Joanna: Rethinking Authority, Confidence and Where We Give Birth. One Hospital Birth in Poland and One Home Birth in Switzerland.
Joanna is a small business owner living in Glarus with her family. She owns Moon and June, a non-alcoholic apertif made in Switzerland.
A decade can change everything. Joanna went from a fast-paced banking career and a midwife-led hospital birth in Poland to a slow, deliberate, deeply supported home water birth in the Swiss mountains—finding a new kind of confidence along the way. Her story threads through motherhood, blended family life, and the tension between authority and intuition, showing how respectful care and continuity with midwives can reshape not only labour but the whole arc of becoming a parent again.
We walk through the first birth’s quiet triumphs and the subtle harms of the “clock”—that moment when protocols override pace. Then we shift to Switzerland, where an English-speaking midwife, a birth pool, and careful postpartum planning set a different tone. When Joanna’s longtime OB condemned home birth with fear-based warnings, she didn’t debate; she re-centred. With a low-risk pregnancy, a known midwife duo, and a registered transfer plan, she turned down the noise and trusted what felt right for her body and baby.
The labour unfolds like a lesson in physiology and presence: waters leaking at home, a rainy walk, a Spike Lee movie, then the unmistakable climb. Warm water, skilled hands, and a steady voice—“You’re a strong woman”—help Joanna surrender to the urge to push. One surge, and her daughter is born into the pool. Postpartum shines too: daily midwife visits, an easy latch after past struggles, food prepped, visitors paused, and a blended family gently knitting together. The episode’s heartbeat is a simple metric of success: leaving birth more confident than when you began.
If you care about home birth in Switzerland, midwife-led care, respectful maternity care, older motherhood, postpartum planning, or the realities of blended families, this is the story for you.
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Joanna's Resources
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanna_k_perry/
- Website: https://www.moonandjune.ch/
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The SwissCast Podcast Network is here to amplify the diverse voices and unique stories of Switzerland—all in English. Whether you're a Swiss local fluent in English, an expat, or simply curious about Swiss culture, SwissCast offers engaging content that speaks directly to you. Our mission is simple: to create a space where Swiss life and English voices connect, bringing you meaningful conversations, expert insights, and compelling stories from all over the country. Our podcast shows are made by, for, or in Switzerland and range from Health, Business, Career, Travel, and more.
00:00 - Untitled
00:08 - Meet Joanna And The Hosts
01:19 - Family Dynamics And Age Gap Reflections
07:42 - Two Pregnancies Ten Years Apart
18:22 - First Birth In Poland: Midwife-Led Hospital
23:21 - Pressure To Push And Memory Reframed
29:47 - Considering Home Birth In Switzerland
35:19 - Doctor Opposition And Holding Your Ground
45:51 - Preparing For Home Birth And Due Date Passes
52:46 - Labour Begins: Leaking Waters And Staying Home
56:31 - Active Labour, Birth Pool, And Surrender
01:02:01 - Water Birth At Home And Afterglow
01:05:36 - Postpartum Support And Breastfeeding Wins
01:11:21 - Blended Family Settles And Big Sister Moment
