Have you ever done everything right…and still watched things unfold in a way you never expected?

This week I’m joined by Daryl Hogan — a nurse, nursing professor, wife, and new mama — who navigated a laundry list of unexpected aspects of pregnancy that she certainly wouldn’t have excitedly chosen…. And yet her story doesn’t end in suffering, but in a powerful, physiologic homebirth that left her standing in awe of what her body had carried her through.

Episode Roundup:

First — preparation does not guarantee ease.

Daryl did the research. She changed her products. She tracked her cycles. She took the supplements. She prepared her body thoughtfully.

And still she experienced hyperemesis. Still she lost weight. And still she battled prenatal depression.

But she endured. She continued, and while her preparation did not prevent suffering — It did equip her to endure it.

Second — the humility of needing help.

As a nurse, Daryl understood the medical system. She works in the hospital. She knows the language.

But during her pregnancy, she found herself needing the IV fluids, the medication. Needing support beyond what she had hoped for.

And I love the way she processed that.

She asked herself: “Would I shame another woman for this?”

Of course not.

And so she chose to release the shame.

My friends, sometimes trusting God also looks like accepting the help He places in front of you.

Third — the power of relational care.

Did you hear the contrast between her midwife and her OB?

Long appointments. Text messages. Honesty. Consultation. Home visits.

Versus…

Cold. Rushed. Directive.

Care changes experience.

Not just outcomes — experience.

And finally — redemption through birth.

After months of vomiting. Crying. Exhaustion and Fear.

Her labor came.

She drove home from the birth center on all fours in the back seat — because her body told her to.

And she birthed her baby at home.

Oh my goodness, the triumph in that!

Not because it was pain-free or especially easy, but because she endured. She trusted. She surrendered.

And what strikes me most is this — she didn’t just get a baby at the end.

She got awe:

Awe of her body. Awe of the design. Awe of the way suffering can shape strength.

So if you are in a season where you are doing your best just to make it through Whether that’s in pregnancy, motherhood, or another aspect of your life —

Links:

Redeem ™ | https://hubs.ly/Q03K0Dr90

“Click here to learn more about REDEEM HealthShare Ministry”

Restorative Roots | restorativeroots.com (use code HAPPYHOMEBIRTH for $20 off your first order)

Whole Mother Homebirth | https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/presale (use code PODCAST for 10% off)