Military Birth Talk
Military Birth Talk features birth stories from service members, spouses, veterans, and providers, all told through the unique lens of birthing in the military. Birth is a profound, unforgettable experience leaving a lifelong imprint on our hearts. For military families and service members, giving birth and parenting in our community presents its own unique, challenging, and empowering realities--giving birth alone or in a foreign country, navigating Tricare during miscarriage or infertility obstacles, or being on Active Duty without the option to birth outside of the hospital are just a few of the realities we may face. By sharing our stories, we hope to increase transparency and information for fellow military families, providers, and policy makers. Tune in each Thursday for a new episode.
Military Birth Talk is a project of the Military Birth Resource Network and Postpartum Coalition. To learn more, please visit www.MBRNPC.org.
Are you a military community member with a story to share? Fill out an interest form at https://www.militarybirthresourcenetwork.org/podcast
Military Birth Talk
71. Military Spouse and Midwife Ally Delivers Twins While on Remote Duty Overseas
In this episode of Military Birth Talk, Anni interviews Ally, a certified nurse midwife, women's health nurse practitioner, military veteran, and spouse, currently stationed in the Netherlands with her Air Force husband. Ally shares her traumatic experience of giving birth to twin girls in November 2024, detailing her challenges, including being in a remote foreign country with no nearby U.S. base support. She discusses her pregnancy journey, the unexpected discovery of twins, and the unique aspects of Dutch prenatal care. Ally recounts her fast-paced labor, unexpected complications leading to induction, postpartum hemorrhage, and subsequent medical interventions. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including retained placenta and sepsis, Ally emphasizes the importance of trauma-informed and respectful prenatal and perinatal care. She reflects on how her professional knowledge influenced her experience and calls for trauma-informed care to be the standard practice in birth work. The episode also highlights Ally's struggle with the isolation of being abroad and her efforts to heal and cope with her traumatic birth while raising her twins.
You can connect with Ally here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyson-crain-dnp-cnm-whnp-bc-4a088418a/
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