Episode 60: Let's Figure This Birth Thing Out ft. Lo Mansfield "The Labor Mama"

Birth can be many things: incredible, traumatic, beautiful, scary, empowering or all of them. Birth and postpartum nurse Lo Mansfield will talk about bringing intuition, grace and evidence into the birth experience.   In this episode, we chat about: Why nursing, specifically why labor and delivery? On your social media channels you talk about balancing intuition, grace + evidence. What do you mean by that? You sometimes mention the loss of your own mom while you were pregnant. Many of our NICU parents listening are experiencing grief as they mourn the loss of a "normal" delivery or baby. How did/do you work through that grief? What's the best way to communicate to your doctor and L&D; nurses your desires for your baby's birth? If you are designated as high-risk prior to delivery, what are things that may change your delivery? Some moms may feel distant from their NICU baby due to separation at birth, is that normal? If so, what are your suggestions for working through that? What's the best thing a laboring mom can do to ensure the best possible birth outcome for her baby? What's your best advice to a laboring mom?   Lo Mansfield MSN, RNC-OB, is a specialty-certified registered nurse in obstetrics, postpartum, and fetal monitoring who is passionate about families understanding their integral role in their own stories. She is tired of you being told what to do or what is “best” - and instead believes you should get all the information and then be supported and cheered for as you make up your own mind. She is the owner of The Labor Mama and the creator of the Your Body, Your Birth courses. She is also a mama of three (6, 4, and 2), a wife to Kelvin, a freelance writer, and a mashed potato enthusiast.    Connect with Lo: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelabormama/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelabormama Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelabormama   Website: https://thelabormama.com/   The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.   Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.   Connect with Hand to Hold: Learn more or get support at handtohold.org   Follow Hand to Hold on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/   Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold      The following music was used for this media project: Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license