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Click on the blog post {aka Show Notes} for any podcast below and the links are at the bottom! Enjoy!

Stop Calling It a Due Date! Start Calling It a Guess Date!

Show Notes:

[1:49] Our Reviewer of the Week, Jacalyn Kru, said: "Excellent Information!!! I had a at-home breach birth with my first (only 6 hr), and I was expecting some of the normal “pushing” feelings everyone talks about and was a little confused and very exhausted by the end. Everything worked out and the midwife was extremely skilled - and our baby was born safely into our home. It was very reassuring and empowering (again) to listed more of the technical details of how the breach birth works. Thank you for sharing all of the information you do!! Keep up the great work!"

02:34 - Today's topic

04:38 - How do they come up with due dates?

08:53 - Early induction?

09:58 - What if you don't know the date of your last missed period?

11:33 - Why are due dates important?

12:40 - How long is pregnancy really?

16:28 - It's just an estimate

19:59 - Why are doctors concerned about going past that due date?

24:58 - Why you should have a provider you love and trust

To...

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Birth Story: Home Birth at 43+1 Weeks with Stephanie Bratton

 Show Notes:

[1:10] Our reviewer of the week, informed.dad, says “Fantastic podcast! The information tips, recommendations, and stories really enable me to support my wife from a place of understanding and confidence. Excited to dive into more as we move into our third trimester. Recommend this highly so more men can support and engage in birthing discussion from an informed place. Cheers!”

I LOVE THIS! If I could have more dads join me on the podcast, I would absolutely love to hear from you! If you are a Dad listening, and you want to share some nuggets of knowledge that helped you support your birth partner, let me know!

Whether you go right up to your guess date or pass it, having that number in your head can really throw you for a loop! But at the end of the day, your body and your baby know when the time is right. So trust that your body knows what it's doing. This week, Stephanie Bratton shares her home birth story after going 43+1 weeks with her...

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Am I In Labor?

Do you know what to look for to know it’s labor time?! This week on the podcast, I talk about what those things are but also give you some detail on how they can show up for moms because, let’s be honest, some moms may see certain signs and still wait a week or two before hitting active labor. Tune in and enjoy!

Show Notes

5:11 - Nesting can show up as you get closer to your due date. This is a common sign that labor is approaching across the animal species too! Mom's thought process during this time may causes her to go into organizing mode. There are also some great exercises to help put you in a calm mental state as you get closer to your birth-date.

12:25 - Wondering what a mucous plug is and what it does?! You can find all that info here. I also explain the various looks a mucus plug can have, what to look for and what might be considered not normal and cause for you to see your provider.

21:06 - Your water broke! Hooray! You’re definitely...

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Does a Full Moon Cause Labor?

We hear this a lot as doulas and it seems to get a lot of attention once every month when women are approaching their due date...so is it true that a full moon brings on labor? You will definitely want to tune into this fun episode where we talk about the research, the personal and professional experiences we've had, and give you our take, as well as the facts, behind this concept.

Show Notes

1:33 - Where does this idea come from?

6:00 - These are all of the good causes of labor. The things that get labor going naturally in a great way.

8:26 - The not-so-great things that can cause labor. These are the random less than positive ways to go into labor as well as the medical reasons.

11:49 - What are the signs that baby is coming and labor will be starting soon?

17:41 - So...Does a full moon cause you to go into labor??

20:03 - Does the time of day have sway on when birth will begin?

 

ALL our best,
Links mentioned in this episode:
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Avoiding Holiday Inductions & Understanding Due Dates

It's true that having a due date around the holidays may increase the chance of an unnecessary induction. You may also be surprised to hear that both moms and providers have their own reasons for recommending induction. So how do you know when it's a good idea to induce? We are going to provide some insight on that and dive a little bit deeper into the science behind the "due" date.

REASONS WHY A MOTHER MIGHT WANT AN INDUCTION

-Family being in town during a certain period of time and wanting to have their help with the new baby.

-Knowing when baby will be born makes it easier to plan for the holiday season.

-If the provider of their choice is going on vacation close to their due date.

-To take advantage of the tax break/deduction.

-If they've already met their insurance deductible for the year.

-Weather. Winter weather & distance to the birthplace may lead to concerns about a safe trip and making it in time.

REASONS A PROVIDER MIGHT OFFER AN INDUCTION

-Not...

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Sick of Being Pregnant?

 You often hear how morning sickness is rough, having your insides cramped due to lack of space is rough...but not many people talk about how challenging it can be to be patient in those last weeks of pregnancy. Especially if you go past your guess date. Sometimes you're just freakin' sick of being pregnant! 
 
Maybe it's because you're tired of getting up a million times at night to pee. Maybe it's because you can't get comfortable enough to get a good night's sleep. Maybe you are just super anxious to meet your baby! Maybe you desperately want to be able to eat a full meal or take a fuller breath.
 
Whatever the reason, we're here to guide you through how to be patient, how to make the most out of those last few weeks when you really just don't want to be pregnant anymore!
 
1. The first thing you've got to have is a clear understanding of due dates and how they work. If you don't understand how due dates work, you're inevitably going to be far more...
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How To: Provider Scenarios

 
Being knowledgeable about something inside of our heads doesn't always translate to a coherent and comfortable response to a provider. Don't stress though! We're going to walk you through some common pregnancy and birth scenarios with providers and help you find and form the response that's right for you!
 
[3:38] Labor rehearsals are your time to put what you are learning into practice and this is what good rehearsal looks like.
[8:21] The specific questions that make a difference for avoiding induction during COVID
[10:00] Pregnancy Scenario 1: Let's schedule that induction
[13:00] Pregnancy Scenario 2: Moving a due date in the third trimester
[16:20] Birth Scenario 1: In active labor and your well-meaning nurse says to your birth partner "we need to get her into the bed"
[17:57] Birth Scenario 2: Adding meds to the IV without formal consent, but more of a side note
[21:40] Birth Scenario 3: Your nurse picks up a low fetal heart rate.
[25:06] Want more scenarios? Join...
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It Takes Two: Interview with a Birth Partner

 
Cortney interviews her husband, Nate, to find out what it takes to support a birthing woman and how to handle different birthing scenarios. It's so good and we promise this is one you won't want to miss. Hint: make sure your birth partner listens along!
 
[3:38] Your partner should NOT be the only one preparing for this birth!
[5:06] Advice from a dad: "You cannot be that stereotypical guy in these situations. You just can't." -Nate
[9:47] Cortney tests Nate's birthing knowledge
[12:05] More quizzing for Nate! Play along...does your birth partner know how to answer these correctly?
[12:47] Scenario 1
[16:07] Scenario 2
[18:44] Scenario 3
[26:34] What birth was like for Nate
 
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 we have some neat bonus episodes coming and if you're not subscribed you may miss them. Click ...
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Cesareans: When They're Necessary & Avoiding When They Aren't- PART 2

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...
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