Ep 270: First Time Homebirther and Hospice Nurse Shares Paralles of Welcoming Life and Concluding It

Ep 270: First Time Homebirther and Hospice Nurse Shares Paralles of Welcoming Life and Concluding It

Author: Katelyn Fusco April 14, 2025 Duration: 1:01:49
We love talking about homebirth here, right?  I mean, it’s kind of our thing.  But what about the other end of the life spectrum.  What about death?     This week, we are speaking with Mariah Lassiter, a a Hospice Registered Nurse who had her first baby at home..  As she has supported patients in her career, Mariah has begun to recognize how many similarities there are in the birthing and dying processes, and how both do not have to be viewed as scary, and in fact can be beautiful.  We’ll hear her incredible birth story with her first child, and then dive into what she’s learned in her time as a hospice nurse.   Episode roundup Let’s start by connecting with our educational tidbit: Not all first births are long!  If you’re experiencing the intensity that Mariah described, do not be afraid to reach out to your midwife.  Part of her job is checking on you, so don’t worry about “calling her too early.” If you’re worried, her support can be extremely helpful. Intuition is everything.  Mariah felt that she needed to give birth at home throughout her pregnancy, and with the quickness of her birth, the reality of that truth became very clear.  Listen to your intuition.  If you feel like you don’t have intuition or don’t know how to tap into it, pregnancy is the most perfect time to tap in.  Turn off your phone, turn off your screens, heck, turn off this podcast and focus inward.  You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn and feel. Finally, our bodies know how to be born, they know how to give birth, and they know how to die.  It’s really quite freeing to see the similarities in these experiences, and to trust that they were created this way with purpose.  If you’re looking for an amazing, grounding, life-altering perspective on dying, I cannot recommend the book Imagine Heaven enough.  Wow.  I read this book on Near Death Experiences last year, and the amount of peace and beauty that it brought to my life was just incredible and unexpected.  You are beautifully designed and deeply loved.   Links Samaritan Ministries Imagine Heaven Book Happy Homebirth Academy Youtube Link  

Hosted by Katelyn Fusco, Happy Homebirth creates a genuine space for conversations that go far beyond the simple how-to of having a baby at home. This podcast centers on the real, unfiltered narratives of people who have experienced natural childbirth, primarily in their own homes. You’ll hear directly from mothers as they recount the intensity, joy, and transformative power of their journeys, alongside the perspectives of midwives and other care providers who support them. While the tone is often uplifting and engaging, these discussions don’t shy away from the raw and challenging moments, offering a fully rounded picture of what homebirth can entail. It’s about building a supportive community through shared stories, where education and encouragement are woven into every episode. Tuning in means connecting with a resource that honors the entire spectrum of motherhood, from pregnancy and birth to parenting and personal health, all while exploring the intersections of family life and personal well-being. For anyone curious, planning, or simply seeking honest dialogue about this profound life experience, this podcast serves as a valuable and comforting companion.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Happy Homebirth
Podcast Episodes
Encore: Homebirth and Chiropractic Wisdom With Dr. Courtney Kahla [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:18
Let’s say you’re a birth expert- you’ve been working with pregnant mothers for years, and you’re finally having the homebirth of your dreams. Is firm education enough, or will there possibly be unexpected tests in the em…
Encore: Simplifying Birth, Simplifying Childhood with Ginny Yurtich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:58
Have you ever been disqualified from something? Maybe you were in a swim meet and your feet touched the bottom of the pool. Maybe your scholarship essay was too short and you were taken out of the running…. But have you…
Encore: Elizabeth’s Peaceful Surprise Twin Homebirth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:46
What surprised you most about your homebirth? Was it… the way you vocalized during your surges? Or maybe it was how incredibly accomplished you felt afterward? Or… was it the number of babies that you gave birth to? This…
Encore: Birth as a Rite of Passage with Dr. Rachel Reed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:07
Today's guest: Dr Rachel Reed is a midwife, academic, author, and international speaker who focuses on childbirth physiology, midwifery practice, and women's rights (and rites). She has provided midwifery care for many w…
Encore: Homebirth is a Team Sport [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:53
Show Notes: Christine and Andrew started their pregnancy journey traditionally with OB care. However, as the pregnancy progressed, they began feeling more and more frustrated about the fact that appointments were fast an…
Encore: Emily Catches Her Own Baby [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:29
Did you know that you could be so intimately aware of what's going on in your labor that you could be the one to reach down and catch your own baby? I sure didn't with my first daughter, and there's absolutely no way I w…
Encore: Real Food for Pregnancy (and Postpartum!) With Lily Nichols [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:50
Pregnancy and postpartum. Many of us strive to maintain a healthy diet during these pivotal times, but what does a healthy diet look like? Should we stick to the guidelines? Enter Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE. Lily is an exper…
Encore: How Did We Get Here?! The History of U.S. Maternity Care [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:47
Have you ever been on a drive and say 15 minutes in you think to yourself, “Woah, how did I get here? You realize you’ve lost your way and you need to turn it around and go back to the start. In this week’s episode, we’l…
Encore: Leah and Her Midwife Handle a  Complication [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:38
Show Notes: Leah is a registered nurse engaged to a UFC fighter, Brandon Davis. They have just grown their family with a new baby! She had a homebirth with her first baby. When asked how she decided to have a homebirth,…