Demystifying birth through storytelling

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Your Birth Story Matters

Birthtok is a community that creates space for families to share their raw birth stories in order to heal, connect, celebrate, mourn, triumph, share and delight in the incredible experience of birthing a human.

We're on a mission to demystify birth and solve our maternal health crisis in the United States that disproportionately impacts Black and Indigenous women. Read more.

Long-form Stories (Podcast)

Episodes
“I’ll never forgive him– NEVER.” Cesarean Trauma, Twice Over
“I’ll never forgive him– NEVER.” Cesarean Trauma, Twice Over

Trigger Warning: this post features birth trauma, C-section trauma and obstetric violence (OV). In today's heart wrenching episode you'll hear one woman's story of delivering both children via c-section(cesarean section). The first time I heard this story, the tears would not stop flowing. This mother’s experience of suffering from obstetric violence just enrages me to my core, and reminds me of why I am doing this birth story project.

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Postpartum Self Care and an Unexpected Cesarean (Part 2 with Caitlin Benson)
Postpartum Self Care and an Unexpected Cesarean (Part 2 with Caitlin Benson)

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with the irreverent and amazing Caitlin Benson. In this episode, we delve into the details of Caitlin's emotionally charged second birth of her beautiful son Owen, who was born via cesarean during the COVID-19 pandemic

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My Unplanned Pregnancy, Unmedicated Birth and Big WHY (Founder’s Story)
My Unplanned Pregnancy, Unmedicated Birth and Big WHY (Founder’s Story)

I believe that by sharing the intimate details of our birth stories, we can save lives, empower birthing people, and radically transform birth practices. I aim to create a safe space to do so here. I hope you find stories that inspire and inform.

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When Homebirth "Plans" Go Awry (A Positive First Birth Story)
When Homebirth "Plans" Go Awry (A Positive First Birth Story)

Part 1 with the resilient and irreverent Caitlin Benson. Caitlin’s first born, Ellie, was born in the hospital in Los Angeles and in this episode you’ll get her hilarious hot take on her subpar OBGYN, hiring a doula, undershooting her due date and more unpredicted twists and turns, with a totally sweet and positive ending.

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Now Seeking YOUR Raw and Unfiltered Birth Stories

  • Calling for Positive Stories, Traumatic Stories and Everything in Between

    We want to hear it all and every detail

    • What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    • What advice do you have for expecting families?

    • What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice

  • BIPOC

    Birth stories as told specifically through your lens as a Black/Indigenous/Asian/Latin person.

    What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    What advice do you have for expecting families?

    What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice

  • LGBTQIA+ Stories

    Birth stories as told by gay/transgender/gender non-conforming/queer folx.

    What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    What advice do you have for expecting families?

    What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice

  • C-Section Stories

    We’d love to hear your cesarean birth story.

    What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    What advice do you have for expecting families?

    What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice

  • Unmedicated

    Did you opt out of medical interventions? How did it go?

    What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    What advice do you have for expecting families?

    What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice

  • Home Birth

    Stories of babies you birthed at home.

    What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    What advice do you have for expecting families?

    What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice

  • Rainbow Baby Birth Stories

    A baby born to a parent or family who has previously lost a child to miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. We would be honored to hear about you and your children.

    What did you do to prepare, and what did you learn about yourself?

    What advice do you have for expecting families?

    What do you wish you would have known?

    Add Your Voice