Part 1: Empowered and Embodied During Birth and Postpartum with Joy Moore
Jan 31, 2023
EPISODE 6 SHOW NOTES
I’m excited to feature a dear friend of mine, Joy Moore, on today’s episode! This will actually be part 1 of Joy’s story, because she has so much beauty, empowerment, and wisdom to share when it comes to birth, postpartum, and beyond.
About Joy Moore:
Joy Moore is a reluctant, homeschool mom of four earthside little people and four spirit babies. Eleven years into motherhood has changed her from the inside out. She is the co-founder of Once Again Mom, where mommas are loved, seen, valued, understood, and cherished in all things postpartum. She is passionate about honoring our matrescence (those adolescent mother years and the experience of making a mom).
Joy believes in honoring each of our unique designs, shifting the “should be’s” to “am’s”, and expanding into what it feels like to be ourselves. It’s time to discover the art of experiencing pleasure in everyday moments, and recapture the art of joy.
In today’s episode, we’re talking all about:
- Joy’s first 2 birth stories. Joy experienced a natural hospital birth with her first baby, but it was not a heartwarming experience she ever wanted to go through again in the hospital setting. She experienced bullying, medical violations, and trauma for her and her baby from the medical team that day. Fortunately, she still had a healthy birth and healthy baby. Going into her second birth, she felt very on top of things and not afraid of birth at all (she was somewhat afraid during her 1st pregnancy since it was an entirely new experience). Joy ended up seeking care with a male doctor from India who she was told believed in a more 'natural' approach to healthcare. Unfortunately, this was not the case at all (he even wanted to induce her before 40 weeks, because he believed babies should be born by then). The final straw was his decision to sweep Joy's membranes even after she specifically told him she did not want that done (she was 40 weeks at this time). Fortunately, Joy ended up giving birth at home with her 2nd baby (this was a very fast birth for her at only 4 hours). It was a beautiful, intense experience, and her baby was even born en caul (the baby is still inside an intact amniotic sac)!
- Her vulnerable stories about 2 miscarriages, and the beautiful way she honored both of those babies. After her first 2 pregnancies, Joy experienced 2 miscarriages-one was at 8 weeks, and the other was at 15 weeks. With her miscarriage happening at 15 weeks, Joy ended up going to the emergency room (due to some advice from a friend in the medical field). Ultimately, she ended up delivering her baby in a bedpan in the bathroom. Her and her husband were able to take their baby home (even though she was originally told she wouldn't be allowed to). Joy ended up buying a tree, and with her husband and kids, she buried her baby in a little cedar chest (hand-made by a friend of hers) in her backyard. It was a raw and beautiful experience for Joy and her family, and allowing herself to fully embrace what happened in her own way was so important.
Your birth and postpartum journey does not have to look exactly like anyone else's, but it should be an experience you can honor, and eventually thrive in.
Like Joy shared in this episode-you do NOT have to be just like your mom, or any other family member or friend who has gone through birth. Once you experience pregnancy, give birth, and step into postpartum, you're a totally different human. You've birthed an entire human, and they're forever a part of you. It can be scary to navigate all of that as you're trying to figure out who you are during the sleep deprivation, nutritional deficiencies, spousal issues, etc.
Ultimately, you have to be okay with not being okay, accepting the fact that you will struggle at times, and it's okay to!
I truly loved getting to learn from Joy and hear her incredible journey with motherhood over the last 11 years; she has so much goodness to share! I have no doubt you will resonate with and feel empowered after listening to her as well. Stay tuned for part 2 of Joy’s story on next week’s episode!
Resources and links mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Joy on Instagram: @joymoore and @onceagainmom
- Learn more about Once Again Mom: https://www.onceagainmom.com/
- If you’re interested in sharing your own, powerful birth story with myself (and the world), I would LOVE to have you on this podcast! Please fill out this form if you’re interested in doing so: https://forms.gle/Ga4ekxpNWMf43ysy9
- Connect with me on Instagram @the.holistic.birth.coach
- More information about the Virtual Natural Childbirth Education Course and ways to work with me: https://instinctivebirthandbeyond.mykajabi.com/offers/2sHMmves
- Join Instinctive Birth and Beyond: The Collective Facebook Community and Support Page: Instinctive Birth and Beyond: The Collective | Facebook
