Informed Consent in Childbirth: Advocacy, Autonomy, and Your Birth Plan

Описание: Episode 15: Birth Trauma, Postpartum Mental Health, Informed Consent, and Finding Your Voice Amidst It All

Perinatal trauma expert and midwife Illiyin Morrison joins me to talk about what birth trauma really is, why it’s so different for every woman, and how we can begin to make sense of our own stories. After her own difficult birth, Illiyin created a framework that helps mothers understand what happened during their birth experience, why they responded the way they did, and how to move forward with clarity and compassion. Her work now includes remote birth debriefs, her book The Birth Debrief, and a podcast by the same name.

We explore how trauma is an internal response to an external moment, why memory gaps can feel unsettling, and why so many women don’t process what happened until long after the newborn stage. Illiyin shares how informed consent, communication, and truly understanding your options can shift the entire birth experience. She also explains how postpartum depression and anxiety can show up not only as disconnection, but as hypervigilance—something many mothers don’t realize.

We discuss the tender decision of whether to try for another baby after a traumatic birth and the importance of giving yourself time to heal between pregnancies. And for the mothers who know something feels off but feel too overwhelmed to address it, Illiyin offers a comforting first step: simply acknowledging aloud that something is going on is meaningful. Every mother deserves support, understanding, and space to process both the hard moments and the good ones too.

Links & Resources

Follow Illiyin on Instagram:   / illiyinmorrison  

Get your copy of Illiyin’s Book; The Birth Debrief: https://links.milestonesandmotherhood...

Listen to The Birth Debrief Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Illiyin’s Services: https://mixingupmotherhood.com/

LMNT: Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase at http://drinklmnt.com/MILESTONE. Find your favorite LMNT flavor, or share with a friend.

💻 Website & Blog:
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.com/

📱Follow KC for daily motor milestone tips & parenting support:
  / milestones.and.motherhood  

🎧 Follow podcast updates & new episode drops:
  / more.than.milestones  

🆓 Get my free tummy time training: Mastering Milestones with Confidence
https://www.milestonesandmotherhood.c...

📬 Join the email list for milestone tips + podcast updates
https://idyllic-hat-942.myflodesk.com...

🛒 Shop KC’s favorite mom & baby finds:
https://links.milestonesandmotherhood...

🤝 Sponsor or guest inquiries?
Contact us at [email protected]

Go deeper with KC on Substack
More Than Milestones: Unfiltered is my subscription channel where I release 2 exclusive bonus episodes every month. Even more raw, unfiltered motherhood chats you won’t hear anywhere else.
https://substack.com/@morethanmilestones


Love what you’re hearing? Follow, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow mom or caregiver who needs a little less pressure and a little more support. 🤍

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.