Mary Sadler is back for part 2 of our discussion on pelvic floor care throughout pregnancy and postpartum! Mary has her doctorate in physical therapy and works as a pelvic floor therapist in Winston-Salem, NC. Hear her expertise on painful intercourse, incontinence, and embracing all the changes pregnancy brings on this month's episode of Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat.

1:15 - The stats on painful intercourse

4:02 - How is this treatable?

14:10 - Your options to heal

15:52 - The stats on incontinence

16:53 - Accessing care, insurance, and Medicaid eligibility

22:48 - Mary's "why" for serving women

Links Mentioned:

pelvicrehab.com

Find Mary on Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/the.vagenie/

https://www.tiktok.com/@the.vagenie?lang=en

We hear a lot about self-care during pregnancy, but what about pelvic floor care? This month, we have Mary Sadler on the podcast. Mary has her doctorate in Physical Therapy and works as a pelvic floor therapist in Winston-Salem, NC. Mary talks kegels, strength training, and what your pelvic floor muscles go through during pregnancy, birth and postpartum on Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat.

0:39 - Mary's Intro

2:18 - Mary's First Piece of Advice for Pregnant Women

5:30 - What is the pelvic floor and how does it work?

8:30 - What happens to the pelvic floor during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum?

15:01 - Pelvic Pain is Medically Treatable

18:55 - The "Mom Joke"

22:30 - Sneak Peak of Next Month's Episode…

Find Mary on Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/the.vagenie/

https://www.tiktok.com/@the.vagenie?lang=en

Jessica Hatton, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and owner of Christian Mom Counseling, and host Chloe Belk discuss mental health in motherhood, the loneliness epidemic, and healthy relationships.

00:00 - Podcast Starts

00:44 - Jessica's Introduction

04:24 - How Loneliness Plays a Role in Jessica's Counseling Experiences

06:49 - How can women process loneliness and the emotions surrounding an unplanned pregnancy?

10:46 - Practical Ways to Fight Loneliness

14:55 - Building Healthy Relationships

17:42 - Setting Boundaries

21:44 - What advice would you give someone who is still considering all of her options for her unplanned pregnancy?

25:12 - How Women Can Care For Themselves During Their Pregnancies

27:15 - Navigating the Newborn Stage

32:50 - Resources for the Postpartum Stage

36:48 - Jessica's Why for Serving Women

38:14 - Jessica's Encouragement to New Moms

This episode was originally released August 1, 2023.

Links Mentioned:

Christian Mom Counseling:

https://christianmomcounseling.com/

Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life

https://www.amazon.com/Boundaries-Updated-Expanded-When-Control/dp/0310351804/ref=asc_df_0310351804/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312425492373&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11787865850131897754&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009652&hvtargid=pla-425385864932&psc=1

Postpartum.net:

https://www.postpartum.net/

Jessica didn't mention this in the episode, but she mentioned it to me (Chloe) after the fact. Jennie Allen's book, Find Your People, is another helpful resource to find community and combat loneliness.

https://www.amazon.com/Find-Your-People-Building-Community/dp/0593193385/ref=asc_df_0593193385/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532476049386&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10142739935963793812&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009652&hvtargid=pla-1459058127287&psc=1

Nurse Lauren is back on the podcast to discuss the abortion pill. The abortion pill is widely available online, so it's crucial to understand the impact of the drugs before taking them. Tune in to hear what the abortion pill does, what to expect if you're considering taking it, and an RN's advice for women considering the abortion pill.

1:03 - Why is the abortion pill the most common type of abortion?

4:46 - What does the abortion pill do?

12:23 - What Lauren is Hearing from Women Who Have Taken the Abortion Pill

17:27 - If I'm planning to take the abortion pill, what should I expect?

18:50 - Warning Signs to Seek Emergency Medical Help

19:40 - Other Types of Abortion

29:16 - Lauren's Advice for Women Considering the Abortion Pill

This month we have Halle Brickhouse on the podcast. Halle is a mom to one year old and a nursing student. Tune in for all things pregnancy and parenting in college. From prenatal appointments to childcare to pumping, Halle has navigated through all of these things with so much grace while in school. You'll be encouraged and informed through her experience as a student mom.

Disclaimer: Funding to the ACCESS program for childcare was cut after this video was filmed. We encourage you to look into childcare resources to see what's available in your area!

00:42 - Halle's Introduction

1:25 - Halle's Story

2:50 - Finding Out She was Pregnant

5:40 - Getting Connected to Resources

6:14 - Nerves about Continuing School while Pregnant and Parenting

8:03 - Halle's Lived Experience of Being in School while Pregnant, Postpartum, and Parenting

12:52 - Balancing Parenting and School

17:04 - Pumping for One Year

20:12 - What Keeps Halle Going When It's Hard

23:44 - Halle's Advice for Moms Going Through the Same Thing

Resources Mentioned:

Pregnancy on the College Campus - https://youtu.be/iAx5QOGeBmE?si=XumFNRKKYz2pzINw

About Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat:

Meet the podcast for women who are unexpectedly pregnant and want the real stuff about pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. We cut through the noise to give you credible information from guest experts on topics like:

• Unplanned pregnancy

• Abortion procedures

• Parenting resources

• First-hand testimonials from parents

Let's talk about what's next now that Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. New episodes the first Wednesday of the month.

This month on Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat, join host Chloe Belk and author Leah Outten as she shares her story of open adoption from the birth mother's point of view.

Leah is the author of The Sixteenth Year, a birth mother in a fully open adoption, and a mother of five whom she parents with her husband. She is a speaker and passionate advocate in the adoption community.

Leah shares her story as God guided her through it, from finding out she was pregnant as a teen, to making an adoption plan, to her relationship with her daughter over twenty years later. Listen in as Leah shares the beauty and difficulties in her journey and resources to support birth mothers.

• 00:32: Leah's Introduction

• 1:47: Emotions She Felt as She Found Out She Was Pregnant

• 3:44: Her Decision to Place for Open Adoption

• 8:45: Did she face any pressure in her decision-making process?

• 11:00: "Leah Shower"

• 15:16: "Soda Bottle" Analogy for Grief

• 17:08: How Her Community Made her Feel Supported

• 19:10: What beauty and difficulty has come as a result of her open adoption?

• 23:59: How She Hoped for the Best with Her Relationship with Her Daughter and Protected Her Heart

• 27:14: Would you recommend writing a letter to your child during your pregnancy?

• 29:45: Resources for Adoption

• 33:18: Leah's "Why" for Serving in the Adoption Community

Resources mentioned:

Get Leah's book, The Sixteenth Year: https://www.amazon.com/Sixteenth-Year-Open-Adoption-Memoir/dp/1645900509

The Ampersand Initiative: https://www.theampersandinitiative.com/

Leah's devotional for birth moms, Flourishing Hope: Birth Mom Edition: A Devotional for Birth Moms Growing in Unexpected Places: https://amzn.to/4rfXzKu

Leah's devotional for women facing unplanned pregnancies, Flourishing Hope: A 30-Day Devotional for Pregnant Women in Unexpected Places: https://amzn.to/3LW0doL

Holly Chandler is on staff at The Pregnancy Network and a great friend of Chloe, host of Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. Join Holly and Chloe as they discuss their breastfeeding journeys, the difficulties they faced, and how to process your breastfeeding journey not going as planned.

• 00:42: Holly's Introduction

• 1:27: Holly's Journey with Breastfeeding Both of Her Kids

• 20:32: Emotions Surrounding Breastfeeding Struggles

• 23:43: Misconceptions About Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding

• 29:28: Holly's Advice for the Breastfeeding Mom Who is Struggling

• 31:30: How Holly's Experience Impacts Her Encouragement for Other Moms

• 33:28: Holly's "Why" for Serving at The Pregnancy Network

Make an Appointment for Lactation Services at The Pregnancy Network:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfuENvdJR9CwpbMGH2yGwL1cBEbMiV5BLJDX3CiNMDFFhm1Kw/viewform

Additional Resources Mentioned:

How to Overcome Formula Feeding Guilt Article: - https://www.momwell.com/blog/overcoming-formula-feeding-guilt

The Formula Mom Instagram Page -

https://www.instagram.com/theformulamom/?hl=en

Amanda Somers joins host Chloe Belk to discuss the ins and outs of newborn care. Amanda is a faithful volunteer at The Pregnancy Network for our Pregnancy 101 class. Tune in as she tackles topics like must-have baby items, infant illness, car seat safety, and more.

In a hurry? Skip to the section that's most relevant to you.

0:30: Amanda's Introduction

1:35: How to Prepare Before Baby Comes

4:08: Must-Have Baby Items

6:53 Need-to-Know Information about Newborns

10:52: Signs to Watch for When Baby Gets Sick

14:51: Burns, Water Safety, and Falls

19:15: Car Seat Safety

21:51: Amanda's Why

Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Site:

https://www.safeguilford.com/

Join host Chloe for a solo episode all about the positive "just wait" experiences of motherhood. It's no secret that new moms get a lot of unsolicited advice, and unfortunately, a lot of it leans negatively. We want to change that. Tune in as Chloe lists and explains some of the best experiences you have to look forward to on your motherhood journey, from one mom to another.

Resources Mentioned:

Labor and Delivery, Breastfeeding, and More | S1E5: Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat

https://youtu.be/qCEVA1bHKXM?si=gIRHfa5R8M1FWgNr

Preparing For Your Hospital Birth | S2E4: Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat

https://youtu.be/1uXculwB98U?si=XuiNe6_shHcTy80w

Lauren Myers is a NICU nurse and staff nurse at The Pregnancy Network. A Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat veteran, she joins host Chloe Belk to share her story with pregnancy and postpartum mental health.

Tune in as she shares her experience with prenatal OCD, seeking healing through counseling and medication, encouragement for parents with babies in the NICU, and more.

• 00:30: Lauren's Introduction and Trigger Warning

• 1:22: What Lauren was Experiencing that Led to Her Diagnosis

• 11:57: A Note on the Postpartum Mental Health Screening

• 14:31: Lauren's Process in Seeking Help

• 22:38: How Long it Took for Lauren to Start Feeling Better

• 24:28: A Quick Tip to Prepare for Postpartum

• 25:49: Symptoms of Postpartum Depression vs. Baby Blues

• 28:47: Lauren's Advice for Someone Struggling During Pregnancy or Postpartum

• 31:01: Lauren's Wisdom for NICU Parents

• 35:56: Closing Thoughts on Mental Health

• 36:45: Lauren's "Why"