Birthful
708 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago -On Birthful, working doula and former journalist Adriana Lozada talks pregnancy, birth and postpartum with top experts and new parents. Every episode distills the overload of pregnancy information down to the most relevant and useful stuff. Adriana Lozada is a mom, author, speaker, birth doula, postpartum educator, and healthy-sleep consultant. Visit Birthful.com. Please note: Adriana has years of experience but she's not a doctor, and does not expect anyone to treat the show like medical advice. Please always consult with your care provider. This show does not dispense medical advice.
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Episodes
How to Have a Great Hospital Birth
June 27, 2024 07:01 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBYou can have a fabulous birth experience at a hospital, but it requires thoughtful preparation. Adriana Lozada helps simplify this process by going through some of the best practices to get you there. Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE! NEEDED - Get 20% off at ThisIsNeeded.com with code BIRTHFUL HONEYLOVE - Get 20% off at HoneyLove.com/Birthful JENNI KAYNE - Get 15% off at JenniKayne.com/Birthful with code BIRTHFUL15 AQUATRU - Get 20% off at AquaTru.com with code BIRTHFUL ACORNS - Go to...
Milk Your Lactation Benefits!
June 26, 2024 07:01 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBSome people say that nursing your baby is "free” — and while there certainly are unique cost savings associated with feeding human milk, there can be expenses associated with it, too. How can you maximize your lactation-related benefits? And what does the law have to say? Adriana shares practical tips about the financial side of infant feeding. Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE! NEEDED - Get 20% off at ThisIsNeeded.com with code BIRTHFUL JENNI KAYNE - Get 15% off at JenniKayne.com/Birthful...
How to Organize Truly Helpful Postpartum Support From Your Friends and Family
June 19, 2024 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBMichelle Peterson shares with Adriana a fantastic framework for setting up your postpartum village of support that spreads the responsibility over many people (seven to be exact) so that you are well-resourced beyond the first few weeks of postpartum. She explains how to prepare and why you’ll need a team leader to coordinate it all to make sure you not only receive the care you need, but that your dishes end up in the right place and your laundry is folded just how you like it. Sponsor off...
[Birth Stories] Leaning Into Peer Support After Her Unplanned Surgical Birth
June 12, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBDr. Amber Thornton worked hard for a healthy pregnancy and an unmedicated vaginal birth, but she didn’t expect her water to release before 39 weeks. Despite an early hospital admission, labor progressed right along… until it didn’t. She shares with Adriana the fears she had to contend with while having an unplanned surgical birth, and how having intentionally set up her village of mutual support was invaluable in getting through early nursing difficulties and her cesarean recovery. Sponsor ...
Why You Deserve Professional Postpartum Support (And How to Afford It!)
June 05, 2024 07:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBWhen it comes to postpartum, EVERYONE needs support. And even after accepting that you WILL need the help, it can be tricky figuring out how to ask for it, especially when most of our friends and family members don’t really know how to help (nor have the time!). Kaitlin McGreyes talks with Adriana about how combining community help with professional support can set you up for the perfect combination of care and knowledge to have the amazing postpartum experience you deserve. She also shares ...
[Postpartum Stories] When Anxiety and Panic Come Out of Nowhere
May 29, 2024 07:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBHaving had two flawless postpartum periods under her belt, Kayla Sanmiguel didn’t know how to cope when postpartum anxiety and severe panic disorder came out of nowhere after her third birth. She shares with Adriana how being blindsided by the experience compelled her to bolster her future postpartum plans, and approach the birth of her fourth baby with new tools and wisdom. Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE! NEEDED - Get 20% off at ThisIsNeeded.com with code BIRTHFUL SUGAR SUGAR DEODORAN...
Working with HR to Maximize Your Employee Benefits for Postpartum
May 22, 2024 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBUnderstanding your parental leave benefits —with all its overwhelming fine print— can be a daunting task! To make the process easier, human resource professional extraordinaire Katy Dahl shares with Adriana how to approach the process so that you can not only maximize your benefits, but also understand if your time off will impact your health insurance, your paycheck, or your retirement age. Katy brings clarity and levity to the topic, to help you avoid unfortunate surprises during postpartu...
[Birth Stories] Fast Birth, Hard Postpartum
May 15, 2024 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBIvy shares with Adriana the overwhelming challenges of her postpartum experience after being overjoyed by her fast and furious unmedicated hospital birth. She explains the lactation issues that lead her to exclusively pump and the difficulties in healing her pelvic floor, as well as why she recommends everyone have a Pelvic PT assessment and be familiar with their breast pump before their baby arrives. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links lis...
What You Need To Plan Your Parental Leave
May 08, 2024 04:00 - 55 minutes - 50.8 MBPerinatal health consultant Arianna Taboada goes through the ins and outs of paid and unpaid parental leave in the United States. She shares with Adriana Lozada how to be realistic about your options for the best possible return to work for you and your family, while lessening the overwhelm. To read up on state-by-state paid parental and medical leave laws go to abetterbalance.org Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes...
[Birth Stories] How She Confidently and Calmly Gave Birth in a Moving Car
May 04, 2024 04:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBLaura Loos has had two non-medicated vaginal births, with her second one happening so super fast, that it involved birthing while in a moving car! She shares with Adriana how connecting with her inner voice and trusting the abundant preparation she had done during pregnancy allowed her to be calm, present, and pragmatic during the unexpectedness of it all. So much so that, once she got to her hospital room, she took full charge of the birth of her placenta. Get the most out of this episode...
How Your Baby Helps During the Birthing Process
May 01, 2024 04:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBBabies use a set of coordinated movements and specific reflexes that allow them to participate in the birthing process. Adriana Lozada explains how this fascinating process works, and how it helps get them earthside. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes page. If you liked this episode, listen to our interview on Baby's Position and Labor Flow and our episode on how to Have an Easier Pregnancy (and Birth!) with Chir...
[Birth Stories] How She Reframed Birth Toward Pleasure and Let Her Power Flow
April 27, 2024 04:00 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBMaya Ehnat was brought up to be comfortable with birth, and so from the get-go, her language and approach weren’t fear-based. Beyond that, much of the preparation she did during pregnancy was guided by a desire to minimize trauma and bring heaps of pleasure and joy into the experience. She shares with Adriana how although her first birth was long and quite challenging, she wouldn’t describe it as painful. Now her second birth? That one was filled with power, permission, fluidity, and delight...
How to Bring More Pleasure and Joy Into Your Birth (And Why It Makes a Difference!)
April 24, 2024 04:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBIf you want to minimize sensations of pain and even move them into pleasure, this episode is for you! Debra Pascali-Bonaro and Adriana explore how you can bring more pleasure and joy into your birth, and why doing so can help you not only have a better experience, but also help support your birth physiology for a more flowing birth. Debra shares with Adriana a wide range of actionable suggestions on how to prepare during pregnancy, what to set in place and advocate for during birth, and ways...
[Birth Story] How Harnessing Her Birth Hormones Allowed Her to Forgo an Induction
April 20, 2024 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBWhen Danellia Arechiga became a gestational surrogate, she felt strongly about having an unmedicated birth at a birth center. Even as her labor plan derailed into an induction, she pushed for few interventions and worked with her physiology, ultimately experiencing the elusive Fetal Ejection Reflex. She tells Adriana Lozada why doing so was important for her, the baby, and the intended parents. As a musician, Danellia (Dané Reál) has created the song Mother as an anthem gifted to those whos...
Helping Your Mammalian Body (and Baby!) Have an Easier and More Connected Birth
April 17, 2024 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBDuring labor, you want contractions that are longer, stronger, and closer together. But why? Dr. Sarah Buckley and Adriana take a deep dive into the amazing and fascinating hormonal dance that happens during the birthing process, and how interventions such as synthetic oxytocin or an epidural can lead to a cascade of interventions that negatively impact the process for both the birthing person and their baby. They also talk about ways to support the physiology of birth (regardless of what pa...
[Birth Stories] How Her Goals of “No Epidural and No Whining” Helped Her Befriend the Labor Pain
April 13, 2024 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBCeleste and Claudiu Bancos share their perspectives of their son’s birth (who chimes in too!), often surprising each other with moments the other didn’t remember or knew about. Ultimately, Celeste achieved her birth goals of not whining and avoiding getting an epidural, with the help of a veterinarian’s memoir book from the 30s, strong vocalizations, a crisis of confidence, realizing how well her hormones were working, and the live narration by Claudiu of her baby’s beautiful emergence into ...
The Purpose of Childbirth Pain
April 10, 2024 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBRhea Dempsey is one of the foremost thinkers on the topic of working with pain in childbirth. She shares with Adriana the physiological purpose of pain during labor, why it gets such a bad rap, and suggests the pain relief paradigm is a medical construct that undermines our capacity for peak performance and body potency that ultimately facilitates birth. In other words: bring it on! Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show note...
[Birth Stories] Birth Is as Mental and Emotional as It Is Physical
April 06, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBMegan Othling explains how birth can happen as much in your head as in your body and how facing the unexpected feelings she was having during the birth of her third child was just what was needed for them to be born. She shares with Adriana the profound growth and transformation she experienced through her four births and postpartum experiences, and how she stepped into the vulnerability of accepting all her feelings–even the unpopular ones. Get the most out of this episode by checking out ...
Getting Comfortable With the Intimate Nature of Birth
April 03, 2024 04:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBPregnancy is a great time to realize what the heck motivates your choices as you venture into the great transformation of birth and becoming a parent. Nekole Malia Shapiro shares with Adriana how using the embodied approach of connecting with yourself and your body can help you find your own best expert birth guide, while also building the awesome habit of bringing more oxytocin into your life. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on ...
[Birth Stories] So Was It a Waterbirth?
March 30, 2024 04:00 - 40 minutes - 37 MBHailey McHone’s first birth was what her OB called "a textbook hospital delivery," which came with an epidural-Pitocin combo, and, frankly, little consent. She talks with Adriana about getting more intentional with her wishes and choices for her second birth and ending up with a confidence-boosting, self-affirming, physiological experience that included a concoction of grape juice and papaya nectar, some much-wanted chicken nuggets, and waiting for her sister to arrive. Get the most out of...
Transformation Through The Holistic Stages of Birth (Part Two)
March 27, 2024 04:00 - 44 minutes - 41.2 MBWe try to make birth practical by measuring, overseeing, and monitoring it… when really, it’s an experience that flows seamlessly from one stage to another, taking the birthing person deep into their physiology and intuitive altered states. Whapio Diane Bartlett shares with Adriana how to better describe what the laboring person goes through, by explaining the Holistic Stages of Birth. In this second episode of a two-part series, we go deeper into the Quietude, to then finally emerge into i...
Transformation Through The Holistic Stages of Birth (Part One)
March 23, 2024 04:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBWe try to make birth practical by measuring, overseeing, and monitoring it… when really, it’s an experience that flows seamlessly from one stage to another, taking the birthing person deep into their physiology and intuitive altered states. Whapio Diane Bartlett shares with Adriana how to better describe what the laboring person goes through, by explaining the Holistic Stages of Birth. In this first episode of a two-part series, we start with embarking into labor, and just past what is usua...
Best of Birthful: Why Pushing Too Early Might Affect the Baby and You
March 20, 2024 04:00 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBWelcome to the Best of Birthful. Creator and host Adriana Lozada curated and edited each selection in this playlist of the show’s most popular episodes. It's a tailored introduction to the expansive catalog she amassed over the first five years of Birthful's 300+ episodes (which is now in its 9th year!). Whapio, a midwife and founder of The Matrona, explores the modern management of pushing, and challenges our preconceived notions in the process. She gets into pushing’s effects on the baby,...
Best of Birthful: How an Anxious Mind Impacts You During Pregnancy
March 16, 2024 04:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBWelcome to the Best of Birthful. Creator and host Adriana Lozada curated and edited each selection in this playlist of the show’s most popular episodes. It's a tailored introduction to the expansive catalog she amassed over the first five years of Birthful's 300+ shows (which is now in its 9th year!). Leading high-risk pregnancy expert and mind-body health specialist, Parijat Deshpande, discusses the anxiety that comes with high-risk births. She offers tips on how to manage these feelings b...
Best of Birthful: How a Baby’s Position Impacts Labor
March 13, 2024 04:00 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBWelcome to the Best of Birthful. Creator and host Adriana Lozada curated and edited each selection in this playlist of the show’s most popular episodes. It's a tailored introduction to the expansive catalog she amassed over the first five years of Birthful's 300+ shows (which is now in its 9th year!). Midwife Gail Tully, founder of the Spinning Babies approach, explains how a baby’s position can dictate the flow and ease of a birth. Learn how to prepare your body for labor with personalized...
[Birth Stories] Unprepared for a Fast-Starting Labor and a Surprisingly Hard Recovery
March 09, 2024 05:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBErin Patterson’s birth was in many ways, the reverse of what she expected: It started strong from the get-go when she was expecting it to be slow and sporadic, she loved the car ride even though she had been dreading it, and when it came to pushing, she never imagined she’d be on her back. She shares with Adriana how the most unexpected thing was ending up with pelvic floor muscular trauma that made for a slow and difficult recovery requiring months of PT work, and how laid-back breastfeedin...
Have a Happier Pelvic Floor (and a Happier You!) During Pregnancy
March 06, 2024 05:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBIt’s estimated that 1 in 5 pregnant people will experience urinary incontinence during their first year postpartum! Exercise physiologist and perinatal educator Lindsay McCoy talks with Adriana about how noticing your habitual body movements and establishing easy, daily-life habits to increase your body’s responsiveness can lead to a healthier and happier pelvic floor. They also highlight the mind-blowing connection between your pelvic soft tissues and your nervous system. Get the most out...
[Birth Stories] How She Got Through a Week of Prodromal Labor by Embracing It
March 02, 2024 05:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBAdriana Aleman Crane’s first birth involved several days of prodromal labor— and if you don’t know what that is, you really want to listen to this episode! But her second birth? Her husband almost missed it! She shares with Adriana Lozada that sleep is glorious, acupuncture is worth it, and how releasing control (and her bag of waters!) gets her labors to flow. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes page. If you lik...
Understanding Acupuncture From a Physiological Lens (and Why You Shouldn’t Fear the Needles!)
February 28, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBAcupuncture can help alleviate nausea, constipation, and back pain. It can encourage breech babies to flip and labor to start. But how does it work, and what does it feel like? Acupuncturist, massage therapist, and birth doula Dr. Patrick Boswell talks with Adriana about how acupuncture gets to the root of the issue, with the happy result of improving more than the symptoms you came in for! Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its...
[Postpartum Stories] Coming to Terms With the Baby She Got
February 24, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBAfter giving birth twice before, Victoria Wilson thought she had “life with a newborn” pretty much figured out. But when her third daughter was born fussy, frustrated, and just wouldn’t settle, Victoria was thrown for a loop. Was this just who her baby was? Or was something wrong? Victoria shares with Adriana how making her own wellness a priority during pregnancy allowed her the strength to navigate and surrender to this extremely difficult experience from a place where she was well-resour...
How to Sleep Better While Pregnant
February 21, 2024 05:00 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBIt’s estimated that about 80% of pregnant people experience insomnia by their third trimester, and newer research is showing how melatonin and circadian rhythms may impact fertility, implantation, miscarriage, risk of preeclampsia and postpartum depression. Mar De Carlo shares with Adriana how small and mindful changes to your sleep habits can help you tap into more rest and improve your family’s sleep— before and after the baby arrives. Get the most out of this episode by checking out t...
[Birth Stories] Can You Wait to Push Until the Doctor Arrives?
February 17, 2024 05:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBAfter a difficult first labor with interventions she was unsure about, Alyssa Jennings was determined that her next birth would be on her terms. Little did she know that she’d be having to contain the fetal ejection reflex until her doctor arrived! Alyssa shares with Adriana the magic words her husband used to help her wait (no, they didn’t have anything to do with the doctor), along with a great solution to when you don’t want to labor in the hospital but you want to be close by (even thoug...
How Prenatal Yoga Can Help Protect Your Energy (And Why This Is Important!)
February 14, 2024 05:00 - 49 minutes - 45 MBYou’ve probably been told to do prenatal yoga, but is it really for you? Trauma-informed yoga teacher Abigail Lauren Geller says not if it’s another overwhelming thing on your to-do list! But if you are curious about the benefits of prenatal yoga for your body, your mind, your pregnancy, and your labor, and want to create a space of self-reflection to better connect with your body and protect your energy, then prenatal yoga may be just what you need. Abigail also shares with Adriana how ...
[Birth Stories] Discovering that a Breech Vaginal Birth was Possible for Her
February 10, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBAnya Cutler had originally planned to give birth at a birth center with midwives, then at nearly 37 weeks (and after trying practically everything possible to encourage her baby to flip) she ended up transferring care to an OB/GYN experienced in vaginal breech delivery. Anya shares with Adriana how even though this challenged her need for control, having an OB who was comfortable with breech and confident in her ability to give birth made all the difference. Get the most out of this episode...
Have an Easier Pregnancy (and Birth!) With Chiropractic Care
February 07, 2024 05:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBYou know how as pregnancy progresses, your whole body becomes more uncomfortable? It turns out that chiropractic care can help you feel much better and even help you have an easier birth. Dr. Elliot Berlin shares with Adriana why chiropractic care is a superb pregnancy tool for anyone, but especially if you have an “athletic pelvis” or want to aid a breech baby turn head down. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes page...
[Birth Stories] How She Navigated a Long Birth While Waiting for Her Support Team to Arrive
February 03, 2024 05:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBFor weeks, Julia Cooper had been nervous that her baby would arrive while her husband and mom were away, and sure enough, contractions started merely hours after she dropped her husband off at the airport. What follows is a testament to how hard it can be to shut off your thinking brain while in labor and how despite that, you can still support your physiology and get things to flow (even if you have a prolonged labor and an epidural!). Get the most out of this episode by checking out the r...
Can Exercise During Pregnancy Make Labor Harder?
January 31, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBIt’s common knowledge that walking, swimming, and doing prenatal yoga can all be super helpful during pregnancy, but what about running, barre, CrossFit, or weightlifting? Deb Flashenberg shares with Adriana how strength-focused exercising can lead to a too-tight core and pelvic floor that make for more difficult labors and harder postpartum recoveries. They explore how you can figure out if your pelvic floor is too tight and what you can do about it to have a more flowing birth. Get the ...
[Birth Stories] No Matter How You Birth, You’re a Badass
January 27, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBLauren Horton has always been physically active, and during pregnancy, she continued to do a mix of CrossFit, swimming, yoga, and tons of dog walking. She shares with Adriana her surprise when she found herself hunkering down on the bed during labor instead of moving, and why she went with it (although she could have done without the hemorrhoids). Lauren also opens up about the impossibility of trying to live up to the expectations of doing it all, how sometimes the win is as small as having...
Tackling Pregnancy Discomforts Through Movement and Alignment
January 24, 2024 05:00 - 58 minutes - 53.8 MBBeing pregnant means having relaxin loosening up all your tissues, while your core stretches and your center of gravity shifts, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with the associated aches and discomforts. Restorative body educator extraordinaire Molly Deutschbein shares with Adriana ways you can move, support, and align your body for a happier pregnancy and a more flowing birth as well as how to navigate the postpartum return to a non-pregnant body. Get the most out of this episode ...
Eight Questions to Ask Your Care Provider (Especially in Your Second Trimester!)
January 20, 2024 05:00 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBAdriana Lozada shares eight great questions for sussing out your provider’s protocols and practices as your pregnancy advances, in order to help you figure out how much shared decision-making and agency you will truly have in your birth experience. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources and links listed on its show notes page. If you liked this episode, listen to our interview on What You Need to Know About Birth Positions and our episode on Informed Consent If you...
If Pregnancy Becomes Medically Complicated: Working With a Maternal Fetal Medicine Physician
January 17, 2024 05:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBChances are your pregnancy and birth will flow, and you’ll never need to see any of the care providers that deal with more complicated situations. But what if you do? Dr. Loralei Thornburg helps demystify what it can be like working with a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist. She shares with Adriana why so much of it has to do with experience, risk tolerance, and resources, and why – regardless of medical complications – you can still humanize your experience. Get the most out of this epis...
[Birth Stories] Unlocking Her Dream Birth by Valuing Her Intuition (And Switching Care Providers!)
January 13, 2024 05:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBMargot Strauhull brought her self-described “rule-following” attitude to her first hospital induction with an OB and had what she considered was a fine birth… until she was overcome by sadness in postpartum. This started her on a journey of peeling back the layers, to finally come to a deep trust in her own wisdom and instincts. Margot tells Adriana how the fear radiating from her providers around her “history of macrosomal infants” further activated her intuition to switch to a freestandin...
Why Your Team Isn’t Complete Without a Doula
January 10, 2024 05:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBThe mounting evidence is clear: having a doula can help decrease the risk of having a cesarean birth and significantly improve birth experiences. In fact, doulas have even been called a form of pain relief themselves, as people tend to want fewer pain medications and epidurals when supported by a doula. But what makes what doulas do so special and different from the care you receive from your other care providers? Sabia Wade talks to Adriana about what a doula is, how to find one that will ...
[Birth Stories] Why It Was Still a Party Despite the 30 Hours of Persistent Back Pain
January 06, 2024 05:00 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBLaurel Gourrier, co-host of the podcast “Birth Stories in Color,” reflects on how her hospital birth experience— even though it was long and hard— often felt like a big party, thanks to the support of her partner, parents, and in-laws. She tells Adriana Lozada how their care and the constant communication of her wishes created a safe and joyful space in which she could birth, even leading her parents to open their home for the birth of her second child. If you liked this episode, listen to ...
Why A Midwife Might Be Just What You Need
January 03, 2024 05:00 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MBThere is ample evidence of the benefits of midwifery care for uncomplicated pregnancies, including lower rates of inductions, episiotomies, and cesareans. So why aren’t midwives more widely used in the U.S. (like they are in the rest of the world!)? Dr. Melissa Cheyney talks with Adriana all about midwifery care including the different types of midwives, their certifications, where they practice, and the importance of OBs, perinatologists, and midwives working together to provide you with ...
[Birth Stories] Why Having an Audience Stalled Her Birth
December 30, 2023 05:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MBHeather Lauf was so clear on the importance of choosing the right care provider for her birth that she switched practices, twice! Even with her ample preparation, labor still threw her for a loop when she found out her water hadn’t broken (it really seemed it had!), and then again when she couldn’t quiet her thinking brain after realizing she had too many eyes watching her. Nevertheless, Heather was able to have the unmedicated vaginal birth she was hoping for with the help of her trusted te...
What You Need to Know About Obstetricians (Obs)
December 27, 2023 05:00 - 49 minutes - 44.9 MBObstetricians are the go-to care providers when giving birth in the US, but not all OBs are created equal. How does your obstetrician's background and training impact the care you get, and is that aligned with the care you deserve? Dr. Stuart Fischbein shares his insights, the hard lessons he’s gained over his career, as well as why he still does breech deliveries, VBACs, and home births. Get the most of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show no...
[Birth Stories] Why It Mattered That Her Team Prioritized Her Emotional Safety
December 23, 2023 05:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBNana Eyeson-Akiwowo, co-founder of the socially impactful Fourth Phase aftercare boxes, shares how her expectations of when and how she should bond with her baby tarnished her otherwise wonderfully supported and respected birth experience. She tells Adriana how this hyperfocus on bonding impacted her postpartum, and how her mom helped her shift things with lots of wisdom and laughter. If you liked this episode, listen to this interview about the physical and emotional changes you can expec...
How to Know if You and Your Provider Are Truly a Good Fit
December 20, 2023 05:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBDr. Brad Bootstaylor talks with Adriana Lozada about how vital it is to establish shared decision-making with your care provider and the problem with the prevailing fear-based approach in perinatal care. Plus: why no one should ever roll their eyes at your birth plan! If you liked this episode, listen to our interview titled Know What You're Up Against When Giving Birth at a Hospital, and our episode on Family-Centered Cesareans. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resourc...
[Birth Stories] Pivoting From Wanting an Immediate Epidural to an Unmedicated VBAC Over Four Births
December 16, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBAfter having three hospital births – that included inductions, vaginal births, and a cesarean – Mariah Robinson couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing from her experiences. She shares with Adriana how she searched far and wide for a collaborative care provider who would support her wishes for an unmedicated vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and the trust and confidence she built with her body to get through an unplanned homebirth without fear. If you liked this episode, lis...