.
You learn these things after the first, it's okay, it's okay, next time. Oh my gosh. Yeah, it was amazing. Wow. I just love that what you said about that, that it was like the most normal thing that you'd never done before. And yes, it's like, you know, intuitive, like this is, this just feels right. Like this is how birth is supposed to be.
It's peaceful. It's no, it's so normal. And yet so, almost supernatural, and it's otherworldly at the same time. And I can just picture it myself, like I was there, but I know exactly that feeling. , how was your postpartum, you, You said that was a little bit different because you hadn't prepared for that.
Was that a different kind of experience for you? I mean, obviously it's all new. Huh. Yeah. So it was all new. So like I said, I had done a ton of prep for labor and birth. So I was like, I felt so confident and I knew going into it, This is going to be pain free. Like I really believed in strong conviction.
Like I'm going to have a pain free birth, but postpartum I didn't do any prep for. And I even remember a friend asking me like, Hey, do you want to talk about postpartum at all? I'm trying to like, kind of give me a heads up of some of the things that can happen and stuff. And I was like, Nope. I, like strongly said, I don't wanna learn anything about postpartum.
'cause I didn't wanna have to unlearn anything. I had to unlearn so many things about birth and labor to get my mind to a spot where I believed it would be, it could be good. That I didn't wanna have to reroute anything. So I thought, oh, going into postpartum, not knowing anything is the way to go.
Wrong . Wrong . I really wish that I just learned some of the basics. Maybe talk to some people, even taking your postpartum course. I will be doing that next time we will be taking your postpartum course. It's definitely helpful to prepare for sure. There's a lot of new things. Yes. So many things. That you just don't know.
Breastfeeding, like healing, oh my, it's just sleep, every, like what's normal. It's a lot. It's a lot. Yeah, totally. So I really wish I just had just a basic understanding. And then I could have put it through my filter of like, okay, so this is what society says is normal.
But what, what is, what was the design? What did God intend when he built this? Like, cause good isn't traumatic or filled with fear. So. in a lot of postpartum experiences are that they are traumatic. They're scary. And I'm like, if God made something good and beautiful, it isn't going to be traumatic and filled with fear, you know, and I could have put that through that lens, you know So I thought I was doing the right thing, but I don't think I was for me.
So yeah, postpartum was really hard for us. There was a lot of like funky kerfball. I had over over supply and so it would shoot out like a Fire hydrant, like no joke. And so I was constantly just covered in milk, you know, and like, which is just like unpleasant. And hormones are rollercoaster all over.
It's all over the place. Yeah. Yeah. And so we actually have like ants in the bed because like the milk attracted ants. And so I would like wake up with ants on me on top of all of the new things. So there was just like things that made postpartum really hard. So I wish that we had prepped for postpartum a little more.
Yeah. Such as taking your course. Good idea, good idea. There, yeah, there is one thing I learned that I did not know as well with my first is that there's a physiology pattern to the postpartum, just like there's a physiology pattern that's got designed for birth. And when you partner with it, and you do the things that help produce the right postpartum hormones that you want in your postpartum, it's so much easier.
But we often fight it, just like we do in labor, we get anxious, we get fearful, we try to control things, we You know, we freak out about things, but when we understand, like, no, your body knows exactly how much milk to produce. When you do certain things, it releases more oxytocin so that it curbs off postpartum depression and then just practice a lot of practical stuff, like how to bathe, how to feed, how to.
Like how to breastfeed, how to get a good latch, how do you know if you're getting a good latch, how to know if your baby is getting enough milk, like sleep practices. It's just so, it's such a learning, huge learning curve for the postpartum. So yeah, there's so many things at once that you've never experienced before.
So yeah. Yeah, I would have done that differently. I feel way more prepared now, but I still I'm like, I think, I think even now I have some like fears to work through because it was so hard for us. But it's just so funny because people typically will say the flip if like, Oh, birth was terrible, but postpartum was wonderful.
Or sometimes they say both were hard, you know, or Yeah, yeah. I hear a lot of that if it's a hard labor, I think it tends to it. lead to a harder postpartum because those, that physiology carries through. If you don't get the peak of hormones and labor, you have to be very intentional to create those peaks in postpartum.
And if you don't, it's going to pull you down deeper. So there's, there's a science to this. It's, and it's very spiritual. And so I love, but I love it but you're right. Just because you haven't had a beautiful birth, a pain free birth, a wonderful birth, doesn't necessarily mean postpartum is going to be, like, seamless.
Like, you never know, like, what labor, what postpartum will throw at you. Totally, yeah. Even just little things, like we named our daughter Quinn. She's the biggest niece. She's two now. But she had a lip tie or a tongue tie, but we never got it fixed. So it was like months and months of like, we, we breastfed, but it was always a fight and screaming at the breasts.
Like, so it was just like, there was a lot of just like random probably colicky. Cause she's getting her tummy was upset all the time. Yeah. Those kinds of things. So, and those are the situations where like as crunchy as I am, I tell them I'm in like, get it evaluated, get it taken care of. It will change instantly.
Like, shift your, your breastfeeding experience. Yeah. We even got it looked at, but we just, at the end of the day, didn't feel peaceful about it. And that was like, okay, but there are times, listen, there were so many times where I was like, we should just do this. It's everyone's personal decision, but yeah, those, those can really, Make it really hard, but sounds like you had an incredible birth experience, learned a lot along the way.
What an amazing testimony like praise God that that he showed you what he showed you and that you had the that you were able to trust him and your body to give birth like without Fear without stress without needing a whole bunch of other things, because I feel like that's so often in our culture, like we, we don't know what we don't know.
And so we think we need all these experts, all these opinions, all these tests, all these you know, things to help us feel certain, right? We have that human need for certainty. And when we're unsure and we haven't experienced something, how do we do that? Well, we, we lean on all of these things, but there is such a power in doing that research, investing in your, in your birth and your postpartum experience and taking on that perspective that like, I can do this.
And everything you need is within you. And yes, still get people's, you know, opinions, expert opinions, if you need it, if you feel like led to that. But there's so much to say about trusting your intuition. And I think it's so rare to see first time moms really truly do that and go all in the way you did.
So I just commend you for that. And what a beautiful birth you had. It's, it's amazing. Any what would you say to other first time moms who are believing for a pain free birth? Oh my goodness, what would I say? One, it's totally possible. It's, yeah, it's totally possible and it's not a, well, I'm hoping for this.
It's like, go for it, go for it. And then you said it a second ago, but really trust your intuition. People you kind of, you touched on it earlier, but like people's like perspectives of like, oh, you're not getting ultrasounds or things like that. Like, like, how is that? Like, how is that safe?
Like, people always question, like, like, are you worried about that? And, oh man, I would go back and forth, like, constantly. I'm like, are we being, are we being wise? Like, what if there's something going on and we don't know? And I really fell back on like trusting trusting our peace and trusting that the Lord speaks and if at any point we felt a check about something we would go in and get an ultrasound right away no question my husband or either of us could have felt something funny we would have gotten and gotten an ultrasound.
But yeah, just trusting your peace and yeah, really just trusting your intuition and that your, your body knows what's up and you yeah, you can trust that. Like figuring out the difference of like, is my hang up a fear or is, is this a check or like, or something off a fear feels like anxiety and a check will give you pause.
It's like addressing the fear and dealing with it, but then honoring those checks and changing what's needed. If it's like, Oh, I, Oh, this is a lack of peace. Something's off here, like address that issue and then move forward with that. So yeah, just following your piece. That's a big one for me.
I love that. And I love that distinction. Like that there's a difference between the fear and the check, like a check is from Holy spirit. Like that's your discernment, your intuition telling you, Hey, there's something to check out here. Like it's, it's like a nudge. And, but a fear is like, Different. Yeah.
Anxious. Uncertain. It'll make you feel uncomfortable in a fearful way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And what a, what a blessing that we get to practice that over and over again in pregnancy, we get to practice our intuition and discerning between, is this a fear? Is that, or is this my intuition? Is this anxiety or is this Holy spirit?
Like constantly. Yeah. And, and you don't know until you try and then you probably will make mistakes and. But if you're walking with the Lord and, and, and trusting yourself, you're going to learn and you're going to, you're just going to know it's like a knowing. So I love that advice you have. Thank you so much, Brandon, for sharing your story and being so generous with it to encourage other mamas and where can women find you if they want to contact you or reach out to you?
Yes. So two ways. So on Instagram, I'm Brandon Pruitt Geit. So you can check me on Instagram. I love talking to you about this stuff. DM me, ask me all the questions. I've got a bunch of highlights on it. And then I also have a Doola website. I'm not doing Doola work right now because my toddler is full on, but but it is honeybee.
com. birthing.com, so you can check that out. And I'm gonna have like phone support eventually, yeah. Phone support eventually for pain. Free. For pain-free stuff. So you can check that out. So Amazing. We'll definitely reach out to Brandon, tell her how this inspired you, and make sure to check out the next episode.
We'll see you next week, guys.
