OM DENNE EPISODE
Arielle went into her second birth planning for a birth center birth. She left with an unexpected hospital birth, a 13-minute pushing stage, and a deeper understanding of what it means to let go of the birth you planned without letting go of your power.
In this episode, Kristin sits down with birth doula, therapist, and mother of two Arielle Korn to talk about her unexpectedly fast labor, the moment she realized she wasn't going to make it to the birth center, and what it felt like to end up back in the same hospital and even the same room where she had given birth to her first baby. Arielle also shares what 13 years in birth work have taught her about birth plans, preparation, informed decision-making, and finding peace when birth doesn't go exactly as expected.
This one is honest, empowering, and deeply validating for anyone preparing for birth who wants to feel confident and informed without becoming rigidly attached to one outcome.
In This Episode:
• Planning a birth center birth after a previous hospital birth• What fast labor can actually feel like and why every birth can be different
• Realizing on the way to the birth center that the baby wasn't going to wait
• An unexpected hospital birth and a 13-minute pushing stage• The emotional tension between disappointment and gratitude• Why having a birth plan doesn't mean everything has to go according to plan
• How preparation and education can help you feel empowered when you have to pivot
• Asking questions, advocating for yourself, and slowing things down in a hospital setting
• Why confidence comes from preparation, not perfection
• The importance of support during birth and the fourth trimester
Resources:
• Learn more about Arielle's birth support, childbirth education, postpartum care, and maternal mental health services. Connect with Arielle through Arise Birth.
• Apply to be a guest on BirthNotes
• Follow BirthNotes on Instagram
BirthNotes is a podcast for real, raw birth stories from hospital births and birth center births to home births, unexpected turns, difficult experiences, and beautiful ones. If you have a birth story you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you.
