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Welcome to the August Q&A episode! What is your secret quirk? We want to know! We share a few of yours along with our own. 

Today's first question is from a mother who had a large first baby without a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. She's concerned in her second pregnancy that she might develop late-onset gestational diabetes.

Next, a pregnant mother's mother is a medical doctor and is having a hard time supporting her daughter's natural birth choices because of her experiences in the medical system. 

Another mom is struggling with sugar cravings in pregnancy and is wondering what advice we have to reduce those cravings.

In the extended episode, available on Patreon and Apple subscriptions,  we address the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding over exclusive bottle-feeding, whether or not you should have a planned cesarean after a shoulder dystocia, and if moxibustion works to turn a breech baby. 

Quickies: Fundal height measurements, prenatal appointments at the end of pregnancy, hemorrhoids, spotting postpartum, short breastfeeds, LEEP procedure and cervical scar tissue, high lipase milk, laboring down, restless legs in pregnancy, and finally, would we tell anyone about our pregnancy before 12 weeks? 

Call us with your questions, comments or stories at 802-GET-DOWN!

Watch this episode in full video format on YouTube.

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Sleep is the foundation of health—and yet in modern motherhood, it’s often the first thing we lose. In this episode, we’re joined by Heidi and Thaddeus of DreamWalkerz, parents of six and passionate educators on the biology of sleep. Together, we explore how light—yes, just light—is one of the most overlooked but powerful regulators of our sleep, hormones, mood, and even fertility.

Heidi and Thaddeus break down what circadian rhythms really are, how they’re installed in babies, and why so many of us are unknowingly “teaching” our newborns to be awake at night and asleep during the day. We talk about the biological cost of blue light, the myth of the night owl, and how shifting even small habits—like going outside at dawn or switching a lightbulb—can radically change the way we sleep and parent.

We also explore melatonin myths, the complex hormonal dance between light and reproduction, and why syncing your body to natural light is not just a lifestyle tweak—it’s a return to something deeply human.

This episode offers no quick fixes, but rather a steady reminder that rest is not a luxury—it’s a birthright. And it begins not with a supplement or a schedule, but with the rising sun.

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The Melatonin Makeover

#172 | Our Sexual Energy as the Secret Weapon to Our Best Birth and Best Life with Kim Anami

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Doulas play a critical role in supporting women through childbirth—but their work is anything but easy, and their work isn't for the faint of heart. Many face disrespect from providers and routinely witness coercion, misinformation, and violations of informed consent. Even with their deep commitment to the women they serve, doulas often feel powerless in the face of hospital systems driven by profit and control. Still, many doulas are called to this work—and despite everything, they continue with resilience, purpose, and unwavering commitment.

Doulas are indispensable. The evidence is clear: When a doula is present, C-section rates drop -- as do all other routine interventions. Physiologic birth is more likely. Breastfeeding is more successful. And most important, mothers walk away feeling more satisfied and supported. Doulas are, and always have been, the original birth keepers. Their presence makes birth safer, more humane, and more aligned with what women actually want and need.

In today’s episode, we hear directly from doulas about what they’re up against—and why, despite it all, they keep showing up. We also share our reflections on what it means to support doulas as they continue this vital work.

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Email [email protected]
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At 28 weeks, Jessie found out her baby was breech—but instead of panicking, she trusted her gut. She felt strongly that her baby was meant to be born this way. After initially planning a home birth, Jessie began exploring other options and considered traveling to Pennsylvania for a hospital birth with experienced breech providers.

But when labor started at 39 weeks, everything shifted. Mid-drive to Pennsylvania, Jessie and her husband decided to turn around and head to Yale New Haven Hospital. There, an OB team unexpectedly supported her birth plan, and her baby was born breech and vaginally—with ease.

In this episode, Jessie shares her story of intuition, flexibility, and trust in her body and baby. It’s an inspiring reminder that sometimes birth doesn’t go according to plan—and that’s exactly what makes it beautiful.

**********

Our sponsors:
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
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Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% off

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Welcome to the July Q&A! Today, we kick off the show with a conversation about your experiences of unnecessary, frequent stressors that we have the power to change or eliminate: For Trisha, it's taking phone calls while grocery shopping. 

Next, we get into your questions, beginning with:

Did taking folic acid in pregnancy cause my baby's tongue tie?

Is having the cord wrapped three times around a baby's neck a legitimate reason for c-section?

Is it true that I can't have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) if it has been just 18 months since my last birth?

And in the extended version of today's episode, available on Patreon or Apple Subscriptions, we discuss:

Intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) babies and whether induction of labor is the right choice. Also, whether or not a baby needs to be born by cesarean for too low or too high heart rates in labor. And finally, whether fundal massage is still needed even if you a woman is administered  Pitocin in the third stage of labor. 

As for Quickies, we covered many topics including: Post-breastfeeding bras, OP (posterior) babies, magnesium and pre-eclampsia, fetal ejection reflex with an epidural, supporting the perineum to prevent tearing, our top tip for a successful VBAC. As for the personal questions of the month, we share our favorite ice cream flavors as well as our favorite flowers. In Cynthia's case, she didn't know the name of her all-time favorite flower and had to text a friend urgently in order to answer the question. Just goes to show, some friends can know us just a little better than we know ourselves!

**********

Our sponsors:
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample pack

Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
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Finally, after all these years, Trisha tells the stories of her three home births. Pregnancy, birth, & midwifery are woven into her life story, from her early obsession with pregnancy to her decision to pursue a career in midwifery, allowing her to understand every aspect of birth from a physiological and intellectual perspective. Hear how she became a midwife, how she got herself into labor with her first, grueling, long birth, to her wildly different second birth, and her unintentionally unassisted third home birth to her son, who taught her the most important lesson she wants every birthing woman to know: One that could benefit all of humankind.

Watch this episode in full video on YouTube.

**********
Our sponsors:
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample pack

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% off

Join Patreon for our exclusive content
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In this extraordinary episode, Leslie shares her deeply personal story of discovering a lump in her breast at 34 weeks pregnant—an aggressive, triple-negative breast cancer. A wellness coach who hadn’t taken over-the-counter medication in five years, Leslie spent her adult life doing everything she could to prevent disease. As she prepared to welcome her second baby at home, she was forced to face a diagnosis that would alter her life on every level.

She confidently insisted on continuing with her home birth plans and delivered her son peacefully at 38 weeks, just weeks before starting intensive chemotherapy. Her story takes us through her heartbreaking decision to wean early, her rejection of radiation, and the support of her midwife, community, and unwavering faith in God.

Leslie is not only healing; she’s investigating the root causes of her illness—from parasites and heavy metals to infected root canals. Her message is clear: You must be your own advocate in your birth and healthcare.

This conversation is about more than cancer—it’s about bodily sovereignty, maternal instinct, and the strength of a mother determined to do right by her children, no matter the cost.

**********

Our sponsors:

Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample pack

ENERGYbits--the superfood every mother needs for pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding

Primally Pure: From soil to skin, primally pure products are made with down-to-earth ingredients that feel and smell like heaven for the skin

Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% off

Join Patreon for our exclusive content
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Down to Birth Show

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Drawing from our their personal experiences, your words, and our intimate birth story processing sessions, Cynthia & Trisha delve into the neuroscience around beliefs and birth. Our brain constantly wants to make sense of things, but it often lands on unhelpful conclusions. This episode is about recognizing those negative beliefs and actively replacing them with empowering ones. It's about taking charge of your internal narrative to foster healing and confidence, no matter your  story. Join us as we explore the conscious and unconscious stories we tell ourselves about birth – "my body failed me", "my births are cursed" – beliefs that, whether objectively true or untrue, can deeply affect us and our future experiences. 

Watch this episode in full video format on YouTube!

**********
Our sponsors:
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample pack

ENERGYbits--the superfood every mother needs for pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding

Primally Pure: From soil to skin, primally pure products are made with down-to-earth ingredients that feel and smell like heaven for the skin

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% off

Join Patreon for our exclusive content
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Emily Woodward is a mother of two who planned a home birth for each of her babies. Her first labor began with confidence and joy—and stretched across multiple days, testing her endurance, her trust in her birth team, and her ability to surrender when the path ahead took an unexpected turn. She transferred from home to hospital with a crowning baby. Her second pregnancy was smooth and uneventful—until 31 weeks, when she awoke in the middle of the night to a pool of bright red blood, and everything changed in an instant.

A former nurse and longtime believer in physiologic birth, Emily brought deep conviction to both experiences—but found herself making two very different choices, each for necessary reasons. In this episode, she shares how she navigated fear, advocated for herself, and came to find peace and even beauty in how each of her births unfolded, despite neither being at home. Her story is a moving reminder that sometimes the plan can change—twice—and still be exactly right.

**********
Our sponsors:

Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample pack

Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% off

Join Patreon for our exclusive content
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Welcome to the June Q&A with Cynthia & Trisha. This month we kick things off with a conversation about a midwife who dropped her client in early labor because her HBAC labor was taking too long to get going--as you can imagine, we have a lot to say about this! Next we take your questions:

One mom writes about her 3rd attempt at a homebirth after two hospital transfers and wonders if it is ok to keep her birth plans from her family with whom she is very close with. 

We also answer:

My midwife told me I should do a cervical check at 36 weeks to help understand the baby's position and offer recommendations based on the findings. Is this really necessary? And, if a baby isn't breathing after a minute of being born and is still attached to the placenta, do babies need to be stimulated or is intervention required?

In the extended episode, available on Patreon, we discuss vaginal birth with a nuchal hand, scheduling C-sections for planned VBAC at 40 week, and vaginal birth after a shoulder dystocia.

Finally in quickies, we touch on spray tans while breastfeeding, induction vs cesarean, elastic nipples & pumping, third labors, length of umbilical cords, and our favorite seasons and candy (except Cynthia doesn't eat candy).

**********

Our sponsors:
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample pack

ENERGYbits--the superfood every mother needs for pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding

Primally Pure: From soil to skin, primally pure products ar

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% off

Join Patreon for our exclusive content
IG @downtobirthshow

HypnoBirthingCT.com

Down to Birth Show

Call 802-GET-DOWN

Watch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.