Things don't always go as planned and sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans. So, what do we do? We go with it and jump right back in where we left off!

Find out how life has been happening to me and what I'm doing about it!

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Many people still may not be clear about the role of a doula in prenatal, birth, and postpartum support. On today’s show, we’re focusing specifically on how a doula can help with trauma for the mother and reduce overall risks during the entire pregnancy and birth process.

Courtney Butts is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Certified BEST Doula in Dallas, TX. After the birth of her son, Courtney knew she wanted to serve in support to families as a doula and childbirth educator. This work has allowed her to merge two passions: working with trauma survivors and her love of all things pregnancy and postpartum. She also provides therapy focused on maternal mental health.

Alexis Edwards is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified BEST Doula, and owner of Birth 360, a private practice in Austin, TX, that provides prenatal and postnatal therapy and doula support. She is a survivor of sexual assault and an advocate for healing through birth. Her own traumatic births and journey to motherhood inspired her to become a doula with a holistic, trauma-informed practice that incorporates not only birth and postpartum support, but also recognizes the link between birth and maternal mental health.

These two women came together in January 2018 to co-create a trauma-informed support training for birth and postpartum professionals that they teach across the US. As mental health professionals and birth workers with a background of serving survivors, they bring a unique perspective on how to better support women carrying trauma through the childbearing years.

Show Highlights:

 Resources:

Courtney: @courtneybuttsdoula (Instagram and Facebook)

www.courtneybutts.com

Alexis: @birth360atx (Instagram and Facebook)

www.birth360.net 

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Laura Fry is a wife and mother to 3 amazing kids. She is a former health care professional, turned stay at home mom after the birth of her first son. During that birth she suffered a 4th degree perineal tear and in January 2015 created a Facebook support group for others who have also sustained 4th degree tearing in childbirth. The group has grown to 1,200 members from all over the world, representing 6 continents and 33 countries. Laura is now using the knowledge she has gained from that support group to raise awareness of severe tearing and advocate for better care by using social media and speaking at conferences.

Please share your story

- How do you think this impacted your mental wellness

- Looking back, what do you think you needed at the time. What could have supported you better?

- How can health and mental health care providers do better?

- Hopeful messages for moms and families out there

- Share a bit about your work now.

Facebook support group - https://facebook.com/groups/1538075199800995

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Mothers-with-4th-Degree-Tears-1548538518602609/

Instagram - @motherswith4thdegreetears

Twitter - @MothersWith4DTs

Blog - https://motherswith4thdegreetears.wordpress.com/

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Pediatric chiropractic care is a healthcare field that most people know nothing about. Most of us don’t fully understand how amazing this level of support can be, even for newborn babies, and how it brings relief and confidence to weary and frazzled parents.

Dr. Sheena Lee is a family chiropractor serving babies, kids, pregnant moms, and growing families. She has extensive pediatric and prenatal training through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, and additional training to serve kids with neurodevelopmental challenges. In addition, she’s also a trained birth doula. Dr. Sheena is on a mission to elevate the consciousness of her community about what it means to be truly healthy from the inside out, what it means to make empowered choices, and what it means to feel deeply connected. Why? Because, as a teen, she struggled tremendously and felt disconnected from everyone, including herself, and even felt trapped in her own body. A visit to a chiropractor drastically changed things for Sheena, and she knows she was ultimately reconnected to her body and set free. Things have come full circle for her, as she’s now a chiropractor who is passionately concerned about caring for babies and children so they can thrive from the very beginning of their life, and not experience the same struggles that she did. Dr. Sheena practices at Vibrant Health Family Chiropractic in San Dimas, CA, a space dedicated to serving families so they can shine vibrantly from the inside out.

Show Highlights:

Resources:

www.getvibranthealth.com Check out Dr. Sheena’s website and her free webinars

Find her on Instagram and Facebook: @DrSheenaLee and San Dimas Chiropractor

www.icpa4kids.org Find a pediatric chiropractor near you

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Sometimes traumas occur that aren’t discussed or supported in the ways they should be. It takes some brave soul to forge the path in changing the narrative for those who follow. Today’s show is an important conversation of a personal story of egg donation, what can go wrong, and the emotional trauma that might follow. 

Meghan Coltrane is a Licensed Professional Counselor in perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. Her private practice is in Asheville, NC. She’s here to share her personal experience of being an egg donor, which led her into the field of perinatal emotional health. I’m putting a sensitivity notice on this episode for anyone who has experienced obstetrical complications or trauma related to a procedure. This kind of complication is very rare, but it CAN happen, so we want to bring awareness to it and learn, understand, and support people through all aspects of their reproductive and mental health.

Show Highlights:

Resources:

www.meghancoltrane.com

www.weareeggdonors.com

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What are the key factors to wellness? Wellness is important for everyone, but is vitally important during pregnancy and the postpartum period, both for new moms AND dads. Let’s talk about the key factors on the path to wellness.

Adrienne Griffen is the founder and Executive Director of Postpartum Support Virginia. She started PSVA to fill a gap in services in her area. When she experienced postpartum depression and anxiety in 2002, it took almost six months to find the help she needed. Since then, she’s been providing information, outreach, and support to new mothers and the healthcare providers who serve them. For her efforts, Adrienne was selected as the Peer Specialist of the Year by the National Council for Behavioral Health in January 2016, and a Woman of Vision by Arlington County’s Commission on the Status of Women in June 2018. Adrienne graduated from the US Naval Academy and has a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Her early career included military and government service at the White House, Pentagon, and IRS. Adrienne lives in Arlington, VA, with her husband and three children.

Show Highlights:

Resources:

www.postpartumsupportinternational.org

Find PostpartumVA on Facebook

Contact Adrienne: [email protected]

Find the printable Path to Wellness sheet:

http://www.postpartumva.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Path-to-Wellness-February-2015.pdf

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Are you feeling it? You know holiday stress comes in different ways for each of us. It can make us feel frantic, overloaded, and completely overwhelmed. But deeper than that, how do you cope and heal in general? What’s your unique way? What have you found out about your strength and resilience?

In this episode, I’m having a personal chat with you about the chaos and stress that we all tend to feel. About the depths that we go to ‘get through’. It’s a good time to call it out and come to you with a different energy, one that’s geared toward healing, health, and wellness. One that is uniquely you.

Show Highlights:

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What if YOUR idea of your birth plan and first few postpartum days differs wildly from what your in-laws imagine? How do you stay true to your values and set boundaries without causing an irreparable rift in the family? We’re tackling these topics and more on today’s show!

Felicia Hurst is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice, serving the needs of the Ardmore, Oklahoma community. She graduated with a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from East Central University and has post-Master’s advanced training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Her passion is working with women prior to conception, pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout motherhood, and spreading awareness about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In today’s show, she shares her background and professional experience, along with her personal experiences in setting boundaries with her in-laws and family. Don’t miss Felicia’s great tips that anyone can use in navigating these difficult conversations.

Show Highlights:

Resources:

www.feliciahursttherapy.com

Find Felicia on Facebook: Felicia Hurst, MS, LPC

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 Chances are that you or someone you know very well, has experienced pregnancy loss. One of the ongoing difficulties surrounding loss, is that it is an uncomfortable subject to discuss, both for the parents and other people in their lives. So, these mothers and parents often suffer in solitary silence. When you couple that with the lack of education, information, and support for Perinatal loss and grief, you have a recipe for mental, emotional and physical devastation. My guest today is on a mission for change. Thank you Nicole for sharing your story through miscarriages and then having your rainbow baby! 

Nicole Curran Sanchez was born and raised in Orange County, CA, and has lived in Sacramento since 2008. She works at the state capitol as a Senior Legislative Assistant and scheduler to the Chair of the Assembly Health Committee. Nicole is very active in her community and loves to help people navigate state resources. She is especially gifted in helping people understand paid family medical leave, Medi-Cal, and other state programs to help the most vulnerable populations, such as the homeless, seniors, and children. Nicole and her husband, Rick, are thankful for their rainbow baby, their five-year-old son, Cruz.

Show Highlights:

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We all know about the unfair stereotypes and stigma that exist in our society, but have you ever thought about---or experienced---what a plus-size woman goes through in pregnancy? The body shaming and unfair assumptions are particularly tough to take. Today’s guest is passionate about changing the stereotypes and offering help to these often unsupported moms.

Jen McLellan is a published author, speaker, and founder of Plus Size Birth, and she now hosts the Plus Mommy podcast. Plus Size Birth is a premier resource for all things plus-size pregnancy, with over four million page views. Jen is passionate about plus-size pregnancy, sharing tips on embracing your body and navigating the bumps along the road of motherhood. Through the Plus Size Mommy podcast and other social media outlets, she seeks to create an environment of acceptance and to end the stigma surrounding plus-size pregnancy with education, support, and a sense of humor. She is a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic 8 year old. We’re discussing many great topics related to being a plus-size mom, education, and statistics on things we should consider in supporting plus-size moms to have the happy, healthy pregnancies that they deserve.

Show Highlights:

Resources:

Plus Size Birth: http://www.plussizebirthcom

Plus Mommy Podcast: http://www.plusmommy.com

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.om/plusmommyblog/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plusmommy/

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