Ashley takes us through home birth, including safety, and lends insight into prenatal and postpartum care in Midwifery as well. 

There couldn't be a more appropriate time than now, to address isolation, connection and the art of feeling feelings. Kelli Barr-Lyles of Circle of Life Holistic Care shares her personal experience as a mother, with perspective on pregnancy during life altering world events.  As a counselor, she specializes in supporting families in times of transition with a special connection to times of birth and death and how they are so closely connected.  

Great thanks to Jen Griego, Bilingual Community Health Worker, for sharing both her heart and the passion that is so present in the work she and so many others do in supporting families.  The Nurse Family Partnership pairs personal public health nurses with first time mothers, assisting them with identifying needs and implementing resources and support for their pregnancy through the initial 2 1/2 years of life of their child.  Head to thechosennest.com/episode16 for resource details. 

Welcome Back! 

I am over the moon to say that The Chosen Nest ONLINE Childbirth Education Offering is LIVE and thriving.  This is such a beautiful  course and I believe in the ways it can impact communities and births near and far.  Payment plans are in place if needed and also a scholarship fund has been started to offset costs for families who are less able to access childbirth education or postpartum support due to income. Pop by the website next week to see what it's all out in the FREE mini course that rolls out on Monday too! And browse in person collaborative options there too.  Detail on both of these are in the show notes. 

Interested in receiving updates via email?  Opt in here to be included in our newsletter that will begin rolling out next week!  Also, as mentioned, you can join the private Facebook Community here too.  See you on the inside 

Show notes can be found at thechosennest.com/episode15 and as always, I can be reached by [email protected]

Welcome to Episode 14 and Happy Thanksgiving! 

I share with you today, the practice of taking in the good.  Dr. Rick Hanson is AMAZING and I discovered his book, Buddha's Brain while in my 200hr Yoga Teacher Training at Three Trees Yoga. 

This 3 step practice can literally rewire our brain...incredible!

As mentioned, this episode ends season 1 of the Podcast, as I'll be taking time to enjoy the last month of the year with my family, taking in the GOOD! 

SO EXCITED to finally announce the course launch date for Online Childbirth Education.  1/20/20 things will roll out right at the New Year for that, as I am taking time to create a more clear vision for the future of The Chosen Nest. 

Interested in receiving updates via email?  Opt in here to be the first to set your eyes on this amazing sight.  (pssst...there might be a pre-sale offer that only email subscribers will know about)

Show notes can be found at thechosennest.com/episode14 and as always, I can be reached by [email protected]

*WARNING*

Adult language is used in this episode.  

After popular demand and so many requests, my sweet husband returns to The Chosen Nest! We pull a late night recording to capture the birth story of our baby#2, Ethan Blaine. How our two births were so very different. Truly.

Sharing at the end, a few fun things:

-Our family just exited the military life, after my husband served for 15 amazing years. Thank you doesn't even begin to cover it for all that you've done in Army Aviation!

-I graduated 200-RYT training this month, so I'm now a legit, certified yoga teacher. WOW!  Aiming to incorporate prenatal,  postpartum, and parent/child yoga options in the new year and truly looking forward to that.

And last but not least...we are SO EXCITED to finally announce the course launch date for Online Childbirth Education.  1/20/20 it is and things will roll out right at the New Year for that, as I am taking December off to enjoy my family and create a more clear vision for the future of The Chosen Nest.  Interested in receiving updates via email?  Opt in here to be the first to set your eyes on this amazing sight.  (pssst...there might be a pre-sale offer that only email subscribers will know about)

Show notes can be found at thechosennest.com/episode13 and as always, I can be reached by [email protected]

Meeting Amanda Wanner of Cygnet Postpartum Doula last Spring at the Peninsula Birth and Baby Expo was such a treat.  Through my interactions with her as one of the expo coordinators, her kindness, patience and ability to connect on a meaningful and real level were all things that drew me to want to know her more.  Outside fo that role, she is also a Postpartum Doula and Infant Care Specialist.  

She joined me behind the mic recently to share her own experience in pregnancy, birth and postpartum.  When she arrived on her magnificent bicycle, with homemade Kombucha in tow, I lit up from the inside out.  This is the longest podcast I've recorded to date, but in this time, we discuss the varying roles in Postpartum Care and how incredibly valuable it is, attachment and communication in parenting, and also the experience she's had with family bicycling.  So much greatness here.  Thank you Amanda, for the support you provide to families and for your efforts to promote wellness in our community with family bicycling! 

Amanda can be found on Facebook, followed on Instagram and contacted HERE on her website.  

Links to points mentioned in this episode:

• Peninsula Birth and Baby Expo
• WIC
• Attachment
• Book: Nonviolent Communication
• ACES
• Clean Republic
• G&O Family Cyclery
• Motherload family biking documentary

As always, I can be reached at [email protected] if you have any questions!

Want to share a story about your pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding journey?  Do you offer a service that supports the wellness of families in this special chapter?  Please reach out!

Follow this link to be the first to know when the Online Childbirth Education releases or to sign up when it does.

This episode wraps up the 3 part mini series as we explore preferences in birth.  Often referred to as a birth plan, having preferences written out in a clear and easy to read format can help both you and your birth team to know the focus of your goals and have a place to revisit and reflect as labor progresses, birth unfolds and postpartum and newborn care continue. 

As mentioned, I am a HUGE fan of Earth Mama Organics.  I am so honored to be a birth professional with them and keep their products on hand for purchase and also include them as part of my Childbirth Education, Postpartum and Breastfeeding Support Services. This beautiful business in based in the PNW and they have a great tool (FREE!) on their website to aide in writing birth plans.  Here is the link to that: http://freebirthplan.com/earth-mama-free-birth-plan/

We cover birth preferences in detail in Nesting, the Childbirth Education Course that I offer both in person, and coming SOON online.  A launch date has been set and will be announced later this month with an opportunity for pre-sale at a discounted rate. I am incredibly excited to roll this out!  Sign up for the exclusive email list here to be the first to read and hear all about it. 

As always show notes can be found at thechosennest.com/episode11 and that is also where you will find the step 1 PDF template I created just for this podcast.  Want more details on how to write and refine your birth preferences?  There will be an entire module on that in the online offering mentioned above.  As always, I can be reached at [email protected] if you have any questions! 

Episode 10!  Wow...double digits already! In this episode, we hit the second topic in our three part mini series as we explore Childbirth Education.  

By the end of this brief but thorough 35 minute recording, I touch on what birth preparation courses cover (and what I cover in my offerings, more specifically), why childbirth education is important, who can benefit from this information, when to begin looking into class offerings (hint: it's never too soon!), where you can receive this educational experience and lastly how to find a class near you. 

And of course, I mention the fact that I am bringing my childbirth education offerings online. Whoot whoot! This has been a long time coming and will offer much more accessibility for families near and far.  I've been working day and night and almost have final input from beta testing and then a launch date will be set! For those local to Kitsap County, there will be a hybrid add on option as well so that while most is online, there's a chance to meet up in person too.  Details release super soon and so sign up for the exclusive email list here to know when it rolls out.  The final touches are being added right now. 

As always show notes can be found at thechosennest.com/episode10 and I can be reached at [email protected]

Thank you for bringing me here.

Sweet feedback from many listeners led me to this 3 episode mini series.  I've had so many of you respond, expressing overwhelm when thinking about the many outcomes birth can have. Understandable, no doubt!  So today, we address locations and providers as we begin to explore options in birth.  As mentioned, there is a really neat documentary out, called Why Not Home.  It lends an insightful perspective and I enjoyed watching it and hope you will too.  

Online Childbirth education options with The Chosen Nest launch SO SOON! So, be on the lookout for more coming your way on that.  And as always, I am available via email [email protected] and show notes can be found at thechosennest.com as well.  Thanks for tuning in. See you next week as we Evaluate Childbirth Education!