Taylor's out this week (she's in Hawai'i for a friend's wedding 🌺), so Natasha is flying solo to share her first birth story — from a hyperemesis gravidarum pregnancy through weeks of prodromal labor, an elective 39-week induction, Cytotec, Pitocin, an epidural at 5cm, and a sunny-side-up baby who needed to be flipped before pushing.

In this episode, Natasha covers:

• What hyperemesis gravidarum actually is (and how it was mismanaged for her)
• Weeks of prodromal labor and why does no one warn you about it??
• How an "elective induction" scheduling actually works (spoiler: it's not really scheduled)
• The Cytotec → Pitocin → epidural timeline
• Getting flipped by nurses on hands and knees (baby was sunny-side up)
• Postpartum pain after an epidural birth vs. her later unmedicated birth
• Early breastfeeding struggles that pushed her toward becoming a lactation consultant
• Her honest answer to "would you choose induction again?"

This is a positive birth story — not a scary one!!

🎧 New episodes every Thursday📩 Send us your questions — DM us or drop them wherever you listen⭐ If this helped you, a 5-star rating helps more moms find the show

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It's giving hot takes. This week Taylor and Natasha get into everything that makes summer with kids chaotic — starting with what actually happens when you're sick while breastfeeding (and what over-the-counter meds can do to your supply). Natasha breaks down the real hierarchy of allergy meds for nursing moms, and how nobody talks about milk supply the way they talk about baby safety.

Then: Natasha got her palm read at a 4th of July carnival and asked if she should have a third kid. The answer? Not exactly reassuring. We get into it.

Plus — travel season hot takes: lap infant age cutoff at age 2, why nursing chairs is one of the biggest scams in baby gear, and we are preparing you for the reality of road-tripping or flying with babies & toddlers.

And in momTALK: a mother-in-law shows up two days postpartum with a very bold request about the baby's name.

Grab your reheated coffee and get comfy — this one's a ride. 🎧
💬 Share this with your group chat, or any mom who needs it.

See you next Thursday on the couch.

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For the first time, we're handing the mic to a husband. Taylor's husband Connor joins the podcast (recorded on their son's 3rd birthday — and their 3-year "parent-iversary" to the day!) to answer questions about what it's really like on the dad side of pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

We get into:🍼 How a dad can actually support a breastfeeding mom (hint: it's not about the boobs)
👶 Birth center vs. hospital birth — his honest take on both
💰 The infamous "postpartum hospital bill ambush" story
🩺 What partners should watch during labor — and what to look away from
🛏️ Co-sleeping, sleep regression, and surviving on zero sleep
❤️ How to keep your marriage strong through the newborn chaos
👨‍👦 The invisible mental load dads carry (and don't get enough credit for)

If you've ever wondered what your husband is actually thinking during labor, postpartum, or the 4am wake-ups, want to know a dad's perspective on "what to expect when you're expecting" + some hot tips for dads from a dad - this episode is the one to send him.

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In this episode, Taylor and Natasha answer a big batch of listener-submitted questions in a rapid-fire YOLO episode. Topics include:

🍼 The 4-month sleep regression — what's biologically normal vs. what's a myth
😅 Why "terrible twos" are actually.... "terrible threes"
🤱 Contact naps, carrier naps, and what's developmentally normal for infant sleep
📊 Baby weight percentiles — when to actually worry vs. when it's just genetics
🏖️ The postpartum-summer vs. pregnant-summer debate
🚼 Managing a toddler + newborn
🤔 Breastfeeding in public, kick counts in late pregnancy, and more
😳 A surprising postpartum body fact nobody tells you about (labia edition)

Plus this week's momTALK: a listener navigating a NICU/PICU stay, tongue-tie release, reflux, and breastfeeding challenges with two kids under two.

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70%+ women in the U.S. get the epidural during childbirth. This week we're breaking down the "cascade of interventions": the risks that don't show up on the standard epidural risk list, and what you can actually do about them. We talk dosage and timing, movement, IV fluids, immediate skin-to-skin, and why informed consent — not "natural vs. medicated" — is the real goal. Plus: a hot take on the "your baby is huge" induction scare and the stats on the margin of error on those ultrasounds.

We cover:

- What's actually on ACOG's epidural risk list vs. what's correlated but rarely discussed

- Dosage and timing: why when you get the epidural changes your birth trajectory

- Movement and positioning tips with an epidural and why it matters- Why immediate skin-to-skin matters for breastfeeding and postpartum recovery

- How IV fluids can affect newborn weight loss, swelling, and early latch

- A listener question on "big baby" induction scares - and the real margin of error on ultrasound weight estimates

This episode isn't about whether you should or shouldn't get an epidural - it's about informed consent. If you want one, here's how to make choices along the way that align with what actually matters to you.

Are you try to conceive? Pregnant? A first-time mom? A mom of multiple kids? Do you feel like you're being bombarded with products you "MUST HAVE"? You're not imagining it. This week Taylor and Natasha dig even deeper into predatory marketing in womanhood, pregnancy and motherhood — the ByHeart and Nara Organics formula recalls, the FDA warning letter to the SNOO's maker, weighted sleep sacks, the Owlet, strollers, car seats, and the products marketed to fix "problems" that are actually just normal baby behavior. We name names, share what we fell for ourselves, and talk about what's actually evidence-based vs. what's just good marketing.

Pacifiers and screen time — two topics that somehow turn every mom group into a courtroom. In this episode Natasha (CLC & IBCLC candidate) and Taylor (Lamaze-certified childbirth educator, doula & lactation counselor) and both moms of two under 5, break down what the evidence actually says, and cut through the noise.

On pacifiers: does pacifier use impact breastfeeding and milk supply? What does the AAP actually recommend? Can pacifiers reduce the risk of SIDS and do breastfed babies need them? Plus: nipple confusion, palate development, and evidence backed weaning recommendations.

On screen time: what changed between the AAP's 1999 guidelines and today, the 18-month turning point, why background TV matters more than most parents realize, and why the guilt around screen time ignores a much bigger systemic problem.

No judgment here - just evidence, nuance, and two moms trying to find balance while figuring it out in real time.

Topics: pacifier use and breastfeeding · SIDS reduction · pacifier weaning · screen time guidelines · toddler screen time · mom guilt · evidence-based parenting

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Birth has always been political — and the history proves it. In this episode, Natasha and Taylor walk through the moments that shaped modern childbirth: from forceps kept secret for generations and twilight sleep women marched in the streets for, to the smear campaign against midwives, Victoria Beckham's "too posh to push" media spiral, and why we're still giving birth flat on our backs. Plus: what changed after thalidomide, the episiotomy data ACOG doesn't lead with, and the latest invention in childbirht: the OdonAssist.

Evidence-based and yes — there's a chainsaw.

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Finding a doctor & team you trust & vibe with during pregnancy and postpartum is harder than it should be - this week we're breaking down exactly how to find an OB, midwife, pediatrician, or doula who listens to you, what we've walked away from, and why the office system matters just as much as the provider itself.

We're also getting into the colostrum harvesting - is it evidence-based or just social media trend? What does harvesting colostrum before birth actually do, and who does it make sense for? We break down the clinical side so you can make an informed decision.

Plus combo feeding guilt — 87% of parents end up combo feeding, so if you're struggling, you are not alone. We cover the real clinical reasons for under supply, what actually affects your breastfeeding journey, and why formula is never a moral failure.

Topics covered this week:

• How to find an OB, midwife, or pediatrician you trust & like
• Colostrum harvesting pros and cons
• Combo feeding and breastfeeding supply
• Under supply — clinical causes and what to do
• Postpartum depression and breastfeeding research
• US maternal mental health report 2025

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In this episode, we're getting into - the great debate on baby sleep (spoiler: you only get ONE: good sleeper, day OR night), surviving the toddler + newborn combo, postpartum rage and what actually triggers it, your period returning after birth, and the very real pressure of postpartum body image in the GLP-1 era. Plus, Father's Day hot takes and a few stories from our realities.

Topics covered: newborn sleep, toddler regression, postpartum mood disorders, postpartum body image, breastfeeding and your period returning, preferred parent realities, and navigating it all with a partner.

New episodes every Thursday. Follow so you never miss it!

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