Big Birth Junkie

Lorena Garcia was born and raised in Mexico City and comes from a culture that revolves around community and family. Lorena shares with us her full journey into parenthood - from the heartbreak of her first two miscarriages to finding joy and ease through her postpartum choices.

Lorena's postpartum experiences combined with her deep Mexican heritage (that put emphasis on taking care of the new mother is a priority) became the impetus for becoming a "mompreneur" and creating Majka, wholesome nutrition for motherhood.

Join us for an hour of heartbreak, joy and a few good laughs.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: Majka or @lovemajka on IG.

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We want to give a HUGE thanks to our sponsors, without whom you would not be able to listen to this information so you know your choices!

Majka took the nutritional needs of new moms, worked with a brilliant team of professional nutritionists, and created yummy cookies and tasty shakes that not only fulfilled the fundamental nutrition you and your baby needs, we also included ingredients that support lactation and are meant to help increase breast milk supply.

A Big THANK YOU to Modern Milk for hosting our live taping in Arizona. (Check them out if you live in AZ check them out as they have a great pregnancy and postpartum community!)

GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Birth Worker Trainings and Lactation Classes.

If you live in Los Angeles and are curious about birthing outside of a hospital, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center (where we are in-network for Blue Shield!) We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

Dee Poku who is a British New Yorker by way of Ghana. Dee is the Co-Founder and CEO of WIE (Women Inspiration and Enterprise), a leadership network whose mission is to support women in their career ambitions by providing real world learning via unique access to established business leaders. She is also the founder of The Other Festival, a new platform designed to showcase female makers and creators.

Dee and I sat down to talk about birthing in New York City - which can be a bit different when you know you need to get from Brooklyn into Manhattan in the city that never sleeps in a car that is not your own! We also spend some time going deep into parenting, which is where the real juice of this interview is for me because Dee shares some amazing insights that are worth passing on.

For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @deepoku

This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

TRIGGER WARNING * we talk about prenatal loss *

Known for her world-renowned fashion line Mara Hoffman is an activist, mother, and visionary. In this beautiful episode, we sit down to talk about her journey through IVF, conceiving twins, and facing loss. She bravely dives into her experience with total honesty holding a conversation on the humanity of our experience in the womb and the beautiful complexity of facing the light and the shadows.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Birth Special Technique.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @marahoffman

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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If you are looking for some social media support around infant loss check out: @griefunfolding @stillhereclub and @tinyfootprintsyyc

Welcome to a special Mini-Sode with Ariane Goldman, the creator and CEO of the maternity fashion line HATCH. We get into the nitty-gritty of maternity fashion as we discuss the history of maternity clothing, her inspiration for starting her collection, the evolution of the pregnant body and what it is like to be both a mother and the CEO of a company.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Smocked Figure.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @hatchgal

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Genevive has been deeply active in peace activism and social justice work for over 20 years. 10 years ago she found herself pregnant in a foreign country with no community. It was through the birth of her first child that she found what was to become her platform and passion: Birth of a Mama.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @birthofamama on IG and FB.

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We want to give a HUGE thanks to our sponsors, without whom you would not be able to listen to this information so you know your choices!

Madjka took the nutritional needs of new moms, worked with a brilliant team of professional nutritionists, and created yummy cookies and tasty shakes that not only fulfilled the fundamental nutrition you and your baby needs, we also included ingredients that support lactation and are meant to help increase breast milk supply.

Birth of a Mama offers therapeutic and doula resources to support women to navigate motherhood by strengthening their matrilineal lineage, heal generational trauma, create a supportive community and live a life of meaning.

GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Katie Vigos is a Registered Nurse and mother of three boys in Los Angeles, California who is best known for her popular IG feed Empowered Birth Project which led the way to allow for #uncensoredchildbirth photos on both IG and FB.

Her first son was born in a hospital in 2007. While she was able to experience an unmedicated, vaginal birth without complications, she felt unsupported by the staff and pressured to accept interventions she didn't need. She was fortunate to have her husband's constant, loving presence throughout the intense 22-hour labor.

In 2010 her second son was born into her arms in the comfort of her family home. His birth was euphoric and everything she had hoped for-- a spiritual awakening, a rite of passage, and a rebirth as a stronger and more powerful woman.

Katie and I met back in the day when she had about 2000 followers and we became fast friends over our mutual love of how amazing the female body truly is!

In this episode, we go into detail about the first two births. The birth of her 3rd son will be released at another time, because when we get in a room... we get talking!!

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @empoweredbirthproject on IG and FB community.

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We want to give a HUGE thanks to our sponsors, without whom you would not be able to listen to this information so you know your choices!

Empowered Birth Project is not only an IG feed and FB community but also a web resource for exclusive birth photos and stories. Sign up for Katie's mailing list to get her blog. And, for all you mompreneurs out there, Katie is getting ready to release her first ebook about how to build your social media presence.

GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center, where we are in-network for Blue Shield. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Lindsey Bliss has devoted her life to all things birth, as both a mother, doula and the Co-Director of Carriage House Birth, a Brooklyn-based doula collective. Lindsey's own path to motherhood has been filled with twists and turns she never could have imagined, and today she will share with us the journey of her 4th pregnancy and 7th child (yes, that is right, she has 7 children) Olympia Pearl with a conversation with her Birth Doula (who also happens to be her Co-Director at CHB and bestie) Sam Huggins.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @carriagehousebirth on IG and FB.

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We want to give a HUGE thanks to our sponsors, without whom you would not be able to listen to this information so you know your choices!

Madjka took the nutritional needs of new moms, worked with a brilliant team of professional nutritionists, and created yummy cookies and tasty shakes that not only fulfilled the fundamental nutrition you and your baby needs, we also included ingredients that support lactation and are meant to help increase breast milk supply.

Carriage House Birth is a great resource for all things doula. Go to their website to find out about birth and postpartum birth training, their recommended list of "things to buy" for both new families and doulas in training and to inquire about a doula in either NYC or LA for the birth of your family.

GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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When I was first asked to be a part of this special series of birth art for the Pasadena Museum, I had no idea who Judy Chicago was. I just said "yes" because I'm a birth junkie who wants to see more images of people giving birth to help humanize the experience of childbirth.

I was honored to speak with Judy to learn more about her inspirations and process for this special series.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum. I want to thank Sarah Mitchell, Director of Exhibitions, and Leah Clancey, Education & Engagement Coordinator, at the Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA) for inviting me into this special project and co-creating it with me.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: @judychicago

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Hannah and Kamala grew up in a community where childbirth was celebrated and an inclusive community event. When Hannah got pregnant there was no doubt in her mind that her family would be there for the big day. Not only do we get to hear the story of two home water births, but its a treat to hear sisters share their perspective on the same experiences.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Guided by the Goddess as we talk about Birthing in Community.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guests: firegroove.com

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center where we are in-network with Blue Shield. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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Before Erin gave birth to her son, she didn't spend a lot of time worrying about breastfeeding. Once he was born, however, they experienced their share of difficulties. She and her son had a long labor, and her milk took a long time to come in, after days of a mysterious fever. When it did come in, only one side was producing due to leftover scar tissue from a 15-year old piercing, and one bad latch resulted in painful blisters which made breastfeeding impossible for a week. Low supply meant she started supplementing with formula from day 3, and although she had wanted to breastfeed exclusively, she did what she had to, and Erin and her husband were glad to provide their little boy with much-needed sustenance when her body couldn't.

This is a special edition of Big Birth Junkie that coincides with the artwork of Judy Chicago's Birth Project Born Again Series at the Pasadena Museum and relates to her piece: Birth Garment Amazon.

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For more information to go: GraceFull or follow us: @gracefullbirth or our guest: Erin Battles on Facebook

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This episode is sponsored by GraceFull where you can find BBJ's host Elizabeth's free ebook: Birth Planning: All the Questions to Ask and all kinds of educational videos including Childbirth Education, Advanced Doula Trainings and Lactation Support.

If you live in Los Angeles, check out our midwives for home births, water birth, and our accredited birthing center. We also have a full wellness facility with NDs, Chiropractic, Therapy, Massage, Lactation and lots of amazing classes.

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