Lauren Wynn’s Three Free Birth Stories | Birthright Podcast
In this episode of Birthright, I’m talking with Lauren Wynn, a wife and mother of six who has experienced three free births. Lauren shares how her first three hospital births shaped the way she thought about birth, how she discovered home birth and later free birth, and what it was like to make those choices while working through her own fears and other people’s opinions.
We talk about her most recent water birth, the way her children have been part of welcoming their siblings, how she learned to recognize and work with her body during labor, and the differences she noticed in her recovery after home birth. Lauren also shares the advice she would give a mother preparing for physiological birth: build a supportive circle and learn to set aside the fears other people may place on you.
Lauren’s story is her own experience and is shared for informational and storytelling purposes. It is not medical advice or a recommendation for any particular birth setting. Every pregnancy and birth is different; readers should make decisions with appropriate, individualized support.
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In This Episode
Lauren’s early ideas about birth and her first three hospital deliveries
How she discovered home birth and learned about free birth during pregnancy
Working through fear, outside opinions, and the pressure to explain her choices
Her sixth baby’s water birth and the role her children played in welcoming their sister
What Lauren noticed about pushing, tearing, and postpartum recovery
Her advice about finding a supportive partner and community
Where to find Lauren and her T-shirt business, Happy Vibes Clothing
Full Episode Transcript
The transcript below has been formatted for readability with speaker names, timestamps, and section headings. Automated transcription may contain errors, and the final source text ends mid-sentence; check it against the recording before publishing.
Taylor (00:00) Lauren? Okay. I had a friend um in high school and she was like, it’s Loren. I’m like, okay. I’m sorry. Yeah. It was her it was her middle name. Yeah. And I’m like, okay, I’m sorry. But anyway, it’s okay.
Lauren (00:01) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (00:05) Oh fancy. A little French talking or something.
Lauren (00:13) That’s too funny because it’s actually my middle name too, but that’s what I go by.
Taylor (00:17) Oh really? Okay. Okay. So okay, welcome more into the podcast.
Lauren (00:27) Ah, thank you for having me.
Taylor (00:30) Yes, I’m so excited. I actually so I found you because I’m not um huge on Instagram. Like I don’t really scroll, but I’m like I kinda need to get on there if I wanna have, you know, a a podcast and find guests. And so I found you. I was literally like gonna go to Instagram and I’m like, let’s just see what I can find. You were the first thing to pop up on my screen. And I saw the the your free birth with your current baby.
Lauren (00:55) Kennedy.
Taylor (01:00) I didn’t realize that you are so newly postpartum. Like, that’s amazing. And uh I saw your story and I saw like your daughter, or I saw your birth, and I saw your daughter, and I’m like, oh my gosh. This is like it how my birth was. Like my kids were there, and I’m like, this is exactly like the type of woman I want to interview. So I literally messaged you like right away. I’m like, yeah, I need her on my podcast. Yes.
Lauren (01:03) Yes. uh
Lauren (01:25) That is crazy. Perfect timing. That is amazing. I love how things like that work out.
Taylor (01:30) So Oh I know. I was just like like I I don’t know. And then I kind of saw that um you kinda got like hate but also a lot of love at the same time. I just it’s kind of
Lauren (01:44) Oh my goodness. Yes. And you know what’s crazy is I actually was not planning on announcing my pregnancy. So for the last like three babies. I have six babies. So for the last three babies I’ve kind of kept them a secret. Just you know, like one of them like completely until her birth and then the other two were just like halfway. But it was because, you know, I’m not ready for the hate of how I choose to birth. You know, I’m not really ready to talk about that. Or that’s how I was feeling all year. And then here I am.
Taylor (01:52) Uh-huh.
Taylor (01:56) Yeah.
Taylor (02:00) Wow.
Taylor (02:08) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (02:12) Right.
Lauren (02:13) putting my whole birth vlog on Instagram and Facebook for the world to see. So it’s kind of a crazy turn of events how things happened.
Taylor (02:21) Oh, that that’s very interesting because I’m like super private too. Like with the majority of my pregnancies, I was overseas with my husband because he played basketball overseas. And it’s easy to hide. And so like I think the longest we waited was like 26 weeks for some family, you know? And
Lauren (02:29) Yeah.
Lauren (02:34) So it’s nice.
Lauren (02:40) Wow.
Taylor (02:42) The only reason we told is because like, oh, we’re about to be home, so let’s just go ahead and tell ’em because we don’t wanna They just stopped getting excited after Uh-huh. They stopped getting excited after baby number two, which is crazy, but anyways
Lauren (02:46) Yeah. Surprise. That’s how it started happening this last time.
Lauren (02:58) I know. It’s like once you have two or three, they’re like, Oh, you maxed your family household size, so that’s it.
Taylor (03:04) Yeah, and it and it’s like, yeah, maybe for you. But okay. So I just want you to you know, like, tell us a little bit about yourself and kinda get into maybe who you were a little bit before you became a mom and then like what ultimately led you to having a free birth, a the ultimate physiological birth.
Lauren (03:07) Yeah, exactly.
From a Childhood Fascination with Birth to a Difficult First Experience
Lauren (03:27) Okay, so I would say that I’ve first of all I’ve always known that I wanted to be a mom. Like that was just, you know, if you ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, it was a mom. Like that’s what I wanted to do. So as a teenager, I was always watching those lifetime shows of like ER deliveries, like bird like labor and delivery shows on A and E and like lifetime stuff like that. I can’t even remember. But I was totally like obsessed with birth.
Taylor (03:38) Yes.
Taylor (03:51) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (03:56) But the only births that I knew about were, you know, in the hospital, the typical interventions, C-sections, things like that. So I didn’t have such a great view on birth. Um, and I had my first really early. I was 17 when I got pregnant, 18 when I had him. And so um at that point in my life, I’m just kind of used to, oh, the elders know best, you know, do what they say. So that’s kind of how it went with my pregnancy and delivery. And
Taylor (04:00) Mm.
Taylor (04:20) Mm.
Lauren (04:25) It led to being induced at thirty nine weeks just, you know, for convenience and a lot of innerva interventions like an epesiotomy, um, like the potosin, you know, things like that. So it just didn’t go so well and I had a really rough recovery, breastfeeding didn’t go well. You know, it just it wasn’t your first magical birth that you would picture. So by the time I um I was
Taylor (04:50) Mm.
Lauren (04:54) Pregnant again with my second, I was a little bit more crunchy, you would say. I was um I I d I don’t know where I was at really at that point, but for sure by my third, my third baby, I was like, okay, we’re gonna do something different here. We’re gonna try a midwife because that’s what I hear great things about, right? Okay, well, I at this point I still didn’t really know the difference. So I was actually seeing
Taylor (05:15) Mm.
Lauren (05:22) a now I don’t even know the proper term, but like a midwife at the hospital, you know? So not really like more of a a natural midwife, but more of a still of a medical midwife, if that makes sense. I know there’s a different term, but I cannot think of the term now off the top of my head. So it was still Yeah, that’s what I want to say. Like nurse midwife. So it was still, you know, a little bit more it was a little more natural, but
Taylor (05:28) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (05:36) Right, yeah. Yeah.
Taylor (05:40) Is it like the nurse nurse midwife type? Okay.
Lauren (05:52) still very um fear based I would say. I don’t I don’t want to really use that term, but things didn’t really go my way as I was hoping for. But then again I still I don’t think I really knew what was my way. Like I knew that these things didn’t feel right to me. It didn’t feel natural. It didn’t feel like things were going as they should. So I just knew that there was something off.
Taylor (05:58) Mm.
Lauren (06:21) But by the end of that third delivery, I was at the hospital at the postpartum room saying, if I ever have another baby, which I didn’t think I would, I will not break the hospital. I just, I know that this is not where I’m gonna be, and we’re gonna do something different. I don’t know what that means, but it’s not gonna be this. And luckily, right around that time, I had uh two Facebook friends that had recently had home births and posted their pictures and story on Facebook. And I was like, hold on, y’all are doing that?
Taylor (06:49) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (06:49) Like yeah, I know you. You we’re from the same place. We can do that. And it got my wheels turning and I was like, I think this is what I’m supposed to be doing. But then at that point, like I was not planning on having any more babies. So I was just like, you know, it’s I guess kind of like a oh, I wish I could have done that type thing. So I didn’t do too much l research on it.
Taylor (06:55) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (07:12) Right.
Discovering Home Birth and Free Birth
Lauren (07:15) until I got pregnant again and I was like, oh yeah, we’re there’s no way we’re not going to the hospital. You know, I’ve got to figure out the real midwife that I need. And I get really, really sick during my pregnancies. So for my fourth pregnancy, I was like on the couch in bed researching what I was really looking for. So I’m I’m trying to figure out, you know, can we even afford a midwife?
Taylor (07:20) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (07:40) who is around me? Is there a l you know, anybody local? And we’re in Dallas, Texas, so obviously there’s gonna be somebody around. Yeah. So like I knew we weren’t gonna be short of experience. But at this point I’m like, um maybe maybe already like three or four months into the pregnancy and I haven’t seen anybody yet. And I’m realizing like, hey, I’m kind of taking care of myself here, you know, and, you know
Taylor (07:46) My husband’s from Dallas, yeah.
Taylor (07:53) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (08:06) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (08:07) I just start thinking like that, like maybe do I even need to, you know, really go for these appointments where I’m gonna be sitting in the waiting room uncomfortable and farfing and you know, things like that. And um then I started learning about free birth, literally as I’m pregnant and still questioning what I’m doing. I had never even heard of free birth before this point. And so that’s how quickly my decision went from never having a hospital birth, okay, we’re gonna home birth, and now we’re free birthing.
Taylor (08:22) Wow.
Taylor (08:29) Mm.
Lauren (08:37) And I told my husband what I was thinking and he was like Are you sure? And I was like, I’m pretty sure. I’m pretty sure this is what we’re doing. Like, I think this is what we’re doing. And that’s what we did. And I like when I tell you, we were both a little scared just because nobody around us. Yeah. Nobody around us had done this. And of course, like
Taylor (08:50) Yeah.
Taylor (08:55) Mm-hmm. It’s real.
Lauren (09:02) I I should have mentioned that I do have low risk pregnancies and deliveries other than being sick. So I was already like, I think I know what I’m doing. I feel like I can do this. And that’s another thing. Like I really was feeling led to this. I was not feeling like, you know, like, oh, I saw somebody birthing in a tub at home. That looked cool. I think I’m gonna do that for Instagram pictures. No, at this point I was not telling anybody my plans. Like, are you crazy?
Taylor (09:07) Mm. Yes.
Taylor (09:25) Yeah.
Taylor (09:30) Mm.
Lauren (09:31) But then we did also um this is one of my pregnancies that I waited until like halfway to tell people and we were actually living across the street from family. So I knew that I was gonna have to tell them my plans. And they were all like, What? Oh baby. Well we’ve got a a fast let down here. We’re choking. But um well see uh now I can’t even think of where I was, but um
Taylor (09:54) Oh, you’re fine.
Taylor (10:01) Your your family of
Lauren (10:01) That’s the hard part too. Yeah, so okay, so telling them I was not planning on like really telling anybody because I’ve also been a people pleaser and like to um I guess let people influence me based on their opinions and what they think is best. So I was trying to avoid that situation by not really telling anyone and just you know going along with my plan. I felt like that would be easier. But I mean in the end they were all
Lauren (10:31) supportive, honestly. Just like, what do you mean? Like that sounds crazy, you know?
Taylor (10:38) Okay.
Taylor (10:40) It’s okay. Take your time.
Lauren (10:43) That’s what I kinda feel like this is live too, like you know, it’s like a a news broadcast.
Lauren (10:54) That’s a oui, that’s it.
Lauren (10:57) We’re three weeks old yesterday, right? Today’s Sunday. Yeah. So we’re three weeks postpartum. Three weeks old.
Taylor (11:01) Oh my goodness. Oh I did not realize you were so fresh. Like I said, like I thought maybe I don’t know what I thought, because I don’t scroll like that. So didn’t realize that you were so fresh. That’s so sweet.
Lauren (11:12) I know. Mm-hmm. And like I think that I did wait like maybe two or three days to post. But like I don’t really post like um what would you call that? Like on like I don’t post daily, like everything as what am I trying to say? You know, in the moment. Like I wait till like at least the next day to post something, you know? But then if I wait too long, I’m gonna forget.
Taylor (11:30) Like it’s not uh yes, yes, yes, yeah.
Taylor (11:37) Right. Yeah. Think about it like Yeah.
Fear, Privacy, and Learning to Trust Her Decision
Lauren (11:42) But um so with my bursts, I like I think that
Lauren (11:50) What am I trying to say? Like, I think that really um keeping them to myself was how I was able to go through with it. And because I was still really nervous. Like, I the whole time I’m like, what are you doing? What are you thinking? Like, you’re about to do this at home in your bathtub. And I will tell you that I was scared all the way up until I was maybe like eight months pregnant. And I actually had a dream that I gave birth to a perfect baby boy in my bathtub.
Taylor (11:58) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (12:05) Hehehe
Lauren (12:19) In my exact bath’s room, like everything went so perfect and beautiful. And that dream calmed me so much. I was like, okay, I think that I can actually do this, you know? And from there, like, I was just like, we’re gonna pray about it. We’re just gonna keep positive and we’re gonna do this. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made. And then again, like after my fourth home birth, I was like,
Taylor (12:30) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (12:44) Okay, if we ever have another baby, we’re doing this again. And aga again, I did not plan on having any more babies, but since then we’ve done it two more times at home. Which is crazy to me. Three free births.
Taylor (12:55) Wow, so three free birds?
Taylor (13:00) Wow, that’s inspirational. ‘Cause I’ve only had one. I’ve had three or three home births, but two were with a midwife. I had two with my third because I was in a foreign country and it’s illegal for free birth. But yeah, I that’s I always think like, would I do it again? Like I don’t think I could do it another way. But at the same time it’s like people think that like once you do it that you just oh fearless. And it’s like, no, never that. It’s you know what I’m saying? I mean
Lauren (13:07) Wow.
Lauren (13:12) Ah well
Lauren (13:25) No, no, because even this last time I was scared.
Taylor (13:31) Right, but like it’s like uh it’s it doesn’t, but it’s something that you have to work through each I feel like each time. It’s something that um it’s not like you’re making some irrational, irresponsible decision. You are literally thinking about it every single day.
Lauren (13:31) I don’t think that fear ever goes away.
Lauren (13:38) Oh for sure.
Taylor (13:48) Nonstop. You’re doing your research non-stop. You’re like praying. Yes, yes, yes. And like I like you said, I also felt very called. Like it’s definitely something that you’re called to do. It’s not something that you say, like, oh, I saw somebody else do it, so I’m going to. It’s not that at all. And I feel like that’s what people think it is, you know. But go ahead, go on to your second one or your third. It does err.
Lauren (13:49) Yeah. And double checking.
Lauren (13:59) Yeah.
Lauren (14:06) Yeah, for sure. Mm-hmm.
Her Fifth Birth and a Long Pause After Her Water Broke
Lauren (14:13) So Yeah, so um with my second one, it was kinda like, you know, the same thing. I just automatically knew I I’m gonna free birth again. Like that’s our plan. Um, and we were actually like um in like a transitional move. Like we moved like three different times for work during this. And so a lot of stress came was like, Am I even gonna have like a tub to birth in? you know, ’cause that’s what I was like already used to.
Lauren (14:40) But again, that birth went beautiful. Like, um, the only thing with that birth, with my fifth birth, was my water broke Friday morning at around I think 10 a.m. And then like no contractions started up, anything. I was like, you know, I know this is my water leaking. And so I kind of got a little worried in that situation. But luckily it was crazy because during that pregnancy
Lauren (15:08) I had been reading multiple stories about um the water breaking, you know, a few hours before labor started, or even 24 hours, you know, it’s my water’s been leaking 24 hours. What do I do? Da-da-da. All these different st scenarios where this has has happened. And all I do, you know, I guess whenever I see a post, I read their question and I go read all the comments because I want to know what if that happens to me.
Taylor (15:35) Mm hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Lauren (15:37) And so when it happened to me, of course, I was like I started getting very nervous and I was scared. But then I thought about everything that I had read, you know? And I don’t know, I guess just knowing the stories of other women and their positive outcomes and how this is a variation of normal, knowing these things, like it kept me calm. And she was born beautifully, almost 24 hours. Well, actually, it was 24 hours. This one was almost 24 hours later. So
Lauren (16:06) With my fifth birth, my water broke Friday, ten AM, and she was born Saturday at one PM. So a full I think it was like twenty six hours. I have it written down. I should have put my notes in front of me. But um that and you know, I should have mentioned also that I’ve had six babies, but only three times has my water broke. So um that was another thing. I think she was on she was my second time that my water had broke. So even then you’re like
Taylor (16:18) It’s okay.
Taylor (16:28) Mm.
Sharing Her Plans and Navigating Other People’s Fears
Lauren (16:35) Is this, you know, is this what I think it is? Everything is still so new, each birth. I don’t care how many babies you have. And like you said, like you know, that fear never goes away. So even with my six, the whole time I’m pregnant, I’m like, can I do this? Oh my gosh, labor’s coming, you know, birth is gonna hurt, these contractions, you start, you have these fears. And then I started feeling called to share what my plans were, which was absolutely insane to me.
Taylor (16:42) Yes.
Lauren (17:03) So before I even have my sixth or my third free birth, my sixth baby, I am sharing what I am intending to do. And of course, the world is instantly putting their fears onto me in the comments. And I really, I really just had to avoid the comments because I could not stop sharing what I was like, what I was experiencing, what I was planning, you know.
Taylor (17:04) Yeah.
Taylor (17:19) That’s a lot.
Lauren (17:30) Something was just telling me, you know, you need you just need to start sharing this in the process. And the the all of the negative comments never held me back. Of course, like they did start, I guess, weighing on me, you know, when I’m laying in bed going to sleep at night. I’m like, what if they’re right? You know, what if am I doing, you know, you know, you just start feeling letting that sink in. And then it’s like, no, hold on. I’ve already done this before. I know what I’ve learned. I know what I’ve I’m teaching myself, you know.
Taylor (17:46) Mm-hmm. It was human, yeah.
Taylor (17:56) Mm.
Lauren (18:00) I you start getting your confidence back. And she actually, this was another thing. This was something new. She was late, so to speak, from my due date. So we were due um August 17th. So of course 40 weeks comes and everybody’s like, Oh, you know, you should be having your baby now. Like, oh well, I’ve already had one baby at 40 weeks and four days. So I kind of, you know, I’m not too worried about that. But then we get to 41 weeks and I’m like
Taylor (18:11) Mm.
Taylor (18:25) Mm.
Lauren (18:30) Okay, you know, he this is another fear people have. We’re getting we’re pushing. And to me, I wasn’t really too worried other than the fact of I’m sharing my story and people are like, You’re still pregnant, you know, according what we as far as we know, you’re still pregnant. And so I was like, Here’s here’s just another fear that I’m gonna have to break the stigma about and share more of why this is a variation of normal. She ended up coming at 41 weeks and five days.
Taylor (18:47) Right.
Lauren (18:59) according to my last menstrual cycle. So that was just another another new this time. So my sixth baby, I’m still experiencing something different. But I’m still still comfortable and feeling led to do this at home and do this myself. And that’s another thing. Like I I think I’ve had so much trouble in the past of letting other people’s opinions influence me and, you know
Taylor (18:59) Ha ha
Taylor (19:04) Yes.
Taylor (19:12) Mm.
Lauren (19:28) kind of just being a people pleaser and be like, Okay, well, I wanted to do it this way, but I’m gonna go ahead and do it that way because that’s what you’re telling me. And I can’t remember what point I was making with this statement, but I think that um I totally lost my train of thought. Um
Taylor (19:35) Mm.
Taylor (19:41) Yeah.
Taylor (19:45) Hey, you’re postpartum, like there’s that’s your excuse. I do it all the time still.
Lauren (19:49) Crazy. It’s crazy. And like I told myself I told myself like I’m gonna have my bullet points ready for this so I can talk about all the things that I want to talk about. And of course that did it happen, you know. And uh that’s what they say, once you have six kids, it’s like you just need to add an extra hour to whatever you gotta do. Each kid just keep adding an hour. ‘Cause I always think I have all the time in the world and that doesn’t happen. But
Taylor (19:57) Yeah.
Taylor (20:01) Yeah.
Taylor (20:11) Yes. Yeah. I I understand. I only have four. I’ve always said uh like I wanted six since I was in high school. I don’t know if that will happen. I don’t I just go in with the flow, but I get it ’cause I’m at four and I feel that way.
Lauren (20:21) Do it.
Lauren (20:26) Yeah, that’s how it goes. I know. And I think that’s like once you have four, it’s like, yeah, I can totally handle anything.
Taylor (20:36) Honestly, I was looking at my kids earlier and they’re just everywhere, you know. uh They’re just like and I’m just like looking at all of them, I’m like, wow. Like those all like they all came out of me. Like I at one point. It’s like I’ve really like went through this for the last eight years just over and over.
Lauren (20:40) Yeah, yeah.
Lauren (20:45) Yeah, I know.
Lauren (20:48) That’s crazy. That’s crazy.
Why Having Her Children Present Matters
Lauren (20:55) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And then it’s even crazier when the the children you birthed are actually watching you birth children. It’s like we’re just added to the crew. And I think that’s one of the things I love most about home birth is the babies being able to be involved.
Taylor (21:03) Yes yes and I I th
Taylor (21:13) Yes, I was gonna say I was um so with your recent one, how your daughter was I watching you. Obviously it’s special for your sons too. Like don’t get me wrong, ’cause I have two sons as well. And um
Lauren (21:22) Yes.
Taylor (21:27) Like them getting to see it for their future wives to be able to support them. But like your daughter is gonna be the one that’s like physically going through that. And just like seeing her smile on her face, like it that’s normal in your household. That’s gonna be normal in her household. You know what I’m saying? Like that is so it’s so it’s very special. And I was so happy to see like that.
Lauren (21:30) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (21:35) Yeah.
Lauren (21:40) Yeah.
Lauren (21:46) Mm that we
Lauren (21:50) Yes, I know. I know exactly what you mean. Like that was one of the things that was most important to me also was when I decided to start choosing to birth differently was I knew all of m um I guess like my concerns that I had for myself and all the choices that I didn’t get to make or all of the things, you know, that were chosen for me. And I wanted to make sure that she knows she has a voice and her
Lauren (22:19) Opinions matter. What she wants matters. And I wanted her to know that she can do it differently. She doesn’t just have to accept what the world is giving her. And I think that was one of my main reasons for wanting to birth at home. And now that she’s seen me do it three times, I’m I hope that she’ll have the confidence to do the same.
Taylor (22:28) Yes.
Taylor (22:33) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (22:40) Hey, she’ll be like, mom, I’m in labor and you’re gonna be there and sh everything’s gonna be fine. Yes, yes. I think about that with my daughters too. Like, I want to be there for them. And even like my daughter in laws. I hope that my sons are like, hey, we’re doing this, you know, because this is what my mom did. Yes, yeah. So tell us about how
Lauren (22:43) Yep. I’ll be her doula at that point.
Lauren (22:52) Yes. Oh yes.
Lauren (22:58) Yes, I really pray for that relationship too. It’d be the best.
The Start of Her Most Recent Labor
Taylor (23:08) Like for this last one, how did labor start? Like what was your mindset going in? Like because some people, you know, you talk about like the the fear, but once you it starts, like for me personally, like that fear just went away and it never was present during the labor itself. I wonder if is that the same for you or how did that go for you?
Lauren (23:28) So I right before labor started, I think I was kind of feeling uh a little irritated just, you know, being pregnant and uncomfortable and I was I was catching up on rest. So I I really try to rest a lot when I know labor’s soon. Um but I was like, man, I have a to do list, I need a I wanna sweep the back porch, I wanna do this, you know, so I was just like irritated and I was like, Today I’m cleaning, I am getting some stuff done.
Taylor (23:37) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (23:57) And so that was my mindset when I woke up. So like I I did, excuse me, I went outside on the back porch and I started like sweeping and like I was dusting cobwebs with the broom and doing crazy stuff. Walk back inside the house and I think I’m like picking clothes up out of the hallway and I’m like, oh my gosh. I’m like, guys, I think my water just broke. Talking to the kids, like my water just broke, or I’m using the restroom right now. So excuse me for a minute.
Lauren (24:27) So I go and like it is that kind of like, what is this really happening? You know, kind of like a little panic moment. It was my water. And so I was like, okay, wait, hold on. I’ve been waiting for this moment and now I’m kind of in shock. Don’t know what to do. But I think it takes it a minute to like sink in, you know? So I was like, we’re gonna be delivering a baby today. I’m kind of nervous, you know? Like I know what’s you know what’s coming. You know the pain is coming.
Taylor (24:35) Uh uh
Taylor (24:44) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (24:56) So you have a moment of let me let this sink in. And I just took a deep breath and I got back busy finishing up what I was doing. Like I think I was, you know, starting clothes and stuff like that. So it’s like, let me just continue with my day. Because with my last my fifth birth, you know, my labor my water broke and then labor didn’t even start for like another day, technically. So I was like, let me just finish what I’m gonna do, what I’m doing. I’m not gonna panic or anything like that. I’m gonna continue our day. And
Taylor (24:57) Yeah.
Taylor (25:19) Mm.
Lauren (25:26) Yeah, it kind of started off slow. I just had little contractions here and there. And I think that it did kind of I guess like the fear of labor kind of drifts away. Then I just start getting bored and I’m like, okay, can we get things on the road here? Like I’m ready to I’m ready, you know? And that’s exactly how my daughter was. She’s like, Can you hurry up and have this baby? It’s today the day. Come on. You know, so I don’t have I have her like making me feel even more impatient. Like, I know, we’re trying.
Taylor (25:42) Yeah.
Finding Focus During Labor
Lauren (25:56) But once that once labor started, I was like, okay, we’re you know, we’re doing this. Labor didn’t actually start until the next morning at about four a.m. I woke up, well actually I think I woke up about two or three and I was like, okay, that was a tough contraction. But I was able to go back to bed until four. And then that’s when they really started kicking in. And I I would say that I was the calmest I’ve ever been.
Taylor (25:56) Mm.
Lauren (26:24) in any of my labors and I guess you would say because it was my sixth one. So I’m more focused. I know that I do better when I don’t talk as much, when it’s dark, when I can just, you know, kind of be in my own world, be slow. And my husband knows that too. Like he knows I don’t really I don’t want too much touching. I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to answer questions. And luckily my labors do tend to start early morning or at night. So my kids are always asleep.
Taylor (26:43) Mm.
Taylor (26:53) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (26:54) Because one of the hardest things in labor is having a toddler who wants to snuggle and love on you. You know, I’ve had that happen before, but it’s not the worst thing that can happen. But they they are all asleep. So I’m just kind of, you know, in my own world, in my own thoughts and focusing on breathing. For each contraction, I’m either just praying, saying birth affirmations, or I will be in the most random memory. Like I had a blanket that’s one of those, um
Taylor (27:00) Yeah.
Taylor (27:04) Right.
Lauren (27:23) Crochet woven blankets, you know, so it has like big gaps. It’s like a net. So like I’m gripping onto the net and it reminded me of a childhood playground where I would go and like climb the nets. And so during a contraction or a few of them, I’m thinking about being at this playground and being a little kid. Just anything that can distract me from the pain, but also as a like link into the pain, you know? Like I don’t know how to explain that. My mind is gone, but my body is.
Taylor (27:26) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (27:42) Wow. That’s smart. Yeah.
Taylor (27:49) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (27:53) working and surrendering with the contractions, you know. Hi. I just realized I’ve got a kid over here listening to me. Yeah. Um let’s see. I’m trying to think where where I was going with that too.
Taylor (27:57) Right. Mm-hmm.
Taylor (28:01) That’s interesting. Oh, it’s okay.
Taylor (28:14) It must be the contractions you were holding on to like the the blanket, it was like the net.
Lauren (28:20) Yes, so it so in between the contractions or during the contractions, I’m just really trying to focus on anything but the contraction, except for let’s get through the contraction, you know, because I know that it’s starting, it’s gonna go, it’s gonna go, and we’re gonna be clenching our teeth and our fists together, but then it’s gonna go away and you’ll get to breathe, you know, you’ll be calm. So I think having that reminder constantly.
Taylor (28:34) Mm-hmm.
Recognizing the Urge to Push and Catching Her Baby
Lauren (28:49) helps me get through it. And then with this last one, I was more I guess aware of the each situation in labor, each situation, each um phase of labor, you would say. Like I knew like when she was, you know, right there. I’m like, I’m like, look, this next contraction, you’re gonna be pushing out a baby. So get ready. And of course I’m I can’t really vocalize that to my husband in the moment.
Taylor (29:01) Stage. The phase, yeah.
Taylor (29:06) Ha ha
Taylor (29:16) Oh yeah. Yeah.
Lauren (29:17) But I think I did say something like like babies coming next or you know I said something like that. And then I did like the next contraction, I got her head out and I’m in a position where he couldn’t really tell, but I said I said head and he was like, Okay, that’s good. Don’t push too hard. I was like, I’m like, no, her head’s out. That’s what I’m thinking of like her I’m holding her head right now. Like I’ve literally have her hair in her ear in my hand.
Lauren (29:47) And that was, I think, really the first time that I had experienced that in labor. So that was something brand new where I was I catching my own baby, you know. So that was a new, new experience. But um yeah, so with our first home birth, I was m leaned more back on my side, kind of like with my leg up. And um I was using the wall for support with pushing.
Taylor (29:47) Oh wow.
Taylor (29:58) Wow, yeah.
Taylor (30:02) Did he catch your other two?
Taylor (30:12) Uh-huh.
Lauren (30:15) And so when the baby came out, he scooped him up and put him on me. And then um with our fifth, which was our second home birth, I was squatted on all fours. And she how did she? I think she was in the front, like I leaned back and then I pulled her up. So yeah, he’s only caught one so far. All right, baby. So far, I say that like, oh my goodness. No, we’re not planning on anymore.
Taylor (30:16) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (30:19) Yeah.
Taylor (30:37) Okay.
Taylor (30:42) Hey, I after after after our fourth my husband caught her and he’s so convinced that like this baby loves him the most because he caught her. He was the first one in the chance.
Lauren (30:45) Magino, whatever happens.
Lauren (30:57) Yeah.
Lauren (31:00) Mine said the same. That is hilarious. That is so funny.
Taylor (31:04) They really do. They have like the uh they all my kids love their dad and they all have great connections. But she was like much earlier than the other ones. Like normally like they’re all mom at first, but yeah, he was like, Yeah, we can do that like all day long. And I’m like, Yeah, you can
Lauren (31:09) Yeah.
Lauren (31:13) Oh, that’s so sweet. Yeah.
Lauren (31:20) That is awesome. Yeah, it is it is such an experience for sure. And after our first home birth, like, you know, he was very nervous because I’m the main one choosing this and doing the research. But now he’s like, Yeah, this is the way it’s supposed to go. He’ll share. He’s like, you y’all need a birth at home.
Taylor (31:36) Yep, that’s how that’s how my husband was too. He was like, Man, I can take naps and I mean, ’cause he knows that I’m like I’m okay handling most of it myself, you know. Um I think it’s so funny, like how the husbands when they first experience it, like they are so like on board. At first they’ll be like, hmm, I don’t know. But then it’s like
Lauren (31:41) Mm.
Lauren (31:45) Mm-hmm. oh
Lauren (31:49) Yeah, for sure.
Lauren (32:00) Mm.
Taylor (32:03) They’re kinda like whatever, you know. Not like whatever in an irresponsible way, but just because they have trust in what we do, you know.
Lauren (32:05) Yeah.
Lauren (32:10) Yeah, it’s like, all right, w we know we can do this, so cool. We’ll do it again. I love that.
Taylor (32:14) My husband was like, well, you’re the one that has to do it. So I’m like, okay, so this is how we’re gonna do it. And then yeah. It’s funny because we also didn’t tell anybody about our f sorry. We also didn’t tell anybody about our free birth that we were planning. And um everybody just thought we were gonna have another v uh home birth with a midwife.
Lauren (32:18) Exactly.
Lauren (32:22) Hey, yeah.
Lauren (32:28) No, we’re fine.
Lauren (32:33) Yeah. oh
Lauren (32:37) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (32:38) And so when we after we had her and we started telling people, they were like, So some people, like s people in my family still don’t know. Not everybody. And people in his family like his brother knows and my sis one of my sisters know and that’s it out of our family, but like friends and stuff, they’re like, Of course, what what else would you guys do? Like that’s you guys, you know? It’s kinda funny, but
Lauren (32:47) Oh my goodness!
Lauren (32:57) Yeah, right. That is crazy. That is too funny.
Taylor (33:05) So uh back to your story. So you get to the head. I’m sorry, I did not mean to cut you off with that, but
Lauren (33:07) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (33:12) Oh no, you’re fine. No this is literally like I’m like squirrel. I I cannot keep a straight conversation, you know. And I feel like I’m losing my voice now. Excuse me. So um I have with one contraction, you know, I get her head out and then the next contraction comes and I know this is I this is how it’s gone for pretty much all of my births, if I remember right. Well, not really my
Taylor (33:21) I’m the same way.
Taylor (33:26) Oh, it’s okay.
Lauren (33:40) My hospital bursts I didn’t push too long. Like I can’t tell you the exact amount of contractions, but I know like maybe fifteen, twenty minutes. But that was, you know, um, what’s the word? When they coached contractions. So they were telling me when to push, you know, how to feel. With my three home bursts, I always waited for fur and actually didn’t even know what fur was for my first home birth, by the way, I don’t think.
Taylor (33:49) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (33:56) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (34:09) I’m pretty sure. um Sorry. When I with my first home birth, I started experiencing the fetal ejection reflex. And I was like, what is happening? Like, literally, like, you know, because I get sick. So I throw up while I’m pregnant. And I was like, hold on, am I like, am I about to be sick right now? Like, is that what’s happening? Cause my belly just started like jumping. And I was like,
Taylor (34:13) No, you’re fine.
Taylor (34:28) Uh
Taylor (34:34) Uh uh.
Lauren (34:35) What is happening? And you know, obviously feeling the baby being pushed out. And so for the first like maybe few seconds of that contraction, I was like, what in the world is going on? And then I was like, okay, let me bear down with this and see what happens. And so that’s what I started doing. And then for my second home birth, I experienced that as well. But I knew what it was. So I was like, okay, here we go. We know we’re going. And then for my third home birth, that happened again.
Taylor (34:48) Yes, yes.
Lauren (35:03) And so I knew with the um once I got her head out with that second contraction, I was like, I can get her shoulder and bodies out with this next contraction. So I kind of um I g I guess you would say I wasn’t scared because I knew like, you know, within two contractions I’m gonna have her out. And that’s exactly how it happened. She our one giant push and got her out and I leaned back well, it took me a second, you know, you’re still kind of out of it, I guess. So
Taylor (35:27) Mm-hmm.
A Water Birth with Her Family Nearby
Lauren (35:33) Took me a second to like lean back, um and just pulled her up. And I am I’m I guess I should have mentioned that we’re in the tub, we’re doing a water birth. So, you know, I pull her up out of the water and we don’t see the gender with this is a surprise gender baby. So I do my best to like just hold her close so I can get, you know, situated, like get comfortable, catch my breath. And then um my daughter was
Taylor (35:51) Yes.
Taylor (35:59) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (36:02) She was just outside the door, probably scrolling her phone or something, ’cause she was awake for the whole whole time. She could not wait. And that’s when she rushed in and she’s like, Oh my goodness. And I was just the first thing on my mind was go get your brothers and your baby sister so we could find out if she’s a boy or a girl. And she’s a girl. But it was like it really was a quick labor. It was um I would
Taylor (36:09) Oh wow.
Taylor (36:22) Yeah.
Taylor (36:25) Oh my gosh.
Lauren (36:30) technically say it started about four thirty a.m. and then she was born at seven forty three a.m. So just about really three hours of active labor where I was, you know, on my exercise ball and really having to like sway through those contractions. So it was really, really fast. And I 100% think that’s because we do we do this at home. You know, we let labor play out. We wait till
Taylor (36:37) Wow.
Taylor (36:46) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (36:58) baby’s ready we wait till my body says it’s time and we do everything undisturbed I don’t even even when my water breaks I personally am not gonna go walk on the curb I’m not gonna you know just try to like make it happen quicker I’m very relaxed like I took so many naps and I 100% yeah like I think that’s the way it should be you know
Taylor (37:00) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (37:11) I’m sorry.
Taylor (37:19) Yes. The same way. I’m like
Taylor (37:25) Yes. And then it’s like, okay, like after the baby’s born, you know what’s also coming. So it’s like there’s really no rush. Like, you know, like you obviously like sometimes you’re tired of being pregnant, like you’re excited to meet your baby. But at the end of the day it’s like, I’m about to be like, you know, on the couch for six weeks straight. So so, you know, and then like be up and like the sleepless night. So like enjoy what you can while you can, but also like
Lauren (37:30) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (37:33) Exactly.
Lauren (37:39) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (37:51) Mm-hmm. Exactly.
Taylor (37:55) I don’t know, I I f I do not like all of like the eat all these dates and I mean like I know that dates are actually supposedly like scientifically proven. But what are the other ones? I can’t even think. I don’t subscribe to any of them, so I don’t really uh keep track with it.
Lauren (38:00) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (38:06) Yeah.
Lauren (38:10) No, I just personally like letting nature take its course. Like I don’t want to try to force anything. You know, I’m very laid back in that, you know, that way. So I pe you know, people even ask me, what did you do to prepare for such a easy birth? You know, you made it look so easy, and I’m like, well, you know, I have done this a few times. But but like it’s honestly like I did not do anything except learn, sleep.
Taylor (38:16) Mm.
Taylor (38:31) You did though. You rocked it.
Preparing by Learning, Resting, Eating, and Praying
Lauren (38:39) Pray, eat, you know, like that’s that’s my thing. That’s what I do. And I’m not out here, you know, doing yoga every morning and doing these stretches and perennial massages and all that. Like, no, I’m not doing any of that. You know, I’m just I’m I’m being natural. Like that’s all I can say. Like that’s really the truth. I’m just being.
Taylor (38:49) Ha ha
Taylor (38:52) Oh yeah.
Taylor (38:58) Yes.
Taylor (39:02) Mm-hmm. I agree. Like no, I don’t feel like our ancestors or anybody was really going through all the things. I think it’s just like a societal like everybody sees somebody else doing it, so they’re gonna do it. I don’t know. It’s it’s weird to me. Um, did you tear? In any of your
Lauren (39:16) Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Lauren (39:21) No, I didn’t. I actually with so with my three hospital births, I did. So my first one I had an apesiotomy. Second one I tore. Third one I tore. Third four or my three home births, nothing. N not at all. And uh one hundred percent I believe it’s because nobody was, you know, manipulating anything. I was left alone. So
Taylor (39:29) Mm.
Taylor (39:36) Yeah. I think that’s so
Taylor (39:45) Yes. My free birth was the only one I didn’t tear on. I had also had the epesiotomy um with my first and then my second it tore like right on that line. And then my third, I had just such a small one. My midwife was like, Do you want me to sew it? I’m like, no, just leave it alone. And it was fine. But
Lauren (39:47) Nice.
Lauren (40:04) Yeah, see.
Taylor (40:06) like the healing process after and like and even like go like taking your first P it’s like, Wow, like this doesn’t even hurt. Like I couldn’t even believe the things I had to go through with those first three compared to like that fourth.
Lauren (40:15) So different.
Reflecting on Recovery After Hospital and Home Births
Lauren (40:22) If I like I wish that I had cameras for all three of my hospital births and that recovery, like I wish I had a little mini vlog of that compared to my home births. Oh my gosh. Like even like getting up from my tub and walk into my bat my bedroom was easy. And I remember having to get out of a hospital bed to get into a wheelchair and could barely move. Like, oh my goodness, yes. And like
Taylor (40:26) Yeah.
Taylor (40:39) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (40:47) You feel like a freight train hit you. Yes.
Lauren (40:49) Yes, it’s crazy. And especially with so with my hospital bursts I did have the epidurals. The first one it worked amazing. Couldn’t feel anything. So then of course afterwards it gets it I get hit by that freight train and it’s awful. And then with my second and third it it halfway worked and so, you know, that recovery, you know, it was easier because I was already in pain. But then with my fourth, I guess with my home burst
Taylor (40:56) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (41:13) Mm.
Lauren (41:19) Filling everything and then I guess it just made postpartum and the afterbirth like so much easier because it was like, Oh, this pain is nothing compared to, you know, contractions that actually push out your baby.
Taylor (41:34) Right. And I also have another question because um you have six, I have four. But they always say that after each birth, like the shrinking of the uterus gets harder with each one. Has that been true for you? Like it has been for me. No? I feel like that really. Oh I I feel like mine’s gotten worse for whatever reason.
Lauren (41:49) No. Oh my gosh, it’s been easier.
Lauren (41:55) Yes. uh
Lauren (41:59) Really? So
Taylor (42:01) Yes, but I’m thinking like, I don’t know.
Lauren (42:04) What do you mean like the pains? Like the contractions?
Taylor (42:07) Like when you’re yes, so like when you’re like breastfeeding and like those contractions start in again because your uterus is shrinking, but then like those first that first week.
Lauren (42:15) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (42:17) You know what? Maybe maybe so. But I feel like maybe it was like um shorter. Like I only like with her, I feel like it was only really like two or three days. Well, maybe even like two days. But they were don’t get me wrong, like they they hurt. Like I was some of them had me in tears and I was on my heating pad, like, you know, using that. So like they were hurting. But I don’t I don’t feel like they lasted as long.
Taylor (42:31) Right, yeah.
Taylor (42:37) Yeah. Oh, that’s smart.
Lauren (42:47) Like I feel like it it was like they were they stopped much sooner, if that makes sense. So maybe yeah, like it’s it’s a little harder but quicker. oh
Taylor (42:47) Okay.
Taylor (42:52) That does, that does.
Taylor (42:58) Yeah, I know what you mean. I was just curious ’cause you’re ahead of me and so I like to try to gain some wisdom when I can. Oh. Yeah. I know. My my youngest is like thirteen months. No. Fourteen months?
Lauren (43:05) Yeah.
Lauren (43:07) Yeah, or you you can catch up quick. I know how fast
Lauren (43:14) Oh
Taylor (43:21) Maybe fifteen months. You don’t I mean once it’s your fourth kid, you you don’t really keep up with that as much. Yeah. Okay. Was there anything else that you wanted to share?
Lauren (43:26) Yeah. So you’re growing, that’s fine.
Lauren (43:38) I can’t remember at this point, but I I feel like
Lauren (43:44) Mm. See, I should have done my bullet points. I should have should have got this done way sooner. But no, I I I think that um really the the last thing that I want to share would be like your questions, you know. And let me close this line too. Maybe it’ll make feel like the sun’s getting out of hands. Okay.
Taylor (43:48) It’s okay. It’s okay.
Taylor (43:58) Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Taylor (44:04) No, you’re fine. If you wanna calm her down really quick, I don’t wanna I feel bad.
Lauren (44:10) That’s okay. I think she really like is um needs to burp and she’s gonna take a minute. She likes she likes when I lean back in bed, you know, she’s spoiled. Is that better? Yeah.
Taylor (44:24) I just don’t I don’t want her to be like hurting.
Taylor (44:29) I really enjoyed talking to you. I I don’t truthfully have a lot of friends ’cause we’ve been overseas for so long. And so I’m like my husband just retired from playing basketball, so trying to get like back into yeah, the flow of uh I don’t know, being social Yeah, yeah. Say
Lauren (44:36) Yeah.
Lauren (44:41) That’s so cool.
Lauren (44:48) Adult interaction. No, I totally understand because I’m very like I’m an introvert. I’m like I may seem like, you know, I talk a lot just because I post on social media, but no. Like in person I’m like Don’t
Taylor (45:01) Hey, I love I love to talk, but I’m also like you gotta be the right person and the right thing to talk about, you know?
Lauren (45:08) Yes, exactly. Like we we really do have to be like minded for me to be able to carry on.
Taylor (45:14) Yes, I’m the same. And it could just be about one thing. Like we don’t have to agree about anything else, but if we can agree on one thing, I’m good. Cause actually we ho I homeschool as well. I saw that on your bio that you homeschool in. Yeah. So we’re going through that.
Lauren (45:19) Mm-hmm. Exactly, exactly.
Lauren (45:26) Oh yeah. Mm-hmm.
Lauren (45:30) Well, we do have a lot in common.
Taylor (45:33) Yeah, yeah. Okay. So let me I have them written down. This is my first time doing this too, so
Lauren (45:40) And then also like by the way, if you watch this playback and you’re like, We missed on so many points, we can always redo this.
Taylor (45:50) Oh, I I feel like you’ve done really good, truthfully. Like, I think it’s great.
Lauren (45:53) Okay, okay. I was thinking about it, I was like I haven’t even really like written out my birth story this for this last time. Like I just had my birth vlog, you know, so I like, maybe I should have done that before today, but you know, of course that hits me all last minute, so
Taylor (46:03) Right.
Taylor (46:07) No. Trust me, even even I have like tr like ’cause I for my podcast I’m trying to like write mine so that ’cause I’m a doolet as well, so I like kinda want my clients to know where I’m coming from as well. Like even, you know, like I’m not judging you if you decide to go to the hospital or whatever. Like I’ve been through the you know, I just I don’t know. I’ve been through the process as well. But um I have like tried to write all of my
Lauren (46:19) Yeah.
Lauren (46:25) For sure.
Lauren (46:29) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (46:35) stories down and every single time I’ve just not looked at it, I’m like, I’m just going to like if I need to look at like the dates or times of something I will but I’m like it’s better for me just to tell it how it is. Um
Lauren (46:44) Yes.
Lauren (46:47) Yeah, and see that’s how I felt too. I was like, Uh, you what, maybe it’s just best that we freestyle it. It’s okay. We’re just gonna we’re just gonna go
Taylor (46:52) Sometimes it is, ’cause it’s more it comes more like genuine and off the top and like listen, we’re all moms. Like nobody’s worried that they hear your baby crying or like you’re trying to prep nobody cares. They they all like we’ve all been through postpartum. Like I I feel still feel like I’m going through it with like remembering things. I have to write everything down if I want anything done, so
Lauren (46:57) For sure.
Lauren (47:05) Okay, good.
Lauren (47:09) Exactly.
Lauren (47:12) Oh for sure, for sure.
Lauren (47:17) Oh same, same.
Lauren’s Advice for Mothers Preparing for Physiological Birth
Taylor (47:20) Okay, I’ll get to the questions. Okay. So at the end of each episode, we ask moms two questions. And the first one is, what is your best advice to a mom planning a physiological birth?
Lauren (47:32) Yeah.
Lauren (47:37) So I think that my, I don’t know if this will be the best advice, but it’s my top advice is try your best as quick as possible to learn how to block out anybody, anybody who is coming at you with their opinions on why you shouldn’t do this or why this is not the best choice. Try your best to quickly block out those fears.
Lauren (48:06) Because other people are gonna have fears. They’re not going to understand your point of view. They’re not going to understand your reasons. And, you know, it’s okay. That’s gonna happen. They’re you know, they’re they don’t have to make the same decision as you, but it can be really hard to keep on with your choice when you have all of those negative voices in your ear. So I think it’s very important to find a supportive partner.
Lauren (48:35) uh find a supportive team, even if that means strangers on the internet, you know, women who have done this before. I think it’s very important to surround yourself with like-minded women and mothers who are making the same choices as you or who even, you know, are considering it. I think that it’s very important to have those people around you in some way or another. And
Lauren (49:00) less of those people who are not supportive of your decision because they’re just gonna block you in so many ways.
Taylor (49:09) Yes.
Taylor (49:11) That’s um perfect actually. Because um even like the people that you’re gonna have at your birth, if like if you decide to have somebody, they better be on board or it can bring fear into your labor. That was beautiful. Okay. My second one is and um to my listeners, I just wanna say that um ah
Lauren (49:14) Yeah.
Lauren (49:22) Oh for sure, for sure.
Lauren (49:29) Okay.
Taylor (49:37) The podcast is called Birthright, but it’s by the Village Birth Co., which is like my whole birth business. And so with the village, we want to be able to support the women we have on our show, their families, and um just help them in ways that we can. Like I want it to be an actual village, not just something that is thrown around. I want to be able to help. Um
Lauren (50:01) Mm-hmm.
Taylor (50:03) support and you know, maybe create friendships and just v even if it’s a virtual village around women. I think that we can do that here. So my question to you, Lauren, is how can the village support you?
Lauren (50:18) I would say by continuing exactly what you’re doing, because just you sharing this message and uh continuing to share our stories, just normal moms like me, I think that’s how you help us best because if we don’t have these stories out there, people are not gonna even know that they have these choices, you know. Like I hear from so many moms, like
Taylor (50:34) Yes.
Lauren (50:47) Wait, we can say no to that or we can do this, you know. So I think that you are best helping not only me, but every woman and mother out there by sharing these stories and getting the message of birth choices out there. So I think that you just you just keep doing what you’re doing, girl. You’re doing it.
Everyday Motherhood and Making Room for Imperfection
Taylor (51:09) Well thank you. I so um I appreciate that ’cause I do feel like it is. I know that um I listened to a lot of her stories when I was pregnant and I feel like it always helped me, but I wanted it co to come from like more of a woman like me that, you know, is just a everyday mom. Like we’re not in the woods yelling and you know what I’m saying? Like I’m not I don’t wanna be like that.
Lauren (51:32) Yeah. Yeah.
Taylor (51:36) But I just I wanted to come from a more regular day girler. Not I’m not calling you regular day. Oh my gosh. Like but just I feel like it’s so
Lauren (51:43) No, totally. No, I know what you mean. No. Totally understand. Like we’re literally just a a normal person, like going through the drive thru and I just did my grocery shopping. Yeah, and you know, like I we’re we’re natural minded, but that doesn’t mean we’re perfect, you know? Just because we’re birthing at home doesn’t mean you have to be an over the top, holistic, everything natural, you know. Like for example, somebody was like in the comments that
Taylor (51:56) Yes.
Taylor (52:01) Yes.
Lauren (52:11) My baby girl was eating a McDonald’s hash brown at my all natural birth and you know how counterproductive it was. And I was like, you know, I I’m not perfect, but I you know, we have my goodness. It was it was funny. I had to go and make a whole separate video of just her eating her hash brown. But it’s it’s only two because we live in a very, very small town where McDonald’s is the only restaurant we have. And of course at four or five in the morning.
Taylor (52:22) I didn’t even notice that. Yeah.
Taylor (52:32) Oh my gosh.
Lauren (52:41) That’s the only thing was that was open and I was not about to have my husband in there cooking me food. So I was like, go get me a hash brown real quick and bad cakes. I couldn’t even eat it. But No, see, now I’ve lost my train of thought too. But yeah, like no, I totally know what you mean. We’re regular everyday moms just doing this.
Taylor (52:51) Yeah, yeah.
Taylor (52:58) Yes. And I feel like also like free birth has like this uh the what was gonna say? The what is the word I’m looking for? Yeah, like the stigma of we have to be like worshiping goddesses and fairy godmothers and like uh like fertility worship and
Lauren (53:07) Like a stigma. Sereotype.
Lauren (53:18) Yeah. Like out hugging trees.
Taylor (53:23) Yes, and I’m just like, that’s not what it is. Like, anybody can do this, you know.
Lauren (53:27) I know. You know, it’s funny. It’s funny that you say that because I actually made a joke when I was pregnant, like, um, that I was one of those crazy home birth moms who’s gonna be under the moon and howling at the stars and hey, if that’s how you are, I’m I’m not judging, I don’t mean anything bad by that. It’s just that you don’t not everybody is that same way, you know, so I totally know what you mean. We all live different lives, have different lifestyles and beliefs, so
Taylor (53:44) That’s you. Yeah.
Taylor (53:51) Yes. But yes.
Lauren (53:57) We’re just all trying to bring our baby into the world comfortably.
Taylor (54:00) Right. Yes. But I just feel like that’s I just wanna change the narrative that that’s not all it is, you know. ‘Cause I feel like kind of just like a everybody thinks it’s like a hippie thing, you know, like and I can be hippie in my own ways, don’t get me wrong. Like I can be
Lauren (54:08) For sure.
Lauren (54:13) Yeah. Mm. But I’m still gonna eat McDonalds every now and then.
Taylor (54:19) Yeah. See I we don’t eat McDonalds but that’s we’ve been overseas for so long that it anything, um, American eating out like inflames us really bad. But that’s only because our our bodies are just not used to it and it’s painful. Like
Lauren (54:25) In the
Lauren (54:30) Oh, I totally understand that.
Lauren (54:35) I know exactly what you mean. Cause we like we don’t do McDonald’s often, but when we do, I’m like, okay, fine, we can go get a happy meal. We all are regretting it instantly. And I’m like, why do we do this to ourselves?
Taylor (54:47) Yes, yeah. My husband, like, he wanted pizza the other day and after we were done eating it, like bubble guts, everybody, my kids are like, oh my gosh. And I’m like, sorry guys, like I just I I’m sorry. Like we’re not we’re not used to this. We’re not used to it.
Lauren (54:57) Literally.
Lauren (55:01) I know. I know. I know. And it’s like I don’t know why I say yes. I try to be the fun mom and then have instant regrets. It’s all right, we’re not perfect.
Taylor (55:10) It’s okay. Like and that’s another thing. Yeah, yeah. I agree. Um but I also wanted to see like
Where to Find Lauren and Happy Vibes Clothing
Taylor (55:19) Um so when the when I say like how can the village support you, I’m talking about you in a way of like the listeners, like is there somewhere that they can find you, like follow you? Um are you do you have like a business or like I wanna be able to support y’all like and have you know
Lauren (55:31) Oh
Lauren (55:37) Okay, okay, okay, okay. I got you, I got you. So, um so yeah, like just say like my Instagram name and stuff like that. Okay. So my my Instagram is Lauren Wynn and then two underscores. Now I can’t think of the name. The little um you know the two little lines. Oh my goodness. Yes. Hold on, sorry, I just my thing just fell.
Taylor (55:47) Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Taylor (55:58) I can put it in the show notes.
Taylor (56:05) Oh, you’re okay.
Lauren (56:06) Why are you not setting up now? Oh my goodness. I’ve got my little mini one right here. Okay, so my Instagram is uh at Lauren Wynne and two underscores. And that’s actually um my TikTok as well. And then Facebook is just my name Lauren Wynne. And now I feel so awkward saying this. But um it’s like my Facebook is everything is Lauren Wynne. That’s that’s where you can find me at.
Lauren (56:36) I don’t even know how to how to promote myself.
Taylor (56:40) No, it’s okay. And then um did you have a like a t-shirt business maybe? Is that what it is? Okay.
Lauren (56:47) Oh yeah, I do, I do. So I do make t-shirts. Yes. My business is Happy Vibes clothing. And I started that actually to be home with my kids. Like I, you know, I’m home with my kids. I want to be able to help and support. And then of course, you know, we all love t-shirts. And so I was like, I need to I I want to make my own t shirts. You know, I I want them to be comfy and cute. I don’t want to get some man’s, you know, uh rough oversized shirt.
Taylor (56:58) Uh
Lauren (57:17) So I started making my own at at home with my baby. So we’ve been doing that like six years now. So yep. We’re uh and I have an Etsy spot.
Taylor (57:20) Oh, that’s sweet. Yeah.
Taylor (57:24) Wow. So an Etsy shop and it’s called what did you say it was called?
Lauren (57:29) Yeah. Happy Bob’s clothing.
Taylor (57:32) Happy Vibes clothing on Etsy. You’ll have to send me the link and I’ll put all that in the show notes so that whoever’s listening can maybe hopefully so help support you. We’ll stay home with your your family.
Lauren (57:34) Mm-hmm.
Lauren (57:43) You’re so sweet for even mentioning that. And you know, it’s sometimes like I am so quiet about that most of the time, like that I do t-shirts. Like even when somebody compliments me in the store, like, oh I love your shirt, I’m never like, Oh, thanks, I made it. I you know, I make shirts. So like it really is sweet that you mentioned that.
Taylor (57:59) You should. Yes. I um I uh I used to make shirts, but I had a drop shipping because we were overseas and they were not turning out how I liked them. Like the quality wasn’t there and I’m like, if I can’t do this right, I’m not gonna do it at all. So um yeah. Well, it was so good talking to you, Lauren, and um oh
Lauren (58:11) Oh nice, yeah. Yeah.
Lauren (58:18) Yeah, totally understand that.
Taylor (58:28) Oh my gosh, what was I gonna say? Girl. Oh, here. Yes, thank you for being on the show. I appreciate you for taking the time from your six babies.
Lauren (58:30) I know, I’m excited. No, it’s okay. I’m I’m glad that we did this.
Lauren (58:39) Thank you for having me.
Lauren (58:43) Yes, I’m glad that we got to do this and I’m glad that we got to meet a f
About Birthright
Birthright, a podcast from The Village Birth Co, shares real stories of physiological birth and the women who experience them. These conversations make space for a range of birth experiences and help listeners learn from other mothers’ stories.
The stories shared by podcast guests reflect their personal experiences and do not necessarily represent the views of The Village Birth Co. This podcast is not medical advice.
