Pregnancy Podcast
473 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 14 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 878 ratingsA resource to support expecting moms (and partners, too!) with evidence-based information to navigate the awesome adventure of pregnancy, birth, and being a new parent. Vanessa Merten provides evidence based info that goes way beyond the typical “pregnancy instruction manual”. Every episode is designed to give you all of the evidence, research, pros, cons, risks, and benefits – all so you decide what the best option is for YOU and feel confident about your decisions during your pregnancy and beyond. The show covers everything from pregnancy to caring for a newborn. Topics include prenatal care, labor, natural birth, hospital birth, cesarean birth, preparing for your baby, breastfeeding, postpartum, and caring for a new baby. This is your evidence-based resource to help you make informed decisions about your pregnancy and your baby.
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Episodes
Caffeine During Pregnancy
September 15, 2019 07:30 - 21 minutes - 9.93 MBCaffeine is considered a psychoactive drug, meaning that it changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness. It is the most widely consumed drug in the world and is most commonly found in coffee, tea, and chocolate. Caffeine is one of the very first things to be cautious with once you see that positive pregnancy test. Trying to figure out whether you can have caffeine when you are pregnant can be confusing. Understanding how caffeine effects your body...
Cord Blood Banking
August 25, 2019 07:30 - 27 minutes - 12.4 MBCord blood banking is definitely a confusing topic and this episode summarizes the information you need to understand cord blood banking and make an informed. Learn how cord blood stem cells are used, what conditions they treat, and how it is stored at a cord blood bank. When considering all of the pros and cons of cord blood banking, perhaps the biggest consideration is how it fits in with delayed cord clamping. This episode breaks down the evidence on cord blood banking so you can decide i...
Belly Binding & Postpartum Girdles
August 18, 2019 07:30 - 28 minutes - 12.9 MBThere are a lot of products you can wear postpartum that are marketed as a way to return to your pre-pregnancy body faster with claims that they promote healing and weight loss. This ranges from Bengkung belly binding to mass produced garments that go by a lot of different names like pregnancy shape wear, belly wraps, belly binders, postpartum girdles, or support belts. Brands vary and there are a lot of different styles, but overall the idea behind all of these is the same. The big questio...
Running and Walking During Pregnancy
August 11, 2019 07:30 - 26 minutes - 12.2 MBRunning and walking are excellent modes of exercise when you are pregnant. Both will benefit you and your baby and lower your risk for some adverse pregnancy outcomes, like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. Like any exercise, running and walking are not without risks. When you are pregnant a lot of changes happen in your body that will impact your ability to exercise. Thankfully there are some simple tips and guidelines to make sure your workout is pregnancy safe. You can read the ...
Heat Exposure During Pregnancy
August 04, 2019 07:30 - 17 minutes - 8.02 MBExposure to heat in hot weather and activities like working out can cause your body temperature to go up. Your normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius. Hyperthermia occurs when you have a high temperature (102 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.9 degrees Celsius) for an extended period of time without an actual fever. When you are expecting there is concern of an elevated core temperature causing neural tube defects, spontaneous abortion, and other abnormalities. The...
Weaning Your Child from Breastfeeding
July 28, 2019 07:30 - 26 minutes - 12 MBThere is not a huge amount of research on quitting breastfeeding. Research is more focused on keeping mothers breastfeeding. This makes sense, but it isn’t a lot of help when you are ready to wean and have limited evidence of how to do it. Some of the best breastfeeding resources lack great information on weaning. What you find instead is information on why you should keep breastfeeding and anxiety inducing articles on all of the things that can go wrong when you stop nursing. This episode a...
Breastfeeding, Troubleshooting Your Baby
July 07, 2019 07:30 - 22 minutes - 10.5 MBNewborns are hard wired to breastfeed and are born with instincts to help them latch on right after birth. But that doesn’t mean it always goes perfectly right from the start. Many new moms expect breastfeeding to come naturally without many issues. In reality, breastfeeding can take practice and patience as you and our baby navigate breastfeeding for the first time. There are a lot of issues that can come up during breastfeeding in the first few days, and even months down the road. The more...
Breastfeeding, Troubleshooting Your Breasts
June 30, 2019 07:30 - 25 minutes - 11.9 MBMany women expect breastfeeding to come naturally without many issues. In reality, breastfeeding can take practice and patience as you and our baby navigate breastfeeding for the first time. There are a lot of issues that can come up during breastfeeding in the first few days, and even months down the road. The more you know about the small speed bumps you could run into the more likely you are to be able to get over those and correct small issues before they become big problems. This episod...
Pumping Breastmilk
June 23, 2019 07:30 - 33 minutes - 15.2 MBPumping is a great way to provide breast milk to your baby when you cannot be there to breastfeed. This could be so you can run errands for a couple hours, enjoy a night out with friends. This is a must if you are returning to work. Breast milk is often referred to as liquid gold. It is so valuable and amazing that it cannot be reproduced in a lab and only you can make it. Your milk is perfectly formulated for your baby. Hooking your boobs up to a machine to pump milk is pretty strange. But,...
Q&A: Are Microwaves Safe to Use During Pregnancy?
June 09, 2019 07:30 - 14 minutes - 6.49 MBIs it safe to use a microwave oven when you are pregnant? Learn about the safety of microwaves and how to minimize the risks for you and your baby. You can read the article and resources that accompany this episode by clicking here. For more evidence based information visit the Pregnancy Podcast Website.
156: Optimal Fetal Positioning & Spinning Babies
June 02, 2019 07:30 - 23 minutes - 10.6 MBYour baby’s position in the womb can have a big impact on your labor and their birth. What if you can do some things during your pregnancy to help your baby get in an optimal position before you go into labor? There are a couple of practices that aim to do just that. Optimal Fetal Positioning and Spinning Babies are two practices that give you positions, movements, and exercises to take care of your body and give your baby the environment they need to move into the best possible position for...
Episode 155: Baby Position
May 26, 2019 07:30 - 26 minutes - 12.3 MBYour baby’s position in the womb seems simple on the surface. You want your baby head down in the third trimester and you are good to go, right? It is a bit more complex than that, and while baby position can be confusing, this episode simplifies how to understand your baby’s position. After listening to this episode, you will know what it means when your doctor or midwife says your baby is LOA. More importantly, you will know exactly what your baby’s position means for you and your baby in ...
Q&A: Safe Cleaning Products
May 12, 2019 07:30 - 24 minutes - 11.1 MBCleaning products can contain harmful chemicals and your pregnancy is an excellent time to get safer products in your home. Any chemicals you are exposed to when you are pregnant potentially exposes your baby to them. There are no current regulations requiring manufacturers to fully list all of their ingredients. Generic terms like “fragrance” can mask all kinds of compounds, some of which have been linked to serious health impacts. Learn what chemicals you should be avoiding, how to shop fo...
154: Delayed Cord Clamping
May 05, 2019 07:30 - 24 minutes - 11.1 MBYour baby’s umbilical cord is their lifeline. The reason for this, is that it is constantly delivering oxygen and nutrients, and removing carbon dioxide and waste. Plus, your placenta acts as a reservoir of blood and after birth there is a transfer of blood from the placenta, through the cord, to your baby. This is true regardless of whether you are having a vaginal or cesarean birth, or if your baby is born at term or prematurely. This placental transfusion of blood, also contains immunoglo...
153: Third Stage of Labor (Updated)
April 28, 2019 07:30 - 25 minutes - 11.5 MBThe third stage of labor starts after your baby is born and ends with birthing the placenta. Even after your beautiful baby is born your uterus will continue to contract. These contractions are generally more mild than the contractions you experience during birth. As your uterus begins to contract and shrink, your placenta will detach from your uterine wall. The blood vessels are then closed off, and the placenta is pushed out. You have a lot of options as to what interventions are employed ...
Q&A: Postpartum Hemorrhage, Bleeding, and the Return of Your Period
April 21, 2019 07:30 - 22 minutes - 10.5 MBPostpartum hemorrhage is the number one cause of maternal mortality worldwide. The rate of postpartum hemorrhage is between 1-5% of pregnancies, and is most common in the first 24 hours following birth. This episode dives into the risk factors and causes of postpartum hemorrhage, how it is diagnosed and treated, and the warning signs you should look out for. Find out what to expect about bleeding, technically called lochia, in the weeks after our baby born and what you should know about your...
Q&A: Informed Consent
April 14, 2019 07:30 - 23 minutes - 10.6 MBInformed consent is a basic component of communication between medical professionals and patients. True informed consent means you fully understand the procedure, intervention, or treatment, that you are aware of all of the risks and benefits, and you have the choice to opt in or opt out. The guidelines for this are defined by organizations like the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Even though it is a basic tenant of medical care, it i...
152: How Pregnancy Changes Your Feet
April 07, 2019 07:30 - 21 minutes - 9.84 MBDid you know that your feet can go up a shoe size during your pregnancy? This is just one of many issues that can affect your feet when you are pregnant. The good news is that there are things you can do to get some relief if you are dealing with any foot issues. The even better news is that there are very simple things you can do to prevent these issues from happening in the first place. Physical changes, like gaining weight, and hormonal changes, like the release of relaxin, can lead to is...
151: Five Rules for New Parents
March 24, 2019 07:30 - 28 minutes - 12.9 MBThere is so much focus on pregnancy and birth that many new parents find themselves lost once their baby is born. Most parents prepare to take care of a baby by learning how to change a diaper or how to swaddle, but what about how to take care of yourself? These five rules will help you thrive in your new role and keep you in a positive space so you can take excellent care of your little one. Show Notes: http://pregnancypodcast.com/episode151/. Thank you to Zahler for their suppo...
Q&A: What is the Ideal Spacing In Between Kids?
March 17, 2019 07:30 - 21 minutes - 9.79 MBIf you are planning on having more than one child there is no magic time frame that you should wait in between pregnancies and there is no right answer that fits everyone. There is research available on the risks and benefits of waiting a certain period of time in between pregnancies. Plus, organizations like the World Health Organization and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have recommendations for minimum time frames in between a birth and getting pregnant again. Thi...
150: Body Image During Pregnancy & After Baby
March 10, 2019 08:30 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBBody image during pregnancy and after having a baby is not something that just affects someone who was previously anorexic or struggled with their weight. Body image applies to anyone who is pregnant. I have yet to meet anyone who was confident about all of the physical changes going on during pregnancy. That doesn’t mean those people do not exist, but that definitely isn’t the majority. The many physical and emotional changes that come with carrying a baby puts your body through a major tra...
Q&A: What is Pasmo and How Can You Avoid It?
March 03, 2019 08:30 - 14 minutes - 6.56 MBPasmo is a Spanish word that doesn’t have an English equivalent. It describes the reversal of labor once it has started. During labor and birth oxytocin, the love hormone, is the driving force of your contractions. Other hormones, like beta-endorphins and catecholamines counteract oxytocin to slow down labor. When this works like it is supposed to this balancing act keeps your labor at a pace where you are able to experience the positive effects and relief from beta-endorphins and at a pace ...
Get the Your Birth Plan Book for FREE + Over $1,200 in Giveaways!
March 01, 2019 06:08 - 4 minutes - 1.86 MBThe Pregnancy Podcast has teamed up with Zahler for the month of March to get you a free copy of the Your Birth Plan book, and be entered to win two amazing prizes; a nine month supply of the Zahler +DHA prenatal vitamin, and a Bugaboo stroller. To get your free book and be entered to win one of the prizes all you have to do is leave a review for the vitamin on Amazon mentioning the Pregnancy Podcast and send a screenshot to me [email protected]. Plus you can save 25% ...
149: Preparing Your Partner for Birth
February 24, 2019 08:30 - 27 minutes - 12.6 MBBack in the 1950s dads spent labor in hospital waiting rooms, called “stork clubs”, until a nurse came in to let them know the were a father. By the 1980s most dads were present for the births of their babies. Today, dads and partners are not just present, they are active participants from planning during pregnancy to catching their babies in the deliver room. The challenge in preparing your partner for birth is understanding what role they play or knowing what they should be doing while mom...
Q&A: Cell Free DNA & NIPT (Non Invasive Prenatal Test)
February 17, 2019 08:30 - 27 minutes - 12.6 MBYou have several options during your pregnancy when it comes to testing for chromosome abnormalities in your baby. The most common non-invasive screening tests are the first trimester screen and quad screen and these have been offered to all pregnant women for many years. With better technology comes more options for testing, especially when it comes to examining DNA. The cfDNA (cell free DNA) test, which became available in 2011, is named for the fragments of your baby’s DNA that are freely...
148: Finding Out Your Baby’s Sex
January 27, 2019 05:30 - 22 minutes - 10.4 MBYour baby’s sex is determined at conception. They will get an X chromosome from the egg and either an X or Y from the sperm. XX is genetically female and XY is genetically male. There was a time when the only way to find out if you were having a boy or a girl was at birth. Today there are lots of options to find out the sex of your baby. These options vary in their safety, the length of time to get results, and how accurate the results are. For most expecting parents finding out whether you ...
Q&A: Waiting for Your First Prenatal Appointment
January 13, 2019 08:30 - 11 minutes - 5.14 MBYour first prenatal appointment usually isn’t until you are eight weeks pregnant. For many expecting moms there are weeks between a positive home pregnancy test and a visit to a midwife or an OBGYN. These weeks can feel like an eternity, and leave you with anxiety about your pregnancy, worrying about the health of your baby, and a lot of questions about what you should be doing now that you are pregnant. This episode answers a questions about what to do when you are waiting for your first pr...
147: Maternity Leave
December 23, 2018 08:30 - 29 minutes - 13.3 MBMaternity leave is the name for taking time off from work after you have a baby. The amount of time that your maternity leave lasts varies a lot depending on what country you live in, the company you work for, and your personal financial situation. Paternity leave is the counter part of maternity leave for dads and partners. It can be a challenge to understand what is covered by your employer, to navigate federal or state programs, and prepare financially for your family. Planning for matern...
Q&A: Weight Gain During Pregnancy
December 16, 2018 08:30 - 13 minutes - 6.13 MBWeight is one of the things your doctor or midwife will monitor throughout your pregnancy as a metric of your health during pregnancy. Excessive weight gain or not gaining enough weight during pregnancy is associated with low and high birth weights for newborns, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, cesarean birth, and postpartum hemorrhage. Your risk for these complications is lower if you gain a healthy amount of weight during your pregnancy. Learn about the guidelines for ...
146: Placenta Encapsulation
December 09, 2018 08:30 - 34 minutes - 15.7 MBConsumption of placenta by a mother after birth has been a taboo subject, but it has been gaining popularity in recent years. The thought of eating your placenta might gross you out at first but once you hear about some of the amazing benefits women claim it has you might be willing to consider it. This is not another pregnancy podcast solely focused on the all of the wonderful things placenta encapsulation does. This episode really dives into the possible benefits and risks of this practice...
Q&A: Baby Names
December 02, 2018 08:30 - 14 minutes - 6.49 MBChoosing a name for your baby is a big item on your to do list. While you can wait until after you baby is born to pick a name, many parents prefer to have a name chosen early on. This is a topic that is very opinionated by a lot of people, especially well-meaning friends and family who will undoubtedly have opinions about what to name your baby. This episode responds to a listener who is struggling to come up with the right name and offers ideas, considerations, and the one rule to follow w...
145: Prenatal Vitamin
November 25, 2018 08:30 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBIt is so important to make sure you have all of the vitamins and nutrients you need during pregnancy for you for your growing baby. While you should be eating a healthy diet, it is difficult to make sure you are getting all of the optimal vitamins and minerals from your diet alone, and you should be supplementing with a prenatal vitamin. A prenatal vitamin differs from a multi-vitamin because it has specific nutrients you and your baby need during pregnancy. This episode features Kenn Israel...
Thank you!
November 22, 2018 08:30 - 2 minutes - 1.1 MBThanksgiving is always a great time of year to think about what you are thankful for. I am so grateful for this podcast and for you trusting this resource to inform you about the big decisions in your pregnancy, birth, and parenting adventure. Thank you so much for being a part of this podcast and for allowing me to be a part of your journey. I put together the best Black Friday deals I think you would be interested in and some deals that I am taking advantage of because they are just ...
Q&A: Miscarriage
November 18, 2018 08:30 - 19 minutes - 9.13 MBMiscarriage is a term for a pregnancy loss within 20 weeks. Rates of miscarriage are terribly confusing and the most widely accepted statistic is that 10-15% of clinically recognized pregnancies result in a loss. This number is likely much higher if you include pregnancies that miscarry prior to being clinically recognized. A common theme when examining miscarriage rates is that they vary greatly when you look at other factors like smoking or maternal age. This episode provides an overview o...
144: Gestational Diabetes
November 11, 2018 08:30 - 29 minutes - 13.7 MBWhen you eat your body breaks down foods into glucose, which is used for energy. Your pancreas he hormone, insulin, is produced by your pancreas to help muscles, fat, and other cells absorb glucose for fuel. During pregnancy your body naturally becomes more resistant to insulin, which means that more glucose remains in your blood, because it isn’t being absorbed. For most moms this works just like it is supposed to. Even though your body is more resistant to the insulin and higher levels of ...
143: Breathing During Labor
October 28, 2018 07:30 - 22 minutes - 10.3 MBBreathing is something we are constantly doing, and seldom paying much attention to. When you are pregnant, the changes your body is going through can also have an impact on your breathing. While breathing is typically done without you having to think about it, you can control your breath, and how you breathe can have a big impact on your mood, anxiety, hormone levels, blood pressure, heart rate, and even your perception of pain. There is evidence to support controlled breathing during labor...
Q&A: Navigating Challenges with Parents, In-Laws, & Family
October 21, 2018 07:30 - 24 minutes - 11.1 MBEveryone seems to have strong opinions about pregnancy, birth, and parenting, especially parents and in-laws. Challenges with family are a tricky topic because everyone’s family dynamic is so unique. Plus, these concerns extend beyond your family to friends, co-workers, or anyone in your life that may be inserting their opinions about your pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, or parenting choices. The good news is that if you are running into challenges with friends and family, you are very luck...
142: Progesterone
October 14, 2018 07:30 - 22 minutes - 10.2 MBProgesterone is the most important hormone in a group of steroid hormones known as progestogens. This hormone plays a major role during your pregnancy by affecting your uterus, amniotic fluid, and your immune system. Overall, progesterone is involved in maintaining your pregnancy and preventing preterm birth. As a supplement, progesterone is used during pregnancy primarily for recurrent miscarriage and to prevent preterm labor. There is a lot of research on the use of progesterone and this e...
Q&A: Heartburn
October 07, 2018 07:30 - 16 minutes - 7.67 MBHeartburn is so common during pregnancy and it is estimated that heartburn can affect over half of all expecting mothers. Heartburn is characterized by a burning sensation in the upper part of your digestive tract. This is caused by acid going from your stomach into your esophagus. heartburn is also sometimes referred to as acid indigestion or acid reflux. Heartburn tends to be most common in the third trimester and should disappear after you have your baby. Thankfully, there are a lot of di...
Q&A: Kombucha
September 16, 2018 07:30 - 15 minutes - 7.06 MBKombucha is a fermented tea that has become increasingly popular in recent years as a health drink. The beneficial ingredients in kombucha include probiotics, polyphenols, amino acids, active enzymes, and B vitamins. This all sounds good right? When it comes to pregnancy and breastfeeding, the most common recommendation is to avoid kombucha because it contains caffeine and alcohol, it is not pasteurized, and it can have a detoxifying effect on your body. This episode answers a listener quest...
140: Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy and After Birth
September 09, 2018 07:30 - 19 minutes - 8.86 MBHemorrhoids are estimated to affect around 40% of pregnant women, and that number climbs even higher after birth. Hemorrhoids can cause bleeding during a bowel movement, pain, swelling, itching, and general discomfort. Changes in your hormones and your body make you more susceptible to hormones during pregnancy and giving birth and the action of pushing can also cause them. While the only cure for hemorrhoids is giving them time to heal there is a lot you can do to prevent them and to find r...
Q&A: Lactation Cookies, Do They Really Work?
September 02, 2018 07:30 - 8 minutes - 3.98 MBMilk supply can be a stressful topic and low supply is the most common reason that moms stop breastfeeding, or don’t feel like they can breastfeed. Lactogenic foods or galactagogues are substances that are thought to increase your milk supply. Things like lactation cookies or smoothies usually incorporate several of these ingredients. This episode answers a listener question about whether lactation cookies work and what ingredients are best for promoting milk supply. Show notes: http:/...
139: Pumping Breast Milk
August 26, 2018 16:00 - 27 minutes - 12.6 MBPumping is a great way to provide breast milk to your baby when you cannot be there to breastfeed. This could be so you can run errands for a couple hours, enjoy a night out with girlfriends, or because you will be returning back to work after your maternity leave is over. Breast milk is often referred to as liquid gold, and it is. It is so valuable and amazing that it cannot be reproduced in a lab, only you can make it, and your milk is perfectly formulated for the needs of your baby. H...
138: Breastfeeding, Troubleshooting Your Baby
August 19, 2018 16:00 - 22 minutes - 10.1 MBNewborns are hard wired to breastfeed and are born with instincts to help them latch on right after birth. But that doesn’t mean it always goes perfectly right from the start. Many new moms expect breastfeeding to come naturally without many issues. In reality, breastfeeding can take practice and patience as you and our baby navigate breastfeeding for the first time. There are a lot of issues that can come up during breastfeeding in the first few days, and even months down the road. The mo...
137: Breastfeeding, Troubleshooting Your Breasts
August 12, 2018 07:30 - 24 minutes - 11 MBMany women expect breastfeeding to come naturally without many issues. In reality, breastfeeding can take practice and patience as you and our baby navigate breastfeeding for the first time. There are a lot of issues that can come up during breastfeeding in the first few days, and even months down the road. The more you know about the small speed bumps you could run into the more likely you are to be able to get over those and correct small issues before they become big problems. This ep...
Q&A: I’m Freaked Out About Breastfeeding
August 01, 2018 07:30 - 6 minutes - 3.18 MBThe idea of breastfeeding a baby may be foreign if you have not been around other mothers who are nursing and if you have never had a baby before. You may think of breastfeeding as something that will come naturally once your baby is born, or you may be freaked out about the idea of breastfeeding. Every mom and baby are different and breastfeeding is a relationship that has to work for both you and your little one. This episode gives some advice to an expecting mom who is freaked out abou...
Q&A: Lotus Birth
July 25, 2018 07:30 - 6 minutes - 3.15 MBGenerally if you delay cord clamping you would clamp and cut the umbilical cord after a few minutes or when it stops pulsating. In a lotus birth, sometimes called physiological cord clamping, the cord is never cut and your baby remains attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates. The term lotus birth was coined in 1974 after Claire Lotus Day observed that chimpanzees do not sever the umbilical cord of their babies. This is not the most common practice but it has been incre...
135: Short Cervix, Incompetent Cervix, and Cerclage
July 22, 2018 07:30 - 17 minutes - 8.17 MBYour cervix is the lower part of your uterus that opens to your vagina. The length of your cervix changes as your pregnancy progresses and naturally shortens as you approach the birth of your baby. In addition to our cervix shortening, when you are in labor your cervix dilates or opens and effaces or thins to allow your baby to pass through during birth. If your cervix is weak it could open up early and cause preterm birth or a late term miscarriage. In the medical community this is refe...
Q&A: Lipase and Freezing Breastmilk
July 04, 2018 07:30 - 5 minutes - 2.65 MBLipase is an enzyme that is naturally produced in breastmilk that can give your milk an off smell and taste. This is only noticeable when you freeze milk, and then thaw it out and it may have a funny smell and taste. Some babies do not mind this at all, while others will be fussy about drinking it and may even refuse it altogether. The good news is that there is a solution to this problem. This episode answers a listener question about lipase in breastmilk and how to get rid of it. ...
134: Bug Bites (Mosquitos, Ticks, and Fleas)
July 01, 2018 07:30 - 32 minutes - 15.1 MBSummer time means warmer weather, which can also mean insects like mosquitos, fleas, and ticks, tend to be more abundant. More insects mean the potential for increased exposure to bug bites. Bug bites are never fun, and they are not something you want to deal with when you are pregnant. Insects like mosquitos, fleas, and ticks are bothersome to say the least, but worse, they can carry diseases. Some of the illnesses that can be spread by these pests include Zika, malaria, Lyme disease, an...