Anja Health Podcast: Science-Based Birth Podcast

This episode is all about preparing partners to provide compassionate and effective support through labor, birth, and early postpartum. We explore ways for partners to be active participants during each stage of labor, including early and active phases, transition, and postpartum recovery. From creating a calm, encouraging environment during labor to offering practical help and emotional support after birth, this guide empowers partners to make a positive impact in their loved one’s birthing experience.

Discover tips, affirmations, and helpful advice on how to connect, support, and show up in ways that matter during this transformative journey.

Check out our full pregnancy and birth course below:

What does a birth team include? How to Create Community around Birth ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/4eRaz5YqVyk

Birth Plan Requests that Make Sense | Everything You Need To Know ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs https://youtu.be/Z6GFJ-izyvI

EPIDURAL and other PAIN CONTROL For Birth | PROS & CONS ft. Midwife & Birth Educator Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/qpZgESoo3fc

Support Tips For Birth Partners | How Your Partner Can Support You ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/U80PVSQ7dvc

To learn more about Anja Health, order an Anja Health Stem Cell Collection Kit, or find more placenta and umbilical cord blood banking, pregnancy, and birth resources, visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.anjahealth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check out our memes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/anja.health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tweet us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Duet us on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@kathrynanja⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Text us: 310-620-1663

Subscribe to us or watch the video version of this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@anjahealth

Navigating the early stages of parenthood is challenging enough—doing it alone shouldn’t be the default. In this episode, we explore the importance of building a personalized care team and effectively leveraging your community during the postpartum period. From mental health support to sleep hygiene, we discuss how you can identify your support needs and invite family and friends to fill roles traditionally covered by professionals. It’s about knowing what to ask for and having the courage to set boundaries and communicate your needs. Join us as we outline the key areas of support and offer practical steps to create a community care plan that sustains you and helps you thrive in this new chapter.

Check out our full pregnancy and birth course below:

What does a birth team include? How to Create Community around Birth ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/4eRaz5YqVyk

Birth Plan Requests that Make Sense | Everything You Need To Know ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs 

https://youtu.be/Z6GFJ-izyvI

EPIDURAL and other PAIN CONTROL For Birth | PROS & CONS ft. Midwife & Birth Educator Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/qpZgESoo3fc

Support Tips For Birth Partners | How Your Partner Can Support You ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/U80PVSQ7dvc

To learn more about Anja Health, order an Anja Health Stem Cell Collection Kit, or find more placenta and umbilical cord blood banking, pregnancy, and birth resources, visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.anjahealth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check out our memes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/anja.health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tweet us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Duet us on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@kathrynanja⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Text us: 310-620-1663

Subscribe to us or watch the video version of this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@anjahealth

In this episode, we dive into the importance of informed consent in childbirth and explore how you can make empowered decisions every step of the way. From labor preferences to postpartum choices, we break down the options available to you—whether that’s the style of fetal monitoring, comfort measures, or the golden hour after birth. Consent is an ongoing dialogue with your provider, and understanding your options allows you to have control, even as things unfold unexpectedly. Let’s discuss the questions to ask and the conversations to have with your care team and loved ones to align your birth experience with your personal preferences.

Check out our full pregnancy and birth course below:

What does a birth team include? How to Create Community around Birth ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/4eRaz5YqVyk

Birth Plan Requests that Make Sense | Everything You Need To Know ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs 

https://youtu.be/Z6GFJ-izyvI

EPIDURAL and other PAIN CONTROL For Birth | PROS & CONS ft. Midwife & Birth Educator Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/qpZgESoo3fc

Support Tips For Birth Partners | How Your Partner Can Support You ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/U80PVSQ7dvc

To learn more about Anja Health, order an Anja Health Stem Cell Collection Kit, or find more placenta and umbilical cord blood banking, pregnancy, and birth resources, visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.anjahealth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check out our memes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/anja.health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tweet us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Duet us on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@kathrynanja⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Text us: 310-620-1663

Subscribe to us or watch the video version of this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@anjahealth

In this episode, we explore the benefits and options for pain management during childbirth, empowering you to make informed, confident decisions about medicated births. Whether it's an epidural, IV narcotics, or nitrous oxide, understanding how each option works and what to expect can help you navigate your birth with less anxiety and more enjoyment. We’ll break down common side effects, proactive ways to stay engaged, and how to optimize oxytocin production for smooth labor, even with pain relief.

Every birth is unique, and this conversation helps ensure your experience is defined by choice, comfort, and empowerment.

Check out our full pregnancy and birth course below:

What does a birth team include? How to Create Community around Birth ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/4eRaz5YqVyk

Birth Plan Requests that Make Sense | Everything You Need To Know ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs https://youtu.be/Z6GFJ-izyvI

EPIDURAL and other PAIN CONTROL For Birth | PROS & CONS ft. Midwife & Birth Educator Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/qpZgESoo3fc

Support Tips For Birth Partners | How Your Partner Can Support You ft. Midwife Jessica Diggs

https://youtu.be/U80PVSQ7dvc

To learn more about Anja Health, order an Anja Health Stem Cell Collection Kit, or find more placenta and umbilical cord blood banking, pregnancy, and birth resources, visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.anjahealth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check out our memes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/anja.health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tweet us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Duet us on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@kathrynanja⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@anjahealth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Text us: 310-620-1663

Subscribe to us or watch the video version of this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@anjahealth

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we explore cord blood banking with Dr. Frances Verter, founder of Parents' Guide to Cord Blood, a non-profit organization in the cord blood space and the most complete database of cord blood banks, both family and public.

We discuss how her daughter, Shai's encounter with childhood cancer, led Dr. Verter to pursue a career in cord blood banking. Dr. Verter also shares how she compiles all of her cord blood case studies for the PGCB database, highlighting the inspiring story of Mason, a young boy with osteopetrosis who received a cord blood transplant, demonstrating the real-life impact of these medical advancements.

We also discuss the latest advancements in umbilical cord and placenta stem cell therapies, highlighting their applications in oncology and infertility. The conversation reveals striking international differences in cord blood banking rates, shaped by cultural attitudes and government incentives, particularly in countries like Singapore and China.

Additionally, we tackle the role of media in shaping public perceptions of cord blood banking, especially in light of a critical New York Times article that has created confusion among parents about safety and efficacy. Dr. Verter emphasizes the importance of accurate information in combating misinformation that can erode public trust. We conclude by advocating for more accessible options for parents within the cord blood banking industry, addressing the challenges of cost and availability.

To learn more about Anja Health, order an Anja Health Stem Cell Collection Kit, or find more placenta and umbilical cord blood banking, pregnancy, and birth resources, visit us at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.anjahealth.com⁠⁠⁠.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠

In today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Alex Memish, MD of Vitalia 24, to dive deep into the groundbreaking use of stem cell therapies for conditions like autism and more. Dr. Memish shares firsthand experiences of how cord blood and stem cell treatments, when combined with traditional therapies like cognitive, behavioral, and physical therapy, can lead to remarkable improvements—such as nonverbal children beginning to communicate.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today, we're chatting with Theresa La Rue, a mother of four sons, three of whom were diagnosed with X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP). In this episode, she shares the remarkable story of her sons, Blayke and Garrett, who were among the first patients to receive pioneering cord blood transplants at UCLA—a procedure so new that Blayke's transplant marked one of the first 200 globally.

Theresa recounts her family's harrowing journey, from the heartbreaking loss of their son Layne to XLP to the overwhelming hope of finding life-saving cord blood donors for both Blayke and Garrett.

Despite the odds, Blayke’s transplant from umbilical cord blood was successful, and Garrett was fortunate enough to receive two potential donor matches. The family’s experience added 6,400 names to the national bone marrow registry. We discuss how cord blood played a pivotal role in their recovery, advancements in cord blood research, and how one of her sons has even banked cord blood for his own child.

Theresa’s story is a testament to the lifesaving power of cord blood banking and what every parent should know about its potential.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠⁠

Anja Health Founder Kathryn welcomes Lisa Greaves Taylor, an NYC-based certified childbirth educator, birth doula, lactation counselor, and director of a renowned NYC doula collective. Lisa shares her extensive experience and insights on key topics that every expecting parent should know about, providing practical advice and personal anecdotes that will inspire and inform.

Lisa discusses the pros and cons of cord blood banking, offering her expert perspective on this increasingly popular practice. She shares a particularly impactful birth story from her career, highlighting valuable lessons and advice for expecting parents. Learn how to choose your birth team, understand the roles involved, and discover what to look for when hiring a doula. Lisa also covers your rights during childbirth and provides strategies for advocating for yourself and your partner in a hospital setting.

Understanding medical interventions is crucial, and Lisa explains the factors that can lead to a C-section, the impact of labor inductions, and how to navigate unnecessary medical interventions. She also discusses what can be refused during pregnancy and how to avoid certain interventions during labor. Finally, Lisa delves into the different types of childbirth classes, including Lamaze, and provides insights on which methods can contribute to a safer and less painful delivery.

Join our free community for new parents: ⁠https://anjahealth.com/community⁠

NYC-based OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinologist Dr. Sheeva Talebian of CCRM Fertility explores the complexities of different IVF clinics and how to choose an IVF clinic. She demystifies IVF, detailing its duration, success rates, stages, and the possibility of conceiving twins - also relating it to egg-freezing processes. Dr. Talebian explains who might be a good candidate for freezing eggs or embryos and what it involves. She also dives into managing irregular cycles, what options you might have to preserve fertility and more.

To learn more about Anja Health, order an Anja Health Stem Cell Collection Kit, or find more placenta and umbilical cord blood banking, pregnancy, and birth resources, visit us at https://www.anjahealth.com.

Join our free community for new parents: https://anjahealth.com/community