Curious about home birth? Get the inside scoop from expert homebirth midwives!

In this enlightening episode, Amanda and Rebecca are joined by two seasoned Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs), Missi Burgess and Tanya Trail. They delve into the nuances of home birth, demystifying common misconceptions and explaining the true essence of this birthing option. Both Missi and Tanya share their extensive experience and insights on what home birth really entails, the role of midwives in ensuring a safe and empowering experience, and how personalized prenatal care can make all the difference. Whether you're considering home birth or simply curious about it, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and a fresh perspective on the birth process.

Today on Kumbay’all episode 74, Amanda, Rebecca, Missi, and Tanya discuss:

• How does home birth differ from common perceptions, and what are the realities versus myths?

• What comprehensive roles and responsibilities do midwives undertake to ensure a safe and empowering birth experience?

• What factors determine a person’s suitability for home birth, and how can individual health and mindset influence this decision?

• What are the physiological and safety implications of water birth, and how does it align with natural birthing practices?

• What steps and preparations are essential for optimizing the likelihood of a successful and fulfilling home birth experience?

We hope this episode provides helpful tips, insight, and encouragement to you! 

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About Our Guests:

Missi Burgess knew she wanted to be a midwife since the age of 12, but she first became a mother of 5. All of her children were born at home under the care of one midwife, so Missi was able to experience empowering natural births and respectful midwifery care first-hand. Her relationship with her midwife paved the way for an understanding of what safe, respectful care should be for mothers.

Missi is a Certified Professional Midwife trained specifically in out-of-hospital birth and nationally certified with the North American Registry of Midwives. Missi earned a Bachelor’s degree in Midwifery from MEAC-accredited Midwives College of Utah and holds a midwifery license in Utah. She is the founder of the Georgia State Chapter of the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives. In this role she engaged in legislative activism for midwifery licensure and worked to ensure that access to midwifery training is equitable and available for Georgia’s future midwives. She also serves on the Standards & Guidelines Committee for the Georgia Midwifery Association.

Missi’s philosophy is that pregnancy and birth are normal physiological processes, and you are the expert on your own health, while your midwife can help you find the information you need. Missi practices evidence-informed care where decisions about your care are made together, based on the evidence we have and your unique desires. 

Tanya Trail’s midwifery journey started in 2004, while she was working with displaced families and the homeless in Costa Rica. She realized that women were not receiving proper care throughout their childbearing experience, so she started researching how she could help. She found home birth midwifery to be the most holistically minded and freeing for facilitating families in their own environment, and began her path to becoming a certified professional midwife. After completing her education and clinical apprenticeships, she opened her own midwifery practice in 2010. Tanya has had the joy of supporting over 300 families from over 14 countries throughout their pregnancies, labors, and postpartum periods through her practices in Atlanta and Southeast Asia over the last 14 years. 

Tanya’s practice focuses on creating a safe and secure environment for birth with a supportive team to provide evidence-based care with less medical interventions. Tanya offers holistic preventative care for a healthy pregnancy while developing a strong rapport with her clients to understand their wishes and desires for their birth. She believes in informed decision-making so her families can create a well-rounded birth plan that helps them feel supported.

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Connect with Missi Burgess:

• Instagram: @MissiBurgessBabyCatcher

• Website: homegrownbirth.com

Connect with Tanya Trail:

• Instagram: @LaboringHands

• Website: laboringhandsmidwifery.com

Birth Mindset Mastery - Download our FREE training on how to prepare for childbirth pain with one simple move, so you can actively prepare for birth and embrace it with confidence!

Progressive Pregnancy - Discover the best way to prepare your mind, body, and pelvic floor for childbirth so you can feel calm and confident giving birth at home and enjoy smoother healing postpartum. Join our online program to get access today!

@progressive.pelvic.ed on Instagram or Facebook

Renew Pelvic Health - Amanda’s practice in Atlanta, GA

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About Your Hosts:

We’re Amanda and Rebecca - twin sisters, naturally-minded homebirth mamas, and co-founders of Progressive Pelvic Education and creators of Progressive Pregnancy. We’re on a mission to help you have a more empowered entrance into motherhood.

Amanda Shipley, PT, DPT, MTC is the founder of Renew Pelvic Health in Atlanta, GA, and has been a physical therapist for more than 20 years. For the last 17 years Amanda has focused on helping patients prevent and heal pelvic floor issues. Her mission is to change the standard of care so that pelvic physical therapy is a part of a complete wellness strategy, like going to the dentist. Amanda is passionate about preventing pelvic floor issues and supporting her patients through the life transitions that we know affect the pelvic floor so strongly - pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause/menopause, and before/after surgery.