For Christian mamas and birth workers who desire to embrace physiological birth... outside of the medical system. Holy Wild Birth is a podcast embracing the reclamation of giving birth rooted in God’s original design, undisturbed. Here we share home birth stories highlighting God’s presence as the Great Midwife as well as conversations about all aspects of a holistic, Spirit-led childbearing year from the perspectives of traditional midwife Lauren Hall (Rooted in Eden Private Contract Association) and birthkeeper Brooke Collier (Sister Birth).
In this episode, Jess shares her experience choosing unassisted birth for the second time, alongside her birthkeeper, Olivia. A special birth story told from two perspectives. You'll hear Intuition guiding Jess to want another set of hands How they each came to a peaceful “yes” about doing this birth together Surrender moment to possibly needing a hospital birth Minimalist prenatal care and the role of journaling in that Skipping ultrasound & connecting to baby 3rd Trimester fatigue and the discovery of low iron and how Olivia helped Jess through that in a birthkeeper way (collaboration) Joy of postpartum support from a birthkeeper perspective Take-away as mom & as birth attendant How the Way of the Hearthmother guided Olivia You can find Olivia & her services here: https://www.visitationbirthkeeper.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/nourishedfemininity/ BIRTH STORY DISCLAIMER: The choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke. Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Hearthmother Ministries Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
Have you ever been curious to hear the story of how a birthworker becomes a birthworker? In this episode, Brooke shares her own story of becoming, how she moved through different phases over the 14 years, and has played different roles (birth photographer, apprentice midwife, doula-ish, birthkeeper, aspiring traditional midwife). This is a story of unfurling, of obedience and adaptation. It's a story of one woman's continual YES to the Lord to serve birthing families while also birthing and mothering her own babies. In the end, we hope it's a story that encourages you on your unique, one-of-a-kind journey in response to your undeniable pull toward birth work. Mentioned in this episode: - Confidently Called : 21 Days to Clarity for Women Drawn to Birth Work (starts 7/27/2026)! - Hearthmother Journey : Raising The Next Generation of Holy, Wild Birthkeepers (next cohort opens for enrollment on 8/17/2026)!! - Brooke's first birth story - Brooke's freebirth (baby #5) Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: http://sisterbirth.com/podcast-guest Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): https://hearthmotherministries.app.clientclub.net/communities/groups/community/home?invite=6a3acb7b9e1f37cda3920fb6 Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
In this episode, Brooke & Lauren chat about their Fourth of July experiences, taking thoughts captive, homesteading chats, fostering a pregnant cat (Brooke), and suturing knees (Lauren). They also share about their newest offering, Confidently Called: 21 Days to Clarity for Women Drawn to Birth Work . If you are interested in serving birth in any way, we would love to have you for these 21 days of clarity and community. Resources we mentioned: Radiance of the Ordinary ( Radiance of the Ordinary: Essays on Life, Death, and the Sinews that Bind ) Confidently Called (starts 7/27 and goes through 8/16) enrollment open now hearthmotherministries.com/called Embrace Birth Journey Live cohort - sisterbirth.com/journey Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
Nicola's two birth stories include several abnormal and/or frightening elements. Her first was an ultimately uneventful breech birth (but a surprise breech!). Her second, however, included placental abruption, emergency cesarean, neonatal resuscitation, a helicopter lift, and a NICU stay. Through it all, Nicola points out the ways she saw God's hand at work, protecting them, providing for them, and ultimately showering them with blessings. She wouldn't do it any other way; she's still a fierce advocate for home birth and midwifery care. Please note that we had a lot of challenges recording these stories, and editing the recording to make it salvageable posed significant hurdles. If it seems choppy or "off" at points, this is the reason. However, the stories are rich, and I hope you'll hang with us through the hiccups to mine the gold nuggets. You can find Nicola on IG Get on the First-To-Know list for our fall cohort of Hearthmother Journey and get an exclusive invitation to our open house. BIRTH STORY DISCLAIMER: The choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke. Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: http://sisterbirth.com/podcast-guest Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): https://hearthmotherministries.app.clientclub.net/communities/groups/community/home Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
In this episode, Brooke and Lauren tackle the dilemma of needing (or feeling the tug!) to switch to a new midwife. They discuss... What to do if you feel the inkling that you need to change midwives How to discern what your next right step is when you are out of alignment with your midwife Questions to ask yourself about your relationship with your current (& prospective) midwife Making a decision with the Holy Spirit vs just your own desire/idols/trauma What might be behind your desire to do away with your midwife (hint: your own interior growth!) Mentioned in this episode: The Aligned Birth Team episode of HWB Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
Oh, Due dates! How much hinges on them! What psychological impact they can have! How grossly inaccurate they are!! In this episode we're talking all things estimated due date. Like: - how often the word "estimated" gets removed from the entire concept - various ways of calculating when a baby might be born (you might have 5 different EDDs) - the argument for adjusting our language and expectations around the timing of birth, both for ourselves and for others in our lives - the spiritual lessons and wisdom related to waiting for unpredictable events like giving birth (or Christ's return) - and more If you've ever been curious, confused, or downright crazy about an EDD, this is for you. Mentioned in this episode: Guess Dates Workbook (a 6-page freebie loaded with links, scriptures, a reflective questions) Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: http://sisterbirth.com/podcast-guest Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): https://hearthmotherministries.app.clientclub.net/communities/groups/community/home?invite=6a3acb7b9e1f37cda3920fb6 Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
In this month’s chat over a cup of tea (or lemon water?!), one of us has a surprising update for our listeners. The other one is doing a lot of “middling.” We’ll let you guess which is from which. You’ll also hear us reflect on the fruit of a mission trip to Brazil, unexpectedly stepping in to use one’s hands in a birth, facilitating women’s groups in our churches, and the ministry of songs! Thanks for joining us here, friends. And don’t forget to “write back.” Mentioned in this Episode: Middling (a substack) First-To-Know list for fall cohort of HJ Questions for Women's Circle Sharing Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: http://sisterbirth.com/podcast-guest Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook) Become a holy, wild birthkeeper or traditional midwife with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
- Sensitive Content Disclaimer - This episode includes discussion of pregnancy loss, miscarriage, and second trimester loss. Listener discretion is advised, especially for those who may be walking through grief or processing similar experiences. ----- In this deeply moving conversation, we sit down with a mother whose journey through loss, faith, pregnancy, and birth challenged nearly every mainstream expectation around maternity care and healing. She shares candidly about trusting both God and her body through uncertainty, grief, and ultimately an instinct-led birth experience that reshaped the way she views motherhood and surrender. We talk about what it looked like to remain grounded in faith while enduring a miscarriage that did not resolve for weeks — and how she chose to interpret her body’s process. She shares the profound dream in which she encountered her daughter, the peace and meaning that experience brought, and how it transformed the way she understood loss and life itself. Our conversation also explores the tension between intuition and medicalized narratives, including her decision to reject a diagnosis she felt did not align with what her body was communicating under the circumstances. We discuss the standards she held for anyone involved in her birth space — especially her guiding litmus test for birth attendants: expect things to go well. She shares how unexpected circumstances ultimately left her without a midwife, and how a virtual mentor became a stabilizing and supportive presence during pregnancy and birth prep.. This episode also dives into the role that Embrace Birth Journey (EBJ) played in helping her prepare mentally and spiritually for a more primal, instinctive birth experience. Brooke’s birth video playlist inside EBJ became a powerful tool in reinforcing her confidence that birth unfolds as it is meant to, rather than something that must constantly be managed or controlled. We also discuss how the discovery of meconium-stained waters led to a last-minute separation from her doula, the mysterious and meaningful presence of what she describes as “angel midwives,” and the mindset that carried her through labor: be where your feet are. Additional topics include: Forgoing ultrasounds Viewing birth as a profound opportunity to operationalize faith The importance of honoring and celebrating every life, no matter how brief Connect with Leah here: Reclaim Vitality Book: Reclaim Vitality: A Guide to Exit Conventional Medicine and Live Naturally IG: @standforhealthfreedom @lwilson4181 Website: www.standforhealthfreedom.com , www.reclaimvitality.com X: @standforhealth1 @leah_wilson podcast: One Dream Podcast One Dream Podcast with Dr. Nick and Leah Wilson Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License . BIRTH STORY DISCLAIMER: The choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke.
You may have many people in your life who are very excited to meet and love on your baby, or who want to support you after your birth. This is a great problem to have, right? But maybe you feel overwhelmed, crowded, or smothered by it. Maybe some of the people who are eager to get into your postpartum space bring up feelings of discomfort or resistance: having them there just doesn't feel good in your body, even though they're very nice and/or related to you. Do they have a right to be there anyway? Are you obligated to tell your parents the moment the baby comes out? Is it necessary to allow your in-laws to visit and "meet the baby" within 24 hours? Should you allow others to hold the baby that first week? In this episode we explore the concerns and tensions that many mothers (and fathers) experience about how to include loved ones in the earliest days of their baby's lives, what it looks like to honor the critical time period of the first week of a baby's life when the mother and baby are a dyad, and how to lovingly and clearly set boundaries or establish expectations with both healthy and unhealthy people. Mentioned in this Episode: Nils Bergman's work on the importance of continuous skin-to-skin contact Hearthmother Journey Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
What do you do when the people you love don’t support your decision to have a homebirth? In this episode, we’re talking through one of the most common and emotionally loaded questions we hear from families: “How do I handle the disapproval?” Whether it’s a parent, friend, pastor, sibling, or someone from your community, navigating outside opinions during pregnancy can bring up fear, people-pleasing, insecurity, grief, and even old wounds we didn’t realize were still there. We talk honestly about what these conversations can reveal inside of us, how to discern when to engage versus when to hold privacy, and what healthy boundaries can actually look like in real life. We also unpack how every relationship requires a different approach. A concerned mother may need a different response than a judgmental acquaintance. Some conversations may call for gentleness and reassurance, while others may require firm boundaries and less access altogether. And perhaps most importantly, we remind listeners of something that can feel incredibly freeing: you are not obligated to disclose your birth plans to anyone. We hope it leaves you feeling grounded, empowered, and reminded that discernment, wisdom, and privacy are not secrecy or selfishness. Mentioned in this Episode: We talk about HUSBANDS being resistant to home birth in this episode: Home Birth Hesitant Husbands by Holy Wild Birth Home Birth Safety resource roll: Home Birth Safety Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
Pregnancy has a way of stripping everything down to what’s real. In this episode, we sit with a Tesia's story of radical dependence on the Lord through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. From shopping for a midwife before conception to receiving unexpected prophetic words, navigating housing chaos while heavily pregnant, and wrestling with the physical cost of carrying and birthing a baby, this conversation is honest & deeply hope-filled. We talk about seeing God’s hand in the details. The premature congratulations that foreshadowed pregnancy before she even knew. Praying for guidance toward birth resources and watching doors open one by one. Feeling profoundly seen by the Lord through the provision of baby supplies at just the right moments and the surprising ways He continued speaking throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. This episode also holds space for the harder parts of the journey & the struggle of feeling physically limited and disconnected from your own body. Nausea that lasted through the entirety of labor, the emotional weight of changing a birth team late in pregnancy, delayed placenta delivery, moments of fear that led to a 911 call that ultimately wasn’t needed, and the sacred tension between intervention and listening for the Lord’s direction in the moment. We also talk about: doing evangelism outreaches during the first trimester home buying and renovation disasters in late pregnancy a truly iconic pregnancy diet of milk, potstickers, donuts, and protein shakes prophetic imagery surrounding Mary and Joseph and how it shaped their perspective on birth a very fast pushing stage where the midwife barely made it in time using saline and cayenne with the umbilical cord repurposing birth affirmations and Scripture during postpartum survival the raw honesty of postpartum struggles and the deep significance behind their daughter’s name This conversation is a reminder that birth stories are rarely neat or polished. Sometimes they are messy, exhausting, holy, funny, frightening, and full of unexpected grace all at once. Links: I'll Praise You In This Storm How to get in touch with Tesia and David: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifereallyisbeautyfull?igsh=eHI0ZXg5eHl5dXd2 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18XKb4Foea/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lifeisbeauty-full?si=Z78M1ZP8aBRngpXA NYC Missions Trip: https://www.jesuslovesnyc.org/ Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License . BIRTH STORY DISCLAIMER: The choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke.
This week feels a little like sitting around the table with friends. We’re catching up on what’s unfolding behind the scenes, reflecting on the beauty of April births, and talking honestly about seasons of waiting that don’t look the way we thought they would. In this episode, we talk about the beginning of HMU through two very different lenses: Lauren stepping into it from the teacher side, and Brooke entering it first as a student. We share what it’s been like watching this community grow, the heart behind it, and the ways God continues to shape all of us through the process. We also recap Brooke’s birthday beauty-sharing dinner and retreat — the conversations, the connection, the rest, and why creating intentional spaces for women to gather matters so deeply to us. We reflect on some of the beautiful births Brooke attended throughout April and the reminders they carried about surrender, strength, family, and the sacredness woven throughout ordinary moments. And finally, Lauren shares about “letting the ground rest.” About being in a season of waiting she would not have chosen, and how difficult it can be when life feels slower than we hoped for. She shares what it’s looked like to sit in the unknown, release control, and slowly realize that rest, hiddenness, and waiting are not wasted seasons. Sometimes the ground has to be still before something new can grow. Show Links: Let the Ground Rest - Chris Renzema Our community (please join & share something that you've found beauty in for our birthdays!) Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons
In this episode, we sit down and talk through what it actually looks like to have kids present at a home birth. We share honestly about the nerves, the beauty, and all the unknowns that can come with it. From how we can prepare our children ahead of time, to having the right support in place during labor, this conversation really leans into being both intentional and flexible. We talk about how kids often come into birth with curiosity more than fear, and how our role is less about controlling their experience and more about creating a calm, safe space where they can observe, ask questions, and even participate in small ways if they want to. We also talk about letting go of perfect expectations and trusting that everyone will find their place in the moment. At the heart of it, this episode is about inviting our children into something that’s deeply normal and deeply sacred. It’s about the long-term impact of letting them witness birth, not as something scary or hidden, but as a natural part of family life and care. Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
In our first Q&A episode , we’re talking about the powerful, grounding role dads can play during a home birth. From emotional support to practical help, husbands aren’t just “in the room”. We cover: How dads can prepare ahead of time Simple but meaningful ways to support mom during labor What to expect when things get intense or unpredictable The emotional impact this moment can have on partners too Connect: Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMA Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community) Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the way Intro and Outra Music Credit - Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License . BIRTH STORY DISCLAIMER: The choices, beliefs, and opinions of the mamas sharing their stories are as individual as the storyteller herself and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or recommended choices of Lauren and/or Brooke.
Welcome to our new mini series — think of this like voice texts you’d send your best friend. Short, honest, and unfiltered… these episodes are where we answer your questions in real time, share what’s actually going on behind the scenes, and talk through things the way we would if we were sitting on the couch together. Just real conversations about birth, motherhood, faith, and everything in between — the things you’re wondering, the things you’re walking through, and the things people don’t always say out loud. Some episodes will be light and chatty, some might go deeper, but all of them are meant to feel like you’re in the conversation with us. So send in your questions, listen in while you fold laundry or drive around with your kids, and come hang out with us for a few minutes at a time.
This is one of those topics that can feel a little uncomfortable, but also really important to think through. consuming the placenta after birth has become pretty normalized in natural birth spaces. It’s often framed as instinctual, nourishing, even necessary for recovery. We’ve both had our own journeys with this. Asking, “Is this actually how the body was designed to function?” A lot of the arguments for it sound really convincing. Mammals do it, blood loss during birth, iron replenishment. Then there’s hormone balancing. The idea is that consuming the placenta helps smooth out the hormonal drop after birth. But that drop is part of the design. It signals the body to shift into postpartum mode. Reintroducing those hormones may actually interfere with that process instead of supporting it. There’s also the claim that it helps prevent postpartum mood disorders. That’s a powerful pull, but the research is mixed and largely anecdotal. Postpartum mental health is influenced by so many factors that it’s not something one practice can reliably control. Something we both experienced, before we could fully explain it, was just a sense of hesitation. That feeling of, “I’m not sure about this.” And sometimes your body is picking up on something before your mind has words for it. For us, this ultimately came down to alignment—physiologically, nutritionally, and spiritually. We aren’t just like other mammals or animals. We uniquely bear God’s image. The postpartum hormone shift is intentional, not something to override. Animals consume the placenta largely for survival reasons, which doesn’t apply to us. And scripturally, the only reference to anything like this is in a context of desperation, not wisdom. There’s also the reality that the placenta acts as a filter during pregnancy, holding onto substances from the environment. That’s something to consider in today’s world. The needs behind this are real—women need support after birth. But there are ways to meet those needs that work with the body: nutrient-dense foods for iron, rest and adequate nourishment for hormones, and strong support systems for mental health. At the end of the day, this isn’t about fear or judgment. It’s about slowing down, asking better questions, and making decisions from a place of clarity—not pressure. Eating the placenta after birth carries no health benefits, new study finds SHOW NOTES: The Sanctifed Womb article: Why You Might Want to Think Twice About Consuming the Placenta Postpartum as an Orthodox Christian — The Sanctified Womb Placenta is a dumping ground for genetic defects https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03345-1 Deuteronomy 28 Christian Standard Bible In Search of Human Placentophagy: A Cross-Cultural Survey of Human Placenta Consumption, Disposal Practices, and Cultural Beliefs Eating the placenta after birth carries no health benefits, new study finds Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team: Email us to say hi: holywildbirth@gmail.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook): Hearthmother Ministries Community Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)
This episode is a deeply personal conversation with Gemma, who shares her journey through birth work, loss, faith, and what it has meant for her to be transformed along the way. Gemma has spent over eight years in the birth world, moving between the medical system, traditional midwifery, and unassisted birth, while building a homesteading life in rural British Columbia. Her story opens with profound loss, carrying and birthing twins at home, followed by a hemorrhage that brought her face to face with surrender in a way she had never experienced before. Just two weeks later, she found herself pregnant again, stepping into a season where peace and fear coexisted in a very real way. She shares how her upbringing in New Age and how her previous births left her feeling physically overwhelmed and, at times, traumatized. There was a deep longing to be rescued from the intensity of it all, paired with the weight of feeling like she had to carry everything on her own. During this pregnancy, everything began to shift. Gemma describes encounters with Jesus through dreams and visions, even as she wrestled with resistance. A question stayed with her, “Who told you you couldn’t be saved?” It marked the beginning of releasing the need to prove her strength and allowing herself to receive help. Hearing other women’s stories of inviting Christ into their births gave her language for what that could look like & she began to lean into faith more intentionally, especially as she navigated concerning symptoms and long stretches of time alone while her husband worked as a train conductor, often gone 12 hours a day. When labor began, she eventually came up against a wall of fear. In that moment, she felt a sense of being given true choice, an invitation to continue or seek help, and she chose to surrender more deeply.. Alone, she describes it as peaceful, flowing, and effective in a way that surprised her. She shares candidly about navigating meconium-stained waters and then a larger amount appearing later, and how she worked through the emotions that came with that. Worship music became a powerful anchor throughout labor, and at one point, crying out to God brought an immediate shift in her body and spirit. As birth progressed, she realized her baby was breech. She describes feeling coached through the pushing phase, staying present and supported as she brought her baby into the world. Throughout the story, fear becomes something different than an obstacle. It becomes an invitation to lean in, to trust more deeply, and to continue surrendering. LINKS Her post in our FB group: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2274989219664289&set=gm.1601978701221077&idorvanity=181048103314151 Gemma on IG (it’s on pause/archived for now): Gemma Epp 🕊️ (@wyldbirth) • Instagram profile reach out by email wyldbirth@gmail.com A Sacred Beginning book: A Sacred Beginning: Nurturing Your Body, Mind, and Soul during Baby's First Forty Days Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team: Email us to say hi: holywildbirth@gmail.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook): Hearthmother Ministries Community Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)
In this episode of This Cup of Tea , we share what’s been unfolding behind the scenes in our lives and work lately — the questions that keep coming up, the slower-than-expected growth of Hearthmother Journey, and the sacred moments reminding us why we’re doing this work. From an 8-year marriage misunderstanding that finally came into clarity, to Brooke’s confirmation, to witnessing a breathtaking breech birth, we talk about the small and big ways God has been moving. We also share about the development of our Hearthmother Midwifery Unschool, our love of spreadsheets, app creation, and why building slowly might actually be the point. Pour a cup of tea and join us for a conversation about faith, vocation, motherhood, and trusting the quiet seasons. Show Notes: rainbow arch - Chris Harrison | BibleViz Laurens Bible Plan app - Threads of Scripture — Hearthmother Reading Plans bible project podcast Two Psalms That Sum Up the Hebrew Bible brookes substack - https://open.substack.com/pub/sothisisbrooke/p/on-the-eve-of-my-confirmation?r=6cizmf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team: Email us to say hi: holywildbirth@gmail.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook): Hearthmother Ministries Community Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)
The Way of the Hearthmother episode In this special roundtable conversation, we gather students and graduates of the Hearthmother Journey to reflect on how The Way of the Hearthmother has shaped not only their birth work, but their inner lives, families, and daily rhythms. From first impressions to unexpected transformation, this conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply encouraging for anyone walking the path of sacred birth work — or considering it. Whether you are a doula, birthkeeper, mother, or woman longing for rooted work that flows from presence rather than performance, this episode offers lived testimony of what happens when formation runs deeper than information. In This Episode We Discuss: First Encounters Each woman shares her first introduction to The Way of the Hearthmother — whether through the podcast or through the course itself — and her initial reaction. What surprised them What felt confronting or affirming How they knew (or didn’t know yet) that this would change something in them We explore the difference between consuming content and being formed by a way of life. The shift from technique to presence Offering care that flows from rootedness rather than hustle Reimagining what “success” looks like in birth spaces Creating offerings that feel aligned, spacious, and deeply personal They reflect on how their posture — not just their skills — has changed. Marriage and communication Parenting and homemaking Community leadership Personal boundaries and discernment Spiritual formation How does The Way of the Hearthmother show up in the ordinary? In morning rhythms In hospitality In tending a home In how they listen In how they hold space for themselves Panel participants (all Hearthmother Journey grads or current students): Olivia Shingledecker , midwife apprentice, doula, and health coach Autumn Rose , traditional midwife Krista Matlock , birthkeeper Trinity Miller , student midwife and doula Hannah Gingerich, doula and student midwife Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team: Email us to say hi: holywildbirth@gmail.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook): Hearthmother Ministries Community Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)
We recorded this conversation on the anniversary of her sixth birth story — a sacred full-circle moment that set the tone for everything we shared. In this deeply vulnerable episode, Brandy opens her heart about the way God gently positioned her marriage and family to be ready to welcome new life. What looked ordinary at the time was actually divine preparation. During this pregnancy, she said yes to two big things: Enrolling in Hearthmother Journey Hiring Brooke as her birthkeeper Those decisions shaped not only her birth experience — but her spiritual formation in motherhood. We talk about the beauty and freedom of a wild pregnancy — where “prenatal care” meant whatever truly nourished her body, soul, and spirit. From our lakeside picnic prenatal visit to the quiet rhythms of listening and trusting, this pregnancy unfolded differently. She shares about: The false labor that surfaced deep emotional layers she needed to address The walking, sobbing, and long showers that became her late-pregnancy coping rituals The bold prayer: “Bring this baby forth.” We explore the sacred space at the end of pregnancy — the surrender, the unknown, the allowing things to flow instead of forcing. Brandy also opens up about something tender: The weight March has carried in her life. The loss and death associations tied to that month. And then — the redemption. “Behold, I am doing a new thing.” This episode is about trust. About surrender. About facing generational fear. About God rewriting timelines and associations. About new life blooming in months that once held grief. Connect with Brandy: Website || Instagram Blythe's written birth story and vlog by Brandy Birth Film made by Brooke Brooke's poetic reflections on Brandy's birth Connect with the Holy Wild Birth team: Email us to say hi: holywildbirth@gmail.com Put in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the form Apply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest Application Hang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our FREE, private community (off Facebook): Hearthmother Ministries Community Become a holy, wild birthkeeper with us this fall inside Hearthmother Journey From Lauren: Instagram Midwifery consults: Email rootedinedenpma@gmail.com From Brooke: Instagram Trust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can) Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inbox Embrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)
