On this episode of The Lamaze Podcast, Lesley Pascuzzi, LCCE, speaks with Rhea Dempsey, an independent childbirth educator, speaker, experienced birth attendant and author of the best selling books, "Birthing with Confidence" and "Beyond The Birth Plan". Rhea is respected as one of the foremost thinkers on working with pain in childbirth. In this episode, Rhea discusses her second book, "Beyond The Birth Plan" to showcase important considerations for birthing families as they work towards the birth they want. Highlights include psychological preparations, recognizing anxiety and its impact on Queen Oxytocin, our everyday vulnerabilities in labor and birth as well as wildcard life experiences that we must honor.