Yoga Birth Babies

Travel looks different once kids enter the picture- but that doesn’t mean adventure has to stop. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, Deb sits down with Bri Hepworth, mom of four and founder of Mini Voyager, to talk about the realities of traveling with children and how families can make trips feel more enjoyable, flexible, and memorable.

Bri shares how her perspective on travel evolved after becoming a parent, the biggest challenges families face on the road, and practical strategies for navigating everything from naps and long travel days to packing and managing expectations. Together, they explore why successful family travel isn’t about perfection, but about creating meaningful experiences and embracing the unexpected.

Whether you're planning your first trip with a baby or trying to make travel feel less stressful with older kids, this conversation is filled with reassuring advice, real-life stories, and simple tips to help you feel more confident on the go.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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In this deeply honest community birth story, Deb talks with Nitzan Auz about the emotional complexity of welcoming her third baby during a season of uncertainty, stress, and shifting expectations. As she approached her due date, Nitzan found herself navigating not only the physical and emotional intensity of late pregnancy, but also the weight of global events unfolding in Israel that deeply impacted her mental state. Hoping for a different experience this time around, she instead faced an unexpected induction and a birth that unfolded far from her original vision.

The conversation also touches on postpartum recovery, identity, resilience, and Nitzan’s inspiring return to running, including completing the NYC Marathon when her daughter was less than four months old. Together, they explore the grief that can come when birth doesn’t go according to plan, and the slow, meaningful process of making peace with an experience that felt difficult to fully accept at first. This episode is a reminder that healing after birth is not always linear, and that acceptance can coexist with disappointment.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Vaginal exams are one of the most common procedures during pregnancy and labor, but are they always necessary? In this episode, Deb sits down with certified nurse midwife Kara French to unpack when and why vaginal exams may be offered, what information they actually provide, and how parents can make informed decisions about their care.

Together, they explore the role of vaginal exams both before and during labor, including why some providers routinely suggest them at the end of pregnancy and when they may truly impact medical decision-making. Kara also shares her philosophy around consent, labor progression, and helping families understand that cervical dilation is only one small piece of the birth picture.

This thoughtful conversation offers expectant parents practical information, empowering questions to ask their care providers, and reassurance that they always have options when it comes to their bodies and birth experiences.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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What does excellent doula support actually look like- from pregnancy through postpartum? In this candid and practical conversation, Deb sits down with birth doula Taylor Lee Bello to explore what families should know when choosing a doula, what healthy communication and expectations look like during labor, and the often-overlooked support needed in the immediate postpartum period.

Together, they unpack everything from interviewing doulas and identifying red flags to understanding why in-person prenatal visits, labor assessment skills, and postpartum follow-through matter so deeply. They also tackle important conversations around cesarean birth support, biomechanics of labor, and how doulas can provide grounded, responsive care that truly meets families where they are.

Whether you're expecting a baby, considering hiring a doula, or are a doula yourself, this episode offers thoughtful insight into the values, skills, and support systems that can shape the birth experience.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Vaccines can feel like one of the most overwhelming topics for expectant and new parents—especially when information online is conflicting, emotional, and constantly changing. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, Deb sits down with Flor M. Muñoz to unpack what parents actually need to know about vaccination during pregnancy and infancy.

Together, they explore how maternal vaccines help protect newborns during those vulnerable first months of life, why infections like RSV, influenza, and pertussis can be especially dangerous for infants, and how vaccine recommendations are developed and monitored for safety. Dr. Muñoz also offers thoughtful guidance for families navigating fear, misinformation, and changing public conversations around pediatric vaccine guidance.

This conversation is warm, grounded, and deeply informative—designed to help parents feel empowered to ask questions, evaluate sources thoughtfully, and make decisions in partnership with trusted healthcare providers.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Welcoming twins into the world often comes with extra layers of planning, medical decision-making, and learning to adapt when things don’t go exactly as expected. In this community birth story, Deb talks with Isabel Low about her emotional two-year fertility journey, the surprise and excitement of learning she was pregnant with twins, and how carrying two babies reshaped her expectations for pregnancy and birth.

Isabel shares what it was like navigating the unique medical considerations of a twin pregnancy, learning to advocate for herself during prenatal appointments, and shifting her mindset from having a rigid birth plan to holding flexible birth preferences. She also walks us through her labor and delivery, including a stressful moment involving Baby B, and reflects on how her support team helped her stay grounded through the unexpected.

In the postpartum conversation, Isabel opens up about the realities of a longer hospital stay, the early challenges of breastfeeding twins, and what eventually helped things click. This episode is a thoughtful reminder that preparation isn’t always about controlling the outcome—it’s often about building trust in yourself, your team, and your ability to pivot.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Feeding your baby can feel like one of the most emotionally loaded parts of early parenthood—and for many families, the conversation around formula feeding is still wrapped in stigma and silence. In this episode, Deb speaks with Jayne Freeman, a childbirth educator, postpartum doula, and breastfeeding counselor who is passionate about expanding the narrative around infant feeding. Together, they explore how cultural expectations have shifted over time and how today’s “breast is best” messaging can sometimes leave parents feeling pressured, judged, or unsupported.

Jayne shares why she made the uncommon choice to openly support and educate families about formula feeding, and how this approach helps restore confidence and autonomy to new parents. The conversation dives into the evolution of infant formula, how to navigate the overwhelming number of options available today, and where parents can turn for balanced, nonjudgmental guidance.

At its core, this episode is about meeting families where they are—offering reassurance that feeding your baby in a way that supports your mental health, lifestyle, and well-being is not just acceptable, but worthy of normalization.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Potty training can feel surprisingly simple for some families—and incredibly challenging for others. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Heather Wittenberg, child psychologist and founder of BabyShrink, to unpack why that divide exists and what parents can do when things don’t go as planned. We explore how potty training is more than just a practical skill—it’s a complex developmental milestone that reflects a child’s temperament, emotional regulation, and readiness.

Dr. Wittenberg introduces her five “potty personalities,” helping parents understand why a one-size-fits-all approach often falls short. From power struggles to poop withholding, we dive into some of the most common (and misunderstood) challenges, along with practical ways to support your child with more confidence and less stress. We also discuss the truth about nighttime dryness and why it’s not something you can train—no matter how hard you try.

This conversation offers a refreshing, compassionate perspective that helps parents work with their child’s unique wiring, rather than against it.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Partners are often told to “be supportive” during pregnancy and birth- but what does that actually look like in practice? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, we explore how partners can move beyond simply being present to becoming truly engaged, attuned, and collaborative throughout the journey.

Joined by doula and perinatal bodyworker Yiska Obadia, we unpack some of the most common misunderstandings partners have about their role, and why preparation as a team can make all the difference. Yiska shares how communication, self-awareness, and shared learning can help couples navigate labor with more connection and confidence-while also honoring that support looks different for every birthing person.

This conversation offers a thoughtful, compassionate look at how partners can show up in ways that feel grounding rather than overwhelming, and how couples can have the important (and often overlooked) conversations before labor begins.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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Preterm birth is something many parents worry about- but how much do we really understand about why it happens and how to prevent it? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Laura Jelliffe-Pawlowski, a leading researcher in maternal and infant health, to explore how our understanding of preterm birth has evolved- and where the science is headed.

We discuss what current research tells us about risk, screening, and prevention, including the evolving conversation around progesterone and what it means for patients today. Dr. Jelliffe-Pawlowski also shares insights into emerging tools and biomarkers that may help identify risk earlier, as well as the broader environmental, social, and systemic factors that play a significant role in outcomes.

This conversation offers both clarity and compassion- helping parents understand what is within their control, what isn’t, and where the future of care is moving.

To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center

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