This week I’m joined by my new friend Katie, whose journey to motherhood has many twists and turns. Her story includes a hurricane that influenced her decision to discontinue her birth control (yes, really), a snafu between two medical offices that resulted in her missing 17 weeks' worth of OBGYN visits, and an unintentionally unmedicated birth after she missed the window of opportunity to get an epidural. Her son spent time in the NICU due to a tight umbilical cord around his neck during delivery, and Katie herself had to be readmitted to the hospital due to postpartum preeclampsia. 

Through it all, Katie shares her experience with warmth and humor. Her story is a testament to the emotional and mental strength that you discover when there’s no way out but through.  

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Meet Kaite

00:14:02 - Miscarriage

00:17:50 - Pregnancy: Anatomy Scan Scare, Medical Miscommunication, & Increased Monitoring

00:55:08 - Labor: Data-Motivated Progression & Going Unintentionally Unmedicated

01:18:46 - Postpartum: Umbilical Cord Issues, NICU Transfer, & Postpartum Preeclampsia

01:46:10 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

This week I’m joined by my amazing friend Meredith, who is a type 1 diabetic mom who breastfed three babies (one of them not even her own!) for over six months! What makes that even more incredible is that she once wasn’t sure if she’d be able to have children at all.

In this episode, Meredith opens up about how diabetes has shaped her motherhood journey, her difficult first delivery that led to her daughter’s dislocated shoulder, a NICU stay, and a fourth-degree tear (!!), and how her second birth, a planned C-section, brought a much more positive experience in contrast.

Meredith’s episode is a reminder that you are more capable than you think and that you are strong enough to feel scared but to do it anyway. 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Meet Meredith

00:11:18 - 1st Pregnancy: Slow Fertility, Wonderful Endocrinologist, & Big Baby

00:26:29 - 1st Labor: Spotty Epidural, 4th Degree Tear, & Dislocated Shoulder

00:38:03 - 1st Postpartum: NICU Stay & Breastfeeding Success

00:59:09 - 2nd Pregnancy: Struggling to Find Supportive Doctors

01:08:26 - 2nd Labor: Scheduled Positive C-Section

01:11:21 - 2nd Postpartum: Changes in Milk Production, Milk Sharing, & 2 Under 2 Haze 

01:25:34 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

This week I’m joined by my amazing friend Meredith, who is a type 1 diabetic mom who breastfed three babies (one of them not even her own!) for over six months! What makes that even more incredible is that she once wasn’t sure if she’d be able to have children at all.

In this episode, Meredith opens up about how diabetes has shaped her motherhood journey, her difficult first delivery that led to her daughter’s dislocated shoulder, a NICU stay, and a fourth-degree tear (!!), and how her second birth, a planned C-section, brought a much more positive experience in contrast.

Meredith’s episode is a reminder that you are more capable than you think and that you are strong enough to feel scared but to do it anyway. 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Meet Meredith

00:11:18 - 1st Pregnancy: Slow Fertility, Wonderful Endocrinologist, & Big Baby

00:26:29 - 1st Labor: Spotty Epidural, 4th Degree Tear, & Dislocated Shoulder

00:38:03 - 1st Postpartum: NICU Stay & Breastfeeding Success

00:59:09 - 2nd Pregnancy: Struggling to Find Supportive Doctors

01:08:26 - 2nd Labor: Scheduled Positive C-Section

01:11:21 - 2nd Postpartum: Changes in Milk Production, Milk Sharing, & 2 Under 2 Haze 

01:25:34 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

This week I’m joined by my friend Jessica, who pushed both of her babies out in only two pushes!! Her experiences include first-trimester nausea (particularly in the car), a negative reaction to IV pain medication, and pubic symphysis dysfunction, which was especially difficult because she’s a dancer. She also talks about her experience with a velcro baby who wouldn’t sleep without her, breastfeeding both of her kids at once, and dealing with anxious, intrusive thoughts. 

Jessica’s episode is a beautiful example of standing firm in what you believe is right for you and your babies, even if it looks different from what you had originally planned.

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Meet Jessica

00:13:19 - 1st Pregnancy: Car Sickness & Hip Pain

00:31:58 - 1st Labor: Water Breaking, 12 Hour Labor, & A Finicky Epidural

00:38:42 - 1st Postpartum: Committing to Breastfeeding, Choosing to Co-sleep, & Intrusive Thoughts

00:50:21 - 2nd Pregnancy: Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction & Slightly Enlarged Baby Kidneys

01:02:26 - 2nd Labor: Negative Reaction to IV Meds & Side-lying Epidural

01:10:41 - 2nd Postpartum: Tandem Breastfeeding & Mental Health Help

01:20:16 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

This week I’m joined by my friend Katie, who thought she wanted a large family until she had a bumpy start to motherhood with her first. Her experiences include a long, difficult labor that resulted in a 3rd degree tear that took almost a year to recover from, and a baby who struggled to breastfeed and therefore struggled to sleep. Luckily, her second brought a better delivery and postpartum experience because of what she learned from her first. 

Through all of this, Katie learned how to trust her own instincts and let go of advice that simply wasn’t helpful. If you’re trying to find your voice and learn to laugh at your mistakes, Katie’s episode is the one for you! 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Katie 

07:29 - 1st Pregnancy: 6 Months of Trying + Weight Gain Comments 

13:57 - 1st Labor: Broken Water, Lack of Sleep, & Almost 3 Hours of Pushing

18:49 - 1st Postpartum: 3rd Degree Tear, Breastfeeding Struggles, & Co-Sleeping 

31:56 - 2nd Pregnancy: Positive Pregnancy + Mild Gender Disappointment 

38:37 - 2nd Labor: Fainting Husband, Quick Labor, Out in 3 Pushes 

41:58 - 2nd Postpartum: Learning from Last Time + Formula Supplementation 

48:40 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

This week, I’m joined by my friend Malloree, who once dilated from a 5 to a 10 in just 15 minutes, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Her 3 birth experiences include a one-push wonder baby, Group B Strep (GBS) for all 3 births, and a failed epidural that resulted in a multi-day-long allergic reaction. She has also run the gamut of postpartum mental health experiences, from postpartum depression with her first, to rage with her second, and anxiety with her third.

In this episode: 

• Leaking amniotic fluid at 37 weeks
• Healing from a 2nd degree tear while having a UTI
• Positive breastfeeding experiences
• An anatomy scan false alarm
• Responding to postpartum mental health warning signs

Malloree is a great reminder that no two postpartum experiences are alike and that often the best way to take care of your kids is to first take care of yourself! 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Meet Malloree

00:06:26 - 1st Pregnancy: Positive Pregnancy + Extreme Tiredness

00:09:13 - 1st Labor: Leaking Amniotic Fluid, 2nd Degree Tear, & A Big Baby

00:14:54 - 1st Postpartum: Undetected Postpartum Depression + Breastfeeding Wins

00:19:31 - 2nd Pregnancy: Slower Fertility + New Nausea

00:34:14 - 2nd Labor: Scheduled Induction, Quick Dilation, Out in 1 Push! 

00:39:06 - 2nd Postpartum: Postpartum Rage, Medication + Therapy

00:59:55 - Miscarriage

01:00:24 - 3rd Pregnancy: Innocuous Calcium Deposit + 3rd Trimester Anxiety

01:07:24 - 3rd Labor: Failed Epidural & Allergic Reactions

01:13:23 - 3rd Postpartum: Postpartum Anxiety, Medication + Therapy 

01:22:02 - 4th Pregnancy: Just the Beginning!

This week, I am joined by my friend Hannah, who went from not knowing how an epidural worked to delivering her third without her husband while he was at military training! Her experiences include (but aren’t limited to) pre-eclampsia, severe postpartum depression, the emotional impact of 2 miscarriages,  and joyfully welcoming their son with Down syndrome.   

In this episode: 

• 38 hours of labor (!!) followed by a month-long NICU stay
• The emotional whiplash of pregnancy closing following loss 
• Learning the difference between “baby blues” and postpartum depression
• Choosing an amniocentesis to confirm genetic testing
• Being welcomed into the tight-knit Down syndrome community

Hannah’s story stands as a testament to the strength and resilience of moms everywhere. This is your reminder that brighter days are ahead, even if you feel at the end of your rope. 

Trigger Warning: Discussion of suicidal ideation (24:55 to 25:13 & 1:02:18) 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters: 

4:47 - Meet Hannah

10:57 - 1st Child: Pre-eclampsia, NICU, Colic, & Unrecognized PPD

16:30 - 1st Miscarriage

19:00 - 2nd Child: Easy Pregnancy, Positive Birth, & Recognized PPD

26:10 - 2nd Miscarriage

30:16 - 3rd Child: Amniocentesis, Down Syndrome Diagnosis, Emergency C-Section, & Positive Postpartum

1:04:00 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

This week, I am joined by my sister-friend, Jorden, who is my incredible sister-in-law, who is due just 2 days after I am! She has had 3 previous birth experiences that included 3 pitocin inductions, adjusting to breastfeeding, and the exhilarating experience of pushing one of her babies out in 2 pushes! 

In this episode: 

• Positive pregnancy experiences 
• The anticipation of a scheduled induction
• A small meconium scare 
• The impact of a great support team 
• Utilizing a different doctor with each birth 

Jorden is on my personal Mount Rushmore of amazing mothers, so I am so excited for y’all to be empowered and inspired by her stories! 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Building your extra supply with a Haakaa Manual Breast Pump 

Chapters: 

00:00 - Meet Jorden

11:57 - 1st Pregnancy: Long Distance 1st Trimester, Light Nausea, & Finding a Doctor with Medicaid 

25:27 - 1st Labor: Going Over Due Date, Internal Fetal Monitoring, & Drop in Blood Pressure

47:06 - 1st Postpartum: Exhausting Introduction Into Motherhood & Adjusting to Breastfeeding

1:07:49 - 2nd Pregnancy: Staying Active & Feeling Less Nausea

1:14:29 - 2nd Labor: Strong Pitocin Induction, 2 Pushes, & No Tearing

1:21:18 - 2nd Postpartum: Quick Recovery & Amazing Community Support

1:29:22 - 3rd Pregnancy: Surprise Gender & Switching Doctors in 3rd Trimester

1:35:10 - 3rd Delivery: Strong Birth Support Team & Scheduled Induction 

1:41:20 - 4th Pregnancy: Surprise Baby, Positive 1st Trimester, Second Round of Cousin Twins 

1:48:13 - To My Pre-Mom Self… 

You read that right! I’m having a baby!! Today, I give you all the deets from before we even knew we were pregnant to our recent struggle to find out the gender of our baby and everything in between! It is such a joy and a privilege to share the beginnings of my motherhood story with y’all. And fair warning, you may need a tissue or two today, I know I did. 🩷

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

On the 10th episode of The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Valeria, who had only ever held one baby before she had her own! From finding the right circle of friends that helped her feel confident enough to become a mom to utilizing all the tools offered to her from a local pregnancy help center, Valeria went from being a newborn novice to a birthing boss! 

In this episode: 

• Positive labor with an epidural at 42 weeks 
• Navigating the complex US healthcare & insurance system as a Peruvian immigrant 
• Big baby and a subsequent 2nd degree tear 
• Learning to stand up to negative nurses 
• The emotional strain of exclusively pumping for 10 months

Valeria’s story is full of laughs and heart and is a great reminder that surrounding yourself with the right people can empower you to do things you never thought possible before. 

I also end the episode by sharing 10 things that I’ve learn from 10 episodes of The Labor Line, so be sure to stick around to the end!  

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Valeria

08:06 - Pregnancy: Nausea, Birthing Classes, & Community Support

24:44 - Labor: Positive Delivery of a Big Baby With an Epidural at 42 Weeks 

27:40 - Postpartum: Cranky Nurses, Negotiating Medical Bills, & Exclusively Pumping

42:26 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

45:58 - 10 Lessons From 10 Episodes