Podcasts about Gestational diabetes

In this episode I'm chatting to Anna about the birth of her 2 little boys. She shares how much she enjoyed pregnancy and the healing effect it had on her relationship with her body. After going into spontaneous labour shortly before 40 weeks, her baby was born via c-section due to concerns around his heart rate and whilst this wasn't what she'd hoped for, she still found the birth to be really positive and amazing. Anna was hoping to experience a vaginal birth second time around and threw herself into preparing for that, but for various reasons ended up having a repeat caesarean. She talks us through how different she found the planned c-section, finding acceptance with letting go of the VBAC she was planning and the importance of really kind and understanding care providers.   Anna's IG: https://www.instagram.com/annaolewistrounce/ My website: www.serenalouth.com My IG: https://www.instagram.com/serenalouth/

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is one of the most common health issues during pregnancy, and diagnosing it is more complicated than you might think. In this episode, Dr. Dekker is joined by EBB Research Team member Dr. Morgan Richardson Cayama to cover the newly updated evidence on how GDM is diagnosed. They walk through the physiology behind GDM, current testing methods, and why there's still international disagreement about how to screen. Together, they examine the results of large randomized trials comparing the one-step and two-step screening methods, the research on early screening with hemoglobin A1C, and the evidence on alternatives to the Glucola drink, including candy and home blood sugar monitoring. They also review the risks of skipping screening entirely, and how weight bias and other systemic factors can impact diagnosis and care.   (02:28) What is Gestational Diabetes and Why Is It So Common? (06:30) Risk Factors, Size Bias, and the Role of Race and Ethnicity (10:40) Why We Screen and the Origins of the Controversy (13:17) Comparing the One-Step and Two-Step Methods (19:55) What New Research Says About Health Outcomes (23:45) Should We Screen for GDM Earlier in Pregnancy? (28:11) Can Hemoglobin A1C Replace the Glucola Drink? (32:44) Alternatives: Candy, Food, and Home Monitoring (40:04) What International Guidelines Recommend (43:07) Declining GDM Testing: What the Evidence Shows (47:47) Is Sperm Linked to Gestational Diabetes Risk? (51:29) Takeaways and the Future of GDM Diagnosis   Resources Download the free two-page handout in English or Spanish [NEED LINK] Explore Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols: realfoodforgd.com For a full list of resources, visit ebbirth.com/inducinggdm For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Host Sarah Marie Bilger explains what gestational diabetes is, why testing matters, and the difference between the standard glucose drink and a fresher alternative. She covers common test values, what results can mean for pregnancy and birth, and practical, evidence-based strategies—diet, movement, hydration, and monitoring—to manage blood sugar and support a healthy outcome. Find the Full Show Notes Here: https://www.enteringmotherhood.com/episodes Relevant Links: Register for the O.W.N Your Birth Childbirth Education Course Learn more about the Build Your Village Summit 5 ways to prepare for an Unmedicated Birth Download the FREE Comprehensive Birth Vision Planner Hypnobabies is a great tool to use hypnosis when preparing for childbirth. Use the code MOTHERHOOD20 to receive 20% off today! Truly fuel your body with FOND Bone Broth a verified regenerative by land to market company dedicated to serving you rich and handcrafted items. Use code ENTERINGMOTHERHOOD for 10% off. Looking to become a doula yourself and get into birthwork? Check out the Online Doula Training Program to get started on your path today.   Become certified through Postpartum University and help clients learn more about how to nourish their bodies in the postpartum period. Want a baby carrier you can snuggle your baby tight in? Check out LoveHeld for their handwoven ring sling carrier you'll be sure to love. In need of nursing tops and postpartum items? Kindred Bravely is the place to shop for all of your attire needs and more.  Connect with Entering Motherhood: The Entering Motherhood Website @entering.motherhood (IG) Entering Motherhood (FB) Contact us Directly

Gestational diabetes is more common than most people realize, but it's often clouded in fear and shame. Christin, Jess, and Joyce cut through the myths and share what it really means, how to navigate the glucose test, and why a diagnosis doesn't mean you've failed. From practical nutrition and movement strategies to managing the mental load, this conversation is packed with reassurance and no-BS guidance for a healthy pregnancy. Black Iron Nutrition Book a Free Discovery Call Free Macro Calculator Free Downloads Black Iron Blog Check Out Fe26 Strategy Session

In this episode, Georgia speaks with Emily, who shares her two contrasting birth stories with honesty, insight, and strength. Emily's first birth, a planned hospital birth during COVID, took an unexpected turn following a gestational diabetes diagnosis, loss of continuity of care (MGP) in the last weeks of pregnancy, and a challenging, prodromal labour with posterior baby that ended in a caesarean section. She candidly reflects on the emotional aftermath and her path toward healing.Determined to reclaim her birth experience, Emily shares the work she did—physically, emotionally, and mentally—to prepare for her VBAC. From deep internal bodywork to debriefing/counselling and mindset shifts, she details her transformative journey leading into her second birth: a powerful, supported VBAC that unfolded at home before transferring to hospital in the final hours. Despite facing hurdles once again, Emily emerged feeling elated, grounded, and strong. She shares her encouragement for building mental resilience, taking responsibility for your decisions and your feelings and making relevant powerful on your own journey to VBAC.This episode is a must-listen for anyone planning a VBAC or seeking inspiration after a difficult birth. Emily's story is filled with wisdom, vulnerability, and serves as a timely reminder to trust your body, your intuition, and your inner power.BIO:My name is Emily Martin. Mother to two little girls Torvi(4) and Luna (3). My husband is Brock. We live in the small outback town ofBroken Hill where I work part time as a cafe cook and manager and Brock is aheavy diesel mechanic and sheep farmer. In years without children Brock and Iwere busy, work addicted business owners. Now with children we much prefer a quiet life and spend much of our time on the family property with plans to make living on the land our life plan.Emily shared some beautiful resources during the podcast episode including Core and floor restore Womb templeStephanie Elsum acupuncturist -vibrance mind and body port Macquarie Birth sisters port macquariePlease join us on our journey to bringing you all kinds of VBAC stories from across the country from here on in by subscribing and following us on social media, @australianvbacstories on Instagram and Australian VBAC Stories on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love to rate or review, and tell your friends!If you are feeling that you might benefit from mental health support after listening to our podcast, please reach out to one of the organisations below:PANDA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://panda.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gidget Foundation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COPE Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cope.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you've experienced mistreatment or disrespectful care in your pregnancy, birth or postpartum and are seeking advocacy support, please contact one of the following organisations:Maternity Choices Australia ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternitychoices.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maternity Consumer Network ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maternityconsumernetwork.org.au/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank you for tuning in to our podcast.

Let's talk about the top things you should know about managing gestational diabetes naturally to try and avoid the need for insulin, have a healthy pregnancy and more! Schedule a FREE Discovery Call with me here:https://yourlifenutrition.org/nutrition-coaching-application/.Come join our private accountability group, the Goal Getters Group, for all things health, wellness & nutrition! You'll get sample weekly meal plans, recipes, weekly group coaching calls and access to our exclusive Blood Sugar, Wellness, Mindfulness & Movement Challenges to help support you and keep you accountable on your health & nutrition journey AND get access to private messaging with me, your dietitian!Click the link below to join the Goal Getters Group today!https://your-life-nutrition-goal-getters.mn.co/plans/1821314?bundle_token=1724009ab3ed355237fdeeebd2fe1d9f&utm_source=manual.For health & nutrition tips, recipes & more - follow me on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourlifenutrition/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourlifenutritionrdn/Email: Brittany@yourlifenutrition.orgShop my Favorite Products!**I am an Amazon Affiliate and may earn commissions on qualifying purchases.

Your baby's health starts with what you eat, but “eating for two” doesn't mean doubling your calories. In this evidence-based episode, I break down exactly what you need (and what to avoid) for a healthy pregnancy, trimester by trimester. You'll learn the truth about calorie needs, recommended weight gain, and the most critical nutrients for your baby's brain, bones, and growth, from folic acid and choline to omega-3 DHA. We'll cover how to handle common pregnancy challenges like morning sickness, heartburn, constipation, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia risk, plus safe foods, supplements, and the ones to skip entirely. Whether you're in your first week or your final month, this is your no-nonsense guide to fueling a healthy pregnancy and preparing your body for labor and postpartum recovery. Connect with us: Coach Vinny Email: vinny@balancedbodies.io Instagram: @vinnyrusso_balancedbodies Facebook: Vinny Russo Dr. Eryn Email: dr.eryn@balancedbodies.io Instagram: @dr.eryn_balancedbodies Facebook: Eryn Stansfield LEGION 20% OFF CODE: Go to legionathletics.com and use the code RUSSO for 20% off your order!

Feeling confused about what a gestational diabetes diagnosis means for your pregnancy and your future wellness? Curious about easy and proven ways to keep it in check? Grab a seat and join today's conversation with Kelly Carter that'll make gestational diabetes feel way less scary!Jenn Trepeck and Kelly Carter, the Chief Success Officer at RenewRx, dive into the nitty-gritty of gestational diabetes, explaining how the placenta can throw insulin and blood sugar out of whack. Kelly shares game-changing advice with proven results, such as balancing your plate with veggies and proteins and incorporating movement, like post-meal walks, to manage blood sugar spikes. They also share stress management tricks, like journaling, to ease the mental load and bust myths that can make pregnancy feel overwhelming. The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast, hosted by Jenn Trepeck, delves into real-life wellness and weight loss, clearing up myths, misinformation, and bad science surrounding our understanding of nutrition and the food industry. Let's dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.IN THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro: Meet Kelly Carter(07:11) Kelly's journey from studying human nutrition to focusing on gestational diabetes(09:51) Why gestational diabetes became Kelly's focus(13:54) The placenta's role in gestational diabetes(15:24) Risk factors for gestational diabetes, including age, blood sugar sensitivity, diet and stress(21:19) Discussion on balanced nutrition to reduce blood sugar spikes, supported by continuous glucose monitoring(24:07) Building a balanced plate for gestational diabetes(29:56) Movement, particularly walking after meals, can lower blood sugar levels by up to 25% in women with gestational diabetes(31:35) Sleep challenges in pregnancy and their impact on stress and blood sugar(34:00) Utilize stress management strategies like walking, napping, and journaling KEY TAKEAWAYS:Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition during pregnancy caused by hormonal changes and the placenta's demands, where the body struggles to produce enough insulin to manage blood sugar levels. Still, it can be effectively managed with lifestyle changes.A balanced nutrition approach, emphasizing the order of eating—starting with fibrous vegetables, followed by proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes, as supported by continuous glucose monitoring data.Lifestyle factors like movement (e.g., walking post-meals), stress management (e.g., journaling, napping), and acknowledging sleep challenges are critical for managing gestational diabetes and improving insulin sensitivity, fostering long-term healthy habits.QUOTES: (00:25) “Very simply, gestational diabetes is your body not being able to keep up with the insulin that's needed to be produced to grow this baby.” Kelly Carter (12:59) “Gestational diabetes leaves women feeling confused, frustrated and not understanding what's happening.” Jenn Trepeck(17:23) “If you're able to focus on your diet and your lifestyle seven months before you conceive, your chances of having a healthy pregnancy increase by at least 30 percent.” Kelly Carter(18:55) "Everything in health is related, right? We want to look at nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress." Jenn Trepeck(29:37) “Why would it make any sense to stop training for the nine months in advance of your personal human Olympics?” Jenn TrepeckRESOURCES:Become a Member of the Happy Healthy Hub

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode.In today's episode, I sit back down with my good friend and Diabuddy Graham Hubbard. Wow, the last two episode with Graham have been FIRE! In today's episode we talk about...The 42 Factors that Affect GlucoseWhy Dexcom is the best Diabetes technology on the marketClose Loop Systems the good and badWhy Pre-Diabetics, T2D, & Gestational Diabetes should be on CGM Check out The 42 Factors That Affect Glucose ArticleCoach Ken's Resources:Website: www.simplifyingdiabetes.comNewsletter Sign Up"More Than A1C" - My Signature Coaching ProgramThe Diabetes Nutrition Master CourseThe 5-Pillars Of Diabetes Success WorksheetDecember (2024) Stronger Together With T1D Get-TogetherWhat This Episode on YouTube:Support & Donate To The PodcastHave a question, send me a DM or email. I'd love to connect and answer any questions you have.You can find the show  on any platform you listen to your podcasts!Don't forget to click on that subscribe button and leave a 5-star review, so you're notified when new episode drop every week.Questions about diabetes, don't hesitate to reach out:Instagram: @CoachK3NInstagram: @thehealthydiabeticpodFacebook: @Simplifying Life With DiabetesEmail: ken@simplifyingdiabetes.comPodcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.Support the show

We're launching a special series of episodes, each centered on one powerful theme in the home birth journey. This first set — Water Birth Stories — gathers real experiences and insights to support, inspire, and immerse you in the magic of water birth! How can you take your power back after it feels like a previous birth experience took it away? Today's story with Karine Halle features details of trauma from a hospital birth for her first child and how she was determined to have a home birth for her second.  In between her first and second birth, she felt called into doula work and became passionate about supporting families in the birth experience.  For her second pregnancy and birth, she did everything she could to put the odds on her side to have her dream birth. *Please note that this conversation contains mention of suicidal thoughts Things we talk about in this episode: Postpartum rage GBS positive Gestational Diabetes testing Body work for birth: chiropractic care, massage, yoga, exercise Links From The Episode: The Birth Hour: ⁠https://thebirthhour.com/⁠ Birthful: ⁠https://birthful.com/⁠ Evidence Based Birth Podcast: ⁠https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-based-birth-podcast/⁠ Babies are Not Pizzas: ⁠https://amzn.to/3UGYtPi⁠ Ina May: ⁠https://amzn.to/3tfHuI2⁠ Hypnobirthing: ⁠https://hypnobirthing.com/⁠ The First Forty Days: ⁠https://amzn.to/3WMDtbK⁠ Birthing from Within: ⁠https://amzn.to/3tfHOqe⁠ The Fourth Trimester: ⁠https://amzn.to/3NOSUvE⁠ Business of Being Born: ⁠https://www.thebusinessof.life/⁠ Offers From Our Awesome Partners: Needed: ⁠https://bit.ly/2DuMBxP⁠ - use code DIAH to get 20% off your order or DIAH100 for $100 off a Complete Plan  More From Doing It At Home: Doing It At Home book on Amazon:⁠ https://amzn.to/3vJcPmU⁠ DIAH YouTube:⁠ https://bit.ly/3pzuzQC⁠ DIAH Merch:⁠ https://bit.ly/3qhwgAe ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eating well-balanced plant-based diets during pregnancy can reduce risks of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia.

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department's patient population closely reflects San Diego County's demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

We've all heard about the infamous sugary drink

Join us for another installment of our Birth Stories Series! This story is sure to encourage you as we walk through this mother's willingness to blend midwifery care with the medical model when needed, overcome challenges, and truly lean into trusting her instincts. Listen as we chat about how we navigated issues like hypertension, blood sugar instability, and heart rate arrhythmia together, and the incredible way it helped prepare this mother for an empowered, connected birth.00:00 Introduction to Kelly and Tiffany's Podcast01:09 Exciting Birth Story Episode01:45 Listener Review and Encouragement03:37 Icebreaker: Embracing Challenges06:39 Client's Birth History and Midwifery Care10:06 Navigating Pregnancy Complications20:07 Labor and Birth Experience24:22 Postpartum Reflections and Client Feedback32:07 Conclusion and ResourcesLinks We Chat AboutOur Hypertension Supplement ProtocolOur Blood Sugar Stabilization Supplement ProtocolOur Weekly NewsletterOur Childbirth Education Course, use code RADIANT10 for 10% offOur Monthly MembershipBe sure to subscribe to the podcast to catch every episode. Follow us on Instagram for extra education and antics between episodes at: @beautifulonemidwifery

How do you find a good OBGYN when you’re pregnant? Ever felt a sharp pain in the butt during your period? And what role does testosterone play in perimenopause? In this episode, we talk to Kirsten Palmer, Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology with Monash University to find out what’s happening throughout your pregnancy including morning sickness (just why?), preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, food safety, immunisations, and what impact being pregnant may have on your prescription medication. Plus, why do you fill up with fluid? We also talk about why you’re so tired in the first trimester and whether to announce your pregnancy before 12 weeks so you get the support you need. Plus, Mariam talks about why new national guidelines that redefine what we call 'recurrent miscarriage' really matter. THE END BITS For information on food safety Dr Mariam recommends NSW Food Authority Guide. If you're pregnant or want to learn more about pregnancy, check out Mamamia's pregnancy podcast Hello Bump. For information on perimenopause and menopause Dr Mariam recommends the Australasian Menopausal Society. Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Ask a question of our experts or share your story, feedback, or dilemma - you can send it anonymously here, email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. All your health information is in the Well Hub. Support independent women’s media by becoming a Mamamia subscriberCREDITS Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam Guest: Professor Kirsten Palmer Senior Producers: Claire Murphy and Sasha Tannock Audio Producer: Scott Stronach Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton. Visit fentonandfenton.com.au Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Information discussed in Well. is for education purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional.Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered why so much prenatal nutrition advice seems outdated? Or why real, whole foods aren't at the center of it? In this episode of the NTI PodTalk, Dianne sits down with Lily Nichols, RDN, author of Real Food for Pregnancy and founder of the Institute for Prenatal Nutrition. Together, they explore why current prenatal nutrition guidelines often fall short — and how a real food, functional nutrition approach can better support pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding health.About Lily Nichols:Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal Nutrition®, co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility (co-authored with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack), Real Food for Pregnancy, and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. When she steps away from writing, you can find her spending time with her husband and two children — most likely outside or in the kitchen.Connect with Lily **Timestamps for the topics discussed can be found on this episode's NTI PodTalk page.Are you ready to start your journey as a Nutrition Therapist Master? To learn more about NTI's Nutrition Therapist Master Certification, visit ntischool.com for more information, or call 303-284-8361 to speak with our admissions team.This discussion is not intended to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy, nor in any way imply that Nutrition Therapists who graduate from NTI are qualified to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy. The scope of practice for graduates of NTI is to deliver therapeutic nutrition guidance to our clients which helps support their natural biology to achieve optimal function in whatever wellness path they are on.

VivoBarefoot Discount:We cannot talk about back issues without talking about restrictions in feet and ankles. Improve your foot and ankle health and therefore everything up the chain by wearing ⁠VivoBareoot shoes⁠ to improve the mobility and strength in your toes, feet, and ankles. There's one for every occasion, including weddings, hiking, a grocery walk and casual wear, or shoes for your active lifestyle. Use code "OPTIMAL20" to get 20% off your ⁠VivoBarefoot Shoes⁠!**Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund.Free Week of the Jen Health Membership:Looking for a movement community that gives you the plan specific to your body? Need accountability and a plan that is specific to your restrictions?! Come grab a free week of our Jen Health Membership! You'll have access to 12 plans that were all curated by Doc Jen, Dr of Physical Therapy. We make sure you get set up with the plan that will be best for your goals and the rest is laid out for you to follow! Come check it out today! You can even get a discount on your first month using code OPTIMAL at checkout!Gina's Resources:"Training for Two" BookMamasteFit WebsiteMamasteFit InstagramMamasteFit YoutubeMamasteFit FacebookWe think you'll love:Get A Free Week on Jen Health!Pelvic Floor Foundations CourseJen's InstagramDom's InstagramYouTube ChannelFor full show notes and resources, visit: https://jen.health/podcast/415What You Will Learn from Gina:04:28 Gina shares her first pregnancy experience, lack of resources, and how she started MamasteFit.07:24 Gina describes forming a supportive community of new moms and developing her fitness programming.09:54 Discussion of prevalent myths about exercising during pregnancy and why they are untrue.13:24 Clarifies safe exercise practices, including laying on your back, twisting, and avoiding high fall-risk activities.19:21 Advice for both sedentary and active individuals on starting or modifying exercise during pregnancy.24:47 Discussion on how symptoms can change with each pregnancy and the importance of exercise for support.26:05 Gina explains the role of myofascial slings in preventing pelvic pain and supporting the body during pregnancy.32:40 Debunking the usefulness of Kegels and outlining more effective pelvic floor and mobility exercises.40:34 Advice on prioritizing rest, gentle movement, and self-compassion in the early postpartum period.43:17 Suggestions for gentle mobility, supportive garments, and gradual return to activity after birth.47:27 Writing the Book: “Training for Two”

Join me as I sit down with Lily Nichols, a renowned Registered Dietitian and author, to explore the essential nutrients for fertility, preconception, and pregnancy. Drawing from her books, "Real Food for Pregnancy" and "Real Food for Gestational Diabetes," Lily debunks common nutrition myths and highlights the importance of protein, organ meats, and key vitamins for embryo development. We discuss how to optimize fertility, especially for women with PCOS, and why managing blood sugar is vital for a healthy pregnancy. Lily also shares the ideal nutrition plan for preconception and pregnancy, how modern diets are affecting fertility, and offers her thoughts on how to choose the best prenatal supplements. We also discuss the crucial differences between folic acid and folate, and which one you should be taking. If maximizing fertility is your goal, this episode is for you!Suggested Resources:Lily Nichols | Website | InstagramLily's booksFolic acid and MTHFRFolate & methylation in pregnancyHow much iron do you actually absorb from food?Send me a text!This episode is proudly sponsored by: SizzlefishLet's talk about fueling your body with the best nature has to offer. If you're looking for premium, sustainable seafood delivered straight to your door, you need to check out Sizzlefish! Head to sizzlefish.com and use my code “wellnstrong” at checkout for an exclusive discount on your first order. Trust me, you're going to taste the difference with Sizzlefish! Join the WellnStrong mailing list for exclusive content here!Want more of The How To Be WellnStrong Podcast? Subscribe to the YouTube channel. Follow Jacqueline: Instagram Pinterest TikTok Youtube To access notes from the show & full transcripts, head over to WellnStrong's Podcast Page

In this groundbreaking conversation, "The Conscious Gynecologist" Dr. Andrea Salcedo joins Dr. Philip Ovadia to uncover the profound connection between women's reproductive health and metabolic health. Dr. Salcedo shares startling research showing how insulin resistance impacts everything from PCOS and gestational diabetes to uterine fibroids and gynecologic cancers.You'll learn why the same inflammatory processes that cause heart disease also create uterine fibroids, how pregnancy naturally induces a state of insulin resistance to protect the developing fetus, and why morning sickness serves an important biological function. Dr. Salcedo explains how traditional gynecological approaches often miss the metabolic root causes of women's health issues, leading to band-aid solutions rather than addressing the underlying insulin resistance.With her unique background as both an academic researcher and metabolic health advocate, Dr. Salcedo provides practical insights into how lifestyle changes can dramatically improve gynecological health without relying solely on medications or surgery. The conversation shatters common misconceptions about female health problems and offers a new framework for understanding women's bodies beyond the "just hormones" explanation.Whether you're struggling with reproductive health issues, planning for pregnancy, or simply want to understand the intricacies of female health, this conversation offers vital information that most medical professionals aren't discussing. Listen now to discover why one in three women lose their uterus by age 60 – and what can be done to prevent it.BIG IDEAGynecologic diseases like PCOS, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids aren't just "female hormone problems" – they're manifestations of metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance that affect the entire body.Andrea Salcedo, DO - Contact InfoWebsite: https://www.consciousgynecology.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciousgynecologist/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@consciousgynecologistX: https://x.com/consciousgyneSend Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia can not respond here. To contact his team please email team@ifixhearts.com If you like what you hear, I wanna make it easier for you to take action on your health.Head over to i fix hearts.com/book to grab a copy of my book, Stay Off My Operating Table, and if you're ready to go deeper or talk to someone from my team, just go to i fix hearts.com/talk. Stay Off My Operating Table on X: Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts Jack Heald: @JackHeald5 Learn more: Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com Theme Song : Rage AgainstWritten & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey(c) 2016 Mercury Retro RecordingsAny use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) can feel overwhelming, and for many women, it comes with confusion, fear, or guilt. But a diagnosis doesn't mean you've done anything wrong, and it certainly doesn't mean you're powerless.In this episode, we're joined by Boob to Food clinic dietitian and nutritionist Niki Mohtat to explore what GDM actually is, why it happens, and how you can manage it with confidence through nourishing food, supportive lifestyle tweaks, and the right guidance. Niki Mohtat is a dietitian and nutritionist with a passion for supporting women through preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Her interest in prenatal nutrition began with her own pregnancies, where she saw firsthand how much of the information available to the public was outdated or unhelpful. This inspired her to dedicate her career to providing evidence-based, individualised, and practical nutrition guidance, so women can feel confident nourishing themselves and their growing baby. Niki has completed advanced training through The Institute for Prenatal Nutrition Mentorship Program under Lily Nichols, a highly sought-after and competitive prenatal certification program. She offers consultations through the Boob to Food online clinic.In this episode, we discuss:What gestational diabetes really is and why it happens during pregnancyWhat the oral glucose tolerance test involves and its limitationsHow to approach food without fear, guilt, or perfectionismThe role of protein, fats, and carbs (and why carbs aren't the enemy)Tips for managing fasting blood glucose levelsThe connection between GDM and future health risksSimple strategies for postpartum and long-term wellbeing... and so much moreResources mentioned in this episode:Boob to Food Online ClinicOur earlier Boob to Food episode on preconception nutritionToday's episode is brought to you by Haakaa. Haakaa is a family-owned New Zealand brand committed to making motherhood simpler, easier, and greener. From their iconic breast pumps to their fresh food feeders and silicone freezer trays, Haakaa's range of safe, sustainable and non-toxic baby products are favourites in both of our homes. Whether you're breastfeeding, introducing solids, or prepping meals for your toddler, Haakaa offers practical solutions that support you every step of the way.You can use the code BOOBTOFOOD for 10% off your order at www.haakaa.co.nzFollow us on instagram @boobtofood to stay up to date with all the podcast news, recipes and other content that we bring to help make meal times and family life easier.Visit www.boobtofood.com for blogs and resources, to book an appointment with one of our amazing practitioners and more.Presented by Luka McCabe and Kate HolmTo get in touch please email podcast@boobtofood.com

In this episode of The Birth Lounge podcast, host HeHe discusses one of the most requested topics, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), with midwife Melissa Chappell. Melissa, who owns Utah Birth Suites and founded Songbird Maternity, offers a holistic view on women's health and is a staunch advocate for informed consent and patient autonomy. The conversation dives deep into what GDM is, how it occurs, the importance of testing, and why the typical 50-gram glucose challenge may not always reflect reality. The duo also covers alternative testing methods, including continuous glucose monitoring, diet and exercise's role, and the impact of GDM on the baby. Melissa sheds light on the myths and truths about GDM, the implications of controlled versus uncontrolled GDM, and the risks associated with traditional medical practices, such as induction. Listeners will walk away feeling informed and empowered to engage in confident discussions with their healthcare providers. Tune in to get evidence-based insights, especially focusing on holistic and patient-centered care approaches for managing gestational diabetes.   00:00 Introduction to Gestational Diabetes 01:27 Meet Our Expert Guest: Melissa Chappell 02:33 Understanding Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) 03:03 Testing and Alternatives for Gestational Diabetes 03:53 Impact of Gestational Diabetes on Mother and Baby 10:16 Historical Perspective and Current Statistics 12:42 Challenges with Current Testing Methods 16:26 Managing Gestational Diabetes: Diet and Monitoring 24:07 Risks and Misconceptions about Big Babies 31:37 Pitocin Use and Its Implications 39:13 Increased Medical Interventions in Pregnancy 40:17 The Impact of Glucose Restriction on Babies 42:31 Research Findings on Blood Glucose Thresholds 44:24 Managing Gestational Diabetes with Diet and Exercise 48:50 Alternative Testing Methods for Gestational Diabetes 01:00:06 Understanding HbA1c and Its Limitations 01:08:04 Postpartum Care for Babies of Gestational Diabetic Mothers 01:12:42 Connecting with Melissa and Doula Training Opportunities 01:14:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts   Guest Bio: Melissa Chappell, LDEM, CPM is a midwife and owner of two birth centers in Utah, and as well is a doula trainer of over 22 years. She is passionate about women's health from a holistic and nourishing perspective, and advocates for women's wellness in all areas of their lives. She has worked with midwives and birthing women all over the world, including in Haiti, Ethiopia, and Kenya, and loves seeing how women's lives improve with access to safe and effective midwifery care. She is the mother of 4 children and 4 grandchildren that she adores. In between catching babies, Melissa loves to explore as much of the world as she can – from international travel to exploring the mountains in her backyard. INSTAGRAM: Connect with HeHe on IG  Connect with Melissa on IG    BIRTH EDUCATION: Join The Birth Lounge here for judgment-free childbirth education that prepares you for an informed birth and how to confidently navigate hospital policy to have a trauma-free labor experience!   Download The Birth Lounge App for birth & postpartum prep delivered straight to your phone!   LINKS MENTIONED: Lily Nichols: Real Food in Pregnancy    Use code HeHe to sign up for doula education and 25% off the Birth Education Library with Melissa at https://www.melissachappell.com/   RESEARCH: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/web/cochrane/content?templateType=full&urlTitle=/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012394.pub3&doi=10.1002/14651858.CD012394.pub3&type=cdsr&contentLanguage=   https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-023-05779-z   Gestational diabetes and the risk of late stillbirth: a case-control study from England, UK - PubMed   https://www.cochranelibrary.com/web/cochrane/content?templateType=full&urlTitle=/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011624.pub3&doi=10.1002/14651858.CD011624.pub3&type=cdsr&contentLanguage=   Big Babies: the risk of care provider fear | Dr Rachel Reed  

This week we have gestational diabetes on the radar and some things that can be done to prevent it. I also give mindset tips that I used to help me deal with worry and anxiety.  All About Gestational Diabetes Gestational Diabetes with Jaqueline and Realizing its not your fault and controlling it with medication Gestational Diabetes with Twins with Katelyn Gestational Diabetes and controlling it with diet and exercise with Tiera References: Bridget Tyler Pregnancy Week Guide Mama Natural Pregnancy Week by Week Guide **Morning Sickness Mini Course for Mental Health (Formerly the Positive Pregnancy Program)**: This self-led video program, made to help foster positivity durning pregnancy. It is for women who have or do struggle with pregnancy and who want to have strong mental health during and specifically the first trimester of pregnancy during the nausea! This Mini Course will help you mentally navigate the hardships of the physical changes of pregnancy, especially that morning sickness phase. Direct link to Morning Sickness Mini Course for Mental Health Positivity in Pregnancy and Motherhood website: Positiveinpregnancy.com Other Episodes you might like: Anxiety? Stressed in pregnancy? Podcast episode Strategies to Calm Fears and Worries in Pregnancy Success in Second Trimester INTIMACY Pregnancy Affirmation Episodes:  Pregnancy Affirmations and Their Importance During Pregnancy Love Focused Free Affirmations on Pregnancy Pregnancy Affirmations For When It Feels Heavy Episodes on Dealing with Nausea in the first trimester: Puking and Feeling Like I Can't Coping with Nausea in Pregnancy Intimacy in the First Trimester Episode Library of Pregnancy Podcasts that go through pregnancy: (you will have to scroll down, just a little :) ) https://positiveinpregnancy.com/pregnancyishard YouTube for Positivity in Pregnancy: https://www.youtube.com/@PregnancyisHardwithJosly-nd8wd Here is the Facebook Page for Pregnancy is hard: I have documented my journey of my fourth baby on this page and have other juicy and good tips for enjoying pregnancy better. https://www.facebook.com/pregnancyishard Here is the Pregnancy is Hard Support Group on Facebook: Let's offer support, help and fun for those in the trenches of pregnancy! https://www.facebook.com/groups/165102315544693 Instagram: @positivityinpregnancy Email me at: positivityinpregnancy@gmail.com    

Send us a message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply.Insulin resistance often precedes diabetes by 5-10 years and serves as an early warning sign of potential damage to your cardiovascular system and other organs. We explore this common condition, its risk factors, and how simple lifestyle changes can reverse it before more serious health problems develop.• Insulin resistance occurs when muscles, liver, and fat cells fail to respond to normal levels of insulin• The pancreas compensates by producing more insulin, eventually leading to beta cell failure• Clinical signs include dark skin patches in body folds (acanthosis nigricans), elevated triglycerides, and increased waist circumference• One in three Americans have prediabetes, with many also experiencing insulin resistance• Risk factors include central obesity, sedentary lifestyle, family history, PCOS, and certain racial/ethnic backgrounds• Sleep disturbances, chronic stress, and fatty liver disease are emerging factors linked to insulin resistance• A 5-7% weight reduction improves insulin sensitivity by over 50%• Regular physical activity (150+ minutes weekly) helps glucose enter cells more efficiently• Diet modifications focusing on whole foods, limiting refined sugars, and following Mediterranean or DASH patterns show significant benefits• "The movement is the medicine, the food is the medicine" when addressing insulin resistanceSupport the showSubscribe to Our Newsletter! Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD & Nicole Aruffo, RNArtwork: Olivia Pawlowski

Episode 193: Gestational Diabetes IntroJesica Mendoza (OMSIII) describes the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes and the right timing and method of screening for it. Dr. Arreaza adds insight into the need for culturally-appropriate foods, such as vegetables in Mexican cuisine.    Written by Jesica Mendoza, OMSIII, Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. Editing by Hector Arreaza, MD.You are listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California, a UCLA-affiliated program sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. This podcast was created for educational purposes only. Visit your primary care provider for additional medical advice.DefinitionGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition that occurs to previously non-diabetic pregnant women, caused by glucose intolerance at around the 24th week of gestation. PathophysiologyGDM arises due to an underlying pancreatic beta cell dysfunction in the mother which leads to a decrease in the amount of insulin produced and thus leads to higher blood sugar levels during pregnancy. The placenta of the fetus will produce hPL (human placental lactogen) to ensure a steady supply of sugars to the fetus, creating an anti-insulin effect. However, hPL readily crosses the placental barrier causing the mothers insulin requirement to increase, when the mother's pancreas cannot increase production of insulin to that level needed to counter the effect of hPL they become diabetic, and this leads to gestational diabetes. So, basically the placenta is asking for more glucose for the baby and the mother's pancreas struggles to keep the glucose level within normal limits in the body of the mother. If left untreated, high levels of glucose in the mother can cause glucotoxicity in the mother.“Glucotoxicity” refers to the toxic effect of glucose. Glucose is the main fuel for cell functions, but when it is high in the bloodstream, it causes toxicity to organs. Prevalence of GDM.The CDC reports mean prevenance of GDM is 6.9%. In U.S. mothers the prevenance increased from 6.0% in 2016 to 8.3% in 2021. Many different factors have played a role in increasing gestational diabetes in American mothers, some of those being the ongoing obesity epidemic with excess body weight being a known risk factor for insulin resistance. Another being advanced maternal age (AMA) as more American women have children later in life their body becomes less sensitive to insulin and requires a higher insulin output on top of the insulin that is required for the fetus. The “American diet” is also something that has a big effect in diabetes development. With the increase of high-carb foods that are readily available, the diet of Americans has declined and is affecting the metabolic health of mothers as they carry and deliver their children. Despite ongoing awareness of GDM, 6% to 9% of pregnant women in the United States are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and the prevalence continues to increase worldwide. It is estimated that in 2017 18.4 million pregnancies were affected by GDM in the world, which then continued to increase to 1 in 6 births to women with GDM in 2019. It was also found that women living in low-income communities were disproportionately affected due to limited healthcare access. Additionally, women with GDM had a 1.4-fold increase in likelihood of undergoing a c-section, with 15% increase in risk of requiring blood transfusion. Screening for GDMGestational diabetes is screened between the 24th to 28th week of gestation in all women without known pregestational diabetes. In women who have high-risk for GDM the screening occurs during the first trimester, these women usually have at least one of the following: BMI > 30, prior history of GDM, known impaired glucose metabolism, and/or a strong family history of diabetes. The screening during the first trimester is to detect “pregestational diabetes” because we have to keep a good glycemic control to improve outcomes of pregnancy. So, if it's positive, you start treatment immediately. If these women are found to have a normal glucose, they repeat the testing again as done normally, at 24-28 weeks of gestation. How do we screen?The screening itself consists of two types of approaches. The two-step approach includes a 50-gram oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), where blood glucose is measured in an hour and if it is below 140 they are considered to not have GDM, however if the reading is greater than 140 they must then do a 3-hour, 100g oral glucose tolerance test. The 3-hour OGTT includes measuring the blood sugars at Fasting which should be less than 95, at 1 hour at less than 180, at 2 hours at less than 155, and at 3 hours at less than 140. If 2 or more of these values exceed the threshold the patient is diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. The one-step approach includes 75g after an overnight fast. Blood glucose is measured while fasting which should be less than 92, at 1 hour less than 180 and at 2 hours less than 153. If any one of these values is exceeded, the patient is diagnosed with GDM.If the mother is found to be GDM positive during pregnancy she will also need continued screening post-partum to monitor for any development of overt diabetes. The testing is usually 75g 2-hour OGTT at 6-12 weeks postpartum. If this testing is normal, then they are tested using HbA1c every 3 years. If the post-partum testing shows pre-diabetes, annual testing is recommended using HbA1c measurements. Maternal complications Women with GDM are at an increased risk for future cardiovascular disease, T2DM, and chronic kidney disease. GDM is also associated with increased likelihood of developing pre-eclampsia following delivery. Pre-eclampsia is a complication seen in pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, proteinuria, vision changes, and liver involvement (high LFTs). Pre-eclampsia can then progress to eclampsia or HELLP syndrome, both of which can include end organ damage. Additionally, she can develop polyhydramnios which leads to overstretching of the uterus and can induce pre-term labor, placental abruption, and or uterine atony, all of which additionally put the mother at increased risk for c-section. All of these maternal complications that stem from GDM lead to complications and extended hospitalization. Child's complications Although there is an increased set of risks for the mother, the neonate can also develop a variety of risks due to the increased glucose while in utero. While the fetus is growing, the placenta is the source of nutrition for the fetus. As the levels of glucose in the mother increase so does the amount of glucose filtered through the placenta and into the fetal circulation. Over time the glucose leads to oxidative stress and inflammation with activation of TGF-b which leads to fibroblast activation and fibrosis of the placenta. This fibrosis decreases the nutrient and oxygen exchange for the fetus. As the fetus attempts to grow in this restrictive environment its development is affected. The fetus can develop IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) leading to a small for gestation age newborn which can then lead to another set of complications. The low oxygen environment can lead to increased EPO production and polycythemia at birth which can then lead to increased clotting that can travel to the newborn brain. Newborns can also be born with fetal acidosis due to the anerobic metabolism and lactic acid buildup in fetal tissues which can cause fetal encephalopathy leading to cerebral palsy and developmental delay. And the most severe of newborn complications to gestational diabetes can lead to fetal demise. Furthermore, the increase of glucose can also lead to macrosomia in the infant which can often lead to a traumatic delivery and delivery complications such as shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injury. Brachial plexus injury sometimes resolves without sequela, but other times can lead to permanent weakness or paralysis of the affected arm. The baby can be born too small or too big.Additionally, once the fetus is born the cutting of the umbilical cord leads to a rapid deceleration in blood glucose in the fetal circulation and hypoglycemic episodes can occur, that often lead to NICU admission. The insulin that is created by the fetus in utero to accommodate the large quantities of glucose is known to affect lung maturation as well. The insulin produced inhibits surfactant production in the fetus. Upon birth some of the newborns also have to be placed on PEEP for ventilation and some children require treatment with surfactant to prevent alveolar collapse and/or progression to NRDS created by the low surfactant levels. Additionally, neonates who are macrosomic, which is usually seen in GDM mothers, are larger and stronger and when put on PEEP to help increase ventilation the newborn's stronger respiratory effort can lead to higher pulmonary pressures and barotrauma such as neonatal pneumothorax.Long term complications to the child of a mother with GDM also occur. As the child grows, they are also at an increased risk for developing early onset obesity because of the increased adipose storage triggered by the increase in insulin in response to the high glucose in utero. This then can lead to a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in the child. With diabetes, also comes an increase in cardiovascular risk as the child ages and becomes an adult. The effects of GDM go beyond the fetal life but continue through adulthood.What can be done?Gestational Diabetes Mellitus has many severe and lifelong consequences for both the mother and the child and prevention of GDM would help enhance the quality of life of both. Many of the ways to prevent GDM complications include patient education and dietary modifications with a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. Benefits of some vegetables in the Mexican cuisine that may be beneficial: Nopales, Chayote, and Jicama. Those are good alternatives for highly processed carbs.Mothers are usually offered nutritional counseling to help them develop a tailored eating plan. This and 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily is recommended to increase insulin sensitivity and lower the post-prandial glucose levels. If within 2 weeks of implementing lifestyle changes alone the glucose measurements remain high, then medications like insulin can be put onboard to manage the GDM. If they require insulin, I think it is time to refer to a higher level of care, if available, high risk OB clinic.Conclusion: Now we conclude episode number ###, “[TITLE].” [summary here]. _____________________References:Eades CE, Burrows KA, Andreeva R, Stansfield DR, Evans JM. Prevalence of gestational diabetes in the United States and Canada: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024 Mar 15;24(1):204. doi: 10.1186/s12884-024-06378-2. PMID: 38491497; PMCID: PMC10941381. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38491497/QuickStats: Percentage of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes,* by Maternal Age — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2016 and 2021. Weekly / January 6, 2023 / 72(1);16. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7201a4.htm?utmAkinyemi OA, Weldeslase TA, Odusanya E, Akueme NT, Omokhodion OV, Fasokun ME, Makanjuola D, Fakorede M, Ogundipe T. Profiles and Outcomes of Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the United States. Cureus. 2023 Jul 4;15(7):e41360. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41360. PMID: 37546039; PMCID: PMC10399637. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10399637/?utmPerlman, J. M. (2006). Summary proceedings from the neurology group on hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Pediatrics, 117(3), S28–S33.DOI: 10.1542/peds.2005-0620C.Low, J. A. (1997). Intrapartum fetal asphyxia: definition, diagnosis, and classification. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 176(5), 957–959.DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9378(97)70609-0.Hallman, M., Gluck, L., & Liggins, G. (1985). Role of insulin in delaying surfactant production in the fetal lung. Journal of Pediatrics, 106(5), 786–790.DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3476(85)80227-0.Sweet, D. G., Carnielli, V., Greisen, G., et al. (2019). European Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Respiratory Distress Syndrome – 2019 Update. Neonatology, 115(4), 432–450.DOI: 10.1159/000499361.Raju, T. N. K., et al. (1999). Respiratory distress in term infants: when to suspect surfactant deficiency. Pediatrics, 103(5), 903–909.DOI: 10.1542/peds.103.5.903.Burns, C. M., Rutherford, M. A., Boardman, J. P., & Cowan, F. M. (2008). Patterns of cerebral injury and neurodevelopmental outcomes after symptomatic neonatal hypoglycemia. Pediatrics, 122(1), 65–74.DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-2822.Dabelea, D., et al. (2000). Long-term impact of maternal diabetes on obesity in childhood. Diabetes Care, 23(10), 1534–1540.DOI: 10.2337/diacare.23.10.1534.Dashe, J. S., et al. (2002). "Hydramnios: Etiology and outcome." Obstetrics & Gynecology, 100(5 Pt 1), 957–962.DOI: 10.1016/S0029-7844(02)02279-6.Long-term cost-effectiveness of implementing a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus: a decision-analytic modelling study. Diabetologia.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2018). Practice Bulletin No. 190: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 131(2), e49–e64. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002501Theme song, Works All The Time by Dominik Schwarzer, YouTube ID: CUBDNERZU8HXUHBS, purchased from https://www.premiumbeat.com/. 

In this conversation, registered dietician Leslie Flannery discusses gestational diabetes, its prevalence, hormonal influences, and the importance of managing blood sugar levels during pregnancy. She emphasizes that gestational diabetes is not a woman's fault and provides practical tips for maintaining a balanced diet without falling into restrictive eating patterns. The discussion also covers the risks associated with high blood sugar, the role of glucose monitors, and how busy moms can manage their nutrition effectively. The hosts, Megan and Chelsea, also weigh in on the challenges and strategies related to nutrition during pregnancy, particularly focusing on gestational diabetes. They discuss the emotional and mental toll of dietary restrictions, the importance of support systems, and practical tips for managing cravings and maintaining a healthy diet. The episode emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to nutrition that prioritizes mental health alongside physical health.Connect with UsFollow Leslee on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/gestational.diabetes.nutritionLeslee's Websitehttps://gdmnutrition.com/Follow Chelsea & Megan on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/raisingmama_/FREE Postpartum Resourceshttps://raisingmama.com/collections/new-parent-resourcesThis podcast is brought to you by Raising Mama (www.raisingmama.com), makers of the PERFECT Bamboo Baby Pajama. Easy-On, and Easy-Off, our Buttery Soft Bamboo Baby Pajamas Ensure Effortless Changes and have Empowering Prints and Messages to Mamas on them. Plus $1 of each pajama sold supports maternal mental health through Postpartum Support International. 

Struggling with low milk supply can feel overwhelming, isolating, and confusing. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker talks with midwife and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Katie James to demystify the realities of low milk supply. Together, they explore the hormonal, medical, and systemic factors that can affect lactation, as well as the critical importance of early postpartum support. Katie shares how birth interventions, lack of education, and misinformation can interfere with lactation—and how reclaiming knowledge, honoring instinct, and receiving timely help can make all the difference.   (07:21) How Birth Interventions Impact Breastfeeding (09:30) Prolactin, Oxytocin, and the Critical First 3 Days (11:18) What is Low Milk Supply—and Can it Be Prevented? (14:58) Medical Conditions That Can Affect Milk Production (19:27) Gestational Diabetes, Cesarean Birth, and Milk Supply (23:42) The Trap of “Perceived” Low Supply (28:48) Why Judgment-Free Support Matters (36:56) When and How to Get Help from an IBCLC (38:16) The Rule of 3s: Key Windows to Boost Milk Supply (44:39) Why Partners Need Breastfeeding Education Too   Resources Follow Katie: katiejames.site | Instagram Listen to her podcasts: The Midwives' Cauldron and The Feeding Couch Find an EBB Childbirth Class: evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirthclass Learn about the EBB Instructor Program: evidencebasedbirth.com/instructor   For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Pregnancy can be a whirlwind - and when gestational diabetes (GD) enters the picture, it's easy to feel confused by all the numbers, doctor's visits, advice and conflicting information.In today's episode, I'm joined by dietitian Mel Spinella to bust some of the most common myths about gestational diabetes - including how to prepare for testing, when insulin or medication might be part of your care plan, which foods actually support blood sugar balance, and what you can stop stressing about.If this episode resonated with you, we'd love for you to share and leave a review! Episode links:Mel's InstagramMel's Tik Tok Mel's website

Send us a textIn this inspiring episode, I'm joined by Amelia, who shares her powerful birth stories - welcoming both of her daughters in a Midwife Led Unit, despite being labelled ‘high risk' due to a high BMI and insulin-controlled gestational diabetes.Amelia's journey is a testament to what's possible when a woman is supported to trust her instincts, advocate for herself, and remain at the centre of her care.In our conversation, Amelia reflects on:The challenges and judgements she faced due to her BMIHow she stayed informed and confident in her choicesBuilding a relationship of trust with her midwivesNavigating the medicalised narrative around gestational diabetesThe difference respectful, individualised care made in her outcomesThis episode offers hope to anyone who's been told their body isn't capable of physiological birth - and a reminder that evidence-based care and personal autonomy can and should go hand-in-hand.If you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesfordIf you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner - click here:-https://bit.ly/LabourofloveThe Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9dfPregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth' - Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmOPregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPFYou can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpartner Book a 1-2-1 session with Sallyann - https://linktr.ee/SallyannBeresford Please remember that the information shared with you in this episode is solely based on my own personal experiences as a doula and the private opinions of my guests, based on their own experiences. Any recommendations made may not be suitable for ...

Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian and the author three books designed to support healthy conception, birth and postpartum, including how to prevent and manage gestational diabetes.Her books are Real Food for Fertility (co-authored by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack), Real Food For Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes.Lily shares important information all women should know about optimizing their diet for fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum from a scientific perspective. Even for women who aren't currently in the pregnancy state of mind, knowing this information early on helps everyone to make better choices down the road.Connect with Lily Nichols lilynicholsrdn.com | InstagramLearn more The Institute for Prenatal Nutrition | Postpartum Recovery Meals | Fourth Trimester Soups and Stews Collection | Nutrition and Nourishment - The EssentialsResources HelloGaia Parenting Copilot | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Birth Plan | FREE DOWNLOAD Customizable Fourth Trimester PlanConnect with Fourth Trimester Facebook | InstagramWant trustworthy parenting data at your fingertips? Download HelloGaia Parenting Copilot for FREE today. The app uses reliable sources like ACOG, AAP, The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. FREE app available now on Apple & Google Play

In this episode of The Weekly Transit, we welcome Andrea Lowell, a self-mastery coach, manifestation expert and former Playboy radio personality, who transformed her life from the path of excess to one of profound spiritual alignment. With raw honesty, Andrea reveals how filling a "spirituality-sized hole" in her life with partying eventually led to a radical awakening. Through her journey of sobriety, she discovered the profound connection between self-mastery and manifestation, developing a unique approach that combines nutritional healing, quantum physics, and unwavering faith in divine guidance. Our conversation explores Andrea's extraordinary manifestation abilities, her experience with gestational diabetes during pregnancy, and her powerful home birth story. This episode offers practical tools for raising your vibration, changing your mindset, and creating the life you truly desire.(00:03:09) Finding Self-Mastery Through Spiritual Awakening – Andrea's journey from party lifestyle to discovering manifestation through consciousness and the divine signs that guided her transformation.(00:08:59) From Drinking to Divine Connection – How stopping alcohol opened Andrea to synchronicities and miracles, leading to her understanding of vibrational alignment.(00:17:17) Hollywood Journey & Career Evolution – Andrea's path from child actor to Playboy model to radio host, and the moment she realized her work wasn't aligned with her soul.(00:26:25) Rock Bottom to Breakthrough – The DUI incident and tearful moment in the makeup chair that catalyzed her complete life transformation.(00:31:42) Manifesting Abundance with Faith – Quitting her job and manifesting $21,000 within two weeks through gratitude practice and unwavering belief.(00:45:28) Raw Food Revolution & Healing – Andrea's journey into nutritional healing, becoming a raw food expert, and helping clients achieve spiritual awakenings through diet.(00:59:48) The Miracle of Car Manifestation – An extraordinary story of manifesting angelic assistance when her car's suspension failed during a family road trip.(01:10:48) Gestational Diabetes & Conscious Pregnancy – How Andrea managed pregnancy complications holistically through diet, exercise, and alternative medicine at 41.(01:22:37) Sacred Home Birth Experience – The powerful story of Andrea's home birth, creating a holy space for her daughter's entrance into the world.(01:31:56) Postpartum Joy & Natural Parenting – Discovering the unexpected joy of motherhood and trusting natural instincts in early parenting.(01:41:15) Final Wisdom: Compassion & Car Consciousness – Andrea's practical advice on using driving as a spiritual practice and changing frequencies through conscious music choices.Find Andrea Lowell:Instagram: @theiameverythingprojectEmail: andrea@andrealowell.comWebsite: andrealowell.comtheweeklytransit.com

Send us a textWelcome to the April Q&A episode! Today's episode begins with your answers to our question: How do you cope when you are at your breaking point in parenting? If you are looking for some creative ideas, you will find them here! And someone, please tell us where one Mississippi, two Mississippi came from?Next, we get down to birth and answer the following questions: Why do some women choose unmedicated, physiological births despite societal pressures and perceived difficulties? Why not just get the epidural?Is it ok to push if you are not fully dilated? How dangerous is this and what is the risk with early pushing?My friend had to have an emergency cesarean when her baby was already in the vaginal canal. They pushed the baby back up and caused severe damage to her vaginal tissue. Was this necessary or were her providers just impatient?In the extended version of today's episode, which you can hear by subscribing on Apple Podcasts or joining any of our Patreon tiers, we answer these additional questions:What are the risks of using castor oil to induce labor?If I had a big baby in my first pregnancy, does it mean I will have gestational diabetes in my next pregnancy? Does it even mean I had gestational diabetes in my first? My doctors put this in my records with no evidence beyond a big, healthy baby.How do I gently night wean?In quickies, we discuss tongue ties and white tongues, hemorrhage and C-section, breath work resources for labor, retained placentas, protein for breastfeeding, decreasing milk supply, risk of infection with broken water, windmilling the placenta, and lastly, if you would only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?Plus, don't miss today's long and hilarious outtake. Watch the full videos of all our episodes on YouTube!**********Our sponsors:Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample packENERGYbits--the superfood every mother needs for pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeedingUse promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.comInstagram @downtobirthshowCall us at 802-GET-DOWN Watch the full videos of all our episodes on YouTube! Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don't provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Send us a textDiscover the unexpected journey of endocrinologist Dr. Divya Yogi-Morren as she navigates gestational diabetes firsthand. Her personal experience offers unique insights and fosters empathy towards those managing this challenging condition. Alongside Dr. Morren's story, we unravel the complexities of gestational diabetes management, from the intricacies of carb counting to the essential lifestyle changes required. This conversation is more than just about coping; it's about empowerment through knowledge, as we uphold our Speaking of Women's Health motto: Be Strong, Be Healthy, and Be in Charge!Whether you're considering parenthood or seeking to understand the long-term health implications of this disease, this episode is your guide to navigating gestational diabetes and a healthy pregnancy.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

In this comprehensive episode, Dr. Sterling breaks down everything you need to know about gestational diabetes screening during pregnancy. From test procedures to understanding results, this guide helps expectant parents navigate this important aspect of prenatal care with confidence and clarity.Key MomentsOne-Step vs. Two-Step ScreeningTest Preparation & What to ExpectUnderstanding ResultsAlternative Testing OptionsImportant RemindersDr. Sterling emphasizes that abnormal results don't mean you've "failed" a test, and that the majority of people who have an abnormal one-hour test will not be diagnosed with gestational diabetes after the three-hour test. For those who are diagnosed, 70% can manage with diet and exercise changes alone.Connect With Us: Join the Sterling Parents community at sterlingparents.com Follow us on Instagram @askdrsterlingpodcast Email your questions to podcast@sterlingparents.com

You may have read recent articles discussing new data linking maternal diabetes and ADHD and autism in children. Maybe you're planning a pregnancy or trying to conceive and you've never heard of gestational diabetes. Or you're currently pregnant and worried about what this means. So, in this week's episode, I give you an overview of what we know about gestational diabetes and baby's brain development – and how to reduce your risk.___Newsletter sign upCorporate SpeakingHow to Build a Healthy Brain*Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*PatreonOriginal music by Juan Iglesias*Affiliate linksThe information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SHOW NOTES: There is nothing more important to our physical health than what we eat, but it's easy to forget that and compromise. When you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive, it's even more important, so today I want to spend some time thinking about this with you so that we can all be more focused on nourishing our bodies well and giving our bodies the good energy they need to function the way God designed them to. My Course - go.yourbirthgodsway.com/cec Free Trial of My Course - go.yourbirthgodsway.com/coursefreetrial Prior episodes to listen to that are related: Episodes 23-26, 93, 103 Book links from this episode: Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means - https://amzn.to/3RRsEnb Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE - https://amzn.to/3RzFjeJ Real Food for Fertility by Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE - https://amzn.to/44lmPWA Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE - https://amzn.to/3YrpNoM 100 Best Foods for Pregnancy - https://amzn.to/4lK5RYz   Helpful Links: — BIBLE STUDY - FREE Bible Study Course - How To Be Sure Of Your Salvation - https://the-ruffled-mango-school.teachable.com/p/how-to-be-sure-of-your-salvation   — CHRISTIAN CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION - Sign up HERE for the Your Birth, God's Way Online Christian Childbirth Course! This is a COMPLETE childbirth education course with a God-led foundation taught by a certified nurse-midwife with over 20 years of experience in all sides of the maternity world! - https://go.yourbirthgodsway.com/cec   — HOME BIRTH PREP - Having a home birth and need help getting prepared?  Sign up HERE for the Home Birth Prep Course. — homebirthprep.com   -- COACHING - Sign up for your PERSONALIZED Pregnancy Coaching Midwife & Me Power Hour HERE  — https://go.yourbirthgodsway.com/powerhour These consults can include: birth plan consultation, past birth processing, second opinions, breastfeeding consultation, and so much more!  Think of it as a special, one-hour appointment with a midwife to discuss whatever your concerns may be without any bias of practice policy or insurance policy influencing recommendations.   — GET HEALTHY - Sign up here to be the first to know about the new Women's Wellness Program coming from Lori SOON! https://go.yourbirthgodsway.com/yourhealth   — MERCH - Get Christian pregnancy and birth merch HERE - https://go.yourbirthgodsway.com/store   — RESOURCES & LINKS - All of Lori's Recommended Resources HERE - https://go.yourbirthgodsway.com/resources   Sign up for email updates Here   Be heard! Take My Quick SURVEY to give input on future episodes you want to hear -- https://bit.ly/yourbirthsurvey   Got questions?  Email lori@yourbirthgodsway.com     Social Media Links: Follow Your Birth, God's Way on Instagram! @yourbirth_godsway Follow the Your Birth, God's Way Facebook Page! facebook.com/lorimorriscnm Join Our Exclusive Online Birth Community -- facebook.com/groups/yourbirthgodsway   Learn more about Lori and the podcast at go.yourbirthgodsway.com!   DISCLAIMER:  Remember that though I am a midwife, I am not YOUR midwife.  Nothing in this podcast shall; be construed as medical advice.  Listening to this podcast does not mean that we have entered into a patient-care provider relationship. While I strive to provide the most accurate information I can, content is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.  You must do your research and consult other reputable sources, including your provider, to make the best decision for your own care.  Talk with your own care provider before putting any information here into practice.  Weigh all risks and benefits for yourself knowing that no outcome can be guaranteed.  I do not know the specific details about your situation and thus I am not responsible for the outcomes of your choices.    Some links may be affiliate links which provide me a small commission when you purchase through them.  This does not cost you anything at all and it allows me to continue providing you with the content you love.

In this episode of the Adoption Roadmap podcast, host Rebecca Gruenspan and Dr. Sarah Silvestri discuss the complexities of health and medical concerns in adoption. They explore the definition of 'healthy' in the context of adopted children, the impact of prenatal substance exposure, the importance of prenatal care, and the challenges faced by adoptive parents. The conversation also covers the risks associated with STDs and gestational diabetes, as well as practical advice for selecting a pediatrician who understands the unique needs of adopted children.Important Links- ⁠Dr. Sara Silvestri⁠- ⁠American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)⁠- ⁠RG Adoption Consulting⁠- ⁠Take the “Are You Ready to Adopt?” Quiz⁠Chapters00:00 Understanding Health in Adoption02:53 The Fear of the Unknown in Adoption06:09 Defining Healthy Babies in Adoption09:00 Trends in Maternal Health and Substance Use12:11 Navigating the Adoption Checklist14:53 The Importance of Prenatal Care17:53 Risks of Substance Exposure During Pregnancy21:02 Understanding Opioids and Their Risks23:48 The Impact of Alcohol on Pregnancy26:50 The Nuances of Marijuana Use During Pregnancy36:11 Understanding Hepatitis Risks in Pregnancy39:21 The Impact of Substance Use on Hepatitis Transmission42:25 Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Causes and Care46:48 The Long-Term Effects of Substance Exposure on Children53:11 STDs and Gestational Diabetes in Adoption Situations01:00:43 Navigating Medical Records for Adoptive Parents01:05:40 Choosing the Right Pediatrician for Adoptive FamiliesTune in to The Adoption Roadmap Podcast every Wednesday and Friday morning. If you like what you hear, I'd appreciate a follow and a 5-star rating & review!

Katie Reed - Mom of 2 boys, ages 2 and 4 months shares her journey to motherhood while navigating the grief of loser her grandmother/best friend suddenly from cancer not long after giving birth. Katie had gestational diabetes for both of her pregnancies and navigated colic, silent reflux and a tongue tie with her first son. She shares the differences from going from 0-1 and then 1-2 kids and how she manages being a breastfeeding working mom of 2. Instagram: Brittany Olson @becomingamootherpodcast Katie Reed: @katiereed15

Diabetes Core Update is a monthly podcast that presents and discusses the latest clinically relevant articles from the American Diabetes Association's four science and medical journals – Diabetes, Diabetes Care, Clinical Diabetes, and Diabetes Spectrum. Each episode is approximately 25 minutes long and presents 5-6 recently published articles from ADA journals. Intended for practicing physicians and health care professionals, Diabetes Core Update   discusses how the latest research and information published in journals of the American Diabetes Association are relevant to clinical practice and can be applied in a treatment setting. Welcome to diabetes core update where every month we go over the most important articles to come out in the field of diabetes. Articles that are important for practicing clinicians to understand to stay up with the rapid changes in the field.  This issue will review: 1.    Coronary Artery Calcium-Guided Primary Prevention Strategy 2.    Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Utility after Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery vs. Medical/Lifestyle Intervention in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity 3.    Suicide and suicide attempt in users of GLP-1 receptor agonists: a nationwide case-time-control study 4.    Self-Monitored Blood Glucose and Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes and Medicaid Insurance 5.     Gestational Diabetes to Type 2 Diabetes—Is Poor Sleep to Blame?   For more information about each of ADA's science and medical journals, please visit Diabetesjournals.org. Hosts: Neil Skolnik, M.D., Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Abington Jefferson Health John J. Russell, M.D., Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Chair-Department of Family Medicine, Abington Jefferson Health

In this episode of the Body Grievers Club, hosts Bri and Jana welcome Margaret Dougherty, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to discuss her experiences with pregnancy as a person in a larger body. Margaret shares her journey toward body acceptance, the challenges she faced with medical professionals, and the lack of representation and support for plus-size pregnant women. They also discuss the importance of advocating for oneself in medical settings and the societal pressure on pregnancy. Despite the hardships, Margaret expresses the joy and fulfillment she feels as a new mother and emphasizes that every pregnancy experience is valid, regardless of body size.TIME STAMPS:01:41 Margaret's Journey to Body Acceptance03:42 Pregnancy Fears and Realities04:43 Navigating Doctor's Appointments 10:49 The Fear of Gestational Diabetes 20:20 Navigating High-Risk Pregnancy Concerns21:10 The Changing Relationship of Body Image and Pregnancy23:21 Grief and Expectations of the Body During Pregnancy26:18 Challenges with Plus-Size Maternity Clothing28:38 Hospital Experiences and Systemic Issues35:38 Advocating for Yourself in HealthcareWant more of Margaret?Instagram: @margaretd_lmftWant more of Bri?Instagram: @bodyimagewithbri Website: https://bodyimagewithbri.com/

Liz, a mama of two from Long Island, New York, joins us today sharing her experience with preeclampsia, an unexpected C-section, and her successful VBAC with her second. Liz had a perfect health history and never had any surgeries before her C-section. It was so frustrating to feel so out of control. In between her birth and her second pregnancy, Liz's mom unexpectedly passed away. She shares how she has been processing the intense grief from her mother's passing and from the positive birth experience she wasn't able to have. Liz made lots of changes going into her VBAC birth including diet, switching providers, and choosing to birth at home!Liz's DoulaCoterie Diapers - Use code VBAC20 for 20% offHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan Hello, everybody. We have our friend, Liz, from New York with us today. She is a mom of two and almost two years old. Right? Your VBAC baby?Liz: Yes.Meagan Almost two years since your VBAC baby.And then an almost six-year-old. And yeah, like I said, she lives in New York, and she's going to be sharing her stories with you guys today. With her first birth, she actually had preeclampsia, so she's gonna talk more about that. And then with her second birth, she didn't have preeclampsia. I think this is an important thing to talk about because we know that having preeclampsia again is a possibility, and it might be slightly increased if you've had it, but it doesn't mean you will. So I'm hoping that we can talk a little bit more if you did do anything to try to avoid it. The second one, we'll talk more about that in a little bit. But knowing that it's still okay. If you have preeclampsia, you can still VBAC. Now, in her second one, she didn't have preeclampsia, but you can still VBAC if you have preeclampsia. So we're going to talk about that a little bit after your first birth too, because I want to know more. All right. We do have a Review of the Week today, and this is by jess2123. It says "Best Podcast for VBAC". It says, "I listened to the podcast after my son's birth. I learned so much that I knew I wanted a VBAC for my second birth. When I became pregnant again, I would listen to this podcast during my walks. Thanks to the wealth of knowledge that I gained, I had my unmedicated VBAC in 2023." Congratulations, Jess, on your VBAC, and thank you so much for your review. I know this year we're tossing it up between reviews and educational pieces, but I just do want to remind you really quickly that if you haven't left us a review yet, we would love it. You can push "pause" right now and listen or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can go over to Google. Google "The VBAC Link", and leave us a review there. These reviews really do help us and bring us so much joy. So without further ado, I want to turn the time over to you.Liz: Thank you so much. I guess every VBAC story starts with the Cesarean story, or at least there's one in there. My pregnancy journey did start with a Cesarean as far as the first birth. As Meagan mentioned, I am a mom of two. With my first son, I fortunately have been reproductively very healthy and otherwise healthy my entire life. I was able to track everything. I had regular cycles and really no issues there, so I feel really, really blessed in that regard. I was able to get pregnant pretty easily. I believe I got pregnant in about February 2018 for the first time. I found out mid-March after I tested in my bathroom and just ran out with the test to my husband, nothing super special. I think I was just shocked. I remember I had gone to a St. Patrick's Day parade and felt so tired that I said to my friend, "I'm going to go home and nap in between that and another event." They were all like, "Why are you napping?" I was like, "I don't know, I'm just really tired." I took the pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy. It was immediately positive which was amazing. My EDD, my estimated due date, was supposed to be Thanksgiving that year, so it was November 22nd which was Thanksgiving 2018. That just made me laugh because I was like, wow, what a far cry from Thanksgiving Eve spent even a decade previous. But yeah, so my pregnancy started out pretty status quo, I would say. I definitely experienced that nausea. My morning sickness was definitely an all-day thing, so it was a little tough. I think it threw me for a loop because I didn't know what to expect. I had always wanted to eat healthier, especially being pregnant, but it was like my body would not allow me to eat what I wanted or what my brain wanted me to eat. It was a lot of carbs to start out. I know that's pretty common. I remember when I went for my first appointment, I had called an OB's office. I'm trying to think. I think I had gone for one well-woman visit before, but I had two friends, actually three friends who had delivered with this OB and had good experiences, so I figured I would give it a try. The funny thing is, pretty much from the jump, I could tell that we weren't very aligned. I didn't really see eye-to-eye with him, but he had this nurse practitioner who was wonderful, and I feel like she drew people in because she was just very nurturing and calming, and she just had that great energy. I knew, obviously, she wasn't going to be at my birth, but I still stayed there.Meagan Oh yeah. So can we talk about that a little bit? So you had one provider that you're like, "I don't know, our energy doesn't match." And then one that you're like, "Our energy totally matches." But then they wouldn't be birthing with you. So tell me a little bit more of what that provider was that wasn't matching your energy.Liz: Yeah. So I guess because I had always been so healthy, my experiences with medical professionals were very limited. I had just gone to doctors for routine checkups my entire life, and everything was always fine. I think because I wasn't very experienced in the medical world, I almost had this aversion to it. I just was like, they're there if there's an emergency, but it'll be fine. Everything will be fine. I'm trying to do this as naturally as possible. He seemed very old school. I don't know how to describe it, just very set in his ways. I remember, I'll circle back around, but towards the end of the pregnancy when I had finally gotten the gall to tell him that I really wanted to try and do this unmedicated because I was so nervous to say that, he was like, "Well, don't expect this baby to just fall out of you. You're a first-time mom."Meagan Wait, what?Liz: He literally said that to me. And I was like, "Okay, I didn't think that." Meagan: I wasn't saying that. Liz: Yeah, I wasn't saying that I didn't think I wouldn't have to work hard. That's not what I'm saying. So just comments like that. The bedside manner just didn't seem very nurturing. He was very by the book, quick appointments, and asking me his little checklists of items, and that was it, whereas I felt like his nurse practitioner was very warm, had great bedside manner, and really just cared about mothering the mother in that situation. It wasn't just about the baby and how I was going to give birth or how I preferred to give birth. It was the entire experience. I remember at one point, she even said, "Obviously, there is a need for testing certain things and for keeping an eye on everything, but I really just feel like if we left women more alone to go through their pregnancies, they might be better off because we're so hands-on in the United States, and it just causes sometimes more anxiety throughout a time that's supposed to be really beautiful."So she did mention that she reminded me of, I don't know, a woman who crouched down in the field and gave birth to her babies in the woods. That's who she reminded me of. I don't know if that's the truth for her. I never did ask anything about her birthing experiences, but that's who she reminded me of. Just super warm and nurturing. I think also I maybe just aligned more with a female provider. It could have been just that too.Meagan: Yeah, it could have been. But I mean, what you were saying, comments like that, if I'm being super straight, we've interviewed providers on here that have come across really great, and then the more I've interviewed them, I'm like, "Oh, I don't know if I like that. I don't know."That can just happen. I think that's where it comes with vetting your provider and going with who makes you feel warm and fuzzy. But at the same time you're in this place where you're like, well, we've got this medical. We'll see how it goes. I've got this to also like, I've got this warm, fuzzy, filling-my-cup over here. So it seems like it's an okay match, right?Liz: Yeah. And I also manipulated it to the point where I would only make appointments when she was available throughout my pregnancy where the office was like, "You have to see the OB. You have to. He is going be the one who's attending your birth." I'm just like, "But I don't want to. I don't want to do that."Meagan: Yeah.Liz: I just stuck with the practice, I think, because I was nervous. I was new to it and like you said, I was getting my warm and fuzzy cup filled by that nurse practitioner's presence. Things progressed. I finally outgrew that morning sickness. By the second trimester, it was week 12 or 13 and it let up, and I was feeling good. I was pretty energetic. I was doing yoga on a somewhat regular basis. Nutritionally, I do want to mention because I think this does play a role in how things may have gone with the preeclampsia. But nutritionally, I was actually coming off of a vegetarian diet. I had been a vegetarian for a few years. I had gotten really deep into yoga in the early 2010s, and I became a vegetarian when I was doing teacher training for that. So I was purely vegetarian for a few years, and then I started integrating poultry back into my diet. I ate very little because my husband also doesn't consume a lot of meat, so we just didn't eat a lot of meat. I feel like I'm already a picky eater even as an adult. I definitely was as a child, but even as an adult, I still have things that I just don't like, so I feel like my diet was pretty limited, and I perhaps was not getting the nutrients that I needed, especially when my body underwent this or got pregnant and was going through this stressful event.Meagan: Yeah. Growing a placenta and a baby. Yeah, it needed its nutrients.Liz: Yeah. So I feel like during my pregnancy, especially once I started to feel good again, I ate whatever I wanted. So that whole like, I'm just going to eat so healthy, I was just like, yeah, no. I'm eating for two. I totally knew that's not what you're supposed to do. Meagan: I did the same thing. Liz: Yeah. I was like, whatever. I'm feeling great. I'm going to eat it. It's there. I'm going to eat it. So I get to my 20-week anatomy scan. I'm not even sure if it was exactly at 20 weeks, and everything goes well. Fortunately, no complications with the baby. Oh, I had also gotten a NIPT to find out the sex of the baby, so I knew I was having a boy. The anatomy scan did validate that. But that week, I don't know if it was right before or right after my anatomy scan, I noticed that I was starting to swell just on my right side of my body. My right foot was swollen. My right ankle leg was a little swollen. I remember reaching out to my social media friends. I just put out a status like, "Hey, pregnant lady here. I don't really know what's going on. Is this normal? Is this something I should bring up to my provider? What do you guys think?" There were plenty of people who were like, "No, it's totally normal to be swollen at that point." I even said, "It's only on one side though. It's weird."Meagan: Yeah, yeah.Liz: So they were like, "Just elevate your feet. See what happens." It would always go down, but it was just odd that I happened to notice just the swelling on one side of the body. So definitely interesting. Yeah. So I keep going. I'm getting bouts of pretty much every pregnancy symptom, but it would always be very short-lived. I definitely had some reflux, short-lived. I got sciatic pain so bad one day that I couldn't get out of the car. I remember I was sitting in the passenger seat and I said to my husband, "I can't walk on my right leg right now because of my sciatic nerve." So I was doing all these exercises to try and get the baby off my nerve and all of that, and everything just waxed and waned. Nothing was long-lived by any means. So I get to 30 weeks. I think it was at my 30-week appointment, and I believe it was the medical assistant who come in and took my blood pressure and wait like they always do. I don't know if it was her or the nurse practitioner who said that I had my first high blood pressure reading. Like, "Oh, it's elevated a little bit." And I was like, "Oh, that's so strange. I've been a 120/80 girl this entire time, and my whole life, I've never had blood pressure issues." And they're like, "Okay, well it's something to keep an eye on. Let's see. We're going to let you lay on your side, and see if we can have it come down. We'll take it at the end of the appointment again." And it did. It would come down, but they definitely were like, "We're going to keep this in our back pocket, and we might have to have additional monitoring if this progresses." I didn't really know what high blood pressure and pregnancy could mean, so of course, I go to Dr. Google like a good pregnant lady does, right?Meagan: Yep. A lot of us, I'm guilty.Liz: Guilty. Yeah. I was like, okay, so it could be hypertension in pregnancy or it could turn into preeclampsia. I was reading all the things, how this could turn and what that all meant. So in the back of my head, I always thought like, okay. I'm aware of what could indicate preeclampsia, but that's not going to be me. I am a healthy person, right? I've always been healthy my entire life. There shouldn't be any issues while I'm pregnant. And that wasn't the case, unfortunately. But I did go in a few more times, and I did get elevated blood pressure readings. So I don't know what week I was, but I know it was the beginning of October. I saw this other nurse practitioner who was not warm and fuzzy. She was new to the practice and she saw me. She took my pressure, and you could see the alarm in her face, but she wasn't saying much. This stuck with me to this day. It's just so crazy. She handed me this paper. The hospital that I was delivering at is a small community hospital, but it's affiliated with this Catholic healthcare system where I live, so they have a few different hospitals that are also within that same system. She just gave me this paper that had a listing of all these numbers for these different departments at these hospitals, and she just said, "You need to call them and make an appointment." And I'm like, "I have literally no idea what this is about." She's like, "Your pressure is high. You need to go make an appointment with them," but that's all she said to me. Meagan: For what? Yeah. Liz: Yeah, what is happening right now? I remember even that day, she asked me about my face. She was just like, "Is your face swollen? Does your face normally look like that?" I was like, "I have a very round face. I have big cheeks. To me, my face doesn't look different." Yeah. So she handed me that paper, told me to call, and like the good patient I am, I was like, "Sure, I'll call." So I called. I found out it was maternal-fetal medicine, which for those of you out there that don't know what that is, that's a high-risk doctor, and I had no idea. So this is my first experience with that. I did call. I made an appointment, and my OB office had me do a 24-hour urine drop or urine drip, however you want to call that. Meagan: Urine catch? Urine catch, probably?Liz: Yeah, so for those of you who don't know what that is, they give you a jug from a lab, and you have to put your urine into that jug for an entire 24 hours. They test it, and they're checking to see if there's any protein that is spilling into your urine because that could indicate decreased kidney function. Meagan: Preeclampsia. Yeah.Liz: Yeah. That is a symptom of preeclampsia. So I did do that. I went and saw MFM, and in the office there, my pressures were labile. They even called them that-- labile. It had elevated a little bit, probably in the 130s over 90s, but then by the end of the appointment, it had come down. My labs for that urine catch did indicate that there was protein present, but it wasn't within a diagnosable threshold. It was below that lab threshold, so I basically wasn't diagnosable. But they were like, "Now we're going to watch you." Most people like to see their babies on ultrasounds. That's an exciting thing. I became so fed-up with having to go in. I was, at that point, a frequent flyer. I was going in weekly earlier than a pregnancy that wasn't having any sort of complications. I was getting not only an ultrasound, but an NST every time I went in, so I'd have to lay there for 45 minutes while they looked at the baby's heart tones and everything. Yeah, at that point, I was just really stressed out because I was like, is that what this is turning into? But I don't have preeclampsia. I think I also saw my OB within that timeframe and he mentioned, "If this progresses, we will be doing a 37-week induction." And I was like okay, so I'm going to keep that in mind. But again, this isn't going to progress to that because I'm healthy and we're going to make it past 37 weeks. I probably wouldn't get the type of delivery that I wanted. And that's probably something I should mention. If I was induced at 37 weeks, I was preparing to have an unmedicated birth, a vaginal birth, and I was even taking a HypnoBirthing class to try and labor as long as I could at home. My whole thing was that I didn't want to go to the hospital until I needed the hospital or until I felt I needed the hospital. So here I am thinking, okay. I want this unmedicated, low-intervention birth, but I'm having all these interventions right now because they need to monitor me. There's some sort of issue that might be brewing. Yeah. I already said I went to MFM and all of that. My symptoms, at that point, were mostly swelling. I was getting very swollen at this point. I had that pitting edema in my legs, so I could press my finger into my leg. Meagan: It stayed. Liz: It stayed, and then my feet were like little loaves of bread. My feet will never forget what they went through. My husband would just massage them every single night, trying to get the fluid to move out of my tissues. It was crazy. I had another experience with a different OB who was not my OB, but I was out at a family event at this restaurant, and this woman approached me, told me she was an OB, and asked me if I was okay because my legs and my feet did not look so great.Meagan: What?Liz: Yeah. I was just standing in the lobby minding my business, and she's like, "Are you okay?" as if I'm not being monitored, but do you think I'm just going through this free and unaware of what's happening? Yeah. So that was interesting. She said that she was an OB. Yeah. So I went for weekly NSTs, the ultrasounds, and everything looked great with the baby. He was never under any sort of distress. No concerns of intrauterine growth restriction, nothing like that, but my pressures just kept being labile. I actually borrowed a blood pressure cuff so I could monitor at home. There were some mornings where I'd lay down on the couch after I woke up, and my blood pressures were reaching into those like 140s over 90, 91 maybe. I just would cry. I was just hysterical. Like, why is this happening? I don't want to go to labor and delivery right now. I don't want to be monitored. I'm already being monitored so much. There were probably some weeks towards the end where it was more than once that I went into my OB's office for monitoring. So fortunately, we made it through that 37-week mark. We made it all the way to, essentially, the end. And we get to Thanksgiving Eve, right? So my due date is the next day. I'm at 39 and 6. This was one of those appointments where they said, "You have to see the OB." I know I just kicked and screamed, not really, but in my head like, "F"ine, I'll see him. So the medical assistant comes in, takes my pressure and my weight, doesn't say anything, and leaves the room. He comes in, takes my pressure in my weight, and he asks me to meet him in his office.Meagan: Really?Liz: Yes. So I get myself dressed out of the gown that they had given me, and I go meet him in this fancy office. And he's like, "Your pressure is very high today, very high. So you're going to be going to labor and delivery straight from here." He's like, "I have a few meetings that I have to attend to here, but I will meet you over there in a few hours." And I was like, obviously, on the verge of tears. I'm just like, "Can I please stop home and get my stuff? Like, I have bags, I have a dog."Meagan: If you can go to your meetings, I can go to my house.Liz: Right. And yeah, my OB's was maybe 12-13 minutes away from my house, and the hospital was about five minutes down the road. So I was just like, "Can I just go home and grab my stuff?" And he's like, "No, no, no. Go straight to the hospital." And he goes, "And you're probably going to have a Cesarean."Meagan: What?Liz: This is after I tell him my natural birth, or my unmedicated, definitely wanting a vaginal birth. I was like, what? Literally, that was when the tears of waterworks really started. I was just like, "there's no shot at me having a vaginal birth?" And he's just like, "Well, I'm going to be putting you on medication to prevent seizures, so you can either labor with that and have it cancel out my induction medication, or you can just be calm and go to a Cesarean." Like, go to the OR, essentially.Meagan: What were your pressures?Liz: 170/110 that day.Meagan: Okay. Okay.Liz: So, high. Meagan: Yeah. But he's like, "You can do this, but it's not going to work, or you could just calm down and do this."Liz: Yeah, yeah. It was like, those aren't options, so that's not really an option. Right? That's what you're telling me. Meagan: Yeah. Liz: Yeah. So I called my mom. I called my husband, frantic. I was just flipping out. I get out of the office, I'm crying in the parking lot telling everybody. They're telling me to go right to the hospital. So, of course, my husband rushes home from work. He was at work. It was a Wednesday, and he got my dog. He had to bring my dog to my mom's, grab our bags to the extent that they were packed, and he met me there. I was crying. I walked myself into the hospital. It was the most surreal thing. I checked myself in knowing that I was going to come out with a human being, which was bizarre. And when I finally got to labor and delivery, my nurse was so sweet, but I was crying so much that she was just like, "Are you going to be okay?" And I was like, "I really want a vaginal delivery." And she's just like, "Honey." She goes, "I understand. I do think he's making the right choice. I do think you're making the right choice," which again, I don't really feel like I had a choice in that.Meagan: Yeah, you're like, "I wasn't really given a choice."Liz: She was also trying to relate. She's like, "I've had three Cesareans. I promise you're going to be okay. You're going to be okay." I was just like, "I've never even had a tooth pulled. I don't know if I could do this."So my husband arrived again. I'm just crying. He's trying to cheer me up, trying to keep our eyes on the prize and the fact that we were going to hopefully have a healthy baby at the end of all this. I want to say between check-in and when my OB arrived and scrubbed himself in, it was probably about three hours. Yeah. And I walked into the OR, another bizarre experience. I just walked in.Meagan: Yeah. Yep.Liz: Okay, so everybody scrubs in. There's a whole host of people in there, including my nurse. I had never had surgery, so they're giving me all the instructions as to how I need to lean forward so that they can put a spinal block, I think, at that point, the anesthesiologist, and it was so bizarre. It felt like the most claustrophobic thing. If any of you have ever had Cesareans, hopefully you can relate to me, but feeling the numbness just go up your legs.Meagan: It is very strange. I walked in for my second one. With my first one I just had an epidural, but the second one I had a spinal.Liz: Yeah, yeah. So I mean, so bizarre. Then, like I had already mentioned I was so swollen, so they had to just take my very swollen-- I felt like a beached whale-- body parts and put them onto this operating table because I couldn't move once. Obviously, the spinal had activated. So that was bizarre. But my husband, I mean, this man is the calmest person and the nicest person I know. Thank God for him and his presence on that day. He kept me nice and calm. Everybody was really, really nice in the OR. The only thing I happened to notice at one point was they had my blood pressure cuff on. That's why I'm here, right? Because my blood pressures are so hig,h and it had slipped down to my wrist, so I had my arms out. I don't think my arms were strapped down. I don't remember that. I had them out, and I look over to the extent that I could to the anesthesiologist, like, "Hey, does somebody want to maybe put this cuff on? Because that's why I'm, here. That's why we're in this position right now." But yeah, my husband and I just chatted and laughed the entire surgery. Everything worked out really well with the spinal. I did not feel any pain. They did talk me through to an extent about what I would feel as far as tugging or pulling or pressure. My son was fortunately born really healthy, screaming, great Apgar score, the whole nine. He came, and oh my god, what a feeling. Obviously, I was so emotional because of how the birth had gone and what had led me there. But becoming a parent and seeing your child for the first time, you can't really describe that. It's amazing. I have really nice photos and video that the nurse took. They brought the baby over to me. They did not do skin-to-skin with me. Again, I had all of these birth plans, preferences, and, none of that came to fruition. None of that pertained to my or situation. I was so, so happy and also so sad. I don't know how to describe it. It was like the happiest and saddest day of my whole life up until that point. So recovery was interesting. I feel like I got maybe 5 hours of sleep in the hospital total. I was on a magnesium drip. People had told me that the side effects could be a little bit gnarly with that, but I fortunately didn't find anything abnormal. I think I had so much adrenaline. But I did try to get my son to latch, and he was having a really hard time latching. They had a lactation consultant from the hospital come in and see me, and I could not get him to latch. I happened to notice that his tongue was really tethered, super tethered. I could see the tie was really far forward, and he couldn't lift his tongue. So I kept telling them, I was like, "He can't lift his tongue up the way that I feel like he needs to." They just kept telling me how to hold my own body to try and breastfeed properly. I'm like, "I don't think that that's the problem though." So that was really challenging. They did want me to stay extra time for some monitoring. So the next day was Thanksgiving. I don't think my OB wanted to be there. It was a holiday, right? He took his sweet time coming in because they wouldn't even let me eat. That was the thing. I was on magnesium. They brought breakfast in at like 7:00, and he strolls in at like 10:30. I just watched my breakfast get cold in the corner. So that was interesting. But yeah, I think at that point, if you had had a Cesarean without complications, they were looking at about a 48-hour stay. But they asked me to stay an additional day because my pressures were still labile. They were still elevated. I did get put on-- I can't remember the name of medication, but it was blood pressure medication. I was taking Motrin for pain management, the hospital-grade Motrin for my Cesarean. I cannot even describe what it was like trying to get up and walk around that first time after surgery. It's insane. That was something I didn't expect. But yeah, I didn't get much sleep. The last day that I was there, my dog had gotten into a place in my mom's house that she couldn't get him. He had gotten into something, and she couldn't reach him, so she was flipping out. She called my husband. She didn't call me and just told him, "Listen, you have to come get the dog. I can't get him." So he did. I told him, "It's fine, it's fine, you can leave." While he was gone, I had friends come and visit me. They were still visitors pre-COVID. The covering physician came in. I had my son on Wednesday. Thursday was Thanksgiving and I saw my OB, and then there were covering physicians for Friday and Saturday. So we're at Friday now, Friday evening. He came in and saw me and he's like, "You know what? I might be able to discharge you tonight." I got so excited because I was like, this is my first experience having a newborn baby. My husband is trying to go deal with my dog. How awesome would it be if we could just go home tonight?So I got super excited. He said this right in front of my friends, too. He comes back in a short while later and was like, "I just looked at your chart. I looked at your pressures." He didn't clear out the room, nothing. And he's like, "You know what? I can't discharge you. Not with pressures like this. I can't do that." And he's like, "And the covering physician tomorrow won't be able to discharge you any sooner than late afternoon, early evening because that is when he will be here." I was like, okay. So here I am in my head thinking I could go home tonight, and now you're telling me I might be able to go home tomorrow afternoon or evening. I'm already very hormonal. I'm very emotional. My husband's not here.My friends wound up leaving, and I just sobbed. I just sobbed in my room like, oh my god. this is a nightmare. Why can't my body get it together? Why can't I just have normal blood pressures again?Meagan: Yeah.Liz: Yeah. We did wind up getting discharged the next day, but I remember that physician just being so the last straw for me in that experience. You didn't have to say anything at all, and then you also set it in front of all of my friends.Meagan: Uh-huh. Yeah. So you didn't stay with this provider, did you?Liz: I did not stay with this provider.Meagan: For your VBAC? Okay.Liz: No, absolutely not. Absolutely not. Yeah. I guess I should probably get into that story, right?Meagan: No, this has been great. This has been great. Yeah. Yeah. So you were done. You went home. You're like, last straw, no more, never again.Liz: Yeah. Yeah. And I did have my. My son assessed by a lactation consultant, and she said that was one of the most severe tongue ties that she had ever seen. She did recommend a release. I was four days postpartum at this point. I wound up supplementing with formula which was something I so didn't want to do, but I was just like, this kid is starving. He can't latch properly. I did. I went and saw a specialist, and I had his tongue and lip ties both revised, and it was severe. That was a severe tongue tie. I know people have mixed feelings about that, but he needed it. Even in my opinion, as a lay person.Meagan: Yeah. Yeah.Liz: But yeah, pretty much immediately I knew I wanted things to be different the following pregnancy and birth. I think I started thinking about my VBAC probably that day. It was probably the day I gave birth to my son. This cannot be how this goes every time.So it took me a really long time to even want to conceive again. Not only did I have all these complicated feelings about my birth because yes, I did have a healthy baby. Yes, I ultimately weaned off of blood pressure medication and my body came back to however you want to phrase normal, but I had had this experience that I was holding onto a lot of trauma from, and unfortunately, my son was four months old and my mom suddenly passed away. So yeah, it was unexpected. It was sudden. I still to the day am shocked that I didn't lose my milk supply, but I was able to pump in the hospital and get my son milk. That is a crazy, surreal experience losing a parent, but I don't think that there's much more cruel than losing someone that you care about so much. My mom and I were so close in a postpartum period that's already complicated by birth trauma. So now I had this grief for my mom. I had this grief for the birth experience I didn't have. I think that largely contributed to me waiting to conceive again. I also wanted to try and find out as much as I could about what causes preeclampsia. What exactly goes on in the body that would cause that to happen? Funny thing is the verdict is still out there. They're not exactly sure what causes it.Meagan: Yeah. And there are things that we can do to try to help avoid it, but there's nothing specifically that's like if you do this, you for sure won't have it.Liz: Yeah.Meagan: The same thing with gestational diabetes. It's within the placenta, but we don't know. It needs to be further studied.Liz: Yeah. I have heard that it has to do with the father. Have you heard that too?Meagan: I have heard that as well, that there's a connection. Yes.Liz: Yeah. So I wound up, I remember I saw a home birth my wife just for blood work between having my son and conceiving my daughter. She did mention, "Preeclampsia is largely a first-time pregnancy illness. Largely. It doesn't mean you can't have it a second time," but she was the one who mentioned to me you have a higher instance of getting it again if you have the same father for your child. And I'm like, "Well, I'm married."Meagan: Well, I am going to have the same father.Liz: Yeah. So that was always in the back of my head. It's like, okay well, subsequent pregnancy, less of a chance. But same father, more of a chance. So I was just wondering what my odds were. It definitely was there on my mind for a long time. I studied as much as I could about what could cause it. I've read Lily Nichols, Real Food for Pregnancy, cover to cover. Obsessed with her. Obsessed with everything she has to say. There it is right here.Meagan: And right here and right here. Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Real Food for Pregnancy. Food is powerful, you guys. It's very powerful. But it's changed over the years.Liz: I know. I love how she presents the research because she's the one who really delves into it and presents it in such a digestible way. It was such an easy read. I was like, okay. Okay, here are some things that I can control. Can I control everything? No. But here are the things that I intend to do the next time.Meagan: Yeah.Liz: So my mom passed away in April 2019. It took, again, a few years, but by spring 2022, I was feeling ready. And my husband and I kind of discussed it. It was in little passing. "Hey, should we try and get pregnant again?" And it was one time. It's not lost on me how lucky I am in that sense that it took me one shot to get pregnant.Meagan: Which is awesome. Liz: Yeah. I found out my EDD for that pregnancy was going to be on Christmas Day.Meagan: Oh my gosh.Liz: Yeah. And I just said, "Wow, I can't avoid major winter holidays, apparently, with my pregnancies."Meagan: Yeah. Oh, my gosh.Liz: So we did not find out that we were having a girl, but she did wind up being a girl. Spoiler alert. But, yeah, I was really not feeling well that pregnancy. It was like aversions times 1000. I had this really bizarre one that I had never even heard anybody discussed before, but I had so much extra saliva in my mouth. I'm sorry. That might sound disgusting. It felt like when right before you're going to get sick, how your mouth fills up with saliva but all day.Meagan: Like your saliva glands were just excess all the time, giving you all the spit possible.Liz: Yeah, it was disgusting.Meagan: That is interesting. I don't think I've ever heard of that.Liz: Yeah, it was terrible. Fortunately, I was working from home. I was working full-time, but I was at home. I would just walk around with a spit cup. Like, how disgusting. It disgusts me to even talk about it. It's just like, what is happening? I was waiting for those aversions to let up because I couldn't stand the smell of coffee, which, I love coffee. Basically the sight of anything that wasn't pure oxygen was disgusting to me. The sight of opening up my refrigerator was like, ugh. Exactly. The gag reflex. That lasted my second pregnancy until 22 weeks. So it was rough. I joked that I was horizontal for 2022, and that's not even a joke. I really was lying down. I had so much guilt because my son was so energetic at this point. He was nearly four years old, and he had so much energy. He wanted to do things, and I could not muster up the energy most of the time. My husband was the default parent, and I never thought that that would be the case. That was really, really hard. That was probably the hardest part of the pregnancy. But yeah, so I started to really actively plan for that VBAC. I started to see a hospital-based group of midwives. I loved them. I had gone for well-woman visits between as well. But every provider that I saw was just amazing. I didn't have any bad things to say. I knew that I would be with them if I was in the hospital. But deep down in my heart, I really, really wanted to be at home. I had seen so many beautiful home birth videos when I did HypnoBirthing. And I also associated hospitals with sickness. I had been there because I developed preeclampsia.Meagan: Uh-huh.Liz: I had been there when my mom was sick and passing away. It was a sick place. I wanted to be at a place where I felt most safe. For me, that was home. I know people have a lot of feelings and opinions about that all over, but for me, that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to do all of the things to keep myself low-risk and able to birth at home if possible while still making plans for transfer and even surgery if it was needed again. So I wasn't ignorant to the fact that it could turn into that, but I was going to try all of the things.Where I live, there actually aren't a lot of home birth midwives who support HBACs, VBACs at home. But I found one and we clicked immediately. When I spoke to her on the phone, I was like, she is my girl. I need her. I need her energy at my birth. We met in person a few weeks later, and she was so, so gung-ho about it. She had mentioned that her mom actually had an HBAC, and she witnessed her mom having that HBAC. It was just ingrained into her. She really supported me with advice on diet. She helped me with supplementation. I was on a lot of supplements for this pregnancy. I'm not even going to front. I had so many alarms set for all my supplements daily. So yes, I was trying to support myself with diet, of course, but I was trying to also fill in any gaps that might be there with supplementation. I just know my diet's not perfect, and it certainly wasn't when I was feeling terrible.Meagan: Yeah, no one's is. No one's is. That's just the reality of it. We can be eating the best we can, and we still are often falling short. That's why supplements are really great.Liz: Yeah. Yeah. I was seeing a Webster-certified chiropractor the entire time to get myself into the best alignment to have that vaginal birth. The supplementation, I was doing reformer pilates. I had started it the year before, and I did it all the way until the very end of November 2022, so I was staying active. I was really trying. I basically said that I will do almost anything to keep myself at home. That was really my motto. Yeah, I really can't say I was totally worry-free. I was waiting for something to go wrong. I was. I was trying to keep this brave face as like, okay. I can do this. I can birth the way that I want to. I can have this complication-free birth and pregnancy experience. And in the back of my head I'm thinking, when is the next shoe go going to drop?Meagan: I mean, it's what you've experienced in the back story, the last story. And it's hard. Even if we've processed through things, there's still sometimes those little creeping thoughts that come in.Liz: Yeah. That is for sure. My midwife did recommend that I get a third-trimester ultrasound. That was more for her, but it was also for me. She never ever said, "You have to do this." Everything was really a conversation. The appointments, especially with a home birth midwife were an hour long or more sometimes. Just amazing. I loved going to see her. So I did get that third trimester ultrasound. It was more to check to make sure that the placenta wasn't compromised in any way and whether it was in a good position. There was no accreta. That was something that we really wanted to rule out to keep me low-risk and at home. I agreed with that. I am not anti-medicine by any means. I just want to put that out there just because I chose to have a home birth. I do respect medical professionals and their jobs and the need for surgery but I also wanted to keep myself in a place, again, that I felt safe, and that's really what it came down to. So in my head, I had mentally prepared to go to 41 weeks. I think that's where I prepared to go because I had learned that many, many women, especially first-time laboring women, because I did not labor with my son, I neglected to mention that I didn't labor at all. So first-time laboring women will go into labor typically, but somewhere between 40 and 41 weeks. Post-dates is very, very common. So in my head I prepared to go to 41 weeks and we got there. We got to Christmas. We through there. I was like, I'm going to go somewhere before New Year's Eve. No, nothing. So we got to New Year's Eve and here I am in my 41st week, and I'm just trying to keep myself calm. What am I going to do? I cannot go to 42 weeks. I can't do it. Mentally, I can't do it. Physically, I can't do it. I'm going to wind up at the hospital. Of course, all of these negative thoughts are swirling. I went for another adjustment with chiropractor. I went for an acupuncture session. I went for a few of them, but I did induction points with my acupuncturist. I was just trying to do all the things-- curb walking, I did the Miles circuit and all the things to try and help this baby engage. So we get to 41 and 1 for me, which is a Monday, and I was woken up with contractions that felt like period cramps. That's how I would describe them. Around 2:00 AM, I started timing them. They were 12 to 15 minutes apart at that point, but they weren't letting up. They were consistent. I woke up my husband getting all excited like, "Oh my gosh, this might be it. Here we are." And they weren't getting closer, but they weren't easing up. So they just continued like that for the rest of the day. I had gotten up from the couch at one point, and I felt like this small trickle. I went into the bathroom, and it didn't look like anything to me. It didn't look like much. There wasn't a huge gush of fluid, nothing. So I was like, oh, I think it's probably just discharge or maybe part of my mucus plug. I have no idea. I have literally no idea. But I was like, nothing seems off to me, and it wasn't enough fluid to be concerning. I did text my midwife to update her and she mentioned to me, "A lot of women will drop into more active labor when the sun goes down. Things get quiet. It starts to get calmer. I can almost guarantee that we're going to have a baby at some point in the next 24 hours." So I go to bed that night and thinking, I'm going to wake up Tuesday probably either be having a baby or have a baby already. I woke up Tuesday, and I was still pregnant. Here I was.Meagan: You're like, this is not what I was thinking.Liz: I remember I would wake up with a contraction, but again, they were 12 to 15 minutes apart. I would go to sleep between no issues and just wake up, breathe through the contraction, and go back to sleep. And that's how the whole night went. I just couldn't believe I was still pregnant. I really was starting to get a little down on myself. I was like, these aren't coming closer together. They're not intensifying. They're not letting up, but there's nothing really happening at this point. I texted my midwife again that morning, Tuesday morning, and she said she needed to come see me for the 41-week appointment anyway, so she said that she would come by that day. She was going to come to my house. And then we get to the mid-morning. It was probably around 10-10:30 and my contractions stopped, like literally up and left. Like, what is happening right now? I can't. I was in shock, literally in shock. Especially because labor had been going on for over 24 hours. It was absurd to me. But she's like, "Don't worry. I'm going to come see you for your appointment anyway." When she arrived later that day, I did ask her to do a cervical check because at this point I'm like, "Something has had to happen whether the baby moved down into a better station or I'm a little bit more dilated or just more engagement. Whatever it is, I just want to know at this point."Meagan:: Yeah.Liz: So she did. She said, "I'll go in there. I can do a cervical check and if I can get in there, would you like me to do a membrane sweep?" And I was like, "I would love that. Anything to get this going. Let's get the party started." I'm at my house. She does the cervical check. She's like, "I can do a membrane sweep." And as she basically finishes up, I feel this gush of fluid.Meagan:: Your water.Liz: Yeah. She stopped, and I said, "Was that fluid?" She's like, "I'm going to make sure it's amniotic fluid. I have the test strip," and of course, it lit up like a highlighter. She's like, "Yes." She goes, "So guess what? We're going to go after baby today. We're going to get this. We are going to get this party started." I had kept telling her, "I can't go to 42 weeks," and she kept saying, "Let's not go to 42 weeks. You'll be fine. We're going to get it moving." And here we are. She did mention, I was at that point, about 3-4 centimeters dilated, so pretty good. But she was like, "I can offer you, I have a Foley. I can offer you a Foley balloon just to put a little bit more pressure on the cervix and maybe we can get those contractions to start to start up again, and then hopefully come closer together." Yeah. So she did. She put that Foley in and she waited with me at my house, and we just chatted. It came out a short time after. It took very little. I didn't have discomfort with that, thankfully.Meagan: That's, good. I mean, your cervix was starting to come forward. Things were going.Liz: It was going. Yeah, yeah. So again, she stayed with me and once the Foley came out, she just advised me to put on some sort of protective underwear whether it was the adult diapers or a pad because now we knew that my fluid was at least leaking, but it wasn't coming out consistently anymore. I don't think it fully came out. It wasn't a big enough gush for it to be all of the fluid, if that makes sense.Meagan: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Liz: So she told me to do a few things. She's like, "I'm going to head out. You're going to call me when you need me," which, at that point, I was like, I have no idea what that means, but okay. And she's like, "Here are the things that you can do. Obviously nothing in there anymore, because we know that your amniotic sac is open.Meagan: It's broken. Liz: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. But she said, "You could do some pumping. You could use some clary sage essential oil." She gave me her TENS machine, and she's like, "You could try the TENS machine." I had never known that you could actually use that not for pain management. I only thought it was for pain management. So I was like, "That's so interesting." So she's like, "Do the pumping. Do that." So I did. I did one session, I think, before I put my son to bed for the last time as an only child. I did. I went and laid down with him and just knew that was probably going to be the last time that he would wake up or the last time he had woken up as an only child. And then I did it one more time, and not only did my contractions come back, I started timing them on the app, and I'm watching them get closer. They're going from 10 minutes to 8 minutes to 7 minutes to 5 minutes. I'm just watching them like, oh, my gosh. So we get to 11-11:30 at night, and it's just me and my husband there, and they are three minutes apart, and they're not easing up, and they are getting intense. So there it was. They came back.Meagan: And labor begins.Liz: Oh, it began. It began. I have so many interesting photos that my doula wound up taking. Thank God for her. Not only for the photos, but for everything that she did during the labor and delivery. It was intense. It gets intense, or in my experience, active labor when you get the breaks between the contractions and you are able to rest. I took every opportunity to rest. My doula was trying to guide me into different positions. She would help by putting a warm compress on my back at times. She would encourage even location changes in my house just to see if I could use the toilet. She told me to get into the shower at one point. I was like, "I'm too claustrophobic in here." I didn't like that, but she was trying to get me to try different things. But it was so intense. The craziest part for me was transition. That was truly an out-of-body experience. Everybody was doing these hands-on manipulations, my husband and my doula. But I could not do anything but just sway. I was standing, swaying back and forth in my living room, arms up. Why were my arms up? I have no idea, but they were up. I was doing that horse lips, breathing. Yep. It was just what my body did intuitively. I just, at that point, wasn't really getting a break. It was just insane. So that was intense. Out-of-body. I cannot replicate that level of pain in my head. There's just no doing that, but I knew that even if I needed to transfer, which I wasn't planning, but even if I needed to do that for pain management, I couldn't sit down in a car. I was at that point, so I thought to myself, the only way to this is through this. Like that is it. You've got to do it. We're just going to do it. So I knew that in my head. At no point did the pain concern me though. I mean, was it so intense and crazy? Yeah, but it was never like, there's something wrong.Meagan: Uh-huh. Yeah.Liz: So that was really good. I didn't think anything negative during that time except that I was in an intense amount of pain. But it was like pain with a purpose, if that makes sense.Meagan: Productive.Liz: Yes, yes. In the meantime, my doula had set up a birth pool because I definitely wanted to try to be in the pool when I gave birth, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the water since I didn't really like the shower experience. It took a while because the hose kept slipping off of our faucet or whatever, so they had to boil pots of water. I just remember my doula walking back and forth. In the meantime, they did call my midwife. Somebody did, and she showed up with her assistant. So there were like three or four adults trying to hold me in transition or do some sort of physical manipulations and then pour hot water into this birth pool.Meagan: Oh my.Liz: Yeah, it was very interesting. But yeah, my contractions, at that point, were 30 seconds apart and they were lasting a minute and a half. It was intense, yes. But the pool was finally filled at 6:45 in the morning on Wednesday, and the only reason why I know that is because we have pictures of me right before I got into the pool. When I got in, my body just relaxed. I didn't think I was going to be wanting to be in a supine position at all, beyond my bottom at all because I couldn't have even tried to sit on land. But once I got into the pool, everything relaxed and it was like, oh, this is what I needed. This is what I needed. I needed some relief. I also kept telling everybody how tired I was. Anybody who walked past me, I was like, "I'm so tired." They were like, "Yeah, no. We know. We know, but we're going to keep working."Meagan: Yeah.Liz: But yeah, I was in there for a really short time and I had heard of this before, but to actually experience it is next level. I had the fetal ejection reflex.Meagan: Oh yeah.Liz: So I did not even have another cervical check. Nothing. My body just started pushing that baby down and out. I couldn't have stopped it if I wanted to. I was making the most primal sounds. I have video of it, like low guttural sounds. It was probably going on for about 15 minutes. My son walked down, I heard his little pitter-patter of his feet, and he walked down. My stairs go right into my living room where I was. And the whole time the most nerve-wracking part of having a home birth for me was that I knew he was going to be home with us, and there really wasn't an adult aside from my husband and my birth support team who I wanted in my birthing space. So there was no other option of anybody to take care of him besides my husband if it came to that. I think in the back of my head, that was the most anxiety-inducing part of this.Meagan: Yeah.Liz: So down he walks. And of course, he's hiding. He sees these three other adults in our living room. I'm in the tub groaning.Meagan: Yeah.Liz: He's a little nervous. He's a little guy. Fortunately, I think it was either the birth assistant or my doula handed him his little digital camera that I had actually bought as a gift from the baby for him. Yeah. She encouraged him. She's like, "Why don't you take some pictures? Take some pictures of mommy and daddy." The minute that she said that and he started to do that, he calmed down and just wanted to be in it and part of it.Meagan: Yeah.Liz: Yeah. And I told him, "Mommy's making some interesting noises, but I'm okay. I'm safe. I'm okay." And he was just really good about it. I feel like all that anxiety went away, thankfully.Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome.Liz: Yeah. I noticed my midwife was starting to gather her supplies and in my head, I actually probably said it out loud like, "Wait, we're doing this here?" And she was like, "Yeah." I was like, "I'm having a baby here in this room." She's like, "Yeah." I was like, "I don't need to go to the hospital?" She's like, "No, no, no. You're okay."And, yeah. My body just kept pushing the baby out. And it was an hour, not even an hour. It was less than an hour from when I first got into the pool until my daughter was out. My husband got to reach down and put his hands there. As she came out, he felt her really chubby cheeks. She has big cheeks like me and her ear, and brought her up to my chest. I was just in shock. I couldn't believe that I had done that. But then, of course, I look and I see that she's a girl. I just knew my mom had sent me her. That's how I felt.Meagan: Oh, that just gave me the chills.Liz: Thank you.Meagan: Oh my gosh. That is so beautiful. I love that your son was able to be involved, and you could feel your mom. Oh huge. Congrats. Liz: Thank you so much.Meagan: Yes. Liz: My mom's name was Faith, and so my daughter's middle name is Faye because everybody who loved my mom called her Faye. She was Aunt Faye to everybody, every cousin. So my daughter's name is Luna Faye. So she is her namesake, and she's amazing. And like you said, I can't believe she's almost two. I can't believe this was almost two years ago.Meagan: Two years ago. I know. We get so many submissions and sometimes we can't get to everybody, but it does take a while sometimes. I'm so glad that you were able to come and still record your beautiful stories and give us so much detail of each one and guidance, and the experience. Yeah. I'm just so happy for you.Thank you so much. I don't think I'll ever come down from that high, that birth high. Like, I think I'll be riding it out for the rest of my life. I'm not sure I'm going to have any more children. I think we're pretty much done, but I would love to give birth like that a thousand more times. It was the redemptive story that I needed. It helped so much with my previous birth trauma, and it made me feel so strong. I have never felt more strong and more powerful than that experience. I don't think I ever will.Meagan: Yeah, well, and there's so much that went into it-- time preparing, research, finding this team, and then even dealing with the prodromal. I mean, that could be defeating within itself. You're so tired, but then you just kept going.Liz: Yeah, I kept doing the things. I mean, that was one thing that my doula and my midwife both commented on. They were like, "You did everything that you could, and you tried to control everything that you can control, and look what happened. That's amazing."Meagan: Yeah. Thank you again so much.Liz: Thank you. I'm so happy to have been able to talk to you and share my story.Meagan: Me too. Do you have any final advice to any of our listeners?Liz: I think my ultimate advice for any birthing person is to find a provider that you align with. I think they can really make or break that experience. No matter where you choose to birth or where you wind up birthing, have that provider that you trust, that you feel like you could have open conversations with. If you say you want a natural birth, they're not going to scoff at that, and somebody who's going to have conversations with you instead of talking at you.Meagan: Yeah, I agree so much. I want to add to just vet them. If they're feeling good at first, okay, stay. And if something's happening, keep going. Keep asking the questions, and if something's not feeling right, don't hesitate to change.Liz: I know. And I not only hesitated, but I knew I had to change with my first provider, and I just didn't. I think at that point, I was so tired.Meagan: Yeah well, it's daunting. It's a daunting thing. I mean, I was there too, so no shame in it. It's just hard when you realize looking back, oh, I could have. I should have done something different. I didn't, but that's okay. We've learned, we've grown, and we've had healing experiences moving forward.Liz: Yeah. 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

Gestational diabetes Overview- Gestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health. While any pregnancy complication is concerning, there's good news. During pregnancy you can help control gestational diabetes by eating healthy foods, exercising and, if necessary, taking medication. Controlling blood sugar can keep you and your baby healthy and prevent a difficult delivery. If you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy, generally your blood sugar returns to its usual level soon after delivery. But if you've had gestational diabetes, you have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. You'll need to be tested for changes in blood sugar more often. © 1998-2025 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved.  

In today’s episode Naomi takes us through her first pregnancy and admits that she was so focussed on her birth preparation that she didn’t once think about her postpartum journey. Her birth was challenging and the newborn days were full of anxiety, severe sleep deprivation and a lot of not-knowing. Four months later she learnt about traditional postpartum care which inspired her to become a postpartum doula. Her knowledge and experience informed her next pregnancy and birth; she opted for an independent midwife and a doula, planned a homebirth, filled her freezer with nutrient-dense food and employed a postpartum doula to mother her as she mothered her baby. Naomi is wise, warm and a wonderful source of information for anyone who is pregnant and hoping to plan and prepare for postpartum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I am not a TOLAC patient. I am a VBAC!”Julie sits down with Colleen, a mother from Long Island, New York, who shares her journey towards achieving a successful VBAC despite facing challenges such as gestational diabetes. Colleen recounts her traumatic first birth experience and the uphill battle she faced with her second pregnancy. She was bombarded with messages that her baby would suffer permanent nerve damage from shoulder dystocia, but her intuition told her otherwise. Though her baby's weight was predicted to be off the charts, Colleen's daughter was born weighing just 7 pounds, 15 ounces. This episode emphasizes the importance of understanding your options, having a supportive team, and trusting your instincts during birth. The VBAC Link Blog: The Facts About Shoulder DystociaEvidence Based Birth® - The Evidence on Big BabiesEvidence Based Birth® - The Evidence on Induction for Big BabiesCoterie Diaper ProductsHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details ​​Julie: All right. Good morning, Women of Strength. It is Julie Francom here with you today. I am super excited that we have with us Colleen here today. Colleen is going to share her story about her VBAC with gestational diabetes and the struggle that she had working towards her VBAC. Now I am really excited to introduce Colleen to you. She is from Long Island, New York. I do not have a Review of the Week. I forgot to pull that up, so we are going to just do a little fun fact about birth preparation instead of a review because I forgot to look at the review. So sorry, Meagan. I think probably the best thing that you can do to prepare for any type of birth is to find out what all of your options are. I feel like that's like such a good tip for first-time moms or going in for a VBAC or even if you want to schedule a repeat C-section or even an initial C-section. I think that one of the biggest disservices we can do to ourselves is not knowing the options that are available to us and not standing up and speaking up for ourselves when the things that we want are not what is done, normally or typically in whatever setting we're choosing to birth at. I love the phrase "if you don't know your options, you don't have any". I think that that is true. And I think that there's never a circumstance where we can be too prepared going into any type of birth experience. So if you're listening, I know that you're already on top of that because you want to get educated and inspired about either VBAC or what your options are for birthing after a C-section. So stick in there. We have a VBAC prep course for parents and for doulas to learn more about VBAC as well. You can find that on our website, thevbaclink.com.All right, let's go ahead and get into it. I would love to introduce you to Colleen. She is a mom of two. She's a teacher living in Long Island, New York. Her first birth and postpartum experiences were incredibly traumatic. She says, "The moment that they wheeled me to the OR for my C-section, I knew I wanted a VBAC. After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes in my second trimester, I faced an uphill battle to achieving my VBAC." And finally, after delivering her daughter, it was the most healing experience she could have ever imagined. We're going to talk a little bit more about those struggles and gestational diabetes and maybe a bait-and-switch, it sounds like, from her new provider at the end of the episode. So hang in there. I'm excited to hear from Colleen. Colleen, are you there?Colleen: Hi.Julie: Hi. All right, you go ahead and get started, and I am super excited to hear your story.Colleen: All right. I guess I'll start with my C-section because that's, I guess, where every VBAC starts. So my pregnancy with my son was textbook perfect. Everything that you want to go right did go right, so I naively expected my birth to follow that same pattern. Hindsight is 20/20. I know I shouldn't have, especially since I've been listening to different birth podcasts for a while, and I know that's really not how it goes, but I guess as a first-time mom, I didn't think about that stuff. So when I went into labor with him, I think I was 38 weeks and 5 days, just shy of 39 weeks. It was an incredibly long labor. I was in labor with him for 40 hours. We stayed home that first day, and then when things started to progress the next day, we headed to the hospital. When I got there, they checked me and did all of the administrative type of things, and I was already 4 centimeters dilated, so they kept me. The first thing that they asked was about an epidural. I knew that I had wanted one, but I didn't know when in my labor I had wanted one. I just heard from a bunch of different people that sometimes anesthesia can take a very long time to get there. So I requested it immediately, not anticipating them to show up five minutes later. I think my husband walked out of the room to fill out another piece of paperwork when he came back there. The whole anesthesia team was in there. I got it at about 4 centimeters dilated, and then just expected for things to go as birth is "supposed" to go. I ended up dilating very, very quickly. Within 10 minutes, I was 8 centimeters dilated. But with that, because it was such a rapid jump, my son's heart rate wasn't able to keep up with it. So there were a ton of people in the room in a matter of seconds. They ended up giving me shots in my thighs to slow my labor. I'm not sure what the medication was. They just did it, and then that was that. And then I stayed in the bed for about 10 hours. I'd asked my nurse to come in and help me move a little bit, and she told me no. She told me because I had an epidural, I could not move. But things were taking a very long time. So at one point, she came in. She's like, "I'll just give you a peanut ball." But at that point, I was still on my back. They had me laboring on my back. She told me to just shift my legs over, and she draped them over the peanut ball, and then left again. And then later on, I started feeling pressure. They came in and they were like, "Okay, yeah, we can do some practice pushes," or, no, let me backtrack. I'm sorry. It took a while, so they ended up pushing Pitocin before I started feeling the pressure, and then a little bit after that, that's when that happened. So they came in and they were like, "Okay, we can do some practice pushes." And I think they let me do two. During those pushes, my son's heart rate dropped dramatically. At that point, it was me, my husband, the hospital OB, not even my OB, just the staff one, and a nurse in the room. But when his heart rate dropped, I think there were 30 people in the room. So at that point, they flipped me over on all fours and just ran out of the room with me. They didn't tell me what was going on. They didn't tell my husband what was going on, so he was in the corner panicking. They were really shoving him back into the corner. I remember being so, so terrified of what was going on just because I didn't know what was happening. All I knew was they were rushing me to the OR. This was 2022. So it was the end of COVID. I remember crying so hard that my mask was just absolutely disgusting. When I got into the OR, there was still no information on what was happening, and they just pushed the full dose of the epidural or spinal, whatever it was, for the C-section. My OB was in the OR at that point. So the practice I was with was so large that even though I had met with a different OB every single appointment, I'd never met this one. She ended up being absolutely phenomenal, but it was very intimidating not meeting the person who was delivering my baby ahead of time. So they have me in the OR, and she says, "Okay, if you are okay with it, we can try to deliver him vaginally with a vacuum." I agreed to that because the last thing I wanted was a C-section. The idea of major surgeries really freaks me out. I definitely didn't want that if I could avoid it. With the vacuum, they let me push three times to try to get him out. Obviously, that did not work. So I ended up having a C-section. The first thing that my OB had said to me after I delivered was that I was a perfect candidate for a VBAC. She said the incision was low. Everything went beautifully. She told me that the C-section was not my fault, which I didn't realize how supportive that was in the moment because I was already beating myself up from it. So then we move into recovery and the mother/baby unit, and everything seemed to be going okay. And then the day that I was supposed to be discharged, I started having, like, I wouldn't even call it a headache because I get migraines so a headache to me is different than to other people, I guess. But I couldn't move. I couldn't walk. When I would stand up, I felt like I was going to fall over. So they added a couple of extra days to my stay, and I ended up having a spinal fluid leak, but the anesthesia team didn't want to say it was that. They were saying it was everything other than that. They said I pulled a muscle when I was pushing. You name it, and they said it was that. It was everything other than a spinal fluid leak. I ended up having some-- I don't even know what kind of procedure it was. It was like a COVID test on steroids. They put long swabs up my nose and essentially numbed my sinus cavity and sent me home because it helped a little bit. And then five days postpartum, I had to go back to my OB because my liver numbers were elevated. She took one look at me and she said, "You have a spinal fluid leak, and you need to go back for a blood patch." Five days postpartum, I was away from my son for literally the entire day. The hospital did not offer me a pump or anything like that. It was just very scary and traumatic, and it set the tone for my whole postpartum experience. Looking back on it now, I describe it as like being in a black hole in comparison to where I am now. So after that whole experience, my husband and I knew that we wanted more kids, but we also knew we needed to change some things because I didn't want to end up with another C-section, and he was very on board with whatever my birth wishes were because he wanted me to have a very different experience than I did the first time around. So then when I was pregnant with my daughter, at the beginning, they were fine, but also the pregnancy was very, very different. While my son was textbook perfect, this one felt like what could go wrong was going wrong.  I know there could have been worse things, but in the moment, it felt very big. I ended up having a subchorionic hematoma. The early bleeding was very, very scary, and my OB still wouldn't see me even though I'd been bleeding for a while. Everything ended up being fine with that. I stayed with the same practice at that point. I was going through everything. Later on in my pregnancy, I obviously did the glucose test and ended up with gestational diabetes. That was in the back of my mind. But then as I was going forward with it, there was very little support or information about gestational diabetes. I got a phone call on a Friday that said, "You have this, and here's a number for you to call, and good luck". The first meeting I had with a diabetes educator, I was under the assumption would be a one-on-one meeting. I didn't realize until 10 minutes before the meeting that it was a group meeting. In bold, capitalized, underlined lettering, it said, "You cannot talk about anything personal because of HIPAA." I had so many questions that I knew were specific to me, and I couldn't ask them. We were sitting in this meeting, and the educator is just going through a PowerPoint of doom and gloom situations of what could happen if gestational diabetes isn't controlled. Then she emailed us all a PDF with like a specific carb goal for the day or whatever it was, and then gave us all prescriptions for the glucose monitors and all of that stuff, but no direction or anything, and was kind of just like, "Okay, well let's make a follow-up appointment for individuals with you guys." And then that was that. I still had no idea what was going on. I picked up the prescription and was just like panicked the whole time. I didn't know what I could eat, what was safe and what wasn't. And then on top of all of that, I felt like I did something wrong and there was just a lot of guilt and heavy feelings surrounding it. When I started to try to research things for gestational diabetes, there was very, very little that I could find. It just felt almost like gestational diabetes wasn't something that we can talk about. It's just something that happens and you've got to deal with it. So eventually I figured out what worked for me and I realized that it was very, very different from that blanket carb gold sheet that they had given us. Their goals were like 60 grams of carbs or something like that for certain meals, and my body just couldn't handle that. My goal was to try to avoid medication if I could because I knew that could impact my chances of having a VBAC because of different providers' thoughts about it. So after I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes and started navigating all of that, I was still talking with my provider about a VBAC and how that was the goal, that was the plan, and I didn't want anything else. I started finding that some OBs okay with it while others weren't. They wouldn't say that they weren't okay with it. I would go back and look over my notes, and there would be a line that said we talked about a C-section. I'm like, no, we didn't. What are you saying? A C-section never came up. I don't know what you're saying. I got a call out of nowhere one day to schedule a C-section. I'm like, "I have no idea what's going on here, and that's not what I want. That's not what I want to do, so I'm not doing it." At my next appointment, the doctor I had met with was saying like, "Oh, since you had a C-section before, we just schedule one just in case. It's what we do with all previous C-section patients." So at that point, I was like, okay, whatever, I'll schedule it with them, but I'm also going to start the process of switching because I wasn't liking how it was very inconsistent.I thought I wanted a smaller practice. I ended up switching to one that my sister-in-law used. At first, everything was fine. I met with two of the three doctors who could potentially be delivering my baby. One of them was very supportive right off the bat. "Yeah, I'm looking at all of your notes, you seem like a great candidate as long as gestational diabetes stays under control, then there's no problem. You can have a VBAC." And then the other provider had a completely different view on it. My first appointment with her, when we were going through everything, she was kind of just like, "Well, you have gestational diabetes, so you should really think about how important a VBAC is for you, and you might need to switch practices." That really caught me off guard. I had never left an OB appointment feeling that upset. I remember crying in my car for a half an hour before I could even pull out of the parking lot because I was just so overwhelmed and upset and had just so many different feelings that I couldn't put my finger on. At this point, I had hired a doula. I was talking to her before I left, and she was really helpful in calming me down. As my pregnancy went on, that was really the role that she ended up playing before I gave birth was really just keeping me and reminding me what I wanted because as things went on, there were the growth scans and all of the other good things that they do during pregnancy. The first growth skin I had, she was measuring big. And they're like, "Oh, she's in the 80th percentile. As long as she stays here, it's fine, but if she gets to be any part of her gets to be over 90%, then you have to have a C-section. You will have to deliver at 39 weeks and there is no shot of anything else."Julie: Oh my gosh, that's overwhelming.Colleen: Yeah, it was a lot thrown at me and this is where the uphill battle started because every scan that they did after that, she was measuring big. Toward the end, she was over the 90th percentile. And in the last month of my pregnancy, I had the weekly non-stress tests and scans, measuring my fluid and all of that stuff. But every single week was a conversation about the risks of a VBAC. They really, really, really were pushing a C-section, but they didn't talk about any risks of a repeat C-section which I find interesting now. But something else that I thought was unkind was the way that they were explaining their risks of a VBAC. They really were focusing on shoulder dystocia. So when my mom had me, I was a very big baby and I actually did have shoulder dystocia. I am physically handicapped from it. So them hammering on the risks of shoulder dystocia as if I didn't know and I was unaware of what could happen was really offensive. One of the providers actually at one point had said that my birth injury wasn't that bad. I was so caught off guard by that comment that I didn't even know what to say.Julie: Wow. Can I ask what it is? Do you mind sharing? You don't have to share.Colleen: No, that's fine. I have left herbs palsy. So it's like a nerve damage essentially. The way that they had to get me out of my mom without using forceps or anything like that, they just put too much pressure on one side and ruined the way that the nerve endings are connected. Julie: Oh.Colleen: Yeah. So when I was born, the doctor told my mom I wouldn't have any use of my left arm. My mom had me in physical therapy from the time I was 6 weeks old until I was 12 years old. Because of that extensive physical therapy, I do have a really decent range of motion in my left arm. It's one of those things where I think about it and I'm like, if I had lost the use of it at some point, I think I'd be more upset. It's annoying, but it's my normal. It's my everyday, and it really doesn't impact my everyday lifestyle, I guess.  I'm able to take care of my baby. One of the comments that the provider made was actually along the lines of like, "Oh, well, yours is fine. You can actually do things. But what if your baby has shoulder dystocia and your baby can't use their arm at all?" They kept bringing up the risks of stillbirth with it, and it was just very scary. Especially because I personally know what can happen with shoulder dystocia. I guess going through it, I had like this deep, deep sense that that was not something that I was going to experience. I don't know what that feeling was, but I knew in my bones that it wasn't happening. But every week, they were talking about the risk of shoulder dystocia and really expanding on how serious it could be. And my last appointment before I gave birth-- so that appointment was on a Wednesday and I had my daughter on Friday. So that Wednesday appointment, my doctor is going through everything again with the risks of shoulder dystocia. They had made me schedule a just-in-case C-section for the day after my due date. They were really trying to get me to switch it to some time in 39 weeks. Every week they were like, "Oh, just give us a call if you change your mind." I was not changing my mind at any point. So the last appointment, right before I was going to leave the room, my doctor was like, "What was your last growth scan?" And then he looked it up, he's like, "Oh, it's been a month. Let's have another growth scan today."Julie: Oh no. Colleen: Two days before I gave birth.And think you back. I'm like, who does that? There's no room for anything in there so obviously, the baby's gonna look huge. I go in. They do the scan. My fluids are fine. But her belly was what was constantly measuring huge which is why they were so insistent that she was going to have shoulder dystocia. The way that this practice is run, they do the scans after you meet with the doctor. Typically, you don't even talk about the scan until the following week which I found very strange. They did this scan. I was like, "I'm not even going to talk about it with my doctor, so whatever, you do what you want." But he had forgotten to write me a doctor's note, and when I asked about it at the front, they had to call him forward. It was at the same time that the ultrasound tech was logging all of the measurements, so he was asking her about it. They ended up having me go back into the office. And in that moment, I knew it was not going to be a good meeting at all. They're going over it, and the ultrasound tech is talking about the way that the measurements work. They do the diameter of the belly and it'll spit out whatever week gestation that matches. She was essentially like, "This baby's belly is off the charts. I can't even get a gestational week because it's so big." Yeah. So I'm standing there like, this is not going to go how I want it to. So my doctor pulls me into a different exam room, and we're talking about what the ultrasound tech had said. And again, shoulder dystocia. Before that appointment, I had gone in and I was like, "I don't even know if I want a cervical check. I know that they really mean very, very little." So before I had the cervical check, I asked, "If I'm dilated at all, instead of jumping right to the C-section that we have scheduled, can I come in that day and can we try for a Foley induction?" And he was like, "Yeah, I'm okay with that." So then he sees the results of the growth scan and backtracked and was like, "No, I'm not comfortable with that. If you walk in in active labor on your due date, we are going to send you right to the OR." It was very devastating. I'd already talked with him about my previous birth and how I was very scared of another C-section. I was scared of an epidural. My plan was to do an unmedicated VBAC because I didn't want to even risk another spinal fluid leak. He brushed all of that off and was like, "Oh, well, it's a planned C-section, so it's going to be very different. The needle they use for a spinal is so much smaller than an epidural, so the risks of that are so much lower." He was not acknowledging anything that I was saying. He was just still pushing, "You need a C-section. You need a C-section. You need a C-section." A week or so before that, he had even told me if I had wanted to go to 41 weeks, that he was going to give me my files and tell me to find another provider because he did not want to be a part of malpractice. At that point, I think I was just so thrown off and confused by everything that I didn't see it as big of a red flag as it actually was. But also when he told me it was too late to switch, no other provider would have taken me at like 37-38 weeks, especially with the gestational diabetes. I went home after that appointment feeling absolutely devastated. It was the pattern of the last month, just completely devastated talking to my doula about it and her reinstalling that confidence in me. That night, I went to sleep and was starting to be like, "All right, I guess I have to start really thinking about, what if this is another C-section?" The following morning I woke up and I guess because the last thing that I had talked about regarding my birth was with my doula and her telling me, "You can do this. I've never seen somebody as confident. You can do this. Your body grew this baby. Your body can birth this baby. You can do this." I had that in my mind when I woke up. And I was, I guess, a little bit extreme in my thinking because I called a midwife group and was going to switch at over 39 weeks pregnant. I'm like, I'm gonna make this work. Some way or another, I'm doing it. I planned on not showing up for the C-section that I had scheduled the following week because when I woke up, I was just like, they cannot cut me open if I don't consent to it. If I walk in in labor, legally, they cannot deny me care. I'm having this baby the way that I want to, and everyone else can just get on board or they can get out. That was Thursday morning, and I had taken off of work for Thursday-Friday because I just couldn't do it. I couldn't teach and give my students the all that they deserved. I was coming home so exhausted. I took that Thursday as my last hurrah with my son. We ended up walking around. I took them to a local farm, and we had a really good day together. The whole day I was like, I'm walking all day, so maybe I'll go into labor. It did not happen. So then the next day, same kind of thing. I had originally intended to go out with my son, but I woke up and I had this overwhelming feeling of, I just can't leave today. I need to stay near my house. I had listened to an episode of The VBAC Link, and I think the woman whose podcast episode it was, it said that either her midwife or her doula told her to go for a two-hour walk. I'm like, you know what? I'm gonna go for a very long walk. They can't hurt anything.I ended up walking for an hour. While I was walking, I started having some contractions, but they weren't consistent. I really wasn't convinced it was anything because I'd been having such intense Braxton Hicks contractions for a month or so that it was just like, this can't be it. So we got home, and I was just going about the day with my son. Nothing was going on. I decided to pump a couple times, so I did that, and by the time his bedtime rolled around, I was having fairly consistent contractions, but I still was not convinced. I was like, this is prodromal labor. There's no way this is actual labor. I'm just gonna have to be mad about this for another day. I even texted my doula, "If this isn't actually it, I'm going to go build a hut somewhere and hide there until I give birth," because I was so tired of talking to my doctors and seeing them and being upset by everything they were saying. So the night's going on, and my contractions are picking up and getting closer together. I still was not convinced that I was in labor. I got to the point where I was like, "All right, well, if this is actually it, I should rest." So I tried to lay down, but I had one contraction, and I could not stay on my back for it. I had to get up and move. I decided to get in the shower, and I didn't think anything of it, but after I had a contraction or two in there, I asked my husband to just keep an eye on how far apart they were. At that point, I wasn't paying attention to the clock at all. I was in there, and my husband opened the bathroom door, and he's like, "Colleen, your contractions are three minutes apart." I'm like, "Oh, okay. Maybe we should call the doula." So we did that, and I'm still laboring. I listened to podcasts where women talk about being in labor land, and I didn't understand what that was until looking back on my birth experience because after I told my husband to call my doula, I have very little recollection of interacting with him or talking to her on the phone or anything because the contractions were just so intense. I got to my bedroom and was leaning over the side of my dresser. I didn't move for I don't even know how long it was, but I was there. I couldn't move. I was drinking a little bit of water, and then all of a sudden my water broke. I guess at that point, that's when I was like, oh, okay, I guess I am in labor, and this is happening. So my husband was on the phone with his brother asking him, "Hey, potentially, you might need to come over and watch our son." And while he's on the phone, my water broke. So he's like, "No, you need to come now." In that time, he had his brother on one phone, my doula on the other, and he's trying to corral me to the car, but I was paralyzed and could not move. I was there until all of a sudden I had this mental break almost where I was like, "I need to move right now. If I don't move, I'm having this baby in my bedroom. and that is not the plan." So I waddled myself to the car, and it was hands down the most dangerous car ride of my life. I didn't buckle my seatbelt. I was backward on the seat just trying to like get through everything. My doula had given me a comb, so I was squeezing that during every contraction. I lost my mom when I was pregnant, so I had a very deep connection with her at that point and was talking to my mom, like, "Don't let me give birth in the car, Mom. Do not let me do that." So we eventually get to the hospital, and I had no recollection of this car ride. I remember being at the last major intersection before the turn for the hospital, but other than that, no idea that we were even in the car really. We get to the hospital, and things were picking up so quickly that my husband didn't even find a parking lot. He just pulled into the drop-off area and stopped the car, turned it off, and we made our way into the hospital. My doula met us there, and we had an off-duty nurse end up bringing us a wheelchair, and one of the security guards at the front ended up literally running us back into labor and delivery. That was around 11:00.When I got into the delivery room, it was three or four people, but it felt like a lot of people were there, and they were all trying to get my information and all the forms that I would have filled out beforehand. So at one point, somebody had mentioned a C-section. I remember saying, "I'm not having a C-section." The OB who was on call had said something about me being a TOLAC patient. I yelled at her, "I am not a TOLAC patient. I am a VBAC."They got me onto the bed finally, and they're trying to get the monitors on me. When they finally did, the way that I was kneeling on the bed, the baby's heart rate wasn't liking it. Again, the OB was like, "Okay, maybe we need to think about a C-section." When she said that, I said, "I'm not consenting to a C-section if I'm not guaranteed skin-to-skin afterward." The nurses were kind of a little nervous with the way that I was responding there. My doula was like, "Okay, before we jump to that, let's turn her over and see if things change." So after that contraction, they moved me, and the baby's heart rate was fine. In that moment for me, I didn't really recognize what was happening. But afterward, my husband said that he was very nervous, and he was just yelling for the doula to help in that situation because he didn't know what to do. At that point, when they finally got me situated, I was ready to go at 10 centimeters, fully effaced. Baby was at a zero station, ready to go. And somebody was like, "Oh, do you want an epidural?" And me, my husband, and my doula were all like, "No, there's no epidural happening." So, they got me situated, and I think I pushed maybe five times before the baby was born.Julie: Wow.Colleen: Yeah, I came in hot.Julie: Yeah, you did.Colleen: I pushed. I felt the ring of fire. And the most incredible feeling was after that, feeling her body turn as it came out. It was the ring of fire, and then she flew out after that. There was absolutely no shoulder dystocia there. She was born at 11:38. We parked the car at 11, and she was born at 11:38. At my last scan, they were saying she was going to measure over 9.5 pounds. She was born, and she was 7 pounds, 15 ounces. My doula looked at me and she's like, "If you had had a C-section for a baby that wasn't even 8 pounds, I would have been so mad for you." I got my golden hour. I got skin-to-skin for that entire time. They did all of the baby's testing on me, and they were so respectful of that mother/baby bonding time that I really lost out on with my son. I didn't realize how much it impacted me until after I had my daughter, and I got what I had my heart set on. It was the most healing thing. I didn't realize I had things that needed to be healed in ways that they were. I felt so incredibly powerful, especially after everything was said and done. The nurse who stayed with us and then ended up bringing us to the mother/baby unit, I had asked her, "How often do you see unmedicated VBACs?" And she was like, "It's very, very rare because the providers are nervous about it. They want to have the epidural in place as a just-in-case." But I knew, for me, the fear of a repeat spinal fluid leak was bigger than the fear of any of the pain that would have happened. I know from listening to The VBAC Link that if it were a real emergency, having an epidural ahead of time wouldn't have done anything because it takes a while for the epidural to kick in. Even if I had gotten an epidural when I got to the hospital, it would not have helped me in any way. But she was completely healthy. There were no issues. She passed all of her blood sugar testing which I was really worried about. And then, my blood sugar was fine afterward also. Even still, it's very confusing trying to navigate this super strict diet that I had for so much of my pregnancy to now just being like, "All right, you're fine. It didn't even exist. Go back to eating however you wanted." I don't know. It's very, very confusing. Out of all of the things from my pregnancy, having no support from my providers on the VBAC side of things, and then having no guidance, I should say, with gestational diabetes, those were hands-down the most difficult things. But I did it and I'm still feeling very powerful for that.Julie: Yes, I love that. How old is your baby now?Colleen: She's four weeks.Julie: Oh, my gosh. You are fresh off your VBAC, girl. Colleen: Yeah.Julie: Ride that high as long as you can, man. I still feel really awesome. My first VBAC baby is 9.5 now. 9.5 years old. Okay, so this might sound really weird, but I wish that it wasn't something that we had to feel so victorious about. Does that make sense? I wish it was just way more common and just a normal thing, but it's not. Lots of people have to overcome lots of challenges in order to get the birth experience that they want, and that is sad. As empowering and incredible as it is when it happens, it's also kind of sad that, you know what? I don't know. Does that make sense? Colleen: It makes complete sense. I was going back and trying to research things on VBAC statistics and this, that, and the next thing and listening to other podcasts.Julie: You have to work so hard. It's sad that we have to work so hard.Colleen: A lot of it came down to providers being scared of the consequences that they would face if anything went wrong. I'm like, well, that's not fair because you're not even giving somebody a chance. Everything that I read was if the quote-unquote problem is on the baby's end, then mom has no reason to think that she can't have a VBAC, but so many providers don't see it the same way.Julie: Yeah. Yeah. I have 500 things that I want to talk about right now. First of all, I feel like this is the gospel according to Julie. This is not, I don't think, anything that I could find any evidence for or not. But I think sometimes when we, we as in the medical system. We have a parent who has gestational diabetes and change their diet drastically and so completely and eliminate carbs and sugars and all of these things. I feel like when that happens more often, I see babies with significantly smaller birth weights than if we were to make more subtle adjustments to their diets.Colleen: Yeah. I had a couple of gestational diabetes groups on Facebook. So many of the women who would post, after their baby was born, they had either very small babies because they changed their diet so drastically, or their babies were larger because of the insulin, so I agree with the gospel according to Julie.Julie: Yeah, thank you. So that's two of us. I'm pretty sure Meagan would agree as well. So three out of however many. Okay. Let's just leave that right there, first of all.Second of all, just saying that ultrasound measurements are grossly inaccurate. It's not uncommon for them to be. My sister-in-law, right now, is going to get induced on Monday as a first-time mom, completely ignorant to a lot of the birth process and everything and doesn't have a desire to-- she's completely the opposite of me. They're inducing her at 38 weeks because she has gestational diabetes, and they expect her baby's going to be big, and they don't want shoulder dystocia, etc. etc. etc. We know the whole thing, right? I was looking up evidence on shoulder dystocia, and it's really interesting because there are some studies that say first of all, Evidence Based Birth has a really great article on the evidence for induction for C-section or big baby. That will be linked in the show notes. Now it's really interesting because I was looking up rates for shoulder dystocia for big babies versus regular-sized babies. There are some studies that show that smaller babies have up to a 2% chance for shoulder dystocia, and larger babies have anywhere from a 7 to 15% chance of having difficulties with birthing their shoulders. There are other studies that show half of shoulder dystopias occur in babies that are smaller than 8 pounds, and 13 ounces. I feel like there's a little bit of disconnect out there in the research. However, like Colleen, permanent nerve damage occurs with shoulder dystocia in 1 out of every 555 babies, Permanent nerve damage will occur due to stuck shoulders in 1 out of every 555 babies who weigh between 8 pounds, 13 ounces, and 9 pounds, 15 ounces. I'm curious, Colleen, how big were you? Do you know what your birth weight was?Colleen: Yeah, I was 9 pounds 2 ounces.Julie: Okay, so you were barely a big baby.Colleen: Yeah, I was born three weeks early.Julie: Oh my goodness, girl. Yes. Okay, so yes, that was definitely large for gestational age too. But that's okay. Honestly, that means 1 out of every 555 babies will have permanent nerve damage from shoulder dystocia. When we get babies that are 10 pounds or bigger, it's actually 1 out of every 175 babies. I don't want to discount when that happens, but I mean, 554 out of 555 babies don't have that permanent nerve injury, too. I think it's really important that when we look at risks, that we have a really accurate representation of what those risks are in order to make an informed decision. So just like with uterine rupture, we don't want to discount when it happens because it does happen, and it's something that we need to look at. But what are the benefits compared to the risks? Why? What are the benefits of induction compared to the benefits of potentially avoiding a shoulder dystocia? The Evidence Based Birth article is really amazing. I don't want to go on and on for hours about this, although I definitely could, but most of the time, when shoulder dystocias happen, they're resolved without incident. I mean, it can be kind of hard and kind of frustrating and difficult to get the baby out and maybe a little traumatic, but yeah, most of the time everything works out well. Colleen, I'm glad that your birth injury is--I mean, I just feel so proud of your mom for putting into therapy and stuff like that earlier on because it could have had the potential to be a lot worse if she didn't do that. So kudos to your mom. I'm super excited for you. When you were talking-- not excited for you. That is the wrong word to say. I'm grateful that you had access to that care to help you. When you were telling me about your injury, it reminds me of my oldest who has cerebral palsy. It's really, really mild. Most people don't know. He has decreased motor function in his right arm and his right foot. He walks on his toe. He can't really use his right hand too well and his ambidexterity is a little awkward for him. But you said something that really stuck with me. That's just your normal. That's just what you know. I feel like that with my son too. While his disability is limiting in certain ways, he's also found lots of very healthy ways to adapt and manage and live a very full and happy life despite it. I might be putting words in your mouth, but it kind of sounded like you had said similar to that.Colleen: Oh, absolutely. It's just what I know. I don't know anything different.Julie: It's just let you know and yes. It's really fun. It's really not fun. Oh my gosh. Words are hard today. Please edit me out of all of these words. Gosh, my goodness. So not to discount any of that because it does happen, but we also want to make sure that we have accurate representation of the risks. Also, I want to touch on Colleen leaning into your intuition and following that and letting that guide you because I think that's really important as well. Sometimes our intuition is telling us things that don't make sense, and sometimes it's telling us things that makes absolute perfect sense and align right with our goals and our vision. I encourage everyone to lean into that intuition no matter what it's telling you because those mama instincts are real. They are very real. I feel like they deserve more credit than sometimes we give them. So, yeah. I don't know. Colleen, tell me. I know that you had a really awesome doula helping you. Besides hiring a doula and doing your best to find the best support team and advocating for yourself, what other advice would you give people who are preparing for a VBAC?Colleen: I think, like you said at the beginning of the podcast, looking at your options. I didn't know what my options were with my son, and then this time around, I had a better idea of what the options were. And then listening to positive VBAC stories. So, like, I remember maybe six weeks before I had my daughter, just trying to find anything. I searched VBAC on Apple podcasts, and this was the first thing that came up. I listened to two episodes a day until I ended up giving birth.Having all of that positive information was really helpful, and then having my husband so be on board with everything and my doula really talking me off those ledges of absolute devastation after my appointments to the next morning having that confidence again. So those are the things. Julie: I love that too. Yeah.Believe in yourself. Not everyone that tries to VBAC is going to have a VBAC. That's just the unfortunate reality of what it's like. But I think believing in yourself to not only have your best birth experience and having that belief in order to have a VBAC, but also having belief that if your birth doesn't end up in a VBAC that you can navigate those circumstances in order to still have a powerful and satisfying birth experience. Trust yourself. I think that's really, really important.Coleen: Yeah, I agree with that.Julie: Cool. All right, Colleen. Well, thank you so much for spending time here with me today. I loved hearing your stories. I love hearing the little baby noises in the background. Those always make my heart happy. And yeah, we will catch you on the flip side.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

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