Birth Matters

This episode will be the shortest interview we’ve shared thus far. In this birth story, Dara describes her experience of giving birth as “magical & frustrating”. This is the story of a first-time labor and vaginal birth working with a midwifery practice at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Hospital. She shares about using nitrous oxide (or laughing gas) for pain relief, very briefly, and then getting an epidural. Listen to hear the magical way mama Dara instinctively helps her baby come closer to being born. Here’s a hint: If you like music, you’ll enjoy this one! We had a musician dad featured a couple of episodes ago, and now we have a professional singer mom and massage therapist sharing her perspectives. You’ll also hear how a fever Dara developed led to baby having to go to the NICU (or neonatal intensive care unit), and how having a baby in the NICU can be challenging for new parents and baby.

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Today you’ll hear Mariko’s & Rick’s story of hiring a doula very well-suited to them for Mariko’s labor and who served them in very practical and holistic ways throughout pregnancy, labor, and into postpartum. Right around 40 weeks, Mariko’s OB decides there’s a bit of concern about baby’s well-being due to lack of movement, so they check into their Long Island hospital, Winthrop, for an induction. She shares the ways in which she was able to find coping strategies that rendered an epidural or other pain meds unnecessary. They also talk a bit about how they believe their meditation practice translated into labor. They’re also going to share a few parenting strategies they’ve found useful that could be really helpful for parenting your newborn.

Show notes at birthmattersshow.com

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Today you’ll hear a birth story told by Leah & Trevor, first-time parents. Leah is a hospitalist physician, and she’ll detail how her professional background informed the way she approached assembling her birth & pediatrician team. Her partner, Trevor, will share his insights about the experience of supporting her through labor. Leah & Trevor will talk about their uncomplicated birth with an epidural and a bit of pitocin when things weren’t progressing as readily as it seemed they should. She’ll also discuss how she couldn’t bear to be on her back for pushing and was encouraged to push in whatever way felt instinctive to her. You’ll also hear about some of her frustrations with the lack of anticipatory guidance in the breastfeeding support at her hospital as well as a few tips for expectant or new parents.

Show notes at birthmattersshow.com

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In this episode, Kat & Tom share their positive, empowering story of their 2nd son’s rather efficient birth at home with midwife Cara Muhlhahn (who just happens to both have been host Lisa's midwife for my 2nd baby in Ep. 3 and also is the main midwife featured in the documentary THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN). Other birth support team members were their doula and a friend, who just happens to also be a doula. This birth followed their much more challenging first birth in a hospital environment, which largely informed their decision to give birth at home the second time around. Do keep in mind that this is a 2nd birth, and 2nd births tend to go more quickly and unpredictably than the vast majority of 1st births.

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Ariel’s birth story includes laboring at home for a good, long time until active labor (6cm), then moving on to epidural once at the hospital, and an efficient pushing stage. She also details the importance of doula support and taking birth classes. Finally, Ariel describes her experience with breastfeeding, highlighting the importance of reaching out for lactation consultant support, shares her struggles with low milk supply, and explains her daughter’s diagnosis and correction of tongue-tie. // Birth Matters Complete Online Course: birthmattersonline.com // Show notes with pictures, transcript & resources: birthmattersshow.com

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On today’s episode, Julie shares the story of struggles to conceive for 6 years and ultimately conceiving via IVF, and then goes on to tell her son Cian’s birth story. Her water breaks as the first sign of labor and she proceeds to have a 22-hour induced, but otherwise unmedicated, labor. This is a great birth story to learn some of the benefits of hiring a doula -- also known as professional labor support -- toward strategically avoiding unnecessary interventions. You’ll also hear the smart ways in which Julie advocates for herself to help get the kind of communication she needs to feel confident and peaceful along the way. Show notes with photos, transcript, and resources at www.birthmattersshow.com // free packing list: https://birthmattersonline.com/pack

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This birth story is one of Lisa's favorites because it was the very first time a student’s water broke in class, right in the middle of a meditation/relaxation exercise! It’s the story of a 5-hour, unmedicated vaginal birth, with some complications and a necessary surgical procedure after the birth due to how quickly the labor progressed. Listen as Brooke shares details about the overall compassionate care she received through the complications and how, when the staff clearly communicated with her what was going on, she felt taken care of and, overall, really positive about the way things went. After she shares her birth story, Brooke also discusses how her partner is enjoying being a stay-at-home for the first time after having 2 children in a previous relationship and not having the opportunity to stay home. She’ll also share insights about the surprising things you sometimes learn about yourself as you become a parent as well as tips for maintaining a healthy identity. Birth Matters NYC Astoria group birth class info: birthmattersnyc.com/group-classes; show notes w/ full written birth story, transcript, photos, and resources at birthmattersshow.com

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On Episode 3, you’ll hear host Lisa's second (kinda crazy, and by that we mean crazy wonderful) birth story, in which Lisa changed care providers several times and switched from planning to give birth in an in-hospital birthing center to giving birth at home in her 3rd trimester. You’ll hear quite a bit of talk about the perks of working with a midwife and will hear about a couple of different types of midwives, so this episode will provide some education on that topic. As you can deduce from the episode title, things play out in a very surprising way. // BIRTH MATTERS COMPLETE ONLINE COURSE: birthmattersonline.com // SHOW NOTES page with full written birth story, transcript, resources, and photos: birthmattersshow.com

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In this episode, Host Lisa and her husband, Bryan, share their first baby’s birth story. It’s a story of giving birth in an in-hospital birthing center in Manhattan at Mt. Sinai West in 2005. You’ll hear about a textbook-length 20+ hr labor with the expert labor support of a doula, and you’ll hear about the gamechanger self-advocacy tips and strategies that they used (and you can use!) to avoid interventions that were strategically avoidable and rendered unnecessary. These strategies helped us achieve what Lisa had very much hoped for, which was an unmedicated, vaginal birth. // Birth Matters NYC group & private childbirth classes: birthmattersnyc.com // SHOW NOTES with written birth story, transcript, resources & photos: birthmattersshow.com

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This episode provides a brief introduction to the podcast and your host. Lisa explains the vision for this podcast and the topics you'll hear -- parents' shared journeys on all things birth, breastfeeding, trying to conceive/fertility, pregnancy, parenting, and postpartum.

Be sure to grab your free "Pack for Your Best Birth" packing list at birthmattersonline.com/pack -- you'll be given the option to take our free "11 Steps for Your Best Birth" mini-course that will lay an ideal foundation for a shorter, easier, healthier birth experience.

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