Ep 340: Freebirth Story: What Changed Between Her First Birth and Her Third

Ep 340: Freebirth Story: What Changed Between Her First Birth and Her Third

Author: Katelyn Fusco August 24, 2026 Duration: 1:00:33
What if you could do all of it right– read every book, listen to every episode, interview the midwife, make the plan… and still walk into your birth completely unprepared?   Emily Swann is a wife to John, a mama of three, and the woman behind For the Love of Breastfeeding, where she teaches a bodywork course for babies and toddlers and runs a six-month program for mothers called Guided and Grounded. She's a nurse, an IBCLC, and holds a master's degree in public health and nutrition. She also binge listened to every episode of this podcast before her first baby was born.   In this episode, Emily shares three births that look nothing alike. Her first: a planned homebirth that became four days of labor, a house full of onlookers, and a transfer to the hospital. Her second: a baby born at 35 weeks after eleven days of an unexplained 105 degree fever, followed by the NICU and a readmission– and a mother who protected breastfeeding through all of it. Her third: a baby born at home, unassisted and en caul, on the evening she cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner in labor.   We talk about the difference between being informed and being formed, about drama versus transformation, about where a woman's authority goes when she hands it off, and about why the magnifying glass in the lactation world is pointed at babies instead of mothers.   Bonus episode this week: Katelyn's solo episode, Why More Research Isn't Making You Feel Ready, releases Wednesday 8/26 and picks up exactly where Emily's first birth leaves off.   Links: FREE Peaceful Birth Reset: https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/birthreset Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/wholemotherhomebirth (use code PODCAST for 10% off) Youtube Episode Link: https://youtu.be/9QcQb_Sg7Qc?si=bp9JQG4yJPGeqey0 Learn more about Samaritan Ministries: https://samaritanministries.org/happyhomebirth Bonus solo episode (releases 8/26): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-341-why-more-research-isnt-making-you-feel-ready/id1446934537?i=1000785946382 Emily's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theloveofbreastfeeding For the Love of Breastfeeding: https://www.theloveofbreastfeeding.com/      

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: 50

Happy Homebirth
Podcast Episodes
Ep 320: A Mobile Birth: Twins Born Precipitously! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:28
You’ve done it- you’ve decided to give birth at home, and NOTHING is going to stop you, right? This week we’re speaking to Heather Whitehead, a mother to 5 living in East Tennessee. We’ll hear how Heather and her husband…
Ep 319: What Are You Creating? A Birth and Motherhood Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:54
Pregnancy is the height of creativity– you are literally creating a brand new human… from scratch? But have you noticed that sometimes the creativity of pregnancy moves into other aspects of your life? This week, we’e sp…
Ep 318: Pregnancy After Loss and Learning to Trust Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:43
Have you ever found yourself wanting something to happen so desperately, and at the same time realizing you have absolutely no control over its happening? This week, we’re speaking with Erica: a wife, mother of two, one…
Ep 315: From Hyperemesis to Homebirth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:05
Have you ever done everything right…and still watched things unfold in a way you never expected? This week I’m joined by Daryl Hogan — a nurse, nursing professor, wife, and new mama — who navigated a laundry list of unex…
Ep 314: An 11 Pound Baby and the Importance of Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:44
Have you ever wondered how much the environment and the people around you shape the way birth unfolds? Hey there Happy Homebirthers, and welcome to episode 314 of the Happy Homebirth Podcast. I’m your host Katelyn Fusco…
Ep 313: Presence Over Perfection: Madeline Murray on Birth and Growth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:58
Have you ever noticed how each birth teaches us something different—no matter how many times we’ve done this before? Today, I’m welcoming back a dear friend of the show, Madeline Murray—midwife, mother of four, and someo…