The Expat Birth Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chandler Gilow
A podcast devoted to sharing stories and resources to empower families as they navigate pregnancy/birth/postpartum abroad.
Adam and Lauren came on to share their 5 year journey navigating infertility both in the U.S and abroad and how this lead them to pursue fertility treatment options in Spain. They also share about what it was like to process how going to the nations could impact their journey to parenthood, how their faith shaped their journey, what it is like to find care in a new country, researching fertility treatment options, the complexity of grief related to infertility, and so much more!
In this episode we discuss: The reality of home-birth abroad. Water-birth Pregnancy in the first year abroad. The energy it requires to track down care options. Host culture expectations in pregnancy Traveling frequently in pregnancy Relocating for birth Supportive expat community Nausea/Vomiting in labor Unplanned cesarean Processing and grieving unmet birth expectations. Planning for further VBAC
In this episode, Alex joins us to share her story of navigating pregnancy and birth in her first 13 months of living abroad. She shares about figuring out a new medical system, inducing labor, leaning on a newly formed community to care for her older son, being unable to get an epidural, and much more!
She also shares about her Facebook community for parents of TCKs 0-5 years and her upcoming services to offer fertility awareness coaching and education for families serving cross-culturally.
Isabell joins us to share her story. She shares about her experience beginning her pregnancy Togo, then going to the U.S. due to side effects of malaria prophylaxis, and ending her pregnancy in France. Through all of the change, she has a beautiful vaginal birth.
In this episode Denise, from It's Tea Time Somewhere podcast, joins us to share how her family's story of loss, stillbirth, and two high risk pregnancies before moving overseas impacted their three pregnancies between Indonesia and Malaysia. She shares the wisdom she has gleaned from navigating birth multiple times abroad and how she strives to support others.
In this episode Jamie shares three birth stories from Belarus. We discuss: universal v private healthcare, c-sections, VBACs, moving internationally while pregnant, transverse position, leaning on the expat community, postpartum depression, and navigating testing after a prenatal marker for Down Syndrome.
Ansley joins us to share her birth story from Central Asia. In this episode we talk about: being RH negative, placental abruption, emergency c-section, the NICU, exclusively pumping, postpartum infection, postpartum depression, and God's faithfulness through it all.
Join us as Jessica tells her birth story after the death of her little boy. She explains how her original hope for a home birth ended in a planned hospital birth in Panama City after multiple provider changes during pregnancy. She also shares how this pregnancy/birth intertwined with the grief of losing their son.
Iris joins us to share two home-birth stories. The first is a home-birth in Nigeria with visiting midwives and a subsequent medical evacuation to South Africa when their daughter was experiencing respiratory distress. The second birth is at the beginning of the pandemic in Canada with local midwives.
In this episode I discuss a recent online survey I conducted and where I hope to go from here.
Madelyn joins the podcast to share her story of an unplanned home-birth in Thailand. In this episode we discuss: relocating for birth, doula support, finding your team in a new city, depending on other expats for resources, being admitted to a public hospital, and navigating anxiety postpartum.
In this episode, LaDonna shares her story of VBAC in Ghana. In this episode we discuss an surprise breech birth with her first, finding a provider, pressure to have another c-section, and navigating the birth culture in Ghana.
In this episode we discuss: Navigating infertility while moving abroad, a pregnancy soon after arrival, depending on your new community, embracing birth in your new culture, mental shifts in pregnancy, not getting an epidural when you want one, and navigating Postpartum Anxiety
Rachel joins us to discuss two very different cesarean experiences and planning a VBAC birth.
MaKenzie joins me to share her family’s story of infertility, late term loss, deep grief, faith, and pregnancy after loss.
Amy Butler and Megan Taylor from Gap Relief join me to discuss the reality of navigating grief, loss, and mental health in the reproductive years while living abroad. https://www.gaprelief.com
Kayla joins me to share her two birth stories from the Middle East. She had two little girls in 2.5 years. Her first was in a hospital in a smaller town. Her second was born in the car on the way to the larger city!
When Charlie and Meegan planned for their third child while living abroad, they had no idea what all that would entail. They share their story of navigating hyper-emesis, earthquakes, placenta previa, a medical evacuation, and a NICU stay abroad.
Chelsea joins me to share three birth stories in Central Asia and Europe. She shares how her experiences through three very different c-sections lead her to become a doula and childbirth educator. She now primarily serves Central Asian women giving birth in Europe to help them have empowered births.
Join me and Grace and she shares two birth stories! She was a first time mom who found out she was pregnant only 5 months after landing in her new country. Her story includes an in country move, navigating language, and an unexpected NICU stay after her second birth.
Join me and Angel as she shares her story of navigating a complicated twin pregnancy and NICU stay while living in Asia. She has so much wisdom to share about clinging to truth in hard times.
Join me and Sarah Beth as we talk about her pregnancy experience in Asia at the start of COVID-19 and the craziness of moving back to the States for the birth.
In this episode, I had the honor of interviewing Mia and Jacob and hearing their story from the Dominican Republic. We also touched on navigating expat pregnancy during Covid, ways we partnered together in their pregnancy, and they shared some great resources. Check out the following link to find the ministry where they were able to get most of their baby supplies while stateside: http://mobile.dudasite.com/site/widowsjar?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.widowsjar.com%2Findex.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0s6bgUJPd6PZBGpdjV-X8VhuztmJDuZK_QgT0sYW1Y6dcxTfmwBdvOqVE&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com#2669
In this episode my husband joins me as we discuss our pregnancy, birth, and postpartum abroad. Our story includes relocating for our birth, changing providers, an interesting doula relationship, a successful VBAC, and the craziness of paperwork.
In this episode I dive into what The Global Birth Coach is and how it all began. Stick around to hear how Covid-19 has impacted expat births all over the world.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
In this episode I discuss who I am, how the podcast came to be, my goals for the podcast, and what you can expect from it in 2021.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app