Being pregnant with twins is a bit different than having just one baby. In this episode I'm going over what you need to know about carrying & delivering twins, some of the complications you should watch out for, and what your provider will keep an eye on throughout your pregnancy and birth with twins.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode92 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources.

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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I wanted to revisit this episode about pre-eclampsia because of the recent, tragic loss of Dr. Chaniece Wallace MD, who was a Pediatric Chief Resident at Indiana University School of Medicine.

She passed away on October 24 after giving birth to her baby Charlotte via emergency c-section. She experienced severe preeclampsia, so I wanted to bring back this conversation with Dr. Cecily Clark Ganhart about what preeclampsia is, what the symptoms are, and why we need to take it seriously. You can donate to the Wallace family at the GoFundMe page linked in the show notes for this episode. 

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/rebroadcast-preeclampsia and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources.

Our Sponsors:
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* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
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I'm really excited to have the second dad on the podcast to share his perspective on pregnancy, labor and birth! Rick Mulready is an online business owner and dad to an 18-month old girl with his wife Amy. 

Rick shares his experience of supporting his wife as she carried and delivered their baby. He talks about his anxiety in the early days of pregnancy, why he resisted reading other people's birth experiences, and how his wife's labor and delivery felt from his perspective. He also shares some of the other emotional struggles he experienced in the early days after his daughter arrived and the importance of getting support.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode91 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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I get lots of questions about perineal tears - how they happen, how to prevent them, and how to heal them - so I want to answer as many of those as I can for you today. In this episode you'll learn how common perineal lacerations are, risk factors that can increase your chances, strategies to prevent them, and how they can affect current and future pregnancies.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode90 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
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If you're bringing home a new baby and you have a dog (or want one), then you need a plan that keeps everyone safe & happy. Michelle Stern of Pooch Parenting joins us on this episode to talk about introducing your newest family member to your pup and how you can prepare beforehand. We also chat about dog breeds and what to think about when adding a new dog to your family.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode89 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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In this lovely birth story episode, Ashlyn shares what it was like having her first baby during COVID-19 via a scheduled induction. She had a great experience with prenatal care and her birth, which included an epidural and episiotomy. We talk about how her care changed in light of the coronavirus pandemic and how she and her husband have navigated family expectations after their baby girl arrived. 

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode88 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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If you're listening to this episode the day it comes out, then it is my 46th birthday! This is an interesting milestone for me, so this week's episode is a little different to reflect that. 

My older sister died of cancer the day before her 46th birthday, so naturally I've been thinking a lot about her, reflecting on her life, and thinking about my own. I wanted to share what these reflections have taught me about my work and what I will be stepping into in this next chapter of life. I am ready to take my work and my service of pregnant people to a whole new level, and I hope that all of you will join me. And I also share a birthday wish for this year that all of you can help me make real!

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode87 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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I was inspired to cover this episode's topic because I recently attended several births that ended up being operative vaginal deliveries. Also known as an assisted birth, an operative vaginal delivery means that the medical provider uses tools - either forceps or a vacuum cup - to help deliver the baby vaginally.

In this episode you'll learn a lot more about what operative vaginal delivery is, how often it's done, when it's necessary and what the procedure is like. Operative deliveries only happen about 3% of the time, but it's still good for you to have some knowledge about it so you're prepared in case that becomes the best option on the day your baby arrives.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode86 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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We have a really interesting story this week about fertility, perseverance, and creative thinking. Our guest is a great example of someone who took control of their fertility journey and advocated for herself through a long and difficult process. 

Jasmine Katatikarn shares the ups and downs of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and what she and her husband went through emotionally during the process. Jasmine also describes the moment she decided to apply her designer's mind to her fertility journey and how this helped her turn a corner emotionally and physically. 

She also talks about why she kept her struggles almost completely secret and what convinced her to tell her story and help other parents.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode85 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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We have another special birth story episode this week, but this time you're getting three birth stories in one!

Jennifer is an international board certified lactation consultant, wife and mom of three. She had all three of her babies at the same hospital and had a C-section with each of them - but as you'll hear, her birth experiences were different every single time. 

Jennifer and I talk about all three of her births so you can understand how her hospital experiences and self-advocacy developed over time. We discuss pre-eclampsia, why she really wanted a VBAC with her second and third babies, and how her prenatal care & birth wishes were shaped by her religion.

Check out ncrcoaching.com/episode84 for complete show notes, and join my email list at ncrcoaching.com/email-signup/!

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com
* Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE
* Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, that’s up to $125 OFF! Just visit armoire.style/DRNICOLE


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