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Show Notes:

[1:21] Our Reviewer of the Week, Glam girl 4 life, said "I started listening to this podcast when I was around 30 weeks pregnant & listened whenever I had free time, in the car, shower, washing dishes, etc. I had been told by pretty much everyone that I wouldn't be able to have an unmedicated birth because of my extremely low pain tolerance but this podcast gave me the mental strength I needed to achieve that even in a scary situation. I ended up going to the hospital at 34 weeks 2 days after waking up with a placental abruption. I ended up going from 3cm to birthing my baby in 3 hours with no epidural. Listening to these podcast & birth stories mentally prepared me in such a short amount of time. I had my baby in July 2023 and still listen to this podcast! | cannot stop recommending this podcast to every pregnant person I know!"

[3:19] Kyla shares her inspiring birth story, from struggling with irregular cycles and infertility treatments to the unexpected joy of conce...

Show Notes:

[1:41] Our Reviewer of the Week, Jo-Shanks, said: "I listened to this podcast before getting pregnant and all throughout my pregnancy journey. At my 36 week appointment, things changed very fast for me. I went from one slightly elevated blood pressure reading at 35 weeks to my midwife telling me I most likely would be induced the next day at my 36 week appointment. I credit this podcast with all the knowledge I walked into that induction with. I was able to consent to certain procedures with confidence and deny others. I was indeed induced the next day and less than 48 hours laster our daughter arrived. I did the daily exercises and truly believe that flipped out girl and got her in optimal position. Next baby I am not procrastinating and will be taking her course!"

[2:31] Sophie Harris is a pregnancy and postpartum psychotherapist and founder of Looking After Mum. Sophie has worked with hundreds of mums to manage feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and low mood to feel con...

Show Notes:

[1:48] Our Reviewer of the Week, momof4, said: "I had felt so defeated after having a traumatic vaginal birth full of interventions and a painful C-section with my 2nd. With my 3rd, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to even try for a VBAC as I had no confidence in my own ability to birth my baby. Then . . . as if by divine intervention, I found this podcast during that 3rd pregnancy. It changed everything for me. I went from feeling like birth happened to me twice to going on to have two more babies via beautiful and redemptive VBACs (last one completely unmedicated). Stephanie does a great job informing mothers on their options and potential hiccups in the pregnancy and birthing process so listeners can make the best decision for themselves and their babies. This podcast and the birth course are a must for any woman. My husband was also grateful for the easily digestible information from both the podcast and course. I am forever thankful and still listen to the podcast weekl...

Show Notes:

[1:30] Our Review of the Week, MECovell123, said: "I am a pelvic floor PT and I first started listening to this podcast to learn more information about pregnancy and birth for my clients. I continued to listen throughout my own pregnancy and was overwhelmed at the amount of helpful information that helped me prepare mentally and physically for my own delivery. I loved listening to all the positive birth stories and found the information in the class very helpful. I am now a proud mama of a 2 week old little girl and enjoying all the information in the postpartum course! Thank you, Stephanie, for all that you do!"

[2:43] Today's topic is about Vitamin K. Stephanie emphasizes the importance of gathering information to make informed decisions, especially regarding newborn care. There is uncertainty many parents feel about certain medical interventions immediately after birth. While not advocating for or against these interventions, Stephanie aims to provide deeper insight...

Show Notes:

[2:23] We have a Book Giveaway this week! We are giving away a copy of Real Food for Fertility written by Lily Nichols and Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. We have Lisa on the podcast today! 

In order to be entered into the giveaway, go give us a review! You're going to open up Apple Podcasts, find Pregnancy and Birth Made Easy Podcast, scroll down, select Ratings and Reviews. Click the stars, write a review, and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved from this week's episode, or just the podcast in general. Screenshot the review that you left and email it over to [email protected]!

[3:27] Our Reviewer of the Week, ERees307, said: "This podcast was my best resource during pregnancy! I just had my first baby and before the birth I listened to every episode of this podcast! My birth preferences went out the door when my babe was diagnosed with fetal growth restriction and I was scheduled to be induced early. This podcast gave me t...

Show Notes:

[1:58] Our Reviewer of the Week, Birthing in Bliss, said: "So thankful to stumble upon this inspiring podcast around 26 weeks pregnant while searching for info on the Fresh Test. That episode became the first of MANY that I devoured during the last 14 weeks of my pregnancy. Listening to and internalizing all of the birth stories and especially Stephanie's empowering explanations of unmediated birth in the birthing course emboldened me to switch my birth plans from the hospital where I had my first two babies to a birthing center at almost 35 weeks pregnant! I became hooked on the prenatal exercises and utilized the meditation tracks every evening, even making my own to relax with before and during labor. I had the labor and delivery experience of my dreams and was truly able to be present during every moment, enjoying the spa- like ambiance of the birthing center culminating in a beautiful water birth. Watching my previously skeptical physician husband fully shift his o...

Show Notes:

[1:35]  This week's episode is all about how to include people into your birth space as kind of your own personal doula. If you have your mom, sister, aunt, birth partner, friend, or other family member that you want in that birth space, send them this episode if they are planning to be there to assist you, and you want to give them a crash course.

[2:11] What are the benefits of having someone who can guide you through birth?

•  You will reduce your length of labor. When you have support people that know what they're doing and can be of support to you, your labor time is less.
•  Studies have shown to decrease the amount of pain that a mom experiences.
•  It is shown to boost confidence and improve the experience of labor, including how you feel when you look back on it, hopefully with joy.

[6:20] If you are a My Essential Birth mom, and you have somebody helping you out, they should definitely be watching the birth course. There are definitely very specific things ...

Show Notes:

[1:37] Our Reviewer of the Week, Madi-12-12, said: "I give this podcast credit for my amazing unmedicated birth experience! Education is key to an amazing birth experience and this podcast provides it! I was unable to take the birth course by the time l found this podcast because I was already enrolled in another, but I learned more from this podcast then I did from that other birth course. I will definitely sign up for their birth course for my next pregnancy! Thank you so much for the time and effort put into this podcast!"

[2:51] This topic came up in our Facebook group for My Essential Birth.  What do we do when postpartum goes a little bit sideways?  I think there are some things, I'm going to go over some of the more serious things that you need to be aware of immediately. Some things that we can catch right away. And then some of those that you might not be so easy to catch. 

[4:38] Let's talk about these three big warning signs that you need to be aware of.

#...

Show Notes:

[1:27] Our Reviewer of the Week, Care_bear_21, said: "I am so thankful for this podcast. I am 26 weeks pregnant with my first and I have been listening to this podcast for the majority of my pregnancy and I love it. I used to think that if I ever got pregnant I would definitely want to have a Cesarean birth because the thought of having my baby vaginally absolutely terrified me. Well not anymore. I look forward to trying my absolute best to have not just a vaginal birth, but an unmedicated vaginal birth. And that is all thanks to this podcast. I feel so much more confident and educated about birth that I actually look forward to it now. I always look forward to that time of day where I can just turn on the podcast and just listen to these ladies talk. I’m not even halfway done with the podcast but I’m already sad just thinking about once I’ll be caught up and won’t have anything to listen to daily. Thank you so much for this podcast."

[2:55] Our birth story today is fr...

Show Notes:

[1:28] Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal NutritionⓇ, co-founder of the Women’s Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility, Real Food for Pregnancy, and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. 

[4:19] "The health of the baby is the health of the placenta. So it really is kind of like a full spectrum view at reproduction. We also need to think about, you know, the partner's health too. Sperm quality plays a role in the health of a pregnancy."

[8:05] When should you start paying attention to your nutrition before conception? "The most sensitive period for the effects of nutrients and toxin exposure and things like that and egg quality is in the last three or so months right before ovulation. There's a little less than three months, 70 something days for sperm development. So ...