EBB 411 - Advocating for a Family Centered Cesarean with Holly and Nathan Miller, EBB Childbirth Class Graduates

When Holly and Nathan Miller learned their baby was breech late in pregnancy, the unmedicated vaginal birth they had been preparing for suddenly felt out of reach. Living in rural South Georgia, they explored their options, including finding a provider experienced in vaginal breech birth, but ultimately faced limited choices close to home.

In this episode, EBB Childbirth Class graduates Holly and Nathan share how they shifted their focus from the birth they had originally envisioned to creating a family-centered Cesarean experience. They talk about advocating for a clear drape and immediate skin-to-skin, navigating conflicting information from providers, and finding ways to remain active participants in their baby's birth. They also reflect on Cesarean recovery, the importance of partner support, and what they learned about speaking up for their preferences even when circumstances were outside their control.

(01:27) Finding Evidence Based Birth® and Preparing for an Unmedicated Birth

(03:33) When Birth Plans Began to Change

(05:03) Navigating Birth Options in Rural South Georgia

(07:51) Exploring ECV, Vaginal Breech Birth, and Cesarean

(10:24) Shifting Toward a Family-Centered Cesarean

(12:50) Advocating for a Clear Drape and Immediate Skin-to-Skin

(15:10) Holly and Nathan's Cesarean Birth Story

(17:43) What a Cesarean Felt Like Physically and Emotionally

(22:03) Meeting Eliana and Beginning Skin-to-Skin

(25:31) Breastfeeding and Recovering from a Cesarean

(28:53) Partner Support During Postpartum Recovery

(30:09) Advice for Navigating Breech Birth and Unexpected Changes

(31:53) Looking Ahead to a Future VBAC

Resources

• EBB 256 – Top 3 Recommendations for Preventing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction after Birth with Dr. Sarah Duvall, Founder of Core Exercise Solutions

All About Breach

• EBB 299 – A Breech Vaginal Birth Story with EBB Parents Naoma Kleisner, RN, MSN and Mohamed Koraichi
• EBB 298 – Overcoming Barriers to Breech Vaginal Birth with Dr. Emiliano Chavira, OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist
• EBB 297 – Frequently Asked Questions about Breech with Dr. Rebecca Dekker and Sara Ailshire, MA
• EBB 296 – Evidence on Breech Birth with Dr. Rebecca Dekker and Sara Ailshire, MA
• EBB 173 - Evidence on External Cephalic Version for Breech Positioned Babies
• EBB 172 – Breech Vaginal Birth with Dr. Rixa Freeze and Dr. David Hayes
• EBB 171 – The Experience of a Unique Vaginal Breech Birth with Janae and Andrew Rick
• EBB 111 – Positioning Breech Babies with Dr. Elliot Berlin

For more information about Evidence Based Birth and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.