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Birth always begins with either a pop-gush of waters breaking or a massive contraction, followed by screaming at your partner, and then squeezing his hand super hard while you push out a baby the size of a 2-month-old. That's Hollywood's version of birth, but how much of it is accurate? Hint: not a lot! We think you'll love listening to us debunk all the ways they get it wrong, why they do this, and what you can do about it.

 

[3:06] Pregnancy is always miserable & always a burden

[3:42] The father is always clueless

[5:13] Birth always begins with a gush of water or Level 10 contractions!

[6:40] Birth goes from zero to baby being born in a matter of minutes

[6:58] You have to fumble around just trying to get to the hospital

[7:51] The woman in labor screams at everyone and is angry at the father

[9:04] Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

[9:25] Birth only happens in the back of the car or a hospital

[10:24] You give birth on your back with your legs in...

 

 

If you are pregnant and preparing to give birth during the COVID-19 global pandemic, this episode is for you! With many hospitals pulling back birth support we are getting so many questions about what mothers should do. This episode will help you prepare, as needed, for a birth with less birth support.

 

[2:08] Can you really "prepare" to have less support for birth?

[3:38] Listening to these podcasts are part of the foundation you are laying for your birth prep.

[5:48] Your partner should be prepared, especially if they are your only birth support + prepare other birth support in case your partner has signs/symptoms of COVID-19 and is unable to attend your birth with you

[7:31] HOW you prepare! - Some of our favorite books and podcast episodes.

[8:32] Birth videos + IG Content

[9:15] FREE Downloads from us to prepare you

[11:04] Know what it is evidence-based or not + stay healthy & low-risk so you have more options

[11:57] Decrease stress, yoga, and...

 

 

With terms like Advanced Maternal Age and Geriatric Mother being thrown around, it's time we broke down all the facts surrounding being pregnant and giving birth after the age of 35- including the hot topic of stillbirth. Share this episode with your friends who are also having babies in their late 30's & beyond!

 

[4:03] Why "Geriatric" is not even close to an appropriate term for a pregnant woman.

[5:29] Why you need to have the correct information about giving birth over 35.

[6:31] Why women are choosing to have children later in life?

[7:15] Challenges for women giving birth after 35

[8:10] The Hot Topic: Stillbirth

[9:58] Relative vs. Absolute Risk

[11:43] Gestation and how it's different before and after age 35

[13:03] Why out of hospital midwifery care may be a great choice

[16:27] What stands in the way of a mother over 35 having her best birth?

[19:20] What you can do to have the best outcomes

 

Need some "help" (pun intended for all our Type 2 moms- "The Helpers") embracing your birthing strengths and getting hints on what to watch out for during your pregnancy & birth? We've got you covered, sis! In this episode, we break down all the particulars and help you feel appreciated and loved along the way.

Supporting a Type 2 mom? There's an entire section for you too! Take a listen, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @myessentialbirth.

 

 

[2:11] iTunes Review Spotlight: MM1227

[4:15] Description of Enneagram 2 - The Helper

[5:30] Enneagram 2 birthing strengths: Nurse gifts, packing for baby, setting the tone for the birth space, preparing for birth.

[11:24] Watch out for: not giving yourself sufficient "me-time" or self-care, nurses, providers or other people's opinions overriding your own, emotions that force you to walk through some gunk to get...

With cesarean rates higher than ever in the U.S., we realize there is a major lack of education about why and how to avoid an unnecessary one, until now. This two-part podcast covers all things cesarean birth: from the history behind cesarean birth, where it developed, why the cesarean birth rate has not gone down (even though it should have), why a provider may recommend one - including which reasons are legitimate and which can be avoided, what you can expect if you have one, and most importantly how to PREVENT an unnecessary cesarean birth! This episode (Part 2) covers everything from what to expect during a cesarean birth, emotions that go along with one, and a quick overview for recovery. Spoiler alert: be gentle with yourself!

 

[1:13] What to expect during a cesarean birth

[7:10] Gentle cesareans

[11:12] Stephanie's cesarean birth experience

[14:20] Emotions that come along with cesarean birth

[16:45] Processing our birth stories

[17:48] What partners can do...

 

In this episode, My Essential Birth mama, Christy, walks us through her birth experiences and what she did to make the third time a charm!  We absolutely love listening to birth stories and this one was no exception. We know you'll feel inspired by it too!

 

[1:27] Christy has 3 girls; 4, 2, and 2-month old baby

[2:13] Chrisy's first birth - She discusses the details of this birth, the challenges, and how preparation would have helped.

[3:01] Christy had her water broken, received an epidural and blood pressure meds because the epidural caused a drop in blood pressure. She was told she may need a cesarean birth for baby in distress and a stalled labor. She was put on Pitocin, pushed for 45 minutes, received an episiotomy, and lost a pint of blood. 

[8:22] Found a new doctor for her second birth who was more in line with her vision for birth.

[9:07] Stalled again, right around 7cm...just like with her first birth.

[9:29] Baby #2 was a...

Are fears, either subconscious or ones that you're very aware of, holding you back from having the birth that you really want? In this episode, we talk about the 7 fears that might be keeping you from an awesome birth. Listen & see if any of these resonate with you!

 

And don't worry...we aren't going to leave you hangin'. As always, we'll give you tips and tricks to tackle those fears and so that you can get back to preparing for your best birth.

 

[1:27] This episode inspired by Rachel Hollis "What's Keeping You From Making a Million Dollars?"

[2:29] We include advice throughout the episode of how to work through these fears if you have them.

[2:45] Fear #1: Are you afraid of outdoing someone you love?

[8:24] Fear #2: The Fear of Failure

[13:08] Fear #3: Fear of Success...yes it's a thing!

[16:26] Fear #4: Fear of the Unknown

[20:32] Fear #5: Legitimate Fears and Anxieties Due to Circumstances Surrounding Your Birth

[22:35] Fear #6: Fear of...

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]...