Have you ever considered natural childbirth but are curious to know all it entails? Mada Lavey went through two natural births at a birthing center and can’t imagine doing it any other way.

Mada Lavey is a health and wellness blogger and mama of two who actively pursues a holistic and natural lifestyle. She is truly a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to have an unmedicated and holistic birthing experience.

In this episode, Mada shares all about her two conception journeys and pregnancies, why she chose to give birth at a birthing center, as well as her postpartum and breastfeeding experiences. She also gets incredibly honest about the things no one talks about giving birth.

Enjoy! 

Episode Highlights: 

• 2:32 Mada’s background in the holistic world
• 4:53 How Mada prepared for conception and natural childbirth
• 9:24 Three important things women who want to conceive need to know
• 11:57 Experiencing miscarriage and what your HCG levels can tell you
• 14:25 Getting pregnant for the first time
• 18:23 Why Mada chose a birthing center instead of a hospital birth
• 25:45 Mada’s experience going into labor with her first child
• 28:40 The 4-1-1 rule about contractions
• 30:06 What it’s like to give birth at a birthing center
• 35:03 Experiencing a rite of passage through childbirth
• 38:30 The biggest differences between Mada’s first and second birth
• 43:46 Giving birth one week before COVID-19 quarantines 
• 46:42 Mada's mild complication that resulted in needing stitches
• 49:23 What postpartum, placenta pills and breastfeeding is like
• 53:15 Mada’s recommended resources for pregnancy
• 55:37 What no one talks about post-childbirth
• 58:58 How you can get in touch with Mada

Links and Resources: 

• Mada’s Website
• Mada's Instagram
• Garden of Life Prenatals 
• Thorne Basic Prenatal
• The Business of Being Born
• Origins Birth Center
• Cheryl Abrams, Newborn Child Care Specialist and Doula
• Mountain Rose Herbs Calendula Oil
• Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding
• The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland
• The First 40 Days by Heng Ou
• Article: 9 Prenatal Vitamins I Trust and Recommend
• Podcast: EP 002: Why I Choose Home Birth, with Allison Evans of Branch Basics

Guest Bio

Mada Lavey is a Dallas-based mama with a passion for all things health-related. She's a social media influencer and a personal trainer. Her Instagram page is devoted to healthy living through fitness, nontoxic beauty, motherhood, recipes, and living an all-around holistic lifestyle.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on iTunes to let me know! I love hearing what you think and it helps others who want to Do It Different find the podcast as well.