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Claude Racine Valinsky is a former professional dancer and choreographer in Los Angeles who is now a mother who has recovered from postpartum depression and become a thriving mom-preneur. She returns to the show for the third time to share her "gangster mindset" for turning our most difficult moments in life into our greatest opportunity for growth, expansion, fulfillment and success. Claude joined us in episode #28 to share her home birth story and again in episode #72, where she opened up about the darkness of her postpartum depression, sudden weight gain, and health struggle with a Hashimoto's diagnosis.

After that episode, we promised to do a follow-up to and none of us imagined such a transformation would follow.

Today, at 41, Claude is in the best shape of her life physically, fulfilled as a wife and mother, and making far more money than she ever imagined possible from a business she started just two years ago, which has financially transformed every aspect of her family's life. She is back with a powerfully motivating message on how mothers who may barely recognize themselves right now can begin to take small steps toward reinventing themselves. She tells us how she picked herself up by her bootstraps and gives us advice on how to embrace our own power even amid despair, and to recognize we are all capable of living a happy, vibrant and fulfilling life postpartum.

Claude Racine-Valinsky

#28 | Claude Racine-Valinsky's Birth Story: No Place Like Home

#72 | The Winding Road Through Postpartum with Claude Racine-Valinsky

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Pre-eclampsia impacts more than 5% of pregnancies, is a leading cause of pre-term birth and is increasingly on the rise. When it comes to this difficult diagnosis, we often  are told there is nothing we can do other than give birth, usually by induction, sometimes by cesarean.  While the etiology of pre-eclampsia is not fully understood and much more research needs to be done, we do know that diet and nutrition play a key role in the development of and/or severity of pre-eclampsia.  Lily Nichols, expert nutritionist and author, returns to explain the critical nutrient deficiencies that are associated with this illness and illuminates the newest research pointing to male sperm as a potential player in the development of pre-eclampsia. If you are wondering if there is anything you can do to prevent or slow the development of pre-eclampsia, then this episode will guide you on how to do just that.

Lily Nichols

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When Lauren gave birth to her first baby, everything was seemingly perfect. Breastfeeding was going well, and she was totally in love with her baby girl.  What she didn't see coming was a series of lifestyle changes including moving that set her up for her previously-managed OCD transforming into bouts of postpartum rage. At 9 months postpartum, when her pediatrician told her that her baby was too small, the regularly occurring outbursts that soon followed were classic for the postpartum rage cycle: trigger-outburst-guilt, with much of her rage directed at her husband. We discuss the triggers that exacerbated her postpartum mood disorder and the importance of seeking support and understanding the signs and symptoms of perinatal mood disorders.

Postpartum rage is one of the manifestations of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  It is a stress-related response, which triggers our "fight" mechanism when we reach a point of overwhelm.  While the outburst brings relief, guilt is quickly ushered in and the cycle continues.  The key to interrupting the cycle is to manage the triggers--for Lauren, this was her baby's sleeping habits. 

In today's episode, Lauren courageously shares her most vulnerable postpartum moments in hopes of helping other mothers realize they are not alone in this common yet significantly under-recognized manifestation of postpartum depression and anxiety.

Special Offer:  LMNT is a tasty electrolyte drink mix that replaces vital electrolytes without sugars and dodgy ingredients found in conventional sports drinks. For a limited time, get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase. 
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It's time for our monthly Q&A episode with your Down to Birth Show hosts Cynthia & Trisha. After a quick chat about the brutally cold weather (how unoriginal), we jump right into our listener-submitted questions beginning with: 

• How important or helpful is body-work for tongue-tied babies?
• Is there ever a legit reason for a cervical check in late pregnancy?
• When exclusively breastfeeding, when should you introduce a bottle and start saving milk for going back to work?
• What supplements should you take in pregnancy, particularly related to iodine?
• Can you take a bath postpartum after a vaginal birth?
• How do you manage boundaries and visits with family who uses harmful and excessive fragrances in their home?
• Should I have a medicated birth in case I tear? My OB suggested the idea. 
• My OB said I should abstain from sex because I have a placenta previa. Is this true?

And in the ad-free, extended version for our Patreon and Apple Subscribers, we answer a question about newborn transition, difficulty breathing and delayed cord clamping; the use of forceps and whether or not they are ever needed; the idea of ovulatory cycles and just how much "lifetime" ovulation is optimal; placenta accreta and how likely it is to recur, and more. Finally, we give our input on one woman's concern about her 16 month old breastfeeding "too much", according to her pediatrician.

And, of course, we close out with a great round of quickies...be sure to catch the last one and don't be shy on sending us your guilty pleasures!

Trisha's Pear Recipe:
1-2 pears sliced or diced
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 whole fresh squeezed lime
Pink sea salt
Touch of honey to taste

Thanks for joining us, and remember you can call our phone line with your questions 24/7 at 802-GET-DOWN. (That's 802-438-3696)

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Active management of the third stage of labor refers to interventions that are taken to speed up the delivery of the placenta and reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. This typically involves the administration of an oxytocic drug like Pitocin or Syntocinon to increase the contraction of the uterus and the use of techniques like fundal pressure and controlled cord traction to guide the placenta out of the uterus. Expectant management, on the other hand, is a more hands-off approach in which the placenta is left to detach and be delivered naturally, without the use of drugs, manual manipulations or interventions. This approach is usually used when there are no risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage and the mother and baby are both in good condition.

In this episode, we have Barbara Harper on the podcast with us. Barbara is a midwife, author, and the founder of WaterBirth International, which she founded exactly 40 years ago. She is a world-expert in birthing and to this day travels the globe educating obstetricians, nurses and midwives on physiologic birth.

Few mothers are given the opportunity to birth their placentas in the water, but is it really necessary to move women post-birth into a bed to complete the third stage (placental birth) of labor?  In order to explain whether this is the right choice for any mother and baby, Barbara walks us through the most common causes of postpartum hemorrhage, how to prevent it, and the critical understanding of newborn transitional physiology: what she says is literally the most important moment in any human being's life.

Is fundal massage necessary? When is the optimal time to cut the cord? What is the case for keeping the cord attached until the placenta is fully birthed? Is manual extraction of the placenta ever justified? These are some of the questions we answer in today's episode with Barbara.

Barbara Harper

Waterbirth International

#100 | The Benefits of Water Birth: Interview With Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International

#122 | Provider Green Lights: Interview with Barbara Harper on Holistic, Resp

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Anna is a Swedish-practicing midwife who was professionally trained in Australia. Anna discusses her view of birth as a rite of passage and a transformational experience, and she laments the current state of the maternity system, which often leads to birth trauma for women. She talks about the desire to control every aspect of pregnancy and birth, and the importance of relinquishing to the unknown and trusting in the intelligence and expertise of the mother and baby. Anna also shares her thoughts on the role of birth in society and the need for a more holistic approach to maternity care.

This episode discusses birth trends around the world, the corporate and financial influences over birth practices, the meaning of spiritual midwifery and what it looks like in practice, and the ultimate feminine principle that birth is so often missing: Surrender.

The fact is that nature is not inherently flawed. And while it is not perfect in every instance, the pursuit in the name of safety to monitor and control every mother and baby through the birth process has led to more problems than it has prevented. Join us in this free-flowing conversation on returning to our roots and fiercely protecting the divine feminine to achieve our safest and best birth with Anna the Spiritual Midwife.  

Down to Birth is sponsored by:
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty.
Love Majka Products -- Support your milk supply with nourishing protein powder, hydration boosters and lactation bites.
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. 

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Postpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
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Jessy is a  Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) in the state of Utah where breech home birth is against state law.  In her second pregnancy, she made three attempts using gentle version techniques to turn her baby, yet her baby turned back to breech every time. Weighing out the risks of breech vaginal home birth versus cesarean, she opted for home birth but kept her baby's  breech position to herself and off-the-record. She only hinted to her midwife that her baby was being "stubborn." Jessy's intuition told her that forcing her baby to turn around was not the safest choice, which became evident as truth when her baby arrived with a short cord and a velamentous insertion. This inspiring story overcomes many obstacles including threatened early miscarriage, retained placenta, breech birth, a short cord and vaginal prolapse and demonstrates the ultimate power of a mother's intuition. 

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We are back with our first Q&A of 2023.  We begin today by discussing absurd comments shared with us around natural birth statistics before we jump into our regular Q&As, starting with: 

How can I prevent another postpartum hemorrhage when I feel like I did everything right the first time but still bled too much? What role does a doula play in a home birth and how does she interact with the home birth midwife? Is it normal to lose your mucus plug at 32 weeks, and will it come back? How can I pump enough milk for my exclusively breastfed baby to leave for a 4-day work trip without risking oversupply? Is it worth it to switch from an insurance-covered nurse-midwife that I don't really like to an out-of-pocket homebirth midwife?

Next, we jump into our quickies which cover topics like: oxygen at home birth, "powering through" engorgement, nipple shields,  supplements for mental health while breastfeeding, flat feet in children, and - here was an off-topic surprise that came in - our favorite karaoke song to sing?

And there is much more! For those who are Apple subscription or Patreon members, we answered several additional questions including: What to do in a home birth if an emergent situation arises? Is midwifery just for low-risk women? How to start solids? Is the placenta filled with toxins and is placenta encapsulation unwise? What does it mean if you can't find the heartbeat early in pregnancy?

Thanks for joining us, and remember you can call our phone line with your questions 24/7 at 802-GET-DOWN. (That's 802-438-3696)
**********

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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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Sarah Hutchison & Lara Martens are the Dynamic Doulas of London, Ontario. Doula work is a delicate balance of keeping a "soft front and hard back", stepping-in and and not overstepping.  The fact is, doula burnout is high, the emotional work can be heavy, and the lifestyle is challenging. But as any doula knows, those who are called to the work can't imagine doing anything else and the rewards of supporting mothers in achieving their birth goals are tremendous.

Today's episode is an "off-the-record" kind of conversation between us and this "dynamic" doula team, where we get into the heartfelt anguish of being a doula. In today's discussion we explore: What do women really want from their doulas? What's the hardest part of keeping a client happy? Should doulas take on any client who's willing to hire them, or should doulas be selective about whom they choose to work with? How can doulas avoid burnout? How far should a doula go in advocating for their clients and how do doulas manage a client's unwillingness or inability to speak up for herself when faced with an unwanted intervention? How can doulas support women whose birth values starkly differ from their own, and what should doulas do when they suspect the woman's chosen birth location has firm policies in contrast to physiologic birthing? Should doulas speak up more or less, and to what extent do women expect doulas to go beyond birth support and assume the role of protector and advocate? Whether you're looking to be a doula or hire one, today's episode gives you a behind-the-scenes scope into the demanding lifestyle of providing emotional, mental and physical labor support to birthing women and their families.

Dynamic Doulas on Instagram.

Dynamic Doulas

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If you are considering the birth control pill to fix your period, think again. Did you know the hormones in your pill don't replace the hormones your body naturally makes? Instead, they mask and suppress them.  The period you get at the end of your birth control pill pack is not a real period; it's simply a withdraw bleed from synthetic hormones. Your brain, bones, heart, mood, sex drive, motivation, inspiration, and creativity are all influenced by the hormonal cycles of naturally-occurring estrogen and progesterone.

Lara Briden, author of The Period Repair Manual,  joins us today to teach us the difference between a real period and a "pill" period. She explains how  various contraceptive devices influence our hormones and how our body is affected by natural versus synthetic hormones. Her goal is for each woman to experience symptomless, naturally-occurring menstrual cycles throughout her lifetime.

Lara Briden

Taking the Pill as a Teenager May Have Long-Lasting Effect on Depression Risk

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Down to Birth Show

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