Episode 27: Journey to Pregnancy, Hiring a Doula, and Third Trimester Switch Between Midwives - with Lauren Bacon Smith and Doula Casey Runck

Meet Lauren Bacon Smith (She/her) is 36 years old and a Northern Virginia Native currently living in Springfield, VA with her Aussie husband Lindsay, son Cameron and dog Sheila.  She works full time as the Chief People Officer at a tech start up that focuses on hiring people with disabilities.  Lauren is a self proclaimed birth nerd and is extremely passionate about birthing people being educated and empowered to advocate for themselves to have a positive birth experience.

Today, she is joined by her Doula, Casey Runck (she/her), who began attending births in 2016 and is honored to have supported over 250 families.  She was drawn to doula work because she knows there are just as many ways to be a good parent as there are to have a great birth.  This belief inspires her to support families during such a special and momentous time. She lives in the Virginia suburbs with her partner, their two dogs, a cat, and many houseplants.  When she’s not attending births, she enjoys home projects, cooking, and entertaining for friends.

In today’s birth story, part 1 of a 2-episode series, Lauren shares her and her partner’s fertility journey - from trying spontaneously, to getting ready for IVF and finally, becoming pregnant.  We talk through her pregnancy, which began under the care of hospital-based Midwives - discovering that this care team didn’t align with her birth goals, finding Casey and hiring her as her doula, and navigating a third-trimester provider switch to another midwifery group in the area.  We launch a little bit into her labor journey, but we’ll save most of that for part two.

Today's episode is sponsored by Our Village Circle's Signature Webinar, Preparing for Postpartum.  Click HERE to learn more and register.

RESOURCES

PROOV At Home Fertility Tests

SpermCheck At Home Fertility Test for Men

Instagram:

@tipsfromadoula

@yourbadassnaturalbirth

@drnicolerankins

@builttobirth

@notsafeformomgroup

@mamastefit

@carolinepackarddpt

@doclizziedpt

@thelaurenohayon

@ourfitfamilylife

Podcasts:

My Essential Birth
The Birth Hour
Built to Birth
Evidenced Based Birth
All About Pregnancy & Birth with Dr. Nicole Rankins
Birthful
Our Village Circle!

Lauren's Birth Team:

Doula: Casey Runk https://www.caseyrunckbirthdoula.com/
Provider: GW Hospital Midwifery  https://gwdocs.com/specialties/midwifery-services
Chiropractor: Dr. Sardis https://www.chirogroup.net/