How to Create Something Different After an Unpleasant Birth Experience with Angela Johnson
Today’s episode takes its root in episode 36: So What Happens After Your Home Birth? - where we chatted about an article from Romper.com by the lovely Angela Johnson, who now joins us for this conversation!
The article, titled 7 Things That Happen After You Give Birth At Home breaks down some of the “what to expect” as you might guess, after a home birth! Angela is speaking from experience, having birthed her second child, son Aden, at home in New York City.
Angela really dove into her craft of writing while pregnant with her first child, daughter Hannah, and she was on 5 months of bed rest! Due to being labeled with an “incompetent cervix,” Angela had an unpleasant first birthing experience. So she determined that she would have something different the next time around.
She and her husband Dean planned for home birth and had a much different journey. For one, she was induced with her first birth at 36 weeks. Second time around, she went until 42 weeks! And they opted for more natural induction like using caster oil and orange juice.
Angela describes the process as climbing up a mountain, something we can definitely relate to.
The story of Aden’s birth, along with Angela’s perspective and way of sharing, is really a treat. We love getting to know moms like her. So be sure to go check out all of her articles on Romper.com after you listen to the episode!
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
- Angela’s shift from a challenging hospital birth to a powerful home birth experience
- Why the label “incompetent cervix” almost stole her joy, and how her care team helped her reclaim it
- Navigating fear, finances, and family opinions while planning a home birth
- The castor oil and orange juice cocktail that finally kicked labor into gear at 42 weeks
- How Angela turned her one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment into a cozy birth oasis
- How Angela’s experience inspired her writing, her work at Romper, and her mission to uplift moms with real, shame-free stories
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