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Sonia is a former educator turned health coach. She developed preeclampsia suddenly at 34 weeks pregnant with her second child. This was during covid quarantine, and she was teaching from home while caring full-time for her toddler daughter. Sonia didn't have much time or energy to care for herself.
She also didn't have many in-person visits with her OB. Most of her appointments were virtual and she was responsible for taking her own blood pressure.
During one of her virtual appointments, Sonia's OB reminded her to take a blood pressure reading. It was high, and she was advised to go to the hospital, where she was told her blood pressure was dangerously high and she would have to stay and deliver her baby.
Extremely upset by this news, Sonia worried about leaving her daughter suddenly, as she thought she had a few more weeks to spend one-on-one with her. She was also upset as this was something that came out of nowhere. She didn't have a history of high blood pressure or preeclampsia.
Sonia attributes the sudden onset of preeclampsia to her lifestyle at that time: she was mostly sedentary, teaching from home. She didn't have the time, energy, or resources to make herself a priority during covid quarantine.
After this scare, Sonia made some big changes in her life. She currently runs her own business helping other teacher moms make themselves a priority and meet their health goals. Listen in as she describes what it was like to develop preeclampsia unexpectedly, give birth during a pandemic, and take charge of her health in a way she hadn't before.
Weight Loss for Teacher Moms Podcast
Preeclampsia Foundation
Institute for Integrative Nutrition
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Natalie is a second-time mom and co-host of The Golden Hour podcast. Last year, I spoke with Liz, the other co-host of The Golden Hour podcast, about her postpartum anxiety. In this episode, Natalie shares her battles with prenatal and postpartum mood disorders.
After Natalie's son was born, she had postpartum anxiety. That anxiety was never fully resolved before she got pregnant with her daughter, and it carried over into her pregnancy. Natalie struggled with prenatal anxiety and depression, calling her doctor's office often, asking them to check her daughter's heartbeat. She found herself crying often and overthinking everything. For someone who is usually very optimistic, this was out of character for her.
After her daughter was born, Natalie began to have bouts of rage. It started with her daughter waking up in the middle of the night and not going back to sleep. The struggle continued when her daughter got frequent ear infections, and couldn't tolerate breastfeeding due to a dairy allergy. Natalie would find herself yelling and punching pillows, and needing to walk away from the situation to calm down. She describes it as an "out of body" experience.
Listen as Natalie shares about her struggles with prenatal and postpartum mood disorders, what has worked for her, and the advice she would give to anyone dealing with the same thing.
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Allison is an intuitive medium and owner of Souls of a Feather where she offers readings online. In this episode, she shares her experience with both prenatal and postpartum mood disorders.
Allison suffered from PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), and tried for two years to get pregnant. She finally decided to take a break from trying to focus on her health. She asked her doctor for birth control and in the time it took to fill the prescription, she got pregnant.
Allison suffered from severe hyperemesis gravidarum which landed her in the hospital for a week. She had gestational diabetes which turned into hypoglycemia. Instead of being excited about her pregnancy, she felt anxious and paranoid.
Postpartum only seemed to be worse for Allison. After a traumatic birth, she felt anxious and couldn't sleep. She was in the hospital multiple times for severely high blood pressure, and it was brushed off as anxiety. She still couldn't sleep. She was shuffled back and forth between her OB and her primary care physician, even though she was asking for help. Allison finally ended up in the hospital and spent several weeks recovering at her mother's house, away from her baby.
Allison's story is a reminder of just how important it is to support mothers while pregnant and after giving birth. She says there aren't enough resources or education on mental health issues. How can we take care of the babies if we can't take care of the mothers?
Postpartum Support International- 1-800-944-4773
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One year ago today, Natalia's son Xavian was born. Just 12 hours later, he passed away.
Natalia is originally from Russia, and currently lives in Brazil. She and her husband love to travel. While in Egypt, she found out she was pregnant. They looked for a place to settle down and have their baby, and at six months pregnant decided on Brazil. She found a Russian midwife there and was excited to start a new chapter of her life in a new place.
Natalia said she had a beautiful labor and birth at home; however, her son was not breathing when he was born. After transferring to the hospital, she and her husband learned that their son had passed.
After a few weeks, Natalia realized that she wasn't dealing with the death of her son, and that she needed to focus on herself and her grief and healing. She decided to put herself and her comfort first, and began learning what that meant.
In this episode, Natalia shares the story of how she began to cope with the loss of her son, what healing looks like for her, and how personal growth can come out of the grief that we experience.
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Maureen Farrell is a lactation counselor, doula, herbalist, and homebirth midwife practicing in rural West Virginia. She is also the co-host of the Milk Minute podcast, which provides evidence-based and entertaining breastfeeding information.
Maureen had her first child at home before she became a midwife. Preparing for her first birth, she read a lot of books and thought that she needed to be calm and relaxed during her labor. She progressed fairly quickly and then stalled.
She felt frustrated that her relaxation techniques weren't working, and eventually gave in to her intuition. Maureen used her anger to push through the final moments of her labor and deliver her baby. She learned that there is no "right way" to manage pain during labor.
Maureen struggled postpartum with breastfeeding and feeling isolated. It was nearly impossible to see a lactation consultant where she lived, and it was hard to travel to visit friends or family. She and her partner decided to wait a few years before thinking about having another baby.
Maureen started training to become a midwife, and had just opened her own practice when she unexpectedly found out that she was pregnant again! This time she was able to draw on her previous experience and let go of what she thought was the "right way" to labor.
Listen in as Maureen gives an entertaining account of her two different labors and how she uses her experience to help her birthing clients.
Check out Maureen's podcast! Milk Minute Podcast
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One of the most common things I hear when talking with women about their birth experiences is that they didn't know how to advocate for themselves going in. Whether they were overwhelmed by what they were feeling, or they were mistreated by the medical staff, they were unsure how to make themselves heard and respected.
In this episode, 10 doulas share their best piece of advice for advocating for yourself during labor. Listen, check out their websites, and follow them on social media. You'll learn a lot!
Psalms Frye- Peace and Compassion Birth Services
Anna- Dovely Doula
Tessa Maloney- Nourished With Tess
Morgan Owens- Morgan Owens Doula
Emily Baldwin- Kindred Souls Doula
Maureen- Milk Minute Podcast
Patricia- PatriciaGrenseman
Jess- Birthing Babies and Beyond
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Stefanie lives in Scandinavia where she raises her two boys. Throughout her journey into motherhood, she experienced the benefits of a health system where midwives are the forefront of pregnancy and birth.
Stefanie's first son asphyxiated right after being born. What could have been a traumatic event for her was not, due to her strong support system. Her birth team calmly handled the situation, while keeping her informed of what was going on. She felt heard, supported, and involved in her birth.
Stefanie also experienced the benefits of living in Scandinavia during her postpartum period. She was seen and visited multiple times, cared for, and supported during her transition into motherhood.
In this episode, Stefanie shares about the importance of trusting your birth team. If there isn't a mutual trust, there is great potential for birth trauma. She also shares about the benefits of living and giving birth in Denmark, even without family or close friends.
Stefaniefernandes.com
Raw and Real with Stefanie Fernandes
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Jenna was induced with her first son at 41 weeks. She went into labor without having taken a birth class, and without doing any research because she believed that knowing too much about giving birth might hinder her ability to do it.
Her body didn't respond to the Pitocin, which was continually increased. When her provider broke her water, labor kicked in very fast. However, due to the increase of Pitocin, there was no gradual build up and she didn't have time to adjust. Jenna opted for an epidural to help relieve her pain.
The epidural left Jenna feeling out of control in her body, and she couldn't feel anything. She tore severely and a few days postpartum developed a very high fever. She had a severe UTI and kidney infection from the catheter.
Due to her first birth experience, Jenna wanted a different experience the second time around. She decided to go natural, and chose to be induced with her second just by having her waters broken. It was a much better experience and Jenna learned that she could have small doses of fentanyl to help with pain relief.
Her third birth, Jenna also chose to be induced by having her waters broken, no Pitocin. Her son was sunny-side up and she had painful back labor, but she felt in control of her situation and heard by her support team.
In this episode, Jenna shares a few things she learned from her three labors, how she learned to advocate for herself, and how she worked to have a better birth after her first experience.
PurposeIntended.com
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At 36 weeks pregnant with her first child, Kimberly was concerned that her baby wasn't moving enough. Her doctor sent her for monitoring and even though she wasn't dilated, they decided to induce her. That night, she ended up going into labor naturally on her own!
The epidural didn't work at first, but her labor progressed slowly enough that there was time to fix it. She ended up with a second degree tear and had a rough recovery combined with breastfeeding issues.
With her second baby, Kimberly walked around 4 cm dilated for weeks. She was eventually induced and had issues with the epidural again. This labor was super fast at only 2 hours long! Kimberly's doctor joked about keeping towels and scissors in the car if she and her husband decided to have a third.
With her third pregnancy, Kimberly had a lot of anxiety. She was nervous about how the labor might go and how quickly it could progress. This was also during COVID, and she was worried about hospital policies and how that might affect her birth.
After dinner on her birthday, Kimberly felt her water leaking. She was determined to hold the baby in until her birthday was over, but life had other plans. She and her husband made it to the hospital just in time for the baby to be born in the wheelchair on the way to labor and delivery!
After deciding to have a fourth, Kimberly felt she needed a little more control over the labor, and was induced again due to low movement. Once her water was broken by her doctor, her baby was once again born very quickly.
Listen in as Kimberly shares about the wild ride she and her husband had during her four labors, and things she learned along the way that helped her navigate each one.
Kimberly's website and podcast- Messywonderful.com
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Jen is very much a type A personality. She loves to plan way in advance of events taking place. Even with all of her planning, she still wasn't prepared for how her first birth went.
Her daughter was stuck and delivered by forceps. She had her clavicle broken in the process of being delivered. Jen ended up with a third degree episiotomy, and needed a lot of time to recover.
Jen spent a few extra days in the hospital because she couldn't get out of bed. She needed extra help for her baby, so that her husband could help with her. She needed two additional surgeries to repair a fistula that resulted from her episiotomy. It was a traumatic experience for both Jen and her daughter.
For Jen's second birth with her son, she opted for a scheduled c-section, and she loved it. For someone who is a type A personality, it was easier for her to plan this birth, and everything went smoothly. Her recovery was much easier compared to her vaginal birth.
In this episode, Jen shares how she gladly accepted help after her first birth, and despite how unpredictable birth is, help and support is one thing that you can plan for.
JenSalk.com
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Adrianne Babbitt is a Christian author, blogger, proofreader, and mentor. She recently relauched her debut book, "The Miscarriage Project" and her launched her new children's book series, "Princess With A Purpose". In addition, she also runs her own Christian lifestyle blog, The Haven.
Adrianne's first labor did not go as she expected. Her water broke two days before labor started and she ended up with an infection in the hospital. She was young at the time, but felt that she wasn't treated well because the hospital staff thought she was a teen mom.
During her second pregnancy, Adrianne found out that she had a low lying placenta. At 32 weeks pregnant, her daughter kicked part of the placenta out. Adrianne feared for her daughter's safety, but carried her to full term and had a fairly easy delivery with her.
Her third pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, and Adrianne was deeply affected by it. She carried fear, anxiety and depression with her after that. A week after her miscarriage, she got pregnant again. She found out that it was an ectopic pregnancy and was devastated at the thought of losing another baby. She prayed to God to save her baby and at her follow-up ultrasound, they found the baby in her uterus.
She had a lot of anxiety throughout that pregnancy. Her rainbow baby was safely delivered without incidence.
Adrianne was also induced for her fifth pregnancy, and despite it being her fifth time, she found that one to be the most traumatic. At her 6-week postpartum checkup, Adrianne fell apart, and her doctor prescribed her medication for her depression.
Adrianne's sixth pregnancy was a redeeming one, and her only unmedicated birth. Listen in as Adrianne's describes shares how different each delivery was, and how she had to advocate for herself.
Check out Adrianne's website here.
The Miscarriage Project
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Eileen Joy is the Money Coach for Moms. She's also the woman who FIRED four doctors to have the birth she dreamed about!
When she got pregnant with her son, Eileen totally changed her life around. She ate very clean and got rid of toxic chemicals in her house. She cared deeply about what she was putting into her body, and how she was treating her unborn son.
This lifestyle carried over into her medical care. She would go to doctor's appointments and feel completely uncared for. One doctor didn't even look at her for the whole appointment! Her doctors didn't acknowledge her birth plan and were more interested in keeping Eileen on their schedule than providing the best care for her.
Eileen felt frustrated and knew she wanted something better for her and her son. When her chiropractor told her about the homebirth she had, Eileen decided to look into it. She fired her doctors, found a wonderful midwife and hired a doula.
Eileen had a beautiful birth at home with her midwife and shares about what a wonderful experience it all was. She knew she made the right choices for herself and for her son.
Listen in as Eileen shares how she took charge of her pregnancy and worked for the birth she knew she and her baby deserved.
Eileen's Website Moms Who Money
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In this episode, I share some of my struggle with postpartum anxiety. During my unplanned c-section, I was left feeling out of control, with no one explaining to me what was happening. I felt like a bystander, watching birth happen to me.
Afterwards, my anxiety was triggered when they took my daughter for her newborn screening tests. Again, no one explained to me what was happening or how long she would be gone for.
I hated to be separated from my daughter. I would feel like I was suffocating. I had panic attacks about returning to work. As someone who's never really had anxiety, all this was new for me. I didn't feel like myself.
In this episode, I share how my anxiety affected my life postpartum. I explain how therapy didn't work great for me, but I share what did.
E22 Liz's struggle with postpartum anxiety
E16 Christie's struggle with postpartum anxiety
E10 Amanda's birth story and postpartum depression
E9 Betsy's traumatic c-section and postpartum depression
E18 Alissa's 4th degree tear and PTSD
E13 CA's birth story
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Liz from the Golden Hour podcast joins me in this episode to share her story! Liz has always been a planner, and spent a lot of time preparing for birth. She found a birth center attached to a hospital, and loved the welcoming atmosphere. She hired a doula, and felt confident that her birth would go well.
While Liz planned a lot for birth, she didn't plan as much for postpartum. She ended up hemorrhaging after birthing her son, and had to be transferred out of the birth center to the hospital. She had a retained placenta that had to be hand removed. Liz didn't recognize the trauma she experienced at the time.
Afterwards, Liz had a lot of anxiety. She was breastfeeding, and both she and her son were struggling. She started exclusively pumping, but needed to supplement with insurance. She put a lot of pressure on herself to breastfeed without stopping to think if it was worth the mental anguish.
Eventually Liz was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety. She was constantly worried that her son wasn't getting enough to eat, and hyper-focused about keeping him on a feeding schedule and herself on a pumping schedule. She stopped pumping and saw a counselor and began to feel more like herself again.
When Liz became pregnant with her second, she was more prepared for postpartum this time. Listen as Liz shares her story battling postpartum anxiety and what a relief it was when she was finally diagnosed.
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What the heck is a TENS unit? TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. It works by sending electrical pulses through a handheld device through your body, to your spinal cord and brain.
In this episode, I talk about what a TENS unit is and why it works. I share what it feels like and where you can find them if you're interested in trying them out.
TENS Unit
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
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How can visualization exercises help you manage pain during labor? They help keep your mind focused, and can relieve anxiety and fear that you might feel.
In this special episode, I share a few visualization exercises that I like, and explain how to do them.
Birthing From Within
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
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This tool comes from the book "Birthing From Within", by Pam England and Rob Horowitz. Pam calls it a "self-hypnotic jingle". It's a rhythmic affirmation that states an outcome you want.
In this episode, I share the story behind Pam's "chocolate cake" jingle, and the one I created for myself for my second labor.
Birthing From Within
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
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How can a comb help you manage pain during labor?
Squeezing a comb during labor activates the Gates Control Theory of Pain, which says that when the pain "gates" are closed, you feel less pain.
In this episode, I share about how a comb is a little known hack that can be used to help you feel less pain during contractions, and why this works.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
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We've talked about counterpressure and light touch, but let's talk about something everyone loves: a good massage.
A massager can help relieve pain during contractions and can be used to help you relax in between contractions. In this episode, I talk about why a massage gun is a good tool to bring with you to the hospital.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
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Aromatherapy works by stimulating the part of your brain responsible for emotions and memories. This includes the part responsible for anxiety and fear.
In this episode, I share how aromatherapy can help lower pain during labor, and the best types of essential oils to use.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
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