Today, we have on the ASL interpreter, Erin (Instagram: @not_your_average_ivfstory) , who is talking to us about her and her wife's journey through IUI and IVF in the United States. This discussion is important and we also discuss dealing with the legal system, infertility, fertility specialists, private insurance, biases within the medical system, miscarriages, and so much more. We all hope that you enjoy this episode and thank Erin & Kate again for sharing their story. 

theonascollaborative.com 

Check out our first podcast episode with our midwife Sarah (instagram: @sarahstetina) who is based out of Illinois, Chicago. Sarah works for Burr Ridge Birth Center and is aimed at working with individuals with female reproductive health. Sarah is a certified nurse midwife (CNM) and is trauma-informed and evidence-based in her practice. Today, we talk about the midwifery care model in the United States, how midwives are working to lower the maternal mortality rate, decrease the c-section & intervention rates often associated with OBGYN led births, and more! As a CNM she also discusses what else her scope of practice allows her to do such as prescribe birth control, do Pap smears, be an primary provider, give medications for yeast infections, order mammograms, etc. 

Find and book with Sarah Stetina today: https://www.theonascollaborative.com/find-a-provider/sarah-stetina.html

Today, we had the honour of interviewing Mariam Ayane (Instagram:  _mariamayane) talking to us about her experience with preeclampsia and what it has been like parenting during COVID. Ayane is from Ottawa but is currently living in Toronto with her two sons, step daughter, and husband. She tells us about the struggles of parenting during COVID and having the support from her husband to help her cope with postpartum. She also discusses the importance of her second birth with her son and how her OBGYN did not give her the information that she needed to cope with all of the incoming information regarding her and her babies health. We hope you all enjoy this episode!

Kat (@femmepower_blog) is with us today talking about her infertility journey due to endometriosis. She talks about her journey to trying to get pregnant, her surgeries, and much more. Kat highlights the issue of family, friends, and coworkers and how they speak to people with infertility. Her experience with individuals who believed that their opinions were more important than her journey. Kat gives us tips on how to set boundaries with these individuals on what is and isn't okay to say to someone on an infertility journey.

We have an exciting episode with Carmen (Instagram: @carmenbridgewater) who is based out of Fort Worth, Texas. She is an African American birth photographer who talks to us today about her work and her birth story with her daughter! Carmen tells us about what it was like going from a stressful job environment to pursing her passion about raising awareness for black birth especially with midwives in home births and birthing centre births. She also tells us about her birth at a birthing centre, working with her mom (her doula), and her postpartum journey. We are so excited and hope you all enjoy!

Courtney Edgecomb, out of LA, is a pelvic floor physical therapist. Grew in Louisville, KY and is now a pelvic floor PT focused on helping people with pelvis based issues. She talks about pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, bowel issues, painful sex, and all of things postpartum that you might want to know! She talks about pregnancy & postpartum and why seeing a pelvic floor PT is so important to support your body after labor & birth. (Instagram: @pelvicpt_edge)

This week we have the fabulous Alexis (Instagram: @thewhaleygoodlife) on talking about her life and her motherhood! She is from Hawaii and still lies there with her 2 sons and her husband. Alexis runs a essential oil Young Life business with her close friend and also gets to stay at home with her young boys! She talks about Hawaiian life, her pregnancy, her birth stories, postpartum, postpartum depression, and even about her experience with mastitis. We hope you all enjoy!