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Amanda Holden was planning a home birth with her first baby, having hired a midwife she loved. When she reached 42 weeks, her midwife terminated her care abruptly, due to Colorado state law prohibiting midwives from attending late-term home births. With a heavy heart but optimistic mindset, Amanda and her husband made the decision to birth in a hospital rather than have an unattended home birth. Using the education she had under her belt by that point, Amanda rallied herself into believing her hospital birth would go mostly according to her plan of a natural, undisturbed birth. Once in labor, she settled into her hospital bed with a pink satin eye mask over her eyes, having no idea what she was about to endure: being relentlessly badgered, labeled, patronized, and threatened throughout her labor. She declined continuous monitoring and vaginal exams and the doctors retaliated by overwhelming her with a roomful of strangers watching her laboring naked in the tub, while "reporting" her over the phone in her presence. The doctor even threatened that Amanda's baby would likely need to be airlifted on life support to another hospital as soon as she was born, and that Amanda wouldn't be able to go with her baby. Meanwhile, there was no legitimate reason to suspect the baby would need life support. At one point, the doctor even brought in a male security guard into Amanda's birth space, claiming she (the doctor) didn't feel "safe" around Amanda's husband, who simply advocated for Amanda through the birth. When it was finally time to give birth, Amanda was tricked into lying down and then forcefully put on her back against her will. She says she gave birth "feeling hated" by everyone in the room, and one nurse privately told Amanda's mother she had seen meth patients in labor treated with more respect than Amanda. When Amanda gave birth vaginally to her girl, she felt elated, and noticed every medical staff in the room stared at her and her baby with utterly joyless expressions, after all that Amanda had achieved. Amanda and her husband have been doing somatic healing to process their experience, but she is absolutely clear that the birth itself caused her no distress or discomfort. Despite all drama, Amanda's story is ultimately inspiring because of her and her husband's resolve not to succumb under truly extraordinary pressure.

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Welcome to the April Q&A episode with Cynthia & Trisha. Today, we invite you to guess the two things that Cynthia and Trisha will never talk about on the podcast. Hint: They are not scandalous or controversial. Shoot us a DM with your guesses! Next, hear the most annoying habits from our podcast community regarding their partners. As for our questions this month, here we go:

• I had a pain-free breech vaginal birth. Why do some women experience pain at birth and others don't?
• My second baby was born precipitously at home. Should I plan for my third to be the same and when should I call the midwife?
• Does learning hypnobirthing techniques lead to a more peaceful birth experience?
• I have white-coat hypertension. Will this risk me out of a birth center birth and do I need to take aspirin in pregnancy?
• What percentage of women whose water breaks before labor begins will start labor within an hour or two?
• Are prenatal vitamins really necessary and if so, which ones?

In our extended version of today's episode, we answer questions regarding breaking your tailbone in labor, whether you should tell your neighbors if you are planning a home birth, whether it's expected or appropriate to plan on feeding your home-birth midwives, and if it is necessary to be catheterized in labor if you can't void while in labor.

In our quickie segment, we discuss the necessity or not of ovulation tracking apps, male versus female sperm, the midwives' brew, and how loud the music is in our cars while driving.

Thank you as always for your wonderful questions! Please call in your question to 802-GET-DOWN or 802-438-3696. To get the extended version of today's episode (and all episodes 100% ad-free) just click the subscribe button on Apple podcasts or download the Patreon App and join any tier.
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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
Vitality: An athleisure brand made for women, by women, designed with style and comfort for pregnancy and beyond.
Davin & Adley-- The perfect nursing and pumping bra combined
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.

Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription order
DrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supply
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Emma Armstrong,  author of The Fearless Birth Book, and Instagram birth influencer at @thenakeddoulaofficial, joins us today to delve into the meaning of pleasurable birth. We ask the questions, "Why should a woman want a pleasurable birth, what does it even mean, and what holds women back from experiencing pleasure instead of pain?" In this enlightening and off-the-record-style conversation, we uncover the emotions holding us back from ecstatic, pleasurable, even orgasmic birth. Emma opens up about her unexpected cesarean birth and how a woman who teaches other women about vaginal birth can feel confident in doing so despite her never experiencing a vaginal birth herself. This is about healing, letting go and experiencing deep, ecstatic pleasure.

The Naked Doula on Instagram
The Fearless Birth Book
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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
Vitality: An athleisure brand made for women, by women, designed with style and comfort for pregnancy and beyond.
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.

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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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.

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You won't find an obstetrician anywhere in the United States who will birth triplets vaginally in the hospital, but today you'll hear the story of traditional midwife Kristine Lauria who welcomed them at home with the respect and reverence for birth every woman deserves.  Kristine witnesses some of the most "high risk" births around the world in her midwifery work for Doctors Without Borders. She has attended over 500 breech, twin, and triplets births! 

In this episode, you will hear the story of a mother in her 7th pregnancy birthing three babies at home as told by Kristine.  We discuss what it means to be a traditional midwife, what happens in a triplet homebirth, the dying art of midwifery skills, and how to manually extract a baby at home. You'll hear how the mother's own mother received the first baby and how this mother avoided preterm birth by leaving the hospital AMA after an episode of bleeding and went on to naturally birth her babies at 38 weeks with perfect APGAR scores! This story is a beautiful example of the true midwifery model of care, a fiercely dedicated mother, and a birth team who deeply trust the innate process of physiologic birth regardless of the number of babies or their positions. 

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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When Carolyn was pregnant with her first baby, she went past her "due date." After declining an induction at 41+6, her doctor questioned her integrity as a mother, stating, "I am surprised your motherly instinct (to protect your baby) hasn't kicked in yet."  Knowing that she and her baby were ok, she continued to wait despite heavy pressure from her OB. When she passed the 42-week mark, feeling out of options and having been told she was going to have a ten-pound baby, Carolyn accepted an induction on her 31st birthday. Her baby was born vaginally, weighing seven pounds and five ounces.  Looking back at her conception date, her baby was more likely closer to just forty weeks.  Carolyn's entertaining story highlights the inexcusable emotional abuse of her OB while demonstrating Carolyn's remarkable trust and faith in her baby and her body.

Follow Carolyn on Instagram @carolynnmarrone

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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.
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. 

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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We are back with the March Q&A episode with Cynthia & Trisha.  We kick off today's episode with an unbelievable, once-in-a-lifetime story of an OB who holds off a mother's pushing to tie a bow in the baby's hair before being born! Next, we get into our questions beginning with a mother who wants to offer important birth advice to her friend's daughter but doesn't know if it is her place or how to not overstep boundaries. Also, what questions to ask at a late third-trimester ultrasound to best avoid unnecessary interventions? Then, Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International answers the question of why it takes a baby longer to "come to" after a water birth. Another mother inquires about how much her energy and anxieties can influence her baby's arrival--is her stress causing her baby to be born "late?" 

In the extended version of today's episode, available on Apple subscriptions or Patreon, we discuss whether or not a pregnancy is easier or harder based on which gender baby you are carrying, how to navigate boundaries with a mother-in-law who has been blatantly disrespectful but planning to help you postpartum. Finally, how do breast implants impact the ability to exclusively breastfeed?  We also have doula Colleen Myatt, a spinning babies instructor, answer a mother's question about posterior babies.

As always, we close with a round of rapid-fire quickies covering tongue ties, evening primrose oil, delivery time for the placenta, setting boundaries, soothing crying babies, and more! 

Thank you for your excellent questions and keep them coming at 802-GET-DOWN or 802-438-3696. For the extended version of today's episode please join our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple podcasts.
**********
Down to Birth is sponsored by:
David & Adley -- Nursing bras that are stylish and allow hands-free pumping
Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy

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

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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.

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In today's episode, three current and former L&D nurses join us in a roundtable-style conversation to share their behind-the-scenes experiences on the L&D floor. These three women get raw, real, and honest about what pulled them to this line of work and for one, what forced her to leave. They share their experiences and that of the women they serve on how birthing mothers are manipulated, coerced, and betrayed by their providers and the system. You'll hear astonishing quotes such as "Well that's what she gets for refusing Pitocin yesterday," when a mother ends up with an unexpected cesarean birth, and you'll hear answers to our questions:

• Why did  you choose to become an L&D nurse? 
• In your mind, who do you work for? 
• Why do OBs get so upset when they "miss" the delivery?
• What do you think is driving unnecessary cesarean sections? 
• What is the most outrageous thing you've heard a provider say to a woman?

In the end, you'll gain insight into the culture of hospital-based birth and learn ways to best support your birth goals when having a baby at the hospital. 

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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this link today and receive a free sample kit.
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy

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.

Send us a text

Like many mothers, Taylor Chamberlain Dilk had no idea where to begin in preparing for childbirth. Lucky for her she has a large social media presence and requested recommendations from her audience, and lucky for us, Down to Birth Show came highly recommended. Once she started digging in, she felt her inner maternal voice rising to the surface.  She knew she wanted an unmedicated birth, but had no idea what she was up against giving birth with an OB in the hospital. When she was offered a membrane sweep in her 41st week, she accepted, triggering uncomfortable contractions but not labor.  As an unsure first-time mom, she went to the hospital thinking her water had broken yet still awaited labor. It wasn't until she transformed her hospital room into a safe space that she could truly let go and allow her labor to flow. Join us as Taylor shares her invaluable insights, emphasizing the importance of informed decision-making, cultivating a supportive environment, and harnessing the power of one's own thoughts to guide the miraculous journey of childbirth.

Taylor on Instagram
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Down to Birth is sponsored by:
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this link today and receive a free sample kit.
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy

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.

Send us a text

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Stu Fischbein for his third appearance on  Down to Birth Show. We start the conversation by catching up on some of the latest problems occurring on the birth scene including VBACs, aspirin in pregnancy, the monetization of birth, late pregnancy ultrasounds, big babies, and due dates, before we get into the meat of the episode on Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). Dr. Stu shares a letter from one of his followers regarding her IUGR diagnosis resulting in an induction at 37 weeks for a 4-pound 14-ounce baby,  which launches into a conversation around what IUGR is anyway and the actual risk of IUGR.  Would that baby have been better off staying in utero for a few more weeks? How can you know postpartum if the baby was in fact IUGR? There are so many nuggets of great information dropped throughout this episode. You don't miss this one! And for more with Dr. Stu, catch episodes #111 & #128.

Dr. Stu Fischbein & Birthing Instincts
Dr. Stu on Instagram

#128 | Vaginal Breech Birth with Dr. Stu of Birthing Instincts: Why It's Safer Than you Think
#111 | The Obstetric Model of Care vs. the Midwifery Model of Care: Interview with Dr. Stuart Fischbein, MD

**********
Down to Birth is sponsored by:
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this link today and receive a free sample kit.
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.

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.

Send us a text

Welcome to the February Q&A with Cynthia & Trisha. To kick things off, we share some of your New Year's Resolutions--don't miss this as Trisha makes Cynthia momentarily speechless! Next, we dive into your questions beginning with: Is cord traction really necessary to birth the placenta? Another woman explains that she always throws up in labor right when her water breaks and asks if this is normal. Also, a new mother is curious if giving her baby a pacifier will be harmful or helpful...and more.  In our extended version of today's episode, we answer several more questions about the breast microbiome and the occurrence of plugged ducts, uterine prolapse and how it may impact a future pregnancy, how to care for the ntact) penis, non-stress tests, bicornuate uteri (you read that right) and what constitutes a postpartum hemorrhage.

As always, we thank you for your questions an encourage you to call in at 802-GET-DOWN or 802-438-3696.  Our extended and ad-free episodes are available on Apple subscriptions and our Patreon page. Thank you for tuning-in.

Down to Birth is sponsored by:
DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this link today and receive a free sample kit.
Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy

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.