In today's show, Brenda and Brenden are here to tell their preterm natural birth story! Hypnobirthing is how we found each other but these two decided to have a baby before they got into class.

These parents had so many layers to becoming parents and also had an intentional journey preparing both their bodies and souls for their son to join them. Lot of juicy bits to their story.

As educators, we do a pre-series call with parents as soon as they sign up. Sometimes those calls are REALLY early in the pregnancy which are my favorite ones! It allows me to help families find personalized support people to help them have a better pregnancy and also way more time to understand and deal with the fears that accompany birth and postpartum.

Luckily, we had started our birth conversations ahead of when their little guy decided to arrive- at 32 weeks! They had a doula in place, the best provider and we had been in touch over books, podcasts and the meditations to work on mindset. This was a fun story to hear and record - I hope you pick up all the lessons and tips.

Books and Websites mentioned:

birthpsycholgy.com To start exploring what babies recall about their gestation and birth

Labor Like A Goddess One of the best birth prep books and one I ask all of my parents to read, to explore the mindset and spiritual aspects of birth and postpartum

Our Babies, Ourselves Learn more about epigenetics and the new biology of birth

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

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Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

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OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

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Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

I am so excited to have Joleen in today's episode to share her birth story! Joleen took Hypnobirthing practice seriously and did the mental preparation for anything that could happen with her birth. Many times parents feel like the physical prep is the most important - it is NOT! Well rounded education and birth preparation begins with the mind. If your mind is not ready for the twists and turns of birth, your body won't be either.

I was so impressed by her level of advocacy and owning her choices around her birth. She and her partner both! When we think of Hollywood births - we think of water breaking first. Well - that's not as common as you think but it happened to be the case with Joleen. That set off not a cascade of interventions, but a cascade of care providers doing their best to push their agenda for her birth.

Joleen had done a lot of planning and research for her birth. She knew the risk numbers and science behind the choices she was making. Once admitted, she faced pressure, repeated questioning about refusing antibiotics during pregnancy, and a midwife using fear tactics with a graphic story while crying in front of her. A woman never forgets how she was made to feel at her birth. This story is a reminder that even though you are a care provider doing your best, the tactics and feelings involved will never leave the patient and family. A no is a no and sending in the chain of command to badger someone is never ok.

Joleen emphasizes that feeling informed and in control made the experience empowering, not traumatic, and advises others to get educated, trust their gut, and stay flexible when birth doesn't go as planned.

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀!

#hypnobirthing #cesarean #hopsitalbirth #informedconsent #birthstory

In today's episode I welcome Sandra! She and her husband shared a fertility journey with a lot of unique parts to it. I had never heard of two vasectomy reversals until now! But once they were on the road to parenthood, they quickly had Irish twins just 364 days apart!

Living in rural Julian, Sandra's biggest fear was being far from services and having a baby at home. I met Sandra via a phone call really early in her first pregnancy. As we talked we both came to the conclusion that her current OB was not going to support the kind of birth she imagined for her family. She found a better provider and she and her husband joined my class a few months later.

Her first birth began the night before Thanksgiving and she had an uncomplicated hospital delivery with a midwife. She made it to the hospital with plenty of time! While settled at home with her new baby - she soon found out that she was pregnant again!

Her next son was also coming at Thanksgiving and it was a deja vu birth with a twist!

Sandra reflects on surrendering expectations, postpartum community support, and how placenta capsules boosted her energy. She gives great advice to new moms about trusting their instincts and her advice about "shares" is something I will never forget and will be teaching in my classes from here on out!

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

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Online Courses:

OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

Mental Health

Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

Today we hear a Hypnobirthing couple's natural birth story. Erica and Brian birthed at a local hospital and went into their experience with a clear picture of who they were as a couple, and what values they wanted present in their daughter's birth story. But before we dive into that, we get to hear about their fertility journey and how Erica's intuition played a key role in knowing what was right for her.

Something we don't talk about a lot is how loss during your fertility journey, plays into the feelings you have once you're pregnant. Erica describes her anxiety and guarded hope during pregnancy. Erica then went on to find OB aligned with low-intervention preferences which is a step many new parents don't think about until much later in their pregnancy.

Their birth story shows how an educated partner, knowing what you want is the best part of your birth team. Erica's doula, Heather, balanced out the information when the staff made suggestions and both parents were able to be informed and consent to what worked for them. A strong team is what we all need for support in one of the most vulnerable experiences of our lives.

Erica also talks about the importance of preparation with a pelvic floor therapist, her chiropractor and planning for meals postpartum. One of the fascinating parts of their birth story is the fact that a nurse who had worked at the hospital for 15 years said this was the first natural birth she had seen!

It was so fun hearing from both of them today and I hope you can pick up all the tips!

@doulaheathertaylor

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

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OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

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For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

Today in my Legacy Mentor Series, I get to welcome midwife Gerri Ryan. I met Gerri in the fall of 2008 when I took my first Doula training. That weekend switched my new life into high gear and thankfully, Gerri became a lifelong mentor and friend. I had no idea what was about to unfold.

Gerri has been in birthwork since her own births pointed her towards it. She was a doula before being a doula was a thing! Gerri has shaped San Diego's birth community by being a doula, midwife, forming and running a non profit and then a midwifery school. She is a current doula trainer with DONA and runs doula trainings four times a year.

Gerri shares her core "soapbox" message: if you don't have information, you don't have a choice. We discuss how being heard, respected, and centered during birth impacts parenting, postpartum wellbeing, and even trauma, and why families need information to make true informed choices.

We also cover mentorship, avoiding competition in the birth community, preventing burnout by not working harder than clients, and living with curiosity and humility. For all of the families that know Gerri and for the doulas that have been trained by her, this episode will remind you of how hard Gerri loves all of us.

https://www.sandiegocountymidwives.com/ @sandiegocountymidwives

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

Join us on Socials:

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Online Courses:

OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

Mental Health

Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

Today I welcome back Nikki (from episode 70) to share what shifted after her fertility journey - like getting pregnant and having a baby! There is so much in this episode! While Nikki is sharing her birth story, she also shares the reality of what she faced postpartum. Nikki and her husband came into Hypnobirthing after she had switched doctors and started fresh with a new provider.

Nikki describes fears shaped by the negative birth and postpartum stories that we all cannot seem to escape. She and I had explored the birth with her own mom before classes began and getting more education and advocacy around birth were some big value decisions she brought with her. She also hired an awesome doula who helped her navigate the ups and downs of labor and postpartum.

Going with the flow of what her birth presented included an induction which was not in her ideal birth plan. She handled the unexpected beautifully and you'll hear how she navigated what she could not control. Learning to surrender is a lesson every parent learns but sometimes we have to do it the hard way - like most of us. Her recap of breastfeeding and postpartum also have a lot of advice and good tidbits to file away for your own journey.

Nikki is also an artist and features her little Corgi, Beignet, in some really adorable ways as well as floral watercolors, classes and so much more. I wanted to link her website and IG because they always make me smile- https://www.lavenderandsea.com/

@lavenderandsea @lovinggracedoula

Episode 70: Nikki's Fertility Journey

https://www.birtheducationcenter.com/podcast/processing-fears-nikkis-fertility-journey/

https://www.birtheducationcenter.com/Induction-101-Course/

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

Join us on Socials:

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Online Courses:

OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

Mental Health

Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

In today's show, I got to talk with Trevor, getting his take on his son's birth story. As a dad watching from the sidelines, he opens up about all his feels and observations through their experience. He also praises his doula Kim who had just come off of one birth and then went straight into theirs.

Before we get into the birth story, Trevor opens up about his fears and worries leading up to the birth and postpartum time. He also shares some stellar advice one of his friends gave him off the cuff, that changed how he interacts with his new family.

Trevor and I really enjoyed a lot of banter in our Hypnobirthing class and that humor carried over to their birth. His wife was cracking jokes and keeping things light with the nurses and midwife even through the challenging parts of labor. He also valued what his doula brought in terms of advocacy and focus.

Trevor shares that there were many ways to the finish line and he and his wife took some more natural techniques along the way, much to the eye rolling of the staff. But they were good sports about it and supported the wishes. After hearing about their labor, and the extended pushing time, you will understand why sometimes we find out the answer to that timeline once the baby shoots out!

Trevor highlights breath as his wife's "superpower" and expresses what a badass his amazing wife is and how grateful he was to be so intimately involved in the birth process from class to postpartum.

@lovinggracedoula

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀!

#Hypnobirthing #birth #birthstory #pregnancy #hospitalbirth

In today's show, Brittany, a postpartum doula is here to share her home birth story. Brittany came into classes with a lot of "after birth experience and knowledge" due to supporting so many women over the years. But she and her husband were newbies in the birth space.

She hired a midwife and a doula and planned for all things homebirth. Brittany developed a deep sense of trust in her baby and her body during pregnancy. Then a little hiccup arose and the trust was put to the test. I was impressed in her ability to pivot and stay present with what was happening so she could maintain the trust that everything would work out as it should.

Brittany shares her transition into motherhood and emphasizes that new moms aren't meant to feel lonely or unsupported after having a baby. There is an extreme need for being surrounded by help, support, and especially other women who have been through it or are going through it alongside you, describing that kind of community as uniquely powerful during this intense life change.

Brittany created a great postpartum series on Instagram and is focusing this new season on a postpartum meal delivery service for local parents while she spends time with her new baby. So many great highlights in this show!

@doulaaab @ninemoonbeams_midwifery @seedandspinechiro

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

Join us on Socials:

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Online Courses:

OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

Mental Health

Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

In this Mentor Legacy series episode, I am introducing you to Hypnobirthing educator and doula Jo Kilburn. Jo welcomed me in as a new educator. We later became President and Vice President of the San Diego Birth Network and loved serving our community together. Jo was one of my early education mentors, modeling non-competitive, hands-on, engaging education. She then went on to show me what "normal" birth looked like - not what has become "normalized" in the birth room of today.

Jo shares her 1970s beginnings attending communal home births and explains how birth workers can hold sacred space by adapting to each family's home, boundaries, and energy. She taught me the trick to removing disruptive people in a birth room in a calm and intuitive way so that the mother could stay in her process. Jo also helped me with the art of referring clients to other doulas when I could see that I would not be the best fit.

Jo highlights her mentors like Ina May Gaskin, Suzanne Arms, and Anna Verwaal. Anna's message that birth workers often need to heal their own birth stories led into Jo's exploration of her own birth history and her advice to live joyfully and unapologetically.

I am excited for you to get to know how Jo helped expand my heart and my ability to connect with birth in a vital way.

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

Join us on Socials:

Instagram: @BirthEducationCenter

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YouTube: @BirthEducationCenter

FB: @BirthEducationCenter

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Online Courses:

OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

Mental Health

Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization

Today marks our 100th episode (and yes—technology tried to take us out), Ashley couldn't record with me, so I am reading her written intro for the episode.This show's topic is one that we need to begin speaking about and normalizing in our everyday vernacular. While you may want to shy away from this episode, I invite you to lean in and if it's uncomfortable, be curious as to why and see if you are ready to do something about it.

In a few weeks my SKOOL classroom will open and "Work on it Wednesdays" begin. More to come in a few weeks but this will lead into our conversation. We are all feeling unprepared and need to be held accountable for getting our shit together - well it starts soon!

I share today how my work has expanded from birth into death doula work and aging preparation. Birth and death are the same in so many ways: sacred, vulnerable, and deeply human—and we deserve to talk about them openly. I'm inviting you into the conversations most of us don't want to have: grief, loss, incapacity, and aging.

Grief and avoiding the topic doesn't spare us—it just leaves us unprepared. I explain why planning ahead (even just a few key conversations and documents) can make everything 10x easier for the people we love. I also walk you through what I've partially put in place for my own family — POD accounts, trusts, HIPAA/POA/medical directives, passwords—and I share my own end-of-life wishes and the kind of joyful send-off I want. My hope is that we normalize preparation, stop procrastinating, and honor these transitions with more peace, clarity, and love.

Let's connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?

[email protected]

Work with Care or Ashley: 858-251-4204

Join us on Socials:

Instagram: @BirthEducationCenter

TikTok: @BirthEducationCenter

YouTube: @BirthEducationCenter

FB: @BirthEducationCenter

LinkedIn: @CareMesser

Online Courses:

OMG I'm Pregnant

Induction 101

Mental Health

Newborn Procedures

Epidurals Explained

Meditations/Journal

For Doulas Only - Ebook and Visualization