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Twins: What to expect with Dr. Nate Fox

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I sat down with Dr. Nate Fox, once again, and I got to ask him all of YOUR questions about twins! Birthing one baby comes with its fair share of challenges, but for mamas birthing two babies in one shot, well, there's some things you'll want to know. Thankfully, Nate talks us through some of the different things you can expect during the pregnancy, birth, and some postpartum. Not only does his practice specialize in the delivery of twins, he is also the father of twins, so you will love his expertise, personally & professionally. Listen in as he gives some great information as well as resources to anyone interested in all the fun parts of having twins.

Show Notes

3:02 - Dr. Nate Fox, a Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist, gives us a little background on himself and his practice. He also chats about his podcast and how these stories can benefit pregnant women, high-risk or not.

7:20 - Who needs to meet with a high risk/ maternal fetal medicine provider when they are pregnant...

The #1 Reason for Cesarean Birth

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We know that if you're following along with us there's a good chance you are not planning for a cesarean birth. It may surprise you to learn what the number one reason is that providers list on medical paperwork when performing a cesarean birth. Nothing to fear though! As usual, we are going to give you all the details you need to understand the background to why this occurs, how to keep birth moving freely so you don't get stuck in the curve, and what you need to know to avoid an unnecessary cesarean birth altogether.

Show Notes

2:00 - If you had to guess what the #1 reason is for unplanned cesarean births in first-time moms, what would it be?

9:53 - Your body is not broken. The system is broken. Patience or the lack of it may be the reason we are seeing so many women moved through the system and into cesarean birth.

11:03 - This information from the 1950s is still playing a part in your birth and you will want to know not only what it is but what information you need to make sure...

Recovering from a Cesarean Birth

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Recovery is just as important as the event itself and when we talk about recovery we mean the whole woman, not just the physical body. Whether or not a cesarean birth is a planned part of your birth story there are some important and helpful things to know for the recovery period including your mental and emotional health too.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR PHYSICAL RECOVERY

You've had major abdominal surgery- ab muscles are pulled apart & incisions made into your uterus.
You've had an epidural that can come with its own set of side effects. Things like headaches and nausea. If spinal fluid is leaking, you may require a blood patch.
Overall, your inside may feel a little odd as your organs move back into their pre-baby places. Back pain, body aches, and fatigue are all normal.
You will have pain at the incision site. Moving, turning, twisting, sitting up, going to the bathroom, walking, etc will be more difficult and uncomfortable.

HOW TO COPE WITH PHYSICAL...

OB's vs Midwives Showdown

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Don't let this title fool you- it's not that dramatic! We love both, and dislike both, depending on the provider. But the right provider for you will largely depend on what kind of birth experience you desire. Above all, find someone who respects and supports those birthing goals!

[2:45] The difference in Education/Schooling

[6:12] What kind of care each offers

[8:00] Who takes insurance and what that looks like

[8:57] Hot topic: Obstetricians are trained surgeons

[10:04] Midwives are trained in normal

[11:09] The different medications that can be prescribed during labor for each provider

[13:12] Cesarean birth rates

[14:11] What if a mom is high-risk??

[15:08] Reliance on medical tools

[15:50] The Med-wife

[22:16] OB vs Midwife during birth

[25:27] What we've observed as patients and doulas

[32:11] Questions to find the right provider for YOU

[33:29] Tell us who you chose and why!

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If you haven't subscribed to the...

Get Your VBAC On!

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This is a must-listen for any woman who has had a prior cesarean birth and is curious about or planning for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). We talk about statistics for VBAC's and why they're on your side, plus how to overcome obstacles standing in your way- including your provider, your partner, and yourself.

[3:18] What is a VBAC

[3:30] The facts about VBACs

[5:22] Benefits of a VBAC

[7:41] What are the risks?

[9:05] VBAC is safer than Elective Repeat Cesarean Birth

[9:40] What increases your odds of having a VBAC

[11:35] How to find a VBAC supportive provider

[13:51] Red Flags - How to tell if your provider sounds supportive but isn't really

[16:50] How to you get your partner on board

[18:09] How to convince yourself that you can do this!

[19:17] Resources

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

If you haven't subscribed to the podcast yet, you definitely should! We love breathing life into our mamas and don't want you to miss a thing. Plus...

Cesareans: When They're Necessary & Avoiding When They Aren't- PART 2

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With cesarean rates higher than ever in the U.S., we realize there is a major lack of education about why and how to avoid an unnecessary one, until now. This two-part podcast covers all things cesarean birth: from the history behind cesarean birth, where it developed, why the cesarean birth rate has not gone down (even though it should have), why a provider may recommend one - including which reasons are legitimate and which can be avoided, what you can expect if you have one, and most importantly how to PREVENT an unnecessary cesarean birth! This episode (Part 2) covers everything from what to expect during a cesarean birth, emotions that go along with one, and a quick overview for recovery. Spoiler alert: be gentle with yourself!

[1:13] What to expect during a cesarean birth

[7:10] Gentle cesareans

[11:12] Stephanie's cesarean birth experience

[14:20] Emotions that come along with cesarean birth

[16:45] Processing our birth stories

[17:48] What partners can do...

Cesareans: When They're Necessary & Avoiding When They Aren't- PART 1

cesarean cesarean birth csection Dec 03, 2019

With cesarean rates higher than ever in the U.S. we realize there is a major lack of education about why and how to avoid an unnecessary one, until now. This two part episode covers all things cesarean birth, from the history behind cesarean birth, where it developed, why the cesarean birth rate has not gone down (even though it should have), why a provider may recommend one - including which reasons are legitimate and which can be avoided, what you can expect if you have one, and most importantly how to PREVENT an unnecessary cesarean birth! This episode (Part 1) covers everything through why a provider might recommend one. Truthfully we want to talk about VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) but quickly realized our mamas will need this info first! Enjoy!

[2:08] Kids say the darndest things

[4:20] The facts of cesareans

[6:57] The history of cesarean birth

[7:08] Improper nutrition in the 1900's caused Rickets (which in turn causes a malformations of bones - including the...

2 Girls, 7 Totally Different Births

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We share our personal birth stories which include hospital, birth center, and home birth, as well as cesarean birth, VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), medicated, and unmedicated....does that cover everything?! PLUS, get the scoop on the one thing that made all the difference for BOTH of us when getting ready to have our babies.

Also poop, we talk about poop!

[1:47] In the U.S. 1/3 of women will find themselves in a cesarean birth

[2:27] The one thing

[2:57] Stephanie's first birth story...and that time when she was told by her provider that women with size 5 1/2 shoe and smaller, typically have a cesarean (say what?!)

[12:17] A lot of My Essential Birth mamas are mamas who have had a previous birth experience that they don't want to repeat

[12:47] Through preparation, you can control a lot of your birth

[13:47] Stephanie's 2nd birth...

[16:45] Third baby, Stephanie calls the one hospital in the area and they tell her to plan for...

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