#114 | She Slept Through Transition and Gave Birth in the Shower

What happens when you prepare for birth with everything you have, only to discover that the final lesson is letting go? In this powerful birth testimony, Pain Free Birth doula-in-training Annelisa shares how five weeks of prodromal labor, an almost 42-week pregnancy, and a deeply personal journey of surrender led to an unforgettable birth. After a difficult first hospital birth and a redemptive second birth center experience, Annelisa entered her third birth equipped with a new understanding of physiological birth, her body, and the role fear can play in the birth experience. But nothing unfolded the way she had planned. Her carefully prepared birth room and birth pool were left untouched. Instead, after sleeping through what she believes was transition, Annelisa woke to intense pelvic pressure and realized her baby was coming much faster than anyone expected. With her midwife still on the way, her husband beside her, and a perfectly positioned mirror in the shower, she watched her baby emerge while standing and allowing her body’s fetal ejection reflex to do the work. Tune in to hear: How Annelisa’s first difficult hospital birth influenced the births that followed The difference birth education made in how she experienced contractions What five weeks of prodromal labor looked like for her Why being 41 weeks and 6 days challenged her desire for control The prayer under the stars that completely shifted her mindset How addressing emotional tension helped her feel safe enough to surrender Why her contractions progressed without feeling painful How cuddling her son helped her relax enough to fall asleep during labor Why Annelisa believes she may have slept through transition What happened when her husband could not get the birth pool filled The moment her body entered the fetal ejection reflex How she watched her baby crown and emerge using a mirror in the shower What happened when her baby was born with the cord around her neck How the experience transformed her husband’s view of physiological birth Why preparation and surrender are not opposites What this birth taught Annelisa about trusting God, her baby, and her body Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE CONNECT WITH KAREN: Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube