Birth Kweens

In this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, mom Heather Laird shares her birth experiences with Karly and Ali. Heather is a wife, mom to two baby kweens (3 year old son, Emmett, and 3 month old daughter, Hazel), and all-around rad lady from San Diego. Ali had the honor of being Heather's doula for both births, which were two very different experiences. Heather shares about what her first pregnancy was like (easy!), what kind of birth she was planning (an unmedicated birth center birth), and how the whole birth and postpartum experience ended up being much more challenging than she'd expected. She talks about how she went two weeks past her EDD (estimate delivery date) and risked out of the birth center where she was planning to deliver, leading to a very long and challenging hospital birth (a medicated vaginal delivery). With her second pregnancy, Heather planned a hospital birth with a supportive care provider and had high hopes of a low-intervention, unmedicated delivery. She got exactly that when baby Hazel came flying into the world after a fast and furious labor. Heather shares candidly about coming to terms with the fact that her first birth didn't go to plan and how although her second birth unfolded as she'd hoped it would, there were still challenging and unexpected elements of that experience. We hope you enjoy this beautifully honest, laughter-filled tale of two births!

---

If you liked this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, tell your friends! And go to iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay, and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show. For more from us, visit www.BirthKweens.com to sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens, join our Facebook group the Birth Kweens Podcast Community, and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback. Also, be sure to click here so that you can support the show while doing your regular Amazon shopping!

In this episode, Karly and Ali chat with Holly Grigg-Spall about hormonal birth control. Holly is the author of "Sweetening the Pill: Or How We Got Hooked On Hormonal Birth Control". She is consulting producer on a documentary inspired by her book, directed by Abby Epstein and executive produced by Ricki Lake. Holly is also currently an ambassador for the Daysy fertility tracker and a marketing consultant for several women's health-centric companies. She has a ton of knowledge about the pitfalls of hormonal birth control and shares some great stuff with the kweens! Here's an overview of what's covered in this episode:

• Holly's own experience with hormonal birth control, including all of the terrible side effects she experienced and how she finally got off of it
• The lack of information and education about the pill that Holly was given by her health care providers before she went on the pill and how this lack of informed consent is a major issue for many women
• Some of the major misconceptions about the pill
• A quick overview of what taking the pill actually does to your hormones (SPOILER ALERT: it's not great)
• The differences between first, second, and third generation hormonal contraceptives and which one is best (if being on a hormonal contraceptive absolutely can't be avoided)
• An overview of the side effects of hormonal birth control and why we should think twice about using it
• The importance of ovulation and menstruation and how we've somehow been led to believe that these things AREN'T necessary physiological processes for women to experience
• The options for non-hormonal birth control
• • Caya Single Size Diaphragm and Diaphragm Gel
  • Daysy Fertility Tracker
  • The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
• Where IUDs fall on the spectrum of hormonal birth control and whether they cause similar side effects as the birth control pill
• Why Holly thinks that hormonal birth control is "addictive" and why so many women continue using it despite the negative side effects
• Holly's relationship with her cycle now

Click here to order a copy of Holly's book and here to join the Birth Kweens Facebook group!

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

In this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, Karly and Ali talk with Jamie Boyd, L.Ac. about her work as an acupuncturist, her training in midwifery, and her own birth experiences. Jamie is the proud mother to two radiant girls in San Diego, CA. She has been a licensed acupuncturist with a Master's of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine since 2006. She started her journey with women's health in 2002 as a homebirth midwife assistant for Catherine Chichakian LM, CPM. While working as an assistant homebirth midwife, Jamie attended the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. She completed her internships with Rady's Children's Hospital, UCSD's Geriatric Clinic and the San Diego Hospice and Palliative Impatient Care Center. She also studied gynecology and pediatrics in China at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine's hospital. Her simultaneous training in two of the oldest healing arts has offered her a unique vantage point in understanding the causes and conditions of wellness in this human life. Here's an overview of what's covered in this episode:

• Jamie's educational background and how she became interested in eastern medicine
• Her interest in using acupuncture for hospice care and how that led her to attending acupuncture school at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego
• How Jamie became involved in the San Diego birth community and how her experience as a birth assistant intersected with her acupuncture practice
• The story of Jamie's time spent living and working at a Buddhist monastery in India and how that led to the birth of her first daughter
• The story of Jamie's first birth, a planned home birth turned cesarean, and what it was like to heal from and process that experience
• The story of Jamie's second birth, a planned home VBAC turned hospital VBAC
• How Jamie's personal journey with a variety of health issues has allowed her to provide more compassionate, empathetic, and holistic care to her own patients
• The basic concept of Chinese medicine and why/how it can be such an essential treatment modality during pregnancy (and the rest of life!!)
• The importance of spending time every day in a parasympathetic state (aka - "rest and digest" mode) and how not giving your body this rest period can negatively impact your hormones and your overall health
• The pregnancy and women's health related issues that can be treated with acupuncture, including important considerations if you want to use it to induce labor

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

Karly and Ali get down to the nitty gritty details of coping with the pain of labor and birth. They explain why it's essential for every birthing person to learn about non-medical coping techniques (even if they plan to use pain medication during their birth) and they review the best tools and techniques for pain management. Here's an overview of everything that's covered in this episode:

• The reasons why it is SO important to know a variety of non-medical pain management coping techniques, including times when birth goes too quickly to use medication or when meds don't work effectively
• What the 5 elements of birth are and why they're an essential part of pain management in labor
• Why you should consider hiring a doula for your birth (including this great article on the evidence for doulas)
• The reasons it's SO important to do some sort of childbirth education during pregnancy
• Helpful tools in labor:
  • Bucky 40 Blinks – the best eye mask in all the land!
  • Birth ball (great for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum!)
    • 65cm
    • 75cm
  • Cooling towels
  • Massage tool
  • Lacrosse Ball
  • Hand held fan
  • Essential oils (don't forget cotton pads to put the oils on!)
    • 10 Oil Variety Pack
    • Peppermint
    • Lavender
    • Eucalyptus
    • Grapefruit
    • Citrus Variety Pack
  • Heating pad
  • TENS unit
• Coping techniques in labor:
  • The 3 R's – relaxation, rhythm, ritual (as mentioned in The Birth Partner by Penny Simpkin)
  • Vocalizations/low moans
  • Movement and changing positions
    • Check out The Birth Partner for some great diagrams of all the different labor/birth positions
  • Breath work
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Light touch/massage, sacral counter pressure, hip squeeze
  • Visualizations (i.e. breathing to your baby, walking/running up and over a hill, progressive relaxation throughout your entire body)
  • Music (Deep Theta by Steven Halpern is one of Ali's favorites)
  • The mindset of birth
    • You are stronger than you even realize. Believe in yourself!
    • Stay in the moment. You can do anything for a minute! You are going to give birth one breathe at a time.
    • Remember, this is pain with a purpose.
  • Be SURE to stay hydrated and well fed. Being undernourished and dehydrated can increase pain and difficulty of labor while reducing your energy/ability to cope
• Why it's so important to choose your birth team carefully and only invite people who support your birth goals
• Why you might consider choosing a code word to use in labor, that way your team will know when to encourage you and when to order up that epidural!
• How to communicate your preferences to the staff at your birthing location, including some guidelines for putting together your birth preferences sheet
• Books/resources to help you and your birth partner(s)
  • The Birth Partner by Penny Simpkin
  • Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Simpkin, Whalley, Keppler, Durham, & Bolding
  • Hypnobirthing by Marie Mongan
  • Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
  • Birthing From Within by Pam England
  • Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke
  • The Big Book of Birth by Erica Lyon
  • Hypnobabies – Childbirth Hypnosis

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

In this episode, Karly interviews Heather Thompson of Elephant Circle, a birth justice organization in Colorado. Heather is a molecular and cellular biologist, clinical researcher, birthworker and queer parent. She has worked on issues related to reproductive health for more than 25 years, advocating for equity, access and autonomy in childbirth. Currently she is the Deputy Director of Elephant Circle, a birth justice organization where she gets to combine her background in increasing access to physiologic birth with science and community organizing. She is passionate about supporting the family unit and helping families navigate their own journey, particularly as it relates to maternity care, birth and legal marijuana in Colorado. In recent years, Heather has also increased the time she spends creating conversation with white people about whiteness and racism.

Here's a summary of our conversation:

• Heather introduces herself, and talks about herself, her colleague Indra Lusero and what they do at Elephant Circle.
• Heather clarifies that she is not an activist for cannabis in pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Marijuana is actually a racially derogatory term, Heather prefers to use the word cannabis
• Because some people are using cannabis in pregnancy and lactation, Heather aims for "harm reduction" and arming people with the best legal and scientific information possible
• the harms and risks of cannabis use are very different conversations
• cannabis in pregnancy has been studied for a very long time
• Heather discusses the different findings and difficulty in interpreting extracting helpful information from the studies
• Social beliefs about cannabis use in pregnancy in our dominant culture
• The "crack baby" and their cognitive outcomes
• the legal aspects of using cannabis during pregnancy even when its legal in your state
• the role child protective services can play in your life if you are using cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding
• What every parent should know about the laws around cannabis in their state
• Medical providers are mandatory reporters of drug use among pregnant women
• How long after you use cannabis you can test positive
• Discrimination associated with cannabis use

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

The Birth Kweens sit down with Colleen Flaherty, NSCA-CSCS of Prokreate to discuss healthy movement in pregnancy and the postpartum period. Colleen is a strength coach for women during pre-conception, pregnancy, and postpartum as well as an educator for trainers and health professionals. She's incredibly knowledgeable about women's health and fitness, specifically how a woman's fitness needs change during the childbearing cycle. Here's an overview of what's discussed in this episode:

• Colleen's background and how she found her niche as a women's strength coach with a specific focus on pregnancy and postpartum exercise
• What healthy movement in pregnancy looks like and what benefits you get from being active in a safe way throughout pregnancy
• How important it is to tailor pregnancy workouts to help prepare women for the unique challenges of labor, birth, and the postpartum period
• What unhealthy movement in pregnancy looks like and what negative consequences women can suffer from doing too much or too little physical activity in pregnancy
• How women can assess whether their fitness instructors/coaches know how to properly modify for pregnancy and postpartum
• Colleen's rule of thumb for helping her clients know when a particular exercise/movement is harmful or inappropriate for their body
• Some general guidelines for how a workout routine should be adjusted during pregnancy
• A few tips on body mechanics and basic exercises for women who are returning to physical activity after giving birth
• An overview of the fantastic resource Spinning Babies. (Pregnant kweens – if you haven't checked this site out yet, do it now!!!)
• How Colleen's training regiments for pregnant women intersect with the concepts taught in Spinning Babies
• What diastasis recti is, how you can tell if you have it after pregnancy, and what to do about it if you do
• Katy Bowman's website (as mentioned by Colleen)
• When it's safe to return to physical activity after giving birth and what that might look like, including some do's and don'ts
• An instructional video by The Tummy Team for how to check yourself for diastasis recti

If you'd like to connect with Colleen and check out all of the pregnancy and postpartum fitness resources she has to offer, you can find her website here. If you want to connect with her on social media, you can check out her Instagram and Facebook.

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

The Birth Kweens sit down with Colleen Flaherty, NSCA-CSCS of Prokreate to discuss healthy movement in pregnancy and the postpartum period. Colleen is a strength coach for women during pre-conception, pregnancy, and postpartum as well as an educator for trainers and health professionals. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about women’s health and fitness, specifically how a woman’s fitness needs change during the childbearing cycle. Here’s an overview of what’s discussed in this episode:

• Colleen’s background and how she found her niche as a women’s strength coach with a specific focus on pregnancy and postpartum exercise
• What healthy movement in pregnancy looks like and what benefits you get from being active in a safe way throughout pregnancy
• How important it is to tailor pregnancy workouts to help prepare women for the unique challenges of labor, birth, and the postpartum period
• What unhealthy movement in pregnancy looks like and what negative consequences women can suffer from doing too much or too little physical activity in pregnancy
• How women can assess whether their fitness instructors/coaches know how to properly modify for pregnancy and postpartum
• Colleen’s rule of thumb for helping her clients know when a particular exercise/movement is harmful or inappropriate for their body
• Some general guidelines for how a workout routine should be adjusted during pregnancy
• A few tips on body mechanics and basic exercises for women who are returning to physical activity after giving birth
• An overview of the fantastic resource Spinning Babies. (Pregnant kweens – if you haven’t checked this site out yet, do it now!!!)
• How Colleen’s training regiments for pregnant women intersect with the concepts taught in Spinning Babies
• What diastasis recti is, how you can tell if you have it after pregnancy, and what to do about it if you do
• Katy Bowman’s website (as mentioned by Colleen)
• When it’s safe to return to physical activity after giving birth and what that might look like, including some do’s and don’ts
• An instructional video by The Tummy Team for how to check yourself for diastasis recti

If you’d like to connect with Colleen and check out all of the pregnancy and postpartum fitness resources she has to offer, you can find her website here. If you want to connect with her on social media, you can check out her Instagram and Facebook.

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women’s health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

In this episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with the lovely Julia Evans about her two births. Julia had her first baby, Ollie, in an out-of-hospital birth center, and her second baby, Edie, was born at home. Karly was lucky enough to be present at both births, once as the birth assistant and once as the midwife. Ali and Karly talk with Julia about what it was like to have two unmedicated births, what made her choose a home birth the second time around, and what it's like to reflect back on her birth experiences now that her kids are 8 and 10 years old. Julia also shares about experiencing a long and difficult back labor with her first, having a postpartum hemorrhage with her second, and bridging the gap between her pre-birth expectations and the realities of her birth experiences after it was all said and done. This is a really great episode full of candid stories and lots of laughs. We hope you enjoy it, kweens!

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

In this episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with the lovely Julia Evans about her two births. Julia had her first baby, Ollie, in an out-of-hospital birth center, and her second baby, Edie, was born at home. Karly was lucky enough to be present at both births, once as the birth assistant and once as the midwife. Ali and Karly talk with Julia about what it was like to have two unmedicated births, what made her choose a home birth the second time around, and what it’s like to reflect back on her birth experiences now that her kids are 8 and 10 years old. Julia also shares about experiencing a long and difficult back labor with her first, having a postpartum hemorrhage with her second, and bridging the gap between her pre-birth expectations and the realities of her birth experiences after it was all said and done. This is a really great episode full of candid stories and lots of laughs. We hope you enjoy it, kweens!

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women’s health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

On this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, Karly and Ali talk with Amy Medling, the PCOS Diva. Amy is a certified health coach who specializes in working with women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, who are frustrated and have lost all hope when the only solution their doctors offer is to lose weight, take a pill, and live with their symptoms. In response, Amy founded PCOS Diva and developed a proven protocol of supplements, diet, and lifestyle programs that offer women tools to help gain control of their PCOS and regain their fertility, femininity, health, and happiness. Here's an overview of exactly what is covered in this episode:

• The definition of PCOS, including symptoms and how PCOS is usually diagnosed (including the fact that 50% of women who have PCOS are misdiagnosed!)
• Amy's own journey with PCOS and how she struggled with symptoms for years before actually being diagnosed in her 30s (when she began struggling with secondary infertility)
• The various nutrient deficiencies that women with PCOS commonly deal with and some possible reasons why they exist
• How and why Amy began seeking alternatives to western medicine to treat her own PCOS
• The essential role that diet plays in treating PCOS and how important it is to understand blood sugar and the impact that different foods have on blood sugar regulation
• How inflammation is really at the root of PCOS and the role that dietary changes play in reducing inflammation
• How mental and emotional healing and growth is an essential part of effective PCOS treatment
• The longevity of PCOS – it's not something that will ever go away so treatments must be sustainable
• The role that supplements play in treating PCOS (click here if you're interested in purchasing some of Amy's own line of supplements!)
• Click here to enroll in Amy's amazing PCOS Diva program. She'll guide you through the process of treating your PCOS in a natural and holistic way. Do NOT miss out!!!
• Click here to buy Amy's book Healing PCOS: A 21-Day Plan for Reclaiming Your Health and Life with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

---

Did you like this episode? Please subscribe, rate, review, and share!

The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at [email protected] with your questions, suggestions and feedback.