During my pregnancy, I was obsessed with listening to positive birth stories and imagining what my own would be like and I’m so excited to share it all with you today. I recap all the nitty gritty details from the highs and lows of pregnancy to the unexpected twists and turns of my labor and delivery! In this episode you’ll hear: How I decided between birthing at-home, in a birth center or at the hospital What resources, courses, and classes *we* took to prepare  What expectations I had of my husband The really important conversations we had before getting pregnant How long it took for me to get pregnant Tips for morning sickness How we did our gender reveal  Why we chose to hire a doula  What my birth wishes were  My attempt to go unmedicated All my desperate attempts to induce labor How hypnobirthing helped me The challenges I faced with my baby’s position What contractions / back labor felt like  What I used for pain management during labor  How I advocated for myself And what happened immediately after delivery I delve into the various stages of my pregnancy, the preparations my husband and I made, and the intense emotions that accompanied the journey. Despite the unexpected twists, the birth of my son was a profound and empowering experience. This episode is not just a recount of my birth story but also a tribute to the incredible support from my husband, my doula, and my medical team. Whether you’re a soon-to-be mom, a new mom, or someone who loves birth stories, I hope my journey brings you insight, hope, and maybe even some excitement for your own path to motherhood. Links to things mentioned in the show: - Use Code ’JESSIJEAN’ for 10% OFF ＞＞ The Birth Class For Couples (https://www.balancedfamilies.com/birth-class-for-couples) - by Balanced Families. This course was a GAME-CHANGER for my husband and I and helped us understand our options for various ways of birthing, how to prepare for birth during pregnancy, labor 101, knowing our options / how to advocate for ourselves, pain management techniques, what to expect immediately after baby is born, and how your partner can best show up for YOU. It was AMAZZZZZING!  Expectful App - (https://expectful.com/) I loved the pregnancy and birth focused meditations, visualizations, and the hypnobirthing audio course inside this app. Super Soft ’Lila’ Labor Gown (https://www.wearlila.com/) - I wanted to be as comfy as possible during labor and this gown was incredibly soft. I loved it!  ______ Want more weekly wisdom for a well-lived life? Join the newsletter crew: https://jessijean.com/newsletter ______ Stay connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessijeannn Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessijeannn Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jessijeannn Email: [email protected]  ______ Timestamps: [00:00:00] Excitement and preparation [00:02:48] Beginning the journey motherhood [00:03:45] Conversations we had before getting pregnant [00:07:14] Tips for morning sickness [00:12:19] Finding the @balanced.birth.couple on Instagram [00:16:10] Seeking support: hiring a doula [00:17:10] Navigating pregnancy challenges [00:20:40] Our private gender reveal [00:22:56] Addressing gender preferences [00:23:37] Pregnancy anxiety [00:27:29] Exploring birthing options [00:31:29] Creating my birth wishes sheet [00:39:42] Induction attempts and expectations [00:43:07] Onset of labor (back labor…ouffff) [00:53:07] Decision for epidural relief [00:56:00] Challenges with baby’s position [00:59:47] Joyful arrival of baby Marcus Andy _____ This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.