Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat

Leslie Wright first came to The Pregnancy Network during her pregnancy. Today she serves as a volunteer, teaching our free classes. This month, she joins host Chloe Belk on Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat to discuss Becoming Empowered in Your Parenting.

Because she's been on both sides of our services, she has a unique and invaluable perspective on what it means to be empowered for your pregnancy and parenting journey.

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

0:55 - Leslie's Story

2:02 - What Was the Decision to Parent Like for You?

4:46 - Parenting from a Christian Perspective

7:33 - Leslie's Advice for Parents who are Intimidated to Take on Parenting

10:45 - The Most Rewarding Parts of Parenting

13:41 - What Leslie Would Share With Someone Who's Unexpectedly Pregnant

16:50 - Where Leslie is at in Her Parenting Journey

18:54 - Leslie's Why for Volunteering at The Pregnancy Network

Beth Appiah joins host Chloe Belk to discuss "Fertility Awareness Methods". Beth is a Registered Nurse at The Pregnancy Network. She is currently working on her Family Nurse Practitioner degree and hopes to specialize in Women's Health.

Whether you're curious about different methods of birth control or you're hoping to grow your family, fertility awareness is a powerful tool to help you know your body and plan your family.

0:27 - Beth's Introduction

1:10 - What is fertility awareness?

1:46 - The Phases of a Woman's Cycle

5:03 - Common Symptoms During Each Phase

9:00 - Misconceptions on Fertility Awareness

12:03 - Types of Fertility Awareness Methods

18:21 - How effective are fertility awareness methods?

19:49 - Can fertility awareness methods be used in conjunction with other methods of birth control?

23:12 - How Fertility Awareness Methods Empower Women

27:05 - Where to Start With Fertility Awareness Methods

30:31 - Beth's Why for Empowering Women With Fertility Awareness

Catherine Riley joins host Chloe Boyle to discuss "Pregnancy on the College Campus". Catherine is the lead author of Title IX and the Protection of Pregnant and Parenting College Students, is a former Part-Time Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University, and is the owner and consultant of Supportive Spaces Consulting, LLC.

Whether we realize it or not, pregnancy happens on every college campus, and you may be listening because you're pregnant in college. Listen as Catherine discusses resources available to empower you to thrive in your pregnancy and collegiate career.

0:31 - Catherine's Introduction

2:12 - What would you say to someone pregnant in college?

3:18 - How common is pregnancy in college?

5:05 - Resources Title IX Affords Students

7:48 - How Universities Implement Title IX

10:03 - Who to Go to for Support on Campus

12:51 - Where else can students go for support in their college towns?

17:12 - What inspired you to write Title IX and the Protection of Pregnant and Parenting College Students?

19:41 - What is helpful for women to know about their bodies and fertility?

26:55 - How can colleges create supportive spaces for women and men who are pregnant and parenting? How can students advocate for themselves and one another?

34:27- Catherine's Why for Serving People

Pick up a copy of Title IX and the Protection of Pregnant and Parenting College Students, or petition your local library to pick up a copy.

https://www.routledge.com/Title-IX-and-the-Protection-of-Pregnant-and-Parenting-College-Students/Riley-Hutchinson-Dix/p/book/9780367758240?gclid=CjwKCAiAvJarBhA1EiwAGgZl0LsmkcZQ5djrwFYVjttEaMVNT1Kqx0sh8-BX5Mqsk6hyGQPChei40xoCrmkQAvD_BwE

Title IX Flyer:

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-know-rights-201306-title-ix.html

Christie Smith is the Interim President and CEO of Acclaim Federal Credit Union and faithful volunteer and Peer Advocate at The Pregnancy Network. Discover how to shift your mindset, create an accurate budget, access practical resources to inform yourself on financial health, and be empowered in your finances in Christie's episode.

0:23 - Christie's Introduction

1:33 - The Biggest Challenge Women Face in Their Financial Lives

2:40 - Small Steps to Build Healthy Financial Habits

4:16 - Shifting Your Mindset Around Finances

6:42 - Creating a Budget When Money is Tight

8:37 - Is it easier to reduce your expenses or increase income?

10:06 - How long does it take to create an accurate budget?

11:07 - Benefits of Banking With a Credit Union

14:35 - Saving for Your Future and Your Children's Futures

18:22 - Do you recommend using credit cards?

22:49 - Preparing Financially For a Baby You Weren't Expecting

27:20 - Resources Available to Women Wanting to Learn About Finances

29:37 - Christie's Why for Serving People

Acclaim Federal Credit Union's Wellness Center - https://acclaim.banzai.org/wellness

Christie shared these additional resources in addition to her notes on each of them:

"The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey: This book provides a step-by-step plan for taking control of your finances and budgeting effectively.

"Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez: It offers a unique perspective on managing money and achieving financial independence through budgeting and mindful spending.

"I Will Teach You to Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi: This book covers practical strategies for automating your finances and creating a budget that aligns with your financial goals.

"The Budget Kit: The Common Cents Money Management Workbook" by Judy Lawrence: A workbook-style guide that helps you create and maintain a budget that works for you.

"Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together" by Erin Lowry: Geared towards younger readers, this book offers practical advice on budgeting and financial planning.

"Zero-Sum Budgeting: A Simple Strategy for Monthly Success" by Peter Geiger: A concise guide to zero-sum budgeting, a method that assigns every dollar a specific purpose in your budget.

Grace Johnson is a doula, lactation consultant, and faithful volunteer at The Pregnancy Network. Her empowering first birth experience inspired her to equip women to "have the birth they want". She received free services and information that eased her struggle with breastfeeding. She wanted to share that same support with other women, and now serves as a lactation consultant.

0:56 - Grace's Introduction

3:15 - The Stages of Labor

12:10 - Creating a Birth Plan

20:20 - What Women Don't Know About Breastfeeding

26:26 - Support Groups for Breastfeeding

26:58 - Encouragement to Breastfeeding Moms

29:44 - Grace's Why for Serving Women

Ida Shaw has a background in nutrition and works with expectant and new mothers. Listen as Ida shares the nutritional basics for pregnancy and resources to access healthy foods.

0:43 Ida's Introduction

1:30 Ida's Preface to Our Conversation

3:43 What do people struggle with the most when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet?

5:29 Weight-gain Goals for Each Trimester

7:03 Nutritional Goals for Each Trimester

9:08 Dealing With Nausea During Pregnancy

9:28 What to Do if You're Struggling Financially

10:42 What is the WIC Program? Where is it available?

14:28 Most Common Referrals and How WIC Gets Food Into The Hands of Women

17:44 Does WIC provide meal plans?

20:39 What do you see women using their WIC dollars towards?

25:31 What would you say to women who are hesitant of taking advantage of free resources like WIC?

35:59 - Ida's Why for Serving Women

Learn more about the WIC Program:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic

Jessica Hatton is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and owns her own practice, Christian Mom Counseling. Jessica provides professional counseling via virtual teletherapy for women located in the state of North Carolina.

0.44 - Jessica's Introduction

4.24 - How Loneliness Plays a Role in Jessica's Counseling Experiences

6.49 - How can women process through 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

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

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

Beth Appiah is a Registered Nurse at The Pregnancy Network. She is currently working on her Family Nurse Practitioner degree and hopes to specialize in Women's Health.

0.42 - Beth's Introduction

1.40 - What is the first thing you'd say to a woman who is unexpectedly pregnant?

2.46 - Emotions Women Experience When Facing an Unplanned Pregnancy

5.44 - Options Available to Women Facing Unplanned Pregnancies

7.38 - Types of Abortion Procedures*

12.39 - FAQs in Appointments with Women Who Are Considering Abortion

14.57 - How common is it that you see women who are considering abortion?

16.27 - What are the rights women have when seeking an abortion?

20.03 - Beth's Advice for Women Considering Abortion

21.49 - How We Provide Abortion Information to Clients

23.25 - Abortion Recovery

25.56 - Barriers Women Face When Carrying to Term

30.13 - Beth's Advice for the Woman Who's Not Sure What to Do

32.42 - Where You Can Find Other Women's Stories

33.38 - Beth's Why for Serving Women

*The legality of abortion procedures varies from state to state. For the most accurate information, look at what's legal in your state. The legality of abortion procedures in North Carolina has changed since the filming of this podcast. For the most up to date information, reference the Care for Women, Children, and Families Act.

Links Mentioned:

The WIC Program:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic

Medicaid for Pregnant Women:

https://www.healthcare.gov/what-if-im-pregnant-or-plan-to-get-pregnant/

Women's Stories:

https://thepregnancynetwork.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAJ78w1ox1_eKuEMioJ8QqQ

Angela is the Director of Health and Client Services at The Pregnancy Network. Angela has a background in counseling and adoption services and a passion for serving families and women.

0.38 - Angela's Introduction

1.28 - Angela's Why for Serving Women

2.03 - The Mission of The Pregnancy Network

2.42 - The History of The Pregnancy Network

3.37 - Medical Services Offered at The Pregnancy Network

5.02 - How We Empower Women to Face Their Unplanned Pregnancies

7.02 - Resources Available Before, During, and After Pregnancy

9.31 - How to Make an Appointment

10.19 - Options for Women Facing an Unplanned Pregnancy

12:34 - Adoption Agency Referrals

14.27 - What Angela Would Say to a Woman Who's Afraid to Make an Appointment

15.10 - Obstacles For Women Facing Unplanned Pregnancies

18.07 - Limited Obstetrical Ultrasounds

18:58 - Resources Outside of the Triad

19.54 - Angela's Advice for Women Facing Unplanned Pregnancies

Links Mentioned:

Contact us at The Pregnancy Network: https://thepregnancynetwork.org/ 336-274-4881

Pregnancy Decision Line: https://pregnancydecisionline.org/ 866-799-0901