podcasts
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 »
Have you ever wondered why postpartum people wake up with night sweats? Or find their hair falling out? Did you know there is a huge hormonal disruption once the placenta is delivered and that leads to hormonal levels plummeting? This major hormonal shift can create havoc for the new parent’s body and mind. It’s often
Understanding Postpartum Hormones with Aviva Romm M.D. Read More »
Is it fair for yoga teachers to assume that if their pregnant student had a practice prior to pregnancy, they should know how and when to modify? Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety of the student and offer modifications? What potential harm can really happen to the baby and the pregnant person from
Who’s Responsible: Student or Teacher? with Bec Conant 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 »
Surrogate Carrier: The act of carrying a baby for an intended family. In my opinion, one of the greatest gifts a person can give to a family that needs assistance in creating their family. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Anastasia Bartlett, a Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Yoga Teacher, owner of Superior
Surrogacy: Helping To Create a Family with Anastasia Bartlett Read More »
The path to creating a family can differ for everyone. For some it may require fertility assistance, others a surrogate, and others no assistance at all however for approximately 135,000 families it involves adoption. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with adoptive and assisted reproduction lawyer, Rebecca Mendel. As an adoptive parent, Rebecca offers
All About Adoption with Rebecca Mendel 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 »
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
Community Birth Story: The Importance of Self Advocacy with Jessie Katz Read More »
A “big baby” is one of the top reasons for a suggested induction for pregnant people. But did you know that ultrasound offers less accuracy after the 37th week of pregnancy and can be off up to 15% of the estimated weight? In this episode of Yoga |Birth |Babies I speak with founder and author
Understanding “Big Babies” with Rebecca Dekker Read More »
One of the most talked about subjects at the beginning of every postnatal yoga class is breastfeeding. How is it going? What do you do with cracked nipples? What are you going to do when you go back to work? In the episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Director of Stork
Breastfeeding 101 with Tamara Hawkins Read More »
What do you do when you realize your child has special needs and considerations? For some parents of children who have special needs, they may feel isolated and overwhelmed by living outside “the norm.” In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with Bridget Tichar. Bridget is the mother of Teddy, her 2 1/2 son,
Parenting a Child With Special Needs with Bridget Tichar Read More »
The US is the only developed country that does not offer paid maternity leave to new parents. Support for new families varies from the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, which offers job protection and mandates 12 weeks of unpaid leave, to private companies who provide paid leave maternity and paternity leave. In NY State,
The Pregnancy Project Read More »
The shift from pregnancy to postpartum is unlike any chasm one will ever experience. And while there is often much care and attention being paid to the pregnant person’s well being, the new parent that emerges on the other side, is often left to wade through the turbulent waters of parenthood with limited help. In
The 4th Trimester with Kimberly Johnson Read More »
It’s possible you’ve never heard of “tongue tie,” but 5% of babies are born with this condition. If your little one has a tongue tie you likely understand how it impacts feeding your baby, from the bottle or breast. And if undiagnosed, it can affect speech development. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies,
Why is it that so many pregnant people wait until 12 weeks to share the news of their pregnancy? This silence retreat may be comforting for some, but isolating for the 1 in 4 people who do not see their pregnancy go past the first trimester. In this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies, I speak with
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
Community Birth Story: Healing Through Birth 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
One of the most commonly used phrases in exercise and yoga is “engage your core.” But what does that even mean? What muscles are being asked to work and is it really helpful or healthy to have an engaged core? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with pelvic floor yoga
Yoga For Pelvic Health Read More »
Nobody ever enters parenthood and thinks having a baby would land them in the psych ward. But that is exactly what happened with Lisa Abramson. On this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with executive coach, mindfulness teacher, best selling author, and mom of two girls, Lisa Abramson. Lisa is also a survivor of postpartum psychosis,
Postpartum Psychosis Read More »
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,
The role and practice of a midwife is often misunderstood. Many think this is someone who simply assists medical doctors, or they confuse the offerings of labor support doula with a midwife assuming this person has limited medical training and authority or just catches babies. (None of those assumptions are correct!) So what does a
What Midwives REALLY Do Read More »
Laurel Beversdorf has always been a teacher and practitioner who embodies the philosophy of svadyaya (self study) so it was no surprise when Laurel started to deviate from a traditional yoga practice and started to explore adding resistance bands into her practice. She approaches asana based on her studies of anatomy and biomechanics of the
Yoga, Bands, and Baby! Read More »
One Wednesday morning, during circle time, a student bravely spoke up about an experience she had at her last prenatal appointment. Her doctor told her she had gained too much weight between visits. The woman left her appointment upset, ashamed and confused about what to do next. Upon hearing, I too was confused and had
Prenatal Weight Shaming Read More »
It is very possible that until pregnant, you never thought much about your cervix. But once you’re hovering around your due date, it can become prime concern. At each weekly exam, you may be wondering, “How dilated am I?”, “Does that mean labor might start soon, or do I still have a ways to go?”
All Things Cervix! Read More »
What is it like for a birth doula, childbirth educator, and prenatal yoga teacher to experience birth with so much knowledge and experience coloring her lens of labor? Many may think it, with all the preparation and knowledge, it would be smooth sailing. Well, life and birth unfolds in it’s own wild ride no matter
A Brutal, Amazing, and Magical Birth Read More »
Not long ago, I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Yoked podcast with Kelly Sunrose. During the conversation which started off mainly talking about prenatal yoga, Kelly and I started to discus the impact of yoga on pregnancy and birth. I was not surprised to hear of the challenging labor, birth and
Learn to Surrender Your Yoga Practice Read More »
Stepping onto the yoga mat may feel very vulnerable for many people. It’s a time to be present with body, mind and breath and that can be challenging, especially if you have suffered through any type of traumatic experience. According to Sidran Institute, an estimated 70 percent of adults in the United States have experienced
An Introduction to Trauma Informed Prenatal Yoga Read More »
If you’re a parent, or simply have been around children, you know the how hard it can be to stay calm when a child is whining. I’m almost 8 years into parenthood and still, I find myself hungrily looking for expert advice on this issue! In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Clinical Psychologist and
Why Children Whine and What to Do About It Read More »
In my Prenatal Yoga and Childbirth Education classes, I stress the importance of having plan A, B, C and D. You never know how the wild nature of birth will flow. Teachers and educators encourage expectant parents to not skip the “scary sections” they may wish to avoid. But many people are unprepared for the
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 »
The number one reason for first time birthing people to have a cesarean is “failure to progress.” Failure to progress is defined as a labor lasting 20 hours or more for first time parents. However, labor is not always linear and can have variations. In the 1940’s the Friedman Curve was introduced in hospitals as
How To Make A Slow Labor Progress Read More »
The C.D.C. reports that black mother in the U.S. are 3 to 4 times more at risk of maternal mortality regardless of socioeconomic status and education than white women. These statistics are just the beginning of shining a light on the racial disparity seen in the birthing world. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak
Improving Birth & Health Outcomes for Black Moms & Babies. Read More »
We’ve all met those people we start chatting with and instantly decide, I want to know more about you. As Krisitn and I casually talked during the breaks of Prenatal Yoga Center’s Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training, (which she was enrolled in) I started to realized how our personal paths mirrored one another and even intertwined
Getting Real with Peloton’s Kristin McGee 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 »
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 »
We’ve all heard “It take a village to raise a child.” And while it sounds like a cliche or catch phrase, those of us who’ve been through or witnessed the transition from maiden to motherhood can understand the incredible importance of a supportive community. In this episode of Yoga|Birth| Babies, I speak with the director of
The Importance of Community Read More »
Did you know that 20% of the population has a unique brain trait called Sensory Processing Sensitivity aka the “highly sensitive person”? And of course, this is not limited to only adults. Babies and children can also exhibit these traits and are unfortunately are often misunderstood and characterized as “colicky” or “overactive” or “anxious”. In
The Highly Sensitive Baby & Parent Read More »
I was recently sorting through old pictures of me “pre-children” and noted how cute and put together I was back then. My hair was cut regularly, my clothes were fun and fashionable and I had a very respectable handbag collection that never contained random lego pieces or pink hair bows. Why did becoming a mother
Avoiding the “Mom Rut” In Fashion Read More »
I wish I could say I have a very loving and peaceful relationship with my body and body image; unfortunately, I do not. However, with awareness of this personal flaw, I’ve made great efforts to be mindful of what I say about my appearance and any comments about the physicality of others in front of
Body Positive Parenting Read More »
We all know about the common physical issues of pregnancy and postpartum, an achy back, sore shoulders and tight hips. But what about the other issues that are often kept quiet, hidden in confusion and shame. Incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, finding some sense of connection to the postpartum core! These are huge physical barriers that
Incontinence, Prolapse, and the Core, Oh My! A Discussion of These Common Issues. Read More »
As the field of genetic testing grows, so do the options for parents to learn more about their baby prior to birth. However, the choices and information from these tests can be confusing and sometimes overwhelming. “Which test to take? What do the results mean? I am over 35 years old, will I need more
Demystifying Genetic Prenatal Testing Read More »
One of my favorite parts of early motherhood was listening to the scrumptious babble of my new baby. That was, until a level of frustration grew from our inability to communicate effectively. My son was often trying to share his needs and it much of the time, it just went over my head. If you
Baby Fingers: Baby Sign Language Read More »
I’ll admit, I got a bit of zig when my husband and I went shopping to fill our baby registry. It was thrilling to see all the baby gear start to arrive. That is until we realized that our small one bedroom was not equipped to accommodate all the equipment baby’s require! Soon bottles, bibs
Embracing The KonMari Method to Declutter Your Life & Home Read More »
Most people who recently birthed a baby experience some level of trying to reignite a relationship with their core muscles. Some people feel a huge disconnect and have little understanding of why their abdomen remains soft even after the rest of their body has started to regain some semblance of it’s former self. In this
Understanding Core Strength During Pregnancy and Postpartum Read More »
How amazing is it that the documentary, #Period. End of Sentence, a film about menstruation just won an Academy Award! For years talking about periods was a closed subject. But now tides are turning and many people consider menstruation the “5th Vital Sign.” Disruptions in one’s cycle can predict potential health issues, give us insight
The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles and Optimize Your Fertility Read More »
Have you ever found yourself facing a completely different scenario in life then you were expecting? At 7 months pregnant, writer and yoga teacher Anna Gannon, found herself unexpectantly unemployed and depressed. To her complete surprise, she stumbled into meditation which became passion and career. In the episode of Yoga |Birth |Babies, Anna and I
Meditation & Facing Birth Fear Read More »
How might your pregnancy and birth change if you immerse yourself into studying the birth culture in the US? That is exactly how Hedy Iankelevich started her pregnancy journey. On the day she found out she was pregnant, she enrolled in an 85 hour Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training and examined the paradigm of birth in
Community Birth Story: Embracing Your Birth Choices 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 »
How confident are you with the security of your car seat and basic car seat safety? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 86% of families positioned the newborn incorrectly in the seat and 77% incorrectly installed the seat. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Child Passenger Safety
