Birth Re-Imagined

CW: suicide, risky behavior.

On this episode, Elle sits down with Ellie Dote, a transgender, lesbian woman who has a deep and beautiful relationship with Christ. They discuss being LGBTQ+ while raising LGBTQ+ kids, the experiences we’ve had that have shaped how we parent our LGBTQ+ kids, and the things that we think society and individuals need to think about and find solutions for to make our communities safer and more accepting for people across every spectrum.

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2021/01/15/14-parenting-lgbtq-kids-with-ellie-dote/

On today’s episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Dr. Whitney Sippl, a women’s health physical therapist and a women’s clinical specialist. They discuss pelvic floor relaxation, how to prepare your pelvic floor for birth, and easy steps and actions you can take to help get your pelvic floor health back to normal after birth. She uses a ton of easy to understand metaphors to explain all of the concepts she talks about, and makes it super easy to understand, even if you don’t currently know anything about the pelvic floor!

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/12/15/13-pelvic-floor-relaxation-with-dr-whitney-sippl/

On this episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Amanda Armstrong, a Women’s Mental and Physical Health Life Coach specializing in anxiety, depression and postnatal recovery through her business Rise As We. She was raised in CA, but currently lives in Virginia with her husband, son, dog and countless house plants. Like many, her birth didn’t go according to plan, but in this episode, she shares how she used her physical and mental preparation to move through it all.

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/12/08/12-amandas-birth-story-an-empowered-unplanned-c-section-birth/

On today’s episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Jill Magoffin, a certified birth Doula and postpartum Doula with DONA INTERNATIONAL.  In addition to being a Doula, Jill is also trained as a New Parent Educator and Newborn Care Specialist. Additional Doula training has included courses such as Hypnobirthing and advanced Rebozo skills for birth and postpartum care. They discuss comfort care and self-care during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum.

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/12/01/11-comfort-care-and-self-care-with-jill-magoffin/

On this episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Courtney Riel Owens, a performer, a Hypnodoula, and is studying to become a Hypnobabies Trainer. Courtney shares the birth story of her older daughter, Hazel, her journey to becoming a Hypnodoula, and how Hypnobabies has helped her and many of her clients to have a peaceful, relaxed birthing experience.

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/11/24/10-courtneys-birth-story-a-joyful-hypnobirth/

On this episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Allison Tartari and Maral Shabak of the Tourmaline Collective, which offers prenatal, postpartum, and birth services alongside a wellness team of holistic practitioners, to talk about Postpartum Plans. They discuss what a Postpartum Plan is, why it is essential to mental and physical recovery after labor and delivery, and how to go about creating one (along with tons of ideas about what to consider when making yours).

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/11/17/9-postpartum-plan-with-tourmaline-collective/

On today’s episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Kelila Green, who shares her surrogacy birth story. As an Orthodox Jewish woman, her journey started by making sure her religious beliefs would support and affirm her desire to help another family have a baby, and led to two families who are now friends (and family) through the birth of that beautiful baby.

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/11/10/8-kelilas-birth-story-a-jewish-orthodox-surrogacy/

On this episode, Elle and Taylor sit down with Tatiana Koontz, a midwife and postpartum doula in San Diego, where they discuss Informed Consent. They dive deep on the difference between consent and informed consent/choice, the importance of individualized care, and how the pregnant body is designed to give birth naturally. 

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/11/03/7-informed-consent-with-tatiana-koontz/

Please note that we had some audio recording issues during part of the this episode. If you have any problems understanding the interview, we have transcribed it here: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/11/03/07-informed-consent-with-tatiana-koontz-episode-transcription/

On this episode of Birth Re-Imagined, Elle and Taylor sit down with Mikki Bell, a birth doula and childbirth educator in the South Bay, where Mikki shares the birth story of her oldest child. Mikki shares why she chose home birth for her children, her dramatic water breaking moment at LAX, and the importance of doing a “run-through.”

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/10/27/6-mikkis-birth-story-precipitous-birth/

On today’s episode, Elle and Taylor sit down to talk all about Chiropractic for Pregnancy. They dive into the Webster Technique, what chiropractors do and don't do, and how chiropractic care addresses the physiological health of the pregnant person (and the baby) during pregnancy and during labor.

For full shownotes and resources for this episode, please visit: https://ellekennedyphotography.com/2020/10/20/5-chiropractic-for-pregnancy/