If speaking in front of a group of people, taking an exam, or being in a new place ever left you urgently finding the nearest bathroom, you’ve had first hand experience of how stress can impact your pelvic floor. 
In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with Hayley Kava PT, MPT about the role stress plays in pelvic floor health. Hayley explains how our nervous system interacts with the pelvic floor both physically and chemically. She discusses her approach as a PT helping clients manage their stressors before working directly with the pelvic floor muscles. We also cover how important proper breathing and sleep are to our pelvic floor health and simple steps you can take to improve both and begin to bring balance back to your pelvic floor. 

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Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com


If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies



﻿To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 
Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter
Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center﻿

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How Stress Affects Your Pelvic Floor with Hayley Kava PT, MPT

Take ownership of your pregnancy, birth, and parenthood! Join Deb Flashenberg as she dives into conversations with some of the world’s leading pregnancy, birth, yoga and parenting experts. Deb and her guests are voices of calm and reason, sharing practical, relevant, insightful and evidence based information that is helpful for people at all stages of parenting. These lively conversations will inform and entertain you as you embark on this new phase in your life. 
Deb is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC, a labor support doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, Spinning Babies Parent Educator, prenatal yoga teacher and mother of 2. Please visit Prenatalyogacenter.com

Kids & Family

Parenting

Health & Fitness

Today we’re talking about how to overcome, and avoid, traumatic childbirth experiences. My guest for this conversation, Rebecca, shared with me a statistic that blew my mind: 35-45% of people report having a traumatic birth… An absolutely enormous number! Throughout our conversation, Rebecca shares some key factors that play a role resulting in traumatic birth experiences, red flags to keep an eye out for when working with your care provider, and 3 top-tier tips for preparing for childbirth. Additionally, we go into her expert’s take on elective labor induction, how to advocate for yourself, and different birthing positions. We round out our wonderful conversation with how parents and those in the birth team can learn to advocate for themselves if they are feeling pressured or coerced by their care provider. The information in this conversation is so rich and I’m hoping that by the end of this conversation, you’re going to feel so much more ready to move into that experience and have the confidence of your team around you.

Today on Yoga | Birth | Babies, Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN joins me for this special conversation. Rebecca Dekker, a nurse with her PhD, is the founder and CEO of Evidence Based Birth® and the author of Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered! Previously, Dr. Dekker was an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Kentucky. In 2016, she shifted gears to focus full time on the mission of Evidence Based Birth.® Dr. Dekker is also host of the Evidence Based Birth® Podcast!

Rebecca would like to offer the advice to expectant parents to do the research in finding the right care provider for you and educate yourself in building a supportive birth team. It is never too late, and it may feel like a trap, but you can be creative and resourceful in finding a way to get people who you trust at your birth. If it’s not possible to switch, then make sure you have strong advocates in the room with you that are ready to speak on your behalf. Rebecca would like you to know that it’s not your fault if your care provider is abusing you and it’s not your job to find another doctor to replace them. Most the time, there's somebody else who can step in, and most of the time they come in really willing to help and feeling bad that you've had a bad experience.

Resources:
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Babies-Are-Not-Pizzas-Delivered/dp/1732549664


Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com


Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE 

If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify!



To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 
Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter
Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Avoid a Traumatic Birth with Dr. Rebecca L. Dekker, PhD, RN

Today I am so excited for you to hear this conversation on one of my favorite subjects: diastasis recti. This is a conversation I especially wanted to have because I love learning and teaching about diastasis and the pelvic floor! We talk about what diastasis is, the misconceptions, how to heal, and what we can do to strengthen the linea alba. Anna and I dive right in, and full disclosure: we get a little geeky.

We have a special guest today on Yoga | Birth | Babies, Anna Hammond. Anna has her doctorate in physical therapy and has been a physical therapist (DPT) for 15 years. She’s an orthopedic certified specialist and a certified strength and conditioning coach. She’s now the head PT at Core Exercise Solutions, where she assists in program development, creating continuing education, mentorship, 1:1 consultations, and leading their Learning Through Applications membership. I myself completed the Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist certification program a few years ago when I wanted to learn even more! I think those who are pregnant and postpartum will really enjoy hearing this conversation to understand how their body is working and understand diastasis. Additionally, anyone in the fitness world who is working with the perinatal community is going to get a lot out of this.

Anna would like to offer the advice to new and expectant parents to make time for yourself and connect with your body. There’s a lot of emotion involved with healing the body postpartum, as it can sometimes feel like you and your body are speaking two different languages. However, like any relationship, the more you connect with it, the more you’re going to have a better relationship. It’s all about how to trouble-shoot your own body and how you can understand it better. This helps give a sense of empowerment, because you start to gather what you can do in the meantime before the checkup, and take control. Understanding that postpartum has many seasons is crucial in managing expectations, while keeping yourself accountable and taking action with your healing!

Resources:
https://www.coreexercisesolutions.com/pces/ (Pregnancy and Postpartum Exercise Specialist course)
Additional videos: What is Pressure Management? Diastasis Recti Recovery, Pelvic Floor Recovery and Hernia Health.
Making Everything a Core Exercise to Help Improve Diastasis

Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com


Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE 

If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify!



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Healing Diastasis Recti with Anna Hammond, DPT

Today we have a beautiful community birth story from Prenatal Yoga Center graduate, Courtney Vasserman! I personally loved this story and think it will be inspiring, relatable, and encouraging for our community to listen to. Courtney takes us through how she prepared for birth, including the methodology and tools she found incredibly impactful from classes at PYC, along with the coping skills she used and how those varied from early labor, to active labor, to transition. This story is absolutely beautiful, as Courtney speaks on the empowerment and trust she found in her body, yet honest in the sense that she doesn’t shy away from describing her postpartum challenges- pelvic floor issues, breastfeeding struggles, and feelings of isolation. I appreciate how she opens the curtain to what a lot of people experience, and offers affirmation to those who need know they aren’t alone and will get through it.

Sharing her birth story today on Yoga | Birth | Babies, Prenatal Yoga Center graduate Courtney Vasserman grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and currently lives in New York, where she has worked as an advertising strategist since 2012. She lives in Manhattan with her husband Alex, her mini Bernedoodle Muffin, and now her 4.5 month old baby girl Sophie, who she is so in love with. She has always dreamed of being a mother.

Courtney would like to offer the advice that it is okay to slow down, especially in the postpartum experience. She acknowledges that, especially for those like her who are career driven and type-A, it may be hard to learn and accept this concept in the first few months. However it is okay to spend five days in bed when you’ve just given birth! It’s okay to ask someone else to hold the baby or not go on that mile walk. She reminds us to acknowledge the little accomplishments in those tender postpartum months. Courtney reassures that you don’t need to be running around, and that slowing down will be better for both you and your family in the long-run.


Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com  

Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE 

If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify!



To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 
Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter
Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Birth Story: A Beautiful Birth and a Challenging Postpartum with Courtney Vasserman

Have you thought about what happens right after baby is born?  Today we dive into what to expect following baby’s birth and how to navigate the first 12 weeks of life.  We discuss many topics including umbilical cord care, circumcision care and even how to bathe your baby.  We also dive into the subject of feeding and what to anticipate the first week.  Although the newborn phase may be overwhelming, our guest Dr. Wendy Hunter, approaches this conversation in an accessible way that makes it easy to follow and understand.  

Dr. Wendy Hunter joins us to have this discussion today on, Yoga| Birth| Babies.  Wendy Hunter, MD is a pediatrician in San Diego, CA. She rounds on newborns at Scripps Hospital. Her podcast “The Pediatrician Next Door'' mixes the science of medicine with the realities of parenting.  She incorporates integrative therapies into her practice.

Dr. Hunter would like to normalize the anxiety parents may feel during the newborn phase.  She encourages parents to recognize the anxiety they feel during this period is okay and normal.  She says that having a baby and acknowledging the responsibility of taking care of the child, may cause anxious thoughts.  She wants parents to know that they are not alone and there are resources and ways to find help.  She recommends that parents use their pediatrician as a resource to answer questions and give advice regarding their newborn.  She also reinforces there are professionals that want to assist parents during this time and recommends parents seek help.


Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com  

Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE 

If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify!



To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 
Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter
Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Understanding Your Newborn Baby with Dr. Wendy Hunter

You may be more aware of what you are eating during pregnancy, however, have you considered how nutrition may affect your birth and postpartum?  In today’s discussion we explore gut health and how your body works during the prenatal and postnatal phase.  We look at gut issues and the treatment for these issues.  We also dive into a conversation around bowel movements because this can tell you so much about your digestive health.  This is an informative discussion that will help you make the connection between what you eat and how it affects your body, especially during pregnancy. 
On this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, we welcome Bridgitte Mallinson to have this conversation.  Bridgitte is a functional medicine dietitian, business mentor and the founder and CEO of GutPersonal, a supplement company that empowers everyone to eliminate gut issues for good through a personalized approach.  After healing a lifelong struggle with her gut, she has spent a decade studying functional medicine and nutrition as a registered functional dietitian.
Bridgitte advises parents to give themselves grace during the postnatal phase.  Taking care of a newborn can be overwhelming and she recommends that parent be compassionate with themselves.  She also reminds parents to eat three balanced meals a day, with protein, fat, and carbohydrates.  Sometimes new parents are so focused on taking care of baby, that they may forget to eat.  She highlights that they need energy to take care of their child, making it important for them to have proper nutrition as well.



Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com  

Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE 

If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify!



To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 
Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter
Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Stress Affects Your Pelvic Floor with Hayley Kava PT, MPT

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