Chelsea was determined to have an unmedicated hospital birth. When she was unexpectedly diagnosed with cholestasis at 38 weeks, she found herself getting induced with Misoprostil, Pitocin, and ruptured membranes at 3 cm dilated. She quickly progressed to full dilation, had a short pushing phase and birthed her baby vaginally.  Everything seemed great until she went home and starting passing large blood clots. After multiple calls to different OBs that all passed it off as normal, she started bleeding profusely and was transferred back to the hospital for delayed postpartum hemorrhage. Chelsea's story is one of knowing the importance of trusting our own intuition and insisting we get the care we need when we know something is wrong.

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. 

**********

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 are pregnant for the first time or even the second or third, we all want to know the secret ingredient to experiencing a "pain-free" birth experience.  Today, we brought on a leading voice in the pain-free birth world, Karen Welton, to go deep on what it takes.  Do you know the most important step in accessing a "pain free" birth? Hint: It's not about what you do in labor. It's not about position. It's not even about your birth location or provider. It's about your brain. It begins and ends with your mindset and focus. The key to mastering your birth is mastering your brain's influence on your physiology.  Can you create an environment for birth where you could be so relaxed and embodied in your physiology that you could have sex in that space? Join us in this enlightening discussion and take the first step to finding a "pain-free" ecstatic, even pleasurable birth experience.

Painfreebirth on Instagram

Pain Free Birth Free Masterclass

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. 

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.

Erika gave birth to her first child in the hospital and was labeled a "weirdo"  and stamped as "difficult" for her birth plan intentions.  When the hospital staff tried to take her baby away in order to administer the Vitamin K shot and Erythromycin eye ointment, she refused, holding her baby close as the staff tried to pull the baby from Erika's arms. Next came the call to CPS (Child Protective Services), putting Erika on a government watch list as a threat to her child's well-being. As a long-time yoga practitioner and deep spiritualist, Erika shares her perspective on birth as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to embrace discomfort and release the notion of separation from oneness.

Erika Halweil

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. 
**********

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.

We are back with the March Q&A, and it is packed with your awesome questions! 

• How do I go about choosing a midwife? Are there red flags?
• I had pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Can I still have a home birth?
• Is it safe to take Valtrex in pregnancy for cold sores or is there an alternative?
• Is it necessary to rub and dry the baby after birth or can baby just be handed to me?
• Can we talk about the Lindsay Clancy situation and how do we know if we are suffering postpartum psychosis?
• Does Covid cause decreased blood flow and does Aspirin help?

And for those who subscribe on Apple podcasts or Patreon, in the extended version we answer:

• How do you know when IUGR is a legitimate diagnosis?
• Is there a way to pump enough to delay the return of your period when breastfeeding?
• Can you prevent the loss or decrease in milk supply when pregnant but still nursing?
• When should you introduce a bottle or transition a breastfeeding baby to the bottle and how do you do both?
• Do you have resources that you recommend for continuing education for parents?
• In a home-to-hospital transfer for the mother, does the baby go too and if so, does the baby get evaluated? Can the baby stay home?

And in our quickies segment we touch on:

• Surrogates and co-sleeping, young midwives, periods and breastfeeding, induction for gestational diabetes, favorite items for new moms, keepsakes, hiccups in pregnancy, retinol in breastfeeding, Vitamin K alternatives and our shoe collection. 

Thank you as always for calling in your awesome questions!  Don't forget to join us on Patreon for the extended version and twice monthly live Q&As on all kinds of topics!

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)
**********
Down to Birth is sponsored by:
Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy
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. 

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.

Dr. Nathan Riley is an OBGYN who understands the holistic picture of women's health. You may remember him from Episode #165 where he discussed autonomous, empowered birth. Today, he joins us to explain why infertility rates are on the rise, especially for men, and gives us the six principles of holistic fertility that are important for healthy, conscious conception, along with the five fertility powerhouse nutrients.

In the second part of the episode, we discuss the aspect of fertility that goes far beyond the standard "temperature" and "timing" approach: the importance of intimate, fun, playful sex for conception. This episode is sure to open your mind and give you the holistic scope you won't get at your IVF clinic. Grab your partner and your baby MOJO and  sit down for an enlightening discussion on fixing fertility. 

#165 | The Holistic OBGYN, Dr. Nathan Riley, on Autonomous, Empowered Birth

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. 

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.

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

This podcast episode is sponsored by LMNT, the electrolyte drink with everything you need and nothing you don't. Get a free 8-day supply with your first order here.

**********

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.

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

Special Offer:  LMNT is a tasty electrolyte drink mix that replaces vital electrolytes without sugars and dodgy ingredients found in conventional sports drinks. With this link, get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase. 

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.

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. 
**********

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.

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)

**********

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.

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, Respectful & Supportive Birth Providers

Down to Birth is sponsored by:
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty.
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. 
*********

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.