Down to Birth

We are back with our February Q&A episode! Today we are answering your questions around: Whether or not it is ok to eat in labor, leaking (or not leaking breastmilk), how long it takes to feel good in your postpartum body and relationship again; whether or not you need an OB in order to get prenatal ultrasounds if you are having a home birth; understanding ovulation postpartum; why not to birth on your back, and our quickies series, loaded with great questions submitted by all of you!

* * * * * * * * * *

Connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow, where we post new information daily related to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. You can reach us at [email protected]. We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To submit a question, visit the Down To Birth website or send us a voice memo through Instagram messenger.

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
NOM Maternity*
Serenity Kids*
Wildbird.co*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

Today we are joined by Diana Marks, a social media influencer and coach, who is deeply passionate about bringing awareness to women on how and why to consider egg freezing for fertility preservation. If this is a topic you've been curious about, today's episode will answer your questions from, "When should someone consider egg freezing," to "How much does egg freezing cost," to "What is the emotional journey of going through this process?"  With more women choosing to start families later in life - or wanting the option to do so - egg freezing is a rapidly evolving technology that is growing in popularity. And for Diana Marks, it was the logical decision that brought the peace of mind she was looking for.

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

How do you know if you are carrying generational birth trauma? And if you identify it, what can be done about it prior to giving birth? Today we meet with  Stefanie, whose mother had a traumatic obstetrical experience while birthing to her second daughter, resulting in permanent brain damage and disability to Stefanie's little sister. Stefanie was five at the time. For nine months, she had excitedly anticipated her parents coming home with a baby, only to end up in her grandparents' care while her parents spent most of their time in the NICU. The childhood experience left a fear and trauma so deep, Stefanie always intended never to get pregnant. It was only after Stefanie fell in love and got married that she recognized she carried her mother's birth trauma with her throughout childhood and into adulthood, impacting her beliefs around the safety of childbirth. Feeling a longing to become a mother herself, she went on a courageous healing journey including therapy, reiki, and even mediumship, to confront her trauma. Once she came out the other side, her pregnancy and birth transpired as the most natural and magical experience of Stefanie's life.

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

Lizzie Bolliger of Fiercelizzy doesn't consider herself necessarily a fierce  person but very much a fierce advocate for autonomy and informed decision making in childbirth.  Today, she joins us as a guest host to discuss what it actually means to be fierce in your birth planning and preparation. Guess what?  According to Lizzie, it's not about having the most detailed birth plan because there is no power in the birth plan if you don't know why you are checking the boxes. So what is the most important component of your birth plan? That is the topic of today's episode as we walk you through the critical questions to ask yourself and your provider in preparing for your best and safest birth.   

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

Our January Q&A is here and has a special treat! In addition to your more in depth questions we've add a "quickies" series to the end of the episode.  Be sure to check it out and send in your feedback!

Today's Q&A begins with induction and hypertension: when is the right time to be induced (see our episode on Pitocin)? Next we touch on setting boundaries with passive-aggressive in-laws; how does having one posterior baby (and an anterior pelvic tilt) impact my birth? Should I be concerned about leaving the birth center so soon after giving birth? What tips do you have for a distracted breastfeeding baby? How do you find the right provider when there are very limited options in your area? Plus, our advice to a baby delivery nurse who has seen birth trauma and received very little support from her colleagues.

Enjoy our brand new quickies section! And check out the chapter markers to skip to a specific question. Thank you for all your great questions. Keep 'em coming! And if you would, please leave a review on Apply podcasts or Spotify:)

#134: Pitocin for Labor: Why and Why Not

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

How is yoga like birth? They both ask us to get uncomfortable and sit with that discomfort. How long can we sit with it? Where does our mind go when we get uncomfortable? How quickly do we reach for distraction? Yoga prepares us for birth not only physically but also by integrating the mind/body connection and strengthening our intuition and our physical body. Today, Deb Flashenberg of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC speaks with us about how to get safely uncomfortable and learn to use your body, breath and mind to get to the to other side, whether on your yoga mat or at your birth.  We also discuss postpartum recovery, and the importance of recovering physically from inside to outside, such as when it comes to diastasis recti and posture. 

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

Can you be so firm and stable in  your boundaries around pregnancy and birth that it doesn't actually matter who attends your birth because you know exactly what and what not you will let into your birth space?  In this conversation with HeHe Stewart of Tranquility by Hehe, we dive into hard boundaries versus soft boundaries; how to set them; and why they matter so much in our birth planning as well as our personal relationships throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

* * * * * * * * * *

Connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow, where we post new information daily related to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. You can reach us at [email protected]. We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To submit a question, visit the Down To Birth website or send us a voice memo through Instagram messenger.

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

Molly had a textbook first pregnancy and went into labor just at 37 weeks. After an uneventful labor, her baby was born with an APGAR score of one.  Despite a successful resuscitation, her baby was put into an intentional state of hypothermia for seventy-two hours to prevent or reverse any potential brain damage. During this time, Molly knew very little about why this was happening, what caused it or if it was really even necessary.
Thankfully her baby made a full recovery; but, needless to say, she left  her first birth with significant trauma.

 In preparation for her second birth, she sought out a hypnotherapist and a midwife. She learned trusting herself, her decisions, and her physical body were essential to achieving the birth she desired. She created mantras and vision statements and cultivated a daily practice to get there. Three years later, that dream came true with the birth of her second child.

This show is sponsored by:
Silverette USA*
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.

New Year's marks exactly two years since we launched our first episode of Down To Birth. While we didn't know what to expect, we never dreamed so many people from every single (inhabited) continent would become avid followers of our show, and we are deeply grateful  you find our show worth your time, attention and dedication. 

Today we're going to delight you with a brief conversation we had with our youngest listener: eight-year-old Scarlett, from Belfast, Maine. Scarlett's mom, Leah, is expecting twins any day now, and, until they started listening to the Down To Birth Show, Scarlett's plan was to grow up and become a doctor.

She's since changed her mind. Guess what she wants to be now? We'll give you one guess.

Wishing all of you and your loved ones the very happiest, healthiest, and most fulfilling of all your years to date. May there be peace on earth and in every heart.
**********

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.

Our December Q&A is here and loaded with entertaining and informative questions: We begin with a question around increasing supply without pumping: Is it possible? Next we dive into expectations around pushing as it relates to hypnobirthing and the urge to push. We discuss Cervadil and the subsequent cascade of interventions and what happens with a posterior cervix? How do you know if you have postpartum anxiety? What are placental lakes and will a large placenta cause a big baby? Is the purple line a good indicator of cervical dilation? And finally, is it safe to go to Disney and go on amusement park rides in pregnancy? Play now on all podcast platforms! Check chapter markers to skip to a specific question. 

This show is sponsored by:
Beautiful Births and Beyond*
Postpartum Soothe*
*Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTH
**********

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.