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Birth trauma is real and it can happen to women even when they've have done everything in their power to NOT have it happen, and it's NOT their fault! If you are wondering what you can do to avoid it OR you have experienced birth trauma and want to know how to heal from it, tune in this week! 

Karina Robinson, childbirth educator, doula, and almost midwife 😏 joins me as we walk through what causes birth trauma, how your birth partner can identify when you've experienced it, and how to avoid it with several different tools!

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About Karina: 

I am a trained, certified, and skilled professional doula in the height of my life’s passion. I am in my element when, after weeks of preparation and education, I see a woman and her partner share a secret, knowing look of shimmering emotion that shows all their hard work paid off, in one of life’s most precious moments. This moment is further enhanced for me when the woman’s partner has been encouraged and taught how to help and has bee...

If there is one thing I have learned as a life lesson that is also 100% applicable to all things birth, it's that every single challenge can be an incredible learning lesson and this holds true for what happened while women were pregnant and birthing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Challenges like pulling birth partners out of the birth rooms (unacceptable btw), moving healthy, low-risk moms to out of hospital births (the challenge is in the unexpected), mental health, women being pushed to their limits. They were all so daunting and so difficult.

But...

Tune into this episode because the other side of those challenges are so beautiful. Birth partners figured out what they need to know and how to support these moms - because what if they could get in but the doula wasn't allowed?, women realized how strong they were and that their bodies were made for birth when they moved their care out of hospital, women found their voices and started asking questions about policy and legalities -...

If you haven't heard of "Occupational Therapy," join the club! I literally never heard of this until Kayln reached out to me and it's something I think every mom should be aware of. In case you have NO idea what OT's do - it's holistic care from professionals that are trained to help people get back to all of their normal things they do in life. It can be as "small" as getting in and out of bed, making sure you're showered for the day, getting back to exercises or rock climbing...literally whatever your normal and joyful day looks like - they help.

It is a completely individualized approach to healthcare. You can head to your OB or pediatrician and ask for this kind of care BUT take a listen to see what may or may not qualify. The BEST part? It's usually covered by insurance so it's an inexpensive way to get the support you need no matter where you are at in your pregnancy, birth, postpartum...or life. 💜

Kayln Robertshaw is an occupational therapy doctorate student at Rocky Mountain...

I have had so many questions recently about testing positive for Group B Strep or GBS and the number one concern is, "Will this ruin the birth that I want?" I'm here to break down what GBS is, how it affects pregnancy and labor, ways that you can decrease your chances of testing positive, what happens if you choose to use antibiotics, and also options other than antibiotics should you test positive.

If you're a mom that is wanting to stay at home as long as possible before heading to your birth place, but if you test positive you definitely want the antibiotics, I talk about all of your options AND I want to encourage you right now that being GBS+ does NOT ruin any kind of birth you are aiming for! If you're reading along and have no idea what I'm talking about, that's ok and I know you're not alone. 😂

When a mom tests positive for GBS she can choose to have or not have antibiotics during labor. Antibiotics are strongly encouraged by providers. Should you choose to have them, your p...

Placenta encapsulation was a foreign concept just a few years ago, but now as it becomes more mainstream there are tons of questions around who should have it done, what the benefits actually are, if there are risks involved and when to avoid encapsulation, how Covid-19 has affected placentas, and how to find someone who really knows what they're doing. Today I get to answer all of those questions with doula and almost midwife 😏, Bonnie Baker. For as long as I have known Bonnie in the birth world, she has been involved in finding ways to improve birthing outcomes and take care of mothers during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. This includes the wonderful work of encapsulating placentas. Enjoy!

Show Notes:

 1:15 - Our reviewer of the week talks about the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy being her very favorite after listening to thousands of hours of birthing podcasts! Thanks mama!

3:20 - Bonnie discusses the details of the placenta encapsulation process and the history behind consumpti...

You come up to your glucose test between week 24-28 during pregnancy and often there's only one option given - "The Glucose Drink." This drink is filled with artificial coloring, flavors, dextrose, brominated soybean oil (banned in Europe, Japan, and India....and also patented as a flame retardant in the United States). So, yes there are a few reasons moms want to look for another option.

If you're one of those moms, you're not alone! In fact, my guest for this week's episode, Jacquie Berg is a mom and was so taken back by what was being offered to her for this test during her own pregnancy, that she took matters into her own hands to create a solution.

This week we're talking about everything that goes into the testing, why it's done, how glucose is measured, and healthy alternatives for moms everywhere! PLUS we have a really neat GIVEAWAY for not just one mama - but FIVE. 💜

Here's a little bit about Jacquie:

With 15 years of work in Endocrinology, Obstetrics and Medical Device Bus...

There's a lot of information out there when in comes to pregnancy, birth and parenthood so what do you actually need to know when you're preparing for the journey ahead? If you're here, you're probably a mama who wants ALL the information and wants to be as prepared as possible! If so, this episode is for you!

I'm joined this week by Jessica Lorion, the host and producer of the podcast, Mamas in Training. She's here to share her best tips for getting prepared for pregnancy and birth based off of the three pillars of advocacy, community, and informed consent. 

JESSICA LORION is an American TV, film, and theatre artist based in NYC. She’s also the Host and Producer of the Podcast: Mamas in Training.

Screen credits include Metro Park (Eros Now/Amazon Prime), Homicide City: Charlotte (Investigation Discovery) and a national commercial for King Clean. Her theatrical credits include the North American tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Babette) and two productions of Mary Poppins (...

One of the first things on our minds as soon as we have our babies is feeding them. Those first few days can feel like a blur and if you're choosing to breastfeed you may be feeling overwhelmed by ALL of the things you need to learn seemingly overnight. If you're worried about if you're producing enough or whether your baby is eating enough, or what the heck is happening to your nipple, don't worry.

Today, I'm here with our special guest, Sally Wright, an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and mother of five, to help clear up the confusion and pump out the facts you actually need to know!

Sally grew up in Hawai'i and now lives in Utah. She is the mother of five children, including a set of twins. She has been an IBCLC since 2016 and has served as a volunteer Leader with La Leche League since 2006, providing community breastfeeding support. Sally especially loves helping parents of multiples meet the joys and challenges of a life with abundance. When she's n...

Childbirth is a rite of passage and an essential part of the human experience… but it can often be confusing, scary, and sometimes, a little stressful. We all want to induce labor naturally, but most of us don't know how to go about it!

Sit back and relax because today's episode is a guide to inducing childbirth without medical intervention. With a bit of consideration, you can increase the chance of natural childbirth and experience a healthy, happy pregnancy!

Today, I share the different herbs, oils, techniques, exercises, and procedures that you can practice to start your labor naturally, now. These include some more known medicinal oils and herbs like evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea, midwife's brew tea, and the lesser known black cohosh. We'll also learn about some techniques like the Webster's chiropractic technique and the miles circuit method. We'll dig into both the positives and negatives of each, so you can rest assured that you choose the best option for yours...

Show Notes:

1:12 - Our reviewer of the week shares how easy this podcast is to listen to and gain valuable knowledge. They recommend this podcast to anyone who is pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant

3:33 - Find your ...