Birth Stories

 Birth Story: Never Be Afraid to Ask for Help with Shing Yiing Ong

There are countless reasons why I believe sharing and listening to birth stories is so valuable. One standout aspect is the many universal themes that emerge- whether between different births, throughout the journey from pregnancy to parenthood, or even within the individual birth stories themselves. While the societal conversation around birth can often evoke fear, […]

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Birth Story: Very Quick and Very Peaceful with Jessica Roback

Today, we’re diving into the birth story of a student who completed her teacher training with us last year- while pregnant! It was truly special to witness her journey as a student at PYC, both in our training and our classes. When she shared details of her wonderful and positive birth experience with me, I

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Birth Story: Premature and Quite the Wild Ride with Renata DiBiase

Today, we have a community birth story that will literally take you on a wild ride. In just one short but juicy hour, you’ll find an illustration of pregnancy over 40, preparation for birth from a yoga teacher perspective, and multiple twists and turns in a birth story. Today’s Yoga| Birth| Babies, I have with

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Pregnancy, Preeclampsia, and A Beautiful Ending with Alicia Krakauer

One of the best things about founding and developing Prenatal Yoga Center has been getting the chance to foster and grow our perinatal community. Throughout the months during (and after) their pregnancy, our students and staff get to know each other through rich dialogue where we work through things that come up, connect on shared

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Birth Story: A Beautiful Birth and a Challenging Postpartum with Courtney Vasserman

Today we have a beautiful community birth story from Prenatal Yoga Center graduate, Courtney Vasserman! I personally loved this story and think it will be inspiring, relatable, and encouraging for our community to listen to. Courtney takes us through how she prepared for birth, including the methodology and tools she found incredibly impactful from classes

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Birth Story: Preparing and Training for Birth! with Katie Lohiya

We’re back with my favorite type of podcast episode, a birth story!  We’ve been able to create an amazing community of students here at PYC.  I see many of these students twice, sometimes three time a week.  I get to know them, hear their stories, listen to their concerns and I am able to share with them what I’ve

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Birth Story: The Power of a Supportive Birth Team with Sydney Pollock LCSW, PMH-C

Today we have a birth story from one of our community members Sydney Pollock.  I had the privilege of watching Sydney go through her whole pregnancy at PYC.  She started taking class very early in her pregnancy and the last class that she took was the day her water broke, two days before she was supposed to

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Birth Story: Finding Joy After Anxiety and Challenges During Pregnancy with Rikke Le Kirkegaard

We have a beautiful birth story today, that I am excited to share with you!  Perhaps you are moving through your own pregnancy or birth experience right now and wondering what it will be like.  Something to think about as this story unfolds, is the importance of a flexible mind.   A student in class shared with me that

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Birth Story: A Surprise In So Many Ways! with Aly Grobeck

Today we have a community birth story.  I love sharing birth stories because they are inspiring and confidence building.  Listening to different scenarios and various journeys, releases the idea that birth has to happen in one way.  Today’s guest, Aly Grobeck, offers a wonderful story filled with humor and candidness.  I really appreciate Aly sharing how important it was

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Birth Story: Three Remarkable and Quick Births! with Hannah Brenman

Today we have one of my favorite type of episodes, we have a birth story.  We actually have three birth stories because my guest has been at PYC for all three of her pregnancies.  She recounts each birth, their similarities and differences, as well as the lessons she learned from each of them.  I am excited for you

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Maria’s Birth Story: The Magic and Messiness of Motherhood

Today we have a very special birth and postpartum story to share. Many of you know, birth stories are one of my favorite kinds of episodes! In the words of my guest, “It was magical and so exciting.” Their postpartum story is so raw and vulnerable. The most exciting and challenging adventure she’s experienced is

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Navigating Pregnancy, Birth, and the Journey Into Parenthood through Yoga with Peloton Instructor Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts

Yoga can have a profound impact in a practitioner’s life on and off the mat. In today’s episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies I had the honor of chatting with internationally celebrated Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts (who you likely know from her yoga classes and meditations on Peloton) about her journey into motherhood and

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Steph’s Birth Story: Taking Ownership Through Education & Preparation

I feel like there are so many times people hear negative pregnancy and birth stories. Maybe someone goes past their due date or they’re a smaller body that has a bigger belly and they constantly hear “That’s a big baby!” or “oh you’re past your due date, or giving their opinions and it can absolutely

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Community Birth Story: The Wildest Night of My Life with Alexis Field

Today on Yoga| Birth | Babies we have an absolutely gripping, fascinating, and very NYC birth story. As my guest Alexis Field puts it, “It was the wildest night of my life and the birth I had always hoped for.” I’ve listened to birth stories for years and I love each and every one. What

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Community Birth Story: From Hospital Birth to Home Birth with Lauren Seidman

Today we have a very special episode, as I write that I’m realizing that I say that about almost every episode because they’re all special to me! However, this is the kind of episode that I hold very dear, a community birth story. These episodes are truly special. I love hearing the stories from our

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Community Birth Story: The Power of Peacefulness with Dia Dearstyne

Today we have a community birth story. I absolutely love having members of our community come on and share about their experience. There are so many different ways to birth and so many times when someone has one idea for their birth and it turns into a different way and I think it is so

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Community Birth Story: An Empowering Cesarean Birth with Sophie Saltonstall

Today we have one of my favorite type of episodes, a community birth story. Truly one of my favorite things is hearing the experience of someone going over the threshold into parenthood. I got to know my guest for today’s episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies Sophie Stalton, through 2 pregnancies. Her first as she crossed

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Community Birth Story: A Calm Hospital Birth with Ali Richardson

Today on Yoga| Birth| Babies we have a birth story. I love our community birth stories but there are two things I particularly love about this birth story. One being that I got to know Ali quite well in PYC’s prenatal yoga teacher training. She also came to classes online through her second pregnancy. It

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Community Birth Story: An Empowering Hospital Birth with Arlynn Villanueva

Today we have one of my favorite kinds of podcast episodes, we have a community birth story. I love hearing from the community and hearing your birth stories. Today’s story is special for a few reasons. A big reason I wanted to share this story is that it’s about an amazing and empowering hospital birth.

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Community Birth Story: An Accidental VBAC with Sydney Mulligan

This episode is one of my favorite things we do on the podcast, share community birth stories. We have different members of our online or in-person community share their experiences. I love it. Not only do I love getting to know our community members a little bit better but I think it’s so important to

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Community Birth Story: Surrendering to the Unexpected with Hannah Weaver

I love community birth stories. I think it’s fantastic to hear about a variety of different birth experiences, maybe something different than you’ve imagined or you had. It’s also a wonderful way for me to reconnect with our students and the community at PYC. In this week’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with new Mom,

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Community Birth Story: Processing a Fast Birth with Alisone Bonafos

If you could choose between a short, fast labor or a long, slow labor, I’m guessing you would choose short and fast. But a precipitous labor can come with some unexpected complications for both the new parents and baby. In today’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with Alisone Bonafos who joined our community during her

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Community Birth Story: Twin Birth with Jenny Campbell

Birth stories can be an incredibly powerful tool to prepare for your upcoming birth experience. As we learn in today’s episode, a twin parent may feel like just a foot note in birth books. Through our community birth stories we aim to help illuminate a multitude of experiences. In today’s episode of Yoga |Birth |Babies

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Community Birth Story: A Tale of Two Births: One Cesarean and One Vaginal with Meredith Raucher Sisson

In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, Meredith Raucher Sisson, shares her story of two very different births; neither one “better” than the other just different. Meredith takes us on a journey of what she learned from the birth of her first child and how she reexamined certain choices for her second. She was equally satisfied with

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Community Birth Story: Breech Baby, Cesarean Birth with Christa Nader

Imagine teaching prenatal yoga for years and envisioning how your birth will unfold. Then learning that your baby is breech and despite many attempts to turn baby head down, you will need a cesarean birth. This is what happened to Christa.  In episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with founder of KITH & KIN, yoga teacher,

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The Importance of Sharing Your Birth Story with Bryn Huntpalmer

For many years, before formalized childbirth education class, knowledge of birth was transferred to expectant parents through birth stories from members of their community and families.  Birth stories can continue to contribute to the preparation and confidence for one’s upcoming birth and offer personal stories and real human interactions rather than a medical account of the

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Community Birth Story: Exploring Your Choices In Childbirth with Kate Meredith

Pregnancy and new parenthood are often isolating and people are feeling it now more than ever. This is one of the reasons why we put such a heavy emphasis on community building at PYC and share birth stories.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies, I have the honor of listening to the birth story and

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Community Birth Story: How to trust yourself and the power of birth with Julia Motyka

There is power in sharing and hearing birth stories from people in your community. It can bring confidence to those soon arriving at their own birth and connection for those who have recently given birth. In this week’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we have the delight of hearing the recent birth story from community member and

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Community Birth Story: Don’t Ever Let Me Forget How Strong I Am with J Stewart

J came back to postnatal yoga and shared that she faced two monumentous  moments of struggle and surrender during her birth. Having had the chance to get to know J through out her pregnancy, I was deeply curious about her birth story. J, was a regular in prenatal yoga and the topic of fear and

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Community Birth Story: A Surprise Ending with Cindy Walters

What do you do when your birth is going well then very suddenly isn’t? That’s the path Cindy’s birth took.  To give you some peace of mind, Cindy and her son are healthy and well, but they had a very unusual turn of events in their birth journey. In my 20 years working with pregnant folks, this

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From Stage to Stroller and Back Again with Megan Fairchild

For the majority of people, pregnancy won’t cause your career to come to a screeching halt. Now imagine that your body is the instrument your career centers around. That’s exactly what happened for Megan Fairchild, principal dancer with New York City Ballet. For her pregnancy meant a quick pivot and stepping back from her career

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Community Birth Story: Accepting A Change of Plans with Caroline Williams

Sharing community birth stories offers an intimate connection between one parent and another. Sharing birth stories can be a form of childbirth education, as it helps to remove fear of the unknown and bring confidence, power and courage to those awaiting the transition from pregnancy to parenthood.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth |Babies, we

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Community Birth Story: Having a Hospital Birth Using Hypnobabies with Cat Acquaviva

Community has always been a central part of the PYC methodology. We come together as a community to support one another through pregnancy and parenthood. Hearing the stories from friends, family, and community members can help dispel fears, normalize the variation of birth experiences, and create confidence in the process of childbirth.  In this episode of

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Community Birth Story: Pregnancy As A Queer Person and Woman of Color

When Catalina reached out to share her birth story, I was struck by the powerful words she used to describe her birth, “I was able to make empowered decisions without shame.” Immediately, I knew there was a story to explore and wanted her as a guest on the podcast.  With no time wasted, Catalina responded

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Community Birth Story: A Fast, Primal and Confident Birth with Jenn Gross

Studies have shown that hearing positive birth stories can increase one’s confidence in their own upcoming birth.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with new mother, Jenn Gross. Jenn shares her fast, primal and confident birth story. She talks about how she prepared for her birth and how she was able to find such

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Community Birth Story: Power, Surrender and Opening with Lina Lum

Sharing birth stories matters. It’s an opportunity to support and inspire one another during a transformative time. Each new parent carries their own powerful narrative of their birth that shapes the beginning of a new stage of life.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Prenatal Yoga Center community member and proud new mother,

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Community Birth Story: How to Talk About Birth Trauma

This week on Yoga|Birth|Babies we’re taking a break from our expert lead interviews and focusing on a birth story from the community.  Eliana Balk reached out to me to share her story and ideas about how to talk about birth trauma from the birthing person’s perspective. Most conversations around birth trauma are from leaders and

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Processing Your Birth Story with Nikki Shaheed

Everyone who gives birth shall forever carry their story imprinted deep within. For some, the memories brings joy, others unresolved feelings and for many, they are somewhere in between. Time will take someone further from the experience but what happens when your birth goes unprocessed? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with co-director of

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Community Birth Story: Strength, Endurance, and Surrender with Hess Kim

What if your birth fell well beyond any preconceived vision of possibility?  What if it took so many twists and turns that even a prolific author would struggle to paint such a surprising story?  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with prenatal yoga teacher, childbirth educator, and labor support doula, Hess Kim. Hess humorously

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Community Birth Story: The Importance of Self Advocacy with Jessie Katz

Can you imagine the need to be the main advocate for yourself in the middle of labor and directly postpartum? Or being pushed into the situation to go head to head with the hospital staff just to see your baby? That is exactly what happened to Jessie Katz. In the middle of her labor and

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Community Birth Story: Healing Through Birth

Pregnancy and the transition to parenthood can bring up painful triggers and emotions from one’s past. But, for some, can also serve as a gateway to healing In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Prenatal Yoga Center community member, Christina Profita. Christina opens up about how needing a cesarean birth due to her breech baby unexpectedly

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