Today we talk to Lorene Mah,  founder and CEO of Glitter & Spice, a company that sells safe and beautifully designed teething products for babies and toddlers. Since it's founding in 2015, Glitter & Spice (and Lorene herself) has won multiple awards for innovation and product safety, and has provided countless parents and infants with fashionable solutions to all of their teething and sensory development needs.   We talk about the symptoms of teething in infants that compel them to chew, and the difficulties in knowing how to soothe them while also not allowing them to chew on things that are unhealthy. We also talk about how brightly colored silicone beads provide a natural allure for an infant to chew on once they are finished nursing as an alternative to pulling hair or finding other things to put in their mouths.   We discuss Lorene's process of development for her teething products, and how her experience with her son's early teething and sensory needs drove it along. We talk about how reliable teething aids can help to encourage longer and less distracted nursing, especially in infants with sensory needs. We also talk some about Lorene's experiences in building her business while also being present for her kids and developing product based on their needs.   Finally, we talk about the different grades of silicone and what makes silicone ideal for teething products in terms of safety and durability. We talk about sensory needs in children, particularly with Autism or other developmental disorders that involve a need for tactile stimulation. We discuss how having an awareness of each child's individual needs and treating them as something entirely unique to the child in question will help both parent and child to have a smoother learning experience throughout the development journey.   To Learn More Visit: https://www.glitterandspice.ca/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Bettina Gordon-Wayne, Journalist, Certified Mental Strength Trainer, and bestselling author of The Joy of Older Motherhood. Bettina became a mother for the first time at age 44, and since then has dedicated her life to coaching other women over 40 through limiting beliefs that keep them from starting their own journeys into motherhood. She is a huge advocate for over-40 motherhood, and through her coaching and writing, hopes to reshape some of the societal stigma around having babies at an older age.   We talk about the barrage of negativity and fear that a woman over 40 can run into when she decides to start a family. We discuss Bettina's experience of realizing how much stigma was involved in older motherhood, and her decision to write her book to encourage other older mothers. We also talk about some of the considerations an older mother should make in order to ensure that she is able to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy.   We talk about the data that is used to determine the success rate for pregnancy over 40 , where it comes from, and why statistics in this area tend to be inaccurate. We talk about cultural perceptions of what is "too old" to have a baby, and how those perceptions came about, as well as why they aren't necessarily true. We talk about menopause as the end of a woman's fertility, and how greatly the time frame for it varies, and how fertility prior to menopause shouldn't be a concern at any age if there are not any previously existing fertility issues.   Finally, we talk about other things to consider when thinking about the "best" age to have children, including how financial stability may affect maternal health, and how the experience and emotional maturity of an older mother may help better equip them after the baby is born. We quickly look over the main myths about older motherhood and debunk a few final concerns for any potential older mothers listening.   To Learn More Visit:  https://www.bettinagordon.com/joy For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Kristin Mallon, obstetric nurse,  author, midwife, and medical strategist. Kristin is an expert in business for birth professionals, and particularly in birth professionals who operate out-of-network, and helping them to navigate potential pitfalls in order to run a successful practice. She has been called a visionary in the field of medicine as a business, and she has touched the birth world both by attending births herself, and by helping others to offer the best possible birth care for their clients.   We talk about Midwifery as a field and birth as a business of necessity, as well as how the insurance industry complicates a birth provider's ability to be paid properly. We discuss how the reality of birth providers operating in-network, and how the demands and limitations can make birth more dangerous and less personal. We also talk about how providers are reimbursed by insurance networks for birth, and some of the reasons for the structure, as well as some of the benefits and downfalls of that structure for both the patient and the provider.   We discuss some of the reasons why more birth providers aren't leaving the network structure, and some of the fears holding them back from starting off into an out-of-network practice structure. We also talk about birth costs, and the ways that in-network providers have to calculate billing in order for the insurance to pay for it, and the ways that it can create problems for how providers are paid for prenatal and birth care.   Finally we talk about how billing works out-of-network, and why providers shouldn't be afraid to switch, as well as why patients shouldn't be afraid to go out-of-network. We discuss the transition from in-network to out-of-network, and then from OON to cash pay, and what each model implies.   To Learn More Visit:  www.kristinmallon.com   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Tamara Hiller, midwife, herbalist, and trainer in the field of pre/postnatal herbal medicine.  Tamara has worked in the health field for over 23 years, and dedicates her practice to helping people to address current and chronic health issues through herbs and natural healing. She is a particular expert in bringing herbalism into the sphere of pregnancy and birth, which she has done for many years through her midwifery practice, and she continues to pass on her knowledge by training other doulas and midwives in the practice of perinatal herbalism.   We talk about herbalism and its place in healing, both ancient and modern, and how herbalism should not be considered "alternative medicine", but rather our primal method of healing, and a complimentary aid to modern medicine. We also talk about how an approach to health should not be to wait until a person is sick to support their health, but instead to support good health from the start and adjust as needed to prevent illness.   We discuss various herbs and their uses in the preconception and pregnancy stages, and how optimizing your overall health before trying to conceive makes for much higher chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy. We also discuss how to research which herbs are safe for pregnancy, including how to understand warnings and guidelines, and how to separate whether something is known to be dangerous, or whether it just hasn't been officially tested for efficacy.   Finally, we talk about a range of pregnancy complaints and what sorts of herbs might help to improve each issue. We discuss some more severe issues like bleeding, which herbs can help, and how to know when direct medical intervention is needed. We talk about using comfrey for tearing, and the controversies over that. We also touch on how to safely use essential oils in pregnancy.   To Learn More Visit:  http://herbalhelp.net/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Annette Presley, registered dietician, nutritionist, author, and creator of the Mommy Maker Method. Annette is an expert in functional nutrition and nutrigenomics, and has spent over 28 years studying the ways in which our nutrition affects how our genetics express potential health issues. Her program has helped women all over to take charge of their genes as an important step in their fertility journey.   We discuss the ways that Iodine deficiency affects health, including fertility and rates of miscarriage . We also talk about how Bromide, Chlorine, and Fluoride affect the body's ability to absorb Iodine, and how the levels of them in our diets can lead to iodine deficiency. We discuss the sorts of food that one can eat or avoid to help adjust the levels in order to help with fertility.   We talk about different types of fats, and how much of the nutrition advice we get about saturated fat is misleading and is leading to greater health problems in the population. We also discuss the diagnostic processes for fertility issues and how some of the methods are lacking. We talk about what a particular diagnosis might indicate in terms of nutritional deficiencies, and how that can be adjusted.   Finally, we talk about chronic illnesses that may affect fertility, and how they may be related to nutritional deficiency even when a person isn't trying to conceive. We talk about environmental toxins that are also contributing to ill health in our society, and how the Mommy Maker Method addresses those toxins.   To Learn More Visit:  https://getpregnantplan.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Julie Sawaya, Founder and CEO of Needed, which provides health education and nutritional supplements for all stages of pregnancy. Needed supplements are based on intense research into the needs of both a pregnant woman and the developing fetus. Julie has been recognized nationwide for her work in ensuring optimal nutrition for both mother and baby.   We talk about how the vast majority of available prenatal vitamins are not sufficient  to meet optimal prenatal nutrition needs, and the way that Needed went about developing supplements that would correct the usual nutritional deficiencies that tend to happen during pregnancy. We also talk about what some of the basic nutritional needs are in a normal pregnancy and discuss what the various nutrients do to support a healthy pregnancy. We discuss the importance of Choline and what makes it so difficult to get into nutrition supplements that are still easy to take during pregnancy.   We discuss the reason for nutritional deficiency during pregnancy, and why this was not a problem for our ancestors but has become a problem for us now. We also talk about some health issues that can be caused by critical nutrient deficiencies, as well at what foods or nutrient supplements can help to correct the issue. We talk about Folates and their potential benefits and issues with the ways they are currently used.   Finally we talk about if and how nutrition affects morning sickness during pregnancy, what some of the factors might be, and how beginning to plan nutrition before getting pregnant can help. We talk about bioavailability in nutritional supplements and the way that Needed uses nutrients that are easiest for the body to absorb. We talk about where Needed sources their vitamins and the care that goes into the process to ensure a reliable quality for the supplements that they formulate.   To Learn More Visit: https://thisisneeded.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Patty Brennan, founder of Lifespan Doulas, and author of The Doula Business Guide. She offers doula education, training, and certification through her program, as well as the business training needed for independent workers to establish a stable practice. Over her 40 year career, Patty has personally trained over 2000 doulas, in addition to being a doula and a midwife herself, running a company and nonprofit, and authoring vital business resources for doulas around the world.   We talk about the struggles that recently certified doulas face when they are first trying to establish a practice, and how the right type of guidance and support can help them to avoid an early burnout. We also talk about some  things new doulas can use to establish themselves, and what they should avoid when getting started, as well as when they should be willing to serve on a volunteer basis and when they should avoid working for free. We discuss what to do as a doula when you are burning out or losing your passion for your work.   We discuss some of the business models that doulas can establish their practice under and some of the benefits of each, as well as the importance of being aware of the way that you personally work best when determining how you will approach your business and payment model. We also talk about how to get started as a doula and which states require licensing, as well as some of the potential issues with governmental regulation versus the benefits.   Finally we talk about how doulas can overcome the aversion to "selling" their passion-based work rather than giving it for free so that they can sustain themselves while doing what they love. We discuss authentic ways of marketing yourself as a doula, as well as the effect that underselling yourself has on the ways potential clients think about your service. We talk about differentiating yourself from other doulas operating in your area to draw in attention of clients, and how to advertise to the community of people that you most want to focus on serving.   To Learn More Visit: https://lifespandoulas.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

  Today we talk to Jessica Diggs,  one of the most sought after Doulas and Midwives in the San Francisco area and Education Lead at LOOM, an empowering digital education platform that brings accessible sexual and reproductive health education to all communities, including its debut program centering on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum topics. Jessica's work goes a long way in helping to provide wider access to the sort of inclusive and comprehensive education that is vital for health and safety at any stage of reproduction. We talk about how Jessica's journey to be knowledgeable about sexual and reproductive health for herself and her friends led her into the birth world and becoming a doula and reproductive health educator. We also talk about the inception of LOOM and the value of accessible reproductive education. We discuss the lack of resources for teen parents, and the ways in which teen parents are able to thrive when they have proper support and education.   We discuss, as a doula, supporting a wider variety of pregnancy and birth experiences than what most people consider the "usual" and how every birth is improved when the individual experience of the parents is acknowledged and uplifted, including their gender identity, family structure, supporting partner, and individual values. We also talk about what the curriculum of LOOM covers, starting with the very basics of what many people may not know about their body or their pregnancy and working up.   Finally we talk about the ways that LOOM supports birth partners, regardless of parental status. We talk about giving the partners or chosen family of the birthing person the resources that they need to give the proper support and to be an active part of the experience. We also talk about what it means to normalize the experience of childbirth and how doing so can reduce the amount of fear that people experience going into pregnancy and improve birth outcomes and the overall experience of living in our bodies.   To Learn More Visit:  http://loomhq.com For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Elizabeth King, a Fertility Health Coach, ICF Life Coach, Birth & Bereavement Doula, and new parent educator. Through her practice, she helps clients through the trials of infertility and trauma of miscarriage and works with them through all possible avenues to help them conceive and bring a healthy baby to full term.   We discuss the process of preserving her own fertility that led to her wanting to specialize in fertility support. We talk about common myths about fertility that commonly lead to frustration in people who are trying to conceive. We also discuss the importance of managing stress and mindset as a part of the overall fertility treatment process. We define secondary infertility as an issue that some women face in trying to grow their family.   We talk about how working with a fertility coach before you even start trying to conceive can help to get your body on track to combatting any fertility issues before you even encounter them. We also talk about some of the things that may be affecting your fertility in the pre-conception phase. We clarify the difference between a fertility coach and a fertility doctor and how the former supports the client's relationship with the latter.   Finally, we talk about pregnancy loss and the journey of recovering from miscarriage while also trying to conceive again. We talk about a fertility coach's role in helping with miscarriage or infertility grief, and the sort of support that may be required. We also talk about male fertility and how important it is to look at and educate both partners when addressing fertility issues.   To Learn More Visit: https://www.elizabethking.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Dr. Betty DeLass, a physical therapist and world-class pelvic health expert.  Through her practice at Reborn Pelvic Health Wellness, she works with patients to craft personalized treatment regimens for patients at every stage of pregnancy or postpartum to help them return to or maintain the best quality of life possible through adjustment and strengthening of the pelvic floor.  To date she has assisted thousands of patient in improving their quality of life through their pelvic health. We discuss Kegels and their function in pelvic health, as well as their limitations. Betty walks us through the orientation and function of the pelvic floor, and emphasizes that the pelvic floor affects alignment in all other areas of the body. We discuss the process of diagnosis that Dr. DeLass uses in order to assess pelvic floor issues in her clinic. We talk about the differences in practitioners that are involved in pregnancy and when a Midwife or an OB may refer a patient to a Physical Therapist, as well as the importance of collaboration between different perinatal practitioners in facilitating healing. We discuss how pelvic misalignment affects fertility. We also touch on Diastasis Recti and how it can be prevented or repaired with physical therapy. Finally we talk about postpartum rehab and how it should be started very shortly after birth in order to help the body heal properly. We discuss how someone can find a specialized pelvic floor therapist if they need one. We also talk about whether patients can have their physical therapy covered by their insurance. To Learn More Visit: https://www.rebornphw.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to returning guest Bailey Gaddis, Author of Feng Shui Mommy, about her new book, Asking for a Pregnant Friend. Bailey is a certified Doula, Hypnotherapist, and founding member of the Ojai Valley Birth Collective, among many other accomplishments, and she uses her passion for both birth and writing to help make pregnancy and birth a comfortable and shame-free experience for everyone who reads her work.   We talk about Bailey's process in deciding to write her new book, and the way that shame around certain topics prevents pregnant women from getting all the information that they need. We discuss orgasmic birth as well as the culture of shame that forces a lot of us to separate sexuality from birth.   We discuss feelings of arousal or anger during breastfeeding and the feelings of shame that can arise from that and why the shame is not necessary. We discuss partner infidelity during pregnancy and the need for communication between to help allay fears about the partner straying. We talk about the causes of why a partner might not want sex as much after the baby arrives and the ways that couples can work through that with communication.   We talk about the disappointment some parents may experience when finding out the sex of their baby and how not to beat yourself up about it. We also discuss the feelings that can arise when a mother is pregnant with her second baby and how to ease the worry about not loving the second baby as much as the first.   Finally we talk about intrusive thoughts that a lot of women have about potentially hurting their baby or about scary situations that might arise. We discuss what might cause those and when it's a problem. We also discuss the fear of death during childbirth and how to navigate the fear of something that is very real and complex and when to seek help to deal with it.  We talk about the bottom line of shame and how shame affects the journey into motherhood, and how learning to release and do away with that shame as a culture will help to make pregnancy, birth, and motherhood a more joyful experience on the whole.   To Learn More Visit: https://www.baileygaddis.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Julie Tupler, registered nurse, childbirth educator, physical therapist, and developer of the Tupler Technique for repairing Diastasis Recti. She is a world renowned expert in Diastasis and repairing the "pointy tummy" effect that many women experience after giving birth. With over 30 years of experience in abdominal repair, Julie trains medical and fitness professionals all over the world to repair split abdominal muscles and improve the quality of life for their patients.   We talk about what Diastasis Recti is, what causes it, and who it can occur in besides pregnant women. We discuss how to tell if somebody has a Diastasis in need of repair, as well as what the side effects can be if the Diastasis is left untreated. We also talk about how splinting, exercises, and effective pushing during childbirth can help to avoid muscle damage that may cause later issues.   We discuss Diastasis repair via the Tupler Technique, and what the technique entails and what it accomplishes in the body. We talk about the importance of adherence to the program in order to ensure that the Diastasis closes fully and properly.   We talk about how Julie got started in the field and how she came to specialize in Diastasis Recti, as well as how she developed the Tupler Technique. We discuss what a woman can do at the start of her pregnancy to begin to strengthen her abdominal muscles and keep them together in order to prevent Diastasis. We touch on how to tell the difference between Diastasis and insulin resistance.   Finally we discuss how Diastasis Recti can make a woman more at risk for a C-section during birth, and the internal mechanics of why a Diastasis makes it harder for labor to progress. We discuss the long term affects of a bad Diastasis, and at which point it's too late to fix.   To Learn More Visit: DiastasisRehab.com   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Marinah Farrell, Midwife, Activist, and  Executive Director of Changing Woman Initiative, a Native American centered health and justice organization. Marinah's work serves to help indigenous peoples reclaim sovereignty over reproductive medicine, and provide safe, culturally integrated healthcare to Indigenous women in New Mexico and Arizona. We talk about the Changing Woman initiative, the meaning behind the name, and what the organization does for tribal communities in healing through birth and midwifery. We also talk about Marinah's induction to the birth world and what led her to what she believes is her life's calling. We discuss the historical course of midwifery being overtaken by obstetrics and the resulting loss of midwifery traditions in indigenous communities. We also touch on the different types of midwives, particularly in the Americas. We discuss cultural misalignment between birth providers and birthing people and the issues that can arise when people don't have access to birth providers from their own communities. We discuss the way that the current North American midwifery associations are still not doing much to uplift or encourage midwives of color, particularly in indigenous communities, and what needs to be done in order to help overcome the issue. We also talk about how governments shift blame to midwives for maternal mortality rates to avoid prioritizing maternal health. We talk about restoring traditional culture to midwifery in order to strengthen the practice as a whole, as well as some of the perceptions of midwives in our modern world and how the stigma makes it difficult for traditional midwifery to regain a foothold in society. We also discuss how all women regardless of cultural origin can reach back to reclaim their ancestral birthing traditions and restore life to their own communities without appropriating another culture's roots. Finally, we discuss the nuance of trying to determine one's own roots, especially when we are separated from our roots by adoption or other circumstance, and how to approach finding the traditions that are authentic to you. We talk about way that connection to our traditional birth cultures and our foremothers works to heal individuals and communities. To Learn More Visit: changingwomaninitiative.com For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Dr. Rosita Arvigo, Naprapathic physician, International author and lecturer, and founder of The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®. She has dedicated her life and practice to preserving and elevating traditional Mayan abdominal massage practices, and using them to heal patients from all manner of reproductive system dysfunction in both body and spirit.   We talk about Dr. Arvigo's apprenticeship in Mayan abdominal massage with her mentor Don Elijio Panti, and how she merged those methods with her existing work in Naprapathy to develop the Arvigo method. We also talk about uterine displacement and the way that Mayan abdominal therapy is intended to help correct it.   We talk about how the displacement of the uterus disrupts blood flow, and the sorts of issues that can cause, as well as how correcting the placement and blood flow can help with a large number of reproductive issues. We also talk about how easily the uterus can become misaligned during a woman's life, which contributes to how common menstrual pain is for most women.   We discuss fertility challenges and the mechanics of how lymphatic blockages caused by uterine displacement may heavily contribute. We talk about Premenstrual mood issues and which parts of them are normal and natural, and which parts may be aggravated by misalignment.   Finally, we talk about some of the spiritual elements of menstrual regularity, and the ways that being misaligned be emotionally and spiritually damaging for a woman. We talk about the affects of birth control on uterine flow and discuss the considerations involved.   To Learn More Visit: https://abdominaltherapycollective.com or  https://rositaarvigo.com   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Adriana Lozada, advanced birth doula,  postpartum educator, child sleep consultant, and host of the Birthful Podcast. In her work she focuses on helping clients to trust in their body's natural birthing instinct without allowing fear and overthinking to complicate the process. We discuss Adriana's call to birth work after her first birth experience made her realize that birth is a lot more complicated and messy than most people understand, and that it takes much more than a proactive brain to create a positive experience. We also talk about her journey to discovering how birth can be better approached to support the physiology of it and do so without fear so the body can do its job.   We talk about the process of shutting off the 'thinking' brain and learning to trust the instinctive brain during labor so that your body can carry out its natural process. We talk about the way that medical measurements (checking of dilation, etc…) can be a mental and emotional distraction from the natural process, and how to overcome that. We also talk about which things 'activate' the thinking brain and how knowing what might distract you gives you power.   We discuss some of the natural physiological reflexes that both the birthing person and the baby have that allows for birth to flow in a certain way. We also talk about the chemical responses that happen in birth to support the process of birth and aid the baby's vital responses during and after birth.  We discuss the ways that medical interventions might interfere with this process, but also how some natural birth moments can be recreated after the fact.   Finally, we briefly talk about Adriana's Venezuelan roots, and the way that birth has been over-medicalized in Latin America and the way it is affecting the birth culture in those areas. We discuss the way that Venezuela's culture around plastic surgery creates less fear around C-Sections than around the natural birthing process. We briefly discuss birth revolutions happening in some places in Latin America that are helping people to reclaim the birth process.   To Learn More Visit: https://birthful.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Cortney and Stephanie, certified childbirth educators and doulas, and creators of My Essential Birth -- an evidence-based and holistic online childbirth education course -- as well as The Pregnancy and Childbirth Made Easy Podcast. They are dedicated to bringing the best that the birth world has to offer into one place so that new parents have the best possible head-start in preparing for their birth. We talk about how both Cortney and Stephanie got into the world of childbirth education and the different kinds of birth experiences they've had that have influenced their desire to help others. We also talk about the problems they had with other birth courses that led to them wanting to create their own that didn't feel quite so rigid in their expectations for what an "ideal" pregnancy and birth looks like. We once again cover one of our favorite topics: the importance of education in helping birthing parents to plan for the birth that they want and protect their choices against institutions and providers. We talk about the reasons that new moms seek out My Essential Birth, and how they come out knowing much more than they had originally thought they needed, and how the course's integration of everything the birth world has to offer can help them know what to seek out more information on. We talk about the first things that a pregnant mother can do to set herself up for success, including finding the right provider and doing certain daily exercises to prepare their bodies for labor.  We talk about getting clear on what sort of birth experience you want so that the experience and reality aren't dissonant. We also talk about preparing to negate and avoid birth trauma or to heal previous trauma. Finally we discuss the importance of birth education to our legacy, and how empowered births can shape generations. We talk about how the sons and daughters of mothers who have had their lives changed by positive birth will go forward and improve the birth experiences in their own lives. To Learn More Visit: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Aisha Al Hajjar, Midwife and founder of AMANI Birth, an Islamically founded childbirth education and doula training program designed to empower and support women in the birthing decisions that they make. She works together with her husband to make this education widely available, and to date, AMANI Birth has trained over 900 educators and providers and supported over 10,000 mothers worldwide with their evidence based childbirth education.   We talk about Aisha's birth experiences and how they led her to become a childbirth educator. We also talk about the ways that Aisha saw women suffering from lack of choices and birth education after converting to Islam, and how she allowed her faith and knowledge to guide her in knowing how to help.   We talk about what is needed in an Islamic birth space and how AMANI birth helps to provide for those needs. We also talk about how a country's culture can affect a woman's needs for her birth space, as well as how AMANI education can help a woman to know whether or not she wants to adhere to cultural practices. We discuss how training birth workers all over the world can help women to preserve their own culture and empower their communities. Aisha tells us the story of AMANI Birth and how she and her husband both knew that women in the Middle East where they live were in need of Islamically based birth education and protection, and how they built AMANI birth out of that need. We discuss the scope of AMANI and how it changes lives and communities.   Finally we talk about the impact that birth empowerment has on a woman's entire life and how the mission of AMANI is to spread that empowerment as far as possible.   To Learn More Visit: https://amanibirth.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Nikia Lawson, Certified Birth Doula and Birth Doula Trainer through DONA international. Nikia is an international lecturer,  thought leader, and birth educator who uses her expansive knowledge to help expectant families go into their births feeling prepared. Her non-profit organization, The Natural Way Birthing Project, offers programs and services to help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the Texas counties where she serves. We talk about Nikia's induction into the birth world and what drew her to birth work. We talk about her education and how she shifted courses to meet her calling as a birth worker.  We also talk about Nikia's approach to helping new families to start thinking about what they want for their birth and about hiring a doula We talk about what Nikia teaches in her courses and the questions that new parents need to consider when they're approaching their birth so that they can feel confident and prepared, and so that they can stand up for their choices and prevent trauma. We talk about how to create a 'see something, say something' situation in the birth space where the birthing person's choices are being protected in the moment. We talk about intersectionality in the birth space and the sorts of things that need changing, as well as how change can be made on a wide scale to protect black birth. We talk about how education and availability of birth support in every birth space can help to improve birth outcomes in marginalized communities. Finally we talk about normalizing doula work and birth support for everyone so that advocacy for birth decisions can become the mainstream rather than the exception. We challenge new parents to become educated and empower their birth space to achieve this end. To Learn More Visit: http://www.nikialawson.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Nefertiti Austin, Author of Motherhood So White: A Memoir  of Race, Gender, and Parenting In America. Fourteen years ago she took a journey toward adopting a child from the Los Angeles foster system as a single woman and she shares her experience and the insight she gained from it with us today. Our Digital Media Coordinator and Executive Assistant for Birth Circle, Erin, also joins us as a guest interviewer.  We talk to Nefertiti about her initial journey toward deciding to adopt, and what informed her decision on the specifics of what she wanted from the adoption. We also talk about the stigma she came up against in choosing to adopt outside of her own community, and the way informal adoption commonly works in communities of color.  We talk about the things that surprised Nefertiti about raising her children, particularly in regards to protecting them from racial bias at school. We then talk about how important it has been for her to have a community to rely on while raising her children.  Finally we talk about the image of what 'adoptive parents' are thought to look like, and how falling outside the 'norm' can be a deterrent for single parents and parents of color against adopting from the foster system. Nefertiti talks about her book and gives her advice for people preparing to navigate the system as she did. To Learn More Visit: https://nefertitiaustin.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Kimberly Seals Allers, founder of Irth, an app where Black and brown parents can rate practitioners in order to address bias and racism in maternity and infant care. She is also the host of Birthright, a podcast about joy and healing in Black birth that seeks to change the narrative around Black birth being a necessarily traumatic experience. Kimberly is an award-winning journalist and five-time author, and she is an outspoken advocate for maternal and infant health in marginalized communities.  We talk about Kimberly's introduction to the birth world as a young black mother and the fear she felt facing down the statistics of birth outcomes for black mothers. We then talk about the negative birth experience that Kimberly had in a hospital that had come highly recommended by her friends and how the realization that she had been treated differently due to her race led her toward her advocacy and eventually toward the development of Irth.  We talk about what Irth is and how it helps black and brown women to be able to research and find a birth provider that is not going to bring racial bias into their care, as well as how it helps those women to report on their own birth experience with a provider in order to inform their community and provide data that can then be used to incentivize birth providers to improve their quality of care. We talk about how racial bias shows up in the medical community and how we can tell whether a birth provider is allowing those biases to influence their practice.  We then talk about how the Irth team approaches providers that need coaching on their practices, and provides them with the data that shows where improvement is needed. We talk about cultural alignment in the birth space and how that can help to improve overall outcomes. Finally, we talk about the Birthright podcast and how sharing stories of success and joy in Black birth helps to move the narrative away from fear and allows more space for healing and progress. To learn more, visit https://irthapp.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Dr. Laurena White, a medical doctor specializing in both allopathic and traditional medicine, an expert in fertility and pregnancy care, and director of the Eudaimonia Center. She has spent over 15 years using her skill to improve pregnancy care for her patients in a way that promotes genuine healing and avoids invasive medical procedures.   We talk about Dr. White's upbringing, her desire to be a doctor, and the cultural womanhood ceremonies that shaped her ambition to become an OBGYN and Doula. We also talk about what pushed her to reach beyond the standard medical system to find the best traditional practices to integrate in treating her patients. We talk about the changes in her life and ethos that led to her establishing the Eudaimonia center.   We then talk about the modalities used by the Eudaimonia center in healing patients both medically and holistically and how the current medical system and the birth world at large could benefit from integrating a broader array of treatment modalities. Dr. White walks us through her process of assessing patient needs and tailoring their course of care to best address their individual health.   We talk about how normalizing birth and opening education can help to repair some of the misconceptions in the process that lead to over-medicalization. We talk about how to integrate education into your birth plan in order to prevent interventions that you don't want. Finally, we talk about her family culture of vaginal steaming and how having communities of women who talk about their own bodies and health can help girls be more prepared to feel at ease with their natural processes.   To learn more, visit https://laurenawhite.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Sarah and Matthew Bivens, hosts of Doing it at Home,  a home birth podcast sharing powerful stories and conversations to normalize home birth and support families in being as prepared and supported in their journeys. They realized the important of sharing and normalizing home birth stories after their own home birth experience, and they continue to work to make choosing home birth a normal and well understood option for any new parents who may be considering it. We talk about Sarah and Matthew's decision to have their baby at home, and the process they went through in making that decision, as well as the opposition that they faced along the way. We talk about the discussions they had as a couple to be comfortable with the decision and the research they did to get there. We also talk about approaching conversations about birth decisions with doctors or relatives that have concerns. We then talk about Sarah's labor and birth; what they were surprised by and what was expected. We talk about support for the birth partner and how Matthew was supported during the labor as well. We talk about how the home birth experience impacted their relationship and how making birth choices and honoring the experience together can strengthen a couple. Finally we talk about the questions that new parents can ask if they are on the fence about having a home birth. We talk about the importance of birth stories and how they can help other parents know more about the sort of birth they would like to have. To learn more, visit https://diahpodcast.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Parijat Deshpande, leading high-risk pregnancy specialist, somatic trauma professional, speaker, and author.  She has helped hundreds of women work safely navigate difficult pregnancies, and prevent further complications by healing past trauma with her unique neurobiological approach. She is also the author of the bestselling book Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. We talk about the chronic structural damage that trauma can do to the brain and how it affects the nervous system in the future. We talk about how that somatic trauma affects pregnancy and how Parijat starts breaking these patterns. We also talk about humans store memory in the body and the way that pregnancy can trigger memories that cause fear and tension. We then talk about what makes a pregnancy "high risk" and some of the factors that can put a pregnancy in that category. We talk about how to prevent the stressful parts of high risk pregnancy from storing as trauma in order to help mitigate future problems. We talk about what can be done in every stage of pregnancy to work on encoded trauma and prevent the storage of future trauma. Finally we discuss the way unresolved trauma affects postpartum anxiety and depression. We talk about how partners and family can be involved with the regulation and release of trauma in pregnancy and postpartum situations. To learn more, visit https://www.parijatdeshpande.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk with Marcia Stevens, a practicing nurse and midwife in Liberia. She runs a healthcare clinic out of her front yard to serve the health needs of her community and to provide a safe birthing space for women in need. She comes from a line of traditional midwives and is passionate about preserving those traditions while also providing access to quality care for the people who need it.   We talk about how Marcia got her start into midwifery and nursing and her experience assisting her grandmother with births when she was growing up. We discuss birth in Liberia and how the economic conditions affect the ability of mothers to birth in healthcare facilities. We talk about the training process for traditional birth assistants, or "granny" midwives in Liberia, including their unique skill and the challenges they face.   We discuss the most important tools for rural midwives to have to help make births safer. We brush on how difficult it is for health care workers who aren't provided those crucial tools. We talk about "humanitarian tourism" and the problem of the help provided by Non Government Organizations (NGOs) not being implemented into the community going forward, as well as how it could be done better.   We talk about the financial burden on private health facilities because government facilities are not free to citizens. Marcia tells the story of how she was able to give birth in the U.S. and learn some techniques from U.S. midwives during her time. Then we talk about how relationships can be formed between birth workers in the U.S. and Liberia to help set up more sustainable aid for Liberian midwives and health workers. We talk about how the main disparity between the quality of birth care in the U.S. and Liberia is caused only by a lack of proper equipment and not a lack of knowledge.   Finally, Marcia shares some stories from her birth practice of mothers with difficult births who she was able to help. We talk again about how NGOs can better help form lasting connections with the birth professionals they bring aid to so that the resource will not fizzle out. Marcia lets us know what Liberian midwives are most in need of, and how to get them to the people who need them the most.   To learn more or donate, visit https://birthcircle.com/liberian-birth-supplies   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk to Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins, birth educator and practicing OBGYN. She has been involved in over 1000 births over the last 15 years, and contributes to ongoing birth education through courses on her website (https://drnicolerankins.com/) and through her podcast, All About Pregnancy and Birth (https://drnicolerankins.com/podcast/) We talk about Nicole's work as an OBGYN and how she got started, as well as how she manages long hours and how having long shifts for an OB hospitalist helps to decrease the rates of C-Section. We discuss her interest and training in holistic health coaching, how it ties in with her work as an OB, and how that led to her starting a podcast.   We then talk about how prenatal education helps to protect the choices of birthing women. We mention how U.S. hospital birth has a history of misogyny and racism that we are still battling today. We talk about being an informed participant in prenatal care and knowing the questions to ask a provider to ensure quality of care. We talk about how women should feel okay with switching providers whenever they want. We discuss the availability of childbirth education and how there are a lot of low cost resources that anybody can access.   We talk about pain management in birth and how epidural  generally wont be held back from women who want it. We discuss about writing out your birth wishes so that your provider can help to integrate them in your labor as well as possible. We brush on how to make sure that your wishes are honored. We also talk about how to adapt birth plans for COVID restrictions.   Finally we talk about the affects of racism on the birth world. We talk about the rate of maternal mortality in black women, and some of the warning signs of postnatal complications that need attention. We talk about how taking the concerns of black mothers seriously can help to reduce mortality.  We talk about persistence is important in seeking postnatal care.   To learn more, visit https://drnicolerankins.com/   For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]  

Today we talk to Kate Rope, award-winning freelance journalist, and author of Strong as a Mother: How to Stay Happy, Healthy, and (Most Importantly) Sane From Pregnancy to Parenthood. Kate's work has been featured in multiple major publications such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and CNN. She is currently working on an Audible original, co-written and produced with  actor Alan Alda, about the untold story of medical research doctors drafted during the Vietnam War. We talk about Kate's early experience with motherhood and how she felt underprepared for what to expect and how talking to others who shared the same sentiment led her to wanting to write her book. We talk about the myths of motherhood that Kate covers in her book. We discuss unsolicited advice during pregnancy and how to deal with it. Kate gives some replies to give when somebody comments on your pregnancy in order to maintain boundaries. We mention that it is better to stay away from the google if you are anxious about your pregnancy to avoid misinformation that heightens the anxiety. We then talk about Kate's definition of "self-care" and how it's important to figure out what it means to you personally. We discuss how to allow yourself space for self-care without feeling guilty for taking the time. We discuss what "co-parenting" means and how to make the parenting load feel equal between partners. We talk about figuring out how to reclaim your own identity after becoming a mother. Finally we talk about how to recognize if you are suffering from a perinatal mood disorder, and that having scary thoughts about your baby is usually normal. We brush on postpartum psychosis, how uncommon it is, and how to get help if you need it. To learn more, visit https://katerope.com/ For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today we talk with Thais Derich, award-winning author of Second Chance: A Mother's Quest For a Natural Birth After a Cesarean. Thais is a Master of Fine Arts and Merit Scholar at the California College of the Arts. Her work is published in a number of magazines and journals, and she is a frequent public speaker, and uses her experience with a successful VBAC to educate others on how to recognize their own birthing options. (www.ThaisDerich.com) Thais talks about her journey to starting a family with her husband, and the birth of her first child that ended in her being pressured into an unnecessary Cesarian Section which left her feeling powerless and traumatized. We clarify that C-Sections are a life-saving procedure and that birth is birth no matter how it happens, but that consent is the key to a non-traumatic birth. We then talk about how Thais became determined to have her second birth be a VBAC. We discuss her difficulty in finding a practitioner who would take her on, and how misinformation about VBAC can color the willingness of practitioners to take on VBAC patients. We talk about Thais' decision to have a home birth and finding a Midwife who was experienced with VBAC to safely guide the process.  Thais talks about the birth of her second son and the healing work she did during her labor to recover from the trauma of the first, and the triumphant feeling of her accomplishment. We talk about the research that goes into planning for a VBAC and the importance of finding a provider that is enthusiastic about the mother's choices and willing to carry them out without overruling her. We compare the risks of an at-home VBAC and an in-hospital C-section, and how statistics show that VBACs are overwhelmingly successful. We talk about Thais' use of hypnotherapy to work through the trauma of her first birth, and the support she received from her local birth community during her second pregnancy. Finally, Thais gives her advice to people who are being denied a VBAC and tells them to "keep shopping" until they can find a provider that is willing to help them have the birth experience that they want. We talk about how COVID has made for  greater encouragement toward home birth. To learn more, visit www.ThaisDerich.com For Any Questions, Email Us at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Laurel Wilson, TEDx and international speaker, pregnancy and breastfeeding specialist, consultant, educator, and author. Laurel is also the co-author of two books, The Attachment Pregnancy and The Greatest Pregnancy Ever (http://motherjourney.com/books.html). We begin by defining and discussing “the attachment pregnancy” approach to bonding with your child. We talk about how this approach can apply to circumstances such as unwanted pregnancy, disconnection with your child, traumatic birth, or surrogacy, among others. We then talk more about the different ways of bonding with your child, starting with defining and discussing the terms "conscious agreement” and “conscious attachment.” We break down specific things we can do each trimester to help our attachment and bond develop. We talk about how our babies are affected by our emotions while in the womb, and how they benefit from a wide range of emotions, including challenges and effective stress management in the lives of their mothers. We define and discuss epigenetics; how they are affected by the limbic system and our heart regulation, and how they relate to our child’s development. We then talk about the benefits of breastfeeding, and discuss the important nutritional and developmental content that human milk gives to babies. We discuss how the more we become aware of the importance of human milk, the more we will consider options like community milk sharing and other ways to get human milk to more children. We express our gratitude for infant formula and emphasize the importance of parents making educated and informed decisions that aren’t so driven by advertising or society. We talk about how any amount of human milk at any stage is good for your baby, and discuss how knowing the critical developmental periods of your child should guide your supplementing with colostrum. We discuss adoption and induced lactation. To learn more, visit http://motherjourney.com/index.html.  3:00 What is Attachment Pregnancy?  10:32 Different Ways of Bonding 39:07 Making the Decision to Breastfeed; Benefits of Human Milk 56:09 Effects of Breastfeeding Across Generations “We are becoming bonded at an unconscious level, a conscious level, and a physical level. And the more we recognize that is happening, and the more we put a mindful awareness to that, the better off the health of our relationship is with our children…we can start to see that it also has significant impact on long-term health of the baby as well.” 3:30

In today’s episode, we talk with Desi Bartlett. Desi has 25 years of experience in health and fitness, 2 exercise science related degrees, multiple certifications and is an internationally published author as well as a product designer. She is the author of Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy (https://www.mothersintolivingfit.com/your-strong-sexy-pregnancy/). We start off our conversation with Desi sharing her story and the development of her career. Desi then shares what she means by a “sexy” pregnancy, and we discuss common misconceptions about sex during pregnancy. We then talk about how yoga and other physical exercises can strengthen you during pregnancy and help prepare you for birth. We talk about the muscles to focus on, and the positions, stretches, and exercises that will help you strengthen them. Desi shares the best approach to Kegel exercises, and other approaches to strengthening the pelvic floor. Desi expands on “strong is the new skinny,” and we discuss the important role of strength in your overall health. We talk about how to find the best exercise program for you, and how to determine the right level of difficulty for your exercises during your first trimester. We discuss the benefits of taking walks as a good step to build endurance and connect with your child. We talk about good exercises for second trimester of pregnancy, and focus on the importance of the squat. We then talk about preparing to push during the third trimester in preparation for labor and birth. Desi then shares her recommendations for resuming exercise after birth. We focus on allowing your body to recover and heal from giving birth, and how lochia can be a warning sign of overexertion. We talk about how to exercise abdominal muscles after birth. We also talk about the benefits of involving your baby in your exercises. We discuss care for older moms. We talk more about sex during and after pregnancy, and how you can take your pelvic floor exercises into the bedroom. We explain how everyone is different, how you should listen to your body, and how other acts of intimacy and connection can also be sexy. We discuss the role of healing of the perineum in the pleasure and enjoyment of sex. For more information, visit mothersintolivingfit.com 4:53 How to Feel Sexy During Pregnancy 10:58 Exercise Before and After Birth 43:05 Care For Older Moms 45:44 Enhancing Your Connection With Your Partner During Pregnancy “Simply sitting on top of a stability ball, and walking forward and back with your hips, you can start to feel, oh, these are my pelvic floor muscles, and this is how my pelvis goes into anterior tilt and posterior tilt, or lateral and side to side.” 28:32 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Bailey Gaddis, author of Feng Shui Mommy: Creating Balance and Harmony for Blissful Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood (https://www.baileygaddis.com/book) and Asking For a Pregnant Friend: 101 Answers to Questions Women Are Too Ashamed or Scared to Ask About Pregnancy, Childbirth and Early Motherhood (coming June 1, 2021.) She is also a Certified Hypnotherapist, Certified Birthing doula, HypnoBirthing® Practitioner, and HypnoMothering® Practitioner. She shares her personal journey in birth work and childbirth education. She then explains some of the concepts in her book, including what she means by a “Feng shui approach” to birth, as well as breaking down her “four trimester” perspective on pregnancy and birth. We talk about trusting intuition and the benefits of simplifying your life and living space. We then discuss the different practices, philosophies, and techniques involved in HypnoBirthing®, and talk about their benefits. We talk more about the applications of hypnosis and subconscious thought in daily life. We then discuss how to approach and maintain Feng shui in family life, especially when there are small kids in the home. We finish by talking about the importance of working to craft your own birth philosophy that’s best for you and your needs. To learn more, visit https://www.baileygaddis.com.  4:20 What is the “Feng Shui Approach” to Pregnancy and Birth?  23:58 The Case For Feng shui 26:46 HypnoBirthing and the Subconscious 36:47 Feng shui with Little Kids 42:21 You Are the Expert  “What do we want to think about birth? What are the positive alternatives to those fears and those worries? And that’s what we focus on.” 27:50  https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Janetti Marotta, a psychologist who has specialized in infertility since 1990. Drawn from her own journey through infertility and those with whom she has worked, she is the author of A Fertile Path: Guiding the Journey with Mindfulness and Compassion (https://janettimarotta.com/a-fertile-path/). Dr. Marotta is a long-time practitioner of meditation and teacher of mindfulness and also author of 50 Mindful Steps to Self-Esteem: Everyday Practices for Cultivating Self-Acceptance and Self-Compassion (https://janettimarotta.com/50-mindful-steps-to-self-esteem/). We talk about what inspired Dr. Marotta to specialize in infertility. She then tells us how she defines mindfulness, and explains how it relates to infertility. We then discuss how stress impacts fertility. We discuss the “holistic approach to fertility treatment.” Dr. Marotta then breaks down her approach to helping those with infertility struggles, including acknowledgement and acceptance, techniques for reducing stress and tension release, mindfulness and meditation in breath, body, thought, and emotion. We then move on to talk about the effects of infertility on your partner. We also discuss how to ease into the process of using 3rd party fertility solutions like surrogacy and adoption. Dr. Marotta shares her own experiences of trial and error pursuing donor egg IVF, adoption, and finally going with surrogacy for her child. To learn more, visit www.janettimarotta.com. 1:54 Janetti’s Story  7:23 What is Mindfulness and How Does it Relate to Infertility?   26:00 Breaking Down Dr. Marotta’s Approach  47:04 Impact of Infertility on Partner 49:27 Easing Into the Process of 3rd Party Fertility Solutions. “It’s not so much the thoughts we have, but how tightly we hold onto those thoughts, that accounts for our mental suffering.” 42:10 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today we talk with Julia Jones, postnatal doula and author of Nourishing Newborn Mothers - Ayurvedic Recipes to Heal your Mind, and Body and Soul after Childbirth and Newborn Mothers - When a Baby is Born So is a Mother (www.newbornmothers.com/books/). She is also the creator of the worldwide leading education resource for postpartum professionals: Newborn Mothers Collective (www.newbornmothers.com/training). We talk about how Julia became interested in postpartum care. We discuss the traditional practices for postpartum care that many of the world’s cultures had in common before Colonization and the Industrial Revolution. We discuss how losing touch with these practices has made our modern practices “abnormal” or unnatural in the context of human history. We then define and discuss the “village” model of parenting and childcare, and talk about its many advantages and how we can learn from and incorporate its principles in our own situations. We then talk about the history of the role of doula and its ties to breastfeeding. We then talk about the qualifications and role of doulas throughout the world. We discuss the need for a cultural shift toward valuing and investing in birth and postpartum worker’s care, and increasing our cultural awareness of how important the postpartum period is. Julia gives more traditional ways the world’s cultures care for newborn mothers, such as warm comfort foods, massage and body work, and belly binding. We talk about the cultures that still practice the “village” model of childcare. Julia then talks about the physical changes produced in your brain by caring for a child. We then discuss proper support for parents and others caring for children. We talk more about the science and nuances of bonding. We talk about the scientific side of intuition. We then talk about learning from other cultures without cultural appropriation. To learn more, visit www.newbornmothers.com.  1:46 Julia’s Story  3:28 How Newborn Mothers Are Meant to Be Cared For 13:29 Becoming a Trained Postpartum Doula 19:48 Caring for Newborns and Newborn Mothers 30:56 Bonding, Oxytocin, and Intuition 44:17 Learning From Other Cultures Without Cultural Appropriation  “That’s why we really need to focus on boosting these oxytocin levels, not just during birth. Because, originally oxytocin was discovered and named ‘quick birth’ because it increases contractions, but what we’ve learned is that it’s not just for birth — it’s actually the bonding hormone, it’s the love hormone.” 37:34 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In today’s episode, we talk with Julia Aziz, LCSW-S, Rev., CCH, holistic psychotherapist, ordained interfaith minister, and faculty at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine. She supports women struggling with anxiety, grief, and big life changes through individual counseling, hypnotherapy, and the Release & Empower online community, a weekly women's practice that combines writing, movement, meditation, and personal sharing. She is also the mother of three children and the author of Lessons of Labor: One Woman's Self-Discovery Through Birth and Motherhood and When You're Having A Hard Time: The Little Book That Listens. Today we define and discuss holistic psychotherapy and somatic release, and how these practices can be used to help people towards healing from anxiety, trauma, and other struggles. We discuss Julia’s spiritual background and ministry. We then discuss Julia’s approach to helping women who have experienced trauma navigate birth, and how childbirth has the potential to be a healing experience for some people with trauma. We talk about the importance of simplifying mental health and coming back to this moment by slowing down and living in the present. We also the discus the importance of recognizing how everyone is different, including with the use of medication. We talk about an intuitive approach to finding the best treatments for your problems. We talk about spirituality and rituals associated with birth. We discuss how to learn from your dreams during pregnancy. We then discuss how to help parents when a pregnancy ends in loss, as well as ways of dealing with grief. We finish our discussion by talking about how you can develop a mantra that will help you through your birth experience. We invite you to learn more at https://juliaaziz.com/.  3:07 What is Holistic Psychotherapy?  10:10 Helping Women With Severe Trauma Navigate Birth 22:18 How to Find the Best Treatments and Assistance For You 37:31 Helping Moms Manage Grief After Loss 46:25 Finding Your Mantra  “We basically do self-healing practice together. So we do a writing practice, and we do somatic release, guided meditation, and then a brief sharing, where we’re just witnessing each other rather than doing cross-talk. And so it’s like a weekly practice for women who are often caregiving for other people — like moms — to make some space for themselves.”  50:27 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

  Today, we talk with Ryann Kipping, a clinically trained Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Lactation Educator, and Author of The Feel-Good Pregnancy Cookbook (https://ryannkipping.kartra.com/page/d4J41). She is the founder of The Prenatal Nutritionist (https://www.theprenatalnutritionist.com/?r_done=1), a virtual nutrition private practice which focuses on preparing women for pregnancy and conquering nutrition during and after pregnancy. We begin by talking about common myths and questions surrounding prenatal nutrition. This includes how much caffeine is safe to consume during pregnancy, as well as the effects caffeine can have on your baby. We do the same for soft cheeses, sushi, and other fish. We talk about how your diet can cause or relieve morning sickness, including how simple carbs are the most tolerable for your stomach. Ryann then gives a list of nutrients you need to focus on consuming more of during pregnancy. The first is Choline, which is important for developing your baby’s brain, and is found in egg yolks. The next is Vitamin D, which your body can produce in the sun around midday, and is found in egg yolks, fatty fish, mushrooms, and fortified milk and supplements (D3 is preferable over D2). The third nutrient is magnesium, which is important for preventing nausea, gestational diabetes, pre-term birth, and preeclampsia, and is found in avocado, nuts and seeds, dark chocolate, and spinach. We then talk about what causes heartburn in pregnancy, and what can be done to prevent and relieve heartburn during pregnancy. We give tips for determining which foods trigger heartburn for you. We discuss how to find the best prenatal vitamins. Ryann shares some things that she has recognized as poor nutritional advice. We discuss diet and eating habits during the first trimester. We then talk more about health and nutrition during the pre-conception period, as well as how nutrition affects fertility. We then discuss micronutrient testing and working with a dietician. We talk about nutrition and changes in diet during postpartum and breastfeeding. We finish our discussion by talking about ways to prevent preeclampsia. To learn more, visit www.theprenatalnutritionlibrary.com, or look up Ryann on Instagram (@prenatalnutritionist).   3:59 Debunking Myths About Prenatal Nutrition 12:47 Which Nutrients Do You Need More of During Pregnancy? 22:11 Heartburn in Pregnancy and Prenatal Vitamins  33:15 Nutrition and Fertility.  37:21 Diet and Postpartum  “Micronutrient testing can get a bit expensive, so I will say if you have the means to do it, and you can afford it, then definitely do it. Testing helps you know what nutrients you’re good on and what nutrients you need to focus more on and possibly supplement with. At the bare minimum, definitely get vitamin D, definitely get iron, definitely get B-12.” 35:42 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In today’s episode, we talk with Kelly Carrington (evolutionmassage.ca), RMT for 19 years and male doula for the last 7 years. We start our discussion with Kelly sharing how he became a male doula. We discuss the unique experiences and perspectives of a male birth worker. Kelly talks more about what he does as a doula and as a pre-natal educator. He shares his perspective about what is going well in birth procedures and birth education, as well as what he thinks could improve. We talk more about his methods and what he tells his clients through the whole pregnancy and birth process. We talk about birth as a transitional experience, and Kelly shares his perspectives on that. We talk about women feeling like they’re not enough — how that can be amplified through the birth experience, and what we as a society do to perpetuate that. Kelly tells what he does to help reverse that for mothers. We talk about birth plans, and how any birth where the baby and mother are healthy, not traumatized, made informed decisions, and are prepared for the postpartum period, is a fully successful birth. Kelly talks about his services for postpartum mothers. We discuss how doulas can help new mother’s process their birth. We talk about setting boundaries between doulas and clients. We talk more about what male doulas can add to the birth industry and doula community.  1:08 Life As a Male Doula  14:55 Kelly’s Methods 32:19 Birth as a Transition 47:54 There’s Room For More Male Doulas “That they’re not traumatized, that they felt like they made informed decisions, and that they’re prepared for the postpartum period — that’s what I mean by [a good birth].” 41:41 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Lily Nichols, a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition (https://lilynicholsrdn.com). She is the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (https://lilynicholsrdn.com/books/). We begin by defining gestational diabetes as elevated blood pressure during pregnancy, either first recognized or first developed during pregnancy. We explain why high blood sugar is so dangerous, particularly for the development of the child. As we discuss the risks of high blood sugar, we point out that most can be prevented by screening early, awareness, and caution. We then talk about the best approaches to prenatal nutrition. We discuss how the recommended guidelines and diets for pregnant women are often too high in carbohydrates, which is what led Lily to write her book and develop her program. We talk about ketones, and the common misconceptions that surround them in nutritional recommendations and guidelines. Lily urges everyone to consider the physiological reality in the development of babies instead of making assumptions based on data on diabetic ketoacidosis. Lily talks about the importance of consuming whole foods and getting all of the nutrients they provide in their most natural, unprocessed forms. She focuses on choosing foods based on which nutrient deficiencies are most common during pregnancy, as paying close attention to blood sugar levels. She explains how grains, which are less nutrient rich, would be closer to the top of her “food pyramid” for pregnant women. We talk about the importance of taking ancestral, traditionally based diets into consideration when selecting your foods. We then discuss how nutrition can affect postpartum recovery.  2:55 What is Gestational Diabetes?  9:05 The Best Approach to Prenatal Nutrition 30:47 Specific Recommendations for Prenatal Nutrition 38:45 How Nutrition Affects Postpartum Recovery “This is the physiological reality. We don’t have to try to stuff people full of carbs to try to avoid ketosis. This physiologically happens in all mammals…we just get super freaked out over data on diabetic ketoacidosis, and then people try to extrapolate that for nutritional ketosis in pregnancy, and it’s not the same thing.” 23:11 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In this episode, we talk with Elizabeth Davis, midwife, reproductive health care specialist, educator, and consultant. She is also the author of Heart & Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy & Birth (https://elizabethdavis.com/books/). She tells us about her first experiences with birth, including her being present at an unassisted birth, as well as her traumatic experience with her first birth when she went into labor a month early. Because of the premature labor, she reluctantly birthed in a hospital, where she received a lateral episiotomy. She then tells about her second, home birth, whose success and beauty gave her a transformation of her previous experience. Her worries about tearing over her episiotomy scar shifted her focus deeply on her vagina, and as a result her delivery gave her a crescendo of sensation and emotion that she considered an orgasmic birth. Later, she met Debra Pascali-Bonaro who introduced her to the term “orgasmic birth,” and influenced her to write Heart & Hands, which focuses primarily on the physiology of birth. Elizabeth then shares that “orgasmic” in “orgasmic birth” refers to any experience that is ecstatic, transcendent, sensual, and powerful. She explains how the pattern of female orgasm with the highest peak of sensation has plateaus on the way up. She compares this to progress in labor, and how both processes reflect female identity. She shares that even a painful birthing experience can still reach the point of having an orgasmic dimension. We then talk about what women can do to encourage an orgasmic experience at birth. Elizabeth explains how orgasmic birth can lead to healing from emotional, physical, and psychological trauma. We then discuss how unassisted birth relates to orgasmic birth. We talk about the proper roles of midwives birth workers. We then finish with Elizabeth sharing that the coursework she has on her Heart and Hands course is linked to the National Midwifery Institute. To learn more, visit https://elizabethdavis.com.  1:07 Elizabeth’s Story 12:09 What is Orgasmic Birth?  25:09: Unassisted Birth and the Proper Role of Midwives 44:21 The Heart and Hands Course “[Midwives] really have not gotten out there and said, ‘here’s how we assess dates, here’s how we continue to assess well-being. We can estimate amniotic fluid volume by palpation. We can make note of fetal well-being, not only by mom doing kick counts, but listening with a fetoscope for an extended period of time, and noting good variability and reactivity.”  36:50 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Nikki Shaheed (www.nikkishaheed.com), one of the Co-Owners of Birthing From Within International. She is also a childbirth mentor and doula, and is the author of Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal (https://birthingfromwithinsanantonio.com/pregnancy-journal/). We begin with Nikki sharing how she got involved in the Birthing From Within courses. We talk about the importance of finding your inner wisdom and becoming aware of how your imprinted beliefs impact your decisions in preparation for birth and parenting. We talk about how to go from feeling primarily defensive through your birth experience to making your birth process a transformative experience. We talk about the importance of setting up your birth experience and preparing yourself beforehand so that you can feel protected internally and protected by people you trust. Nikki then tells us how self-compassion is everything in processing your entire birth experience. We discuss more in-depth the importance of self-awareness and doing the work prenatally to accept your emotions and responses to help you through your birth experience. Nikki then shares what makes Birthing From Within different from other birth modalities, including its focus on “the heroic journey” when training doulas and birth workers. We talk about crossing thresholds and making shifts without shame, and embracing the transformation and education that comes with your birth experience. We talk about defining your most sincere intention with your birth and building your birth team around that intention. We finish by discussing how the Birthing From Within program helps protect birth workers with burnout and trauma. We invite both birthing mothers and birth professionals to visit https://birthingfromwithin.com.  1:13 Nikki’s Story 4:22 Practicing Self-Awareness and Rewriting Your Story 26:48 The Birthing From Within Program 42:03 Preventing Burnout for Birth Professionals  “If we think about the hormone cycle, and we think about that dreamy state that people need to get into in order to feel less pain and intensity and have the oxytocin and endorphins flowing, and lose track of time, that does not align with having an argument with someone in the middle of labor.” 10:47   https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In today’s episode, we talk with Marissa Zwetow, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and owner of Postpartum Happiness (http://www.postpartumhappiness.com/about-postpartum-depression), through which she provides postpartum coaching and therapy. She is also the author of Postpartum Happiness: What to do when you love the kids, but hate the job (http://www.postpartumhappiness.com/book). Marissa tells us about her own experience with postpartum depression and all of the challenges she faced, and how that fueled her purpose and passion to validate, support, and help moms who face regret and other negative emotions after birth. We talk about the pressure and anxiety that can be imposed upon mothers by cultural and societal expectations of how they should feel about birth and motherhood. We discuss the dangers of comparison and the value of understanding. Marissa goes over some “taboo postpartum truths,” such as the birth may not go the way you want yet and it’s okay to feel disappointed, as well as there might be grief for your past life. Another is that it’s okay to not feel happy with the role of the mother, and how struggling mothers should seek the support they need without shame. We talk about working with your partner, and how you can reach mutual understanding. Marissa reminds moms that they are not alone, and how looking through support groups on social media can help you find your “tribe” of like-minded women with similar struggles. We talk more about diagnosing and dealing with more serious cases of postpartum depression and cases of psychosis. We give advice for fathers who are struggling with depression after birth. We recommend getting your free copy of the guide, 12 Taboo Postpartum Truthshere: http://www.postpartumhappiness.com/free-postpartum-article.  1:40 Marissa’s Story 10:34 “Situational” Postpartum Depression; Dealing With Expectations  21:02 Taboo Postpartum Truths 32:11 Dealing With More Serious Cases “I was on to the next challenge. So now it was breastfeeding, and that was disastrous. I didn’t produce enough milk, she didn’t latch correctly, and my daughter had reflux, which just really translates into colic.” 5:25   https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Tracy Donegan, founder of the GentleBirth app (https://gentlebirth.app). She is also a doula and doula trainer. She tells us how she became a doula, including how she started the first doula service in Ireland, her home country. While teaching a hypnosis for birth program, she felt drawn to the unexplored, neurological approach to understanding birth. She describes the GentleBirth program as encompassing the traditional approach to childbirth education, while combining it with neuroscience and meditation. She talks about how the course involves the partner, emphasizing the important part they can play in the birth space. In every aspect of the course, the aim is to develop mental resilience and mental regulation to ensure the best possible outcome with every birth, for both the mother and the partner. She also talks about how affirmations, meditation, and breathing techniques are used to improve sleep and other aspects of self care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She explains the importance of a birth education course not only for preparing a mother for the birthing experience, but also for parenting, which is “when the real work begins.” We talk more about hypnosis and meditation, and discuss how the course can be for medicated, unmedicated, and induced births. We also discuss the “Labor Companion” feature of the app. We talk about the new science of pain perception, and how we can help our body process the different sensations of birth. 1:15 Tracy’s Story and the Beginnings of GentleBirth  5:17 How the GentleBirth app Works  29:44 How Hypnosis and Meditation are Involved in the Course  33:48 Other Features of GentleBirth; Pain Perception "If you come to a GentleBirth class, you learn all about the physiology of birth, you learn comfort measures, but you also spend a lot of time learning about your brain, and how to use it to the best of your advantage. It’s like a muscle that we’re training.” 5:40 Social https://www.instagram.com/gentlebirthofficial/ http://www.tiktok/@gentlebirth https://www.facebook.com/gentlebirth/   https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In today’s episode, we talk with Heidi Snyderburn-Campbell, birth doula and author of Birth Story, a pregnancy guidebook and journal (https://www.birthstory.com/the-workbook-landing-page). She is also the host of the Birth Story Podcast (https://www.birthstory.com/the-podcast). We begin with Heidi recounting her first experiences assisting in birth and how she became a doula. We then talk about birth law in North Carolina, from Heidi’s understanding, and how births with doulas have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic there. We break down virtual doula services when hospitals don’t admit doulas into the birth space. Heidi shares her processes for adapting to virtual doula services. We discuss different hospital  policies for admitting doulas into the birth space during a pandemic. We then talk about how to rock your hospital birth once doulas are again allowed into the birth space, which we think will happen soon. Heidi talks more abut her book, Birth Story, whose purpose is to inform and educate parents on the entire pregnancy process. Included in the book is a step-by-step guide to all of the standard hospital policies and procedures, as well as an explanation of the reasons, pros, and cons for each. We talk about how birth plans, if properly filed and if the mom and the baby are healthy, can be used as legally binding documents to oppose anything that detours from your wishes. We then finish by summarizing everything that should go into your prenatal preparation. 1:04 Heidi’s Story 7:42 Birth Laws in NC; Tips for Virtual Doulas; Hospital Policy During Pandemic 30:55 How to Rock Your Hospital Birth  53:46 Prenatal Preparation  "There was a lot of preparation with the partners — making sure the partners understood how to use a rebozo, how to do a double hip squeeze, how to put pressure on the sacrum, how to do some abdominal lifts or some belly sifting, so that when I’m then directing or coaching from the other side of the camera, they know what I’m talking about, because we already went over it in the pre-natal appointments.”  21:00  https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Dr. Brandie Nemchenko, CEO of Experience Chiropractic (https://experiencechiropracticnow.com/our-service/chiropractic-care/prenatal-chiropractor/), with offices in southeastern Pennsylvania, and author of What You Don’t Expect When You’re Expecting (https://www.whatyoudontexpect.com/). We start with Dr. Brandie telling us the unlikely set of events that led her to specialize in chiropractics in pregnancy and open up Experience Chiropractic. We discuss which question an expecting mother should ask a chiropractor to determine if they will be a good fit. We also talk about the warning signs and red flags to look for to tell if a chiropractor doesn’t actually have experience with pregnancy. Dr. Brandie warns against chiropractors using electrical muscle stimulation on pregnant women. We then discuss the typical issues and pain that women encounter during pregnancy. We then discuss the scenarios and conditions when chiropractics in pregnancy are unsafe. We go on to talk more about where to begin when looking for a chiropractor for you. We talk about what the Webster Technique is and when to use it. We also talk more in depth about other conditions and the treatments for them. We finish by talking about the complimentary, alternative methods that Dr. Brandie refers out to in her office.  1:03 Dr. Brandie’s Story; What to Look For in a Chiropractor  14:21 Typical Issues in Pregnancy  25:03 When Is Chiropractics in Pregnancy Unsafe?  31:26 How is Chiropractics Different for Pregnant Women?  “Electrical stim. should not be used on a pregnant woman…nothing in a chiropractic office should hurt. That’s not a normal thing to happen.” 9:50 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In this episode, we talk with Marie Bigelow (www.mariebigelow.com), a doula, childbirth educator, music therapist, public speaker, and author of The Sacred Gift of Childbirth: Making Empowered Choices for You and Your Baby. We begin our conversation by talking about what inspired Marie to apply her expertise as a music therapist to the world of birth. We then talk about how anyone who likes to listen to music can benefit from music in their birth space. We discuss how our bodies and minds respond to music, including how our body’s autogenic response helps us apply breathing techniques in labor if we’ve learned them with music. Marie then talks about what inspired her to write The Sacred Gift of Childbirth, and shares her desire to provide women with evidence-based research that will help women understand how impactful the birth experience is. We talk about the change in brain chemistry and physiology that occurs in the birthing process, and how your experience in pregnancy and birth has a lasting effect on your experience as a mother. Marie explains why she believes the science and data behind birth goes hand in hand with the spiritual and instinctual nature of birth. We cover other topics from Marie’s book, including the U.S.’s high caesarean rate, and how birth is different for each individual. We then dive back into the benefits of music in birth and motherhood. We discuss how listening to music and/or singing or chanting can help relax you during birth. We talk about how lullabies and singing can be a powerful parenting tool, and how music can help bonding and oxytocin production. We then talk about how data and evidenced-based research can help you approach major decisions with birth, including induction. We encourage the listener to google “the bishop score” to help you determine how safe your induction will be. We talk about the importance of choosing the provider and the type of birth that’s right for you. We invite you to explore Marie’s doula services, her book, as well as her self-study course on www.mariebigelow.com.  2:49 The Role of Music in Birth; How We Respond To Music 8:08 About The Sacred Gift of Childbirth 23:04 Choosing the Best Music for Your Labor  34:44 Approaching Major Decisions in Birth  “What does it mean to have a caesarean? How does it change the physiology? How does it impede breastfeeding? How does it increase postpartum depression? And long term, how does it affect the woman who wants 6 kids and her first one is born caesarean? What is she lives in an area that doesn’t support vaginal birth after caesarean? What are the economic ramifications for her family having an expensive surgery?” 17:28 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Suzzie Vehrs, founder of She Births Bravely, a website aimed at helping moms feel totally prepared to powerfully birth their babies (www.shebirthsbravely.com). She is also a trained doula and author of Divine Birth: A Collection of Wisdom + Coloring Pages to Inspire and Empower the Pregnant Mother (https://shebirthsbravely.com/divine-birth-book/). She shares how when she first became pregnant, she was deeply afraid of birth, and tells how she worked against a lack of positive birth experiences to prepare for her first delivery, which, though being a somewhat difficult C-section, was not the traumatic experience she feared it would be. For her next pregnancy, she started working hard researching to improve her next birth experience, breaking the cycle of pain and developing a passion for birth that she wanted to share. Suzzie then talks about how she formed She Births Bravely, and we discuss the work it takes to prepare for birth, explaining how that preparation can make birth a transformative experience. We discuss how to communicate your desire for a transformative birth experience with you friends, family, and birth team, and how to prepare them to help you carry out that goal. Suzzie shares her approach to birth plans, as well as what she includes on the ones she helps her clients to make. We have a candid discussion about the topics on Suzzie’s new guide, 11 Surprising Things That Can Happen During Birth And What To Do, which you can download here: https://shebirthsbravely.com/11-things. We finish by talking about the resources available at shebirthsbravely.com, and encourage expecting mothers to explore the options available to them to make their birthing experience as positive as it can be.  0:54 Suzzie’s Experiences in Birth 4:11 She Births Bravely and Birth as a Transformation  17:01 11 Surprising Things That Can Happen During Labor 48:26 Resources at shebirthsbravely.com  "You should know things like, Do you want an epidural, do you not want an epidural? Do you want a vaginal birth, do you not want a vaginal birth? Are there specific ways that you cope with pain, or specific places that you carry tension in your body? Does your mind go to a certain set of negative beliefs, or are there certain positive scripts that you’ve worked on that you want someone to help you remember? I think those are the basics of what I usually put on a birth plan. The hospital’s gonna want to know if you’re breastfeeding, if you’re not breastfeeding. Do you want a golden hour — do you want to hold your baby before it gets weighed?” 13:29 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Leslie Schrock (leslieschrock.com), entrepreneur, investor, and author of Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy (bumpin.com), which she wrote in real time when she was pregnant, and is a real and honest look at the birth process from the decision to conceive through birth and postpartum. We talk about her efforts growing Rock Health (https://rockhealth.com), a startup accelerator of companies that improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of our healthcare system. She gives examples of companies that provide telehealth care specifically for women, such as Maven (https://www.mavenclinic.com) and Origin (https://www.theoriginway.com). We talk about the importance of investing in women’s health, as well as the history behind the underrepresentation of women in clinical trials. Leslie talks about how the defects and tragedy caused by thalidomide essentially banned women from clinical trials in the U.S. for a long time, and how women are still suffering the effects from that. We talk about the growth of women’s health, and we predict it will only continue to grow into the future. We discuss the importance of education in health and anatomy, and how especially investing in women’s health education can influence families and society at large to take better care of their bodies. Leslie talks more about her birth experience, including her preparation and recovery. We focus on the importance of realizing that you can’t control birth, and how you shouldn’t let a negative birth experience define yourself as a parent. Leslie then talks about the success of her book, Bumpin’, as well as her plans for a future book that takes a more comprehensive look at women’s health. We discuss the importance of both women and men committing to learning about fertility.  0:52 Writing Bumpin’ and Growing Rock Health; Telehealth  9:16 Investing in Women’s Health and Health Education  30:16 Lessons Leslie Learned From Her Birth Experience 38:38 Changing the Conversation About Women’s Health and Fertility "It took 3 pregnancies and 16 months to get my son here…I had a miscarriage around 6 weeks. The second pregnancy we found out wasn’t viable due to a chromosomal abnormality, and even though the pregnancy was going to end on its own in a matter of weeks, we still had to technically terminate it.” 1:37

In today’s episode, we talk with Margo Blackstone, an independent midwife and co-creator and co-director of the Indie Birth organization and midwifery school. Margo had a unique introduction into the birth industry, studying criminal justice and applied criminology and how midwives were legislated out of practice all over the world in the last 100 years. She shares how she became an independent midwife, and how her high blood pressure restricted her from the home birth option. We discuss the nuances about the laws surrounding the practices of licensed and unlicensed midwives. We talk about the importance of not restricting choices for women, and the impact of being able to find the right midwife or provider for you. We talk about educating our children and what having conversations about birth with our kids might look like. We talk about teaching kids when to use anatomical terms, as well as teaching radical consent and body autonomy, especially for our daughters. We talk about putting your personal fears and concerns behind you and honoring the preferences of a woman, as well as when to know to honor your own boundaries as a care provider. We talk about what you can say if you notice that your provider is putting their personal needs before your own needs and wishes with your body. We speak about how many women want the care that hospitals provide, but if we were all on board with radical consent, many problems could be prevented and needs would be protected.  We talk more about the midwife-client relationship, emphasizing that there is a provider for everyone. We discuss the importance of interviewing midwives, and key questions you can ask to determine if you’ve found a good fit. We invite you to visit https://indiebirth.org if you want to learn more, as well as http://www.indiebirthmidwiferyschool.org if you’re interested in becoming a midwife.  4:10 Preserving Autonomous Midwifery  15:18 The Impact of Having “The Right Midwife for You”  20:08 Teaching Kids About Birth 29:23 Honoring Women’s Choices About Their Bodies  42:39 There’s a Provider For Everyone  “If you’re choosing an OB, do you realize that they’re probably not going to actually be the provider that’s there on the day of birth? Continuity of care is one of the biggest issues, I think, in the U.S., currently, in terms of birth culture and the way we do birth — that people don’t have that continuity with somebody through pregnancy, the birth, and postpartum. It’s so piecemeal…I think so much birth trauma comes from that mismatch, and sometimes you don’t even know what questions to ask.” 17:29 Email Margo With Any Questions: [email protected] https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

In this episode, we talk with Kathy Fray, “an award-winning best-selling parenting author, passionate promoter of mothers-to-be accessing empowering maternity education, holistically-minded Midwife, and thought-leader of Integrative Maternity Healthcare information” (https://www.kathyfray.com/about-kathy-fray/). She tells us about what sets New Zealand’s maternity health care system apart as one of the best in the world. She also tells us that many of the problems surrounding birth in the medical world everywhere exist in New Zealand to some extent, such as what Kathy considers to be a higher C-section rate than what it should be. We talk about how almost all maternal health care is paid for in New Zealand, and how women can choose their providers, and how strict laws are in place to protect patient consent. We also discuss the interesting effects of COVID-19 on births in New Zealand. Kathy then tells how she got into “Perinatal Integrative Medicine” and defines it as an open communication and collaboration between birth professionals and naturopathic experts and therapists who are focusing on maternity. Kathy points out that studies have been done around the world that show that roughly half of women are open to using complimentary or alternative therapy during pregnancy. We talk about the obstacles that obstetricians face in embracing natural and integrated medicine. Kathy then talks about the formation of IIMHCO (International Integrative Maternity HealthCare Organization), as well as what the group is doing and what are its end goals (https://iimhco.com). We invite you to visit their website and benefit from its growing network of providers and get education right from the source. We then discuss some questions you can ask your provider to get an idea on where they sit about complimentary and alternative therapies. We also talk about advancing education surrounding birth and how that make the world a better place for the rising generation. We recommend that mothers visit Kathy’s website, https://www.kathyfray.com.  1:18 Maternal Health Care in New Zealand 13:04 What is Perinatal Integrative Medicine?  25:54 Formation of IIMHCO  40:39 Questions Moms Can Ask Their Providers  “It was an accidental clinical trial on what happens when thousands of women have to suddenly decide not to go to a hospital, and our levels of instrumental and surgical deliveries and low Apgar scores really improved.”  10:20 Send and Email to Kathy!: [email protected]  https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Leah Barto, a gym owner, strength and conditioning coach, and birth doula, as well as online program director and coach staff at BIRTHFIT, an empowering birth education program and community (https://birthfit.com/about/birthfit-team/). We start our discussion with Leah telling us how she got her start in BIRTHFIT and as a birth doula. She tells us more about BIRTHFIT, explaining that it is an educational platform that specializes in fitness for pregnant and postpartum women, and focuses on mindset, nutrition, and connection within the birth team. She shares that she is passionate about making the necessary but often hard-to-find information about birth to mothers everywhere. She also shares that the fitness training approach in BIRTHFIT focuses on training pregnant women towards the end goal of birth, shifting their mindset to being “in season” for birth. She then breaks down their approach to fitness even more, explaining how it prepares women for birth and postpartum. We then discuss diet and nutrition, and BIRTHFIT’s unique “mind-body nourishment” approach. We talk more about connection and building your birth team, discussing how BIRTHFIT focuses on the benefits of chiropractic care, and how they provide a directory of specialized and like-minded local chiropractors, doulas, and coaches. Leah then explains how BIRTHFIT involves the partner in coming up with birth preferences. She then emphasizes how you are always going to be postpartum once you’ve given birth, and how the mentality of moving forward instead of returning to pre-birth body is an important part of their postpartum healing program. She breaks that program down into its separate phases, including 30 day healing, 30 day basics, and 12 week focused training, and then a return to regular fitness. Leah shares how the core principles of BIRTHFIT are for everyone, and how they are developing an everyday program for those who embrace that mindful, connected way of life. We finish by discussing breath, sound, movement, and the autonomic nervous system, and how learning to control these can really help the birthing process. We invite you to visit https://birthfit.com to access a rich variety of information through their blogs and podcast.  1:05 How Leah Entered the Birth World 4:07 What is BIRTHFIT? 18:10 Nutrition and Building Your Birth Team 38:59 Resources for Partner  42:00 Postpartum Healing; Breath, Sound, and Movement  “I’m a coach, I’m a doula, I can help you, but if you come to me and potentially have a prolapse, I don’t know internally what’s going on, I’m gonna refer to a pelvic floor pt and work with her on the same team, versus saying, ‘Oh, well let’s just assume it’s a grade one, so we’ll do this,’ and make it worse.”  38:14   https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]

Today, we talk with Katie Foerster, who offers postpartum and birth doula services through her company Freya Birth (freyabirth.com). We start our conversation with Katie sharing how she became a doula. We talk about the importance supporting birth workers, who often work for relatively low rates, and have to carry the extra burdens of being on-call 24/7, working more than 24 hour shifts, experiencing birth worker trauma and secondary trauma, and deal with other physical and emotional demands. We talk about how doulas are drawn to birth work primarily by passion, and so they are more emotionally connected to their work and sometimes reluctant to charge competitive rates. We list and discuss the different specialties of doulas, such as certified message therapist doulas, VBAC specialists, Birth Yoga specialists, as well as those who prefer working in a home birth other than a hospital and vice versa. We talk about the details behind charging for your work as a birth worker, including different costs to cover, investing in training, and taking your own childcare and burnout from being on-call into account. We talk about how important it is to invest in a positive birth experience, pointing out that your relationship with your child is a lifetime commitment, and is an event just as worthy of investment as your wedding. We discuss the valuable and even necessary help that midwives and doulas can provide. Katie talks about a course she offers for doulas for how to put their best foot forward at consults. She gives suggestions on how to be the right birth worker for your client, as well as finding the doula that is the right fit for your own birth. We emphasize the importance of specialization, and talk about how to build your birth career, chasing the opportunities that will continue to feed your passion and bring fulfillment into your life.  1:50 Katie’s Experience With Birth  9:29 Evolution of the Birth Worker Industry 12:05 Different Specialties of Doulas 15:32 Investing in Birth and Birth Workers; Rates and Costs 30:34 Interviewing Birth Professionals  “Birth matters. And the way you feel at your birth matters. And studies have shown, clearly, that a doula, and a provider like a midwife that cares for you, or an LMT for your body, that all of these things will improve your experience — it’ll make for a more positive experience.”  24:51 https://birthcircle.com For Any Questions, Email Me at [email protected]  

In today’s episode, we talk with Erika Primozich, co-owner of Birthing From Within, a childbirth education course. Erika shares how she got interested in birth and empowerment during her pregnancy with her first child 21 years ago. She was inspired to become a doula when she read Birthing From Within (https://www.amazon.com/Birthing-Within-Extra-Ordinary-Childbirth-Preparation/dp/096598730), a book by Pam England and Rob Horowitz. Upon attending a training by the author, Pam England, Erika learned that the key to an empowering birth experience is by being flexible and fluid and being willing to lose your attachment to the idea of a perfect birth, and focus on self-awareness and growth as a human. As she continued attending and giving trainings, she was eventually made one of the leaders of the Birthing From Within organization. Erika shares how Birthing From Within differentiates itself from other courses by stepping away from the “information dump” approach that other courses take, focusing instead on helping mothers to develop the resilience and the personal connections that will guarantee them a powerful and positive birthing experience, no matter what happens. Their main goal is to help wake up parents’ skills around another way of being that is more fluid, intuitive, creative, flexible, and resilient, and less attached to a specific outcome and more open to possibilities. We explain how, while not everyone has to take a Birthing From WIthin course, all parents need to embrace the reality that it takes more than just information to guarantee an empowered and positive birth. We talk about how Birthing From Within treats birth as a rite of passage, because they know that birth always causes a change (physically, mentally, and emotionally) within parents. We discuss how doulas, midwives, massage therapists, and all the range of birth professionals are encouraged to join Birthing From Within’s programs to help them do their jobs well as well. We explain how the ideal birth is most likely to occur as we embrace the acceptance that is in the middle of the spectrum between avoidance and attachment. We talk about how beneficial the training can be for partners, to help them stay present, supportive, and connected during the time of exposure and vulnerability that is the birthing process. We invite you to learn more about Birthing From Within at https://birthingfromwithin.com/. How Erika Got Interested in Birth Work 1:00 What Makes Birthing From WIthin Different 6:41 Is Birthing From Within For You? How The Modality Can Help Birth Professionals 13:51 The Middle of Avoidance and Attachment is Acceptance 28:52 “I believe that there’s a birth class for everyone, that there’s a provider for everyone, and that birth trauma, a lot of times, is a provider-client mismatch, or an information-client mismatch. And so I’m adamant that people take the birth class that would best fit their personality, their needs, their expectations.” 5:57 Tell Us What You Thought About This Episode! Email [email protected] birthcircle.com

Today, we talk with Vu-An Foster, an MPH (Master of Public Health) candidate and founder of Life After 2 Losses, an organization and blog in which she shares her story of the preventable losses of her two daughters, and which aims to “support, inform, and empower other women and moms to prevent them from suffering similar losses by providing advocacy through education” (https://www.lifeafter2losses.com/). We begin our discussion with Vu-An sharing her experiences with two preventable losses in the second trimester because of inadequate treatment and medical neglect. We discuss what you can say to your medical professionals to advocate for yourself in any situation. Vu-An emphasizes the mission of her organization and shares what her professional aspirations and goals are. She talks about her experiences as a patient representative, listening to and addressing patient complaints, and how this fuels her to instigate change through policy to address these complaints. We have a candid talk about hospital policy and discrimination, and Vu-An shares what she has seen working in an inner-city hospital. Vu-An then talks about the new procedure -- a trans-abdominal cerclage -- that significantly improves her chances of a successful pregnancy and delivery (more details on the procedure can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/lifeafter2losses). We finish by discussing Vu-An’s goals for her organization, including an upcoming website and fundraisers, providing a safe space in which women who have suffered loss can get help getting their life back. Vu-An’s Story 1:02 What to Tell Medical Professionals to Advocate For Yourself 12:23 Vu-An’s Career Trajectory; Hospital Policy 22:01 The Procedure That Worked for Vu-An; How To Connect with Vu-An 30:24 “With my second pregnancy, I showed up to labor and delivery, and I had told them, ‘I think my water broke.’ They checked me out and they discharged me. I got to the parking lot, and the rest of my water fell onto the floor. When I went back inside, they told me, ‘Well, if it was going to happen anyway, what does it matter if it happened outside or in here?’ So, I feel like, they cannot kick you out of a hospital facility. If you feel like something is wrong with you, you need to let them know, ‘I’m not leaving until you further check me out.’” 15:00 birthcircle.com

In today’s episode, we talk with Sheridan Ripley, a prolific childbirth educator, doula, author, and hypnobabies instructor. We talk about her background in birth, including her work on 3 books on birth (http://sheridanripley.com/books/). She shares what contributed to birth trauma from her first birth, and how she got into emotional clearing to deal with it. We discuss how birth trauma can be passed down through epigenetics across generations. Sheridan shares some of her methods and services in helping women to recover from birth trauma. We discuss how birth is an intense experience where so many feelings and hormones are involved, and how everyone on the birthing team -- partners, doulas -- can experience trauma from a birthing experience. Sheridan then demonstrates her emotional clearing techniques with Sarah. We suggest simple techniques you can use to help you apply these techniques at home for yourself and others. We then discuss how you can bring up the issue of trauma with partners and children. We finish by talking about Sheridan’s new podcast, Finding Joy In The Journey (http://sheridanripley.com/podcast/), as well as the birth resources available from her website, http://enjoybirth.com/. How Sheridan Caught the Birthing Bug 1:40 Emotional Clearing to Heal Birth Trauma 6:37 Demonstration of Sheridan’s Methods 20:15 How to Emotional Clear For Yourself; Enjoying the Mothering Experience 31:10 “[In] birth you are so vulnerable, and your hormones are flooding through your body. There’s so much in it that birth is just huge, both for you and the baby, and everybody in the room.” 18:29 birthcircle.com

Today, we talk with RaSheda Williams, owner of Sincerely Yours Doula Services. We begin our discussion about racism and discrimination towards African American mothers in the birth space by sharing statistics, accounts, and personal experiences of black mothers having to deal with discrimination and racist treatment at the hands of medical professionals and other people. RaSheda talks about her own experiences. She shares how in all her births, she didn’t even know what a doula was, nor what her options were, and talks about how she became a doula with the intent to inform BIPOC who don’t receive adequate information to inform their choices in birth and postpartum recovery. We discuss potential measures the medical community can take to create equality and a greater awareness of racist attitudes and the effect they have in their practice. “If We Don’t Know, We Can’t Do Better” -- Evidence of Racism 0:53 RaSheda’s Birth Experiences; Becoming a Doula 16:23 How Doulas Can Help 31:04 Steps Forward For the Medical Community 39:36 “Black women are 6 times more likely to die in childbirth, and shortly thereafter in postpartum, than their white and hispanic counterparts, even after adjusting for socioeconomic status. That means you’re more likely to die as a wealthy black woman in labor than a poor white woman.” 1:01 Reach Out To RaSheda: https://www.facebook.com/SheDaDoula/ birthcircle.com

In today’s episode, we talk with Holly Lammer, an RN, a registered yoga instructor, and a prenatal and perinatal psychology educator, and Jayme Crockett, a student midwife, doula, and birth photographer. They do a podcast together called Mindful Birth Podcast (https://mindfulbirthpodcast.com/). We discuss the complexities of the psychological footprint that stressors like oppression, scarcity, anxiety, and danger leaves in our biology, and how these effects can be passed on through birth. We talk about the structure of the human brain, and emphasize the importance of using mindfulness to work against the potential harmful side effects of hyper-reactivity. We break down some of the tools and practices you can use to learn mindfulness to control your anxiety and stress to ensure the best future for your child. How Holly and Jayme Started Working Together 1:04 The Science of Mindfulness and Birth Psychology 6:46 Tools and Steps to Practice Mindfulness 27:20 Where to Find More Resources 55:46 “Anything that is what we call a physical stressor on a pregnancy, like high blood pressure and diabetes, is caused by an overactive stress response in the brain, and handed down through epigenetics.” 8:33 Find Out More: https://www.facebook.com/trustingthephysiologicprocess Jayme’s Birth Photography Service: https://www.tribebirth.com/ Holly’s Embryoga Series: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_yoExq3YXOYVa3II4DMfnw Any More Questions? Email us at [email protected] Birthcircle.com

Today we talk with Andrea Ohlwiler, a lifestyle coach, about maintaining a healthy body and self-image during pregnancy. We discuss the importance of giving yourself grace and allowing yourself to grow, as well as making informed and conscious decisions when it comes to your fertility, pregnancy, and nutrition. We talk about how to stay positive with dietary expectations, create good habits around food, and change from a victim mentality to a creator mentality with your pregnancy. We discuss changing your focus for a healthy recovery during postpartum. Stop, Challenge, Choose: Change Your Mindset For a Healthier Pregnancy 1:52 Maintain a Positive Mentality While Meeting Diet Expectations 10:37 Think, “Birth Happens Through Me, Not To Me”; “Before and Becoming” 21:09 Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Recovery In Postpartum 35:04 “The best gift you can give to your loved ones -- to your partner, to your children -- is to give yourself love first.” 45:13 Questions for Andrea? [email protected] birthcircle.com

In today’s episode, we talk with Dani Reed, doula and founder of Mind Over Maternity. We talk about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on birth, including how it led Dani to change her birth plan from a hospital to a home birth. She tells about the doubts, decisions, and adjustments leading up to her home birth, and shares how every member of her birth team was necessary during her successful but turbulent birth experience, making it the right choice for her in the end. We then discuss how to adjust and maintain control when your birth plan is affected by unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances. Why Dani Changed Her Birth Plan to Home Birth 2:23 How Did The Birth Go? The Birth Team 11:36 How To Deal With External Forces on Our Birth Plans 22:50 “One of the biggest things is safety, and that’s I think a very common concern about home birth for a lot of people. And so, I bombarded the midwife with questions: ‘What medications do you carry? What do you do in this situation? When do you know when you should transfer?’” 6:37 Reach Out to Dani: http://mindovermaternity.net/ birthcircle.com

Today, we talk with Jay Warren, a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor, and host of 2 podcasts, “Healthy Births, Happy Babies,” and “The Dadhood Journey.” He has also created online courses to help pregnant women learn prenatal bonding techniques and dads to transition into parenthood. We talk about why Dr Jay is providing these resources for new dads, discussing the importance of preventing trauma and helping bonding in new fathers. We give tips and insights about the role for dads in the birthing and postpartum process, and how this can establish an important precedent for the rest of your family life. We finish by giving a list of resources specifically for dads to help them transition into parenthood. Birth Education for Dads: Preventing Trauma and Promoting Bonding 1:14 Role of Partner in Birth Team (Different Than Doulas) 10:56 Special Circumstances and Common Myths 29:52 Resources Specifically For Dad 44:50 “So a dad really knowing the birth team -- whether that’s your OB, hopefully a doula is involved with things -- and knowing them really well, so that we as a dad can trust in their experience, and trust in their training, so we don’t feel that we have to fix it.” 13:21 Find Resources and Reach Out To Dr. Jay Warren: https://drjaywarren.com/ birthcircle.com

Today, we invite Sarah Pixton, creator of the Birth Words website and Podcast, back on the show. We define discourse as language in context, and discuss the need for finding a middle ground in the language surrounding birth that will connect the different roles involved and respect the authority of each. We give examples of language or other cues which, strategically used, can help empower you in your birth experience. We talk about how to frame your birth experience to promote the positivity and empowerment surrounding birth. We finish by telling you how you can access Sarah’s resources (https://www.birthwords.com/), and recommending other helpful resources. Dialogue: Language in Context; Connecting Different Birth Roles Linguistically 2:26 Non-Verbal Cues; Power of First Person 16:11 Framing Birth Experiences 22:00 Resources at birthwords.com; Labels 40:05 “I read several other birth stories from other sources, and really just was surrounded by positive language that spoke about birth as a beautiful, transformative process in which I gave the gift of life to another human being, and that I did that in my power and strength. And that’s how I experienced that birth.” 27:35 birthcircle.com

In today’s episode, we talk with Cristen Pascucci about her film, “Mother, May I?”, a documentary that shares the stories of victims of birth trauma and obstetric violence. We talk about the making of the film, and we also dive deeper into some of the stories, including the story of Caroline Malatesta, who suffers from a permanent, debilitating medical condition as a result of medical malpractice. We also talk about Kimberly Turbin’s experience with her medical battery case, as well as other victim’s experiences. We discuss the importance of knowing your legal rights when determining the best care provider for you, and recommend Cristen’s course, which can be found at https://birthmonopoly.com/. The Making of “Mother, May I?” 1:31 Caroline Malatesta’s Story And Its Implications 15:02 Kimberly Turbin’s and Other Stories; Effect of Trauma 31:36 Legal Rights; Provider Mismatch; Cristen’s Course for Knowing Your Rights 42:26 “I think it’s really important not to draw this very clear line -- as exists now -- between trauma and poor care, because these things absolutely are connected with each other. We can’t say that birth trauma is one issue, and bad or unsafe medical care is another issue.” 12:22 https://birthmonopoly.com/ birthcircle.com

Today we talk with Cristen Pascucci, the founder of Birth Monopoly (https://birthmonopoly.com/), an organization that is committed to advancing the human right of each birthing person to determine how, where, and with whom they give birth. Cristen shares how her experience giving birth led to her awareness of the violation of women’s rights in birth across the country. We talk about how common thought surrounding childbirth can lead from assault and degradation to normalization. We also discuss obstetric violence and how the history of obstetrics has led to the conditions and culture surrounding birth today. We go further into obstetric violence, discussing terminology, matters of legality vs. hospital policy, and other nuances surrounding consent and birth plans. Cristen’s Background in Birth 1:08 Changing Mainstream Birth Culture; Safety and Choice 12:07 Obstetric Violence 24:00 Other Forms of Obstetric Violence; Legality vs. Policy 44:22 “Saying that it’s not 100% safe is not an excuse for over medicalizing it and forcing things on people. And we know that it doesn’t equate to better health outcomes. And I think that’s the thing that continually blows my mind: when I see the justifications for certain assaults, of like, ‘Well, we need to keep somebody healthy here.’ No, no, no, because you’re literally doing the riskier thing.” 21:07 https://birthmonopoly.com/

In today’s episode we interview Shannon Shepherd, a doula and placenta encapsulation specialist with Bloom Women’s Center (https://www.bloombirthutah.com/). We define placenta encapsulation and consumption and clear up myths and misconceptions about it. We talk about the benefits of placenta consumption, as well as safe practice for doing so. We talk about GBS (Group B Strep) and debunk the myths surrounding potential harm placenta encapsulation may cause to your breastfeeding child. We also discuss how we can make it a more comfortable subject, and how Bloom’s high safety and professional standard is meant to help with that. We go over some of the different ways placentas are consumed, and we talk about Bloom’s method and their dosage guidelines, as well as the price of their service. -What is Placenta Encapsulation?; Shannon’s Background; Benefits/Safety 1:17 -Debunking Myths Around GBS and Harm Towards Breastfeeding Children 18:13 -Opening Up The Dialogue; Bloom’s High Professional Standard 21:53 -Different Ways To Consume; Dosage Guidelines; Myths; Benefits 29:56 “We’ve had these conversations with women who are talking about their postpartum time as a nightmare; as the lowest point in their lives. I -- in my business, how many postpartum women I interact with -- I hear that almost daily. Something like that. It’s just a nightmare. So to think something like this is helping any of them, then it’s like, ‘okay, hold on, let’s just try it.’” 22:21 https://www.bloombirthutah.com/

In today’s episode, we interview Karina Robinson, who is a doula with Type 1 diabetes, and is a designer of a course for diabetes education for doulas and mothers. We talk about Gestational diabetes and how it can indicate or lead to Type 2 diabetes, as well as how it can affect birth and the precautions you should take accordingly. We discuss the causes and effects of Type 1 diabetes, illustrating with some of Karina’s experiences. We talk about the special considerations for labor and birth for diabetics or those with Gestational diabetes. We also talk about what is covered in Karina’s course, which you can find at https://diabetesandpregnancy.org/. If you have further questions, you can also reach Karina through the same website. -Effects and Causes of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes 1:23 -Special Considerations for Labor and Birth with GD and/or Diabetes 8:20 -Karina’s Diabetes Education Course for Doulas and Mothers 36:00 “So I teach them how to avoid the risks of preeclampsia, because my doctors didn’t even tell me to take a baby aspirin -- because it reduces the risk of preeclampsia by 15% -- and I was like ‘Why did no one tell me this?’” 38:14

Today we interview Shannon Shepherd, a birth mother and friend of Sarah’s. She talks about her experience placing her child in an open adoption. We talk about the nuances of open adoption and how that term can mean different things for each person. We discuss bonding between adopted parents and child, and how uncommon adoption is compared to abortion, despite the fact that adoption does not come with the same regret. We also talk about topics such as dealing with stigma and disappointment, as well as how to contribute to a healthy situation for both families. Shannon tells more of her story of how she came to her decision, including how she worked through counseling and sought legal advice. We also talk about Shannon’s experience with birth and postpartum after deciding to place her child. -Shannon’s Decision; Using Correct Terms; Open Adoption; Regret 0:31 -Stigma; Future Pregnancies; Bonding; Disappointment; Doing What’s Best 10:36 -More on Bonding; Contributing to a Healthy Situation; Open Discussions 22:38 -Counseling and Seeking Legal Help; Choosing Adoption, Adoption Process; Birth and Postpartum 28:59 “To me I’ve learned in my 39 years of life that we just need to get into our own hearts and our own minds and our own intentions, and just let the universe work itself out if people judge us for what we did.” 11:49

Today we talk with Kristy Rodriguez, HypnoBirthing® childbirth educator and author of “Pure Nurture—A Holistic Guide to a Healthy Baby.” We discuss the topic of holistic mind-body health and how it relates to pregnancy and birth. We start out talking about the importance of being supportive of and kind to ourselves about our diet during pregnancy, taking into account the reality of bio-individuality. We talk about mindfulness and the physical and mental aspects of holistic health, particularly the best ways to protect your mental and physical energy during pregnancy. We then define the holistic mind-body connection and give several examples from real life, and then apply that to your pregnancy, birth, postpartum, post-weaning, and mothering experiences. We also talk about using Yoga and breathing techniques in strengthening our relaxation response. -Kristy’s Background in Birth 0:53 -Providing Yourself Grace and Kindness About What You Eat 5:46 -Ways to Protect Mental and Physical Energy 14:46 -What is the Holistic Mind-Body Connection? 22:23 “The breath has a very powerful impact on our body, and that’s why breath work -- breathing techniques -- are such a big part of many childbirth education classes, because we can use the breath to support us through the birthing process.” 30:48 https://www.purenurture.com/

In today’s episode, we talk fertility and women’s health with Ashley Jensen, CNM with the University of Utah. We talk about the most common causes of infertility in women; some of these are unhealthy eggs despite regular cycles, and low levels of hormones that affect the development of the egg. We also talk about the important difference between normal symptoms of PMS and common symptoms. We talk about treatments to help the conception process, and how it’s best to have intercourse when the body is producing cervical mucus along with higher levels of estrogen. We talk about natural vs. unnatural approaches to fertility treatment, naming IBF as the most unnatural. We talk about the importance of nutrition in fertility, recommending low carb, low sugar diets as the most conducive to conception. We talk about the most effective methods for fertility diagnosis in both women and men. We also discuss common mistakes couples make that contribute to infertility, the causes of endometriosis, as well as hormones and postpartum depression. -Causes of Infertility; Processes of Menstrual Cycle; Aides to Conception 1:39 -Natural vs. Unnatural Approaches to Fertility Treatment; Nutrition 20:18 -Other Causes of Infertility; Cooperative Treatment 31:37 -Common Mistakes Couples Make; PCOS; Endometriosis; Hormones and Postpartum Depression 45:13 “But when we are using hormones, we’re using human-identical hormones; so hormones that are exactly like what your body makes. So we never use birth control for anything -- for any condition whatsoever -- because those are not real hormones; they’re artificial hormones. And when we are doing ovulation induction medications, we’re trying to simulate a normal cycle. ” 23:11

Today we talk with Sierra Brooks and Danka Orellana with Bud to Blossom postpartum doula services. We talk about the services they offer, including the roles of a Sunrise doula, a Good Morning doula, a Dinner doula, a Bedtime doula, an Overnight doula, and a Foodie doula. They emphasize that their primary role isn’t to take care of the baby, but to take care of, strengthen, and support the mother and the family. We discuss postpartum mood disorders and how they could occur anytime within the first year. We talk about the importance of eating well during postpartum, as well as how the postpartum doulas will help keep the balance in the upkeep of the home and support of the family during this transitionary period. We then discuss the process of training and certifying postpartum doulas. We also discuss the importance of viewing Postpartum doulas as trained professionals, and encourage investing in postpartum assistance, emphasizing the joy it brings to family and doulas. -Sierra and Danka’s Background in Postpartum care; Types of Doulas at Bud to Blossom 2:10 -Nutrition in Postpartum; Helping Maintain Balance in the Home 23:34 -Training for Postpartum Doulas 31:54 “What is really nice about a postpartum doula is you don’t have to tell them how to do things and what to do. I mean, a quick little, ‘This is how I like things done,’ yes. But we know how to assess and see what you need so that you don’t have to tell us; we can just provide it for you.” 10:15

In today’s episode, we talk with Carla Belliard, a doula from the Dominican Republic. She talks about birthing in Latin America and how it’s more common in the DR to give birth through a C-section. This is because most workers have insurance, and there’s a cultural stigma surrounding vaginal birth on the basis of social status and fear. We discuss cultural attitudes surrounding birth and the origins of these attitudes. We also talk about the importance of educating women about the process and consequences of C-sections vs. other birthing procedures. We discuss Informed consent and how, in Latin America, women are not allowed to question their doctors. We talk about how the family dynamic in Latin America can affect the birthing experience and vice versa, as well as supporting and empowering moms and planning for a positive birth and postpartum experience. -Birthing Culture in Latin America 3:57 -Educating Women About Birth 23:35 -Informed Consent; Birthing and Family Models 34:31 -Making Empowered Choices and Influencing Others to Do the Same 44:12 “And I always emphasize the importance of knowing who you choose to be your provider. Maybe talking about how your provider is working for you, and not you for your provider, is the first step. Like, empowering everyone -- whether you’re black, latino, asian, white -- how, if you choose to work with a provider, your provider is working for you. You’re paying that person.” 36:24

Today we talk with Holly Hauptly, an instructor at Birth Boot Camp where she provides a variety of childbirth classes for expecting couples. We explain the different courses that are offered at Birth Boot Camp and give an outline of the topics covered in the comprehensive course. These classes include the history of birth methods, the use of interventions, induction methods, involving dads and partners, birthing positions, birth plans, newborn procedures, breastfeeding, postpartum changes, and more. We also discuss the academic style of teaching at Birth Boot Camp and how to determine if these classes are the best fit for you. Courses at Baby Birth Camp -- Finding the Best Fit 4:54 Outline of the 10 Week Comprehensive Course 7:07 Is Birth Boot Camp Best For You? 35:21 Taking the Fear Out of Birth 41:00 “One reason that we created all the different classes that we’ve got now is so that we really can meet everybody where they’re at. You know, if you don’t want to have a natural birth, that’s okay; we’ve got our hospital class that might be a really great fit for you.” 36:57 birthbootcamp.com utahbirthdoula.com

In today’s episode, we talk with a doula, Kelly Buck, about the Dunstan Baby Language. This is a system that identifies the sounds of the natural reflexes that all babies have. If you learn the system, or “language,” you will be able to more accurately and quickly meet your baby’s needs. Kelly also teaches methods of responding to or relieving the baby’s needs after they are correctly identified. We discuss some good approaches to ensure your baby is comfortable, such as layering clothing and “baby wearing.” We then talk about how you can learn more and become better at identifying and meeting your baby’s needs. What is the Dunstan Baby Language? 0:44 Crash Course in Dunstan Baby Language -- What are the Sounds? 4:20 How You Can Learn More 22:31 How Long Can You Use the Dunstan Baby Language 24:28 “I loved that fact that it also made my husband feel confident; that he could step in and help, because he knew what to do. A lot of times we find these moms that are nervous to leave their babies with their husbands because they’re not sure if their husbands are capable. So this system makes them capable!” 21:57 http://shebirthservices.com/

In today’s episode, we talk about fertility, pregnancy, and birth hormones with Dr. Mariza, who is an expert in women’s hormone health. She talks about how her own struggles with hormonal balance led to her search for better solutions. We talk about combating the stigma surrounding women’s physical, mental, and emotional challenges surrounding their hormonal and reproductive health, and how we shouldn’t accept the myth that it’s normal to struggle and feel awful in these areas. We go into detail about what is changing in your body during the different stages of the menstrual cycle and explain how these processes affect you. We discuss what may be the root causes of any abnormalities with fertility and other physical processes, and what the best solutions are to treat them and protect and support your body. We also talk about knowing what has changed during pregnancy and postpartum, and the importance of giving yourself grace and honoring the process. -Dr. Mariza’s Background 0:53 -Empowered With The Right Language -- Challenge the “Difficult Patient” Label 6:35 -Understanding Hormones -- An Introductory Guide 10:02 -Hormonal Birth Control and the Rise of Cancer; Hormones and Pregnancy/Postpartum 36:36 “If indeed you are in survival mode, your thyroid is absolutely imperative for metabolism. So if you’ve got a thyroid issue, you 100 percent have a stress issue--you’ve got an HPA axis issue. They go hand in hand; I haven’t met anyone who’s got a thyroid problem without a stress problem.” 26:45 https://www.drmariza.com/podcast/

In today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Sean Edmunds, an OB practicing in Utah. We discuss topics such as breech delivery, delivering twins, and the importance of building trust between patient and medical provider. We go over several examples of when and how patients and medical providers can work things out and resolve conflict. We also answer several questions surrounding preeclampsia, active management of the placenta, coached pushing with Epidurals, and the MTHFR mutation. We discuss the reasons behind common methods of checking, as well as the use of Lidocaine on the Perineum, the crowning process, and the influence of liability insurance on medical practice. Breech Delivery, Delivering Twins, and Delivering in the OR 4:05 Reconciling Hospital Policy With Patient’s Needs; Informed Consent 9:21 Q&A: Preeclampsia, Active Management, Epidurals, MTHFR 26:55 More Q&A: Methods of Checking, Lidocaine on Perineum, Crowning, Insurance 39:20 “Whatever they’re comfortable with, I’m comfortable with. And they have questions, I want them to ask. And we have those discussions sometimes, where they say, ‘Okay, here’s my birth plan. Can we look at it together?’ And I always look at every bullet -- every bullet point they make, so that we have a discussion in advance.” 14:10

In today’s episode, we discuss how to take the fear out of birth with Rickie Bryner, Childbirth Educator and Postpartum Doula. We discuss how birthing trends have changed and how we can use new methods to meet changing needs. We also go into the importance of empowering birth videos and discourse, as well as the importance of self-care and communication. Further, we mention that support from others contributes greatly to maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the months following birth. Who Rickie Bryner Is And How She Got Her Start 0:58 How Trends Have Changed In Birthing 8:34 Where Do Fears Come From?/Support is Key for Coping 23:11 Learning From One Another 34:45 Prioritize Rest After Childbirth in Your Birth Plan 39:58 “A lot of times, postpartum depression peaks at around 3-4 months postpartum. And the moms that have attended my support group that really take care of themselves for the first month or so, those are the moms at 3 or 4 months that are just feeling better, they’re thriving.” 22:44 babyyourbump.com

In today’s episode, we interview Sarah Pixton, the creator of the Birth Words website and Podcast. Sarah is a BBC-Certified Doula and a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston getting her Master's in Applied Linguistics. In our discussion, we analyze a better approach to using birth affirmations, the discourse of birth, and how language can leave an impression and frame our experience. The importance of being sensitive is emphasized as we talk about how our language contributes to the feelings surrounding an experience. Sarah’s Background and What She Does 0:58 Birth Words and Reframing Our Language Surrounding Birth 10:29 Underlying Beliefs and Assumptions, Discourse 17:47 How Words Frame Our Experiences 27:19 Sensitivity: Matching the Effect of Our Words With Their Intent 32:06 “I think that a big reason that my second birth experience was very different than my first was because I inducted myself into this society of women who had had positive birth experience. And I did that mostly by reading positive birth stories. But before my baby was born, I was with these women who were empowered, who were life-givers, who just were in awe of the things that they could do. And so that’s what happened when I gave birth.” 40:36 https://www.birthwords.com

In today’s episode, we talk with Rebecca Dekker, founder of Evidence Based Birth and author of “Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered.” She describes what Evidence Based Birth is and how it can put research into your hands to help you make empowered choices for your birth. Within the episode, we cover the significant topic of how to work with the hospital in order to achieve your birth plan. We also answer common questions such as: "Is eye-ointment a required treatment for your newborn?", "Does pineapple juice help with contractions?", and "What are the benefits of Vitamin K supplements?" In addition, Rebecca explains the best way to use the resources she and her team provide for the community. -What is Evidence Based Care? 1:18 -Is It Evidence Based?: Eating During Labor 7:47 -Professional Guidelines Can Be Flawed 9:55 -Defensive Medical Practice and Banning Over Innovating 11:56 -Change Can Happen 15:02 -Working With Hospitals to Achieve Your Birth Plan 18:54 -Dispelling Myths With Evidence-Based Care 24:01 -How evidencbasedbirth.com Finds Answers to Your Questions 38:18 -Using Evidence Based Birth’s Resources 45:01 “I’m spending a lot of time on this, way more than I would normally because I just feel like this is probably one of the most valuable resources that a mom could use.” Sarah, 46:41. evidencebasedbirth.com

Up until 2005, it was illegal (as it still is in most states) for a home birth midwife to safely practice. Listen to the story behind the groundbreaking legislation changes that led to the rights of Utah women to birth wherever and with whomever they please. -Four Types of Midwives 1:14 -Utah’s History with Midwives 4:02 -Regulations for Midwives and Homebirth 9:45 -Midwives in the Medical Community 12:06 -Finding the Right Midwife 15:09 -Opposition to Legalizing Midwifery in Utah 16:13 -Changing Legislator’s Minds 20:11 -Milestones for Legislation in Midwifery 27:26 -Current Legislation About Birth Center Licensure 33:42 -Hurdles to Overcome in Legalization 40:10 -Influence of Home Birth Community 44:15 -Benefits of Midwifery in Birth 50:21 “As moms get more informed about what their options are, then they can drive the change as well.” 45:30 https://hollyonthehill.com

Getting help during post-partum is a regular part of the Mexican tradition. Sarah talks with Sariah Price about La Cuarentena and speaks about the importance of getting help during the post-partum stage.

In this episode of Birth Circle, we talk with Roxanne Mauer about her experiences as a midwife. Some of the main topics we cover are what Roxanne does when births don’t go as planned, or emergencies present themselves. - Roxanne’s Background/Specialties 1:17 - When Births don’t go as Planned 11:40 - Rescue Remedies 20:23 - Ancient Hebrews and Birth 26:52 - Mid Wife Abandoning 28:28 “The first things that moms need are always a space of calm. So the more calm I am, the more calm they are.”

In this episode of Birth Circle, we talk with Julie de Azevedo-Hanks. Julie is a best selling author, speaker and is the founder of Wasatch Family Therapy. Navigating the pressures of new motherhood and watching for the signs of postpartum mood disorders is difficult. We talk about how to recognize these symptoms in others/yourself. We also talk about what to do for treatment and how to help others with these - Post Partum Depression 1:03 - Timeline of Postpartum 8:27 - How to recognize Symptoms in yourself 14:39 - Conversations with your Partner 18:44 - Treatment 22:57 - Culture of Postpartum/ Working 27:08 “Ambivalent feelings during pregnancy and afterward are totally normal and totally common. And it doesn’t mean your bad person and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom.” 5:39 http://www.drjuliehanks.com https://www.facebook.com/juliedeazevedohanks

In this episode of Birth Circle we talk to Christina Stitcher, a specialist in Chiropractic during pregnancy and with children. This episode delves into how Chiropractic can benefit pregnancy and the process of giving birth. - Christina’s Background 1:00 - Chiropractic care for Pregnancy 7:05 - Chiropractic During Labor 17:46 - Chiropractic after Birth for Mom and Baby 35:04 - Cranial Sacral Therapy/Therapists 51:00 “[Chiropractic] is the electrician of the spine. You’re the one that knows where the wire is malfunctioning and you can physically see it on babies…” 52:06

On this episode of Birth Circle we talk with Bree Moore about free birthing. Unassisted birth is a topic that many people don’t know where to start with. Breanne talks about her story on how she gained the confidence to do it, how she prepared for it, and what her experience was like. - Freebirthing Generally 3:09 - Why to choose Free Birth 18:26 - Breanne’s Story 22:30 - Supplies and In case of Emergency 45:52 “There was something just bugging me about the fact that I didn’t have full freedom [in my hospital birth] to move the way I needed to move, to make the sounds I needed to make…”

On this episode of Birth Circle we talk with Stephanie Sorenson about using yoga as a tool to both prepare for childbirth and recover. Some other topics covered are hypnosis, meditation, prenatal yoga, and real recovery from birth. - Introduction to Stephanie and Yoga 0:38 - Difference between meditation and hypnosis 8:20 - Application to Pregnancy 18:30 - Prenatal Yoga 32:41 - Stephanie and Feminism 41:35 “There are some really progressive hospitals throughout the nation that are prescribing meditation over medication because it works better, it doesn’t have side affects and you don’t get addicted to it in the same way.”

On this episode of Birth Circle we talk about the womb and reproductive system with Rachel Jackson. Learning to love our womb and periods is something that could seem foreign however Rachel Jackson talks about how she was able to do this. The real purpose of this episode is to help us eliminate anything that can negatively affect our relationship with our children and ourselves. - Rachels Story 1:44 - Arvigo therapy 7:36 - How does Arvigo Therapy impact Infertility? 21:24 - Arvigo in Conception and after Birth 33:35 “My relationship with my menstration is a direct reflection of my relationship with my reproductive organs. My relationship with my reproductive organs is a direct reflection of my relationship with my body, as a whole. My relationship with my body as whole is a direct relationship of my concept of self.”

On this episode of Birth Circle we interview Mandy Neilson. Mandy gives advice to mothers and fathers experiencing infertility. She talks about what procedures are available, the costs of said procedures, and the emotional impact of infertility. The community misunderstands infertility and this episode gives great options for those seeking advice. - Mandy’s story with infertility 0:11 - Options for those struggling with infertility 19:25 - Main goals of the Non Profit Mandy works for 27:19 - Mandy’s work with Legislation 30:56 - Mental health and speaking with others struggling with infertility 35:16 “People don’t know. They try for a year to get pregnant and say, ‘Oh I guess we can never have a baby.’ and I just want to say, ‘You can!’”

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Jeffrey and Anna Butler. They discuss the role of insurance in pregnancy and the importance of having good insurance. Jeffrey is an insurance broker, and he and his wife share a story of their last pregnancy and how Anna almost died after a c-section. Through this experience and Jeffrey's experience as an insurance broker, learn more about what kind of insurance is necessary during pregnancy and other life events.

When families plan for their birth and figure out how they want to have it go, they have much better odds of navigating things in a way that leaves them feeling good and empowered about what happened. There is a lot that goes into birth plans. The first step in a birth plan is exploring your options, such as figuring out where you give birth, as well as figuring out who you have at the birth. One company that you can use to figure out a lot of this information about places to give birth is leapfrog.org. You can also think about how you want to give birth, such as with medication or without. Listen in to this episode to get more information about your birth plan.

Sarah is joined by Ana Jackson, who is a birth filmmaker. Since Sarah is also a professional birth filmmaker, they talk shop, and share their experiences with filmmaking in this particular genre. They discuss their journey of starting up a company and working with clients as well as successes and difficulties. 5:10 Face presentation birth and being behind the camera 12:19 Ana's first birth story 22:24 Birth teams 34:53 Being part of the birth team as the camerawoman 42:52 Questions to ask your filmmaker when you hire one

Sarah is once again joined by Anne Tullis and Sherri Gunn with Success with Breastfeeding, and they are going to talk about myths and old wives' tales behind breastfeeding. Sherri and Anne are both RNs with backgrounds in medicine. Listen in to part 2 as they share more experiences.

Sarah is joined by Anne Tullis and Sherri Gunn with Success with Breastfeeding, and they are going to talk about myths and old wives' tales behind breastfeeding. Sherri and Anne are both RNs with backgrounds in medicine. Through their experiences with their own nursing experiences and nursing experiences of others, they realized that many moms need help breastfeeding. Because breastfeeding is often seen as a natural process, most mothers don't expect to have a difficult time with it. They cover topics in breastfeeding from the nutritional values of formula to the color of breast milk. 2:13 How they got into breastfeeding 7:53 Reasons to call an IBCLC 17:34 Dreamfeed for extra sleep 27:18 Bodywork is essential for easy breastfeeding 37:11 What can I eat during breastfeeding? https://www.successwithbreastfeeding.com/

Sarah is joined by Sariah Price and they talk about important aspects of c-sections and how one can have one while still being empowered and have a positive experience. Most don't expect to have a c-section when giving birth, and those who go through the process end up feeling cheated of the full birth process. Many try VBAC after having a c-section but that can also fail at times. However, we can turn this into a positive experience. Learn how in this episode!

Sarah is joined by Adrianna Costello, a childbirth educator in Utah. In this episode, Sarah and Adrianna talk about the different types of birthing classes and modalities that go along with each teaching method. Learn about the various classes so that you can find the right one for your needs. Adrianna has been teaching for 23 years and has spent time practicing and researching the various methodologies. 2:22 What you don't know can hurt you 6:38 Unlimited choices in child-birth education 13:26 Valuing education in your family 23:45 Finding the right class for you 34:48 Finding the right provider for you 40:32 Making change

In this episode, Sarah discusses effective birthing techniques and positions with Laura O’Bryan, a licensed midwife. What are some of the physical and emotional obstacles to having a safe and healthy birth? How can you remove those obstacles? 00:27 Laura’s origin story as a mom and a midwife 10:27 Effective birthing positions 23:07 Transverse fetal lie and other baby positions 36:55 Emotional blocks of birth 48:23 Keeping the birth place safe

Sarah is joined by Julie, who recently went through a surrogate pregnancy. In this episode, they discuss the details of what is involved in a surrogate pregnancy and cover many of the common questions that arise in the process. What many people don't realize is that there are a lot of rules that surrogates have to follow and there are a lot of things one has to navigate between the birth mother and the adopting parents. 00:45 How Julie became a surrogate 14:54 Money and the contract 21:35 Pregnancy and birth 34:14 Complications after the birth 41:06 Relationship with the baby and parents after birth

Sarah is joined by Dee Gordon, and they discuss an unusual birthing experience involving a tricky headfirst birth. Listen in as they talk about dealing with the transfer from a home birth to the hospital and a successful VBAC delivery process. Listen in as they cover the issues involved in transferring between home and the hospital during the delivery process. 2:08 Something unusual during a birthing experience 8:49 Transitioning between home birth and hospital birth 15:31 Transferring stories 22:53 Good experiences 27:05 Dee's training courses

In this episode, Sarah and Jill talk about Phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disorder that decreases the metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine, which results in various physical symptoms and mental problems. 5:40 How PKU relates to pregnancy and births 11:05 Food restrictions for people with PKU 17:12 Growing up with PKU 27:37 What people don’t understand about PKU 37:57 The PKU community

In today’s episode, Sarah and the guest, Julie Francom, who is a doula and is the host of The VBAC Link podcast, will dive deep into the facts and statistics about VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). Find out about the risks and benefits of different birthing methods and get tips about picking the best birthing method and care provider for you. 0:39 What is VBAC? Is it dangerous? 12:50 VBAC after multiple c-sections 19:14 The decision to have VBAC 33:32 The history of c-section and VBAC 39:18 Planning your labor