I got an email from a student who is 39 weeks & 1 day pregnant. She’s quite uncomfortable & distraught. She wrote to me having just come back from her weekly check up with her care provider. She was told that her baby is high & her cervix firm. According to her provider, she hadn’t […]
Your Cervix Is Not A Crystal Ball Read More »
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,
Community Birth Story: Power, Surrender and Opening with Lina Lum Read More »
I got an email from a student who is having her first baby. She’s 34 weeks along and at her last appointment, her doctor did an ultrasound and said her baby is already 6 pounds 9 ounces and if she goes to 40 weeks, her baby will be 9 pounds and he doesn’t think her
Carrying A Boulder Up a Mountain of Jello Read More »
Telehealth has become the norm while social distancing is being respected. This can leave some new and expectant parents anxious about the care they will receive as leading up to their birth and recovering during postpartum. In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with Certified Nurse Midwife, Eugenia Montesenos about telehealth care. Eugenia explains
Understanding Telehealth with Eugenia Montesenos Read More »
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
Processing Your Birth Story with Nikki Shaheed Read More »
Pregnancy and being a brand new parent inherently carries a fair amount of anxiety and uncertainty. Add in an unprecedented pandemic, and that anxiety is likely to increase. One of the best ways to combat these feelings are solid and supportive answers to best prepare for what lies ahead. In this very special and timely
Pregnancy and Birth During the Coronavirus Pandemic Read More »
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
Community Birth Story: Strength, Endurance, and Surrender with Hess Kim Read More »
Birth. Rarely does it unravel as planned or expected. The uncertainty and loss of control can be very challenging for many pregnant people. It can bring up fear, make some hold tighter to a preconceived plan, or throw themselves into the hands of science and relinquish any autonomy. How does one approach such a transformation
Transformed by Birth with Britta Bushnell Read More »
Approximately 60% of pregnant people will receive an epidural. With those receiving epidural analgesia, up to 10% of those people will not receive full pain relief- there may be a spot where discomfort is still felt or pain relief is not delivered. Or you may find yourself waiting for pain medication or choose not to
Comfort for Birth with Yiska Obadia Read More »
An epidural is a very familiar term for most, but how much knowledge do people have about it? With an average of 60% of birthing people choosing epidural anesthesia, it is important to make informed decisions about what serves you best. In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with anesthesiologist and yoga teacher,
Epidurals with Dr. Claire Sandberg Read More »
Currently in the US, approximately one-third of all babies are born by cesarean. However, it’s interesting to note that when I asked my prenatal yoga class of 21 pregnant people how many have considered the possibility of cesarean birth, only 3 people raised their hands. For many, the idea of a surgical birth is something
Preparing for Cesarean: A Necessary Conversation with Mary Esther Malloy Read More »
How would you react upon finding out you were carrying twins? Shock? Excitement? A bit nervous? A combination of all three? If are one of the 3.35% of parent having twins you may be looking for some support and guidance as you welcome your new expanded family. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with
Birth plans have gotten a bad name. How can you possibly plan a birth since they rarely go as planned? However, investing time, thought, and energy into what areas of the birth are important to the birthing person can be invaluable. By making their wishes known, it can help the birthing person feel supported, heard,
What do you do when you’ve prepared for your birth to unfold in a certain direction only to find out you are one of the 1 in approximately 25 people carrying a breech baby? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Spinning Babies Trainer and home birth midwife, Nicole Morales. Nicole offers insight to
Why This Baby Is Breech Read More »
Welcome to part two of the Birthing From Within focused podcasts. Recently, I embarked on the path to becoming a Birthing From Within Mentor. The process to becoming a mentor is multilayered but starts with a weekend intensive course called Crossing the Threshold. Right after attended the weekend course, I recorded last week’s podcast with
An Ancient Map For Modern Birth Read More »
You may think, “Yoga is yoga! Sure I’m pregnant, but why not go to a general population class and modify poses as needed?” To some extent, yes, downward facing dog is going to be the same no matter where you take class. However, there is something so special and unique about a prenatal yoga class
10 Reasons You Should Do Prenatal Yoga Read More »
If only there was a way to script out your “ideal” birth and be guaranteed the experience unfolds in that exact manner. Unfortunately, that’s impossible. However, many of us try to overly plan and seldom allow ourselves to relinquish the illusion of control over the wild nature of birth. In this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies,
Exploring Birthing From Within Read More »
The pushing stage of labor rarely looks as it does in the movies! Did you know there are so many other options to birth a baby then flat on your back with you legs thrown up to the ceiling and pushing like your face is going to burst? In this episode of Yoga | Birth
Pushing Power: Understanding the 2nd Stage of Labor Read More »
Between 25 and 34 per cent of women report that their births were traumatic. Given this staggering number, how many of these people have the support or tools to safely heal and recover from their birth experience? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with childbirth educator, doula and author, Jennifer
Healing After Birth: Recovering from Birth Trauma Read More »
“All birthing people will face a crisis of confidence at some point during a physiological labor.” This one powerful discussion point still sticks out in my mind from my juicy conversation with childbirth educator, doula and counsellor, Rhea Dempsey. In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, Rhea and I dive deep into the world of
Birth With Confidence Read More »
An epidural is a very familiar term for most, but how much knowledge do people have about it? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with anesthesiologist and yoga teacher, Claire Sandberg. Claire breaks down common myths and misconceptions about epidural anesthesia and clearly present the facts about epidurals so listeners
Epidural 101 with Dr. Claire Sandberg Read More »
In April 2018, ACOG, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, released a new recommended guideline for Maternal Care. This new set of suggested protocols has the potential to vastly improve maternal health, which currently has a bleak outcome of 17.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2011, 2012 and 2013 with non- Hispanic black
Deserving of Better Care for Expectant and New Parents; The New ACOG Guidelines Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with the founder of VBAC Facts, Jen Kamel. Jen and I go deep into myths and misconceptions about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and ways to advocate for the birth you want. This episode is will bring fire and confidence to any person unsure of
VBAC Facts Founder Jen Kamel Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with new mother and yoga teacher, Chantal Eder. We discus the the challenges and joys of pregnancy and new motherhood. Chantal also opens up about her surprisingly unique birth and processing the experience. New and expectant mothers will enjoy Chantal’s candor and relate to
Community Birth Story: Chantal Eder Read More »
This week on “Yoga | Birth | Babies” I wanted to talk to you about preparing for birth. As a speaker and teacher I’m frequently asked, “What tips would you give expectant parents?” Well based on my experience and what I see in my students, as expectant parents we spend hours choosing the right, stroller,
Minisode: Preparing for Your Birth Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with world-renowned medical anthropologist, international speaker and researcher in transformational models in childbirth, midwifery and obstetric, Robbie Davis-Floyd PhD. She and I dive into a lively conversation about her work and what she defines technocratic birth and the three paradigms of care in childbirth.
Technocratic, Holistic, and Humanistic Birth with Robbie Davis-Floyd Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Bebo Mia founders, Bianca Sprague and Natasha Marchand. Bianca, Natasha and I discuss the misconceptions and assumptions women of size face when entering motherhood. We talk openly about “fat shaming” and how plus size moms can find support and embrace and trust their bodies. With
Plus Size Pregnancy with Bebo Mia founders Bianca Sprague & Natasha Marchand Read More »
I wanted to re-visit one of my favorite episodes this week. Early on, in the life of Yoga | Birth | Babies I had the pleasure and honor of speaking with Debra Pascali Bonaro. She is a world renowned doula, teacher, mentor, birth advocate, and mother. If you’ve heard about Orgasmic Birth then you’re familiar
Turning Pain to Power with Debra Pascali Bonaro Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with author and Lamaze Program Co-Director, Dr. Judith Lothian. We explore the idea of pain for a purpose in childbirth. Dr Lothian offers her insight as to how women can use the pain of labor to inform their body how to move, moan and
Pain for a Purpose in Childbirth with Dr. Judith Lothian Read More »
On this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Lamaze Teacher, labor support doula, and international speaker Sharon Muza. No labor is exactly alike, but sometimes there are variations beyond what one would consider “typical.” Sharon and I discus prodromal labor, back labor, as well as a quick and wild precipitous birth.
Labor Variations: Prodromal Labor, Back Labor, and Precipitous Birth with Sharon Muza Read More »
This week on Yoga | Birth | Babies, I interview award-winning medical writer and internationally known speaker, Henci Goer. Henci and I discus the new ACOG (The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) statement “Approaches to Limit Intervention During Labor and Birth.” Expectant mothers and birth workers will find this conversation enlightening and important. In
Henci Goer and ACOG’s “Approaches to Limit Intervention During Labor and Birth” Read More »
As a doula, I’ve heard this lament time and time again: “I received the name of my doctor from a friend, and if I had known what to ask, I probably would have switched doctors a long time ago. Now I feel it is too late to change!” Ideally, it’s best to have a very
5 Questions to ask Your Care Provider Before Birth : A minisode with Deb! Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I had the pleasure of speaking with Aviva Romm, MD. A Yale-trained, board-certified MD, midwife, and herbalist with a specialty in women’s health, Aviva and I talked about her new book, The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution. She explained how thyroid issues affect fertility, pregnancy and postpartum moms and the
Aviva Romm, M.D. author of THE ADRENAL THYROID REVOLUTION Read More »
In today’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with internationally recognized expert on water birth and gentle birth and author of Gentle Birth Choices, Barbara Harper. Barbara explains what drew her to embracing and advocating for water birth and demystifies some of the misconceptions of water birth and explains the values and benefits to both mother
Barbara Harper and the Beauty of Water Birth Read More »
With one third of babies being born via cesarean, it is important to understand the process of a cesarean birth. However, there are ways to make a surgical birth less “surgical” feeling and shift the focus to a softer, gentler birth, a family centered cesarean, also called a “gentle cesarean.” This week on Yoga|Birth|Babies we
Family Centered Cesarean with Narchi Jovic and Suzanne Chesney Read More »
In the past few years I have come to appreciate all the uses and benefits of magnesium sulfate, aka Epsom salt. First off, I must stress, Epsom salts are sometimes recommended as a laxative; this purpose is NOT appropriate for pregnancy. With that usage off the table, let’s check out all the ways a pregnant
Tuesday Tip: Epsom Salt Read More »
What makes some births faster than others? Often, it is the baby’s position in the pelvis. Optimal position is when the baby is head down, with its chin in line with the birth canal, evenly tucked into its chest, and its spine is in an anterior position- towards the pregnant person’s belly (vertex position). Most
Better Birth; Eliminating Intrauterine Constraint Read More »
Movies, TV and friend’s stories often portray birth as a painful and arduous experience. From the repetition of these external influences, it is understandable how there is little space left to believe that birth is not necessarily painful. Could this preconceived idea of the pain of labor actually cause MORE pain? Imagine if all you
NPR: Pain Really Is All In Your Head And Emotion Controls Intensity Read More »
Once you turn the corner into your third trimester, you may notice the pregnancy “honeymoon” is over. Your baby’s growth is accelerating and you may be experiencing a whole new batch of aches and pains. Yoga within the third trimester focuses on preparing the body for labor and delivery, and encouraging the baby the move
Yoga in the 3rd trimester Read More »
Lately, I’ve been struggling with some of the stories I hear regarding appropriate vs. inappropriate behavior from labor support doulas. While I am not currently taking on any births, I was an active doula for almost 10 years and have tremendous respect and admiration for how a trained labor support doula can support a laboring
Doula Do’s and Don’ts Read More »
My first labor with my son, Shay, was an epic 42 hrs. That is 42 hrs from first recognizing there was a pattern to the contractions to my baby being born. I was completely taken back and slightly traumatized both physically and mentally by the experience. Upon finding out I was pregnant again with our
In the hecticness of planning for the arrival of a new baby, taking a formal Childbirth Education Class (CBE) sometimes get put on the back burner and forgotten about. A new study published in The Journal of Perinatal Education sites the positive birth experiences of those that participated in a formal CBE class compared to
Have A Better Birth; Take Childbirth Education! Read More »
I was really struck by a quote from Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer, authors of A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, who said: “If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any.” From what I have encountered in my years of teaching, many women really do not know how many choices they have with
Educate Yourself, Know Your Birth Options Read More »
