The Pregnancy to Parenting Show with Elizabeth Joy · Elizabeth Joy Presta

EP 309: Carlo's Birth Story with Vito and Liz

·1 hr 6 min·5 clips

Elizabeth Joy and her husband Vito share Carlo's birth story, revealing raw marital dynamics after three kids.

This episode features host Elizabeth Joy and her husband Vito recounting the birth story of their third child, Carlo. Elizabeth is a birth doula and prenatal coach, while Vito provides the partner's perspective. They begin by humorously noting how parenting three children has impacted their communication and relationship. The couple describes the initial period after Carlo's birth as a challenging adjustment for their family dynamic. Vito recalls Elizabeth introducing herself as "roomie," which sparked a necessary conversation between them. They detail the logistics of managing school drop-offs for their older children while having a newborn. Elizabeth explains their decision to attempt a home birth, which involved specific preparations and a birth team. A significant part of the story involves Elizabeth's water breaking and the subsequent waiting period before active labor began. She describes using a breast pump as a natural method to help induce contractions. The narrative covers the arrival of their midwife and doula to support the home birth process. Elizabeth recounts the intense experience of transition during labor and the moment of Carlo's birth. A surprising element was the immediate discovery that Carlo had a true knot in his umbilical cord. The midwife explained this is a rare occurrence that can happen during early pregnancy. They express profound gratitude that the knot did not tighten during labor and delivery. The story highlights the emotional relief and joy of having a healthy baby despite this unexpected finding. The tone is casual, intimate, and warmly humorous, reflecting a couple sharing a personal memory. The style is a conversational storytelling format between two co-narrators. Listeners interested in detailed, positive home birth experiences and honest postpartum relationship dynamics would enjoy this episode. Those seeking a highly produced or clinical birth narrative might find it less engaging.

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