Podcasts about erie

This week Professor Adam is bringing out a true crime hall of fame story. The death of Brian Wells/the Pizza Bomber/the Collar Bomber, is one of the most puzzling crimes ever committed. It has everything a true crime story could ever want. A serial killer, a bank robbery, a scavenger hunt, a creepy love story, a conspiracy, and a healthy dose of mental illness. Brian Wells delivered a pizza to a TV tower building on Peach Street in Erie, PA. The next time Brian was seen he was wearing a bulky collar entering the local PNC Bank. He would rob that bank and try to evade police as he followed a scavenger hunt given to him. The hunt was suppose to give him all of the pieces to safely take the explosive collar off of his neck. What he didn't know was the freaks who placed the collar on him never intended on him completing his task. Wells was intercepted by police and ultimately expired under their watch. The hunt for the conspirators would take longer than anyone expected. The cast of creatures who concocted this evil plan would end up turning on each other, but not without a few surprises for the police. Join us as we get Historically High on the Pizza Bomber Brian Wells. Support the show

Paul Martz is an award-winning science fiction author, technology blogger, and former punk rock drummer. At age six, he saw 2001: A Space Odyssey on the big screen, which lead him to a collection of Arthur C. Clarke's short stories and a lifelong insatiable appetite for mind-bending science fiction. His short stories can be found at Amazing Stories, Uncharted Magazine, Creepy Podcast, and many others.  Paul is totally blind, but losing his eyesight hasn't slowed him down. He co-edited last year's RMFW anthology, Without Brakes, Fingers Crossed. And he competes in Rubik's Cube speedsolving competitions. His new non-fiction book, Solve It! The Only Speedsolving Guide for Blind Cubers, has just been released.  Paul lives in Erie, Colorado, where he sips lattes while the snow sublimates. Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216  

Erie weather veteran Tom DiVecchio joins us for a profile and memories of great Erie winters.

Good morning and happy Friday! Here's a look at our top local stories for Friday, May 16. Find the complete articles and much more in today's print edition and online here at https://www.iolaregister.com/.

The CEO of Erie Events Gus Pine joins us

On this week's episode Alex Kuhn chats with Chuck Griffin about Lincoln Park May Fest & Dr Erie S. Crawford about her new book: "The Other Side of Midnight."

Washington insider and Erie native Steve Scully joins us to talk about the DC climate

Dave Niland is our guest for this episode. He is the head men's basketball coach at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Penn State Behrend in Erie, PA. He just completed his 30th season guiding the Behrend Lions program. He comes from a family of legendary Buffalo (NY) sports leaders. Niland has produced 29 winning seasons in the last 30 years to rank 20th among NCAA Division III programs for winningest teams of the decade. The Lions also have earned an NCAA or Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) postseason bid in 26 of the past 28 years. Niland is the all-time leader in men's basketball coaching victories with 580 entering the 2025-2026 season. The Lions have advanced to the NCAA Tournament eight times and has made 17 appearances in the ECAC South Region Tournament, winning the title in 1998-99 and 2009-10. Niland has been named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Coach of the Year seven times- a league and college record. His teams have won seven regular-season league titles and six conference tournament championships. In 2008-09, the men's basketball team forged a record of 18-10 and earned its third ECAC Tournament bid. The previous year, Niland led the Behrend Lions to an impressive 24-5 record, as the team captured the regular-season AMCC championship and the conference tournament before eventually falling in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Rochester, New York. That squad's defensive prowess was recognized for the second time in four seasons, as Behrend led NCAA Division III in scoring defense, limiting the opposition to a measly 54.6 points per game.  During the 2006-07 season, Niland's team posted an impressive 21-8 mark and advanced to the ECAC Southern Region Tournament Championship Game. The year before, Niland's program received the Schoenfeld Award, the highest honor the Collegiate Basketball Officials Association (COBA) bestows each year. This coveted award is presented to the team identified as having "the highest degree of sportsmanship, character, and ethics among their players, coaches and spectators."His 2003-04 team led all of NCAA Division III in scoring defense and posted a 22-3 record entering the NCAA Division III Tournament. The 1999-2000 team had the best season in school history, setting the school record for wins with 26 while advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight- the first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance for men's basketball. Also, in 1998-99, his squad earned the ECAC Southern Region Championship. Niland came to Behrend after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Canisius College and one season at Elmira College. He was a four-year letterman and captain during his senior year as a basketball standout at LeMoyne College. He earned his master's degree in physical education from Canisius and is now also a lecturer in health and physical education at Penn State Behrend. Dave and his wife, Debra, who has over three decades of service at Erie Homes for Children and Adults empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities through volunteerism and exploration, are the proud parents of Andy, Sara, and Matt.

On Thursday, we met Kara Murphy from Erie's Macaroni Kid.It was our Mothers Day special on The Joel Natalie Show.

Veteran realtor Marsha Marsh of Marsha Marsh Real Estate joined us Wednesday for a frank discussion of the current Erie housing market, the constrained supply, and the impact of interest rates.

It was another Big Check Event with Brian Slawin of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners on Monday. Rebecca Styn from Blind Tiger Spirit Free Cocktails, and Aaron Lewis of Sphere Brake Defense shared their journeys and what's currently happening in their Erie-based businesses.

Join host Tom Pysz as We Question & Learn welcomes Melissa "Roo" Kojancie, President and CEO of the Erie Zoo, for an engaging conversation about leadership, community engagement, and the future of one of Erie's most beloved institutions. Then, we speak with Gregory Hall, CEO of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania, about addressing food insecurity and the vital role the Food Bank plays in the region.

On Thursday, we discussed one of Erie's favorite family destinations: The Erie Zoo. We sat down with President and CEO, Melissa “Roo” Kojancie, and Erie Zoological Society Board Chair, Jeff Beach to learn about their Centennial celebration and efforts to grow the Zoo.

One Senior Care, based in Erie, PA, serves seniors in Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky and soon-to-be northeastern Ohio. Because its population base is rural, one of the unique services One Senior Care provides is driving to seniors' homes and transporting them to PACE services, Chief Operating Officer Craig Worland said. One Senior Care's promise is to do what it can to let seniors stay in their homes and communities. PACE is a bipartisan issue, Worland believes. Republicans and Democrats as well as bureaucrats have a favorable view of PACE. With the restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services, oversight of PACE likely will move to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Worland is not so concerned about where PACE is housed, but he wants the government to be aware that PACE is “not an experiment.” Barriers — particularly enrollment ones — need to be removed to grow the program, he said. PACE organizations, as opposed to states, should control eligibility to cut down on red tape and facilitate easier enrollment into the program, he said. He'd like to see every state offer PACE in coming years.Follow us on social media:X: @McKHomeCareFacebook: McKnight's Home CareLinkedIn: McKnight's Home CareInstagram: mcknights_homecareFollow One Senior Care on social media:LinkedIn: One Senior CareShow contributors:McKnight's Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Craig Worland, Chief Operating Officer, One Senior Care 

Welcome to Monsters on the Edge, a show exploring creatures at the edge of our reality in forests, cities, skies, and waters. We examine these creatures and talk to the researchers studying them.Joining us on this week's show:Shetan Noir is the current owner of Squatch GQ magazine llc and also a Michigan based Author and paranormal travel Journalist. She also teaches courses on the paranormal history of the great lakes and cryptozoology of North America at Owens community college and Kellogg community College. Shetan also teaches classes for University Magikus that is co-owned by Patti Negri.Shetan has written several books on cryptozoology and is working on more upcoming book projects. Her current book is The Hounds tooth cookbook, Bone Arfp'etit! The marvelous misadventures of teagun gray (Teagun gray meets bigfoot) Shetan has also written Flying creatures of the Midwest, Beyond mothman! In 2018, she wrote Lake monsters and odd creatures of the great lakes.She is the active managing head writer and owner of *Squatch GQ magazine, *Cryptozoology Digest magazine, *Into the Liminal Abyss paranormal magazine (Paranormal, ufology, high strangeness), *Dinosauria and prehistoric creatures magazine, *Rockhound and prospector magazine. Shetan has been a contributing writer in the past to Supernatural magazine. She specializes in paranormal travel destinations and legend trip investigations.Shetan Noir is also a cryptozoology researcher and has spent 25 years researching the Paranormal and Cryptozoology fields. Her fascination began with lake monsters at an early age when she first learned about the Loch Ness monster, then hearing reports of lake monsters in her own state of Michigan. Her research has since grown to include Michigan's own Dogman and Nain Rouge, Bigfoot and ghost hunting. Shetan Noir is currently the lead investigator for the Michigan chapter of the North American Dogman Project, and also runs the paranormal investigation team of Michigan center for unexplained events and phenomenon.She is available to do book signings for her three current books,(1) Lake monsters and odd of the great lakes.(2) Flying cryptids of the midwest, beyond mothman!(3) The marvelous misadventures of Teagun Gray, Teagun vs. BIGFOOT.Shetan noir has been on many expeditions for cryptozoology in Michigan, Pennsylvania Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, New York, Tennessee, North Carolina, Shetan has also done paranormal investigations at Randolph county insane asylum, Detroits 6th precinct, Graestone Manor, Historic Hoover house, Gettysburg, Historic Scott county jail.Sasquatch GQ Magazinehttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Squatch-GQ-magazine-LLC/author/B0BNWHN44J?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=60cf4b1e-fed6-4f98-b7f2-2a0845803b08Shetan on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Shetan-Noir/author/B00BBO6VJI?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1742744241&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=348559f7-778f-4c73-af10-2c3d2332e6d3Click that play button, and let's unravel the mysteries of the UNTOLD! Remember to like, share, and subscribe to our channel to stay updated on all the latest discoveries and adventures. See you there!Join Barnaby Jones each Monday on the Untold Radio Network Live at 12pm Central – 10am Pacific and 1pm Eastern. Come and Join the live discussion next week. Please subscribe.We have ten different Professional Podcasts on all the things you like. New favorite shows drop each day only on the UNTOLD RADIO NETWORKTo find out more about Barnaby Jones and his team, (Cryptids, Anomalies, and the Paranormal Society) visit their website www.WisconsinCAPS.comMake sure you share and Subscribe to the CAPS YouTube Channel as wellhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs7ifB9Ur7x2C3VqTzVmjNQ

On this episode of the podcast we talked to Jason "Iggy" Imig of Erie, PA's Abnegation. We went over a host of topics with Iggy including getting into hardcore, Abnegation, The Infamous Chokehold show . We also talked some hip hop and whole lot more. Check it out!

On this episode of the podcast we talked to Jason "Iggy" Imig of Erie, PA's Abnegation. We went over a host of topics with Iggy including getting into hardcore, Abnegation, The Infamous Chokehold show . We also talked some hip hop and whole lot more. Check it out!

The guys recap the Tigers series win over the Royals, Toledo's road trip to Indy as the Mud Hens lose another bat, Erie and Akron's rivalry in full effect, West Michigan comes back twice and Lakeland gets strong pitching against the Blue Jays as a new bat emerges. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TigersMinorLeagueReport   Join the Patreon-https://www.patreon.com/TigersMinorLeagueReport Twitter: Tigers Minor League Report Show Email: tigersmlreport@gmail.com  Paypal Donate: TMLR Donate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DetroitTigersMinorLeagueReport/   

Jake is the Vice President of Economic Development at the Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership and has been working in the economic development sector for over 30 years. On this episode, he shares his experiences and knowledge with us, specifically addressing the current state of the Erie economy, what he has seen over the last few decades in regards to growth and challenges Erie has faced, as well as providing us with a 10 year projection for what he believes the future holds for Erie. This episode is both informative and entertaining to listen to as we get to hear from Jake's perspective on the economic development of Erie!

It's time to take stock of where things sit for the London Knights two rounds into the 2025 OHL playoffs. London will meet either Kitchener or Windsor in the Western Conference Championship and Mike Stubbs and Kyle Grimard sit down with the radio voice of the Spitfires, Steve Bell to talk about the seris between Windsor and the Rangers which will need a Game 7. Kyle and Mike recap Game 4 of London vs Erie and the odd overtime and Rene Van Bommel goes back to his roots with a message for a whole lot of young and hopeful hockey players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You don't always get to celebrate an overtime series winning goal twice but the London Knights did that in Erie on Apr. 17. Here is the entire overtime period and reaction from Denver Barkey, Easton Cowan, Austin Elliott and Sam Dickinson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the second round of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs, Brandon Caputo and Colin Ward from the OHL in 60 Podcast record our game recap LIVE from Erie Insurance Arena for a Thursday Night matchup between Western Conference rivals (1) London Knights and (5) Erie Otters in Game 4 of their seven-game series, with London remaining undefeated in the playoffs, advancing to the third round with an 8-0 record, albeit after an entertaining overtime thriller against Erie in the final game. Postgame comments from Erie Otters head coach Kris Mallette on his short time in Erie and looking forward for what's to come with the organization next season, as well as London Knights defenceman Sam Dickinson and San Jose Sharks prospect of the year on his strong play in the series, logging big-time minutes in all situations to help London succeed and move on to the Western Conference Final for a third straight season.Armchair Merchandise Site: https://the-armchair-gms-sports-ne-shop.fourthwall.com/en-cad/Use our code to save $15 off your first order: https://hockeystickmancanada.myshopify.com/?sref_id=wxgk4kp&utm_campaign=referral_program&utm_source=loyalty== FOLLOW THE NETWORK ==X: https://x.com/ArmchairGMPodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCJUaG5QNg1jwQ5a_32rZs1QFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmchairGMsNetwork/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armchairgmsnetwork/Website: https://www.armchairgmsports.com/== ALSO AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO ON ==Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/thearmchairgms​Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-armchair-gms-sports-network/id1462505333Spotify: http://bit.ly/ArmchairGM​Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/f69c2372-97f9-4c0e-8d52-ade7d7591cd4/the-armchair-gm's-sports-network== FOLLOW THE HOST ON TWITTER ==Brandon: https://twitter.com/BCaputo_AGMColin: https://x.com/colinward_O

As the London Knights get set to face the Erie Otters with a chance to close out their second round series Kyle Grimard, Mike Stubbs and Jim Van Horne break down what happed in Game 3 and what it will take to win Game 4. Hear from Kasper Halttunen, Sam O'Reilly, Austin Elliott and Rick Steadman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Shaw is taking his leg kick on the road to Iowa, the great Vidal Brujan has returned, the Cubs are going to have to find a way without Justin Steele for a while and half the lineup is struggling. And yet, the Cubs are in first place. Oleg and Praz are on hand to talk about all of it. What's the future hold for Tater Workman, is it in Chicago or Detroit or Erie, Pennslvania and do we have to watch it? Do the Cubs have enough to swing a trade for a big pitcher, and do they have to re-sign Kyle Tucker first? Plus, why Shaw shouldn't let Nate Pearson drive. All that, and more.

For the second round of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs, Brandon Caputo and Joel Vanderlaan record our game recap LIVE from Erie Insurance Arena for a Tuesday Night matchup between Western Conference rivals (1) London Knights and (5) Erie Otters in Game 3 of their seven-game series, with London looking to take a 3-0 series lead now as the road team.Postgame comments from Erie Otters head coach Kris Mallette on his team now down 3-0 in the series and Edmonton Oilers 2024 1st round prospect Sam O'Reilly on his strong two-way game in tonight's contest. Armchair Merchandise Site: https://the-armchair-gms-sports-ne-shop.fourthwall.com/en-cad/Use our code to save $15 off your first order: https://hockeystickmancanada.myshopify.com/?sref_id=wxgk4kp&utm_campaign=referral_program&utm_source=loyalty== FOLLOW THE NETWORK ==X: https://x.com/ArmchairGMPodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCJUaG5QNg1jwQ5a_32rZs1QFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmchairGMsNetwork/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armchairgmsnetwork/Website: https://www.armchairgmsports.com/== ALSO AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO ON ==Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/thearmchairgms​Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-armchair-gms-sports-network/id1462505333Spotify: http://bit.ly/ArmchairGM​Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/f69c2372-97f9-4c0e-8d52-ade7d7591cd4/the-armchair-gm's-sports-network== FOLLOW THE HOST ON TWITTER ==Brandon: https://twitter.com/BCaputo_AGMJoel: https://x.com/jovanderlaan

The guys recap the Tigers series win over the Twins, Erie, West Michigan hit the road, Toledo's offense continues to struggle and Lakeland's opening week at home. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TigersMinorLeagueReport   Join the Patreon-https://www.patreon.com/TigersMinorLeagueReport Twitter: Tigers Minor League Report Show Email: tigersmlreport@gmail.com  Paypal Donate: TMLR Donate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DetroitTigersMinorLeagueReport/ 

Matty Grace is this weeks guest to talk all about her debut solo album Cheap Shame (out now on Dirt Cult Records) and more!MATTY GRACEhttps://mattygrace.bandcamp.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mattydisgracehttps://linktr.ee/mattydisgracePCHInstagram - www.instagram.com/powerchordhourTwitter - www.twitter.com/powerchordhourFacebook - www.facebook.com/powerchordhourYoutube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC6jTfzjB3-mzmWM-51c8LggSpotify Episode Playlists - https://open.spotify.com/user/kzavhk5ghelpnthfby9o41gnr?si=4WvOdgAmSsKoswf_HTh_MgDonate to help show costs -https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/pchanthonyhttps://cash.app/$anthmerchpowerchordhour@gmail.comCheck out the Power Chord Hour radio show every Friday night at 8 to 11 est/Tuesday Midnight to 3 est on 107.9 WRFA in Jamestown, NY. Stream the station online at wrfalp.com/streaming/ or listen on the WRFA app.Special Thanks to my buddy Jay Vics for the behind the scenes help on this episode!https://www.meettheexpertspodcast.comhttps://www.jvimobile.com

Mike "C-Roc" welcomes transformational coach and founder of "Your Happiest Life," Stacy Musgrave. She opens up about her journey from a shy, anxious girl growing up in Erie, Pennsylvania, to becoming a confident coach and mentor for women seeking lasting joy and personal empowerment. She shares how anxiety, perfectionism, and scarcity shaped her early life, especially as the first in her family to attend college, and how she struggled to find her place in a world that often felt overwhelming.Despite changing majors and feeling the weight of societal and personal expectations, Stacy ultimately pursued a career in education—only to later realize it wasn't where she truly felt fulfilled. A turning point came when she became a mother and faced the difficult decision to leave her teaching career behind. With the support of her husband, Stacy began to reimagine what happiness could look like for herself and her family. Now, through her coaching and membership program, she empowers other women to stop waiting for permission and start living the life they desire.This episode is an honest and uplifting reminder that we all have access to joy, purpose, and the freedom to change our path—no matter where we started.Website-www.stacymusgrave.com Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/stacymusgrave/

The London Knights have a 2-0 series lead in their 2nd round series against the Erie Otters as the matchup shifts to Erie, Pa. Kyle Grimard and Mike Stubbs discuss the details of Game 1 and Game 2, the anthems, Noah Erliden leaving early and Dylan Hunter's eye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the second round of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs, Brandon Caputo and co-host Colin Ward from the OHL in 60 Podcast record our game recap LIVE from Canada Life Place for a Saturday Night matchup between Western Conference rivals (1) London Knights and (5) Erie Otters in Game 2 of their seven-game series, as London wins 7-2 on home ice in front of over 9000 at Canada Life Place. Postgame comments from Erie Otters head coach Kris Mallette on his team needing to focus on playing their game going back home down 2-0 in the series as well as London Knights forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan on his 3-point effort and continuing to take it game by game and practice by practice as they shift to being a road team in the series. Armchair Merchandise Site: https://the-armchair-gms-sports-ne-shop.fourthwall.com/en-cad/Use our code to save $15 off your first order: https://hockeystickmancanada.myshopify.com/?sref_id=wxgk4kp&utm_campaign=referral_program&utm_source=loyalty== FOLLOW THE NETWORK ==X: https://x.com/ArmchairGMPodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCJUaG5QNg1jwQ5a_32rZs1QFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmchairGMsNetwork/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armchairgmsnetwork/Website: https://www.armchairgmsports.com/== ALSO AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO ON ==Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/thearmchairgms​Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-armchair-gms-sports-network/id1462505333Spotify: http://bit.ly/ArmchairGM​Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/f69c2372-97f9-4c0e-8d52-ade7d7591cd4/the-armchair-gm's-sports-network== FOLLOW THE HOST ON TWITTER ==Brandon: https://twitter.com/BCaputo_AGMColin: https://x.com/Colinward_O

Sign up for our newsletter! The site of a recently retired coal plant in Indiana County is getting a new life as a data center. Plans have been scrapped for a controversial plastic recycling plant in Erie. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to boost coal production, but it may not do much to reverse the industry's fortunes. A new book highlights the natural beauty of the Youghiogheny River. Nearly 2,000 top scientists, engineers and medical researchers signed a letter saying that the Trump administration is decimating the nation's scientific enterprise. Federal funding for the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub could be on the chopping block according to reporting by Politico. A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a rule to limit silica dust exposure for coal miners. Federal energy labs in Southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia could become the sites for data centers to support artificial intelligence. The EPA announced it will finalize water quality standards to protect fish in a portion of the Delaware River.  We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed.  Donate today.  Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203.  And thanks! 

The guys recap the Tigers sweep of the Chicago White Sox, the strong pitching in Erie, Kevin McGonigle's injury and what does that mean for the Tigers and Jace Jung continues to swing a hot stick in his home state of Texas. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TigersMinorLeagueReport   Join the Patreon-https://www.patreon.com/TigersMinorLeagueReport Twitter: Tigers Minor League Report Show Email: tigersmlreport@gmail.com  Paypal Donate: TMLR Donate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DetroitTigersMinorLeagueReport/   

In this episode of The Compendium, I tell Adam the horrifying yet intriguing case of the Pizza Bomber Heist. On August 28, 2003, Brian Wells, a pizza delivery driver in Erie, Pennsylvania, was coerced into robbing a PNC Bank with a bomb locked around his neck as part of a horifying life or death scavenger hunt. This shocking event led investigators into a labyrinth of conspiracies involving Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Bill Rothstein. The case, often likened to a real-life "Saw" movie, remains one of the most intricate in FBI history.​ We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources: Death of Brian Wells - Wikipedia​​ Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018) - Directed by Barbara Schroeder Pizza Bomber: The Untold Story of America's Most Shocking Bank Robbery - by Jerry Clark  and Ed Palattella​ The Story Of Brian Wells And The ‘Pizza Bomber' Bank Robbery - allthatsinteresting​ Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they're your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people. Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin Community & Calls to Action ⭐ Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts

From All Bones Considered: Laurel Hill Stories #073, part 1   The United States tried very hard to not have a Navy. It wasn't until the early 19th century that congress realized the need for a fighting force on the water. Capture of American merchant ships by the Barbary pirates and corsairs with letters of marque forced congress to release funds to fortify the Navy. Eventually the United States Navy was second only to the Royal Navy of England.  Commodore Isaac Hull was captain of the USS Constitution when it defeated RMS Guerriere in the War of 1812. Commodore David Conner worked with Army General Winfield Scott to arrange the massive successful amphibious landing at Veracruz during the Mexican American War, which led directly to the taking of Mexico City a few months later. Rear Admiral Sylvanus William Godon spent his life in the Navy and while a member of the African Squadron captured the slave ship Erie which led to the hanging of its skipper Nathaniel Gordon, the only man executed by the government for being in the slave trade. Admiral George Melville was another Navy lifer. After he led a group back to civilization in the aftermath of the wreck of the SS Jeanette, he stayed in long enough to reach the rank of admiral. All four of these men are buried at Laurel Hill East. 

Isaac Hull led USS Constitution to victory against HMS Guerriere in the early days of the War of 1812. Fellow tour guide Russ Dodge wrote this script but declined the opportunity to narrate it. David Conner worked with Winfield Scott to arrange the largest amphibious assault of the 19th century at Vera Cruz during the Mexican American War. While serving in the African Squadron, Sylvanus Godon captured the slave ship Erie, which led to the return of nearly 900 Africans to their home continent, and the hanging of “Lucky Nat” Gordon, the only man to be executed by the Government for buying and selling human beings. George W. Melville was a genius engineer and Arctic explorer who was among the survivors of the doomed USS Jeannette Polar mission in 1879-1881. Four men who spent their lives on the ocean and had startling tales to tell of their adventures in this month's episode of All Bones Considered: Laurel Hill Stories #073 for April 2025 – Four Naval Heroes: Isaac Hull, David Conner, Sylvanus Godon, and George Melville.

It's the most wonderful time of the OHL year -- the playoffs! Farwell and Dan break down the early returns with an emphasis on Erie. Or is that Saginaw? Either way, that series is surprising. Plus, the Petes will pick first in the draft for the first time in franchise history, which will only add to an already deep roster of first rounders from the past two drafts. But the guys have some ideas for improvement when it comes to the OHL draft, including taking a lead from the WHL. And with the playoffs underway and the games meaning more than ever, it's time to put officiating under the microscope. Share your thoughts anytime at ohlpodcast@rogers.com. The OHL Podcast is supported by Draft Kings Sportsbook.

Ep 356: @senatorlaughlin is back/Art's shirt/Dave on his @SaintFrancisPA dropping D1 status/Lancaster special election/Legalizing pot/Erie vs NJ beaches/Trump @signalapp controversy/Dem polling/What We're Watching

Dylan, David, and Sarah talk to the coaches out there with this episode. They share their opinion that you are not responsible for creating miracles with your clients. Focus on the process, get people moving in a solid direction, and let the results and outcomes take care of themselves.Mentions:Music by Matthew MayRecs:Dylan: Check out Lavery Brewing Company if you're in Erie, PADavid: Watch the Docuseries “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night”Sarah: Listen to “Acquired” Podcast

I love learning from fellow writers about their inspiration, style, brilliant insights, and so much more. Author and professor, Chuck Rosenthal joins me to discuss: writing about his personal trauma history in a memoir his insights on learning from what's around you and what you read his wisdom on telling your story and discovering your characters the importance of keeping your mind alive and so much more! Welcome to The Healing Place Podcast! I am your host, Teri Wellbrock. You can listen in on Pandora, iTunes, Blubrry, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Deezer, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and more, or directly on my website at www.teriwellbrock.com/podcasts/. You can also catch our insightful interview on YouTube. Bio: Chuck Rosenthal Chuck Rosenthal was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. He attended Allegheny College, Bowling Green State University, SUNY Buffalo, and the University of California, Davis, where he earned several advanced degrees in English, Sociological Theory and philosophy. He earned a Ph.D. in English and American literature with emphasis in creative writing and narrative theory from the University of Utah. Rosenthal is the author of fourteen novels: the Loop Trilogy: Loop's Progress, Experiments with Life and Deaf, and Loop's End; Elena of the Stars; Avatar Angel, the Last Novel of Jack Kerouac; My Mistress Humanity; The Heart of Mars; Coyote O'Donohughe's History of Texas; Ten Thousand Heavens; The Legend of La Diosa; You Can Fly, a Sequel to the Peter Pan Tales; The Hammer the Sickle and the Heart, Trotsky and Kahlo in Mexico; and Let's Face the Music and Dance a hybrid novel. He has published a memoir, Never Let Me Go, and a travel book, Are We Not There Yet? Travels in Nepal, North India, and Bhutan (Magic Journalism), as well as a second book of Magic Journalism, West of Eden: A Life in 21st Century Los Angeles. Rosenthal published two books of experimental poetry, Tomorrow you'll Be One of Us (sci-fi poems with Gil Wronsky and Gronk, illustrator) and The Shortest Farewells Are the Best (noir poems, also with Gail Wronsky). They also wrote and directed the sci-fi play, People of Earth, This Is Your Last Warning, performed at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles. Rosenthal has written a book of animal philosophy, How the Animals Around You Think, the Semiotics of Animal Cognition. He's published in numerous journals, and read and lectured at universities and on television and radio throughout the U.S. as well as in Mexico, Argentina, India and England. ​Website: https://chuckrosenthal.com/   Teri's #1 book as a new-release in the Aging Parents category: https://a.co/d/5m1j2Kr Teri's audiobooks: https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Teri+Wellbrock&ref=a_pd_The-Be_c1_narrator_1&pf_rd_p=df6bf89c-ab0c-4323-993a-2a046c7399f9&pf_rd_r=B7A6GV5QNZFF621RXWP4&pageLoadId=lXhpwTs0D4YwhCM8&creativeId=16015ba4-2e2d-4ae3-93c5-e937781a25cd Teri's monthly newsletter: https://us18.campaign-archive.com/?u=8265f971343b0f411b871aba1&id=1352bd63df Teri's book launch team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unicornshadows   AMAZON AFFILIATE Teri Wellbrock and Unicorn Shadows are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In other words, I make commission off of purchases made using any affiliate links on my site.

About the Lecture: This lecture is part of the Student Speaker Series Through engagements like the Digital Silk Road and various state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has succeeded in creating an immense global network for data collection and stores of the world's data. This capability is unnerving, but a more serious threat emerges coupled with CCP's intentions to dominate on the world stage. Direct risk to the US varies depending on how the CCP will learn to process and use this data—whether for economic or coercive advantage. We can assume they would seek both, but the US knows little about what or how much data has been collected or the advancement of Chinese data learning technologies. Using the international financial system as inspiration, a model for monitoring, limiting, and reporting on global data collection and trading emerges that could provide the transparency needed to prevent China from conquering the datasphere. About the Speaker: Laren Reesman came to IWP with a B.A. in Intelligence Studies and double minors in French and Anti-Money Laundering from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. She has always been interested in public service, foreign affairs, and policy. Laren completed her Master of Arts in Statecraft and National Security specializing in Defense at IWP summer of 2024. She has focused on China as a US adversary and hopes to help strengthen the US against Chinese threats. Laren honed her research skills through her time at IWP and is excited to share a relevant and emerging topic with her peers. Registration is available at the door if seating permits. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academic-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3

Welcome to episode 765 of The Pennsylvania Rock Show, where we shine a spotlight on the best in rock and metal! In this episode, host Bill Domiano sits down with the talented band Storms Within from Erie, PA. Known for their hooky metal riffs and melodic, hard-hitting vocals, Storms Within delivers a powerful sound that leaves a lasting impact. The post Storms Within – Delusional Confidence PARS765 first appeared on Build the Scene.

As Lieutenant Dave Messmore continues his search for Noreen, a series of clues leads him to a mysterious house in Erie, Pennsylvania. Binge all episodes of Finding Mom's Killer, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe' or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access.  The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Finding Mom's Killer is part of The Binge - subscribe to listen to all episodes, all at once, ad-free right now. From serial killer nurses to psychic scammers – The Binge is your home for true crime stories that pull you in and never let go. Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases wherever you get your podcasts to get new stories on the first of the month, every month. Hit ‘Subscribe' at the top of the Finding Mom's Killer show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment and Orbit Media production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This was a debut crossword by Jared Cappel, and it was a fine one. The theme was sharp, and surrounded by a bevy of equally keen non-themed clues: the result was, as previously noted, fine.A few clues that didn't make into the podcast, but worthy of shoutouts, include: 62A, Compliment on the green, NICEPUTT (fore!); 6D, "I.e.," spelled out, IDEST (Mike's favorite phrase!); and 44A, Perplex, BEMUSE (Jean's favorite answer).In addition to the crosswords, we have a terrific Triplet Tuesday segment, and a fascinating theory as to why Blenheim PALACE (62A) doesn't get more visitors.Show note imagery: Blenheim PALACE, in all its royal gloryWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

If you are looking for VBAC inspiration, Kelsey's episode is a MUST-LISTEN.Kelsey is a VBA2C mom and speech-language pathologist living in Erie, Pennsylvania. You will feel literal full-body chills as she tells her birth stories on the podcast today. As a first-time mom, Kelsey chose a Cesarean over physiological birth thinking it was the safer, easier route. But after experiencing the reality of two C-sections, she went from fearing vaginal birth to trusting in the labor process even more than her providers did. With her VBA2C, Kelsey got just about every type of pushback in the books. She was coerced, persuaded, questioned, and fear-mongered by multiple providers. Yet Kelsey was able to ground herself by listening to VBAC stories on The VBAC Link Podcast, seeking refuge in her doula and Webster-certified chiropractor, and connecting with other VBAC moms. Kelsey knew her body could do it. She just wanted a chance. Going up against a hospital practice that was saturated with skepticism, Kelsey's labor was beautifully textbook. Her labor progressed quickly, and her biggest baby yet came out in two pushes– “like butter” as described by her doula!VBAC-Certified Doula, Tara Van Dyke's WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, Women of Strength. We have another amazing story for you today. And actually, it's stories. We have a VBA2C mama coming your way. And as you know, this is a hot topic because lots of people want to know if vaginal birth after two Cesareans is possible. So Kelsey will be sharing her stories with us today. But guess what, you guys, I have a co-host today and it's Tara. Hello, Tara Van Dyke.Tara: Hello. Hello.Meagan: She is one of our VBAC link doulas. As you probably heard back in 2024, we are going to randomly be having co-hosts from our VBAC Link doulas. I think it's so awesome to have them on. I love hearing the topics and things that they want to suggest to talk to you guys about because again, just like we talked about years ago, we just in Salt Lake City, Utah, can't share enough. And so we want other doulas from all over the world to share as well. So Tara, tell us more about where you're from and then your topic on partners and being prepared.Tara: Yes. So thank you for having me here with you. This is so fun to hear a story live. I'm a doula working in the Chicagoland suburbs. I've been doing that for 20 years and now moving to more of childbirth education as well as like a lower caseload of doula work partly because I just welcomed my first grandchild this week, so I want to be available in a different way in my life. Meagan: Congrats. Very valid. Tara: So I do a lot of childbirth education. But along the way, what's always been really important to me and I feel really passionate about is the partner connection with the person giving birth and their preparation. The research supports it too, that a prepared partner makes a really big difference in outcomes too. I know we talk a lot about doulas and increasing the positive outcomes of birth, and that's been shown over and over in studies, but the actual dream team is a doula and a prepared partner.Meagan: Yeah. I love that.Kelsey: I tell the dads who come to my classes that the doula is important, but we are replaceable in this situation. The partner is so important because of that connection because they bring the oxytocin. They bring the safety. They have that history with you already. And what even bumps that up to being really helpful in the birth room is their preparation and their understanding of what to expect and being completely on board. So theres lots of ways for partners to get prepared, but they get left out a lot. So I feel really strongly that partners are so much better in the birth room when they're not feeling anxious about what's going on, when they know what to expect and they have a few good tools in their pocket for how to help.Meagan: Oh yes, I could not agree more. I always talk about, I make things up, and I call it the doula sandwich. So it's just what I call it in my practice of my doula work. One bun has all the oxytocin and all the knowledge of who you are, and then the other side is the doula who has the education in birth work and the ideas of how to help navigate through the birth space, but also can then support the partner in doing that and educating the partner. So then, we've got two really great sides and then we sandwich the doula. We have great buns. We have really great buns. And we sandwich that mom together and with love and support and education and oxytocin. Like you said, it really creates that dream team. I love that so much. My husband didn't educate himself. He was just, "Okay fine, if you want a VBAC, go do it. You do the research." I did HypnoBirthing with my cousin who luckily was pregnant around the same time, but we did that together, and he just really didn't know. When I told him, "Hey, I want to VBAC after two caesareans out of the hospital," he was like, "Yo, what?" because he was uneducated. I truly feel that it is so powerful. That's why I encourage partners to take the VBAC course with, the mom or an education course in childbirth. Really understand what the mom is going through, but also know how you can help because I do feel like a lot of those dads kind of get shoved aside. They want to help, but they don't know how to help, and they don't really know what's going on. Is that noise good or is that noise bad?Tara: Yes. Yeah. And they're going through the birth, too. This is the birth of their child. So they can also feel, as far as traumatized, hopefully not trauma, but they can feel a lot more dissatisfied or upset by a birth if they didn't know that what was happening was normal. So it's good for them, too, to learn how to take care of themselves as well as their partner.Meagan: Love it so, so much. Everybody, get your partners educated. It is so, so important. Thank you so much for that tip. Meagan: Okay, Ms. Kelsey, it is your turn, my love.Kelsey: Okay, so as you know, I had a VBAC after two C sections which I didn't even know was a thing. You played such a huge part in giving me education and the motivation to pursue this. My story starts in October 2018. My husband and I found out we were pregnant with our first. It was really special because it was actually our two-year wedding anniversary. It was that morning that we found out and we had a special trip plans to Niagara Falls, just up in Canada. It's a special place for us. It was where he proposed to me. It was just a really special time. It was also kind of crazy because up until that point, up until just prior to that, we had been together eight years, and we didn't think we were interested in having kids. I'm so grateful that our mindset had shifted, but it was just kind of a lot at once. We had agreed that we did want to start a family, but it happened really quickly, and it was just a lot to process. I didn't educate myself at all about birth. My husband and I took a class in the hospital, but it was pretty much just how do you take care of a baby. It wasn't how to bring a baby into the world.Meagan: Yeah, yeah. Sometimes those can be a little more what to expect after than really what to expect during.Kelsey: Exactly. And, I don't know what it was. I don't know if I just couldn't really picture myself giving birth just because we had just kind of come into this or if I just was not believing in my body, but I just felt the opposite of a lot of people on this podcast. They say, "I never thought I would have a C section. I never expected that for myself." For me, I just went into it thinking I'm intimidated by all of this. A C-section sounds easier and I cringe saying that now. But, I just thought not having to go through labor and not having to push a baby out, I just always had that in my head. That comes into play with how my first ended up. I was told throughout my pregnancy that my baby was big and specifically it was driven home, "The head is big. The shoulders are big." They were telling me about shoulder dystocia, and I didn't know anything. So I'm thinking, oh my gosh, not only am I already intimidated by the idea of birth. I know nothing about birth, but now you're telling me I have this big baby. My OB was really telling me maybe a C-section should be considered. And then she threw it out there. "Well, we could induce 39 weeks and see how things go." And again, I was just trusting her. She had been my gynecologist since I was a teenager. To me, I thought, okay, that makes sense. Baby's big. And again, I hadn't done any research on my own. So we did what I referred to as a half-hearted induction. I feel like it was just done to humor everyone. Like, "Oh, we tried." But I went in the night before at 39 weeks on the dot. Nothing was going on with my cervix. Surprise, surprise at 39 weeks. They did Cervadil and I just lay in the bed. My husband and I watched the fireworks out the window. It was the fourth of July. We were just completely not prepared for anything. Just going along with this and thinking, oh, we'll just have a C-section tomorrow if this doesn't happen. They came in the morning and nothing had happened. So they were like, "Oh, well, we could start Pitocin. We could do this." I just wasn't interested in any of that. I wasn't motivated to have a vaginal birth. I guess that's okay. That's just where my head was at the time. I've accepted that's just where I was at. So we had the C-section. It was a surgery. Just being there and as baby comes out, just hearing everybody in the OR talk about, "Oh, look at her cheeks and look at the hair." It was minutes before I'm ever able to get a quick flash of her around the curtain before they swoop her off. It was just a weird experience, but it was all I knew. I was grateful that it went okay, but it just makes recovery so hard, so painful. When I think back to it, just think about just crying while my husband's trying to do my abdominal binder, not being able to get in and out of bed, struggling to breastfeed, even getting in a position of breastfeed with that searing surgical pain. We struggled, and I ended up exclusively pumping. So it was tough as a first-time mom just dealing with all of that. But again, I didn't know any different. I think that was a blessing that I didn't know what I was potentially missing. For my second birth, we knew he wanted more than one child. You just never know how things are going to happen. We just weren't trying to not get pregnant, and it happened right away. The babies were 16 months apart, so when I showed up to my appointment, my OB, the same one who had said, "You have this big baby, and you should have a C-section or induce at 39 weeks." Oh, the ARRIVE study was hot off the press at that point too. So he was excited to show me the ARRIVE study back.Meagan: Oh, yeah, but you're not even a first-time. I mean, you were a first-time vaginal mom. So the ARRIVE trial, you know. You've been with us. Hashtag eyeball.Tara: Yeah, yeah, it changes. It's changed everything.Meagan: It really has. And I don't know if it really has changed for the better in my opinion.Kelsey: So sorry, that was for my first birth. I forgot to mention.Meagan: Oh, oh, oh, sorry. Yes, that would make sense. Yes.Kelsey: So with the second, it was the same OB, and she's like, "Okay, since your births are so close together, you'll just be a repeat C-section. You can make appointments with me, and I'll do your surgery. Easy peasy." I'm thinking, oh, okay. That makes sense because she's talking about uterine rupture, and they're so close together and I didn't research on my own. Is there another option? How risky really is this compared to a repeat C-section? I just trusted her so much. I had been with her for so long. I figured she must have my best interests at heart.Meagan: Yeah.Kelsey: I didn't even think to myself, my own mother had a VBAC with a 13-month age gap. I was a C-section, and my brother was a VBAC at 13 months 30 years ago. Meagan: Uh-huh.Kelsey: You only know what you know at the time. And so even though I didn't look into it in the ways that I should have, I did know that I wanted the experience to be a little different. So I found out about gentle C-section which I think is a funny term. Meagan: I was happy to see that you could request a clear drape, and you could request not to be tied down to the table. We did implement a few of those things. I had the clear drape. It was nice to see her coming out just for a quick flash before they swooped her away. It was nice not to be completely-- I had one arm free which is funny these things that we consider luxuries when you're having a C-section. So it was a little bit better in that way, but there were things that were also worse. They couldn't get the needle in, and they had a resident doing things. I was having trouble. I was starting to pass out during. They were having to adjust. It was stressful in its own way. I had some things that were a little better. But also, it's just's a C-section. Also, during, my OB made a comment as she has me completely open, all seven layers of me. She said, "Yeah, who was it the did your last C-section?",I told her and she made no comment. I said, "Why are you asking me this as you're inside my uterus?" She said, "There's just more scar tissue than I would have expected." She said, "Hey, you can have another baby if you want, but just wait more time in between. Just not so close together." So that was something that got in my head too. Anyway, we thought there was no way we would ever have a third. It was really hard having two under two recovering from another C-section. It was November 2020, so it was the first COVID winter. It was cold. It was dark. Everything was closed down. Everybody was in masks. It was so depressing. It's like, postpartum isn't hard enough. As if two under two isn't hard enough, then adding COVID.Meagan: Yeah, adding zero support and zero resources. Yeah.Kelsey: Nowhere to get out and do anything. It was a bummer. So anyway, it was a lot, and we thought, no way are we ever going to have three. It was just a hard season. So I donated everything. I put all my carriers and all my stuff out on the porch and said, "Come get it," to the local moms group. I just couldn't see myself having a third. Well, then the years pass, and things get easier. You come into an easier season. All of a sudden, we're not dealing with diapers and bottles. It's like, we could leave the house. Things are opening back up. My husband and I had talked about a third and toyed around with the thought of it, but it's just hard to pull the trigger once you've come into this easy season. The thought of hitting the reset button is intimidating. But all it really took was watching him take down my youngest's crib with her. And it was like, okay, this is something that we want to do. It was a funny conversation that night. I said, "If we were to get pregnant this cycle, we would have a June baby, and that would be really nice." So that's what happened. I was playing it with my third. That's when I realized. I mean, I had thought about it, obviously, but I realized, oh, my gosh, I have to have another C-section, a third C-section. Talk about being years away from it and thinking about how you're all healed. It's been a few years, and to think about them cutting open again and just knowing what that entails, I was just in a whole different headspace. I was thinking, how is there a way that I can avoid this?Before my first appointments, I did a quick Google search, "vaginal birth after two C-sections" just to see if this was something anybody had done or was doing or was even possible. I was so excited to see that people were doing this. It looked like it was actually potentially a good possibility. So I was thinking, I've got to be the right candidate. I didn't even need those first C-sections. I knew this now, reflecting back. Yeah, I had my first screening where they do your intake, and they were asking a bunch of questions. And I had said at the RN, I said, "Would I be able to maybe have a vaginal delivery after two C sections?" And she was like, "Oh, they consider it after one, but once you've had two, you're a C-section for life."Meagan: Oh, jeez.Kelsey: Something about her saying that and the way that she said it, I went from being a little bit curious and oh, this might be good, to no, this is something I'm going to pursue. It just didn't feel right. She didn't know my history. She didn't know why I have my C-sections. So to tell me, "Oh, no. You need to have a third major surgery for sure. No option." Tara: It was this moment when it brings a fight out in you. Like, I am gonna do this now.Kelsey: I'll never forget how I felt at that moment. So I started to have my appointments with the OBs, and I would bring it up. Everything was perfect. It was going really smoothly. So the appointments would be like two minutes, and then at the end they'd say, "Do you have any questions or concerns?" And I'd say, "Yeah, I wanted to see what my options are for delivery." They were like, "Well, we decided as a practice to support VBAC after one C-section, but we actually have a policy against VBAC after two C sections."Meagan: How did I know that was coming? The policy, I swear, every time it's like, "We decided as a practice or as a practice, we--". It's always like, they created this stupid policy that actually is against evidence based care. But okay.Kelsey: I'm thinking to myself, so then what do you do? Anyway, I was just mind blown by that. I went to a couple of more appointments there. You'd go every month and they'd say, "Any questions?" I'd say, "Yes. I'm just really not feeling good about the idea of a third C-section." I said, "The risks of a third Cesarean intimidate me much more than doing a trial of labor." I've never given my body a chance. It's not like I've been through this before and things went wrong. I've never been given a fair chance. They were very nice, but they just look at me and smile and nod and say, "Well, it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay," and not even entertain the idea for a second. So I'm thinking to myself, okay. I've gotta figure something out. So at that point, when I had talked to a couple of providers, and they were all very consistent about, "Nope. Nope, not even going to entertain it," I knew something had to change. I'm reaching out. I'm searching in the local moms group about C-sections. Has anybody had a VBAC after two? It was crickets. Nobody was responding. I was looking back years trying to find anybody who had done this, in the area. Wat I was finding is, "No, it's not going to happen in Erie. You need to go to Pittsburgh or try a home birth." And I'm just really not comfortable with the home birth even though I know that's a perfect option for plenty of people.Meagan: It didn't feel right for you.Kelsey: Yeah. It just wasn't what I was feeling like I wanted to do. So I reached out, and I had not known anything about doulas until your podcast. I hardly even knew what they did before listening. I just searched "doulas in Erie." I called the first one I saw. I left a message that was probably pretty unhinged just like, "Help! What do I do? Is this something I can do?" She called back, and it was the first time that I had any validation at all. Up until then, it was just people telling me no, people telling me policies and not safe. It was the first time that I was heard. I was heard. She said, "There's really no reason why you can't have a chance. We'll figure this out." I kept doing my research. I dug really deep, and I found a few people who had referred to providers being supportive. I was reaching out. I was sending people DMs saying, "Hey, sorry to be huge creep, but can you tell me more about your experience?: I found out that at the other practice there were providers who would consider this. So it wasn't looking super promising, but it was better than where I was at. So I kind of took a chance. I switched practices at 28 weeks. Prior to that, I had an amazing appointment at 24 weeks. I had one last appointment at that office with the policy. He was amazing. If you could have just copied and pasted him, he was just like a midwife. I mean, he was very upset about the policy. He said, "How do you even enforce that?" He said, "What are we going to do? What are we going to do, strap you down and take you to the OR?" I wish that he had a podcast episode because he took so much time. He explained to me  the history of C-sections and how, in his words, the pendulum has swung so far from only doing C-sections when they were needed to they're safe now. Let's do them whenever we can. He talked about the whole policy thing and how they met as a group. He said, "Some of these younger JOBs have only been practicing now that C-sections are so common. They haven't seen the success." He said, "You have just as much of a chance of success as a 20-year-old walking off of the elevator because our C-section rate is so high. You have just as much of a chance." He laughed at the fact that macrosomia was in my chart, which I forgot to mention with my first. She was 9 pounds, 1 ounce. She was big.Meagan: Okay. I wanted to ask you though because they had said, "Oh, big baby, 16 months apart." I wanted to ask, but 9 pounds, 1 ounce is actually not macrosomia. It's a bigger baby, but it's not a huge baby.Kelsey: Exactly. It's not 12 pounds, which also, people have done. But anyway, he put so much wind into my sails, and he fully supported me switching. He said, "Honestly, I think this is great. I think this is the best option for you. You need to go for it." He said, "But if you were to stay here, you would face nothing but doubt and bullying and scary." He said, "If you were my wife, I would tell you to switch over to this other practice." So that's what I did. I also forgot to mention in my anatomy scan, the sonographer is going about doing it and she said, "Were your other babies big?" I'm like, no, we're not gonna start this. It was already with the big baby comments. So they had me do a growth scan to switch practices. It was refreshing to be in a place where they entertained the idea. They said that they decided as a practice to follow what ACOG says, but it was also very clear the difference between support versus tolerance. So although I was grateful that they were entertaining the idea, I still had, "Oh, 90th percentile. Oh, you've never labored before. You don't have a proven pelvis."Meagan: Proven pelvis. Tara: Yeah, proven pelvis.Meagan: There's a lot of eye rolls in this.Kelsey: Thank goodness, again, if it weren't for this podcast, all of those little comments would have swayed me. I would have said, "What am I doing? Listen to all these things they're saying. This isn't right for me." Once you know, it's just so hard to listen to the VBAC calculator. "Oh, let's just type your stuff in and see." I think it gave me, like 50% chance. Like, I don't know. So anyway, I'll get back on track. My low point was at 32 weeks. It was with my provider who was convincing me that a C-section or induction was right, and then telling me, "Oh, you'll just be a repeat. We'll schedule it." I was dreading my appointment with her. I knew that I needed to meet with her because she could possibly be the provider who was on call. I wanted to tell her what my plan was, and assess her thoughts. I thought that I was invincible because now I knew all of these things, and I wasn't going to let anybody bring me down. That appointment was pretty terrible. She came in hot. She said, "You're 32 weeks. Baby is 5 pounds, 4 ounces, and he's off the charts." She actually referred to him as massive. She said, "He's massive. He's huge." She said, "Put him in a room with 100 babies, and he is enormous."Meagan: Enormous. Tara: She's comparing him to other babies already. Meagan: And he's not even born. Tara: Can I just add a little tidbit here because there's so much talk in your story about the fear of big babies, and the research has shown that what leads to more problems or interventions in a birth with a big baby is not the actual size of the baby, but the provider's fear of the big baby. They're already getting themselves stirred up, and nothing has even happened. Kelsey: I was really discouraged by that because I had come across those facts too. And looking at the research and looking at what are the real risks of a big baby, that's actually just the providers. Yeah, se was just disgusted with my plan. She said, "Are you sure?" I said, "Yeah." I really stood my ground. I was so proud of how I stuck to my guns. She pulled out all the stops. She just kind of sighed and she said, "Okay." And then she pulled it out of me as I was  trying to justify. I said, "We're not sure how much we want to grow our family." I said, "If I have three C-sections, I'm not going to want a fourth." I said, "I just think it's worth a try." So she took that and she ran with it. She said, "Well, for what it's worth, I would rather do two more planned C-sections. I would do two more planned C-sections on you, and I wouldn't bat an eye. I'd rather do that than have you TOLAC." I thought, oh, my gosh. So again, I stood my ground. She went out. She was visibly upset. I was so proud of myself. But then I spiraled that whole day. It just chipped away at me all day. I came home.  I had been doing nightly walks religiously. That's when I would listen to The VBAC Link. That night, I didn't do my walk. I cried in my bed. I was just so upset. I spent the night then going through the groups I was in for VBAC after multiple Cesareans and The VBAC Link searching "big baby, big head circumference" and screen-shooting all of the success and all of the comments to fuel back my motivation. That was definitely the low point, but I did have some great meetings with providers. I was grateful that where I was living, I was able to find enough support where they would let me go for it. Once I got toward the end, there kept being the comments about "big baby". I had an OB do my final measurement and not tell me what it was. I said, "How is baby measuring? There is a lot of drama about baby being big." She was like, "Well, how big were your other two?" I said, "They were 9,1 and 8,4". My second was almost a full pound smaller. She said, "Oh, if you pushed those out, no problem. You don't have anything to worry about." I said, "That's where the drama was. I didn't push them out. I had C-sections." It was like she saw a ghost. She was like, "Oh, well that is drama." She was just beside herself. I say that story specifically because spoiler alert, she was the one who ended up delivering my baby.Meagan: Oh, really?Kelsey: To give a preface to that. She actually said, "Well, it is what it is." She just was very nervous and very upset. I said, "Have you never seen a VBAC after two C-sections? Have you seen that?" She said, "Well, yeah, but it's usually with people who have birthed vaginally before, and not with a big baby." That's what she said. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Kelsey: I just wanted to talk about that because she was the one who delivered Anyway, time went on. As I got to 39 weeks, I started to stand my ground a little bit more because they wanted to do cervical checks. They'd say, "Okay, undress for the provider." I just was like, "No, thank you. I'm good." I would have been really discouraged if they had come in and checked me. I know that got in my head with previous appointments with things that I didn't think would affect me. At 39 weeks, one of the providers who had been trying to talk about how big my baby was and persuade me to have an induction, she said, "What if we did a growth scan at 40 weeks, and you were measuring 10 pounds. Would that change your mind?" I was like, "No. I'm not doing a growth scan at 40 weeks. I've already done too many scans." So just right up until the end, they were trying to get me. They were talking about the size. Meagan: They were really trying to get you to cave. Kelsey: Yes. So after that appointment, because of my BMI, after 37 weeks and beyond, you have to have an NST and a BPP (biophysical profile) every week. Meagan: After 37 weeks?Kelsey: Starting at 37 weeks, you have to have both of those tests every week. It was just a new thing. I didn't do it with my last. Again, I'm worried about this. I know how the testing goes. Sure enough, I go. This is 39 weeks. I go for the biophysical profile, and they were like, "There is a lot of fluid. You have too much fluid." They were talking about all of the fluid. "Look, here are little flakes." They were talking about the fluid. I thought, I've made it this far. This is something that is going to make it a C-section.Baby wasn't also taking enough practice breaths for her which was frustrating. She even said, "I think he's sleeping, but I want to be on the safe side." I said, "I just had an appointment. She could hardly get his heart rate because he was moving so much." I had driven to Cleveland an hour and a half away the night before to go to a Noah Con concert. I felt him moving the whole time. I was like, "I'm pretty confident that he's okay. I was just checked by my OB five minutes ago." She wanted to send me. I wasn't going to mess around this far on, so I went to triage. They hooked me up to an NST. They wouldn't just let me do it in the office. I'm sitting there. Everything is perfect. The nurse comes in and said, "They're just going to place an IV." I stopped and said, "What did you say?" She said, "They're just going to place an IV." I said, "Why would they place an IV? Everything is looking good. I have grocery pickup in an hour. I'm not trying to be here for long." She said, "Just for access." I said, "No, thank you. Please let me out." That was weird.She said, "Okay. We're just going to watch you a little longer." Then this OB who I'd never seen before who was apparently just newer to the practice comes in. I'm like, "How are things going?" At this point, it had been 45 minutes. I'm trying to get out. He said, "Things are looking really good." I could see his wheels turning. He said, "But, since you are 39 weeks and you've had two C-sections, we can do a C-section for you today." Meagan: Oh my Santa. Tara: Here you go. How did you manage all of this pressure, Kelsey? It's extraordinary. Meagan: It is. Kelsey: I should mention that I had an amazing doula, so after these appointments, I would text her a paragraph. She was constantly lifting me back up. I was going to Webster chiropractic care. The chiropractor I saw, shout out to Tori, she's amazing. She's a doula also. She was pregnant going for her VBAC, so we would have these appointments, and it was a mini VBAC therapy session. We would talk about what we were up against, and just the different providers because she was going to the same practice as me. It was just so nice to have her. I was doing all of the things. The chiropractic care. I was eating the dates and drinking the tea because I wanted to know that if I was doing this, I was going to try everything and then I couldn't look back and say, "What if I would have done chiropractic?" Anyway, I basically tell him, "Get out of my room. I'm going." He just was awful. He did all of the scare tactics and all of the risks but none of the risks of a third C-section of course. Only the risks of the very low uterine rupture that he was hyping up. Anyway, that was bizarre, but again, I stood my ground. I was so proud, but then I got home, and I spiraled. I was packing my hospital bag. I was crying. I said to my husband, "I let them get in my head. I shouldn't even bother packing any of this stuff." I had the little fairy lights and things to labor. I was like, "I shouldn't even bother packing any of this VBAC stuff. They're just going to find some reason to do a C-section. Look at this. This whole time, they wanted to do the C-section." Again, another night of spiraling. As he left, he said, "They're going to want to see you tomorrow and repeat all of this testing." Meagan: For what? If everything was okay, what was the actual medical reason? Kelsey: Exactly. It was just out of spite because I shut him down. They were like, "They're going to want you to come back tomorrow." I'm like, "Okay. If it gets me out of here and gets you out of access to an IV and a C-section, fine." Meagan: Seriously. Kelsey: The next morning, I'm on my way to my appointment. I was on the phone with my mom and I told her, "I'm having these weird feelings I've never felt before. I don't know if maybe they're contractions." It was very strange. It was something I never felt. I never had a contraction and had never gone into labor. So I go to my appointment and passed the BPP with flying colors. I'm like, "Well, what about the fluid?" She's like, "Yeah, there's a lot of it, but it's fine." I got an 8 out of 8 score.  I go for the NST. Well now, baby's moving too much, so his heart rate, they can't keep it on because he's moving, and she kept having to move it. So again, I'm just very frustrated that I'm even there. I'm so close to the end. This is now 39 weeks and 4 days. And so the tech says, "I'm going to bring this to him. He might not like the drop offs, but I'll explain to him that the baby's moving a lot."I said, "Who's he? What OB is this?" She said the OB who was in triage the day before who tried to have me do the C-section and I was just like, "Oh my god. He's going to see my name and have any reason to send me back." Sure enough, he comes sauntering in the room and he says, "We meet again," as if I'm this problem child, as if I wasn't just having all these normal tests. He says, "I can't be confident that these aren't decals. You need to go back to triage." I was just again, so frustrated. It's like just a constant of all of these things coming up and none of it being real. It'd be different if it was like, oh, this was actually a risky thing. But again, I'm so close to the end. I know what I know. I knew that the OB that I had seen the day before in the office, I wanted to talk to her about the fluid because I had searched, and I saw that the polyhydramnios could actually be a thing. If your water breaks, there's the risk of cord prolapse. So I knew that that wasn't something that was completely to be ignored, so I wanted to talk to her more about that. I humored him, and I went in. Well, all the while, I'm feeling these sensations more and more consistently. They get me hooked up, and I explain the situation. I said that I was just here yesterday not really for a reason, but I'm back now also not really for a reason. They hook me up. Of course, everything looks good. But she's like, "Are you feeling these contractions?" I'm like, "Is that what they are?" I was excited. They were just cracking up because she's like, "These are pretty consistent and big contractions." I just couldn't believe it. I was just so excited my body was doing it. I'd only ever, at 39 weeks, been cut off and then never been given a chance. All I needed, I guess, was a few extra days. I'm just so excited that I'm having contractions. The nurses are laughing. "We've never seen somebody so excited to have contractions." Anyway, at that point, my OB comes in, the one who had been trying to get me to be induced. She's plenty nice, but the one who said about if we did a scan of 40 weeks and 10 pounds, would you reconsider? So she said, "Kelsey, do you know what I'm going to say? This is the second day you've been in here in two days." I'm like, "Yeah, but for nothing."Meagan: And because you asked me to come in here.Kelsey: Yeah, trying to humor everyone and see that yep, everything's fine. See? But again, I was having these contractions, and as I was there, picking up. She wanted to check me. I said, "Okay, I'll let you check me," because I'm having contractions I never have before, and I want to see what's going on. I went to the bathroom, and I had bloody show, which again, I had never had. So things are really happening. I come out and I told her, "There's blood and I'm having contractions." She's like, "Yay, let's check you," and I was 1 centimeter. She was one of the OBs who was comfortable with a balloon. So she said, "I'll tell you what. You've got a lot of fluid. Things are happening. Let's work on moving things along."Meagan: So she induced you?Kelsey: She wanted to.Meagan: She wanted to. Okay.Kelsey: So she's like, "Let's get you in. I'll do the balloon. We can get things going because you've got a lot of fluid. It's time, Kelsey." I'm like, "Okay." I said, "Well, I'm gonna go home."Meagan: Good for you, girl.Kelsey: Get my kids off with my mom and get my dog off. She sunk when I said that. I said, "I promise I'll come back. I'm not gonna run it. I'll come back just in a little while. Like, maybe this evening." But she said, "Okay, I'm here till 4:00, and then it's another OB coming on who won't want to do the balloon." So just come in before then. Of course, I wait until exactly 4:00. But as I was home, it just kept picking up, and I started timing. The app is like, "Go to the hospital. Go to the hospital." But I've also know from listening to this podcast that that happens. My husband's freaking out because he would see me stop and pause, and he's like, "Let's go. Let's get out of here." I was grateful that everything maintained through the car ride. I got there, and contractions were still happening. My doula met us there because I hear about people going too early and the contractions stop, and then there are problems there. Yeah, things just kept happening. We got in a room. My doula was amazing. We were just hanging out and just laughing. I couldn't believe just how happy I felt to feel my body doing it after all these years of just, "Your babies are too big, and you can't do this," and then all of this pregnancy saying that. It was just amazing.  I definitely had my guard up. The nurse was talking about the IV and the monitors, and especially with being overweight, I was worried about a wireless monitor. That happens. They can't get a good reading, and then they think baby's heart rate's dropping. I was just so worried about any reason, because I knew that they would. They would take it and run, so I was so grateful that the wireless monitoring worked perfectly. I was on my feet. Things just kept getting more intense, but I'm just laughing and smiling through it all. My doula was amazing. It was just such a great vibe in the room. My nurses were amazing. Every little thing that went right, I just embraced. I was so happy that this was happening. My water broke while I was on a video call with my friend. Again, it just like, "Oh, my gosh, my water broke. That's never happened." There was meconium in the water. So again, I'm like, oh, no. You know, any little thing. I was quickly reassured. It was very light. It wasn't anything to be worried about. I labored and stayed on my feet. My doula was amazing with suggesting things I never would have thought or never would have thought that I would enjoy. I was in the shower at one point on a ball. They had this little wooden thing with a hole in it so that it keeps the ball from slipping out and keeps the drain from plugging. I'm just listening to my guilty pleasure music while my husband's outside the shower eating a Poptart laughing. It was just such a funny thing. I was just so, so excited about it all. Things were really picking up. My water just kept breaking and breaking. I mean, it was true. I had so much fluid. It just was just coming out and coming out. I couldn't believe how much there was. I got into the bed on my side, my doula said, "Try to take a break," and then I felt a water balloon in me. I could feel it burst. Just when I thought surely I was out of fluid, it just gushed out. And then immediately it was like, "Oh, my gosh, this is really intense." I handled that for a while. I was squeezing the comb. I was working through contractions, but I tapped out at about 1:00 AM I'd say. So we got into the hospital around 4:00, and the time just flew. They came to do the epidural, and he put it in. I just kept waiting for relief because I felt like I just didn't have a break. They were kind of on top of each other. It was one of those things that if I knew I was only going to have to do that for a short amount of time, but just not knowing how long, I just felt like I was suffering through them at that point. I wasn't trying to be a hero. I was just trying to avoid what I know sometimes happens and just trying to avoid interventions as much as I could. I kept waiting for this relief because I'm like, "I think I just need to rest. I feel like I'm close." The last I've been checked, I was 5 centimeters, but that was before the water broke and before struggling through contractions for a while. I had no idea how dilated I was. The relief never came. I was hoping to be able to relax and maybe take a nap like sometimes I hear. I could still feel my legs. I could have walked around the room if I wanted. I kept pushing the button. I don't know if it was in the wrong spot or what happened. I don't know if maybe there was something that was working because instead of feeling crushing and just defeated through the contractions, I was feeling like I can survive that. I can get through them. There was just no resting, it was just still having to work through contractions. And then my doula at one point said, "Maybe we should call him in and have him redo it." But then I was in my head, "Well, what if he redoes it, and then I'm too numb and I can't push?" So I just went through it. I'm so glad that I did, because it wasn't long after that that I was checked, and I was 8 centimeters. My  nurse kept checking and there was a lot going on down there and a lot coming out. Eventually she checked me and she said, "Hi. Hi, buddy. I just couldn't believe it." She said, "Do you want to feel him?" I got to reach down and feel his head. It was just also surreal. She had me do a practice push once I was dilated enough, and she's like, "O, oh, okay, okay, okay." She said, "I'm gonna go make a phone call."Tara: Wow, that's impressive.Kelsey: And the OB came in. I forgot to say that when I got to the hospital, the OB who was gonna do the Foley balloon, I totally left this out. She checked me, and I was already 2 centimeters. She said, "Your body is doing it on its own. We're just going to let you go."Tara: That was my question, Kelsey. I was wondering this whole time if they did anything to augment. There was no Pitocin. This was all you? Kelsey: Yes. Yes. I can't believe it.Tara: That's amazing.Kelsey: I got there, and I got the monitor placed. She came in. She checked, and she said, "You're 2 centimeters. We're just going to let you go. We're going to let you do your thing." That was just music to my ears just knowing how things sometimes go. Also, the OB coming on, I had told you, was really nervous about my plan. My husband and I joked that she did something to calm herself down before she walked in because she was just like, "You know what? I'm going to do something crazy. I'm just going to channel my inner midwife and do something crazy and just let you go and leave you alone." My doula is like, "Good. Please let us go." Yeah, I forgot to mention that is not only did I not need the induction, but then I had the OB surrendering and saying, "Go ahead, just let's do it. It's fine." So she literally did not come in. I think was as far away as she could pretending it wasn't happening, I guess. When the nurse called her, she came in and she got her gloves on. I just kept waiting for something to happen still. I'd been so, so scared by providers this whole time. So I'm like, okay. She instructed me on how to push. We did it through one contraction, and his head came out. I was like, "Oh, my gosh. This is crazy," and then, during the second contraction, I did it again, and the rest of him came out. It was unbelievable. It was five minutes from start to finish. My doula described it like butter. He was 9 pounds, 3 ounces.Meagan: So biggest baby. OkayKelsey: Biggest baby, enormous head. I didn't have any tears. I had what the OB described as grazes, like little spots that were bleeding. She put one or two stitches on the walls from where there were these grazes and I can't even describe it. I was sobbing. I was like, "We did it. We did it." He came right to my chest and to get to see him, it was unbelievable. It all happened so fast. Going from not believing in my body and just going for these C-sections, I'm so glad I didn't know what I was missing because in that moment, I probably could have done this before. Again, I didn't know what I didn't know and who knows would have gone? But it was just unbelievable to be in a normal room to have him come out and just right to me where he belongs and getting to see him with his cord still attached and he's crying. It just was such a beautiful moment and I just couldn't believe that had after all of that, here he was. It was beautiful. They asked about cutting the cord, and we hadn't even discussed that. I was like, "Can I do it? I really want to do it." I wanted all the experiences that I could never have gotten in the OR. I cut his cord. My doula got an awesome picture of that. I was considering having that be my picture for the podcast. It was just unbelievable, and I was just so happy, too, that that OB was the one who was there because seeing how nervous she was, I'm so glad that she got to experience. Look what you almost deterred me from doing just seeing how perfect it was. Now I'm hoping that if somebody comes to her in the future, she'll remember and say, "Hey, we had this baby, and it was just such a great experience." I was just so grateful for every second. I couldn't believe how things ended up.Meagan: I am so happy for you. Like Tara was saying, I'm so impressed. Standing your ground the way that you stood your ground after just constant-- I'm gonna call it nagging. They were just nagging on you and trying so hard to use the power of their knowledge that we know that they hold. We as beings, and it's not even just in the birth world, just as humans, we have this thing where we have providers, and we know that they've gone through extensive amount of schooling and trainings, so it's sometimes easy as you said, you spiraled when you got back to spiral and be like, wow, they're just all pushing this really hard. Maybe I should listen. Tara, have you experienced this within supporting your clients or just your own personal experience?Tara: You mean the pushback from the providers?Meagan: Yeah, the pushback, and then for us, should we doubt our intuition? Should we doubt what we're feeling and go with what they're saying because they know more?Tara: Yeah, I mean, that's the hardest thing, because you hire them. Like you said with your first provider, you trusted her. You'd known her since you were young. You've built this trust. She's gone to school. It's so hard to stand up against that as just a consumer and as a person who cares about the health of your baby and your family. But then the multiple times that you had to stand up for yourself even in small things like not getting the IV, not getting the cervical exam, those are not small things. You were protecting yourself from having more of that pushback. I am amazed. We struggle with that as doulas too, because we're helping advocate for our clients. It sounds like your doula was a rock for you and a place to feel validated and heard. I'm so glad you had her.Kelsey: Me too. I say to my husband, "No offense, you're great, but what would be done without our doula?" I mean, she was unbelievable just bringing the positive energy. My husband and I were so nervous and we were so worked up. We were third-time parents, but it was our first time doing any of this. My husband wouldn't have really known. He's never seen it before. My doula, she's done this so many times. She was right in there with the massaging and the side-lying. She did the, she called it shaking the apples.Tara: Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's a good one. But Kelsey, it's against all odds. I just think it's amazing because we talk about the power of oxytocin and feeling safe and not having stress hormones going on, and you had all of that. You should be so proud of your body coming in in the nick of time and just proving against all of this. I'm just gonna go ahead and birth this baby, and a bigger baby than your other two which is such a triumphant moment.Meagan: Seriously.Kelsey: His head was 15 inches. That was another thing because they had talked about his head circumference being off the chart. That was another thing I had been searching is people who've had the big head circumference. Those groups, this podcast and just groups and having access to so many stories and people overcoming all of these obstacles because every time I came up against something, I had heard it before. I said, "Oh, this is something that I've heard time and time again with these stories. They make you feel like you're the only one with the big baby and, oh, this is a problem. But it's like, no. They're saying this to so many people. It was just amazing going into this being so informed and motivated and having that confidence that I never would have had. I just so grateful for this podcast and for all the information.Meagan: Well, thank you so much. It's one of the coolest things, I think, not only just the VBAC, but to see where you came from at the beginning of, "We're not having kids. Okay. We're having kids. Okay. This is what I'm thinking. I'm kind of scared of this. Let's do this. Okay. Doctor said this. Let's do this." to this. I mean, you came so talking about the pendulum, right? And what that provider was talking about. You came from one side over here to not even wanting kids or wanting a vaginal birth to swinging so far to the other side and advocating so hard for yourself and standing your ground. When we say that you should be proud, I am shouting it. Be proud of yourself. Girl, you are incredible. You are such a great example. Women of Strength, if you are listening right now, I want you to know that you can be just like Kelsey. You do not have to be bullied. You do not have to be nagged on every single time. Know what's right. Know your gut. Know your heart. Do what you need to do, and you can do it. You can do it. It is hard. I know it's hard. It is not easy, but it is possible. Girl, you're amazing. I thank you so much for sharing your story today and empowering all the Women of Strength who are coming after you and needing the same encouragement that you needed not even years ago. How old was your baby?Kelsey: So he is four months old.Meagan: Four months. Yeah, so a year ago when you were listening. I mean, really, so so amazing. Thank you so much. And Tara, it's always a pleasure. Thank you so much for being here. I couldn't agree more with your advice. Get your partners educated. Create that true dream team.Kelsey: Thank you.Tara: Congratulations, Kelsey.ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands