Dr. Nathan Riley is an OBGYN who understands the holistic picture of women's health. You may remember him from Episode #165 where he discussed autonomous, empowered birth. Today, he joins us to explain why infertility rates are on the rise, especially for men, and gives us the six principles of holistic fertility that are important for healthy, conscious conception, along with the five fertility powerhouse nutrients. In the second part of the episode, we discuss the aspect of fertility that goes far beyond the standard "temperature" and "timing" approach: the importance of intimate, fun, playful sex for conception. This episode is sure to open your mind and give you the holistic scope you won't get at your IVF clinic. Grab your partner and your baby MOJO and sit down for an enlightening discussion on fixing fertility. #165 | The Holistic OBGYN, Dr. Nathan Riley, on Autonomous, Empowered Birth Down to Birth is sponsored by: DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty. Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites. Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups. Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Claude Racine Valinsky is a former professional dancer and choreographer in Los Angeles who is now a mother who has recovered from postpartum depression and become a thriving mom-preneur. She returns to the show for the third time to share her "gangster mindset" for turning our most difficult moments in life into our greatest opportunity for growth, expansion, fulfillment and success. Claude joined us in episode #28 to share her home birth story and again in episode #72, where she opened up about the darkness of her postpartum depression, sudden weight gain, and health struggle with a Hashimoto's diagnosis. After that episode, we promised to do a follow-up to and none of us imagined such a transformation would follow. Today, at 41, Claude is in the best shape of her life physically, fulfilled as a wife and mother, and making far more money than she ever imagined possible from a business she started just two years ago, which has financially transformed every aspect of her family's life. She is back with a powerfully motivating message on how mothers who may barely recognize themselves right now can begin to take small steps toward reinventing themselves. She tells us how she picked herself up by her bootstraps and gives us advice on how to embrace our own power even amid despair, and to recognize we are all capable of living a happy, vibrant and fulfilling life postpartum. Claude Racine-Valinsky #28 | Claude Racine-Valinsky's Birth Story: No Place Like Home #72 | The Winding Road Through Postpartum with Claude Racine-Valinsky This podcast episode is sponsored by LMNT, the electrolyte drink with everything you need and nothing you don't. Get a free 8-day supply with your first order here. ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Pre-eclampsia impacts more than 5% of pregnancies, is a leading cause of pre-term birth and is increasingly on the rise. When it comes to this difficult diagnosis, we often are told there is nothing we can do other than give birth, usually by induction, sometimes by cesarean. While the etiology of pre-eclampsia is not fully understood and much more research needs to be done, we do know that diet and nutrition play a key role in the development of and/or severity of pre-eclampsia. Lily Nichols, expert nutritionist and author, returns to explain the critical nutrient deficiencies that are associated with this illness and illuminates the newest research pointing to male sperm as a potential player in the development of pre-eclampsia. If you are wondering if there is anything you can do to prevent or slow the development of pre-eclampsia, then this episode will guide you on how to do just that. Lily Nichols Special Offer: LMNT is a tasty electrolyte drink mix that replaces vital electrolytes without sugars and dodgy ingredients found in conventional sports drinks. With this link, get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

When Lauren gave birth to her first baby, everything was seemingly perfect. Breastfeeding was going well, and she was totally in love with her baby girl. What she didn't see coming was a series of lifestyle changes including moving that set her up for her previously-managed OCD transforming into bouts of postpartum rage. At 9 months postpartum, when her pediatrician told her that her baby was too small, the regularly occurring outbursts that soon followed were classic for the postpartum rage cycle: trigger-outburst-guilt, with much of her rage directed at her husband. We discuss the triggers that exacerbated her postpartum mood disorder and the importance of seeking support and understanding the signs and symptoms of perinatal mood disorders. Postpartum rage is one of the manifestations of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. It is a stress-related response, which triggers our "fight" mechanism when we reach a point of overwhelm. While the outburst brings relief, guilt is quickly ushered in and the cycle continues. The key to interrupting the cycle is to manage the triggers--for Lauren, this was her baby's sleeping habits. In today's episode, Lauren courageously shares her most vulnerable postpartum moments in hopes of helping other mothers realize they are not alone in this common yet significantly under-recognized manifestation of postpartum depression and anxiety. Special Offer: LMNT is a tasty electrolyte drink mix that replaces vital electrolytes without sugars and dodgy ingredients found in conventional sports drinks. For a limited time, get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase. ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

It's time for our monthly Q&A episode with your Down to Birth Show hosts Cynthia & Trisha. After a quick chat about the brutally cold weather (how unoriginal), we jump right into our listener-submitted questions beginning with: How important or helpful is body-work for tongue-tied babies? Is there ever a legit reason for a cervical check in late pregnancy? When exclusively breastfeeding, when should you introduce a bottle and start saving milk for going back to work? What supplements should you take in pregnancy, particularly related to iodine? Can you take a bath postpartum after a vaginal birth? How do you manage boundaries and visits with family who uses harmful and excessive fragrances in their home? Should I have a medicated birth in case I tear? My OB suggested the idea. My OB said I should abstain from sex because I have a placenta previa. Is this true? And in the ad-free, extended version for our Patreon and Apple Subscribers, we answer a question about newborn transition, difficulty breathing and delayed cord clamping; the use of forceps and whether or not they are ever needed; the idea of ovulatory cycles and just how much "lifetime" ovulation is optimal; placenta accreta and how likely it is to recur, and more. Finally, we give our input on one woman's concern about her 16 month old breastfeeding "too much", according to her pediatrician. And, of course, we close out with a great round of quickies...be sure to catch the last one and don't be shy on sending us your guilty pleasures! Trisha's Pear Recipe: 1-2 pears sliced or diced 1 teaspoon of olive oil 1 whole fresh squeezed lime Pink sea salt Touch of honey to taste Down to Birth is sponsored by: DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty. Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites. Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups. Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Active management of the third stage of labor refers to interventions that are taken to speed up the delivery of the placenta and reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. This typically involves the administration of an oxytocic drug like Pitocin or Syntocinon to increase the contraction of the uterus and the use of techniques like fundal pressure and controlled cord traction to guide the placenta out of the uterus. Expectant management, on the other hand, is a more hands-off approach in which the placenta is left to detach and be delivered naturally, without the use of drugs, manual manipulations or interventions. This approach is usually used when there are no risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage and the mother and baby are both in good condition. In this episode, we have Barbara Harper on the podcast with us. Barbara is a midwife, author, and the founder of WaterBirth International, which she founded exactly 40 years ago. She is a world-expert in birthing and to this day travels the globe educating obstetricians, nurses and midwives on physiologic birth. Few mothers are given the opportunity to birth their placentas in the water, but is it really necessary to move women post-birth into a bed to complete the third stage (placental birth) of labor? In order to explain whether this is the right choice for any mother and baby, Barbara walks us through the most common causes of postpartum hemorrhage, how to prevent it, and the critical understanding of newborn transitional physiology: what she says is literally the most important moment in any human being's life. Is fundal massage necessary? When is the optimal time to cut the cord? What is the case for keeping the cord attached until the placenta is fully birthed? Is manual extraction of the placenta ever justified? These are some of the questions we answer in today's episode with Barbara. Barbara Harper Waterbirth International #100 | The Benefits of Water Birth: Interview With Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International #122 | Provider Green Lights: Interview with Barbara Harper on Holistic, Respectful & Supportive Birth Providers Down to Birth is sponsored by: DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty. Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites. Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups. Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. ********* Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Anna is a Swedish-practicing midwife who was professionally trained in Australia. Anna discusses her view of birth as a rite of passage and a transformational experience, and she laments the current state of the maternity system, which often leads to birth trauma for women. She talks about the desire to control every aspect of pregnancy and birth, and the importance of relinquishing to the unknown and trusting in the intelligence and expertise of the mother and baby. Anna also shares her thoughts on the role of birth in society and the need for a more holistic approach to maternity care. This episode discusses birth trends around the world, the corporate and financial influences over birth practices, the meaning of spiritual midwifery and what it looks like in practice, and the ultimate feminine principle that birth is so often missing: Surrender. The fact is that nature is not inherently flawed. And while it is not perfect in every instance, the pursuit in the name of safety to monitor and control every mother and baby through the birth process has led to more problems than it has prevented. Join us in this free-flowing conversation on returning to our roots and fiercely protecting the divine feminine to achieve our safest and best birth with Anna the Spiritual Midwife. Down to Birth is sponsored by: DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty. Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites. Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups. Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Jessy is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) in the state of Utah where breech home birth is against state law. In her second pregnancy, she made three attempts using gentle version techniques to turn her baby, yet her baby turned back to breech every time. Weighing out the risks of breech vaginal home birth versus cesarean, she opted for home birth but kept her baby's breech position to herself and off-the-record. She only hinted to her midwife that her baby was being "stubborn." Jessy's intuition told her that forcing her baby to turn around was not the safest choice, which became evident as truth when her baby arrived with a short cord and a velamentous insertion. This inspiring story overcomes many obstacles including threatened early miscarriage, retained placenta, breech birth, a short cord and vaginal prolapse and demonstrates the ultimate power of a mother's intuition. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

We are back with our first Q&A of 2023. We begin today by discussing absurd comments shared with us around natural birth statistics before we jump into our regular Q&As, starting with: How can I prevent another postpartum hemorrhage when I feel like I did everything right the first time but still bled too much? What role does a doula play in a home birth and how does she interact with the home birth midwife? Is it normal to lose your mucus plug at 32 weeks, and will it come back? How can I pump enough milk for my exclusively breastfed baby to leave for a 4-day work trip without risking oversupply? Is it worth it to switch from an insurance-covered nurse-midwife that I don't really like to an out-of-pocket homebirth midwife? Next, we jump into our quickies which cover topics like: oxygen at home birth, "powering through" engorgement, nipple shields, supplements for mental health while breastfeeding, flat feet in children, and - here was an off-topic surprise that came in - our favorite karaoke song to sing? And there is much more! For those who are Apple subscription or Patreon members, we answered several additional questions including: What to do in a home birth if an emergent situation arises? Is midwifery just for low-risk women? How to start solids? Is the placenta filled with toxins and is placenta encapsulation unwise? What does it mean if you can't find the heartbeat early in pregnancy? Thanks for joining us, and remember you can call our phone line with your questions 24/7 at 802-GET-DOWN. (That's 802-438-3696) Down to Birth is sponsored by: DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty. Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites. Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups. Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Sarah Hutchison & Lara Martens are the Dynamic Doulas of London, Ontario. Doula work is a delicate balance of keeping a "soft front and hard back", stepping-in and and not overstepping. The fact is, doula burnout is high, the emotional work can be heavy, and the lifestyle is challenging. But as any doula knows, those who are called to the work can't imagine doing anything else and the rewards of supporting mothers in achieving their birth goals are tremendous. Today's episode is an "off-the-record" kind of conversation between us and this "dynamic" doula team, where we get into the heartfelt anguish of being a doula. In today's discussion we explore: What do women really want from their doulas? What's the hardest part of keeping a client happy? Should doulas take on any client who's willing to hire them, or should doulas be selective about whom they choose to work with? How can doulas avoid burnout? How far should a doula go in advocating for their clients and how do doulas manage a client's unwillingness or inability to speak up for herself when faced with an unwanted intervention? How can doulas support women whose birth values starkly differ from their own, and what should doulas do when they suspect the woman's chosen birth location has firm policies in contrast to physiologic birthing? Should doulas speak up more or less, and to what extent do women expect doulas to go beyond birth support and assume the role of protector and advocate? Whether you're looking to be a doula or hire one, today's episode gives you a behind-the-scenes scope into the demanding lifestyle of providing emotional, mental and physical labor support to birthing women and their families. Dynamic Doulas on Instagram. Dynamic Doulas Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

If you are considering the birth control pill to fix your period, think again. Did you know the hormones in your pill don't replace the hormones your body naturally makes? Instead, they mask and suppress them. The period you get at the end of your birth control pill pack is not a real period; it's simply a withdraw bleed from synthetic hormones. Your brain, bones, heart, mood, sex drive, motivation, inspiration, and creativity are all influenced by the hormonal cycles of naturally-occurring estrogen and progesterone. Lara Briden, author of The Period Repair Manual, joins us today to teach us the difference between a real period and a "pill" period. She explains how various contraceptive devices influence our hormones and how our body is affected by natural versus synthetic hormones. Her goal is for each woman to experience symptomless, naturally-occurring menstrual cycles throughout her lifetime. Lara Briden Taking the Pill as a Teenager May Have Long-Lasting Effect on Depression Risk Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

When Emma's first baby was one year old, she opened her phone to review her baby's photos and realized she had spent that year completely avoiding looking back at any images from the first three months of her baby's life. It was clear in that moment, she had experienced significant postpartum depression and delayed bonding with her baby, and the photos were a stark reminder of a truth she hadn't been ready to face. Six months later she ruptured her spleen, resulting in a post-traumatic stress response for which she sought out EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) Therapy. As she worked through her trauma, much of her first birth experience and PPD memories resurfaced. Later, when she found out she was pregnant again and considered where to birth her next baby, she ran the gamut from a fully medicalized birth to free-birth (unassisted home birth) and landed on a hospital birth with a "unicorn OB." She chose to birth in a hospital because it "scared" her, and was a fear she felt she needed to overcome. Emma was GBS positive and established a "No IV, no antibiotics" birth policy and confidently declined. Her water broke just minutes before she welcomed her eleven pound baby safely into her arms. That's right: Eleven pounds. ======== Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Hello everyone! It is that time of the month, and we are back with our December Q&A. To kick it off, we have a follow-up conversation based on one listener's response to episode #188 on Rhogam. Next, we jump into our questions discussing the actual risks of going past 24 hours or ruptured membranes without contractions and how you can mitigate those risks. We break down why meconium becomes more concerning after 42 weeks gestation and what those actual risks are. One mother who has the flu in the third trimester wonders if this is harmful to her baby and what she should do about it; another mom is curious if it is more helpful or hurtful to use assistance to birth her placenta and questions if a hep-lock or IV port is really necessary in labor. Furthermore, is vitamin D supplementation truly necessary for breastfed babies? Additionally, we have a great quickies segment on pregnancy headaches, aging placentas, newborn rashes, breast changes in pregnancy, cold-plunging postpartum, water birth and infections and whether or not sleep training babies is really needed. In our extended version, over on Patreon and Apple Subscriptions, we dive into a very important topic: How to accurately calculate your due date based on your specific menstrual cycle, not the average cycle. We discuss delayed cord clamping and where to clamp the cord, two-vessel cords and the implications for induction and the safety of home-birth with midwives who have restricted access to emergency medications. It's an extra-long extended episode this month - happy new year! Remember you can hang with us twice a month during our interactive and educational livestream for our Patreon community members! Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

If we could share every single woman's birth story on this podcast we would; but instead, today we are giving you a glimpse into a handful of hospital stories and anecdotes that represent the rhetoric, mistreatment, and disrespect that mothers experience from hospital staff, midwives, OBs and pediatricians. In this episode, you will hear such things as a mother having her call light put on the other side of the room so she couldn't bother the staff with her questions, another mother purposefully ignored when she needed to use the bathroom postpartum because she refused to give her baby sugar water, an OB telling a mom that her baby will have Cerebral Palsy if she declines a vaginal exam, and another mother getting an episiotomy without her consent, plus other examples of medical coercion and abuse. After each mother's story, you will hear Cynthia's and Trisha's comments. While we know this episode will get you fired up, we hope it will also shed light on just how rampant the problem is within today's maternity care system, with the reminder that you don't have to tolerate mistreatment. Thank you to these mother for taking the time to call us with their stories and thank you for taking the time to listen. Remember to join us for two livestreams per month on Patreon. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Meghan Murray and her husband decided to have one more baby. She'd already experienced beautiful vaginal births with her first two boys and, like so many women, she mentally went through all the things she could do this time around to get things just right. In preparing for her dream birth, Meghan hired new midwives who practiced outside of a hospital setting and seemed perfectly aligned with her wishes. She remained fit, practiced Spinning Babies and learned relaxation techniques for a comfortable physiologic birth. She savored her pregnancy knowing it was her last, and excitedly planned her first water birth. At 36 weeks, Meghan suddenly heard a pop and assumed her membranes had released. But instead of amniotic fluid, she saw blood -- and lots of it. As she and her husband left immediately for the hospital, Meghan knew a placental abruption had occurred. Meghan is more than a year out from her birth, and talks to us about her journey of processing what happened. In particular, what it was like having a very traumatic birth her last time around, when her hopes and expectations were at their highest. This show is sponsored by: Silverette USA* Postpartum Soothe* Baby Notebook - Get the App Here *Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

No matter how beautiful, long, short or difficult your birth experience is, nothing compares to the agony of your brand new baby being whisked out of your arms and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Nursery (SPC). Mothers in this position often experience less autonomy and authority over the decision-making and informed consent process than they did in their own birth experiences. Today, we share the individual stories of three women whose babies ended up in the NICU or SPC with one common thread: Informed consent was insufficient or lacking altogether, interventions were performed without permission, and timely diagnoses for their babies were neglected. Meet Cameron, whose home birth plans were derailed when she went into labor spontaneously at 34 weeks; Nicole, a mother of five and birth doula whose baby was grossly misdiagnosed until a year of age; and Erin, a mother of three who successfully insisted on breast-feeding in the NICU and followed her instincts to fight for her baby to get an early release from an unnecessarily prolonged stay in the NICU. Each mother shares her story and her battle to feed, hold, comfort and mother her baby within the confines of NICU and SCN procedures and policies. And even though these three moms never met, they each came to the same individual conclusion when it comes to the advice they have for all parents: Know your rights, your breastfeeding expectations and your values, and use your instinct to defend all three relentlessly through your NICU experience. ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Hello everyone! It is Wednesday, and we are back with our monthly Q&A! In this month's extended Q&As (always ad-free and available to all by subscribing to Down To Birth + on Apple or joining our Patreon community) we discuss an interesting situation reported by one mom regarding her "retained placenta" - or was it? How would you know if it's really a medical situation or a failure to be patient? We also respond to one mom regarding the quality of European versus U.S. formulas, we discuss how to really know when to go to the hospital in labor, and whether it is ok to push without an urge - should you do it or wait for the go-ahead? Finally, the question so many parents can relate to: How much should I worry when my breastfed baby has plummeted on the growth curve? In our regular Q&A version (non-extended), one mother inquires about her bedroom temperature being too cold for her newborn but necessary for her own sleep comfort - what's too cold for a newborn and what's the risk? We also discuss petite mothers' abilities to vaginally birth babies, because one woman has received plenty of unsolicited negativity about her body size, despite that she's fit and healthy. We also discuss one provider's comment about having to keep women on their backs while pushing "in case" she needs to utilize the McRobert's position in the event of shoulder dystocia. Is that legit? Cholestasis is the special circumstance faced by another mom, who wants to understand the risks and isn't thrilled it'll most likely mean induction. One Home Birth After Cesarean (HBAC) mom is concerned about whether she should get an ultrasound to ensure her placenta has not attached over her scar - should this be routine for VBAC and HBAC women? Other moms are asking: "Is it normal to feel nauseous when breastfeeding" "Do babies need to be burped after feeds?" and more. Thank you for all of your awesome questions and for being part of this fabulous community! Call 802-GET-DOWN any time to submit a question for our next Q&A. And remember to join our Patreon community to attend our two educational, interactive livestreams every month! ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

In today's episode we discuss the problem with Rh negative blood types and how it impacts future pregnancies. We've invited Courtney, mother of three, and her midwife, Jessica, to discuss her experience as an Rh negative mother who became isoimmunized against her baby, resulting in the need for multiple in-utero blood transfusions to save her baby's life. Typically, women who carry the Rh negative blood type are given a blood product called Rhogam, which protects the mother from developing an auto-immune response against her future babies. In Courtney's case, Rhogam (also known as anti-D) did not work. As a result, her own body "attacked" her third baby, causing her baby to have life-threatening anemia in utero. The purpose of this episode is to help mothers (a) learn about the issue behind Rh negative blood types; (b) understand how Rhogam works to prevent isoimmuization; (c) know the risks associated with receiving the Rhogam injection; and (d) feel empowered by discovering that even a high-risk pregnancy, such as Courtney's, can be co-managed under midwifery care to achieve the labor and birth goals associated with a low-intervention or natural birth. This show is sponsored by: Silverette USA* Postpartum Soothe* Baby Notebook - Get the App Here *Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Lindsey Meehleis is a midwife in Southern California who practices traditional midwifery and has supported women in home birth over the last nineteen years. We invited her on the podcast today without a specific agenda (a rather unusual twist on our style) and let the conversation take on a life of its own. We discussed what is happening with midwifery today as we pondered, "Where have all the traditional midwives gone, how has midwifery changed with the advent of nurse-midwifery, and who will carry the torch for the ancient wisdom of birth going forward?" We stumbled into a passionate conversation around the current cancel culture and concerns around the insidious yet intentional erasure of women through fundamental changes in everyday language and how women unknowingly give their power away through compliance not only in language but also in birth. Grab a cup of tea and join us at the table for this inspiring and important conversation on the future of birth and women. Lindsey Meehleis on Instagram @lindseymeehleis This show is sponsored by: Silverette USA* Postpartum Soothe* Baby Notebook - Get the App Here *Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Emma of the naked doula is a mother, instagram phenomenon, artist, and passionate, bold birth educator residing across the pond from us, in England. She uses bright colors, raw imagery and impassioned language to teach her birth philosophy and method. Today, she joins us on the Down to Birth Show to share her secret sauce to your easiest and best birth. She explains five specific strategies that anyone can incorporate into their labor including: Floppy face, floppy fanny, the comb technique, KICO (knees in calves out), and how and why to "party through labor!" We also discuss how birth can be orgasmic and what circumstances exist to even make that possible. This must-listen episode will leave you with important and essential need-to-know tips to help you have your easiest, safest and best birth. The Naked Doula on Instagram This show is sponsored by: Silverette USA* Postpartum Soothe* Baby Notebook - Get the App Here *Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH ********** Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content. Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com Instagram @downtobirthshow Call us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.