This is it—the ninth and final installment of the Labor Map series, a comprehensive guide designed to empower and prepare you for the stages of labor. In this episode, we’re covering the monumental moments that follow full dilation, leading to the birth of your baby, and beyond. Whether you’re preparing for a hospital birth, birthing center, or home delivery, this episode provides practical insights and grounding reassurance to guide you through the last leg of this transformative journey.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

•The Pushing Phase: What full dilation feels like, effective pushing techniques (with or without an epidural), and the key role of positioning.

•Crowning: Navigating the intensity of this stage with mindfulness and trust in your body, plus strategies for minimizing tearing.

•After the Baby is Born: From delayed cord clamping to delivering the placenta, we’ll discuss how to approach these moments with confidence.

•Immediate Post-Birth Care: The golden hour of bonding, that first trip to the bathroom, and preparing for your stay in the postpartum unit.

•Heading Home: Reflect on the transition to the postpartum phase, with practical tips to ease into recovery and resources to help you along the way.

This episode brings the Labor Map series full circle, offering you clarity, empowerment, and encouragement as you prepare for one of the most transformative experiences of your life. Whether you’ve followed the series from the start or are diving in for the first time, this final chapter is a powerful resource for understanding what to expect and how to advocate for yourself every step of the way.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

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This is part eight of our multi-episode Labor Map series, and today, we’re talking logistics. You’ve already learned how to recognize when labor is starting and how to tune into your emotional and physical signposts. Now, it’s time to figure out how to get to the hospital and what to expect when you walk through those doors.

In this episode, we’re getting practical:

• When it’s time to head to the hospital (and how to prepare for the drive).

• What to do if labor progresses faster than expected—and your baby decides to make an entrance in the car.

• Why calling ahead can make your check-in process smoother (including how to request specific support, like a nurse who’s unmedicated-birth friendly).

• The ultimate hack: pre-registering at the hospital. It’s a game-changer you didn’t know you needed.

Plus, we’ll walk you through exactly what happens when you arrive—how the staff will assess you, what it means if you’re sent home, and how your support partner can step in to handle logistics so you can focus on your labor.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

This episode is packed with everything you need to feel prepared and empowered when it’s time to head to the hospital. And if you’re planning a home or birthing center birth? Don’t skip this one—it’s just as important to know what to expect in case of a transfer. Get ready to take control of this part of the process and walk into your hospital experience with confidence.

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When it comes to how labor starts, Hollywood has done a hell of a job setting us all up for confusion. We’re taught to expect a dramatic gush of water, frantic dashes to the hospital, and chaos unfolding in real-time. But for most of us, labor doesn’t look—or feel—anything like that.

This is part seven of our multi-episode Labor Map series, where we’re breaking down the twists, turns, and unpredictable paths of labor.

In this episode, we’re pulling apart the myths and zooming in on reality. Labor can begin in ways so subtle you might miss them—a slow trickle of amniotic fluid, the release of a mucus plug you weren’t even looking for, or maybe just a relentless, unshakable ache in your back. Sometimes it starts quietly, other times it comes in roaring—but one thing’s for sure: there’s no single, right way for this to unfold.

We’ll dig into how different scenarios play out, what they might mean, and how to trust your body through the uncertainty. Because at the end of the day, labor doesn’t follow a script, and it doesn’t owe us a dramatic “movie moment.” It just starts—messy, unpredictable, and uniquely yours.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

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Welcome to part six of the Labor Map series—a deep dive into the unique patterns of labor progression and the often misunderstood role of cervical checks. Labor isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. Some mothers experience quick, intense progress (what we call the “speedster” pattern), while others settle into a slower, more measured rhythm (the “putterer” pattern). Neither is better or worse—they’re simply different paths to the same destination: meeting your baby.

In this episode, we unpack how recognizing these labor patterns can alleviate fear and uncertainty, giving you tools to navigate your birth experience with confidence. We’ll also demystify cervical checks, examining their risks, inaccuracies, and when they might actually be helpful. If you’ve ever worried about not being “dilated enough” or felt deflated by a discouraging cervical exam, this episode will provide clarity and perspective.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding the speedster and putterer labor patterns—and how to adapt to either.

• Why emotional signposts are often a more reliable guide than dilation numbers.

• The real risks and limitations of routine cervical exams, plus how to advocate for yourself if you choose to decline one.

• Tips for partners to support the mother through varying labor patterns and help navigate decisions confidently.

This episode is a reminder that labor is as much about intuition and emotional progress as it is about physical milestones. By weaving together the emotional map of labor, the patterns of progress, and an empowered approach to cervical checks, you’ll have a comprehensive framework to guide your birth journey.

Whether you’re preparing for a hospital birth, birthing center, or home birth, this episode is an invaluable tool to approach labor with clarity, adaptability, and self-assurance.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

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Welcome to Part 5 of the Labor Map series, a multi-episode guide designed to help you navigate the unpredictable journey of labor with confidence and clarity. In this episode, we explore the emotional map of labor—a groundbreaking way to understand and recognize the emotional signposts that guide you through the phases of childbirth.

Unlike the traditional focus on physical milestones like water breaking or the mucus plug, this episode introduces you to the emotional landscape of labor. We’ll unpack three distinct emotional signposts:

    •          Excitement – The thrill and anticipation as labor begins.

    •          Seriousness – The shift into focused determination as contractions intensify.

    •          Self-Doubt – The moment when you question everything, signaling you’re on the verge of meeting your baby.

This episode is for every expectant mother and support partner—whether you’re planning a hospital birth, birthing center delivery, or home birth. These emotional signposts are universal tools that allow you to tune into the inward experience of labor. By integrating this knowledge, you’ll feel empowered to navigate each phase with confidence and recognize when it’s time to make pivotal decisions, like heading to the hospital or calling your midwife.

We also address common uncertainties, like:

    •          What if I don’t experience “textbook” signs like a bloody show or water breaking?

    •          How can my partner use these emotional cues to support me better?

Drawing on insights from the Bradley Method and my personal experience, I’ll share how recognizing these emotional phases helped me trust my intuition and make critical decisions during labor—despite not having traditional physical cues.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the emotional rhythm of labor and how it can be just as important as tracking contractions or watching for physical milestones. Share this episode with your support partner and use it as a foundation for creating a labor experience that feels grounded, intuitive, and uniquely yours.

Click here to check out the resource from this episode "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way: Revised Edition" by Susan McCutcheon.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

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Welcome to part four of the Labor Map series, a comprehensive guide to labor preparation designed with real-life experience and research in mind. This episode tackles a vital but often overlooked aspect of birth: the six fundamental needs of the laboring mother. These are not luxuries or optional extras—they’re rooted in biology and essential for creating the conditions that allow labor to progress smoothly and naturally.

We’ll dive into the role of darkness, quiet, physical comfort, relaxation, controlled breathing, and rest-like stillness. This episode is an invitation to reflect on your needs, set boundaries, and prioritize what truly supports you during this transformative process.

For many women, identifying and asserting their needs can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable. We’ll explore why that is and how societal scripts and people-pleasing tendencies can get in the way of creating a supportive labor environment. From limiting unnecessary visitors to creating a calm, private space, this episode will empower you to advocate for yourself and focus on what matters most: your well-being and your baby’s arrival.

Support partners, this episode is for you, too. Learn how to anticipate and meet these needs proactively, so you can create an environment that fosters peace and progress.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to set the stage for labor that feels safe, supported, and in tune with your instincts. And don’t miss the next episode, where we’ll explore the emotional map of labor—a guide to navigating the psychological and emotional phases of birth. Prepare to set boundaries, tune into your instincts, and transform the birth experience into one that truly serves you.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

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Part 3 of our Labor Map Series takes on one of the most essential tools in your labor prep: timing contractions. But here’s the truth—this process is often oversimplified and misunderstood. Timing contractions isn’t just about downloading an app and pressing a button; it’s about knowing when and how to track them, avoiding unnecessary stress, and tuning into what your body is telling you.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through:

• When to begin tracking contractions (hint: early labor isn’t the time).

• Why accurate timing can help you gauge progress without spinning yourself into anxiety.

• Practical tips to avoid common pitfalls, like over-focusing on contraction patterns instead of staying present.

• How to make your partner an active participant in timing so you can focus on riding the waves of labor.

• The intuitive cues that matter just as much—if not more—than a timer.

I’ll also share my personal experience of letting contraction apps take me out of the moment in early labor, and how I wish I’d handled it differently. This episode is designed to help you and your support partner avoid the overwhelm and approach labor timing with confidence and clarity. Prepare to feel informed, empowered, and ready to time contractions with intention, not stress.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Part 2 of the Labor Map Series, your comprehensive guide to preparing for and navigating childbirth. This episode builds on the relaxation and mindset techniques discussed in Part 1, so if you haven’t listened to that yet, I highly recommend starting there.

In this episode, we focus on a guided visualization designed specifically to support you during contractions. Whether you’re experiencing the early stirrings of labor or the intense waves of transition, this tool is here to ground and empower you. The visualization draws from the techniques we explored in Episode 1, including the Bag of Muscles and Floating Technique, weaving them together with soothing imagery to help you stay calm, present, and in control.

Here’s how it’s structured:

• Introduction (Start of Episode): A brief overview of how to use this visualization during labor and a reminder to integrate these techniques with your partner or support person before the big day.

• Visualization Start (Timestamp ~ 5:40): A meditation bell cues the beginning of the guided visualization. This section takes you through a contraction cycle, helping you visualize your body’s incredible work and stay relaxed.

• 10-Minute Sound Healing Fade-Out: Following the guided portion, soothing tones play to help you reset between contractions. Simply relax and breathe. When your next contraction begins, rewind to the timestamp and start again.

This episode was created with real-world experience in mind. As a mother who gave birth just three months ago, I designed this for exactly what I wished I’d had during my labor. This is audio is meant to be a companion to support you through every contraction, crafted by someone who’s been exactly where you are.

Whether you’re preparing for childbirth or in the throes of labor right now, this guided visualization is here to remind you: you are strong, you are capable, and your body knows exactly what to do.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

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Welcome to the first episode of The Labor Map series—a comprehensive guide to navigating the mental and physical challenges of labor with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re gearing up for a hospital birth, a home delivery, or somewhere in between, this series is here to prepare you and your support partner for the dynamic and unpredictable process ahead.

In this episode, we focus on relaxation, mindset, and visualization techniques—essential tools for staying grounded and connected to the process of labor. Understanding what’s happening inside your body and how to work with those sensations is transformative, helping you embrace the rhythm of labor rather than resist it.

Here’s what you’ll gain from this episode:

    •          Practical ways to cultivate relaxation as a foundation for comfort and efficiency during labor.

    •          Insights into how a confident mindset—rooted in trust and preparation—can guide you through the unexpected.

    •          The role of visualization in reducing fear, maintaining focus, and understanding the intricate work your body is doing.

    •          A powerful introduction to the “Bag of Muscles” technique—a visualization designed to help you engage with and support your body’s natural process.

This episode is a must-listen for expecting mothers and their partners, offering tools that empower you to take an active role in your birthing journey. By building this foundation, you’ll be better equipped to face whatever path your labor takes.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parenting advice tends to focus on the surface: what to buy, what to avoid, and how to get it “right.” But what if the most important work of motherhood has nothing to do with the baby gear or the milestones? What if the real transformation is happening inside of you, shaping not just the way you parent but who you are becoming?

This episode peels back the layers of motherhood to explore the inner alchemy required to raise a child—and yourself. We’ll dive into concepts that rarely make it into mainstream conversations, like Julia Kristeva’s theory of abjection, which unpacks the discomfort of blurred boundaries between you and your baby, and James Hollis’ idea of the daimon—the unique essence every child carries from birth. These ideas will challenge you to see your child not as an extension of you, but as their own person with a path you’re here to nurture, not dictate.

We’ll also talk about the dangers of enmeshment, the all-consuming mother archetype, and the shadow work that helps you avoid unconsciously projecting your fears and unmet needs onto your child. It’s a raw, reflective conversation about how the way we navigate this transformation has the power to either perpetuate generational cycles or break them.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

Whether you’re preparing for motherhood, holding your newborn, or parenting a young child, this episode asks you to step back from the noise, trust your intuition, and lean into the messy, profound work of becoming. Because the most important thing you can give your child is a parent who’s unafraid to grow alongside them.

CRAVING MORE? To dive deeper into the Back from the Borderline universe, explore my recommendations and access premium content, visit backfromtheborderline.com.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional, OB, or expert—just a fellow human being sharing my personal journey and experiences. What I share here isn’t intended as medical advice. Always trust your instincts and consult with trusted professionals as you navigate your own path.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.