If pelvic floor health is something you assumed doesn’t need to be considered until you are postpartum or experiencing discomfort, think again!

Emily is joined by Chana Ross,  the clinic director and pelvic health physiotherapist at Vital Physiotherapy & Wellness in midtown Toronto. Chana is a passionate women’s health advocate providing prenatal and postpartum physiotherapy and rehabilitation for all forms of pelvic pain and dysfunction. She loves to empower her clients to take the lead in their health and lifestyle. She is also the host of She Has the Audacity, a podcast about women who are entrepreneurs, leaders & mothers who want to leave their mark on the world.

In this episode Emily and Chana discuss why many women experiencing infertility often avoid a conversation around their pelvic health along with how the fight or flight response and a busy lifestyle impact the pelvic muscles and what steps you can take to combat these effects.

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ What exactly is being referred to when speaking about the pelvic floor (spoiler alert, it’s more than what you think)

✨ Why pelvic floor care is important when trying to conceive and navigating your fertility journey and NOT just postpartum

✨What the 5 functions of the pelvic floor muscles are

✨The role your brain and nervous system have in ensuring your pelvic floor muscles are functioning as they should

✨The importance of pelvic floor relaxation and some tips for how to start achieving this at home

​​Day 1

Instagram: @day1fertility | @egetz

TikTok: @day1fertility

Website: Day 1 Fertility 

Chana Ross

Instagram: @chanarosspt & @vitalphysiotherapyandwellness 

Website: https://vitalphysiotherapy.com/

Sponsor

Twig Fertility

If you think you know all there is to know about your menstrual cycle and tracking, be prepared to have your mind blown.

In this episode, Emily is joined by Nora DeBora, a Preconception Health Coach, Holistic Nutritionist and Fertility Awareness Practitioner who helps women and couples prepare for pregnancy and have a healthy baby after 30.

Through her signature program, Master Your Cycle To Get Pregnant, she teaches women how to optimize their hormones and fertility by harnessing the power of their menstrual cycle with targeted nutrition, cycle charting and self-care practices.

When she’s not coaching, you can find her indulging in gourmet burgers, sweating in a yoga class, or on long hikes with her husky.

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ Why the menstrual cycle is the fifth vital sign

✨ How education surrounding women’s cycles and reproductive health is lacking as well as some of the early warning signs that are often masked with birth control or women are told is “normal”

✨What the Fertility Awareness Method is and how it helps gain insight into your body so you are best prepared to conceive and carry to term

✨How educating yourself and tracking your cycle properly will empower you to be an advocate for your own health on your fertility journey

Resources:

Download your free copy of the Eat to Get Pregnant Guide: www.naturallynora.ca/eat

Download the Menstrual Blood Volume PDF: https://bit.ly/3xxVwra

Application to work 1:1 with Nora: https://bit.ly/3RYobh3

​​Day 1

Instagram: @day1fertility | @egetz

TikTok: @day1fertility

Website: Day 1 Fertility 

Nora DeBora

Instagram: @naturally_nora

Website: http://www.naturallynora.ca

Sponsor:

Twig Fertility

After taking a much needed break this summer, Emily is back and joined by her husband, Evan Mintz, with an update episode! 

Join them as they chat about their decision to take a "break" this summer and the complexities that comes with going through infertility during the summer season.

LISTEN TO HEAR:

DAY 1

Instagram: @day1fertility | @egetz

TikTok: @day1fertility

Website: Day 1 Fertility 

Sponsor:

Twig Fertility

If you've been feeling exhausted all the time, like you have a short fuse, haven’t been able to bounce back from things the way you usually do, or have thought to yourself (or said out loud) “I’m just done with this whole thing”, you're not alone!

In this episode Emily is joined by @michellekapler, Registered Acupuncturist and Certified Stress/Anxiety Coach whose focus is on reproductive health concerns. We have an epic conversation exploring burnout in the context of fertility and how certain thought patterns and internalized beliefs may not be serving you and your goals.

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ What infertility burnout is, why it happens and signs you may be experiencing it

✨ How the cultural expectations and socialization of women and people with eggs & ovaries has added to the stress you are feeling

✨Why it’s so important to stop comparing your fertility journey to others

✨Tools you can use to avoid or recover from infertility burnout

Instagram: @day1fertility | @egetz

TikTok: @day1fertility

Website: Day 1 Fertility 

MICHELLE KAPLER

Instagram: @michellekapler

Website: https://www.michellekapler.com

Sponsor:

Twig Fertility

Episode 3 of the Day 1 Fertility Hotline episode!

Anne Matthews, FABROM joins Emily this month for a fast fire interview where she answered questions directly from YOU on all things Endo! (Well as fast fire as we can be given we are talking about fertility and there are never straight answers!)

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ What supplements and diet restrictions to consider if you are diagnosed with Endo

✨ Validation that IVF is the right path if you have endometriosis 

✨ When you are researching clinics to consider when you have endometriosis - what top questions to ask 

✨ The struggles behind endometriosis

In September we will be back with a round two around Endometriosis, in addition to Adenomyosis because we didn't have time to get to it all! 

Stay glued to our channels for when the questionnaire will be released.

Show notes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8972862/

Not only does Dr. Moira Kwok, ND dive into how to pick a quality supplement, but we kick off the conversation by diving into her almost five year fertility journey. It's always a rich conversation when the guest offers expert advice, from a place of "been there done that!"

LISTEN TO HERE:

✨ Moira share her fertility story, which includes an endometriosis diagnosis, intestinal blockage surgery and the removal of her tubes - wowza!

✨ Tips and tricks on how to pick a quality supplement

✨ Her advice if you are starting day 1 of your fertility journe

EP46. Meaghan Doyle is a Certified Genetic Counselor specializing in fertility genetics. After realizing that most fertility clinics do not have an in-house genetic counsellor, she joined Instagram to help patients get the important genetics information they were looking for. Earlier this year she built on this with the launch of her private genetic counselling practice, @DNAideGC which allows her to see fertility patients for genetic counselling internationally.

Emily and Meaghan chat about the million dollar question in IVF - to test or not to test your embryos and dives into the lack of access when it comes to education around genetic testing, moving away from using the term 'abnormal' when referencing embryos, limitations when it comes to PGT testing, decision fatigue and more! 

DAY 1

Instagram: @day1fertility | @egetz

TikTok: @day1fertility

Website: Day 1 Fertility 

MEAGHAN DOYLE

Instagram: @meaghandoylegc | @dnaidegc

Website: www.dnaide.com

Sponsor:

Twig Fertility

Episode 2 of the Day 1 Fertility Hotline episode!

Anne Matthews, FABROM joins Emily this month for a fast fire interview where she answered questions directly from YOU on all things PCOS! (Well as fast fire as we can be given we are talking about fertility and there are never straight answers!)

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ Exactly what PCOS is, things to be aware of and a reminder that PCSO is a syndrome!

✨ IVF and PCOS - why it is an isn't the right path

✨  What Anne wishes PCOS patients knew and what she wish was explained in the onset

✨ Metformin - does it improve pregnancy success?

Next month we tackle questions around Endometriosis! Stay glued to our channels for when the questionnaire will be released.

Trigger Warning: LATE TERM PREGNANCY LOSS

What a beautiful and deep episode this one is. Michelle O’Brien, founder of Aiyana Nutrition joins Emily to share her heart wrenching story of the birth and loss of her first daughter, Harper. Michelle is so strong in her ability to share this story and through the conversation you hear how this life altering moment has shaped her decisions and has played a role in the development of Aiyana

Following Harper’s passing, Michelle has learned to navigate her family’s tragic loss through movement, mindfulness, and nutrition. It is a mission of hers to bring awareness, compassion, and hope to other women’s lives who have also suffered heartbreak in regards to pregnancy.

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ Michelle’s story to motherhood, which includes the loss of her first daughter and the journey to her beautiful three children

✨ How she grieved this unbearable loss, and how she continues to honour Harper

✨  The importance of taking time for you and how this is a necessary step to move on

✨  Information about Aiyana Nutrition  - The Aiyana team has designed the ultimate meals and snacks that are as healthy as they are flavourful. Their selection of nutrient-rich prepared meals are made from ingredients that are essential for maintenance and replenishment of energy, and while women’s health is at the heart of our menu, everyone can benefit from Aiyana.

That mind-body connection is a tricky thing for any woman, but it is called into question at large if you are experiencing infertility. Nicole Lemke, joins us to speak to the importance of learning to love yourself and how this mindset is key when you are trying to conceive.

Nicole is a content creator, podcast host, body image coach, meditation teacher, and nurse from Peterborough, Ontario. She is a 29 year-old mother to two boys. She speaks about her journeys with infertility, pregnancy loss, body acceptance, and intimacy.

LISTEN TO HEAR:

✨ Tips and tricks to help with body positivity

✨ Her fertility story and how in 2017 she spoke out about her misscariage, which kick started her body image journey

✨  Advice on how to stay connected to your body while going through infertility and body image issues