As we celebrate two years of podcasting and journey toward 100 episodes, I’m bringing back this Most Loved birth story — a powerful and raw account from Anna Blash on the free birth of her son, Thomas.
Anna’s story unfolds over 70 hours of labor, beginning with a prophetic dream, a detour through the hospital system, and ultimately a triumphant return home where she birthed in her own power. Along the way, she faced her deepest fears, surrendered to trust in her body, and stepped fully into her role as mother.
In this conversation, Anna shares:
The red thread lineage that shaped her relationship to birth and voice.
A vivid prophetic dream that foreshadowed her birth.
How bleeding in early labor led her to a hospital stay — and the moment she chose to leave against medical advice.
The inner work with archetypes, spiritual practice, and Jungian analysis that prepared her for free birth.
The ecstatic, liminal, and at times brutal hours of laboring at home — complete with chanting, visions, drumming, and profound encounters with her lineage.
How she navigated a short cord, heavy bleeding, and the arrival of her son posterior after days of prodromal labor.
The wild postpartum: placenta rituals, burning the cord, and the challenges of early breastfeeding.
Anna’s story is one of devotion, resilience, and remembrance — a reminder that birth is both deeply personal and profoundly ancestral.
About Anna Blash
Anna lives in Maine with her partner Aaron and their son Thomas. She is a craniosacral therapist and space-holder passionate about natural living, spiritual practice, and creating sacred containers for others walking the free birth path.
Contact Anna: annablash@gmail.com
Website: www.emilygracenixon.com
Instagram: @embodiedwomenswisdom
Offerings:
Embodied Wise Women’s Community + Private Podcast
The Wise Woman: A Path to Remembrance — a 6-week live online journey of reclamation. For women ready to reconnect with their lineage of wisdom, reclaim their feminine essence, and walk in sacred sisterhood. Rich chapter material, and a private community space for deep connection.
Ready to step in? Join us now.
Beyond a Doula support — in-person Southern Maine + virtual worldwide; for women seeking instinctual, natural, undisturbed birth
Self-paced courses — covering conception through postpartum. Grounded, sacred, spiritual, and deeply supportive of physiological and sovereign birth.
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Music: The Ancients (feat. Loga Ramin Torkian) by Azam Ali
Disclaimer:
The information and resources provided by me are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice or a Mother’s intuition. Instead, all information provided is intended for education purposes only. My advice is not to be seen as medical diagnosis or to treat any medical illness or condition of Mother or baby/fetus.
Keywords: natural birth, home birth, freebirth, physiological birth, birth stories, postpartum healing, women’s circles, rites of passage, womb wisdom, feminine embodiment, sisterhood, conscious conception, birth trauma healing, matrescence, menopause, first-time mom birth story, VBAC, spirit baby.