C-Section? Epidural? Hypnobirthing? Hospital gown? Midwife? Doula? Oh and hopefully the bassinet comes in time… Wait or is it better for the baby to sleep with me?

So many thoughts, so many things, so many conversations to be had when it comes to pregnancy and birth! If you are overwhelmed or remember a time when you were, you are certainly not alone. Being a birthing individual in America today can be a lot. Well, maybe it was always a lot. And maybe we are just talking about it more now. Is social media making it better or worse? Maybe we have more choices (rightfully so!) with research on things that “science” didn’t specifically support before like the use of breathing techniques and a doula during birth? 

Today we have a wonderful chat with Ashley Brichter, an educator, speaker, consultant, entrepreneur, and the founder of Birthsmarter, which provides unbiased, inclusive, and award-winning practical wisdom and guidance to the next generation of families. Ashley discusses how we don’t need to follow predetermined paths that dictate how our birth goes. Rather, we should understand the physiology of birth along with the current society we live in and choices that the birthing family wishes to make. Despite her experience with hundreds of families as a doula and birth educator – like so many, her first birth did not “go as planned.” Ashley is an advocate for education above all and has a plethora of knowledge when it comes to assisting families navigate through the challenging space of birth and postpartum care.

Ashley was born and raised in New York City, though she’s temporarily relocated to Salt Lake City, UT and is enjoying the mountains and Red Rocks of The West with her husband and two amazing kids. She is a Certified Fair Play Facilitator, and sits on the board of ProNatal Fitness.

Connect with her:

Birthsmarter.com

instagram.com/birthsmarter