The MamasteFit Podcast

In this Birth Story Friday, Lucia shares the story of her second birth, an unmedicated hospital birth, as well as a bit about her postpartum recovery journey from her first birth with a hematoma. In her birth story, Lucia also shares how she prepared physically for her second birth, and how she benefited from the MamasteFit prenatal fitness program for her birth preparation and supported her postpartum recovery

Links Referred to in this Episode:

Freebie Prenatal Program Sample: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prenatal-fitness-program-guide/

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

01:14 What is a Hematoma?

03:54 How Lucia Prepared for Her Second Birth

04:53 Lucia’s Second Pregnancy

06:49 Lucia’s Birth Story

15:43 Difference in Postpartum Experiences

17:47 Lucia Reflects on Her Overall Experience

19:29 Advice for Others

22:41 Gina and Roxanne Cover Contraction Cues and Labor Progress

This week Roxanne shares her postpartum healing journey 10 weeks after giving birth to her third baby. From having a postpartum hemorrhage through the six weeks postpartum, to her initial return to fitness, Roxanne takes us through the highs and lows of her experience and shares some of the knowledge she has acquired along the way. 

Links Referred to in this Episode:

Free Early Postpartum Recovery Course: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6373d15006fa842dcfb3e1de

To check out the meal service Roxanne referenced in this episode, visit Mama Meals here, and use the code MAMASTEFIT for $20 off you first purchase of $200+:

https://mama-meals.com/collections/complete-meal-packages

Baby Registry Freebie: https://mamastefit.myflodesk.com/si12ehvgaj

For Pelvic Floor/Prolapse issues check out: PelvicRehab.com 

Or find Haley Kava for virtual PT support here: https://www.hayleykavapt.com/

Check out our episode on Postpartum Recovery and Returning to Fitness Here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/iBOu5olBxEb

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

01:19 Managing Postpartum Hemorrhage Immediately After Birth

02:45 What is Fundal Massage?

04:43 Continuing to Heal From Considerable Blood Loss

06:22 Signs and Symptoms of Blood Loss Induced Blackouts

07:54 Navigating Extreme Weakness and Exhaustion 

10:20 Tips for Others Experience Postpartum Hemorrhage

16:51 How Did Roxanne Support Her Healing Journey?

20:45 Managing Postpartum Appointment and Asking for Help

27:12 Baby Gear Essentials 

31:53 Returning to Fitness in the Postpartum

36:49 Prolapse and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

45:27 Roxanne’s Advice to Others with Postpartum Hemorrhage

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This podcast is sponsored by Needed, a nutrition company focused on optimal nourishment for your perinatal journey. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code MAMASTEPOD for 20% off your first order or three months of subscription.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And we are sponsored by Crossover Symmetry, world-class training and equipment for pain, fitness & performance. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code MAMASTEFIT for 20% off your equipment package.

In this week's episode, Juliette shares her two birth stories. For her first birth, Juliette was preparing for a vaginal birth, but then found out that her baby was breech at 32 weeks. At 37 weeks, she opted for an ECV, but her baby did not tolerate the procedure, and she went in for a C-section that very day. This experience left her feeling a lot of anger and defeat after having spent months getting educated and working hard for the experience she dreamed of having. For her second birth, Juliette planned for a VBAC, and after months of really focusing on changing her mindset and birth preparation, Juliette was able to have a successful vaginal birth and a positive, redemptive birth experience. 

At the end of this episode, Gina and Roxanne discuss the differences between having a Birth Path versus a Birth Plan, and how this can help you have the most positive experience possible.

Check out Birth Mapping here:

https://birthmap.life/?amp=1

Our Birth Map Freebie Link:

https://mamastefit.com/birth-plan-guide/

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

01:32 Juliette’s Prep for Birth

04:44 Finding Out Baby is Frank Breech

06:30 ECV Turned C-Section 

15:04 Bonding with Baby and Processing Her C-Section

16:19 Scar Mobilization with MamasteFit

18:22 Juliette Preps for Her Second Birth

24:25 Juliette Passes Her Due Date, Finally Labor Starts!

33:30 Opting for the Epidural

37:22 Pushing and a Successful VBAC

40:37 Processing Both Births

42:51 Birth Paths VS Birth Plans

In this week's episode, we're going to be talking all about diastasis recti, also known as DRA, DR, coning, or abdominal separation. This is the normal abdominal separation that occurs during pregnancy. Join us as Gina and Roxanne chat about how to decrease the severity of diastasis recti, and also what you can do to heal it in the postpartum!

Watch our video on how to minimize coning here: https://youtu.be/Nz2craPkea8

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

01:39 What is Diastasis Recti?

04:52 Can We Prevent DRA?

07:31 Coning VS Doming

10:47 Strategies to Minimize Coning

18:59 How to Measure Your DRA

22:29 What Can We Do to Increase Tissue Density?

29:55 Why Posture Matters

32:25 Seeking Professional Help

34:27 Quick Recap

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This podcast is sponsored by Needed, a nutrition company focused on optimal nourishment for your perinatal journey. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code MAMASTEPOD for 20% off your first order or three months of subscription.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And we are sponsored by Crossover Symmetry, world-class training and equipment for pain, fitness & performance. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code MAMASTEFIT for 20% off your equipment package.

In this episode, Carly shares her story of an unplanned induction after going past her due date thanks to low amniotic fluid measurements. After laboring for over two days, Carly adapts her original birth plan, opting for an epidural and Pitocin, and ultimately experiences a vaginal birth that left her feeling grateful and empowered! Carly also talks about how her son was rushed to the NICU due to meconium aspiration, and stresses the importance of being flexible yet supported in parenthood. 

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

01:22 What Does Low Amniotic Fluid Mean?

07:41 Carly Prepares for Birth with MamasteFit

10:11 How Carly Chose Her Provider

11:26 To Induce or Not to Induce?

20:39 Time For An Epidural

26:49 Meconium Aspiration Sends Baby to NICU

32:51 Carly’s Advice

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In this episode, Gina sits down with Molly O'Brien, a midwife with over 25 years of experience. Molly is also an associate university lecturer, who created and currently teaches courses on biomechanics for birth for midwives and other births related professionals and their associates. Molly educates us on how the birth work model got to be so medicalized, why it’s outdated, and what we should know about the pelvis and birth. We are really excited for you to hear this conversation all about how the pelvis moves and opens, how you can optimize that during your pregnancy, and all about how we can improve our care as birth professionals.

Find Molly on… 

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

02:33 Molly’s Beginnings as a Birth Worker

05:37 Playing Nancy Drew to Interpret Labor Cues

07:48 “Why Doesn’t My Doctor Know This?!”

17:50 Prenatal Preparation for Birth

22:06 Trusting The Birther’s Intuition

31:52 Simple Movement Molly Recommends

34:53 How Do We Update the Medical Model for Birth?

37:38 Why Understanding Pelvic Anatomy Can Help Understand Labor Patterns

39:47 Baby’s Position During Pregnancy

41:47 Quick Recap! 

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This podcast is sponsored by Needed, a nutrition company focused on optimal nourishment for your perinatal journey. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code MAMASTEPOD for 20% off your first order or three months of subscription.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In today's birth story episode, Trish will be sharing her three birth stories. Her first birth was an unplanned C-section after several hours of pushing. Trish knew that she wanted a VBAC (or a vaginal birth after C-section) for her next birth and the importance of being fully supported in that, so she switched providers and focused on her physical preparation for birth. In her second birth, she had an induction after her water broke with no contractions, ended up opting for an epidural, and then she did have a successful VBAC experience. For her third birth, Trish had moved and switched providers again, and found her third birth to be unexpectedly much faster, resulting in an unmedicated birth due to a lot more mental preparation.

Find the MamasteFit Birth Prep Circuit PDF Gina refers to in this episode here: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-labor-guide/

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

01:26 How Can MamasteFit Support Your Birth Prep?

02:44 Trish’s First Pregnancy and Birth (C-Section)

08:38 Trish’s Second Pregnancy and Birth (VBAC with Epidural)

14:37 Trish’s Third Pregnancy and Birth (Unmedicated VBAC)

22:48 Gina’s View on Birth Plans

28:42 Gina Discusses Myths About Pelvis Size

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Want to share your birth story on our podcast? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your birth story on our website! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Prepare for your birth with us:

Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

You asked, and we listened! We have recently seen questions via our Facebook group regarding how best to respond when someone makes a comment about our postpartum bodies. We sit down with Casey Backus, one of our dear friends and OG MamasteFit Moms, and discuss our own personal experiences, the responses we have found to be helpful, and what we recommend you say when interacting with a postpartum mother who may be struggling to feel comfortable in her new body. 

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

02:11 Casey’s Feelings on “Bouncing Back”

06:16 “Nine Months In, Nine Months Out” Rule

07:13 Deceptive Programs and Before and After Photos

12:32 Body Image and Little Kids

15:32 Love Yourself NOW

25:10 Reframing Weight Loss

33:49 Bump Comments Increasing Anxieties

35:46 Suggestions for What to Say

43:12 Motherhood Changed Us 

49:47 Every Postpartum Experience is Unique

52:37 Final Thoughts

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In today's birth story episode, we have Anna, who shares about her home birth experience in Canada. Anna describes how feelings of fear about an unfamiliar provider caused labor stalls during her birth, and after her story Gina and Roxanne break down strategies that you can use if you do experience a stall in your labor due to being afraid. 

In this episode:

0:00 Introductions

02:24 Anna finds MamasteFIt to resolve pubic symphysis pain

03:27 Planning for her home birth

07:07 Labor Begins

08:51 Anna’s midwife is unavailable!

10:26 Labor stalls due to discomfort with new providers 

13:23 Pushing

18:08 Anna’s advice to others

23:47 Strategies for labor stalls due to fear

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Want to share your birth story on our podcast? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your birth story on our website! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Prepare for your birth with us:

Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode, we're chatting with Jill Miller, who is a fascia expert with 30 years of corrective movement expertise that forges links between the worlds of yoga, massage, athletics, and pain management. Her signature self care fitness programs, Yoga Tune Up and The Roll Model, are found in gyms, yoga studios, hospitals, athletic facilities, and corporations worldwide. Jill sits down to discuss how we can integrate the fascial system to optimize our recovery after birth.

Links:

In This Episode:

0:00 Introductions

03:55 Breath as the foundation of health

11:28 The Four Major Aspects of Building Resilience

17:01 Where Do I Begin? (Witness Breath)

19:02 The Zones of Respiration

27:11 The Importance of Fascial Slings for Stabilization

40:03 Proprioception and Interoception

43:44 Jill’s Advice to Listeners

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