In this episode of Girly Pop Birth Talks, Becca and Arielle sit down with Dr. Shanna Saenz, DC, chiropractor and mama of two, to share her two very different — and equally powerful — birth stories.
Shanna walks us through her first birth at the California Birth Center, where her water broke unexpectedly while walking around Raley’s at 37+6. When labor didn’t begin on its own, she made the empowered decision to use castor oil, leading to an 8-hour labor and a calm, supported birth just days later.
Her second birth, a planned home birth through CBC, was a completely different experience — fast, intense, and almost missed. With only two hours of active labor, a water birth in the middle of the day, and a midwife arriving at 2:53 PM with baby born at 3:10 PM, this birth became a powerful lesson in trusting the body and letting go of expectations (and the timeline 😅).
Together, we talk about:
Birth center vs. home birth experiences
Fast labor and how it can surprise even experienced moms
Trusting your body when labor doesn’t follow the “rules”
How chiropractic care can support pregnancy & birth
Surrender, intuition, and body wisdom in labor
What second births teach us about control and confidence
This episode is real, grounding, and empowering — a reminder that birth doesn’t have to look one way to be powerful and that your body is always worthy of trust.
🎧 Perfect for mamas, birth workers, and anyone who loves honest birth stories that leave you feeling more confident in your body.