In this remastered episode, Emily brings back one of the most beloved and most-listened conversations on Soul Evolution. This intimate dialogue with Maine midwife Gayle Eckey offers deep insight into how to choose the right midwife when preparing for a physiological and undisturbed home birth. Together, Emily and Gayle walk through the essential questions every woman should ask when interviewing a midwife, weaving evidence-based wisdom with intuition, sovereignty and emotional intelligence.
Emily also shares that she has a free downloadable resource, Questions to Ask Your Midwife When Seeking a Physiological, Undisturbed Birth: Your Rights and What Is Legal. You can find the link below or directly on emilygracenixon.com.
Emily reads from Dr. Rachel Reed’s work on woman-centered midwifery, opening a powerful conversation about informed decision-making, autonomy, and the sacred responsibility midwives hold in supporting physiological birth.
Throughout the episode, Gayle shares her philosophy of care as a Certified Professional Midwife, emphasizing continuity, individualized support, emotional intelligence, and the deep relational work that shapes safe, aligned birth experiences. This conversation is a must-listen for any woman preparing for home birth or seeking a midwife whose values honor instinct, sovereignty and physiology.
• Why continuity of care and emotional intelligence matter so deeply in midwifery
• The difference between fear-based and intuitive decision-making in pregnancy and birth
• Laws, regulations and scope for midwives in Maine and New Hampshire
• How to ask about ultrasounds, labs, monitoring and time limits with clarity
• The nuances of long labor, membrane release, meconium, pushing and fetal monitoring
• Physiological third stage, golden hours and protecting the immediate postpartum
• When and why a midwife might recommend transfer
• How to discern whether a midwife is truly woman-centered
• What autonomous, instinctual birth can look like when supported by deep trust and relationship
Gayle is a Certified Professional Midwife serving Southern Maine and parts of New Hampshire from her practice Stone Mountain Midwife, offering deeply relational, intuitive and physiology-honoring home birth care.
Questions to Ask Your Midwife When Seeking a Physiological, Undisturbed Birth: Your Rights and What Is Legal
Download using the link or find it anytime on emilygracenixon.com.
For women on the conception, pregnancy, birth and postpartum path, Emily offers:
• Beyond a Doula private support (in-person in Southern Maine + virtual worldwide)
• So You Want a Home Birth? full self-paced program
• Birth Integration Sessions
• Mother Blessings + Closing of the Bones
• One-to-one Wise Woman sessions for cycle connection, lineage work and embodiment
If you’re local to Southern Maine, join the monthly Women’s Circle and Perinatal Village Circle.
Stay connected through Emily’s email list for upcoming circles, courses and community gatherings.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
As Soul Evolution approaches its 100th episode, Emily remasters and re-releases one of the most loved and powerful conversations from the archives — a raw, embodied exploration of sovereignty, lineage, and physiological birth with Lindsey.
Lindsey shares her two birth stories with unfiltered honesty — her first, a hospital birth that became a “trial run” in reclaiming her voice, and her second, a fully sovereign free birth at home. Together, Emily and Lindsey trace the threads of maternal lineage, healing the mother wound, and the power of intuition as a compass for birth and beyond.
This episode is a deep remembrance of what it means to trust the body, to birth without fear, and to meet the divine feminine within the portal of labor.
Lindsey’s maternal lineage and how generational trauma shaped her understanding of womanhood
Healing her relationship with her mother through birth
The conditioning of hospital birth and the subtle ways it disempowers women
Saying “no” — and meaning it — as a sacred act of self-trust
Navigating fear and intuition during pregnancy
Discovering the concept of free birth through her doula
The physiology of undisturbed labor and the cascade of hormonal benefits
Her first birth: standing in her power within the medical system
Her second birth: the unfolding of a conscious conception and autonomous birth
The fetal ejection reflex and the ecstatic surrender of physiological birth
Honoring the placenta and postpartum integration
The spiritual and practical wisdom of cyclical motherhood
Lindsey — mother of two, herbalist, and advocate for sovereign birth and cyclical living. Her story embodies what it means to return home to the wisdom of the body, the earth, and the lineage of women who came before.
The power of social media as modern story medicine for women
Mugwort as a sacred ally for birth and intuition
The importance of nourishment, rest, and intuitive prenatal care
The placenta as a sacred organ of life and ceremony
Please rate, review, and share Soul Evolution with a friend or sister who needs this reminder — that birth is not something we endure, but something we are made for.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
As we journey toward 100 episodes and celebrate two years of Soul Evolution, enjoy this remastered re-release of one of the most powerful and beloved conversations from the archive.
In this episode, Emily sits down with Jason, founder of Raising Fathers, to explore what it truly means for men to awaken into fatherhood as a rite of passage. Together, they traverse themes of initiation, ceremony, emotional preparedness, and the cultural gap that leaves men uninitiated yet entrusted with the sacred responsibility of fathering.
Jason’s work centers on restoring the village that raises fathers through men’s circles, ceremony, and education. He shares his own transformation through two births—one marked by disempowerment and the other by presence—and how these experiences birthed his life’s mission.
What it means when Jason says, “It takes a village to raise a father.”
The importance of men having elders, mentorship, and initiation.
How the loss of cultural rites of passage impacts fathers, families, and society.
The sacred framework of separation, transformation, and reintegration in male initiation.
Designing and facilitating ceremonies for men preparing for fatherhood.
The parallels between men’s and women’s rites of passage.
How men can hold space in birth without rescuing or controlling.
The difference between presence and distraction during labor.
The evolution from uninitiated man to conscious father.
Jason’s “CPR” model for new fathers: Connect, Protect, Respect.
Jason is the founding father of Raising Fathers, an Australian-based organization devoted to transforming the culture of fatherhood through men’s circles, ceremony, and education. He is also part of the Rites of Passage Institute, where he trains others globally to bring true initiation back into modern life. His programs help men prepare emotionally, spiritually, and practically for fatherhood while fostering heart-centered leadership within families and communities.
Find Jason at raising-fathers.com or on Instagram at @raising_fathers.
Jason is offering all listeners 30% off his True North course — an eight-week live program for dads-to-be — using the code EMILY at checkout via the link in the show notes.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6 chapter journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
In this most loved episode, Emily sits down with her mentor Anna Lundqvist, the Spiritual Midwich behind Sacred Birth International, to invite first-time mothers into a deeper remembrance of natural birth. Together, they unravel myths, explore Herstory, and illuminate how reclaiming physiological birth transforms both women and the world.
Beginning around the 22-minute mark, Emily and Anna discuss:
Herstory and the origins of birth’s medicalization
The truth about mortality rates and cesarean sections
How healthy stress benefits your baby during labor
The role of biomechanics and fetal positioning
Reprogramming your subconscious mind for birth
The lasting impact of birth imprints
Why peace on Earth truly begins at birth
They also explore purposeful pain—how to understand and cope with the intensity of labor—as well as the roots of postpartum depression and how to prevent it through nourishment, community, and support.
The conversation closes with a powerful reflection on choosing a birth team capable of holding sacred space—because the energy of your attendants deeply shapes your birth experience.
This episode is a must-listen for first-time mothers longing to trust their bodies, honor their lineage, and reclaim birth as a sacred rite of passage.
USE CODE EMILY FOR A SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON ANNA'S OFFERINGS
https://www.sacredbirthinternational.com/thesacredbirthworkermentorship
Find out more about Anna https://www.sacredbirthinternational.com/
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Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6 chapter journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
As we celebrate two years of podcasting and journey toward 100 episodes, I’m bringing back this Most Loved episode — the powerful free birth story of first-time father Aaron Cloutier.
At 52, Aaron welcomed his son Thomas Cade in an unassisted home birth with his partner Anna. In this conversation, he shares the raw and beautiful reality of supporting his partner through pregnancy, labor, and birth, while navigating moments of fear, trust, and surrender.
Aaron reflects on:
Growing up the youngest of eight children, surrounded by strong male role models and many sisters who became mothers.
How his decades of experience as a chiropractor and natural health practitioner shaped his perspective on birth and physiology.
The unexpected detour to the hospital when concerns about bleeding arose — and the powerful decision to leave against medical advice and continue the journey at home.
Witnessing Anna’s courage through prodromal labor, the turning point when she fully surrendered, and the radiant moment Thomas was born.
The transition into fatherhood later in life and what it means to be truly present as a dad.
Aaron’s story reminds us that free birth is not just the mother’s passage — it also reshapes the men who stand beside them, calling forth courage, trust, and devotion.
About Aaron Cloutier
Aaron is a chiropractor, natural health practitioner, and nutritional therapist with over two decades of experience in vitalistic, relationship-centered care. A Maine native, he lives in Augusta with his partner Anna and their son Thomas.
Connect with Aaron through his website: www.acabarhealth.com
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
As we celebrate two years of podcasting and journey toward 100 episodes, I’m bringing back this Most Loved birth story — a powerful and raw account from Anna Blash on the free birth of her son, Thomas.
Anna’s story unfolds over 70 hours of labor, beginning with a prophetic dream, a detour through the hospital system, and ultimately a triumphant return home where she birthed in her own power. Along the way, she faced her deepest fears, surrendered to trust in her body, and stepped fully into her role as mother.
In this conversation, Anna shares:
The red thread lineage that shaped her relationship to birth and voice.
A vivid prophetic dream that foreshadowed her birth.
How bleeding in early labor led her to a hospital stay — and the moment she chose to leave against medical advice.
The inner work with archetypes, spiritual practice, and Jungian analysis that prepared her for free birth.
The ecstatic, liminal, and at times brutal hours of laboring at home — complete with chanting, visions, drumming, and profound encounters with her lineage.
How she navigated a short cord, heavy bleeding, and the arrival of her son posterior after days of prodromal labor.
The wild postpartum: placenta rituals, burning the cord, and the challenges of early breastfeeding.
Anna’s story is one of devotion, resilience, and remembrance — a reminder that birth is both deeply personal and profoundly ancestral.
About Anna Blash
Anna lives in Maine with her partner Aaron and their son Thomas. She is a craniosacral therapist and space-holder passionate about natural living, spiritual practice, and creating sacred containers for others walking the free birth path.
Contact Anna: annablash@gmail.com
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
As we celebrate two years of podcasting and journey toward 100 episodes, I’m bringing back this Most Loved Wise Woman episode — a rich and practical conversation with Molly Caldwell on fertility awareness and the four seasons of the womb cycle.
Molly shares her own red-thread lineage story — growing up within the silence of Catholic shame around sexuality, unpacking her induction birth imprint, and reclaiming her cycle after years of hormonal contraception. Her path of healing led her from doula training into fertility awareness as the missing piece for embodiment, sovereignty, and cyclical wisdom.
Together, we explore:
How your womb cycle mirrors the four seasons of the earth — follicular (spring), ovulatory (summer), luteal (fall), and bleeding (winter).
Tangible practices for each phase: from preparing nourishing foods before bleeding, to honoring ovulation as a time of creation and ceremony.
Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) — tracking cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and cervix shifts as a natural way of knowing your body.
How period shame and disconnection impact postpartum, fertility, and women’s sovereignty — and ways to restore reverence.
Reframing PMS and the luteal phase as powerful invitations for alignment and soul work.
Molly’s wisdom invites us into a profound homecoming with our bodies. Through fertility awareness and cyclical living, we remember that our wombs are not a burden — they are nature itself, offering rhythm, guidance, and healing.
About Molly Caldwell
Molly lives in central Maine, where she tends the cycles of life through fertility awareness, growing food and flowers, herbalism, and earth connection. She is a threshold tender, innate postpartum care provider, vaginal steam facilitator, and aspiring fertility awareness educator. She is currently creating a framework for teaching fertility awareness and womb care to adults and teens, and is available for workshops and collaborations in Maine.
Connect with Molly on Instagram: @liminalrites
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
fertility awareness, fertility awareness method, womb wisdom, menstrual cycle tracking, four seasons of the womb, menstrual cycle education, natural contraception, womb healing, cyclical living, period shame healing, postpartum depletion, menstrual phases, womb reclamation
As we celebrate two years of podcasting and journey toward 100 episodes, I’m bringing back this Most Loved episode — the very first Dad’s Version of a birth story. This is part two of a two-part series; if you haven’t yet, listen to Episode 86 for Britney’s powerful telling of their daughter Pari’s birth.
In this conversation, Nate shares his perspective on preparing for and witnessing the home birth of his first child. With honesty and vulnerability, he speaks about:
The influence of his father and grandfathers on his own path into manhood and fatherhood.
How intentional inner work, plant medicine, and meditation shaped his readiness to become a father.
The challenges of preparing for birth while living communally and financially uncertain.
The importance of presence, planning, and holding space for his partner during pregnancy and labor.
How faith, surrender, and clear preparation allowed him to fully step into his role as partner and father.
Nate’s reflections illuminate the often unseen inner journey of men in the birth portal — reminding us how critical fathers are to the sacred container of birth. This is a powerful listen to share with the men in your life.
About Nate
Nate is a dedicated father, partner, and space-holder. His spiritual journey has been deeply shaped by time in the forest, plant medicine, and meditation practices. He is now bringing that wisdom into fatherhood and his work in men’s circles. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his partner Britney and their daughter Pari.
To connect with Nate, reach out via his partner Britney on Instagram: @britneybeckstrand
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
86. MOST LOVED [BIRTH STORY] WITH BRITNEY - FIRST TIME MOM HOME BIRTH - PART 1 MAMA'S VERSION
As we journey toward 100 episodes and two years of podcasting, I’m bringing back this As we celebrate two years of podcasting and approach 100 episodes, I’m bringing back this most loved birth story from the archive. This is part one of a powerful two-part series, sharing both Mama and Dad’s perspectives on a first-time natural home birth. Tune in next week for Dad’s version, another listener favorite..
In this conversation, Britney opens up about the preparation, surrender, and wisdom that shaped her first home birth. She shares the deep insights she carried into postpartum, and how birth transformed her calling as a mother and as a guide for women.
About Britney Beckstrand Britney is a devoted mother, yoga and meditation teacher, and facilitator of women’s circles in her community. She is passionate about helping women remember the power they hold through conception, pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
Today, Britney continues to weave her gifts as a space holder, tending to her family, her community, and her own growth as a woman. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her partner Nate and their daughter Pari.
Find her on Instagram @britneybeckstrand
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first time mom home birth story, VBAC.
In this deeply moving episode, I sit with Olivia Roff — a Mystical Doula and Spirit Baby Medium whose own birth journeys became the portal into her spiritual calling.
Olivia shares the medicine of her stories:
Her first home birth that ended in hospital transfer and forceps delivery, and the long postpartum journey that followed.
Two profound losses — a very early miscarriage and another at nearly twelve weeks — that she now calls early births.
How her daughter’s spirit guided her through conception, pregnancy, and an intense but transformative second home birth.
The awakening of her unique gift as a spirit baby channel, supporting women navigating baby loss, infertility, and the sacred thresholds of motherhood.
Through her vulnerability, Olivia reminds us that birth stories — whether marked by trauma, loss, or empowerment — hold deep medicine for our healing, reclamation, and wisdom.
Stay tuned at the end for a special reading with my own spirit baby.
About Olivia Roff
Olivia is a mother, Mystical Doula, and Spirit Baby Medium who supports women through loss, conception, pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Rooted by the sea in the UK, she works with women worldwide to bring compassion, reverence, and spiritual guidance to some of life’s most tender thresholds.
Connect with Olivia on Instagram: mystical_birthing
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.
This is the final episode in our four-part mini-series with Whapio of The Matrona, where we have been exploring the cosmology of life and birth.
In the first three conversations, we journeyed through conception and the return of the wise woman, the holistic stages of labor, and the quietude at the top of the mountain just before the active pushing phase begins.
In this final episode, we move into the completion of second stage and beyond:
the spontaneous nature of true second stage,
the “birthing tides” and the sacred pause,
the baby’s transition to breathing,
the profound role of the father,
and the extraordinary, altered states of consciousness that birth opens for mother and family alike.
Whapio invites us to re-imagine birth as undisturbed, physiologic, and deeply spiritual—reminding us that less interference allows more of the sacred design to unfold. Together, we reflect on the revolution of language we use around labor and the reverence that arises when we let physiology lead.
This is a teaching to savor and return to. If you haven’t already, please go back and listen to the first three episodes in order to receive the full arc of this series:
Conception & the Return of the Wise Woman
The Holistic Stages of Birth: Embarking, the Foothills, and Climbing the Mountain
The Quietude at the Top of the Mountain
The Revolution of Words & the Sacred Completion of Birth (this episode)
You can learn more about Whapio and her work at thematrona.com.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast Feed
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In this special four-part mini-series with Whapio of The Matrona, we journey into the cosmology of life and birth through her unique lens of wisdom.
In this episode, Whapio and I explore the holistic stages of birth—what it means to view labor not just as a clinical process, but as a profound journey of transformation. We talk about the early foothills of labor, the veil, altered states of consciousness, the importance of language, and the revolutionary ways we can describe and experience birth.
Whapio reminds us that birth is not just medical or clinical—it is practical, sacred, and transformational. Together, we reflect on how the words we use shape our reality and how honoring the wisdom of women’s bodies opens space for sovereignty in birth.
This episode takes us right up to the top of the mountain—the latent portion of second stage, that quietude just before the active pushing phase begins. Next week’s episode will guide us into that powerful threshold.
This conversation is part of a mini-series that builds with each episode, so we encourage you to listen in order:
Conception & the Return of the Wise Woman
The Holistic Stages of Birth (this episode)
The Transition of the Newborn & the Role of the Father
The Revolution of Words in Birth
Be sure to tune into all four parts to receive the full arc of Whapio’s teachings.
You can learn more about Whapio and her offerings at thematrona.com.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast Feed
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In Part Two of my conversation with my mentor and teacher Whapio of The Matrona, we continue to unravel the depth and cosmology of conception and birth. As a student in her 2025 Midwifery & Birthkeeper cohort, it is an honor to bring you this continuation of her teachings.
In this episode, Whapio guides us into a profound exploration of birth as a quantum, cosmological rite of passage. She shares her vision of the holistic stages of labor, the significance of the father or partner in “receiving the light,” and the necessity of changing the very language of birth to reflect its sacredness.
Together, we explore:
The father’s essential role in conception, birth, and receiving the light
How honoring this role transforms family dynamics and even addresses patterns of violence
Why language matters in reshaping birth culture, and Whapio’s vision of “holistic stages of birth”
The importance of presence, quietude, and allowing women to access deeper states of consciousness during labor
The resurrection of the monitrice as the illuminated wise woman — bridging skills, intuition, and companionship for women in birth
Whapio’s words are a call to return birth to its rightful place as a soulful, cosmological, and transformative rite of passage — one that belongs wholly to women, families, and communities.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast Feed
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In Part One of this extraordinary two-part series, I sit down with my mentor and teacher, Whapio of The Matrona — midwife, educator, and visionary — with whom I am currently apprenticing in her 2025 Midwifery & Birthkeeper cohort.
Whapio shares her personal journey from practicing midwife in the 1980s to becoming a teacher and consciousness-raiser through The Matrona. Together we explore the midwifery renaissance, the return of the village wise woman, and Whapio’s cosmological framing of conception and fertilization as sacred, noble rites of passage.
We dive into:
Whapio’s story of midwifery, teaching, and The Matrona
The renaissance of home birth and the tensions between freedom and licensing
The return of the village wise woman as an illuminated guide for all life passages
A sacred reframing of conception and fertilization as cosmological, mystical experiences
Why weaving mysticism with intelligence is essential to women’s wisdom
Stay tuned for Part Two, where we continue this powerful conversation and go even deeper into cosmology, birth as a portal of consciousness, and the elevation of women’s wisdom in our time.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast Feed
Sacred Grand Fire Journey — deep ceremonial initiation to meet your inner wise woman
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
This week marks a huge milestone: 80 episodes of Soul Evolution: Embodied Women’s Wisdom, Birth Stories & More.
In this solo episode, I share a life update — moving my camper into Isaiah’s backyard, how our co-parenting relationship has softened, and the reminder I keep receiving (and teaching): to slow way, way down.
From there, I celebrate the devotion behind these 80 episodes — the hours of interviewing, editing, and curating wisdom so you could receive them freely — and announce what’s next:
I’ve launched a private podcast, Embodied Wise Women: Meditations, Conversations & Soul Journeys. Each month, members will receive new meditations, guided journeys, solo shares, and guest wisdom. This intimate audio sanctuary lives alongside the Embodied Wise Women’s Community, which includes monthly live circles, seasonal rituals, journal prompts, and a private gathering space away from the noise of social media.
For just $12/month, you’ll receive it all.
– The private podcast (fresh episodes each month)
– Monthly LIVE CIRCLES beginning 9/25/25
– Seasonal rituals & journal prompts
– Member-only discounts & first access to future offerings
– A nurturing, private space for women walking this path together
If you’re already a community member, look for the exclusive upgrade offer in the top right of your screen.
If you don’t see it, sign up directly HERE
Looking ahead: after a mini-series with my beloved teacher Whapio of The Matrona, I’ll be taking a pause from brand-new episodes. During that time, I’ll re-release earlier conversations — freshly polished, carrying new layers of wisdom and insight when heard again.
This pause is intentional, to allow me to deepen the value inside the private podcast and community space.
This is my way of both celebrating 80 episodes and creating a sustainable path forward. Thank you for listening, for supporting, and for walking this journey with me.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast Feed
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In this unforgettable episode, Yvonne Stoop takes us inside her three extraordinary birth experiences—each one more transformational than the last. From her first fast hospital water birth in Dubai, to an ecstatic, pain-free, orgasmic birth that defied the limits of the medical system, to the grounded ease and sovereignty of her planned free birth at home, Yvonne’s story is a masterclass in self-trust, preparation, and standing firm in your vision.
We dive deep into how she navigated restrictive birth laws, protected her oxytocin bubble, prepared her body and mind for pleasure in birth, and reclaimed birth as an empowered, instinctual rite of passage. This is birth story medicine at its finest—raw, inspiring, and utterly possible.
Yvonne Stoop is a natural birth mentor and the creator of Your Blissful Birth, a program that helps women create smooth births with ease, confidence, and even touches on the possibility of a pain-free or ecstatic birth. Through mindset, movement, and deep connection with intuition and the body’s wisdom, she supports women globally to reclaim birth as a powerful and pleasurable experience—a memory that lasts a lifetime.
She’s also a mom of three in Dubai whose own births were pain-free, ecstatic, and wild. Yvonne homeschools her children while running her business alongside family life.
Instagram: @yourblissfulbirth
Course Website: https://yvonne-stoop.com.systeme.io/course
Grab Yvonne’s free 5 Secrets to a Blissful Birth via the link in her Instagram bio.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community — online sisterhood space
Sacred Grand Fire Journey — deep ceremonial initiation to meet your inner wise woman
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In this heartfelt episode of Soul Evolution, Emily sits down with Kesslyn, a newly licensed midwife and mother, to hear the full story of her sovereign, intuitive pregnancy and 42+4 home birth.
From midwife dreams at 19 to catching babies in Mexico, Kesslyn shares her deeply embodied trust in physiological birth, her Christian faith, and the emotional initiation into motherhood.
They explore prodromal labor, hypertension and stress, spiritual sovereignty, and integrating the maiden-to-mother rite of passage. A must-listen for any woman walking the path of conscious birth and sacred mothering.
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — 6-week live online container beginning September 15. For women ready to reclaim their lineage of wisdom, remember who they are beneath the noise, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Weekly Monday evening ceremonies, rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — conception through postpartum; sacred, spiritual, grounded, physiological, sovereign
Embodied Wise Women’s Community — online sisterhood space
Sacred Grand Fire Journey — deep ceremonial initiation to meet your inner wise woman
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In this deeply moving and raw episode, Kirsten returns the podcast to share the free birth story of her second daughter, Korra.
After a long and challenging first birth, told in episode 8, Kirsten chose a radically different path this time—trusting her intuition, ending care with her midwife, and ultimately birthing alone in a tub on her deck, under the moonlight, surrounded by the sounds of the forest.
We explore the unraveling of expectations, healing from a foggy postpartum, and what it means to reclaim sovereignty in birth. This story is gritty, wild, embodied, and deeply feminine.
Mentioned in the Episode:
Yolande Norris-Clark’s book Portal
The importance of discernment with ultrasounds and medical care
Living off-grid and birthing in nature
Honoring fear, intuition, and the soul's calling to free birth
Previous Episode:
Listen to Kirsten’s first birth story in Episode 8.
My website is www.emilygracenixon.com—a space where all of my offerings now live under Embodied Women’s Wisdom.
Here you’ll find:
– The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance: a 6-week journey into feminine remembrance BEGINS AGAIN 9/15/25
– So You Want a Home Birth?: my self-paced guide to a sovereign, physiological birth
– The Embodied Wise Women’s Community: a soulful $6/month gathering space
– Current offerings, mentorships, and more
Find me on instagram @embodiedwomenswisdom
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
In this powerful episode, Emily is joined by Haley—mother, birth worker, and founder of Root Womb Collective—for a deeply personal and embodied birth story. Together they explore:
Haley’s healing journey through abortion, spirit baby connection, and forgiveness
Her intentional preconception preparation after a Hashimoto’s diagnosis
Choosing an unlicensed birth keeper and planning a home birth an hour from the nearest hospital
Her intuitive pregnancy, early labor signs, and sacred birth unfolding at 37+5
How she self-checked her cervix, coached herself through labor, and trusted her voice and instincts
This story is a beautiful reclamation of feminine wisdom, cyclical awareness, and deep trust in the body.
Tune in and be reminded: the wisdom lives within you, too.
Haley Nichole is the creator of Root & Womb Collective, a space where she holistically supports women through their fertility, pregnancy & birth journey's.
She has been an avid student of women's health for well over a decade and has a background in nutrition, hormonal health, female physiology & is currently studying holistic midwifery.
Haley sees birth as a sacred rite of passage that is instrumental for the spiritual evolution of womanhood.
She lives on a farm & orchard in the San Diego mountains with her husband, daughter, dogs, cat, sheep, pigs & chickens.
Check out her Website!
My website is www.emilygracenixon.com—a space where all of my offerings now live under Embodied Women’s Wisdom.
Here you’ll find:
– The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance: a 6-week journey into feminine remembrance
– So You Want a Home Birth?: my self-paced guide to a sovereign, physiological birth
– The Embodied Wise Women’s Community: a soulful $6/month gathering space
– Current offerings, mentorships, and more
Find me on instagram @embodiedwomenswisdom
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Today’s guest, Rhea Dempsey, is a true elder and educator in the birth world. She has been on my dream guest list since the origin of Soul Evolution.
After a shocking first birth experience in the late 1970s left her confused and traumatized, she began a lifelong inquiry into what had gone wrong — and how it could be different. That journey sparked a decades-long vocation in childbirth education, counseling, and birth support.
Since then, she has attended over a thousand births, taught hundreds of workshops and prenatal classes, and supported countless women and families across Australia and around the world. Her work has had a profound ripple effect: midwives and medical professionals frequently report that her students are some of the most well-prepared and sovereign birthing women they encounter.
She holds a Trained Primary Teacher’s Certificate, a Diploma in Childbirth Education, and a Graduate Diploma in Counseling and Human Services from La Trobe University, as well as advanced training in Gestalt Therapy.
A proud independent childbirth educator, she’s a fierce advocate for physiological birth and a grounded guide for navigating an increasingly medicalized birth culture.
Find her books Birth with Confidence and Beyond the Birth Plan at rheadempsey.com.au
Also available via BookBaby and other ebook outlets.
My new website is live at www.emilygracenixon.com—a space where all of my offerings now live under Embodied Women’s Wisdom.
Here you’ll find:
– The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance: a 6-week journey into feminine remembrance
– So You Want a Home Birth?: my self-paced guide to a sovereign, physiological birth
– The Embodied Wise Women’s Community: a soulful $6/month gathering space
– Current offerings, mentorships, and more
Find me on instagram @embodiedwomenswisdom
Leave me a review on iTunes or Spotify or Facebook
Music The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.