Today Bekah shares not one but two birth stories! Her first labor was long, rough, and full of interventions. Her second, however, she describes as “an incredible, redemptive, medication-free experience that made (her) view birth in a whole new light.” Between her first and second births, Bekah listened to many birth stories. Through these other women’s experiences she learned more about what she wanted and what she wanted to avoid. This is what makes childbirth education so important. Had Bekah known her options going into labor the first time, she would have done things differently.   In this Episode, You’ll Learn About: -How important it is to be gentle with yourself if it takes longer than expected to get pregnant -What it was like for Bekah to lose her father only weeks before giving birth -Why she had to be induced and how painful she found it -How the epidural affected her and why she had to discontinue using it -How she pushed for four hours and eventually wound up with a second degree tear -How her father’s passing contributed to anxiety in the postpartum -Why it’s important to hear other people’s birth experiences -How much of a difference mindset made for Bekah’s second birth -How much more quickly she dilated and how much less painful it was Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode135 Register for my free birth plan class - How to Make a Birth Plan That Works. Check out The Birth Preparation Course Take a quick, fun labor pain quiz