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This week I'm so excited to welcome Carly and her husband, Robbie who are sharing the story of the birth of their firstborn!Dive in to hear about how they navigated switching providers in the middle of their pregnancy from an OB, preparing for a  hospital birth, to a Midwife at a birth center and how they made it through the most challenging part of their labor, the final hour.

Show Notes:

 1:12 - Reviewer of the week

3:05 - Introducing Carly, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and her husband, Robbie, a 5th grade teacher who are here to share the birth story of their first baby. 

4:32 - Carly shares how she found her provider and why she decided to switch midway through her pregnancy from an OB at a hospital to Midwives at a birth center.

8:06 - Robbie shares how Carly's switch felt to him as a dad with limited knowledge about birth .

11:54 - Carly completed the 3 MEB exercises to help prepare for birth (way to go!) along with other great prep tools.

17:40...

This week we are joined by Annie Roskelley, a mother to 3 kids, certified babywearing educator, and volunteer at Babywearing Weber/Davis County Utah. She's sharing all her tips for making babywearing easy and enjoyable no matter how old your baby is or how much experience you have with carriers.

Show Notes:

1:12 - Reviewer of the week!

3:23 - Introducing Annie Roskelley, a mother of 3 and certified babywearing educator

5:44 - What are babywearing groups and what do they actually offer?

7:07 - Where can you find a babywearing group?

7:50 - I share my (kinda ridiculous) experience going through carriers trying to find the right fit

11:11 - Annie shares the amazing benefits of babywearing (anyone wanna go to the bathroom with both their hands free? )

13:04 - Can you wear your baby after a cesarean birth?

14:40 - All the tips for keeping baby safe in any carrier!

15:45 - When do you switch your baby from inward to outward facing? 

17:35 - What if baby doesn't like...

When it comes to giving birth, most people picture it going down in a hospital room. This is absolutely an option and there are more! That’s what we’re setting out to discuss this week on the Pregnancy and Birth Made Easy podcast. Join us as we go over the different locations where you can have your baby, the pros and the cons, and share evidence-based information as well as real-life experiences in order to help you decide what will be the very best place for YOUR birth.

Show Notes:

 1:14 - Reviewer of the week!

 2:30 - The question I hear the most, "What are my options for where I give birth?" this episode dives into all of them...minus the forest... 

3:24 - A little love note to the new moms and dads that have come to my classes, I love watching those lightbulbs come on as you dream up your birth map.

5:07 - I am devoted to keeping my content evidence-based and non biased. You have the ultimate choice in everything you decide for your...

**GIVEAWAY Instructions at the bottom of this page!**

Pregnancy includes many unknowns for dads-to-be and having something or someone to look up to could help you in the journey phenomenally. Today's guest is an author-dad who helps fathers worldwide understand pregnancy and the roles of a dad in helping make the experience easy for themselves and their partners.

David Arrell is a dad, consultant and men's coach. He turned author with his book, "Welcome to Fatherhood", in which he consolidates the lessons learned from his experience being a dad for the first time. Through the book, David encourages men to more actively step into their supportive roles during pregnancy, childbirth, and the fourth trimester back home and gives them detailed and practical tips and techniques on how to do so.

In this episode, he breaks down his journey of becoming a dad, the invisible roles of assisting the mother during the journey, the benefits of using professional help, like a doula, and some tips to...

When it comes to giving birth at home, most of us think we have a clear picture of what it will look like. Mom is in a super comfortable setting, with the support of family and friends, surrounded by candles and the calm presence of a midwife. Little do most of us know the beautiful mix of emotions experienced at that time, as well as the uncertainty and challenges that mothers embrace with strength and grace.

Today's episode will introduce to you to Kirsten and her husband, previous students of the My Essential Birth course, who share their experience in pre and postnatal days, dealing with anxiety, HG, and bonding with her newborn post-birth. Not only will you learn the nuances of childbirth at home, but you will also learn how to train your mind to be calm and prepared by having a clear picture of the succession of events during labor.

Show Notes:

0:06 - Reviewer of the week 

1:11 - Introducing Kirsten!

2:25 - Kirsten shares how...

It's true that we love telling you all of the ways to have an easier, more comfortable, confident, and empowered birth experience, but we decided to switch things up and get a little sarcastic so you can join us in some laughs while we give you all the top tips on what will cause more pain during labor.  Maybe you already know that being flat on your back and not having great support will leave you less than comfortable but what about pulling up trauma from a previous birth, focusing on all the negatives happening right now, and inviting all the unsupportive and opinionated people into your birth space!? No? Don't worry, we've got you covered mama! As always, we hope that you leave this episode armed with a smile and some crazy good info about how to make your birth the best it can possibly be.

Show Notes

4:07 - Being free to move around during labor is so important and being stuck in one position not only causes more discomfort but also slows, stalls, and makes it...

This week, I'm helping you explore the pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience. We’re going to take a deep dive into the essentials that every mama and her partner should know. From ways to stay healthy and low-risk through a well-balanced diet and probiotics, to methods that you and your birth partner can support one another. We’ll draw on evidence-based sources and personal experiences to help you prepare yourself to have your best birth. So join us this week as we demystify the journey from preparation to birth, to parenthood. We’ll see you there!

Pregnancy

[5:58] The benefits of preparing for birth earlier in the pregnancy rather than later

[8:20] How getting knowledge earlier in your pregnancy will help you stay healthy and low-risk

[9:20] How having a well-balanced diet puts you in the pregnancy driver’s seat

[14:18] Probiotics that can help you have a healthier birth and understanding how you handle pain to find the best...

A doula's role in assisting in childbirth is not only beautiful but also sacred. To those who maybe aren't so familiar, a doula is someone who supports women through pregnancy, birth and postpartum, mostly known for their hands-on support during the actual labor process. They also help the mother and her partner make informed decisions about the birth by providing emotional support, physical comfort, information and practical assistance. The best part? They work for YOU! Not your provider, not anyone else who may have an agenda, they are there to help you get all the information, and then support whatever decisions YOU choose to create your best birth.

If you're someone who wants to become or hire a doula, this episode is a treat to listen to! I have professional doula, and dear friend, Bonnie Baker, join me today to discuss the essential nuances of doula training, working as a doula, and we also dive a little deeper into how to have a successful birth...

Imagine training for a job but walking in on your first day and having no idea of what you were going to be asked to do! "Have you ever wondered what males really know about pregnancy and birth?"

The My Essential Birth Podcast began an intimate conversation between two childbirth educators and doulas. Since that first recording in an office after hours, things at My Essential Birth have grown. I now record in a studio with my incredible podcasting team Corbin, Trent, Dallon, and Savannah. With the exception of Savannah, my team is primarily male.

As you can imagine, they knew very little about pregnancy, the birthing process, and how women's bodies function! In this interview, my Rockstar editors will share the episodes that made them redefine the pregnancy journey, what it means to advocate for expectant moms, and the episodes that made them say -- "Wait, is THAT what happens during pregnancy?"

Sit back and prepare to laugh while gaining insight into how movies and media...

Ask any mama-to-be to imagine her ideal birth experience, and you will hear phrases such as: "I want to feel comfortable, in control, and connected to my body." All this and more is possible with the proper preparation. This week's conversation is about increasing mom's comfort during birth by creating room in the lower pelvic/uterine area for the baby - which sounds complicated, but it isn't.

The magic is in one simple exercise - The Forward-Leaning Inversion. The Forward-Leaning Inversion is one of the core exercises you will find in the My Essential Birth Exercise Guide (link below). In this episode, you will learn how to perform this exercise safely and its many benefits, from helping posterior & breech babies to relieving lower back pain. We also review the importance of balancing the pelvis during pregnancy.
 
 [00:01:12] Thank you for our reviewer of the week, who credits My Essential Birth with providing her " the space and freedom to create [her] own...