Emily Woodward is a mother of two who planned a home birth for each of her babies. Her first labor began with confidence and joy—and stretched across multiple days, testing her endurance, her trust in her birth team, and her ability to surrender when the path ahead took an unexpected turn. She transferred from home to hospital with a crowning baby. Her second pregnancy was smooth and uneventful—until 31 weeks, when she awoke in the middle of the night to a pool of bright red blood, and everything changed in an instant.

A former nurse and longtime believer in physiologic birth, Emily brought deep conviction to both experiences—but found herself making two very different choices, each for necessary reasons. In this episode, she shares how she navigated fear, advocated for herself, and came to find peace and even beauty in how each of her births unfolded, despite neither being at home. Her story is a moving reminder that sometimes the plan can change—twice—and still be exactly right.

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#323 | Two Planned Home Births at the Hospital: Emily's Birth Stories

Down to Birth

#323 | Two Planned Home Births at the Hospital: Emily's Birth Stories