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Click on the blog post {aka Show Notes} for any podcast below and the links are at the bottom! Enjoy!

Countdown to Baby: Final Two Weeks

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The last two weeks of pregnancy can be a bit tricky because #1 you don't know when those last two weeks will actually be and #2 it feels exciting and exhausting all at the same time! We've broken it down into the most useful things you can do to transition from having baby inside to bringing home a newborn during that final countdown. We're talking about everything from prepping freezer meals, what to pack before you go, what to unpack before you give birth, breastfeeding, and much more.

3:25 - We dish on freezer meals and meal prep!

5:47 - One of the best things to do to prep for postpartum is to create "stations" around your home like in the bathroom and for breastfeeding.

10:18 - Review the birth course! When to head to the birthplace, last-minute conversations with the provider, labor rehearsals, meditation...you get it!

14:39 - The stuff that you don't want to be unpacking after the baby is home.

17:23 - The perfect time to learn about breastfeeding is right before baby is...

What to Eat in Your Fourth Trimester: Interview with Dietician Jaren Soloff + GIVEAWAY

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*Giveaway Details Below*

We talk A LOT about how to take care of yourself during pregnancy, but what about that "Fourth Trimester" after baby is born? We had a very special interview with Jaren Soloff, RD (Registered Dietician), IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), and author of The Postnatal Cookbook where we discussed the special nourishment a mother needs after giving birth to her baby, how long she needs it for, and how to implement Jaren's simple plan for making it happen. She also addresses how to remain body-positive during postpartum.

Enter the Giveaway to get a FREE paperback copy of The Postnatal Cookbook by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts! Search for the "Pregnancy and Birth Made Easy" podcast on Apple Podcasts, scroll down to “Ratings and Reviews,” click on “Write a Review," leave us a written review for the show and shoot us an email with the username.

We will announce the winner at the beginning...

Recovering from a Cesarean Birth

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Recovery is just as important as the event itself and when we talk about recovery we mean the whole woman, not just the physical body. Whether or not a cesarean birth is a planned part of your birth story there are some important and helpful things to know for the recovery period including your mental and emotional health too.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR PHYSICAL RECOVERY

You've had major abdominal surgery- ab muscles are pulled apart & incisions made into your uterus.
You've had an epidural that can come with its own set of side effects. Things like headaches and nausea. If spinal fluid is leaking, you may require a blood patch.
Overall, your inside may feel a little odd as your organs move back into their pre-baby places. Back pain, body aches, and fatigue are all normal.
You will have pain at the incision site. Moving, turning, twisting, sitting up, going to the bathroom, walking, etc will be more difficult and uncomfortable.

HOW TO COPE WITH PHYSICAL...

First Babies vs All the Others

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Motherhood feels new and exciting with each baby you welcome into your family. There's always a bit of a learning curve as the family makes room for a new member. As we were reflecting on our own experiences (Steph has 3 kids & Cort has 4) we realized that many of the things we worried about (our bought- haha!) with our first baby were very different from what we did for baby #2, 3, 4, etc. How many of the things below can you relate to?

1. We noticed we had (or wanted) SO many more gadgets with our first baby. Can you relate? Everything from a bottle warmer to a bottle drying rack, wipe warmers, the diaper Gene, and even those special baby towels and washcloths.

We were joking that you may even own variations of the same product! Take the bassinet for example...there's a co-sleeper bassinet, a pack n play, a portable bassinet or Moses basket. So many options! BUT, what you come to realize with subsequent babies is that they...

Things They Don't Tell You: Newborn Edition

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It's ok to wonder why your birth team feels like you're qualified to take your baby home and keep them alive! Newborns give us so many firsts and the truth is none of us know what we are doing. Spoiler alert: you're going to be great. In the meantime, let's go over all the things that make us laugh, cry, and push our mental stability to the limit...knowing we wouldn't trade any of it for the world!

[4:42] I don't want to call myself selfish, but...

[7:23] Is my baby breathing?

[8:53] Cortney shares her experience with having a smart mom and an incredible support system for her newborn and herself postpartum.

[12:07] Can you have enough pictures and videos of your baby? Maybe!

[16:00] Kids love to hear stories about themselves as they get older. If you have boys, they especially love the poop and toot stories!

[18:02] The umbilical cord lasts for a hot minute and comes with bonus surprises! Yay!

[22:45] Electricity and depression can actually be paired during nursing.

[25:42]...

Breastfeeding Interview with Sally Wright, IBCLC

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Join us for an incredible interview with Sally Wright, IBCLC where she gives you all the best tips for getting the first week of breastfeeding off to an incredible start as well as answering the top questions we received from all of you on Instagram!

[6:01] What an IBCLC is

[9:00] How can I stand up for myself (especially with COVID-19)?

[11:55] La Leche League

[19:03] The difference between the training of a pediatrician vs other lactation helpers

[22:50] How to take on the first week of breastfeeding

[23:21] The 3-hour feeding schedule at the hospital is not based on biology, it is based on a 12-hour hospital schedule

[24:41] Positioning when breastfeeding matters

[27:08] Keeping a log of breastfeeding, wet/poopy diapers will help postpartum - *FREE Breastfeeding Log Download Below!

[29:31] Questions from our community answered here!

[29:49] How do I know when my milk comes in and what do I do until then?

[33:49] What can moms do when confronted with being told...

And Baby Makes Three: Newborn Procedures

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We love talking about all things birth, but there a few things you need to know after birth in order to make an informed decision for your baby. This episode goes over the basics of what will be offered or required for baby within their first 24-48 hours of life.

[3:54] Delayed Cord-Clamping

[5:19] What cord-milking is and why it isn't a best practice for baby.

[7:52] Why immediate skin to skin has so many benefits for mom and baby.

[9:42] Hepatitis B Immunization

[12:09] Vitamin K Injection + Oral Vitamin K

[14:08] Erythromycin eye ointment

[16:13] Washing your baby - not necessarily a procedure, but the evidence to wait is pretty good!

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

If you haven't subscribed to the podcast yet, you definitely should! We love breathing life into our mamas and don't want you to miss a thing. Plus we have some neat bonus episodes coming and if you're not subscribed you may miss them. Click >>here<< to...

Communication Pitfalls & Pointers for Birthing Couples

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Anyone else experience pregnancy hormones drawing you away from your partner instead of closer? You're not alone! This important time in your life may shed light on communication skills that could use a little improvement. So, we've given you tons of examples and incredible tips and exercises to keep your communication strong and open. The best part is all of this will transfer into how you communicate and lean on your partner during birth.

[2:00] Marriage + Pregnancy & Parenthood = time to level up your communication skills

[2:25] How does poor communication show up in labor and birth?

[7:50] The most important step in building communication

[8:48] We discuss The Five Love Languages

[10:35] Our first communication exercise for you!

[10:45] It's important to recognize that pregnancy affects both people

[15:12] Two more communication exercises for you!

[16:43] The sandwich method

[20:27] The magic of creating a check-in time

[22:09] The importance of studying...

Cesareans: When They're Necessary & Avoiding When They Aren't- PART 2

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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...

You Know You're Crunchy If...

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Whoa, Nelly! Natural living is a slippery slope...one minute you decide to give cloth diapering a try, and the next thing you know you're washing down your placenta pill with a big glass of homemade kombucha. Don't say we didn't warn you! We had so much fun talking about some of the "crunchier" birth & postpartum options- how many of them have you tried? Don't forget to check out our "How Crunchy Are You?" quiz at the end of this post!

[1:02] Meme of the week!

[2:40] Cloth diapering

[6:28] Perineal massage

[8:06] Stephanie takes us inappropriately off-topic...

[10:53] The different ways to consume your placenta

[13:38] Drying of the umbilical cord

[14:06] Placenta prints

[14:46] Lotus birth

[15:57] Cord burning

[16:36] Orgasmic Birth

[19:46] Herbal postpartum bath

[21:22] Mother's Blessing

[24:22] Henna

[25:10] Belly casting

[27:11] Stephanie takes us off track again with another great idea....too much caffeine and sugar before #last90days

...

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