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There’s lots of ways to start off the new year - setting goals or resolutions, being intentional about tasks, starting new habits, etc.  In this episode, we chat about an exercise that Dr. Shannon has been doing for several years now - picking a word of the year.  It can be a word, a mantra, a phrase, but something that you can meditate on, pray about, and reflect on throughout the year.  And as you pick this word, it can help you focus, stay grounded, and remember your vision, dreams, and aspirations for the year.  Sounds kind of like a birth affirmation too, right?  Check out Dr. Shannon’s blog about her journey with picking a word of the year.  And doula Rachael jumps in on the fun of picking a word, so be sure to listen to the whole episode.  

Resources mentioned in the episode:

#130 - birth affirmations and journal prompts

#85 - Visualization for Birth and Life

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Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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Welcome to a new year!!  In this episode, Rachael and Shannon celebrate the growth they’ve seen over the past year with the Aligned Birth Podcast.  We list out the top episodes of 2023, as well as listing out some lesser known episodes you might have missed.  With over 17K downloads and 140 episodes under our belt, we’re looking forward to continuing our conversations about pregnancy, labor, birth, motherhood, and beyond!  

Top Episodes of 2023:

1. #92 - All about epidurals
2. #84 - A Tale of 2 Home Births - Dr. Baley
3. #85 - Visualization for Birth and Life
4. #87 - Maternal stress and posture - what’s the connection?
5. #75 - TummyTime! Method with Michelle Emanuel

Top Episodes of all time:

1. #75 - TummyTime! Method with Michelle Emanuel
2. #62. - Signs of Labor and How Labor Progresses
3. #15 - Inside Look with Homebirth Midwife Rachel Hart
4. #55 - Tips for Optimal Fetal Positioning
5. #76. - Five Benefits of Labor Doula Support

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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In this episode Doula Rachael is talking with Perinatal Mental Health Therapist, Shannon Weist of Maternally Mindful. Shannon Weist is a licensed clinical mental therapist that provides both in person and telehealth services in the state of Georgia. She specializes in infertility, pregnancy and postpartum. Shannon helps to bring awareness and shed light on the importance of creating a therapeutic alliance during infertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. Having a safe, unbiased space to share your most vulnerable thoughts and feelings is vital in effectively and meaningfully supporting birthing people.  In this episode we learn:

• What exactly a Perinatal Mental Health Therapist is and the work they do.
• What led Shannon to do this important work
• What to look for when deciding to hire a Perinatal Mental Health Therapist
• The benefits of seeking mental health therapy during infertility, pregnancy, and postpartum
• Universal screening and who provides this screening and how to make the most of it.
• Warning signs for anxiety, depression, and/or mood disorders during infertility, pregnancy, and postpartum.
• Tips for the partner and loved ones.
• What to expect during your visit.
• Plus Shannon shares her favorite resources

Connect with Shannon: www.maternallymindful.org
Instagram: @maternallymindful
Resources mentioned:
The Pregnancy Workbook by Dr. Katayune Kaeni
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts by Karen Kleiman
Postpartum Support International

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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Dr. Shannon sits down with pediatric chiropractor, author, and instructor, Dr. Martin Rosen to talk about all things pediatric chiropractic care and craniopathy.  In most of our episodes, we’re talking about prenatal care and pregnancy, but if you’ve listened to any of our postpartum episodes, you know we talk about ways to support yourself after birth.  Not only do we discuss continuing under chiropractic care, but the impact the birthing process can have on your baby and what you can do to facilitate their healing as well.  

In this episode, we discuss Dr. Rosen’s book about Common vs. Normal when it comes to cranial distortions and pediatric neurological development and lots of other topics including:

• How birth impacts the infant cranium
• Why cranial shape is important
• What is the dura mater, dural tension, cerebrospinal fluid and how all body systems are impacted by birth
• The importance of the first 2 years of life
• What are milestones and primitive reflexes (and yes - why crawling is important!) 
• Specific pediatric conditions we’ve both worked with: torticollis, tongue tie, plagiocephaly
• Why tummy time is important
• When to seek outside help
• What pediatric chiropractic and cranial adjustments looks like 

Resources: 

Dr. Martin Rosen

Peak Potential Institute

Wellesley Chiropractic 

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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Welcome to part 1 of a 2 part series we shared back in 2021, but this interview with LaToya is timeless.
 
As a self-described “Christian, doula, wife, mother, certified birth nerd” LaToya Murray-Johnson the owner of DoulaviewLLC and founder of The Birth Impact is sharing what it means to be a doula and what it’s like working with her.  She loves being the catalyst that sets mom on the path of success when it comes to their birth.  She considers herself a birth servant and someone who helps educate women about birth to dispel some of the misconceptions that are rampant in society.  By educating women and helping them understand their values and formulate their birth plan, she is able to help break down those misconceptions, and ultimately build back up the knowledge of the normal physiology of birth.
 
Be sure to check out Part 2 of our interview here! 

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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This is a rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes! One of the goals of this podcast is to help you gain knowledge and confidence to makee informed decisions that align with you and your needs and preferences.  One way to do that is to surround yourself with knowledgeable birth workers.  That’s why this episode is all about building your birth support team.  We dive deep into the many birth professionals you can surround yourself with including: OB's, Midwives, doulas, chiropractors, physical therapists, counselors, educators, and more!  Doula Rachael and Dr. Shannon love working with so many other birth professionals because birthing people deserve to be heard and treated with respect, and sometimes that takes a village.  Everyone’s birth support team can look  differently, but we’re excited to share our thoughts and experiences.  We have several episodes with interviews with birth professionals...be sure to check those out!

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

Send us a text

Creating a vision board is fun, creative, and beneficial in helping you create your goals for your life, your work, and even your birth. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Dr. Shannon’s vision board events (past and present)
• What is a vision board?
• Why do people create vision boards?
• How to create a vision board? Hint, there is no right or wrong way!
• The benefits of implementing visualization and manifestation for the things you want
• How creating a vision board for your birth can be beneficial.

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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Did you know cold symptoms can be exacerbated or last longer during pregnancy?  This is because your immune system is working at a slightly lower function and your changing body may not be able to deal with cold symptoms as effectively (like chest congestion). In this episode, Doula Rachael shares a regiment to boost immunity and reduce the length and severity of cold symptoms during pregnancy.  What supplements are safe and what is safe to try at home. This episode covers it all!

Vitamin D Reference

Vitamin C Reference

Probiotics Reference

Echinacea Reference

Zinc Reference

Elderberry Reference

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

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Today Dr. Shannon chats with Mazi Robinson founder and director of Cultivate: a counseling center with community gatherings which aims to encourage women to cultivate joy, courage, and freedom in their lives as they pursue emotional, relational, and spiritual health.  They discuss the identity changes that come with motherhood and how that impacts our friendships, as well as lots of other topics:

• life stages and themes and how those impact our friendships
• the expectation of friendships and managing those expectations 
• our attachment style - how it impacts our friendships and can we change our style
• we're all so tired as mothers - how do we find the time for friendships
• how to handle friendships that fade during motherhood 

Resources:
Episode 79: embracing the imperfections of motherhood, turning anxiety into awakening
Gathering discussion at Cultivate
Cultivate - website
Cultivate - Instagram

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

Send us a text

If you are pregnant and due around the holidays, this episode is for you. When it comes to navigating the end of pregnancy, there are several mixed feelings and emotions and likely some degree of discomfort and eagerness to meet your baby and for the pregnancy to be over.  Every path is unique for each birthing person.

What works for one person may not work for you and what works for you may not work for someone else. The goal is for you to feel as confident and prepared for this time of pregnancy and that you’ve had conversations withs with your provider leading up to your birth to fully understand how they support letting labor begin on its own and this includes going beyond your due date and learning about medical and non-medical reasons a provider may recommend an induction. 

In this episode, we will discuss:

• What is the “estimated due date” and how to know what is normal, safe, and healthy for the length of pregnancy. 
• Rates of inductions and birth surrounding major holidays
• Avoiding the unnecessary induction
• Informed and shared decision making
• Why it’s important to let labor begin on its own
• Navigating the final weeks of pregnancy

Episodes mentioned in this podcast:

• Ep 26: Due Dates and Holidays
• Ep 40: Lamaze 6 Healthy Birth Practices
• Ep 54: Navigating Final Weeks of Pregnancy
• Ep 65: Gentle Induction
• Ep 71: All About Prenatal Massage Therapy with Tara Thompson
• Ep 77: Informed and Shared Decision Making

Support the show

Want to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)

Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth Community

Instagram: Aligned Birth

Email: [email protected]

Find us online:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness
North Atlanta Birth Services

Editing: Godfrey Sound
Music: "Freedom” by Roa

Disclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.