An Unexpected Diagnosis Changed Her Entire Birth Plan | Ep 17: Ashley's Birth Story
Built To Birth PodcastShow Notes
In this episode of the Built to Birth Podcast, we’re sitting down to talk through Ashley's birth story—from preparing for birth and choosing the right birth team to navigating an unexpected preeclampsia diagnosis and induction.
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast
🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register
We talk about what it looked like to make decisions when birth didn’t go exactly as planned, how important it was to feel informed and supported along the way, and why having a birth team you truly trust can make such a difference.
We also get into some of the really special moments from her birth—the photos and videos she has to look back on, her baby being born in the amniotic sac, and what her recovery and postpartum experience looked like afterward.
More than anything, this conversation is such a good reminder that preparing for birth isn’t about trying to control exactly how your birth unfolds. It’s about understanding your options, learning to trust your body, surrounding yourself with people you trust, and feeling confident making decisions along the way. If you’re pregnant and preparing for birth—or you just love hearing real, honest birth stories—I hope this episode leaves you feeling encouraged and empowered.
Takeaways How family experiences can shape the way we think about pregnancy and birth Why preparing for birth matters, even when things don’t go according to plan Choosing a birth team you feel safe with and trust Navigating high blood pressure, preeclampsia and induction Making informed decisions and advocating for yourself during labor The importance of autonomy during birth Learning to trust and believe in your body How education and preparation can help you feel more confident and empowered Recovery and the postpartum experience
Chapters 00:00 Family and Pregnancy 03:03 Preparing for Birth 12:03 Choosing the Right Team 20:52 Dealing with Pre-Eclampsia 22:25 Preeclampsia Diagnosis and Induction 26:13 Labor and Delivery Experience 29:09 Informed Decision-Making and Advocacy 42:43 The Birth Experience 43:30 The Impact of Pictures and Videos 43:58 The Significance of the Sack of Water 45:08 The Importance of Autonomy in Birth 53:19 Recovery and Postpartum Experience 58:57 Support and Encouragement for Moms
More from Built To Birth Podcast
In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep. 26), Dana shares her journey through five very different births—from an unexpected C-section to two successful VBACs, culminating in the empowering, unmedicated hospital birth she had always hoped for. ✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcastdana ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcastdana ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcastdana 🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register
In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep 25), Anna shares her hands-off, unmedicated positive hospital birth story at 42 weeks. ✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast 🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast 🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register In this episode (#24) of the Built To Birth Podcast, Hannah went into her first pregnancy believing birth would probably look like what she had always seen—rushing to the hospital, getting an epidural, and hoping everything went okay. But as she learned more about natural birth, everything began to change. After feeling dismissed in her original care, Hannah and her husband decided to step outside what everyone around them had done and switch to a birth center. That decision came with plenty of opinions—including people telling her that because of her size and the possibility of a big baby, she wouldn't be able to give birth naturally and would need a C-section. In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast, Hannah shares how she went from fearing birth to trusting her body, preparing for an unmedicated birth, going past her due date, and ultimately having an empowering natural water birth at a birth center. She talks about what helped her through contractions, how water completely changed her labor, what it felt like when her body began pushing on its own, and the moment she reached down and felt her baby's head. And perhaps the best part? Moments after her daughter was born, Hannah looked at her husband and said, “I want to do this again.” If you're preparing for birth—whether you're planning a hospital birth, birth center birth, or home birth—I hope Hannah's story reminds you how powerful it can be to educate yourself, build a team you trust, and make the decisions that feel right for your family.
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast