“All I Wanted Was to Hold My Baby” — Amanda’s Story of Iona, Home Birth, and Pregnancy After Loss
In this deeply moving episode, Amanda shares the sacred and heart-shattering story of her daughter, Iona. She takes us inside her beautiful home birth, the unimaginable loss that followed, and her journey through grief, healing, and now pregnancy after loss.
We talk about:
The joy of being pregnant with Iona and choosing a home birth
The beauty of her 25-hour labor and the shock of losing her daughter
Facing judgment and misunderstanding after a home birth loss
Navigating postpartum grief, isolation, and honoring Iona
Rituals and ways Amanda connects with her daughter
The hope, fear, and love of pregnancy after loss
This episode is a tender, courageous reminder that grief and love can coexist—and that our babies remain part of our families forever.
Iona, this one is for you.
Get to Know Amanda:
Amanda lives in the mountains of Mendocino County, Northern California, with her husband Leonello and their two pups. Before her loss, she worked at a pottery studio and loved baking sourdough. Now, she and Leonello spend their days tending fruit trees, caring for their old homestead, and walking the creek that runs through the land where Amanda grew up. Since losing her daughter Iona, she has found comfort in nature—especially swimming in ponds, creeks, and lakes nearby. At nearly 32 weeks pregnant after loss, Amanda is taking time to slow down, be present, and honour this tender journey. Her wish for other loss mothers is that they know they are never alone, and that connection and community can be found.
Instagram: @amandakatz
