In this deeply personal and empowering episode of The Body and Beyond podcast, Renee Sahyoun opens up about her fertility and birth journey from a year-long path to conceive Bella through IUI, to achieving a powerful vaginal birth after a previous C-section (VBAC) at home. Joined by Gina Nixon and Alice Jane, Renee shares how she navigated fear, hospital pressure, and outdated medical narratives to reclaim trust in her body and make informed, autonomous choices throughout pregnancy and birth.She reflects on the contrast between her first pregnancy with Elias and her second, highlighting the supportive role of her private midwife and the importance of having a birth team that truly respects her birth plan. This episode explores what it means to birth outside traditional systems, informed consent, and how resilience, trust, and self-belief can transform the birth experience into one of healing and encouragement for all expecting mothers.Key Topics Covered:Conception and Fertility: Renee’s 12-month fertility journey and decision to pursue IUI after natural conception challenges.From Trauma to Trust: Processing her previous C-section with Elias and the emotional work needed to prepare for a new birth story.Breaking Free from the System: The hidden constraints of hospital “VBAC support” and the reality of risk labeling.Finding the Right Midwife: How Renee’s private midwife became her advocate, guide, and grounding presence.Informed Autonomy: The research, self-trust, and mindset shifts that helped Renee to make her own pregnancy decisions.Choosing Home Birth: Why a home setting offered the peace, safety, and freedom Renee needed for her dream birth.Facing Fear and Pressure: The persistence of hospital “fear-mongering” and how Renee learned to hold her ground.The Birth of Bella: A raw, powerful story of endurance, surrender, and rediscovering strength through a long posterior labor.Healing and Recovery: A gentle postpartum period, natural recovery, and the emotional “high” of an undisturbed birth.The Bigger Conversation: Understanding hospital motives, reframing “fetal distress,” and reclaiming personal sovereignty in birth.Resources Mentioned:Birthing Instincts PodcastThe Birth Rebellion PodcastHosts:Gina Nixon ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ginanixon__⁠Alice Jane ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aliceejane⁠⁠@transformed_women_coaching ⁠⁠@⁠⁠beyond_the_cravings⁠Join our Body and Beyond community here on Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/groups/bodyandbeyond.community⁠⁠@bodyandbeyond_podcast⁠Guest: Renee Sahyoun ⁠@renee_sahyounThe Seed CycleUse the code: BODYANDBEYOND to get 15% off store-wide, including your first month subscription.

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