Welcome to my Week 12 pregnancy update and wow… what a transition point this has been. In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about what the last few weeks have really looked like behind the scenes ; from food aversions and comfort meals, to being sick, to some major physiological shifts that happen right around this stage of pregnancy.

We talk about:
 🌿 Why all I wanted was pancakes and soup  and how I realized I was likely eating “wrong” for my body during the entire first trimester
🌿 What it’s been like being sick in early pregnancy and navigating fatigue, nausea, and depleted energy
🌿 How blood test screening for Trisomy 21, 18, and 13 works, and why many parents choose to do it
🌿 How a blood test can also reveal the sex of the baby as early as 10–12 weeks using placental DNA
🌿 The huge biological milestone at this stage: the placenta officially takes over hormone production around weeks 10–12 ; and what that means for symptoms, energy, and nausea
🌿 Some HUGE professional wins, including award recognitions
🌿 Plus, an update on what’s happening inside my community, including the official rollout of my new Skool membership tiers

If you’re in early pregnancy, preparing for pregnancy, or just love understanding what’s happening inside the body at each milestone,  this episode will give you science, honesty, and real-life perspective all in one.

Thank you for being here and walking this season with me. 💚
 — Ashley

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Nora DeBora - preconception health coach, fertility educator, and host of The Ultimate Pregnancy Prep Podcast - to break down the exact functional lab tests every couple should consider before trying to conceive.

Whether you’re preparing naturally, trying without success, or gearing up for fertility treatment, this conversation is a must-listen. We go far beyond the standard bloodwork panel and explore the deeper physiological data that can reveal hormone imbalances, inflammation, nutrient depletion, microbiome dysfunction, and stealth stressors that impact egg, sperm, and overall reproductive health.

Together we unpack the Top 3 functional tests that give the clearest picture of your preconception health:

🌿 DUTCH Test (Comprehensive Hormone Panel)
Why cortisol patterns, estrogen metabolism, progesterone levels, and androgen balance matter for BOTH partners - and how these metrics shape ovulation, implantation, early pregnancy, and sperm production.

🌿 Comprehensive Stool Analysis (CSA)
What your gut health reveals about inflammation, nutrient absorption, immune function, thyroid conversion, estrogen detoxification - and why restoring the gut is foundational for fertility in men and women.

🌿 Vaginal + Uterine Microbiome Testing
The emerging research behind the reproductive microbiome, how it influences implantation rates, recurrent pregnancy loss, and IVF outcomes, and why this is a game-changer for anyone facing unexplained infertility. (Note: Men don’t do this one - but they absolutely benefit from DUTCH + CSA.)

We also discuss:
 • why “normal” bloodwork isn’t always enough
 • how functional tests reveal the root cause of subfertility
• our favourite clinical cases and what these tests helped uncover
• how couples can use this data to improve natural conception and IVF success rates

This is one of the most information-rich, empowering preconception episodes I’ve ever recorded. If you’re preparing your body, or supporting someone who is - press play.

Connect with Nora DeBora

📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: www.naturallynora.ca
📸 Instagram: @naturally_nora
🎙 Podcast: The Ultimate Pregnancy Prep Podcast

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this Week 10 pregnancy update, I’m sharing the very real shift into the “eat only bland foods and sleep every chance you get” phase.
We talk about:

• Why I’m choosing walking over resistance training right now
• Navigating nausea, food aversions, and the comfort of beige meals
• The wild fatigue that hits in the evenings
• And, despite all that, why I felt called to submit a speaking application this week

It’s part personal update, part gentle permission slip for anyone navigating the messy, beautiful recalibration of early pregnancy.

If you’re in this season too, this episode reminds you: your body sets the pace, and your purpose doesn’t disappear - sometimes it just takes a softer form for a little while.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Welcome to Episode 54!
This week I’m sharing my brutally honest 9-week pregnancy update - and if you’re also in the trenches right now, you’re going to feel so seen.

I dive into:

• The level of exhaustion I did not see coming (like… bone-deep, nap-between-naps tired).
• Is this normal? A quick look at what’s happening hormonally in week 9 that explains everything.
• My new pregnancy boundaries, especially around exercise, movement, and energy output.
• Food aversions that came out of nowhere - when suddenly everything smells like “absolutely not.”
• How I’m navigating nourishment when “everything is yucky” and my nutrition brain is fighting my pregnancy stomach.

If you’re in the first trimester, prepping for pregnancy, or supporting someone who is, this episode is part science, part story, and part solidarity. The first trimester can be brutal, confusing, and lonely - so let’s normalize the messy parts.

Tune in for the real, raw, slightly-delirious truth of week 9.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this deeply compassionate and science-driven conversation, I sit down with fertility and hormone specialist Grace Parce of OvaFreak (https://www.ovafreak.com/) and her Instagram community @ovafreak (https://www.instagram.com/ovafreak/) to explore a topic that is both common and rarely spoken aloud: pregnancy loss.

👉 Did you know that approximately 10–20% of clinically-recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage? (March of Dimes)
👉 Some research suggests the rate may be higher — up to one in four known pregnancies may end in loss. (Orlando Health)
👉 And yet, stigma, silence, and a feeling of isolation often prevent open dialogue. (PMC)

In this episode we cover:

• How to approach the topic of pregnancy loss with sensitivity and science — because the physiology matters, and so does the grief.
• Grace’s journey and professional insights around hormone balance, reproductive health, and supporting clients through loss and healing.
• The truths that many people don’t know: the role of chromosomal anomalies, age, lifestyle, and integrative support in pregnancy resilience. (For instance: about 50 % of early pregnancy losses are due to fetal chromosomal abnormalities. (ACOG) )
• Actionable strategies for those who’ve experienced loss — or for their partners, practitioners, and support networks — including how to root your grief and growth within a nutrition-, movement- and fertility-forward framework (in line with the FERN philosophy).
• How the conversation around pregnancy loss can shift from silence to empowerment — how to hold space, how to honour, and how to hope.

Whether you’re a fertility-conscious woman, a partner, a practitioner, or someone building community and care around fertility/health — this episode offers heartfelt validation, evidence-based insight, and meaningful support.

Tune in to learn, grieve, heal, and rise with us.

🔗 Connect with Grace at: https://www.ovafreak.com/
📸 Find her on Instagram: @ovafreak

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Burton shares a personal pregnancy update and walks you through how an embryo develops into a fetus - week by week. Learn what’s happening in each stage of gestation, how your body supports that growth, and the nutrients and lifestyle factors that make a difference along the way.

Whether you’re newly pregnant, trying to conceive, or simply fascinated by the process, this episode brings science and story together to help you understand the incredible journey of early life.

🎧 Follow along on Instagram @fern_dr.ashleyburton
📚 Explore resources and join the community on Skool — FERN Rising- Women's Health

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

 In this mini-episode, Dr. Ashley Burton shares the heart and meaning behind her rebrand - FERN Rising: Fertility Education Rooted in Nutrition. Discover how this evolution reflects growth, resilience, and the quiet transformation every woman experiences on her own health journey.

Dr. Ashley also introduces the new FERN Rising Skool Community, a space created to help women fuel their bodies, balance hormones, and build strength from the inside out.

If you’ve been part of Fit & Fertile Foundations™, this is your invitation to rise with FERN.

🌿 Join the community on Skool — FERN Rising: Fertility Education Rooted in Nutrition
📸 Connect on Instagram @fern_dr.ashleyburton

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Iodine is one of the most powerful and most overlooked micronutrients in women’s health. It fuels thyroid hormone production, supports fertility, and plays a critical role in fetal brain development.

In this episode, we break down the key insights from Dr. David Brownstein’s book “Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.”

Here’s what we’ll cover:
 ✨ Why iodine is essential for thyroid, reproductive, and metabolic health
 ⚠️ How halogens like fluoride, chlorine, and bromine displace iodine - and where they hide in your environment
 🧪 What an iodine loading test is and why iodine is water-soluble
 🥬 Food sources and diets that increase deficiency risk
 🤰 Why pregnancy increases iodine needs
 🥜 How selenium works with iodine to protect the thyroid
 💊 Common medications that contain bromide and fluoride

Iodine may be a trace mineral, but its impact is anything but small.

👉 Join my free Skool community for more fertility and hormone education: Fit & Fertile Foundations
📲 Follow me on Instagram @dr.ashleyburton for weekly fertility, hormone, and nutrition deep dives.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

This episode is a little different - more personal, more real.

I’m taking you behind the curtain of early pregnancy - week 4 - and sharing the raw, honest emotions that come with this season. The highs. The fears. The excitement. The uncertainty.

Because conception isn’t just a positive test… it’s a roller coaster of hormones, hopes, and deep inner shifts. Whether you’re on this journey yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation holds space for the full spectrum of early pregnancy experiences.

🎧 We talk about:

• The emotional ups and downs of early conception
• What “4 weeks pregnant” really means in real time
• The vulnerability and hope woven into these first days
• How to support your body and heart through this chapter

This is a gentle reminder: whatever you’re feeling right now, you’re not alone.

👉 Join my free Skool community for fertility education, resources, and support: Fit & Fertile Foundations

📲 Follow me on Instagram @dr.ashleyburton for more conversations like this.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Burton takes a deep dive into Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA), a condition that often develops from the combination of overtraining and underfueling. We’ll explore why energy balance is crucial for restoring your cycle, highlight the importance of minerals (especially magnesium) in hormone regulation, and discuss how resistance training can protect bone health and support HA recovery.

If you’ve ever struggled with missing periods, low energy availability, or wondered how to balance fitness with fertility, this conversation will help you understand the physiology at play and the actionable steps to rebuild your foundation.

✨ Follow Dr. Ashley on Instagram: @dr.ashleyburton
📚 Join the Skool community for fertility, fitness, and nutrition support: Fit & Fertile Foundations

 🍋 Grab Dr. Ashley’s cookbook More Lemon for hormone and fitness-supportive recipes to fuel your recovery. 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.