I gave birth standing up. Intro to my birth story. Pain free pregnancy with veganism
Brooke Brodack opens up about one of the most transformative experiences of her life: giving birth standing up, completely naturally, with no painkillers whatsoever. She introduces her friend Sarah Marie, an all-vegan mother of three in Hawaii who hosts retreats and workshops dedicated to helping women achieve pain-free pregnancy through a raw vegan diet. Sarah Marie believes that for every woman who shares her birth story, another woman can heal — and Brooke takes that mission to heart.
Brooke describes laboring for hours in a birthing pool at home with her midwife and doula before having a powerful realization mid-labor: she had spent much of her life dimming her energy to avoid intimidating others. In that moment, she decided to do things her way. She stood up, took hold of the bed, and used only her breath and gravity to bring her baby into the world. The intentionality she brought to her pregnancy — carefully curating what she consumed physically, mentally, and emotionally — gave her the strength for the birth experience she truly wanted.
Reflecting on motherhood four years later, Brooke shares honestly about the challenges of postpartum recovery and how she is only now losing the weight from pregnancy. She notes she would want to go fully raw vegan before considering another pregnancy, having experienced heartburn during her first. Her story is a raw and empowering testament to the strength of trusting one's own body and instincts.
Key Topics
- All-natural standing childbirth with no painkillers or medical interventions
- Sarah Marie's raw vegan pregnancy philosophy and retreats in Hawaii
- The power of intentional pregnancy — curating physical, mental, and emotional consumption
- Realizing during labor how much energy she gave away to avoid intimidating others
- Postpartum recovery journey and body healing over four years
- Raw veganism as a potential path to pain-free pregnancy
- The healing power of sharing birth stories
Notable Moments
- 00:00 — Introducing Sarah Marie and her raw vegan pregnancy mission
- 00:55 — Brooke begins sharing her own birth story
- 01:18 — Mid-labor realization about dimming her energy for others
- 01:43 — The decision to stand up and give birth her way
- 02:02 — Using only breath and gravity to deliver
- 02:38 — Reflections on considering another child and the role of raw veganism