Of Brains & Babies

Did I get on my soapbox a little bit for this episode? Maybe? 
But then is that also what it always feel like when I do solo episodes? Yes.

Informed consent is SO important (and our legal right as patients!) yet not always given. I love seeing the narrative around this start to shift and I think it is important to keep talking about it. We often have to be our own advocates and advocates for our children so this episode is dedicated to understanding what informed consent is and isn't.

Thanks for tuning in! If you have 10 seconds to spare please drop 5 stars in Apple Podcasts and give a review-- it really helps me out!

Oh, and find me on over on Instagram!

Today is part 3 of our little dive into primitive reflexes. Today I broke down the spinal galant, TLR, and STNR reflexes and what they tie into!

Reflexes are not the only piece of the puzzle-- but they are definitely a foundational piece. If you haven't listened yet, you can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. 

Don't forget to follow along over on Insta and it would mean the world if you took 10 seconds to drop 5 stars in Apple Podcasts! 

Is your kid in fight or flight constantly? Are they hypersensitive? Do they have BIG reactions to small things? It could be their MORO infant reflex!

Dive deeper into primitive reflexes with more info about the moro, palmar, and rooting reflexes-- what they are and what they impact when they are retained beyond babyhood!

Don't forget to follow along on Instagram--I love new friends!

First things first... I had a cute little baby guest with me on today's episode so enjoy the cute baby sounds in the background. It’s a quick little episode to breeze through. 

This episode is a (very) basic and broad overview of primitive/infant reflexes. I'll be breaking these down and talking about these more in depth over the next few weeks. Reflexes are the foundation for so much of our development, yet they're hardly ever talked about it. So let's talk about them!

If you haven't already, pop on over on iTunes and rate and review (it takes just a few seconds)! It's the best way to help this podcast grow and helps me reach more people.

And don't forget to follow along on Instagram-- and thanks for being here!

One of the first things to do when you find out you're expecting is to call the doctor, right?

But HOLD THE PHONE! I mean literally, hold it and call your local OB (or three), and then also call a couple of midwives, a birth center, and maybe even a doula or two! Give them a good interview and take the time to find the best provider for the birth and care that you want (and deserve).


While you're here, it would be SO helpful to go rate my podcast (especially on Apple Podcasts). Thanks so much, it means the world!
Also, don't forget to follow me on Instagram where I share all sorts of good stuff!

Katie Tall, an educator and mom to three littles shares her tips for fostering a love of reading in your kids, how to encourage reluctant readers, and how reading impacts the development of our children. Katie is one of the kindest and most genuine people I know-- and an expert on reading to top it off!

She describes creating a print-rich environment and even shares her tips for finding good books at the library and some of her favorite children's book authors. And of course... no episode would be complete without a little plug for minimizing the technology in our lives. Katie shared: "Just as much as our children, we as adults need to continue to read and research and dig into text outside of our screens."


You can find Katie on Instagram: @bridge_the_gap_books

Don't forget to follow @ofbrainsandbabies for all sorts of great content! And, if you liked this episode, please rate and review in iTunes! Thanks for tuning in. 

I somehow managed to get my husband in the hot seat again to share Olivia's birth story. It was so different than Beckham's (and I feel like their little personalities are reflected in their births) but absolutely beautiful. She is seriously a little angel baby and we are so grateful to have her here, safely earth side, with us.

We had Amy of Epoch Films there to capture it all and it is a video I will cherish forever.
The video is linked here.

Don't forget to follow along over on instagram @ofbrainsandbabies for more content!

I managed to wrangle my husband into the guest seat for today's episode! I might be (slightly) biased but I think he's pretty great and so is the birth story of our son, Beckham.

It was a precipitous (aka super incredibly fast) labor and delivery-- which was not at all what either of us were expecting. From my first contractions my total labor was only about 3 hours and we ended up delivering in the spare storage room at the birth center, which rarely happens. It was a whirlwind in the absolute best way.

If you want more, follow @ofbrainsandbabies on Instagram! Thanks for tuning in!

Do you ever know someone who is so wise you wish you could steal just a tiny portion of their brain (in a completely non-creepy but totally flattering way?)... enter Dr. Rebecca Jackson.

Dr. Jackson is a child development expert and graduated with her Doctor of Chiropractic in 2001. She continued her studies with extensive post-graduate education in the areas of chiropractic pediatrics, nutrition, functional neurology as well as neuro-behavioral disorders of childhood. In addition to owning and operating her own Brain Balance centers, she is the VP of Programs & Outcomes and a mother to two children.

Every time I have had the pleasure of learning from her I walk away armed with a better understanding of human development and tools to set my kids up for success.

Find more of Rebecca on instagram: @drrebeccajackson
Find more content on all things development and babies @ofbrainsandbabies

This week, Collin Kartchner passed away unexpectedly. And, while social media can be a funny place, I (like many others) truly felt saddened by this loss. And that is because Collin was DOING GOOD. He wasn't just talking about or thinking about it-- he was living it every day and made it his life's mission to help save children from the dangers of smart phones.

I have been sitting for a few days thinking about this loss and my heart and prayers truly go out to his family. This episode is my small offering to carry on the beautiful legacy that he built. The work he was doing is still needed. We need warriors like Collin. I am going to do my best to help continue his fight and strive to #SAVETHEKIDS.

Links that you need to know about:
Collin's Podcast: https://www.collinkartchner.com/podcast
Collin's Ted Talk: https://youtu.be/uMb0wqTqE_4