Unapologetically Unmedicated | Empowered & Informed Birth Education with Fierce Lizzie

The ONE thing I wish someone had told me when I was pregnant with my first. Here I am telling it to you if you haven't heard me say it already.

In this episode I discuss:

• The 7Bs of attachment parenting and the intuitive way to parent your baby.
• In 2013, I read food blogs when I should have been finding the home birth corner on the web.
• The gaps in our prenatal care, specifically the lack of options and informed consent that come with the typical hospital prenatal.

This is an incredible birth story that you won't want to miss. Katie shares her amazing journey from finding the online birth community in pre-conception to her long, tough back labor in the hospital, completely unmedicated. Katie's favorite part of her story, was reaching down to catch her own baby. She calls it the best gift she's ever received.

In this episode, Katie shares:

• What she did to prepare for her natural hospital birth, and all the mindset work behind believe she could do it.
• Why she chose to birth in the hospital, even though she wanted a home birth.
• How preparing her husband with Unmedicated Academy helped him to trust birth too.
• All 31 hours, starting a home with losing her mucous plug, to her doula walking in to help, to leaving for the hospital to use their birth tubs, to finally catching her baby.
• The feeling of empowerment that came with her birth, and how she feels like she can do anything now.

Why do I have a consult appointment with my oral surgeon but not my OB? Home birth midwives generally do free consults as well. Want a more home birth like hospital birth? Run your own consultation and ask the right questions to see if your provider is the right fit for what you want in your birth. And if you are currently seeing an OB or a practice with OBs do not skip this ONE question.

If you can't have a home birth, for whatever reason, I get it. That was me too. That is why my area of expertise is helping moms have hospital births that feels more liek home births. Why? Because moms who birth are home are more likely to feel supported, have lower risk outcomes, have fewer interventions, and they always hit their goal of an unmedicated birth. The hospital is nothing like a home birth but there are some home birth practices that we can bring in to our hospital births. In this episode I discuss five things to plan for if your goal is an unmedicated hospital birth.

Travel back in time with me as I go line by line through the birth plan I wrote as a first time mom in 2013. Back before there was a birth side of instagram and no one was listening to podcasts (or at least, I wasn't). In the episode I discuss each request from my birth plan, the biggest mistake I made, and if I actually got what I wanted.

More episodes you'll love:

April is cesarean awareness month. Approximately 1.3 million women in the United States undergo a cesarean section every year. It is the most common surgery done in the United States. And our cesarean rates have actually gone up in recent years, meaning it's more important now than ever to understand the risks, especially of repeat cesareans, and how to avoid an unnecessary c-section.

In this episode I discuss:

• C-section being a neutral tool with risks and benefits, that is being overused. Even the World Health Organization agrees and states that cesarean rates should be 10-15% for the best overall outcomes for moms and babies.
• The most disgusting thing I saw online last week from an OB celebrating 100 c-sections performed.
• The definition, and impact of a primary cesarean. In the US, the rate of cesarean is 32.1% overall and primary cesarean rate is 22.5%
• How one hospital proves that you don't need to follow the ARRIVE trial guidelines to lower the risk of primary cesarean.

The Washington Post said women are spreading “misinformation” about birth control in a recent article and many women in our community were PISSED. Myself included. SO I asked my good friend Carly Hartwig on today to talk about it- the REAL reason women are not okay with hormonal birth control and why we are choosing just as effective alternatives to the IUD, nuvaring, and the pill. Carly is a holistic reproductive health practitioner and certified fertility awareness educator. In this episode we are calling out the misinformation claim, let’s get informed instead.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The illusion of empowerment that birth control has and how it is actually the opposite of what true empowerment is.

• The importance of informed consent in birth and birth control, and how if we had known the risks of birth control we would have never agreed to be on it. 

• How women are gaslit in our medical system, in birth, and in this Washington Post article on birth control.

• Alternative methods of birth control are being suppressed and called “misinformation” to keep you weak, sick, and disempowered which creates a pharmaceutical and fertility client for life. 

• All of your birth control options, including cycle tracking options. How the rhythm method and use of period tracking apps are less effective, and true fertility awareness is the more effective natural method and just as effective as pharmaceutical birth control when done correctly.

• Resources to get started with fertility awareness method.

Resources mentioned on the show:

You’ve got a medicine cabinet full of herbs and natural remedies but are you applying the same approach to your birth? You have left the mainstream version of healing your colds but are you still taking the mainstream route to birth? Let’s talk about it!

Just like a batch of cookies has directions to bake for 10-13 minutes, your baby has a range to bake for 37-42 weeks. Yet, hospital practices have lowered the average length of gestation because they are inducing almost everyone. What are so many moms being induced? And are you really overdue after 40 weeks?

In this episode I discuss:

-The accuracy of due dates and why it should be called a guess date instead. 

-The controversy around inducing just because a mom is 40 weeks-Why women risk out of home birth at 42 weeks and can still have a low risk birth.-The reason so many women are induced.

When an OB takes to the internet to say “women’s bodies are historically bad at birth” you better believe the birth community is showing up. Today we are talking about the viral #dontpagedrfran movement on Instagram, exactly what the OB said that has the birth community enraged, and the lessons you can apply to your birth.

In this episode I discuss:

-The reel from @pagnigdrfran where she said “women are historically bad at birth” and that “our bodies are trying to off us every time we are pregnant”. And how the birth community showed up with #dontpagedrfran

-Our current maternal mortality rate is telling of the United States as being bad at birth.-The perfect example of a provider and hospital saying one thing, then doing another. The typical bait and switch that many women have experienced. 

-How invalidating positive home birth stories on the basis of survivors bias is hypocritical coming from the medical model.

-The importance of personality versus practice when it comes to hiring (and firing) your provider.

Other episodes you’ll love:

Episode 2 for World Doula Week. In this episode I am answering all your doula questions from finding and hiring a doula to what it’s like being a doula!

I answer the following questions:

Where do I find a doula local to me?

Questions to ask before hiring a doula.

How much do doulas cost?

How to become a doula

What does getting started with a new client look like?

Why don’t they protect physiologic birth anymore?

Do you think doulas should have babies before becoming doulas (i low key think they do)?

Did you get a doula?

Have you ever felt like you had a client/patient who was out of your skill set?

Would you/have you declined working with someone wanting a birth you didn’t agree with?Other episodes you’ll love:

Welcome to World Doula Week! Did you know that doulas love to bring awareness to the benefits of doulas during WDW? If you've wondered what a doula does during your birth, or maybe what a doula doesn't do, or If you have questioned wether you need a doula or not, you are in the right place.

In this episode I discuss:

-The role of the doula and how it is different than the midwife.

-What I do with my client as their doula

-Why you still need childbirth education, even with a doula. Doulas do not replace childbirth education.

-How doulas support birth partners and the important role of dads during birth

-My surprising answer to , do I need a doula?

Other episodes you'll love:

There is no quick fix, one and done, just do this and get the birth you want. But there IS one thing that is going to help you encompass all those 'tips and tricks' and that is taking radical responsibility.

In this episode I discuss:

-Taking responsibility IS radical, because the average mom walking into the hospital is asking to be told what to do.

-Why taking radical responsibility is needed, and all because of phrases like "we need to.." and "you're not allowed to"

-Four tips on taking responsibility and control of your birth

Academy mom Kerissa Ransbury shares her two birth stories. Her fist where she was underprepared and ended up pushing for 6 hours versus the birth she loves to share because it was so positive. She prepared the right way and everything went exactly how she imagined, she labored at home, had zero pain, and her husband caught her baby. All in the hospital!

In this episode, Kerissa discusses:

-Her first birth started with cytotec after her waters broke. She ended up getting an epidural, which slowed things down and ended up pushing on her back for 6 hours.

-She started preparing for baby 2 as soon as she found out she was pregnant, and she went all in with books, social media and of course, Unmedicated Academy,

-Unmedicated Academy worked so well because she knew everything, being informed meant her voice was heard and respected in her prenatal care and birth.

-Staying home as long as possible, she waited til contractions were 2 minutes apart, as a way to not be coerced or be on the hospital’s timeline.

-She got her pain free birth and her husband (and daddy doula) caught her baby as she birthed upright on the side of the tub. 

Other birth stories on the podcast:

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What if I start an induction and it doesn’t work? What if I change my mind? You have the right to stop an induction and leave the hospital. And if you want to keep that option open NEVER let them break your waters.

In this episode I cover:

-Avoiding an induction in the first place is the best way to support physiology and an unmedicated birth plan

-The difficulties of going from a medicated birth routine to an unmedicated birth.

-The options you have if you decide to stop your induction.

More episodes you’ll love:

No, birth is not like pooping out a watermelon. But birth is a lot like pooping in other ways. Take the squatty potty for an example, we have completely normalized and accepted an upright pooping position but not upright birth.

Are you ready to learn about REAL birth?

Unmedicated Academy will teach you how birth works and how the hospital works so you can support the birth you want even in the medicalized setting.

Want to skip cervical checks, inductions, pitocin, unnecessary drugs, pushing on your back? Yeah, you should! None of those belong in birth anyways.

In honor of pregnancy after loss month, we have PAL (pregnancy after loss) doula Sarah Lingle. “It was probably the most emotional time of my life” Pregnancy after loss is hard, it can be full of anxiety, and it’s also a time of so much hope and joy. For many loss moms, there are more interventions in both their pregnancy and birth, wether by choice or by coercion. Sarah gives her best preparation tips for moms experiencing pregnancy after loss for them to feel informed and confident. 

In this episode, Sarah shares:

-The most amazing part of her own birth story, a record breaking twin interval birth.

-Her interest in birth started after seeing the women in her family give birth at home, leading her to midwifery school, and ultimately landing on becoming a doula, where she now helps moms during pregnancy after loss.

-How her trust in birth was tested after her own loss, and how she manages her anxieties and fears with her next pregnancy and birth.

-What makes PAL (pregnancy after loss) moms different and how she supports those moms with her doula services.

-The rate of interventions are higher with pregnancy and birth after loss, both by choice and by coercion.

-How trauma resurfaces in birth, even if we didn’t realize how traumatic that previous experience was.

Sarah aims to empower and support mothers who have experienced loss, as well as those navigating subsequent pregnancies after loss. Her motivation stems from personal loneliness during loss, infertility, and PAL. Sarah understands firsthand the challenges, but she wants to assure others that they're not alone.

Everyone wants a pain free birth, but in reality, only 1% of moms are experiencing one. Is a pain free birth possible? It is! Is it common, no. There are a few reasons you may not experience a pain free birth, some within your control, some not. And there are three things you can do to help increase your chances of experiencing a truly pain free birth. 

Part 2 with Sydney Taylor. The conversation with Sydney continues as she shares how her birth experience led her to birthwork and becoming a homebirth midwife. We talk about being doulas who only take on clients who want unmedicated births and the benefits, to both client and doula, of showing your biases as a doula.

In this episode we discuss:

-How being a mother prepares you to be a doula more than any doula training program

-The affirmations we love to hear from dads in the birth space.

-A doula for every woman doesn’t mean doulas have to support everyone and the types of doulas we wouldn’t hire.

-Taking every birth client, even when it’s not a good fit, just because you can support them often leads to burnout, doulas leaving birth work, and bad google reviews.

-Doulas who are unapologetic about their biases will find the right clients and this is exactly how Sydney is booked out for the year.

Part 1 with Sydney Taylor. In this episode she shares about her “as pleasant as expected” hospital birth where she accidentally said yes to breaking her waters and pitocin. Tune in to see how a type A, over prepared, RN ended up achieving her unmedicated birth a first time mom with just a couple regrets. 

The epidural is so common, that it is making it nearly impossible for moms to go unmedicated in the hospital. The true epidural rate may shock you once I break it down in this episode. If you are the average mom, planning a hospital birth, you are going to need to bring your own ingredients (aka support tools) because the natural birth is not something the hospital has experience with. 

Should I be drinking red raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy? When do I start? Yes, and likely… now! You can start sooner than you think. Let me introduce you to NORA. You are not the average mom, so lets upgrade the typical red raspberry leaf routine with a NORA routine that has the power to transform your whole birth prep routine.

You want to know how to have an unmedicated birth in the hospital, it is the perfect combination of being prepared and having the right support. Ariana prepared for her unmedicated birth with the me inside of Unmedicated Academy and the additional support of her sister. She was able to find a unicorn midwife in the hospital setting, hired a doula, and a husband that wasn’t afraid to get into the birth tub.

Listen in for Ariana's beautiful birth story, where she shares…

-How she prepared for her unmedicated birth as a first time mom

-The surprise of going into labor before her due date, having a long early labor and a faster active labor

-How she felt after consenting to a cervical check at admissions

-The labor support tools that helped the most

-A great example of a supportive midwife in the hospital who encouraged Ariana to follow her intuition

It's true, you will get more support in your goal to have an unmedicated and physiologic birth while you are laboring during the first stage. But all of that will change once it's time to push. This is when the doctor or midwife typically come in and want to "help." You will not get a hands of second stage of labor if you are having the standard hospital birth. If you want to have a truly physiologic second stage of labor, there are two things you can do to take control.

You shouldn’t be weaning if you have a full supply, and it doesn’t take lying or deceiving your child to wean either. Here I share the gentlest way to wean a toddler who has dropped all but the last bedtime feeding of the day, including the most adorable clip of my youngest demonstrating where we are at in the weaning process.

In this episode I discuss:

-What I would do if my mental health was pitted against breastfeeding.

-Two popular ways to wean that I do not agree with because they are disrespectful to our babies.

-The random way I have weaned all my kids, yes I came up with this method myself!

___

Have questions?

Every mom is wishing, hoping, and praying that birth is fast and simple. But that is not always the case. Here are three things you can do, starting in early labor through, ‘oh crap, my labor is long’ to help you get through a labor longer than 24 hours.

You've heard the stories about birth plans going out the window, and maybe you've wondered, how can I create a strong plan or have a birth that doesn’t as easily get so far off track? Here are 3 things to avoid to help your birth plan stand strong so you can get the birth you want.

In this episode I discuss:

-Why you don't need to change your birth plan to "preferences"

-The priorities of the hospital that go directly against your plan for an individualized birth

-How cute templates are a waste of time and the true focus and purpose of your birth plan

-The adovcacy skills you need and how the cascade of interventions can easily sneak up on you

Should I choose the hospital with the tub or the hospital that is closer? I am here to tell you, neither of those things matter. What is more important is how you will be treated.

In this episode I discuss:

-The hospital options for moms in Brentwood, Ca

-Which hospital in Brentwood that has a tub and which hospital I refuse to attend births at. 

-What to consider when choosing your hospital birth and provider

-How to ensure you have a positive birth experience in the hospital

-The story of Caroline Malatesta and how she sued her hospital for false advertising

More episodes you'll love:

The Radical Moms Union co-founders, Natasha Vargas-Cooper and Andrea Haskins, join me for another episode where we challenge modern motherhood. In part two we cover what the Radicals Moms Union stands for, the biological norms between mother and baby and more specifically, disrupting the mainstream message of fed is best. In this episode you'll learn about Bobbie's predatory formula marketing tactics, how they exploit women for profit, and what the Rad Moms are doing about it.

The Radical Moms Union co-founders, Natasha Vargas-Cooper and Andrea Haskins, join me in this two part series. In part one, we chat about how modern motherhood is represented in our society, and how much the radical moms disagree with all of it. The Radical Moms Union is all about the dyad and the attachment of the mother-baby at all costs, while society makes it easier and more acceptable for moms to be detached from their babies instead. 

In this episode we discuss:

-Paris Hilton went to party city and dropped $700 to prep for her baby and how that;s not much different than buying a $1500 snoo.

-The general mom population is detached from birth and their baby in the same way Paris Hilton is.

-All of us are terrified to give birth the first time, unless they’ve taken Unmedicated Academy.

-Society isn’t pressuring moms to breastfeed or have a natural birth, it's more acceptable to be detached from motherhood. 

-The daycare dilemma, choosing to put your children in daycare versus having no choice. 

-The basics of the attachment styles and the large scale of “attachment issues.”

-We would have been more impressed with Hannah of Ballerina Farms if she had stayed home instead of doing the pageant.

-Empowerment and how its meaning has been butchered to describe things that are not empowering.

For many of us, it is pregnancy that prompts us to treat our bodies a little better and to vet the products we use. And honestly, if it's not safe for pregnancy or breastfeeding, it probably isn't something we should be using .. ever.

In this episode, I discuss:

-Living by the 80/20 rule and making simple swaps to make it manageable

-Two product swaps that you can win in the season 3 giveaway

-The value of finding the root cause before treating the symptoms

-The habit of cycle synching and eating balanced blood sugar meals for hormone health and lower stress

Enter the Season 3 Giveaway and win a pair of Silverettes

1. Leave a rating and review of the podcast OR share about the podcast on social media and tag me @unapolgoeticallyunmedicated

2. Follow @SilveretteUSA, @UnapolgoeticallyUnmedicated on IG

3. Comment why you love breastfeeding

BONUS: Tag friends in separate comments for extra entries

Unmedicated birth moms NEED to be more unapologetic, and let's be honest, women in general. When a woman tells someone she is planning an unmedicated birth, too often she is met with doubt and called crazy. Exactly why we need to swap people pleasing tendencies with being more unapologetic.

In this episode, I discuss:

-The typical experience of the unmedicated girlie who is in the minority of the general population

-How being unapologetic in little ways will help you be bolder in big ways

-Three ways to be more unapologetic

Enter the Season 3 Giveaway and win beef liver capsules or collagen from Perfect Supplements

1. Leave a rating and review of the podcast OR share about the podcast on social media and tag me @unapolgoeticallyunmedicated

2. Comment on the giveaway post 'beef liver' or 'collagen'

3. Tag friends in separate comments for extra entries

Many unmedicated birth moms report having orgasmic birth, but not all moms share the same sentiment. Physiologic birth can be both painful AND orgasmic but there are several reasons why you may have had an unmedicated birth without that orgasm at the end.

In this episode I discuss:

-How the definition of natural birth has become a lie

-The differences and similarities between natural, physiologic, undisturbed, and unmedicated birth

-What an orgasmic birth feels like

-How orgasms and birth are similar

-What to do to support and encourage an orgasmic birth

Enter the Season 3 Giveaway and win a box of Frownies

1. Leave a rating and review of the podcast OR share about the podcast on social media and tag me @unapolgoeticallyunmedicated

2. Follow @Frownies, @UnapolgoeticallyUnmedicated on IG

3. Comment on the giveaway post your thoughts on the episode

4. Tag friends in separate comments for extra entries

SEASON 3 launches February 1st

Welcome to Unapologetically Unmedicated, the podcast for moms who want to be informed, empowered, and educated for birth and beyond. We know that an empowered birth leads to an empowered motherhood, and we know that it takes going against the status quo to get there. We are standing up for our values and we are doing it unapologetically.

There is a way that you can walk into your birth and motherhood feeling confident and prepared for anything, unapologetically advocate for the things that are important to you, and have an amazing birth story that you love sharing.

I’m Lizzie Bolliger, aka Fierce Lizzie. I’m a homeschooling mom, huge birth nerd, and I am passionate about moms having birth experiences where they are the boss. I have had three hospital births, all without an epidural. And while I really wanted a home birth with my last baby, it just wasn’t a possibility. So I vowed to do that birth my way, without being bullied or coerced into routine procedures. That third birth was by far my best birth. And I am on a mission to help moms have powerful births like I did with my third, without having to do it the wrong way first two times.

This is not your typical birth education, because on this podcast  you will learn about:

>>the undisturbed process of birth

>>all of your options when the medical system says otherwise

>>empowering messages to give you the confidence to take control of your birth

>>the spiciest topics that only unmedicated girlies will understand

Ready to start your birth prep?

"Are pain meds necessary postpartum? My midwife scared me into taking them last time.” This happened to me too with my second. Good news is, there is a really good unmedicated option for afterpains. 

In this episode I discuss:

-The importance of being informed for healthy women who have never used the hospital system before birth.

-My experience with afterpains after my second and third babies.

-The purpose of postpartum cramps and what you can expect on your second, third, fourth baby.

-Alternatives to using ibuprofen or other over the counter pharmaceuticals.

How long do I need to stay after birth?? The typical hospital stay for an uncomplicated vaginal birth is 24-48 hours. But you don;t have to stay that long if you’d prefer to leave early. Listen in to learn exactly what you need to know if you are planning for an early hospital discharge.

More episodes you’ll love:

I always recommend moms start their birth education around 20 weeks, it's a lot to learn. This is not a test that you can cram for the night before. But if your pregnancy flew by and you find yourself at 34 weeks pregnant in need of getting empowered, let's do it!

In this episode, I discuss:

• How to know if your mindset around birth is supportive of your unmedicated birth plan.
• Exactly what to research and learn about for the next 6 week to get truly empowered for your birth.
• The things you need to start researching, plus resources to help you DIY your birth education and fast.

Mentioned on the show:

Women everywhere are talking about the Mrs World Pageant. This is the most attention this pageant has received in years all thanks to Ballerina Farms and her 8 Million followers. But is competing in a pageant at 12 days postpartum really truly empowering?

In this episode I discuss:

• The empowering vs irresponsible debate on glamorizing the early postpartum days.
• How the homestead community feels deceived by Ballerina Farms and how all Instagram homesteaders are also boss babes.
• Mom shaming does effect those who are confident and secure in their decisions and know they are doing their best.
• What is normal? Physiologies normal is different than American's normal.

Mentioned on the show:

If you are listening to a podcast about birth plans, then I know your birth plan is important to you. You have preferences, desires and wants for your birth that you want to effectively communicate to your care team. The best way to be sure your birth plan is an effective tool, is to understand it’s purpose and how it can be the most useful.

In this episode I discuss:

-When the birth plan was born, and why women started using them

-The difference between home birth and hospital birth that change how a birth plan would be used

-Individualized care vs. routine care

-When to bring out the birth plan and show your provider 

-An example of a well informed mom having a birth plan conversation

Mentioned on the show:

How to turn “I should do more research before my due date to prepare for birth” to “I will be prepared for birth.” Here is how you can easily make that mindset shift and stay more accountable to your birth prep. Plus this strategy is going to make your birth prep easier and more fun too.

In this episode I discuss:

-What finally got me making bagels from scratch even though I had been thinking about making our families bread for years

-My sourdough starter (her name is Wynonna)

-How you can easily make a commitment to yourself and get your birth prep off your "need to list"

-The best way to make birth prep easily and fun

xo, Lizzie

More episodes you'll love:

Last year was the year of AI, especially in the entrepreneur world. It's all about things being faster, easier, and automated. And this has been happening with birth for years. We’ve gotten so far away from mother nature's birth that we’ve completely changed what birth looks like. And it’s not good for most mothers and babies.

In this episode I discuss:

- Automation fails from content creators.

- The hospital is the most advanced option for birth and it's hurting moms and babies

- The American College of Nurse Midwives statement on technology use in birth

- How evidence shows that more isn't better in birth, and still automation is prioritized

- The worst applications of technology in birth that we have today

Listen to the podcast interviews mentioned in the intro:

Want to have a powerful and positive birth experience? It's time to go all in. I have noticed is that the moms who start sooner, who bring the questions, who extend their learning- they are typically the most mentally and physically prepared for birth. Listen in for how a recent client of mine made big time and money investments to have an empowered pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

In this episode I discuss:

- How to greatly influence your birth experience by choosing your birth place, provider and setting up the right support team

- The time investment it takes to get informed and educated on all your options

- How the mother who goes above and beyond to take care of her body is better able to withstand the intensity of late pregnancy and birth.

- Taking postpartum healing seriously with the 5-5-5 rule

I recently I heard three stories of moms waiting quite a long time for their doctors. And it just rubbed me the wrong way. Here is what an empowered mom would do and how you can use this as an opportunity to learn advocacy skills.

In this episode I discuss:

-three times moms were left to wait

-why it's important to use waiting room woes as a chance to practice advocacy skills

-what the way you respond to time conflicts reveals about your birth

-how to have more confidence in having conversations that may be confrontational

Other episodes you may like:

Did you know you do not need to be certified to become a doula? All it takes is a desire to support women, learning about birth, pregnancy, postpartum, and getting connected with the women in your community.

In this episode I discuss:

- My transition from full time working teacher to self employed doula

- How my social selling experience helped me become an entrepreneur

- The doula certification program I started then ditched to become a self taught doula

- Exactly what I did to become a self taught doula, it's easier than you think to be an uncertified birth worker

- Permission to be a doula who isn't booked out or burned out.

- How you can utilize online offers to supplement your birth worker business

Next steps...

Welcome to 2024! If you are pregnant, TTC, or you are in the THICK of motherhood this year, I have tips for every stage on how to live more EMPOWERED in 2024.

In this episode I discuss:

-If your goal is to get pregnant in 2024, three things to do now to take control of trying to conceive.

-The importance of nutrition while trying to conceive and during pregnancy

-Five ways to have an empowered birth and pregnancy

-The best time to make a plan for leaving your job to become a stay at home or work at home mom

-The two most empowering things I have done as a mom

What do most moms fear about birth? Usually fear is around the pain of birth, fear of adverse outcomes, fear of not knowing how things are going to unfold. We can conquer ALL of these fears with birth education. I know because I have experienced first hand the benefits of the knowledge is power approach to birth.

In this episode I cover:

- Falling victim to the fear of childbirth and how it can cause you more pain in birth

- How birth support alone doesn't get to the root of the fears

- The difference on fear with first and second time moms

- How our society makes birth fears worse

- What to do to lessen birth fear and feel more confident in your birth plan

Have questions?

"I’m pregnant with twins, I was planning an unmedicated birth. Is all hope of an unmedicated birth lost?" Absolutely not, unmedicated birth is possible with twins. Here are two tips, things you should do now, to help you reach your goal of having your twins unmedicated.

In this episode I discuss:

- The twin moms inside my birth program, there's been 6 twin moms in Unmedicated Academy

- How positioning can effect your birth outcome with twins

- Why it's important to find a provider who will deliver breech babies

- What to research for cesarean birth if your goal was originally an unmedicated birth

- The importance of nutrition for all moms, but especially important for twin moms to be consistent

- Four things to include in your daily meals to fuel pregnancy

Mentioned on the show: 

Eden is a mom of two, education counselor turned doula after the birth of her first. She shares her two very different birth experiences and how she went from prepared on what to expect to even more informed, and more physically and mentally ready for her second birth. "My second birth was everything they say about unmedicated birth... it was amazing."

In this episode, we discuss:

- Leaving your job and navigating maternity leave in education.

- When she found out she was pregnant at 3 months postpartum.- Signs of an asynclitic baby and how to resolve asynclitism.

- Eden's 27 hour labor versus her 6 hours labor.

- Using intuition to listen to what your baby needs in birth.

- What to look for when choosing a hospital midwifery group.

Mentioned on the show: