The Birth Ease Podcast

Michelle and Sunni VonMutius continue their conversation from S2 E1 The Grief and Loss of Placing a Child for Adoption on the Birth Ease Loss podcast. Sunni courageously shares how the circumstances, trauma, fear, and shame from her first child's birth impacted the birth of her second child 20 years later and her experience of postpartum depression. Together they discuss the importance of trauma-informed care, exploring unconscious biases, the mind-body connection, informed consent, understanding trauma triggers, creating a postpartum care plan, self-care versus soul-care, and why the cultural conversation around adoption and placing a child for adoption must change.

Notes: Michelle's episode with Sunni's Midwife Elena Rosa is 118 Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy.

Sunni mentioned The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Romm.

Connect with Michelle for classes and support at www.birtheaseservices.com, on Instagram @birtheasemichellesmith, and on Facebook @thebirtheasepodcast and @BirthEaseMethod

Michelle chats with Barbara Decker, one of the pioneers in the childbirth education movement. With a half-century of experience, Barbara shares her journey, including being one of the firsts to certify as a Lamaze instructor (before it was even called Lamaze) and certify as a doula with Penny Simpkin. Barbara is a long-time HypnoBirthing® Instructor and expert in prenatal & perinatal psychology.  She provides a simple breathing technique to help calm and settle our nervous system. Something we, and our babies, can all use during these stressful times. Barbara explains that babies are looking for a trusting relationship with their parent. A parent's job is to respond to their baby. Babies need a healthy attachment figure to be able to build a healthy psychological and emotional journey. Barbara shares that almost half of all pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted. Yet, parents can repair the relationship with their baby at any point in pregnancy.  Barbara shares fascinating information regarding babies' awareness and consciousness in the womb. (This episode is a replay of episodes 49 & 50)

"This [early nurture period] is critically, critically important for society as a whole and the health and the humanity that we are trying to bring into the world. When parenting in the womb becomes a normal phase, a part of, having a baby, we can change society as a whole."—Barbara Decker

"When the mother is included in the decision making, the end result is not traumatization after the birth. It can prevent having an effect on the mother as long as she's part of that decision making. ...It's vital. And then our mothers are not going to have the challenges. We don't want mothers going to the birth, to the labor room, in fear that they are gonna have to do battle. We want them to know that they are going to be treated with respect."—Barbara Decker

Connect with Barbara Decker at www.soulofbirthing.com or www.empoweringpregnancy.com

Connect with Michelle at birtheaseservices.com, Facebook @ The Birth Ease Podcast, and Instagram @birtheasemichellesmith

Often there is so much focus on the pregnancy and the birth, families may find themselves woefully unprepared for the realities that having a new baby can bring to their lives. Having a new baby can feel overwhelming and isolating for many families and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the stress families may feel. Michelle explains helpful self-care tips for new parents and provides an overview of what the postpartum experience can be like. She distinguishes between baby blues and postpartum depression, gives an overview of maternal mood disorders, and provides resources for families here in the show notes. Michelle ends this information-packed episode with a brief guided meditation. (replay of episode 36)

Resources: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Postpartum Support International, The Blue Dot Project, Baby Makes 3: The Gottman Institute, Dads With Wisdom, Motherly: Eight Ways to Reduce Anxiety for Mothers

Baby Care Resources: Dunstan Baby Language, Happiest Baby on the Block, All Babies Cry, No Cry Solution

Connect with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com, Facebook @thebirtheasepodcast and @birtheasemethod, Instagram @birtheasemichellesmith

Adam Angel, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, explains the importance of inclusion and recognition for fathers as the baby's parent, as the support person for their partner or spouse, as well as a separate individual by medical professionals and birth professionals. Adam and Michelle discuss that 10% of men can experience perinatal mood disorders such as depression and anxiety and how that can manifest in fathers. Adam also shares the online parenting workshops that he founded and co-facilitates for fathers. His Dads With Wisdom workshop groups seek to build on men's knowledge, skills, and instincts of fatherhood by placing men into teams of potential or current fathers where they can connect, share and receive support from each other and Dad's With Wisdom staff with the goal of becoming wiser dads. The group workshops are structured with 1 or 2 topics per workshop. The workshops are interactive and promote discussion between members so everyone is able to share their experience and wisdom. There are workshops for soon-to-be dads, first-time dads (newborn - 1 year), and dads with toddlers ages 1-3.

"I think that a lot of the experience that men have is that unfortunately, and this was my experience too, a lot of our medical professionals aren't supporting the partner in the room. With the intention of supporting the birthing partner, which they should in giving them focused attention at those prenatal appointments, they end up pretty clearly ignoring the dad. It's just an experience that feels very shared across many men."— Adam Angel

Connect with Adam on Instagram and Facebook @dadswithwisdom and at his websites: www.dadswithwisdom.com and www.adamangeltherapy.com

Connect with Michelle for classes and support at www.birtheaseservices.com, on Instagram @birtheasemichellesmith, and on Facebook @thebirtheasepodcast and @BirthEaseMethod

Thanks for Listening!

Kinsey Phifer, doula and the author of "Variations of Normal: The Labors of Love", and Michelle explore the complex feelings and emotions that having a breech baby can bring. They discuss the barriers to breech birth access, the difficulties that come with finding a VBAC friendly hospital- especially when the baby is breech, the unhelpful things people say and how damaging they can be, and why it isn’t as simple as doing "all the right things to turn a breech baby" or "just give birth at home".

“Yes, exactly. And I can tell you I've heard that, so often. [Healthy mom. Healthy baby. That is all that matters.] And it's really invalidating. It makes people not want to share their experiences. Which is unfortunate because so many of us feel very similarly. And I think, in order to process these experiences and start our journey to healing, we have to start by talking about it.”—Kinsey Phifer

Kinsey Phifer is the author of “Variations of Normal-The Labors of Love”. She is a certified birth and bereavement doula and has a passion for VBAC, breech babies, and parents' rights during childbirth. Kinsey lives in a small town in Iowa with her husband and two children.

Connect with Kinsey at Breech Baby Stories on Instagram and Facebook

The Hygge Doula on Instagram, Facebook, and her website

Connect with Michelle at birtheaseservices.com, Facebook @ The Birth Ease Podcast, and Instagram @birtheasemichellesmith

A birth plan is a way for you to communicate your wishes to your health care team during your labor and after the birth of your baby. Each birth is a unique experience. Creating a birth plan empowers you to become informed of all your options during labor and Michelle provides helpful tips to consider when writing a birth plan.

Beth Sandlin, NCPT explains the Pilates method and its benefits during pregnancy,  postpartum, and parenthood. She emphasizes maintaining a flexible routine and restorative movements and exercises, especially when recovering after birth and caring for a new baby and small children. Beth also explains the similarities and differences between pilates and yoga. Michelle and Beth discuss her Trauma Informed Pilates Approach (TIPA) program for Pilates teachers worldwide who want to use a Trauma Informed Care framework when teaching the Pilates method. Together, they stress the importance of taking time to heal and recover after giving birth and letting go of external pressures to bounce back immediately.

"The first few years, our sleep pattern is disrupted as well. We have more stress. We may be nursing as well. … Our sleep can affect if our body is willing to change and adapt. Our stress levels are also impacted by sleep. There's all these different circumstances. It took us 9 months to prepare for the birth, and just allowing our bodies the time to heal and recover."—Beth Sandlin

Michelle shares one of her favorite episodes of the Doula Diaries podcast hosted by Heidi Snyderburn. In her episode,  Heidi digs into expectant management (aka doing nothing) and induction when you experience PROM-Premature Rupture Of the Membranes (water breaking). Heidi shares her doula advice partnered with the Hanah et al TERM PROM trial and the data. So, want to know what Heidi would tell you do if she was your doula and you experienced PROM? Take a listen. There are also some scripts you could use if this happens to you and how to navigate pressure at the hospital for an induction before 24 hours post-rupture.

With 60 years of combined experience between them, Michelle and Kathy Bradley discuss the key things for parents to consider when hiring a doula. Doulas provide non-medical educational and emotional support to birthing families. Doulas can help navigate information overload and differing opinions that expectant parents often face.

March is birth psychology month. Michelle and Sarah Dickey, Pre & Perinatal Psychology Educator and fellow Calm Birth Teacher, discuss the consciousness of babies. Together they explore the importance of prenatal bonding to help babies in the womb feel welcome, loved, and safe, especially when as a parent you may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

"It can just be as simple as if you have had a day that is overwhelming, that you just pause and maybe place your hand on your abdomen. Connect to your womb and just say, "Baby, I feel you.  And I just want you to know today has been really overwhelming.  I have felt really overwhelmed. But I want you to know that you are safe and I've got you.  And, you don't need to worry about a thing. You're welcome.  I love you." Like, that dialogue. How powerful that seemingly simple connection can be, but really helps prevent that stress response from being activated." —Sarah Dickey

Sign up for APPPAH's Birth Psychology Summit FILM FESTIVAL March 2022: https://birthpsychologymonth.com/