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Your Mental Game for Birth + BONUS Meditation
Aug 21, 2019
We are super excited to share a snippet of one of our meditation tracks from inside the My Essential Birth course. Plus we talk about the how and why positive affirmations are so dang good while you're pregnant...and always! Don't forget to download the FREE pdf that comes along with this episode.
[1:37] Announcing a pregnancy? >>> Que other mama's horror stories (face palm).
[1:55] Stephanie's theory: Birth horror stories stem from a need for validation for their experience
[3:32] These stories feed the LIE that birth is scary, unpredictable or something to be endured rather than enjoyed
[3:48] There is a way to re-do the bad programming that we have absorbed
[5:14] Stephanie shares her experience with how positive affirmations changed the course of her third birth
[7:04] Cortney discusses some of the science behind why positive affirmations are so powerful
[11:32] Take time to visualize your ideal birth as you listen to these affirmations
[12:10]...
2 Girls, 7 Totally Different Births
Aug 13, 2019
We share our personal birth stories which include hospital, birth center, and home birth, as well as cesarean birth, VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), medicated, and unmedicated....does that cover everything?! PLUS, get the scoop on the one thing that made all the difference for BOTH of us when getting ready to have our babies.
Also poop, we talk about poop!
[1:47] In the U.S. 1/3 of women will find themselves in a cesarean birth
[2:27] The one thing
[2:57] Stephanie's first birth story...and that time when she was told by her provider that women with size 5 1/2 shoe and smaller, typically have a cesarean (say what?!)
[12:17] A lot of My Essential Birth mamas are mamas who have had a previous birth experience that they don't want to repeat
[12:47] Through preparation, you can control a lot of your birth
[13:47] Stephanie's 2nd birth...
[16:45] Third baby, Stephanie calls the one hospital in the area and they tell her to plan for...
What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
Jul 31, 2019
TV lied. They almost always depict birth as super simple...
Pregnant woman shows up to the hospital with a frantic, fumbling husband.
Cut to a scene of the woman either panting or screaming.
Woman exits the hospital with a baby and big smiles.
There's SO MUCH that happens in between this "enter pregnant, exit with a baby" scenario, but too many mamas don't realize this until after their first birth. They leave feeling frustrated, maybe disappointed, and determined to be better prepared for their next birthing experience. Because...when it comes to birth, ignorance is NOT bliss.
Smart mamas know that understanding your options and what to expect puts you in the driver's seat! Yes, your provider is there to help you have a safe experience. But having an enjoyable birth experience is up to you. In this week's podcast episode, we get into some of the hot topics surrounding options during birth.
[1:06]: If you don't know...
Medicated vs Unmedicated: The Controversial Topic We Plan to Dispel Once & For All
Jul 23, 2019
Do you ever feel like you have to pick a side?!
We know all too well that this controversial topic can lead to many one-ups, horror stories, and hurt feelings, but it doesn't need to be that way. If you have a birth that you love and brought you joy, that was a good birth for you, no matter how you got there!
You'll get to hear why women choose an epidural or an unmedicated birth and pros and cons for each. One of the most important things we always emphasize is preparation. So, no matter which way you're leaning, (or if you're somewhere in the middle), understanding your options and preparing for the outcome you desire will always give you more power in your birth experience.
[2:17] Prepare yourself for whole heck of a lot of unsolicited advice ;)
[4:15] Trust your intuition
[5:21] At the end of the birth, all that really matters is if you can look back at the experience and you feel good about it
[6:54] Birth isn't something you get to do every day,...
Why Your Hospital Birth Class Probably Sucks
Jul 16, 2019
Warning: you might just learn more in this podcast episode than you did at that hospital birth class! ;) We are going to dive into the good and bad of what's covered in a typical hospital class, and why they may not be a great fit for you if you actually want to learn how to work with your body during birth.
Preparation is the #1 thing you can do to achieve your ideal birth, and part of preparation means knowing all of your options. You can't decide what you want unless you know what's available to you during pregnancy and birth!
[3:00] What is covered in a hospital birth class
[5:00] Hospital classes teach more of what is going to happen to you and less of how to work with your body to give birth comfortably and confidently.
[13:26] Asking questions on your birthplace tour will give you an idea of how they feel about your preferences.
[15:56] Your birth team matters. A doula can be a great addition to your birth team to help support mom and...
