In today’s episode, I am joined by Heather to dive into her incredible journey from a fear-filled first birth to two positive and empowering experiences.
Heather shares her deep emotional work in overcoming the negative feelings from her traumatic first birth and the steps she took to prepare herself mentally and emotionally for her second pregnancy.
From therapy to Emotion Code, to Head Trash Clearance and hypnobirthing, Heather explores the various tools she used to transform her mindset and approach childbirth with a newfound sense of confidence.
Key Points Discussed:
Traumatic First Birth Experience:
Heather opens up about her initial birth experience, which left her feeling fearful and exhausted. She realised that her emotional baggage and negative energy had a significant impact on her birth. This realisation became the catalyst for her transformative journey towards healing and empowerment.
Emotional Work and Preparation for Second Birth:
Heather undertook various methods to prepare for her second birth, including therapy, Emotion Code, Head Trash Clearance, and hypnobirthing. By clearing trapped emotions and healing herself emotionally, she was able to let go of fear and create a positive birthing environment.
Tuning In and Connecting with Herself:
Throughout her pregnancy, Heather focused on self-care and cultivating her feminine energy. She discovered the power of connecting with her body through movements such as birth dance, a Middle Eastern practice that strengthens muscles and centres the mind. This allowed her to embrace her pregnancy and tap into her innate strength as a woman.
Mindset Shift and Empowering Second Birth:
Heather’s mindset shift played a crucial role in her second birth experience. She approached the process with confidence, uninhibited by fear, and embraced the sensations as a natural part of birth. She utilised the tools she had acquired and received invaluable support from her doula, ultimately delivering her baby in a positive and empowering way.
Postpartum Support and Integration:
Heather talks about the importance of postpartum support and she recognised that her healing journey continued beyond the birth. With the love and guidance of her husband and parents, she navigated the chaotic postpartum period, and was able to balance it along with moving house and doing renovations. Through out all this, she realised she wanted to help to empower women and helping them realise the beauty and potential of birth, just as she had experienced.
Heather’s inspiring journey is a wonderful tale that shows us quite plainly that with the right tools, support, and a positive mindset, it is possible to have a birth experience that is both beautiful and empowering.
Tune in to this episode and discover the techniques and mindset shifts that enabled Heather to go from a place of trauma and fear to being able to embrace the journey of birth with strength and empowerment.
Birth has the potential to be a transformative and life-changing experience, and by preparing emotionally and mentally, you can create the empowering birth experience you want.
Resources Mentioned During the Episode
During this episode, the following resources were mentioned:
1. Therapy: Heather sought the support of a therapist to work through the trauma of her first birth experience and prepare emotionally for her second birth. Therapy is a valuable resource for processing emotions, overcoming fears, and building a positive mindset for childbirth.
2. Emotion Code: Heather used the Emotion Code as a tool to release trapped emotions and create a more balanced emotional state. This resource helps individuals clear emotional baggage and negative energy, promoting a sense of well-being and empowerment during pregnancy and birth.
3. Head Trash Clearance: This is the DIY self-healing method I developed to overcome my tokophobia and that I share in both my books; Fearless Birthing and Clear Your Head Trash. I also have created plenty of self-healing products to help you on your healing journey which you can find in my Fear Free Childbirth shop and my Clear Your Head Trash shop.
4. Hypnobirthing: Heather adopted hypnobirthing techniques as part of her preparation for childbirth. Hypnobirthing involves practicing relaxation, visualisation, and self-hypnosis to reduce fear and anxiety, and promote a positive and calm birth experience.
5. Birth dance: Heather practiced birth dance, which involves using Middle Eastern moves to strengthen muscles and create a sense of grounding and connection with the body. This resource helped Heather stay active and centered during her pregnancy, promoting a positive mindset for birth.
6. Doula support: Heather hired a doula to provide continuous emotional and physical support during labor and birth. A doula is a valuable resource for offering guidance, comfort, and advocacy, enhancing the birthing person’s confidence and well-being.
7. Positive birth experiences podcast: Heather listened to a podcast that shared positive birth stories, which inspired and uplifted her mindset toward childbirth. Listening to positive birth experiences can be a valuable resource for shaping a positive mindset and building confidence for one’s own birth journey.
8. Birth course: Heather took a birth course during her second trimester to further educate herself on positive birth experiences. A birth course is a resource for learning about childbirth, coping techniques, and empowerment, providing valuable knowledge and preparation for the birthing person and their partner.
9. Lactation consultant: After giving birth, Heather received support from a lactation consultant to ensure successful breastfeeding. A lactation consultant is a valuable resource for providing guidance, troubleshooting breastfeeding challenges, and promoting a positive breastfeeding experience for the mother and baby.
About the Guest
Heather, originally from a small town in New York, ventured out to Utah for college. During a summer sales job in Texas, she crossed paths with her future husband, who was also pursuing his education. Both Heather and her husband are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and hold strong spiritual beliefs. Growing up in a culture that emphasized the importance of having a family, Heather had always been aware of the challenges of parenthood. However, as she embarked on her journey, she discovered how deeply these negative aspects had affected her mindset. She obtained a degree in food science and eventually settled in Salt Lake City, finding both a place to rent and a job in her field.
Heather is a life-long dancer and a university graduate with a Food Science degree. As a natural-birth mama and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, she strongly believes in God’s divine design of a woman’s journey.
During her first childbirth experience, Heather encountered physical smoothness but was emotionally traumatised. Despite taking a Hypnobirthing course, she realised the impact of unhealed emotional baggage on the birthing process. This realisation prompted her to embark on extensive research and emotional healing to prepare for a positive second birth.
Heather’s second birth proved to be an incredibly empowering and positive experience, transforming her life in profound ways. Inspired by her journey, she started sharing her insights with other women, witnessing their positive transformations as well.
Specialising in helping women navigate the various facets of womanhood, from monthly cycles to fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood, Heather focuses on moving beyond western cultural conditioning, releasing inhibiting emotions, and fostering a deep connection with their bodies. Her coaching approach combines thought-work with emotional healing and practical lifestyle support.
Covering a range of topics such as period pain, fertility, discomfort in pregnancy, positive birth preparation, fulfillment in motherhood, weight-loss journeys, chronic pain, and sexual healing, Heather’s unique coaching style draws from her diverse experiences at university, her involvement in dance and music, her knowledge of food and nutrition, her spirituality and meditation practices, and her use of emotional release tools, including Non Personal Awareness (NPA). Clients working with Heather find support, encouragement, and excitement in their personal journeys.
Be sure to check Heather’s Rising Woman brand and follow her inspirational journey on Instagram.
Episode Time Stamps
00:00 Heather’s traumatic birth experience and emotional recovery.
04:46 Fear and family experiences shaped birth beliefs.
07:06 Positive birth experience through Hypnobirthing class.
11:32 Passionate about helping others prepare for birth.
15:51 Baby born after intense pushing, exhaustion afterward.
19:25 Hard adjustment, fear, pain, dark place
23:14 Did not forget birth, remembered every bit.
24:31 Discovering perspectives on positive birth experiences.
28:18 Improved pregnancy through changed eating, emotional clearing.
32:07 Embracing womanhood through birth dance is incredible.
34:30 Balanced preparation, hired doula to clear fears.
38:26 Appreciated her helpful phrases during labor.
42:37 Empowering birth led to positive life changes.
44:39 Believe in growth, change, and helping others.
49:28 Fear Free Childbirth podcast for fearless motherhood.
Alexia supports families planning pregnancy and birth. She helps them to overcome their fears and feel calm and confident about birth and pregnancy.
Alexia also trains birth professionals in the Fearless Birthing, a unique approach to birth preparation that is ideal for those who have fears around birth.
- Erin’s Tokophobia Healing Journey - 6th March 2024
- How Unhealed Tokophobia Can Affect You In Unexpected Ways - 27th February 2024
- Overcoming Birth Trauma: Heather’s Journey to Positive Birth - 14th December 2023
