Birth & Body Podcast with Bethany Stricker

For the final episode of our first season, we're turning the tables to interview Bethany this time! We want every newly-pregnant listener to have all the info they need for what's to come over the holidays, so midwifery student Kim Farr is asking Bethany for every tip and trick she knows from the start oof pregnancy all the way to postpartum. We've never packed so much info into one episode, so we hope you all get as much out of the discussion as we did. Thank you all SO much for following along with our first season, and we can't wait for even more great discussions in season two this

Spring!

My guest today is one of my favorite ladies in the birth world. She is doula who lives by her name, by prayer. She is a birth worker who cares deeply about serving families as well as their midwives. And on top of all that, she is a hilarious, captivating podcast guest! i’m not sure there’s much more I can say as a proper introduction other than… please enjoy the one and only Jessica Wiggins, and find out more about her and her story at theprayingdoula.com

When people choose to use a midwife as their care provider during their pregnancy and birth journey, they often know they would like a more natural experience. However, they may be surprised when the midwifery model of care also includes education and informed consent for all options, leading them to need to make decisions and take responsibility for their choices. In this podcast episode, Bethany and her midwife colleague Kiesha Baker discuss the shared decision-making relationship between midwives and mothers, and what it looks like to work together to pursue a smooth, safe birth that keeps mom, baby and the midwife happy and healthy.

Every culture and community has their own traditional healing arts that have been used for hundreds of years. In this weeks podcast, Cheryl Johnson of Om Balance, shares her journey from yoga teacher to hypnobirthing instructor and labor doula that specializes in Ayurvedic principles of healing. Ayurveda was developed over 3000 years ago in India and incorporates body work and botanical medicine to bring about healing in the body. Cheryl and I enjoyed chatting about self care, slowing down, and intentionally preparing for pregnancy, labor and postpartum. I hope you will enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed interviewing! - Bethany

Learn more about Cheryl’s Yoga and Doula services at OmBalance.com

We don’t talk about this much...but we need to. Seeing how we practice natural birth and delivery, it’s not often that we discuss birth control on our show. But because of how it can affect women’s bodies, it is SUPER important to understand, and to know all of of your options. Our guest Dr. Chelsea Nutt is a chiropractor and women’s health specialist, and we thought she’d be the perfect person to talk about this with. Her understanding of the effect birth control has on our hormones (and this the rest of our biology) is so helpful in sorting through how to plan the growth of your family in a way that still keeps your body healthy, safe and balanced. Get more info on her work at http://retrouvaiwellness.com!

We loved having her on, and will definitely have her back for more very soon. Enjoy the podcast, and share it with a friend who’s looking for more information on this topic!

Women who pursue natural birth often tend to wonder, what other natural forms of self-care are out there for me and my family? Luckily our friend Dr. Michelle Kirk can point you in a great direction, by introducing you to homeoprophylaxis! This field of natural medicine, also known as "HP" in the homeopathic world, is a great alternative for mothers who might have some concerns about antibiotics, vaccines and other forms of western treatment. While it is up to every family to choose their own form of care, it's great to know all of your options! Take a listen to our discussion with Dr. Kirk to learn more, and find even more resources on the subject through the links below. Thanks for listening!

HP Products: www.trueimmune.com

Dr. Kirk's Practice: www.thewellnut.com

More info: www.homeoprophylaxis.education

Other info: www.hpwwc.org

Even more info: https://immunizationalternatives.com/dr-isaac-golden/

My guest this week (and fellow birth worker) Ebon’Nae “Faith” Piggee is not only a founder for Dallas Royal Doulas and Royal La Mére Birth & Fitness. She is now also the writer of the God-Led Childbirth Prayer Journal! In our conversation today, we talk about the story behind the journal, as well as Ebon’Nae’s work towards healthy outcomes for black mothers. But in addition to that, we also talk about our own experiences in birth as women of faith, and how being dependent on God has helped us to cope with the heaviness that birth work can bring. It was such a joy to be with my dear friend and sister, and I hope all of you in the season or pregnancy will feel encouraged by her story, her journal and by The Lord’s hand in your own life. Thank you so much for sharing and supporting stories like these being told!

For more on Ebon'Nae's work, please check out these links!

@dallasroyaldoulas on Facebook, Instagram or dallasroyaldoulas.com

@royallamerebirth on Facebook, Instagram or royalamerebirthservices.com

Get Ebon'Nae's journal:

https://www.paypal.com/instantcommerce/checkout/9YC83MBVQ5SQU?fbclid=IwAR0hxpTNIYf78qTfYT_g5RR0eWcWe9lbbqbMwA1Iu83SqkBAnwjgxO4ij9M

Ever heard of homeopathy? We get asked a lot by our clients (and other midwives) what the benefits of homeopathic treatment are, and what sets it apart from typical Western medicine. Well, there’s no one better to break it down than my dear friend and fellow birth worker Clavel Amariz Rotolo, who has been putting these methods into practice for years! I hope you enjoy my discussion with her about this topic, and if you have any further questions about how homeopathy can help your family, feel free to message Clavel or I anytime. Thanks for listening!

Support the Podcast:

en.liberapay.com/birthandbody/

QUICK REMINDER - This show is supported by listeners like you who support our work! If you'd to partner with us by donating to the podcast, click above!

We see it all the time: first-time moms choose to start with the “traditional” option of having a hospital birth, due to what they see on TV or hear from family. But time and again, their experience with labor and delivery ranges from acceptable to awful, and by their next pregnancy, they’re ready to try another way. Grace Munoz was just such a mom in our practice, and she came on the podcast to share her own stories of delivering both in and out of hospital, and how each route really stacks up in the end. She was a delight to talk to, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy listening just as much. If there’s an example of a client of ours we’ve really seen embrace home birth to the fullest, it’s Grace!

Support the Podcast:

en.liberapay.com/birthandbody/

QUICK REMINDER - This show is supported by listeners like you who support our work! If you'd to partner with us by donating to the podcast, click above!

Eat right or eat what you want... or both? Our good friend Amy Gonzalez (RD, FNTP) is an experienced dietitian in the Dallas area, and she has made it her goal to use her knowledge of holistic eating to give every pregnant mother the best diet experience possible for the entire process, so she can be happy and healthy from pregnancy to postpartum. We had a wonderful time to speaking with her, and getting a fascinating picture of what it really looks like to master the art of a dieting in a way that is tailor fit for every women. We hope you enjoy the discussion as well, and would love to hear your own thoughts and takeaways!

For more on all of her services, please visit theholisticrd.com

Support the Podcast:

en.liberapay.com/birthandbody/

QUICK REMINDER - This show is supported by listeners like you who support our work! If you'd to partner with us by donating to the podcast, click above!