Down to Birth

If there is one best place to begin when it comes to optimizing our fertility, it is with food, and who better to bring us the lowdown on what we do and don't need for fertility optimization than Lily Nichols, RDN, the modern-day-author and guru of all things related to food and pregnancy. In today's episode, she delivers crucial information about how our modern food practices, particularly the standard American diet, set us up for sub-optimal fertility and contribute to the most common complications of pregnancy including pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor, PPROM, and more. She opens our eyes to the significant problems with folic acid in our food sources, prenatal vitamins, and birth control, and we get into the nitty-gritty on the difference between folic acid and folate. Additionally, she explains which macro- and micronutrients we need to best support the female body for conception. If optimizing fertility is on your mind, this is a must-listen, must-share episode!

Lily Nichols on Folate:  Why it’s Superior to Folic Acid for Pregnancy (even if you don’t have MTHFR)

Lily Nichols on Instagram

And check out our episodes with Lily Nichols:

#203 | Pre-eclampsia: Diet, Nutrition and the Influence of Sperm with Lily Nichols

#155 | Gestational Diabetes Prevention and Management with Author Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE

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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 promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.

Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
Email [email protected]
Instagram @downtobirthshow
Call us at 802-GET-DOWN

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

Emotional trauma is stored in the body and can lead to a host of health issues if left unresolved. In this episode, Courtney shares her deeply personal journey of navigating the effects of a controlling and emotionally abusive her mother -- so controlling, in fact, that her demanding mother caused early marital issues for Courtney and her husband. Further, due to being placed on hormonal birth control at a young age, Courtney developed a belief that she couldn’t ovulate or conceive naturally, leading her to IVF when she and her husband were ready to start a family.

As she recounts her experiences—including distressing moments during her hospital care that triggered her childhood coping mechanisms of freezing and disassociation—Courtney describes the thought process of being coerced by and ultimately succumbing to a doctor while in labor. Courtney herself is a hospital-based medical professional who was accustomed to doctors and hospitals in her everyday life, so the betrayal and intimidation she experienced came as a genuine shock to her system. After her first birth experience, Courtney shares the heavy emotional work she did to reframe her trauma and establish strict boundaries - for the very first time - with her mother. Courtney went on to have four children in all, ultimately experiencing spontaneous conception and a completely empowered, peaceful birth with her fourth at home.

Courtney's story sheds light on the complex interplay of early trauma and birth, and how embracing physiologic birth can facilitate healing and restore trust in the body’s innate capabilities. Tune in for a heartfelt discussion about resilience, healing, and the journey to reclaiming one's body and mind.

@_holisticourtney

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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 promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

There are few things a mother can do with such a profound impact as meditation, yet it remains one of the hardest habits to incorporate into one's life, let alone the life of an exhausted, busy mother with a new baby in her arms. 

In today's episode, Kelly Smith, yoga/meditation instructor and podcast host of Mindful in Minutes, explains the benefits of meditating for as little as just ten minutes a day. We also discuss the various forms of meditation (including guided), the most common barriers to meditation, and the practical tips to get started right now. In today's outtake, you'll hear about some of our own personal meditation experiences.

If you want to yell less, sleep better, be kinder to yourself, feel better, act calmer, lower your blood pressure, and age in reverse, or if you've just always wanted to meditate but have never taken that first step, then run, don't walk, to listen to this enlightening and inspiring episode!

Mindful in Minutes podcast

Kelly Smith's Website

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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 promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

Welcome to the September Q&A episode with Cynthia & Trisha. Today, we begin with discussing the problem of increased reliance on Google searches and googling our way to answers that require deep introspection and self-trust rather than an automated and potentially biased and generalized result.

In our first question, Cynthia & Trisha debate one woman's question on whether or not she should stay with a midwife she does not feel emotionally connected to or fire her late in the game and choose free birth instead. 

Additionally, we answer the following:

• My midwife is making me feel very uncomfortable about my weight gain. How much focus should be put on weight and nutrition in pregnancy? 
• My home birth midwife told me her home-to-hospital transfer rate is 30%. Is that too high, and if so, what should I do about it?
• What happens if I don't show up for my induction, and should I do this if I don't want to be induced?

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

Two-step delivery: what it is and why we don't like it; Pushing your baby out when you have no urge to push; Rupturing of membranes and the potential impact on causing a baby to rotate from an anterior to posterior position; What it means to have a platypelloid pelvis and if any pelvic shapes make vaginal birth impossible or more difficult?

Finally, we close with a round of quickies on the following: nipple shields; eating placentas and likening it to cannibalism; height and big babies; holding clingy babies; flying at 35 weeks; resenting sleeping husbands; prolapse after birth; making a twin pregnancy happen; morning sickness; timelines for breastfeeding babies getting back to birth weight; and personal experiences with terrible haircuts. 

Livestream: Postpartum Rage: A Deep Dive into postpartum rage, why it occurs, and how to understand and break the cycle. Available on Patreon.

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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 promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

Welcome to our second 'Breastfeeding Q&A' episode with Trisha & Cynthia. We open with an inspiring success story of a mother whose baby did not start breastfeeding for the first time until around five months of age. Additionally, we answer the following questions:

• I tried everything to increase my supply and stumped every lactation consultant I met with; is this going to happen to me again and what could have been the cause of my low milk supply?
• I have low milk supply and recurrent plugged ducts. My lactation consultant told me to pump after feeding but won't that increase my plugged ducts? How do I increase my supply and prevent plugged ducts?
• From a nurse: In my hospital, we teach moms that babies are sleepy in the first 24 hours and won't eat very much, but also we tell them to wake the baby every 2-3 hours to feed them so they don't get low blood sugar. Help! I feel like I am confusing mothers. 

Lastly, we answer quickies including: what are the best breastfeeding snacks, are nipple shields harmful, does milk supply drop in pregnancy, how do I increase milk supply on one side, how to prevent thrush, what's the best breast pump, and more!

Listen here to the May 2024 Breastfeeding Q&A

Jaundice & Breastfeeding:
When grouped by number of breastfeeds in the first 24 hours, exaggerated jaundice on day six occurred in:
28% who breastfed 0-2 times
24.5% of babies who breastfed 3-4 times
15% of babies who breastfed 5-6 times
12% of babies who breastfed 7-8 times
0% of the babies who breastfed 9-11 times

(Yamauchi and Yamanouchi, 1990)

Thanks to everyone who called in! Please call 802-GET-DOWN (that's 802-438-3696). See you next week!

**********
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 promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. 

Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
Email [email protected]
Instagram @downtobirthshow
Call us at 802-GET-DOWN

Work with Cynthia:
203-952-7299
HypnoBirthingCT.com

Work with Trisha:
734-649-6294

Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

"Hi I’m Olivia. I was a patient of Dr. Javaid Perwaiz, so, I don’t trust you." Each time Olivia met with a new medical provider, she prefaced her introduction with the above statement. Olivia was a patient of Dr. Perwaiz for many years before he was  sentenced to 59 years in prison after a jury convicted him on 52 counts of health care fraud arising from performing medically unnecessary procedures including irreversible hysterectomies. Eventually, Olivia found a team of providers who she trusted to have a baby under their care. Despite developing severe pre-eclampsia, resulting in a 35-hour induction and relinquishing her natural birth plans, Olivia had a safe and satisfying birth experience because she had learned to take the most important advice: Hear everyone and listen to yourself. This self-trust allowed her to control what she still could and surrender to the rest. This powerful story is the perfect example of finding the balance between bodily autonomy, informed consent, and medically necessary care.
 
To learn more about the case against Dr. Javaid Perwaiz read here

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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
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 to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

Taylor Westenberger celebrated her baby shower at 33 weeks pregnant with her first baby. Little did she know, two days later she would go into labor and give birth to a 4.5 pound baby boy. Her birth experience, while generally smooth, involved the absence of her husband due to Covid protocols and an unconsented episiotomy. She was encouraged to breastfeed in the NICU, but when it came to taking her baby home she was warned about the dangers of co-sleeping and told horror stories of babies who had died in their mothers' beds. Determined to provide the safest environment for her little one, Taylor embarked on a mission to learn about safe co-sleeping practices. If you've ever wondered about co-sleeping safely with a newborn, this episode offers valuable insights and reassurance. Tune in for Taylor’s inspiring story and expert advice on creating a secure and loving sleep environment for your baby.

Taylor's Website: The Sleepy Circle
Taylor Westenberger on Instagram

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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
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 to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

Welcome to the August Q&A episode with Cynthia and Trisha. Today, we start by discussing various experiences in which mothers feel a visceral response to a family member, friend, or provider crossing a boundary with their baby--think kissing your baby without permission. In our first question of the episode, we invite Carly Hartwig from @cleanlivingwithcarly, to explain how to understand our fertile window and ovulation through assessing your cervical mucus. Next, Cynthia provides some financial guidance in response to one mother's concern about transitioning to a SAHM and not having her own financial independence or source of income. Additionally, we discuss the risks, or lack thereof, with marginal cord insertions, uterine windows, concerns about fundal massage, the bogus term anorexic pelvis, contact naps, GBS in urine, postpartum hemorrhage, lack of libido and more! 

If you are not already a subscriber on Apple podcasts or Patreon, please join us today for the extended version of today's episode. Thank you for your wonderful questions as always, and please keep them coming at 802-438-3696 or 802-GET-DOWN.

**********
Down to Birth is sponsored by:
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 to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with our unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

If you've ever felt that your husband is falling short or if you are a dad looking to be more available to your wife, this episode is for you. Today, we chat with Dan Doty, the co-founder of Fatherhood Ready and a passionate advocate for expectant dads. As a father of three, Dan brings his unique perspective on building a men's organization focused on emotional growth, exploration, and connection. His journey from wilderness guide to fatherhood expert was shaped by his transformative experiences working with adolescent boys and their fathers. Witnessing the profound emotional breakthroughs that happen when fathers and sons connect deeply inspired Dan to support expecting dads.

We delve into the challenges new fathers face, from societal expectations to the lack of role models, and Dan offers practical advice on bridging the gap between intention and action.

Additionally, we tackle the issue of the "motherload" and its impact on parental and marital stress. We share personal and professional anecdotes, exploring why many women feel their partners "just don't get it" regarding the immense responsibilities and emotional burdens they carry daily.

Dan’s honest and heartfelt discussion provides valuable insights for anyone navigating the complexities of parenthood or seeking to understand family dynamics better. Join us for this engaging conversation and discover how expecting dads can make a meaningful impact from day one, contributing fully to their family's well-being and their own growth as fathers.

Fatherhood Ready

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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
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 to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

Were you billed erroneously for your birth, or charged for something frivolous like "skin to skin contact" or "out of hospital birth"? Did you receive an exorbitant hospital bill for services you may not have asked for or even incurred? Are you worried that your hospital bills are going to go unpaid? Did you want to leave Against Medical Advice (AMA) but were told your insurance would not pay for your services? In today's episode, we invite Sue Chamberlain, a medical billing professional with over twenty years of experience in the industry to explain how medical billing in the United States Health Care system works, the ways you can fight or contest charges you don't believe are valid, and how hospital and insurance companies finagle the system to benefit their bottom line over patient well-being. 

Thank you for your wonderful questions as always, and please keep them coming at 802-438-3696 or 802-GET-DOWN.

**********
Down to Birth is sponsored by:
Davin & Adley-- The perfect nursing and pumping bra combined
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 to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.