Lindsey had two vaginal births in Lyon, France. Both pregnancies were extremely rough, with significant nausea and vomiting.
During her first pregnancy and birth, Lindsey developed hip pain in her second trimester and experienced severe acid reflux. She ultimately had an epidural, despite preparing to avoid one. At the hospital, a midwife performed a membrane sweep without her consent in an attempt to induce labor at 40 weeks and 5 days, as she had begun showing signs of preeclampsia. She went into spontaneous labor at 40 weeks and 6 days (the estimated due date in France is 41 weeks). She experienced minor tearing. Immediately afterward, she felt fairly positive about the birth, but in retrospect, she wished she had been better prepared and more supported. Her postpartum period was particularly challenging, marked by postpartum anxiety, the unexpected passing of her father-in-law, and a major move.
For her second birth, Lindsey did not have an epidural and felt much more empowered to advocate for herself. Because of her previous preeclampsia diagnosis, she was closely monitored throughout the pregnancy. She chose a private midwife and began weekly non-stress tests starting at 28 weeks. Her blood pressure remained excellent, and the baby was consistently healthy. She enjoyed the time spent talking with her midwife. She also received acupuncture throughout the pregnancy to support nausea, anxiety, and labor. She took one prenatal singing class—a distinctly French practice that teaches the use of voice and sound to manage pain and connect with the baby. She intentionally prepared her husband to support her like a doula and communicated clearly about her desire for a low-intervention birth. At 32 weeks, during her GBS swab, her hospital OB checked her cervix without asking. Labor began spontaneously at 40 weeks and 4 days. Her water broke while she was squatting by her bed to relieve pressure. It never occurred to her to ask for an epidural. She felt powerful and in control, caught her own baby, and had no tearing. She took the postpartum period more slowly and experienced what she describes as “postpartum bliss” for the first six weeks.
Lindsey Robrecht Bio
Lindsey lives in Strasbourg, France with her husband, 7 year-old daughter, Freya, and 2.5 year old daughter, Margot. The family moved to Strasbourg from Lyon in the spring of 2024. She was born in Alaska (her mom’s 8th birth and first and only homebirth) and was raised in Portland, Oregon. She has (more or less) lived in France since 2012. Lindsey is currently training to be a doula. Connect with her @lumidoula on instagram, or lindseyrobrecht@gmail.com.
Resources
- Lindsey’s French Birth Story podcast is available on most platforms and is called histoires de naissances. SpotifyPocketcasts YoutubeApple podcastsAmazon podcasts
- Prenatal singing – this is a website in French that people could take a look at if they are interested, and have it translated by Google: https://www.chantprenatal.com/chant-prenatal/.
Motif Medical
This episode was sponsored by Motif Medical. Motif designs insurance-eligible products for busy moms. With a focus on innovation and empowerment, Motif’s line of breast pumps and maternity compression garments are sophisticated, yet discreet, and made to support mothers as they navigate new motherhood. Discover why moms are reporting more milk in less time with the Luna breast pump, and see how you can get it covered through insurance at motifmedical.com/birthhour.
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