There are tremendous physical demands during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding. Motherhood is also incredibly mentally and emotionally demanding. You can do so much to prepare for being a parent. You can stock up on supplies for your baby, plan for maternity leave and your return to work, and learn about breastfeeding. These tasks are all necessary, but none will mentally prepare you to be a mother. A significant component of mentally preparing for motherhood is knowing what to expect and setting your expectations. This episode covers ten ways to shift your mindset to mentally prepare for motherhood. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Finding out you are pregnant is one of the most exciting times of your life but can also be overwhelming. There are endless choices, and every decision seems critical when you are responsible for growing, birthing, and caring for a baby. Many decisions require additional inputs like information, research, or expert opinions. Even the most minor decisions can seem significant given the high stakes of growing, birthing, and raising a human. Getting caught up in constant decision-making is easy, ultimately leaving you mentally drained and overwhelmed. This episode/article guides you to focusing on what matters most and avoiding overwhelm. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. https://pregnancypodcast.com/focus/ Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Staying hydrated is crucial for your overall health, and water is always the best beverage. In reality, some of your daily fluids will come from other liquids. The obvious drinks to be cautious about during pregnancy and while breastfeeding are coffee and alcohol. There are also other beverages that come with risks, like tea, soft drinks, juice, and kombucha. This episode examines the concerns over why you should be cautious with particular beverages so you can understand the risks and can make informed choices. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

The health and safety of you and your baby are a top priority. Certain foods come with risks, and you need to know what to avoid and how to make informed choices. It is easy to pull up a long list online of foods to avoid during pregnancy. It may be challenging to cut these items out of your diet. Especially if there is something on this list that you consume regularly or really enjoy. Rather than tell you to avoid something, let's unpack the concerns over why you should be cautious with particular foods so you can understand the risks. Plus, there are some foods that don't typically appear on the do not eat list that you may want to be mindful of. This episode will arm you with knowledge about the foods you eat and the potential risks so you can make an informed decision about what you are comfortable eating. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Many changes during pregnancy affect your cardiovascular system, which includes your heart and blood vessels. While some changes in blood pressure are normal during pregnancy, hypertensive disorders are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, HELLP, and eclampsia. High blood pressure during pregnancy can stress your heart and kidneys, leading to heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. As well as increase your risk for preterm birth, placental abruption, and cesarean birth. High blood pressure can also reduce blood flow to the placenta, affecting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your baby. You can see why your care provider closely monitors your blood pressure throughout your pregnancy. The majority of pregnancy-related conditions disappear after you have your baby. Mothers remain at risk for hypertensive disorders after they have their baby, even if they have no symptoms during pregnancy. Your ability to recognize warning signs and promptly seek medical attention can potentially be life-saving. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

You have an increased need for specific nutrients during pregnancy, and it is challenging to meet these requirements with your diet alone. Taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure you have all the vitamins and nutrients you and your baby need during pregnancy. There are many choices when it comes to selecting a prenatal vitamin. How do you know which ones are high-quality? What should you look for on the ingredient label? What ingredients should you avoid? All of these questions, and more, are answered in this episode. This episode features Kenn Israel, a formulator and an expert resource on prenatal vitamins. He brings decades of expertise on essential vitamins and minerals you need during pregnancy, how different forms of nutrients differ in bioavailability, and what to look for in a prenatal vitamin. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

When your skin is stretching during birth, it can tear. It is common for first-time mothers to have some tearing during vaginal birth, and there is also the possibility that you could have an episiotomy, which is a surgical incision. The good news is that you can do some things to prevent this leading up to and during your labor and birth. I know this can sound scary, but it shouldn't be. The benefits of a vaginal delivery far outweigh the downside of a tear or an episiotomy. Remember that some women make it through a vaginal birth without tearing, so it is not unavoidable. If you do end up with a tear or incision, there is a lot you can do to make yourself more comfortable, give yourself some relief, and help your body heal afterward. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Ideally, towards the end of your pregnancy, your baby is in a cephalic presentation, positioned head-down, facing your back, with their chin tucked to their chest and the back of their head ready to enter your pelvis. Although humans are designed to be born head first, some babies will be breech, meaning they are bottom first rather than head first. In recent decades there has been a growing trend of doctors recommending an elective cesarean for a breech baby at term. This is intended to avoid the risks of some complications possible with a vaginal breech birth. To turn your baby head down for a vaginal birth, there are several techniques you or your doctor can utilize before you go into labor. This episode examines the evidence on the risks and efficacy of methods to turn a breech baby, including acupuncture, optimal fetal positioning, spinning babies, and an external cephalic version. Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Most expecting parents are aware that babies are ideally head down. As you get closer to your due date, your baby's position can significantly impact your labor and birth. Few doctors and midwives have training and experience in vaginal breech birth. As a result, most mothers with a breech baby will require a cesarean delivery. Your baby's position is much more nuanced than being head down or breech. For a vaginal birth, it isn't a straight shot for your baby to maneuver through the birth canal. The direction they face, whether their head is extended, and other details of their position can lead to a shorter, easier, or less painful birth.

As you get closer to your due date, your doctor or midwife will monitor your baby's position. You can also use easy methods at home to determine your baby's position in your belly. Doctors and midwives have specific language to describe where your baby is, and it can get very confusing. When your care provider says your baby is LOP, after listening to this episode, you will know precisely what that means regarding how your baby is positioned and how it may influence your labor and birth.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

There are over 100 herpes viruses. HSV-1 and HSV-2 are common skin conditions and affect a considerable portion of the population. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 3.7 billion people under age 50 have HSV-1, and 491 million people under 50 have HSV-2. In the United States, approximately 22% of pregnant women have HSV-2. Most of these mothers have the virus before getting pregnant, and 2% of expecting mothers will acquire HSV-1 or HSV-2 during their pregnancy. Other than an occasional outbreak, no long-term adverse health outcomes exist in adults with HSV. Only about 5–15% of infected individuals report symptoms. An HSV infection in a newborn can be a severe condition with detrimental effects. The good news is that transmission rates during pregnancy and birth are low. Learn how the herpes simplex virus can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, what medications are safe to use, and how to prevent transmission to your baby.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.