Episode 13: The Joy in Birth with Audrey Ross, Birthkeeper

In this episode of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay shares a fantastic discussion with Audrey Ross of @ajoyfulbirth where Audrey discusses the differences in her three births: birth center, home with licensed midwives, and home unassisted/freebirth. Additionally, she has free birthed another baby at home since we recorded this episode last month.  Audrey truly understands what it means and feels like to give birth like a mammal.....and we get into it!

Audrey has been dubbed "the meme queen" on Instagram for her clever and hilarious memes covering all things birth. She always hits the nail on the head while providing light-hearted comedy to us all!

In her own words, Audrey's most important roles are wife and Mother of six children. She is a rebel at heart and an advocate for and educator on birth outside of the medical system. Audrey is a Birthkeeper (aka Authentic Midwife) and Birth Coach. She supports women in birth both virtually as well as in person.

This episode is great for those of you wanting a home birth but feel like you need to hire a midwife to attend, or those of you with questions about home birth and how that differs from birth center or hospital birth. Lindsay and Audrey discuss the implications of where you choose to give birth on mammalian biology. Enjoy!

Key Takeaways:

1. Hiring "medical midwives" or licensed midwives typically does not lead to a mammalian/physiological birthing experience. 
2. Comparing a birth center birth to a home birth is not even comparable. 
3. The Mother-baby bond is severely impacted by the initial mammalian imprinting process in the immediate  moments after birth. 
4. How significant our own births are in informing us about our world as illustrated by Audrey's children who came to her from foster care. 

Quotes from Audrey:

• "So then I started asking, what exactly does it look like to give birth physiologically?"
• "They are just trying to save women from birth, and I cannot get behind what they are doing."
• "I left the grounds, I walked outside, I did everything they didn't want me to do. I refused their IV, I refused to put on their gown, I refused everything. But it was still all war. I never entered a place where my mind could get lost in labor."
• "That's when I chose to freebirth my third baby and that is like night and day. It doesn't even compare. I left that birth feeling like I've never been a more embodied person in my life. i had never felt more powerful, I had never felt more confident.

Audrey Ross can be found at @ajoyfulbirth on Instagram. You can also check out Audrey's Stan Store for current offerings, resources, coaching and in person su