Sara: The Power Of Words, Choices and Care. Two Different Births, One in Denmark, Another in Switzerland.
Sara is a researcher and doula in Zurich.
What if the difference between a hard birth and a healing one was a few well-chosen words, a handful of choices and a team that truly listened? Sarah’s story spans two countries and two radically different experiences where she found her rhythm, her voice, and her power. Her first, an induction in Denmark marked by pressure toward an epidural that failed, and later, in Zurich, having to forgo her goal of giving birth at Delphy's Birth House, for an induced hospital water birth at Triempli Stadtspital.
We walk through the real contrasts in maternity care. Denmark’s midwife-led approach offered continuity and calm, with minimal medicalisation. Switzerland provided more monitoring, options, and risk framing. Both helped in different ways, but the decisive factor was how supported Sarah felt.
After a tough recovery the first time, including a third-degree tear and weeks of painful feeding before a tongue tie was found, she dove into preparation for her second: a birth house plan, a doula by her side, and tools like hypnobirthing, sophrology, breath counts, and a TENS unit. When her waters likely released and the clock started, she transferred to hospital and advocated clearly: no oral misoprostol, start with a midwife’s brew, then use a reversible oxytocin drip.
An “angel midwife” kept the space safe. The oxytocin built, she stayed in rhythm, and the team filled a birth pool. With calm coaching to slow crowning, she birthed her son gently with no tearing.
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Sara's Resources
- Why and how to use the TENS machine
- Blog post on TENS
- Epi-no device, to train and stretch the perineum, to prevent tears (a good alternative is perineal massage):
- Favorite international birth stories podcasts:
- https://australianbirthstories.com/
- https://www.thepositivebirthstorypodcast.com/
- hypnobirthing listening track and meditation/timer app for labor
- Favorite and super knowledgeable IBCLC lactation consultants (in CH/IT/DK - all offer online consultations in EN)
- Fitness and pregnancy/birth wisdom
- Surprisingly true and favorite reads: 1 2
- Sara's own doula website: www.ri-nascere.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 - Season Two Closing And Thanks
01:45 - Meet Sarah And Her Family
06:07 - Denmark’s Midwife-Led Care Explained
12:24 - Monitoring, Anxiety, And Overdue Decisions
17:37 - Induction Day And Birth Room Setup
21:59 - Pressure Toward Epidural And Its Failure
27:15 - Pushing, Birth, And Early Postpartum
33:59 - Healing, Tongue Tie, And Feeding Struggles
36:43 - Swiss Care Model And Risk Framing
40:53 - Naming Trauma And Rebuilding Confidence
45:31 - Birth House Plans, Doula Support, Tools
51:09 - Waters Gone, Timers On, Hospital Transfer
55:06 - Advocating For Induction Choices
01:00:25 - Oxytocin, TENS, And Finding A Rhythm
01:03:22 - Water Birth, Gentle Pushing, No Tears
01:08:04 - Wochenbett Care And Second Postpartum
01:12:10 - Siblings, Support, And Feeding Fixes
01:17:13 - Most Brilliant Moment And Outro
