Podcasts about group b strep

Molly joined us for Episode 84 talking about her unexpected breech Cesarean and first VBAC story. Today, she returns sharing her second VBAC story!Molly shares her powerful journey through loss, IVF, selecting her powerhouse birth team, preparing for different outcomes, post-dates, a multiple-day induction, a beautiful delivery (where her husband caught their sweet baby!), and navigating a placental lobe.Allison, one of our VBAC-certified doulas, joins Meagan as a co-host talking about her work as a virtual doula and the importance of how women are treated during their births. Coterie Diapers - Use code VBAC20 for 20% offHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, Women of Strength. I hope you guys are having a fantastic day or evening and are excited for another episode of The VBAC Link. We have our friend, Molly, today, and she is from central Alabama, and then we also have a co-host today. She's one of our doulas. Her name is Allison. Hello, Allison.Allison: Hi, Meagan. Hi, Molly.Molly: Hi.Meagan: I was going to say, and hello, Molly. Molly: Hi.Meagan: Welcome to the show you guys, and thank you for joining us. Allison is actually one of our doulas. I don't know if you've noticed along the way here and there, we have one of our doulas on as a co-host. I think it's so fun to hear an educational topic from them and then, of course, share where they are at because I truly believe hiring a doula is so impactful. In fact, on Molly's form, that is one of the tips that she gave. Right, Molly? You're like, hire a doula.Molly: Yes, absolutely. It made all the difference this birth.Meagan: Yes. Doulas are incredible. So if you can, hire a doula. Before we get into Molly's story, Allison, I wanted to just turn the time over to you really quick and have you share a little bit more of where you are at. So for the listeners, maybe in your area, they can find you.Allison: Absolutely. Well, listeners, you have a treat because I serve everyone all over the world, globally. All of my work is online. My business name is The Cesarean Doula because I actually support women and birthing people emotionally after having emotionally difficult or traumatic Cesarean births. I do all of my work primarily over the Internet over Zoom. My focus is actually not on birth but on postpartum and on recovering from the feelings of grief, sadness, loss, overwhelm, and confusion that we often have after a Cesarean that's undesired or that goes in a difficult direction. I had one of those. That's what brings me to this work.Meagan: Yes. I love that you mentioned that you're like, this is what brings me here. I think in a lot of ways for doulas, that's what brings us to doing this work is our own experience and wanting to set a different pace and make change. So I love what you're doing. We're recording in 2024, everybody, but hopefully now, it's 2025, and you can go to our website because we're hoping to have a different option for searching doulas where you can actually go and search for online only because we do have a big chunk of doulas that do virtual support. So let's hope that that is the thing. If not, email me and say, "Meagan, get on it. Do this, because I want this option." Okay. Well, Ms. Molly, welcome to the show. You guys, Molly is a full-time mama, a part-time vet technician, and a soccer coach. That is a lot of things all at the same time. Yes. My husband is a soccer coach and just that alone is a lot. Like I said, she lives in Alabama with her husband and her two sons, her mom, and lots of dogs, cats and horses. She said that she also has two daughters in heaven. I'm sure you're maybe going to talk about that a little bit today, Molly.Molly: Yes, it is part of our story.Meagan: Yes. Okay. Well, thank you guys again for being here. In just one moment, we're going to dive in. All right, Ms. Molly. I don't know why I keep calling you that Ms. Molly, like you're a teacher.Molly: It's the song. It'll get you.Meagan: It comes together. Yeah, seriously. Okay, thank you so much for being here and yeah, I would love to turn the time over to you to share all of these stories.Molly: Thank you very much. So if you guys, if you listen to The VBAC Link, I was on a couple years ago talking about my first C-section and then the subsequent VBAC with my first daughter. Unfortunately, a couple years after that, my daughter passed away. And shortly after that, the desire to have another baby was laid on our hearts, and so we decided to try that.For various reasons, that meant we had to go through IVF. We were very lucky in that our IVF journey was short. That's a whole other podcast on its own, the IVF process. We ended up with three embryos, and then in December of '23, we did our first transfer. That one unfortunately failed. And so that's my second daughter in heaven. We did another test after that to see why the transfer had failed and determined that we needed another day of shots. Well, I say we-- me. I needed another day of shots to do the transfer. So in March, we did another transfer with the extra day of shots, and that one was successful. I had the teeniest bit of spotting the next day and just woke up knowing I was pregnant. It was pretty magical, actually. The at-home pregnancy test, seven days after that, was positive. Then the blood tests after that were positive. I did have a little bit of spotting after that which was a little scary. I talked to my doctor, and she upped the progesterone in oil shots I was taking. The amount of those seemed to clear out the spotting. And then we went in for our first ultrasound. I was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma, I think is what it's called, which is essentially like a bruise between the placenta and the uterine lining. That cleared up on its own. Fortunately, after that, I was a "normal" pregnancy. We weaned off the IVF shots. My last one was actually on Mother's Day which was a magical little sign. And that's when we dove right into labor prep. We did the Spinning Babies and bouncing on the birth ball. I walked every day. We went back through our birth plan. We tried to cover every single contingency from a repeat Cesarean which wasn't the goal, but we wanted to be prepared just in case. We prepared to labor at home as long as humanly possible. We even prepared to have a car baby. We had a bag with a bowl to catch the placenta and towels and puppy pads just in case we labored at home so long that we had a car baby.We hired a doula this time around. We had originally played around with the idea of doing a home birth, but in Alabama for VBACs, midwives still cannot attend VBACs at home in Alabama. We did find a midwife who was willing to do that for us but because of the restrictions, it wasn't covered by insurance, and that priced it out. So the compromise was that we would do a hospital birth, but I could have a doula this time. We interviewed doulas and found one who's actually certified by The VBAC Link. She's taken y'all's class and she was wonderful. Her name is Jolonda, and she was fantastic. And actually, in the end, my husband said, "I'm so glad we had a doula for me." Not necessarily for me, but for him. He needed her more than I did, and that was pretty cool. We also, this time, instead of going with an OB, went with midwives. They were associated with an OB practice, but we went just to the midwives. That was an interesting and much different experience. It was more like a conversation and less like an exam. We go in, and they would take my blood pressure, and then we would just talk. It was wonderful. She went through my birth plan point-by-point, and then signed it and scanned it into my chart. Anything that wasn't possible, she'd say, "Well, we can't do this because of the hospital we were at, but we can do this or we can try and do this and make that work." She was completely accepting of anything that I wanted to do differently. We decided not to do the erythromycin eye ointment. She said, "Yes." She was fine with that. We delayed, I think, the Vitamin K shot then and the delayed cord clamping. She was all 100% supportive of everything that we wanted to do. I did have to see the OB once just so they could sign off on me being a, quote, healthy pregnancy, and that was a quick in and out. There was a doctor visit, and they said, "Okay, we'll see you back in a couple of weeks." I said, "No, I'm going to go back across the street to midwives. I'll see them in a couple weeks." So that was all. My pregnancy really in itself was pretty normal. And then we got closer and closer to my due date. Now, I was due on November 18, and we got closer. I stopped working as a veterinary technician on the end of October right before Halloween. We had our baby shower. We were getting close to all the guess dates. Everybody had guessed when your baby's going to come. I would text them, "Nope, you missed it. It wasn't today." And so we slowly passed all those days, and then we passed my due date. We were doing everything-- the tea and bouncing on the birth ball and the dates and the pineapple, walking, The Miles Circuit, curb-walked. I knew the closer we got to 41 weeks and 42 weeks even, the more that there was going to be pressure for a repeat Cesarean. Now, to my midwife's credit, she never mentioned a repeat Cesarean. That was the very last thing that she ever talked to us about. We had talked about it in our birth plan, of course, but as we passed the due date, she didn't mention that as a course of action. As a joke, we asked our son, "When do you think Mama will have the baby? Now that we're past our due date, when do you think Mom will have the baby?" And he said, "I think she's going to wait until December." I said, "Buddy, please don't put that on me." So we'll let you know how that goes towards the end.Meagan: Yeah, I mean that would be what, two and a half more weeks? Three? Yeah, two and a half more weeks.Molly: Yeah, it was a long time. And I said, "Bud, please don't put that on me. That's a long more time." So then we made it through Thanksgiving. I consented to a cervical check at 39 weeks and there was no action the cervix, but you and I know that that can change in an instant, and it's not an indicator of anything. Meagan: Nope.Molly: At 40 weeks, I consented to another check and to a sweep of the cervical membranes. That made me feel crampy but really didn't do anything. We started talking about induction at that appointment. We talked about starting with the Foley bulb over breaking the waters or maybe Pitocin. We talked about those options and which ones I was most comfortable with. And so then after the 40-week appointment, they sent me in for a biophysical and non-stress test, and we passed those with flying colors. No problem. Baby was fine, I was fine. She just was very, very comfortable. Then at the 41-week appointment, we did another sweep and this time I was dilated to a really tight 1. But again, that didn't really do anything. We made our next appointment for 41 weeks and 3 days. And the ladies in the front office said, "We hope we don't see for that appointment." And I said, "I hope you don't either," but we did see them for that appointment. So at 41 weeks and 3 days, we talked about the induction again. They did another sweep just in the hope that maybe it would start things. It didn't. So we talked about and scheduled the induction. We'd agreed to start with the Foley and see how that went, and then maybe talk about breaking waters and maybe, maybe Pitocin being our last resort. We stopped for dinner. That was Wednesday evening. We stopped for dinner on the way in because I was like, "We're going to have a baby, and I need my strength. I've got to eat before we go in." So we stopped for dinner, and we got checked in. They got me strapped in with a wireless monitor, which was new this time and was so much better than the wired monitor because I could move. It was much better. And this is the start of what we like to jokingly call birthatory, because it's birth purgatory. I was stuck there in the room. I couldn't leave. My husband left just to get us food, but it just felt like we were there forever with nothing to do. And time moved strangely as well. I watched Friends at night to help me sleep, and I watched Parks and Rec during the day to keep me entertained. We did a lot of walking up and down the room as much as we could. And that Wednesday evening was just to start us monitoring. Jolanda came in, and she was in and out and checking with us that night. They also started me on the Group B strep meds. I think I forgot to mention I was positive this pregnancy. I had a weird reaction to whatever med they put me on first, like my scalp was on fire. It was a really bad reaction. Meagan: Interesting. Is that a common reaction?Molly: I believe they said it could happen, but it's not super common. I wish I could remember which medicine it was they gave me. But, I mean, it felt like my scalp was on fire. I was itching. It was horrible. So they gave me some Benadryl which fortunately helped me nap, so I got some rest. But we didn't want to do too much of that, so they switched me to a different medication. And again, I wish I could remember the name of it, but I can't. And that, I did not react to, so we stayed with that one for the rounds of the Group B Strep meds. So that was Wednesday night, and they were really just monitoring me. Thursday morning, the OB and the midwife on call came in to discuss my case. They discussed options. Pitocin. I consented to a check because we were going to start with the Foley, but I was at a 3 already. So that put the Foley out of commission because the Foley will only work up to 3. We talked about Pitocin versus artificial breaking of the membranes. The OB did do a little bit of pressuring, but we were all prepared for it. He said, "Well, at this point, this many post dates, you're probably definitely going to have meconium." And behind his back, my doula, my sweet doula rolled her eyes. It was what I needed, that support in that moment for the doctor to say, "Oh, well, there's definitely meconium." And my doula would be like, "No, there's probably not." So we asked for time to discuss between us and what to do. And Yolanda had these little informational cards with different affirmations. There was affirmation cards, but different, like facts about, induction from-- oh, I'm blanking.I can't remember. But they were little printed out laminated cards with different facts about different types of induction, and they were really helpful.It's Evidence Based Birth. That's what it was. It was all evidence-based and backed up by studies and stuff. So we discussed what we wanted to do, and we agreed to breaking the waters on Thursday morning. So the midwives came in and broke my waters, and there was no meconium. So that doctor can just go sit somewhere else. My waters are broken. I walked up and down the room, but nothing really happened. That night, there were some surges that we did time, but they petered out, and nothing really happened. So we woke up Friday morning, and that was December 1st. I, with despair in my voice, looked over at my husband and I said, "It's December. We've made it to December." I felt like a balloon that was beyond needing to pop and was just discouraged and tired. I was at the end of my rope, really, honestly. They came in, and I agreed to another check. This was the first check that they'd done since they broke my waters. And so if you're keeping count at home, my water's now been broken for about 26 hours. We happen to be watching an episode of Friends where the character, Rachel, is in labor, and she's having trouble dilating as well. And Ross makes a joke about, "I'm dilated 3." Well, they did the cervical check and checked, and I was still dilated 3. And Michael goes, "I'm dilated 3," and everybody laughed. It was a good break in the tension. After that, they left to go discuss my case. Michael went to go get me some hot water so I could make tea. But he came back in and he said, guess who's here and looking at your chart?" And I had no idea. He said, "It's Vicky," who's the midwife who helped deliver my first VBAC baby. She had retired, but come out of retirement and was only working on the weekends in the hospital. And I looked at him. I said, "We're having a baby today." Just something told me that with Ms. Vicky there with us, we were in good hands, and we were going to be okay. So she came in and talked to me about starting Pitocin. She also told me, because at this point, I was worried about a repeat Cesarean. And she told me, she said, "I'm no longer looking at you as a VBAC patient. You've had a successful vaginal birth. I'm treating you just like any other birth now." And it was such a healing statement for me. It wiped the worry about a repeat C-section out of my mind. It was just the perfect thing to say.Meagan: Yes. I don't want to interrupt you too much, but I love that you pointed that out, because most providers, they're actually looking at no matter if you've had a VBAC or not, you're always a VBAC. But what you just said to me really is gonna connect with so many others. It connected with me because we just want to be viewed as someone going in and having a baby. We don't want labels and these things that loom over our head even if we've had a VBAC before or if we haven't had a VBAC before. We just want to be looked at and treated as someone coming in and having a vaginal birth just like anybody else coming in and having a vaginal birth. So I love that you pointed that out, and I'm sure that that really did just connect and feel so good.Molly: It was a huge release of stress knowing that I didn't have to worry about the repeat C-section, the VBAC anymore, and I could just focus on having the baby and what I was doing and just doing what we needed to do that day to have the baby.Meagan: Yeah.Molly: So we did agree to the Pitocin she suggested. And we got very into the details, and we're almost a year out. I should have written them down sooner. I can't remember the numbers we started at, but she wanted to start at a certain amount over a certain time, and I disagreed. I said, "Let's start lower and slower." And she said, "That's fine. I'll do whatever you want to do." So we started really low and really slow, and I was starting to feel some things, but still not very much. It wasn't anything I had to stop to get through. It was really more just like a tightening. Jolanda came to hang out with us, brought us more food and water, and she brought a puzzle to help distract us. We were going crazy being stuck in that room. Vicky came in later that afternoon, and because still no progress was really being made. They didn't check me, but they could just tell from the contractions on the monitor. She talked about wanting to up the Pitocin a little bit faster and more frequently. I told her that I was worried about the difference in the Pitocin contractions versus natural contractions because I had heard and read so much that the Pitocin contractions are much more intense. And she told me that she'd given birth with and without Pitocin, and the only difference for her was that Pitocin births were faster. I agreed for her to bump it up a little bit, a little bit faster, that. After a little bit of time to talk about it, we agreed to do that. They did check me at that point, and I had worked my way up to a 5, and baby had moved from a -1 to, I believe, a +1. We dilated some, and baby had descended a little bit. At that point, the contractions did start to pick up, and I lost interest in the puzzle. We turned a movie on for me to watch. They were a little bit more intense, but still easy, and I could still talk through them and walk through them. Jolanda did an excellent job. She reminded me to go to the bathroom. And so I went to the bathroom, and when I walked out, I felt the baby drop. I don't know any other way to explain it, but I felt her drop in the birth canal. It was like she was sitting high, and then suddenly she dropped. I said that. I said, "Oh, I felt the baby drop." My sweet doula said, "You felt the baby drop?" I couldn't respond to her because then a contraction hit so hard that I could not talk through it. So, at that point, I told them, I said, "Please turn the movie off," because I couldn't handle the sound of movie. My husband turned on music in the background real low of our birth playlist. I needed to get down on all fours, so I got down on my knees, and I was bent over a birth ball swaying back and forth and moving forward and backwards, swaying my hips and vocalizing through them. Keep your mouth loose and low, moaning through them. At some point I didn't need the ball anymore and Jolanda brought in this inflatable thing. It was U-shaped and it was inflatable, but you could be in it and lean over it. And again, I wish I remember the name of it, but it wonderful because you could inflate and then deflate it to move it and get it out of there. But it was just perfectly shaped for me to be able to lean over it and even sit on it if I needed to, but I just was leaning over it. The contractions were getting more difficult, and she reminded me to relax my hands because my hands had gotten really tight. She was reminding me to breathe and relax my hands. She also suggested counter-pressure on my tailbone. I did not want it on my hips, but she tried it on my tailbone, and that felt incredible. Suddenly, the contractions were so much easier to bear, and they just felt more productive. It was fantastic. So she and my husband, Michael, took turns wearing their arms out, pushing my tailbone through the surges. At, that point, then the wireless monitor got weird because it had been on me for so long. The stickers, I guess, had just given out. So a poor nurse was on her knees underneath me holding the monitor on my belly, and there was either Jolanda or Michael behind me pushing on my tailbone through the contractions. And then I started grunting and felt pushy. Juolanda recognized my grunting because we talked about during my consult during my first VBAC. I get grunty when I'm pushing. She recognized the sound and she said, "Are you pushing?" But I didn't want to answer her because I didn't want to stop pushing because it felt so good to push. I hadn't been checked. So I didn't want them to know that I was pushing and check me and tell me that I couldn't push. And also, at this point, I was practically sitting back against the counter-pressure. The surge would hit, and I would sit back into whoever is doing counter-pressure and practically put my full weight back on my tailbone on their hand and the counter-pressure. Then, my knees got tired being on the floor. So I asked to move to the bed and they asked to check me. The midwife, Ms. Vicky, said, "I would love to check you right now." I said, "As long as I can be on my hands and knees, you can check me however you want."So I got up on my hands and knees on the bed, leaned over, and they checked me, and I was good to push. So at that point, we started actively pushing. Not just me pushing because it felt good, but pushing because we knew we were pushing a baby out. And pushing, it felt so good to push. I needed to push. It felt so good. I could feel her moving through the birth canal. I could feel her head coming down, and it was amazing. And just like with my first birth, it's frustrating to feel the baby move and then go back and then move forward and then go back, but you can tell you're making progress. I don't know how long I pushed for because I was way off in who knows where. Nobody else looked at the clock. Michael would have, but he was getting ready to catch. He had prepped to catch this baby. So I pushed her out into her papa's hands. He had prepped. He watched all kinds of videos meant for midwives, and he was so ready. He did such a great job. Baby Nora was there, and she was perfectly healthy. She was 7 pounds and 2 ounces, and 19 inches. For being 41 weeks and 5 days, she was still just perfectly cooked. I passed the placenta at some point after that. We did the golden hour, and we snuggled in. He cut the cord after it stopped pulsing. That was all very much a blur to me, just a golden, snuggly haze of love. So we passed the placenta, and it was declared complete. We looked at it, and we put in our little cooler to take home and freeze to plant her little birth tree. I did tear a little bit, so they stitched me up and we took some pictures. And then Ms. Vicky went home. She'd stayed 45 minutes late for us. She went home at that point, and I started nursing Nora. At that point, however, I was still in pain. So they said, "Would you like something for pain?" I asked for just Tylenol. I didn't want anything heavier than that, but I was still pushing. I was still feeling the urge to push, and it was getting worse. So the nurses applied some pressure to my uterus, external pressure. It hurt so bad I could barely stand it. Michael took the baby at that point, and Jolanda suggested me trying to avoid my bladder, and maybe that would help. But I couldn't. I couldn't get those muscles to work, so they put a catheter in. That didn't really help. The surges were still coming and I couldn't stop pushing. They put more pressure on my uterus, external pressure, and I passed a huge blood clot. It was like a softball-sized blood clot. That felt a little better, but I was still pushing and I could not stop the pushing. So they gave me some stronger pain meds and talked to the OB who was on call and all agreed that I needed to go the OR and see if something had been left. So we agreed to that and went under sedation into the OR, and they removed a golf ball-sized portion of the placenta. Meagan: Whoa.Molly: Yeah. It was confusing because they had declared my placenta complete and after talking about it, and they looked at all the pieces, and it turns out that I had a lobular lobe.Meagan: I was going to say you probably had a lobe.Molly: Yes. And so after I mentioned "Oh well, I had some spotting early in pregnancy," they figured that the spotting had contributed to that, and that's why the placenta looked complete and there was a lobe and the hematomas all contributed to the early bleeding and the lobe in the placenta. I came out of the OR fine. I got two bags of blood but felt fine. When I woke up, I got to hold Nora in the OR. Well, not in the OR, but in the recovery and nurse her again. And everything was really fine after that. Jolanda checked on us a couple of hours after that. She brought us food. We had talked about what I wanted to eat post-birth. I wanted to eat a cheeseburger with bacon from a specific place near the hospital with fries. She brought it all, and we ate it at like 11:00 PM. It was wonderful. And Michael, like I said before, said later that having a doula this time around was 100% worth it mostly for him because she was suggesting things that he wouldn't have known to offer like the counter-pressure and, "Hey, maybe she needs to pee," and things like that. It saved him and helped him know what to do while I was off in labor land. For that, our sweet doula was so worth it. And after that, recovery was great, and we were fine.Meagan: That is awesome. So still had a little bit of a hiccup there in the end, but overall a really great experience.Molly: It was awesome. And I said before, with the birth plan, we tried to plan for all contingencies, but the one thing we did not plan for was three days trying to be induced naturally. Meagan: Yeah.Molly: I mean, they say time isn't linear, and I have never felt that more true than we were stuck in that room for three days. It was very weird just not being able to get out. It's not something I would do again, the induction part, but we made it through thanks to great support from midwives and doula and my wonderful husband. I would do the birth part, and maybe not the hemorrhaging at the end, but the birth part I would do again.Meagan: Yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, that's just less ideal. I don't know. Did they ever talk to you? Because I know that IVF parents do have a slightly increased chance of hemorrhaging. Did they ever relate it to IVF, or was it mainly just, "Hey, you had a subchorionic hematoma earlier, then you have this lobe." Maybe it was just that they.Molly: The doctors didn't. No, we were very aware that she was an IVF baby, and we had done a lot of research before that IVF babies have a very "sticky" placenta.Meagan: Yeah.Molly: That was one of the factors why we didn't do a home birth was because if the placenta sticks, and then you're at home, it can be a rush to the hospital. But the doctors at the hospital didn't mention the IVF possibility as the reason I hemorrhaged. Maybe it played a part. I don't know. They seemed to put it on the sub-chorionic hematoma. But it could have been both. I don't know.Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. All of the little factors could have been. The best thing is that it seemed pretty minor and a quick fix. A quick fix. I just wanted to remind everybody, so I'm pretty sure this is your episode. It's Episode 84. So if you want to go hear the breech Cesarean and the first VBAC, definitely go back and listen to those on Episode 84. Thank you so much for sharing your story, and I'm so glad that it was so great and that your husband got to catch a baby. That's like my favorite, you guys.Just to let you know, that's happening more and more. At least it has been here in Utah as we're attending births. Sometimes, all you've got to do is ask. So if you have a partner who is interested in that, I think asking is not harmful. Just ask. It can seem intimidating, but it's not too bad. It's not too bad. They really help these partners catch these babies. Allison, I would love to have you share your two cents and your educational topic on healing after Cesarean. We're doing these topics instead of reviews sometimes when we have guests. I love what you do because just like Molly and myself, we've been there having an unexpected-- well, maybe with the breech it was kind of planned. I'm trying to remember back in your story.Molly: So with the breech, with the Cesarean, we had planned a C-section, but then he broke my water early, so it was not necessarily an emergency Cesarean, but we had to go in before we were "scheduled" to for the C-section.It was planned, but unexpected at the time. The wrong timing. Yes. Okay. Well, tell us more, Allison.Allison: Yeah, and I want to say thank you so much, Molly, for sharing your story. I actually want to point out a few things that I think are really important here. I work with so many people who have had a birth that feels difficult or traumatic. And oftentimes, there are women who come to me who say, "I don't understand why I feel upset about my birth even though I have this baby who's healthy and alive, if we're lucky enough to have a living baby or a healthy baby or both." And one of the things I talk a lot about is that oftentimes it's not the events themselves in the birth that create a difficult or traumatic birth, but it's how we feel, right? And so, what makes a birth feel good or bad? Like, I listen to you talk about this experience where you had some challenges leading up to it, right? Especially preconception, and then during conception. I felt your joy. I felt your connectedness, and I felt your power throughout your story even as you talked about the really difficult part at the end with the placenta needing to be retrieved. I want to just point out that that's what I heard, and you've got to tell me if this feels right for you, Molly. But what I heard was many moments where you talked about feeling connected. You talked about your sweet doula. You talked about that surprise midwife coming in to support you. You felt connected. You felt seen like that moment where you said, "Oh, well, the monitor wasn't working, but then the nurse got underneath me," so instead of actually you accommodating the hospital's protocol and policy, I love this idea. I'm imagining a nurse laying on her back under you while you're on all fours. You're empowered. That's truly centering you. Right? You're in control in a lot of these moments. You said you wanted the Pitocin lower. The doctor or the midwife honored that. It sounds like you were informed. You used some examples of the cards from Evidence Based Birth, and a lot of the information you engaged with prior to birthing. One of the things I talk about with my clients is maybe you even feel sexy during birth. You didn't mention that at all, but that might have been. There might have been moments, maybe not. Are there any other emotions that come up for you? Did I leave anything out hat you're like, oh, I really felt another positive emotion?Molly: No, you've nailed it 100%. I felt very supported this birth from the midwife listening to me and, like you said, honoring my requests and my husband being there and the doula. I felt very supported. So even the end and the hemorrhaging which should have been scary, I don't look back on as scary. I don't want to repeat it, but I wasn't scared in that moment because I felt taken care of and supported.Meagan: Mhmm. Allison: Right. That is so textbook. I love this story because that's a really, really scary thing. And if you hadn't had that support, that attunement, that communication and that safety, it could have felt different. It could have made your story feel like there was this turning point into a dive. I love that your advice was getting a doula, because in your story, I really feel how your relationship and respect for her are a big component of your support and empowerment. So I just want to end by saying that birth is really about those emotions, not the modality or even the environment where we birth. If we can create those experiences for ourselves as much as possible, we don't always have the ability to do that. Lots of things have to come together, but if we can focus on, how do I make myself feel empowered, connected, sexy, seen, in control, informed during my birth, however I birth, then the likelihood of having a positive outcome emotionally is so much higher. And when we have a better emotional experience, we're more likely to be able to have a supported breastfeeding experience and also go into motherhood feeling centered, feeling capable of taking on this new role or another baby when we already have littles at home. So thank you so much for sharing your story. I feel really touched, and I can imagine that others are too.Molly: Thank you.Meagan: I do love that you pointed that out, Allison. The way we feel during our labor, the way we're treated, the way we're communicated to, it really impacts that next step going into that motherhood era. I think back on your story. I remove your doula from your story, and I remove your supportive provider. That birth very much could have unfolded very differently especially because it was a longer induction. Right? And so when you put that powerhouse team with that true love and support back into the story, it's like, well, I don't understand why it wouldn't unfold that way anyway.But really, if you look back without that, it's questionable sometimes. And so we talk about it, you guys. I think I will probably talk about it until I die. I mean, truly, I will probably not even be in this work when I'm 80 years old, but I will still be educating people on hiring a supportive team and provider because it really does impact. I had an interview the other day with a first-time mom and she was telling me who her provider was, and I very much remember this provider as a resident. And she was fine, but not great, right? She wasn't my favorite. I very much knew, oh, in the future I would not suggest her as a provider. And so as I was talking, and I didn't want to project my opinion on her, and I was talking to her, she said that her and her husband had actually been feeling a lot of pressure and that when she goes into her visit that she normally has a voice, but when she's there, her voice is muted. She feels like she can't say these questions and can't communicate. I think right there is that big red flag that if you cannot communicate with your provider in a prenatal appointment, then that is a big sign that you will not be able to communicate with your provider efficiently during labor, and they're not going to respect you. I love that your midwife came out of retirement and started working on the weekends because she probably loves this so much and that you got her. It worked out so, so well. But guys, again, find a good, supportive provider. If you're feeling like my interview did the other day, don't hesitate. Move, change, find that support because you want to be like Molly where you're in the situation and you feel that love and empowerment. And even though there was something that ,went awry and not according to plan, Molly felt that support. And so like Allison said, that could have been a very traumatic point in your labor where it wasn't ideal. You wouldn't do it again. You wouldn't choose it. You wouldn't suggest it. But even though it happened, and I don't want to downplay it like oh, least everyone's happy and healthy. I don't want to do that. But it happened, and because you had that support, your overall view is different. So great tips, Allison. Beautiful story, Molly. Again, go back and listen to Episode 84 for the rest of her stories. And once again, thank you for being with us.Molly: Thank you so much for having me.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

Group B strep (GBS), short for group B streptococcus, is a type of bacterium that naturally resides in the gastrointestinal tract, vagina, and rectum of many pregnant women. GBS is typically harmless and causes no symptoms. During pregnancy, it can pose serious risks if passed to a newborn during birth, potentially leading to life-threatening infections. Due to these risks, routine GBS testing is recommended for all pregnant women. If you test positive, there are established guidelines to protect your baby. Learn what to expect during GBS testing, how a positive result will impact your labor and birth, and explore the latest research on a simple supplement that could potentially reduce the chances of having GBS.     Thank you to our sponsors   The VTech V-Hush Pro Baby Sleep Soother has every feature you could possibly want to transform any room into a sleep sanctuary. Create ideal sleep patterns and environments for your baby so your whole family gets better and longer sleep. The V-Hush Pro has built-in sleep programs and sleep tips from WeeSleep experts, over 200 pre-programmed stories, classical music, lullabies, and natural sounds. You can even record and upload your own voice, songs, or stories using the subscription-free app. The VTech V-Hush Pro Baby Sleep Soother is available at Walmart and Amazon.   AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You'll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. Even with the best diet, some nutrients can be hard to get. AG1 delivers optimal amounts of nutrients in forms that help your body thrive. Just one scoop contains essential vitamins and nutrients, supports gut health, helps you feel sharp and focused, and supports a healthy immune system. Check out DrinkAG1.com/pregnancypodcast to get a free welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2, and 5 free travel packs in your first box.  (As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.)     Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.     Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.     Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.     For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

In today's episode, we're revisiting an inspiring birth story featuring Emily Chandler and Taylor Washburn, graduates of the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. They share their journey of navigating an informed and empowered hospital birth experience, along with the challenges they faced during an extended hospital stay for their newborn's jaundice diagnosis.   Emily, a marine scientist, and Taylor, a teacher and rowing coach in the Boston area, enjoy an active lifestyle filled with hiking, biking, and rowing. While preparing for parenthood, Emily immersed herself in learning about pregnancy, birth, and the state of maternity care in the U.S. This journey led them to take the EBB Childbirth Class with instructor Chanté Perryman, where they gained valuable knowledge and advocacy skills.   Emily and Taylor share how the EBB Childbirth Class empowered them to make informed decisions about their birth plan—including Taylor's memorable experience of “catching” their baby. They also highlight the importance of the advocacy skills they learned, which helped them effectively communicate with healthcare providers and navigate unexpected challenges, such as breastfeeding difficulties and securing the right support during their baby's jaundice treatment.   Be sure to listen all the way to the end of the episode for an exciting update from our guests!   Content Note: This episode covers topics such as extended hospital stays, breastfeeding challenges, jaundice testing and treatment, and the racial disparities affecting Black and Brown infants with jaundice. (00:03:15) Doula Guidance During Pregnancy (00:09:24) Minimal Intervention Birth Plan Worries (00:17:45) Unexpected Labor Challenges (00:24:45) Efficient and Caring Nurse's Impact (00:34:34) Newborn's Breastfeeding and Jaundice Journey (00:40:03) Newborn Care and Feeding Challenges (00:43:17) Optimal Umbilical Cord Clamping Timing (00:47:27) Risk Factors for Infant Jaundice (00:52:18) Jaundice Warning Signs and Emergency Help (00:55:57) Home Birth Journey and EBB Impact Resoures: Get the Evidence Based Birth® Pocket Guide to Newborn Procedures here You can learn more about jaundice here at the Mayo Clinic site, or here at the Cleveland Clinic website. Access the Evidence Based Birth Signature Articles on: The Evidence on Premature Rupture of Membranes here The Evidence on Group B Strep here The Evidence on Pitocin in the Third Stage here Listen to EBB 145- Fatherhood and Advocacy in Birth with JacMichael Perryman here Listen to EBB 244 – Evidence on AROM, AVD and Internal Monitoring here Learn more about Chanté Perryman's EBB Childbirth Class and services here Learn more about the Nest Collaborative here 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.

Did you know there are well over 100 strains of strep? This often-misunderstood bacteria reaches far beyond strep throat, with complex impacts on our health - and even deeper connections to conditions like PANS/ PANDAS and GBS in pregnancy. In this episode, we are diving deep into all things strep: how it affects the body, why traditional treatments often fall short, and how rebalancing the gut provides a powerful, holistic alternative that empowers true healing. You'll learn actionable steps for strep throat, Group B strep in pregnancy, and healing PANS/PANDAS, two conditions where strep can drive sudden, life-altering neurological changes. Packed with insights on the gut-brain connection and immune support, this episode offers an effective approach to healing that works with your body. If you're ready to gain the knowledge to feel prepared and empowered, you won't want to miss this one. Links from the episode:Explore The Children's Gut Rebalance KitExplore The Women's Gut Rebalance KitThanks for listening! I would love to connect with you ♡ Subscribe to the Nourished Newsletter Send me a DM on Instagram Take the free Gut Health Quiz Email me at customercare@onleorganics.com Sending love and wellness from my family yours,xx - Juniper BennettFounder of ōNLē ORGANICS

SummaryIn this episode, Ciarra and Samantha discuss group B strep (GBS), a common bacteria found in the intestines or lower genital tract of 10-30% of adults. While GBS doesn't cause symptoms in healthy adults, it can be dangerous for newborns. They explain what the options are for a GBS positive parent when giving birth. They emphasize the importance of informed consent and discuss alternative options for those who decline antibiotics. They also touch on the potential risks and benefits of antibiotics and the monitoring of babies born to GBS-positive individuals.TakeawaysGroup B strep (GBS) is a common bacteria found in the intestines or lower genital tract of 10-30% of adults.GBS can be dangerous for newborns, but pregnant individuals can be tested for GBS at around 36 weeks and offered antibiotics during labor to reduce the risk of GBS illness in the baby.It's important for individuals to have informed consent and understand the risks and benefits of antibiotics, as well as alternative options if they choose to decline antibiotics.Babies born to GBS-positive individuals may be monitored more closely and may require additional care if antibiotics are not administered in time.Having open and honest conversations with healthcare providers and asking questions can help individuals make informed decisions about GBS testing and treatment.This episode is sponsored by Tree of Life Breastmilk Jewelry. Use code PODCAST at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.Facebook Group: Tree of Life Breastmilk Jewelry, LLC | FacebookWebsite: www.treeoflifebreastmilkjewelry.comPlease feel free to reach out to us with any recommendations for show episode ideas. If you'd like to be a guest, email us with some information about yourself and what type of podcast you'd like to record together. Thank you for all of your support and don't forget to follow and review our podcast, Birth, Baby!Instagram: @‌BirthBabyPodcastEmail: BirthBabyPodcast@gmail.comWebsite: https://birthbabypodcast.transistor.fm/Intro and Outro music by Longing for Orpheus. You can find them on Spotify! (00:00) - Understanding Group B Strep (GBS) (04:31) - Dealing with GBS Test Results (08:05) - Testing and Treatment Options for GBS (09:05) - Informed Consent and Alternative Options (14:04) - Risks and Benefits of Antibiotics (16:18) - Monitoring Babies Born to GBS-Positive Individuals

In this episode we discuss GBS or Group Beta Strep. We explain why we recommend testing for all pregnant moms and why treatment in labor is important to protect babies from GBS disease. Join Dr. Renda Knapp, a board certified Ob/Gyn and Dr. Rachel Schultz, a board certified pediatrician for the MamaDoc BabyDoc podcast.  In this podcast we share practical, evidence based advice and informatio on all topics related to pregnancy, childbirth and raising children.

When you're pregnant, you can easily become a breeding ground for bacterial infections. Today we're discussing some of the most common infections such as yeast infections, urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis and Group B Strep. How are these infections diagnosed and treated in pregnancy? Our mamas share their personal experience! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost every pregnant woman will need to make a decision about Group B strep, what decision would you make? This episode is a re-edit of the most popular episode of all time, episode 6 on Group B Strep. In this re-edit Mel has kept only facts (no fluff)... you asked for it. This episode is a great one to pass on to your partner, care provider or anyone you think would like rapid fire information about Group B Strep in pregnancy and labour. For anyone that appreciates a conversational podcast, episode 6 is where you'll want to be… or listen to both. Time stamps: 00:00 what is this episode about 03:08 What is GBS 03:39 GBS colonisation vs GBS infection 07:23 Early and Late onset GBS infection in babies 07:58 Preventing and screening for early onset GBS 08:11 Screening for GBS 12:31 the risk of the swab itself 12:45 The transient nature of GBS 11:11 Accuracy of the swab 13:51 risks associated with GBS positive result 15:05 How many babies will likely get a GBS infection? 18:21 GBS prevention options 22:21 Bit of a summary 23:01 What are the issues with GBS prevention options 32:46 what if my baby does get sick? How is it treated? 34:16 GBS in urine To get on the mailing list for the podcast and to access the resource folders for each episode, visit www.melaniethemidwife.com Premium podcast members Hub Being a premium podcast member gives you access to the transcript and additional resources for each episode AND the 'ask Mel a question' button so you can submit questions for the monthly 'Ask me anything' episode. Only available in the premium podcast members hub Find out all the details here You can find out more about Mel @melaniethemidwife Disclaimer: The information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it's application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional. The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content. This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.

The downsides of epidurals are rarely discussed and midwife, Lindsey Meehleis, wants you to know what they are and that you have options even if you opt to get one. Alex and Lindsey discuss why mothers might have trouble breastfeeding and listener-submitted questions about ultrasounds, dieting, Group B Strep and the cost comparisons of home vs hospital birth.Website | www.therembering.comInstagram | @lindsymeehleis [GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING ⚠️].Get ticket details for Turning Point USA's Young Women's Leadership Summit at https://ywls2024.com and use code ALEX for 25% off admission!Interested in making a tax deductible donation to support The Spillover? ☕️ Visit https://donate.tpusa.com/donate to contribute to guest travel, set needs and more!.Elevate your skincare routine with NIMI SKINCARE! Go to https://www.nimiskincare.com/ and use promo code ALEXCLARK to get 10% off your order.Ditch artificial fragrances for your family by switching to ALEAVIA organic prebiotic body wash and use code: ALEX15 for 15% off. https://www.aleavia.com/Get 100% Organic tampons & now PADS! Try GARNUU today at https://garnuu.com/ and use code ALEX for 15% off..#childbirth #midwifery #home #education #health #womenshealthSupport the Show.

Could bacteriophage be an alternative to antibiotics for Group B Strep (GBS) in pregnant women? GBS is a commensal bacteria, found harmlessly in the gut of some people. But it is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause significant disease - sepsis, meningitis, lung injury and bacteremia - in newborns exposed to it in the vaginal tract during birth, for example. Lucy Furfaro is an Emerging Leadership Fellow at the University of Western Australia in Perth. I spoke to her about her research in this area, how she became interested in the microbiology of newborns and their mothers, and the advantages of living in the most remote city on Earth.Lucy works at the King Edward Memorial Hospital, the referral center for all of Western Australia which covers an area approximately equal to the US west of the Rocky Mountains.What makes the hospital unique is that it hosts The Raine Study, the world's oldest prospective birth cohort, which has been collecting ongoing health data on mothers and their babies for 35 years. Preventing infection of newborns is done differently depending on where you are. The standard in Australia and the US is universal screening, typically a swab test. Expectant mothers testing positive for GBS in the vaginal tract (about 1 in 4) are given antibiotics pre-emptively. The UK and New Zealand take a risk-based approach (e.g., a history of infection) to determine who gets the antibiotic. While antibiotic resistance is not an issue of concern in GBS yet, we know that eventually it can be. Also of interest is what antibiotics do to the microbiome of moms and their babies. These concerns lead to the consideration of phage as a possible targeted therapy for GBS. At least a few challenges, both scientific and regulatory, remain to be solved.Are you subscribed yet? If not, can we fix that?Bacteriophage or simply phage are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. They are typically specific to a single type or closely related bacteria. Some are obligately lytic phages that infect a bacterium, replicate inside, lyse the cell and move on to the next bacterium. Others can hedge their bet, taking either the lytic pathway or occasionally integrating their DNA into the DNA of the host bacteria. These temperate phage might later be induced to lyse their host cells and move on. Ideally, phages chosen for antimicrobial therapies are of the lytic variety. But every phage found to infect Group B Strep so far is a temperate phage. That is either a sampling problem or an interesting biological question of why that is so.Beyond the biology are the regulatory questions. Are phage biologicals? They aren't alive. However, neither is an engineered antibody, which is subject to a lot of analysis to confirm its identity. One possible solution is to avoid using intact phage particles. It involves the engineering of phage lysins, the enzymes that disrupt bacterial cell walls and membranes. These might be delivered in a topical cream to prevent infection at birth avoiding broad spectrum antibiotic resistance and causing minimal disruption to the maternal microbiome.Your deepest insights are your best branding. I'd love to help you share them. Chat with me about custom content for your life science brand. Or visit my website.If you appreciate this content, you likely know someone else who will appreciate it also. Please share it with them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cclifescience.substack.com

Join Loren Sofia, Functional Fertility Coach and owner of Innate Fertility, and Annie Kerchief, best known as mom.mindfully on Instagram, mother of two and an incredibly informed and outspoken advocate for mothers, as they discuss various pregnancy interventions.In this episode, you'll learn about:Annie's personal experience going past her due date, past 42 weeksAnnie's planned freebirth contingencyMaking decisions out of fear versus taking responsibilityWhat it means to truly surrenderFollowing your intuition and exercising it as a muscleWhat you should know regarding pregnancy inteversions, including:UltrasoundsNIPSAmniocentesisRhogamIron testingGlucose tolerance testingGroup B strepNavigating the decision-making process during pregnancyEpisode Links:Annie's IG: @mom.mindfullyNY Times Article on NIPS: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/20/upshot/prenatal-genetic-tests-warning.htmlLoren's Fertility & Pregnancy Journey: More Resources

In episode 24 Alaura, the partner of Trent who shared his experience of homebirth a few episodes ago, shares with us her birth of baby Arius. As we know, homebirth for first time mums is relatively rare, but through preconception education, Alaura knew homebirth was the best option for her, even when the GP tried to talk her out of it! All first time mums should hear this beautiful story! Links to people/business/resources for this episode:Perth Publicly Funded Homebirth through King Edward Memorial Hospital https://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/Pregnancy-and-Birth/During-your-pregnancy/Community-Midwifery-ProgramGlucose Tolerance Test evidence https://midwifethinking.com/2018/03/20/gestational-diabetes-beyond-the-label/Group B Strep evidence https://www.sarawickham.com/topic-resources/group-b-strep-resources/The Midwives Cauldron Podcast https://themidwivescauldron.buzzsprout.com/The Great Birth Rebellion https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellionDelayed Cord Clamping https://www.sarawickham.com/research-updates/optimal-cord-clamping/Cosleeping & Cosleeping support group https://www.facebook.com/groups/238325187943193/https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/sleep/where-your-baby-sleeps/co-sleepingCHAPTERS02:17Discovering Home Birth04:07Home Birth Options in Perth06:31Arranging the Community Midwifery Program08:48Encountering Resistance from the GP10:07Assigned Midwife and Backup Midwife11:29Declining Tests and Takeaways15:57Preparing for Birth19:53Reactions from Friends and Family21:37Involving a Doula31:32Early Signs of Labor38:29Transition and Vomiting41:19Getting in and out of the Pool49:10A Unique Birth Experience51:06The Birth Process54:07The Placenta and Postpartum01:00:13Reflections on the First Four Months01:06:13Transformation and EmpowermentSupport the show

*Request from Team EBB: We would love it if you left a review for us on your favorite podcast platform! Let us know one new thing you learned, and/or one thing you would like us to cover next year.  In this episode, Dr. Dekker and EBB Research Fellow Sara Ailshire reflect on groundbreaking research published by Evidence Based Birth in 2023. Dive into evidence-based insights on Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy, Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM), and skin-to-skin care after a Cesarean. Discover alternative approaches, vital statistics, and the intersection of birth with climate change and infection risks. Rebecca and Sara will also reflect on the year's most popular episodes and give you a glimpse into exciting episodes and Signature Articles to come in 2024. Content note: Preterm birth, interventions, climate change, infant mortality, serious infant illness, racism.  Resources: Get on the wait list for the EBBirth Virtual Conference at https://ebbirth.com/waitlist Join the EBB Pro Membership and get access to a doula mentorship PLUS trainings on postpartum hemorrhage, secondary trauma, and pelvic floor education. New (exclusive) handouts on Breech, RH, and vaccines coming soon for Pro Members only! https://ebbirth.com/membership Check out the Podcast Listening Guide at our shop: ebbirth.com/shop EBB Signature Article on Group B Strep: https://ebbirth.com/groupbstrep EBB Signature Article on Premature Rupture of Membranes: https://ebbirth.com/prom EBB Signature Article on Anti-Racism in Health Care and Birth Work: https://ebbirth.com/antiracism EBB Signature Article on Skin-to-Skin after Cesarean: https://ebbirth.com/cesarean The Top 5 most downloaded episodes of 2023: EBB 166 [Replay] The Experience of a Powerful and MIiraculous Birth with Brooklynn and Hoang Pham EBB 264: Top 3 Tips for Exercise in Pregnancy with Mamaste Fit EBB 257: Updated Evidence on Group B Strep Part 2 EBB 256: Top 3 Recommendations for Preventing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction after Birth with Dr. Sarah Duvall EBB 254: Evidence on GBS in Pregnancy

Thank you for joining us for our 2nd Cabral HouseCall of the weekend! I'm looking forward to sharing with you some of our community's questions that have come in over the past few weeks…   Audrey: Hi Dr. Cabral, I noticed on your resource page you do not have the Berky water filter listed anymore. Instead you have the Aqua True listed. Why is that? It seems like the Berky is a better choice because it is stainless steal and vs. the Aqua Tru that has a plastic carafe which would lead to leaching. Thanks so much for all you do!   Lara: Hi, dr. Cabral.. In baking recipes there's often tapioca starch or cornstarch.. same with gluten free flours.. If I wanted to substitute those in recipes (or make my own gluten free flour in a healthier way), what would be good substit utes? Are arrowroot powder and cassava flour good, healthier options? As per my (Google) research, they are not interchangeable - don't have the same effect.. do you have any suggestions? What does your family usually use in baking? Thank you and happy healing, everyone..    Melissa: Hi Dr. Cabral- is it possible to heal group B strep? If so, what are the ways to do this? Thank you!   Desiree: I've been told that our bodies more efficiently absorb animal nutrients and protein; and these nutritionists have references and studies to support this. Of course all of these people agree on getting your animal products from grass fed/finished, non gmo, no hormones, pasture raised farms. People also discuss anti-nutrients in vegetables (which I know can be greatly reduced with cooking). They urge people to use animal fats to cook with due to the low chance of oxidation and that saturated fats have been unfairly demonized. With meat being one of the most nutrient dense foods one can eat when properly sourced. I suppose my question is, is there validity to a diet that is more meat/animal centered? Also what are your thoughts on absorption and anti-nutrients in vegetables vs meat.   Steve: I have chronically low vitamin D levels. I also have crohns disease which contributes to the low D along with low iron, b-12 and some other lab red flags. I have very high inflammation labels from both CRP and fecal calprotectin tests. I had been taking 10,000 i.u.'s of D for a long time and my D level on my most recent test was 23. I also live in arizona and get quite a bit of sun. I have started taking 25,000 i.u's a day of D (along with K2) to see if that will be enough to get my D level up. I really hate to go much higher than that, but I might have to. I am starting to believe that I will never get my inflammation markers down if I dont get my D up     Desiree: I was wondering if you could do a product review on fairlife nutrition plan 30g protein shake. I also have a question about milk and dairy. I know you have an entire podcast on how it's essential to cut out dairy from cows but I'm hoping as long as you get high quality dairy if that makes a difference? I'm a bit of a milk fiend and cutting it out of my diet fills me with sadness. Thank you for everything you do! I just read your book and it's truly eye opening and I'm recommending it to everyone I know.   Thank you for tuning into this weekend's Cabral HouseCalls and be sure to check back tomorrow for our Mindset & Motivation Monday show to get your week started off right! - - - Show Notes and Resources: StephenCabral.com/2879 - - - Get a FREE Copy of Dr. Cabral's Book: The Rain Barrel Effect - - - Join the Community & Get Your Questions Answered: CabralSupportGroup.com - - - Dr. Cabral's Most Popular At-Home Lab Tests: > Complete Minerals & Metals Test (Test for mineral imbalances & heavy metal toxicity) - - - > Complete Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins Test (Test for 75 biomarkers including yeast & bacterial gut overgrowth, as well as vitamin levels) - - - > Complete Stress, Mood & Metabolism Test (Discover your complete thyroid, adrenal, hormone, vitamin D & insulin levels) - - - > Complete Food Sensitivity Test (Find out your hidden food sensitivities) - - - > Complete Omega-3 & Inflammation Test (Discover your levels of inflammation related to your omega-6 to omega-3 levels) - - - Get Your Question Answered On An Upcoming HouseCall: StephenCabral.com/askcabral - - - Would You Take 30 Seconds To Rate & Review The Cabral Concept? The best way to help me spread our mission of true natural health is to pass on the good word, and I read and appreciate every review!  

In this episode, I'm joined by Emilie Rodriguez and Guramrit LeBron, the dynamic duo behind Ashé Birthing Services and The Bridge Directory. Ashé Birthing Services is a collective of specially selected birth workers who provide full-spectrum care for families in the greater New York City area. Their approach blends evidence-based research with ancestral practices, offering families a unique individual experience often missing in mainstream maternal care.   Emilie and Guramrit share their personal journeys into birth work, highlighting the pivotal moments that led them to become doulas and advocates for birthing people. They discuss the challenges and racism they encountered within the healthcare system and the importance of finding providers who understand and respect your cultural and ancestral traditions.   We delve into how Ashé Birthing Services and The Bridge Directory are changing the landscape of perinatal care, making it more accessible, informed, and culturally sensitive. They also explain how their platform connects people with Black and Brown providers in the perinatal period and the importance of community-nominated Council of Elders in guiding their work. If you're passionate about empowering Black birth and improving maternal care, you won't want to miss this insightful conversation with Emilie and Guramrit.   Content note: Issues related to racism in healthcare and challenges in the maternity care system. Resources: Get the free 1-page handout about EBB "Best Evidence" episodes here!  Learn about Ashé Birthing Services here. For more information and resources, visit The Bridge Directory. Learn about the Irth App here: https://irthapp.com/ Follow Ashé Birthing Services on Instagram EBB Podcast Episodes Referenced in this Episode: EBB 161 and EBB 220 with Kimberly Seals Allers of the Irth App EBB 260 with Ms. Divine Bailey-Nicholas about Plant Medicine EBB 261: Mini Q&A on Group B Strep EBB 10 about the ARRIVE trial EBB Signature Articles: Signature Article on Eye Ointment (ebbirth.com/eyeointment), Signature Article on Circumcision (ebbirth.com/circumcision) Signature Article on Group B Strep (ebbirth.com/groupbstrep) Signature Article on Vitamin K (ebbirth.com/vitamink) EBB handout on the ARRIVE trial: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/arrive Get a FREE handout for each topic at the links above to help your informed decision making! Want more support from Evidence Based Birth®?  Sign up for our newsletter here Join our Professional Membership here Apply to become an EBB Instructor here Make sure to follow us on social: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ebbirth YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@EvidenceBasedBirth Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/

Professor of Microbiology and researcher Dr. Anne Estes talks with Adriana about how your gut microbiome (not just your vaginal microbiome) plays a critical role in seeding your baby's microbiome during birth, and what you can do about it. They discuss whether probiotics are necessary during pregnancy, why inserting a garlic clove in your vagina may not be the best way to combat Group B Strep, and the importance of looking at microbiomes through a diversity lens.If you liked this episode, listen to this interview for more on your baby's microbiome, and this episode on the microbiome and your baby's immune system.Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes page.You can connect with Anne on Instagram @mostlymicrobeshost. You can connect with Birthful @BirthfulPodcast on Instagram or email us at podcast@Birthful.com. You can also download Birthful's Postpartum Plan FREE when you sign up for our weekly newsletter! You can also sign-up for Adriana's Own Your Birth online BIRTH preparation classes and her Thrive with Your Newborn online POSTPARTUM preparation course.Follow us on Goodpods, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts.Our Sponsors:* Visit HomeThreads.com/BIRTHFUL today and get a 15% off code for your first order!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/birthful/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

After an eye-opening, traumatic, and abusive first birth, Toni DeAztlan Smith was determined not to repeat the experience. Toni tells Adriana how she proactively took matters into her own hands and ended up having a powerfully healing birth. She also shares how she achieved her goals of being negative for Group B Strep, NOT developing gestational diabetes, and avoiding preeclampsia.If you liked this episode, listen to this interview on childbirth PTSD, and this episode on how to avoid a cascade of interventions.Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes page. You can connect with Birthful @BirthfulPodcast on Instagram or email us at podcast@Birthful.com. You can also download Birthful's Postpartum Plan FREE when you sign up for our weekly newsletter! You can also sign-up for Adriana's Own Your Birth online BIRTH preparation classes and her Thrive with Your Newborn online POSTPARTUM preparation course.Follow us on Goodpods, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts.Our Sponsors:* Visit HomeThreads.com/BIRTHFUL today and get a 15% off code for your first order!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/birthful/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Herbs are micronutrient powerhouses for your immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, but some of them may not be recommended during this time of your life. Kathleen Mugnolo talks with Adriana about how you can figure out which ones are right for YOU, as well as whether it makes sense to use herbs to get labor started, to lessen the chances of Group B Strep colonization, to help with constipation, to increase milk supply, and how they can support your postpartum recovery.If you liked this episode, listen to this episode on what to eat during pregnancy and this interview on your baby's microbiome.Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources, transcript, and links listed on its show notes page.  You can learn more about Kathleen @kathleen.mugnolo on Instagram. Connect with Birthful @BirthfulPodcast or email us at podcast@Birthful.com. If you enjoy what you hear, download Birthful's Postpartum Plan FREE when you sign up for our weekly newsletter! You can also sign-up for Adriana's Own Your Birth online BIRTH preparation classes and her Thrive with Your Newborn online POSTPARTUM preparation course.Follow us on Goodpods, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts.Our Sponsors:* Visit HomeThreads.com/BIRTHFUL today and get a 15% off code for your first order!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/birthful/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to our weekend Cabral HouseCall shows! This is where we answer our community's wellness, weight loss, and anti-aging questions to help people get back on track! Check out today's questions:    Anonymous: Hi Dr Cabral, I love the supplements from equilife and have several of them. They are great and there arent many other brands I would trust over it. I do have a concern regarding the DFV & DNS Shake supplements. I've noticed that the day after taking them, I get a strange and off putting chemical odor in my breath, urine and stools. It's more pronounced in the DNS shake, and seems to become more noticeable if taken on consecutive days. I would like to participate in the 7 day detoxes, but have paused those due to this issue. What do you think could be going on? The only other thing I can add is that I seem to have chronic upper abdominal discomfort that seems to line up with gastritis or delayed emptying symptoms. Thanks   Ally: I'm currently pregnant and expected due date is 12/12. I have a history of being GBS positive at delivery and my OB would not allow me to do a vaginal swab at delivery. All of my babies have been breech, hence requiring a c-section. I'm anticipating another, repeat c-section since my OB won't let me try a vbac after three c-sections. My question is there anything I can do to help be preventative of GBS when tested? I was GBS negative at 13 weeks and they retest around 32-36 weeks. Thank you.   Gail: Hi Dr. Cabral- I listen to your podcasts daily and appreciate all you do to graciously help so many. My question is this: I did the 7-day detox and had fabulous results with diminished bloating, mental clarity, and quality sleep. If I felt this great after the 7-day, I cannot wait to see what the 21-day will bring. I'm reluctant, and scared to go forward though because my liver enymes were normal pre-detox, but my AST and ALT QUADRUPLED post detox (drawn 2-3 months post) and took 8 months to return to normal. My PCP was so concerned that she ordered an ultrasound, then a CT scan with contrast of my liver which was completely normal. Dr. Cabral why do you think this happened, and can I safely do a 21-day? Thanks a million!!    Colleen: Hi Dr. Cabral! Seemingly out of the blue I've gotten very sick. It started with severe constipation & then the only thing coming out were clots of blood followed by pain in my intestines. I've started the Intestinal Cleanse which is helping a lot. But looking at my tongue is concerning me as well. I have a Pitta/Vata body type but my tongue has a white/yellow coating that won't go away, a deep crack down the middle, red dots all over, & a metallic taste in my mouth. I've no energy & am barely eating due to nausea. I listened to your pod on what your tongue says about your health & will be doing a 7 Day Liver Detox & the CBO Protocol. Is there anything I'm missing? I'm running the Complete Stress lab to hopefully get more answers. I appreciate all that you do for this community.   Thank you for tuning into today's Cabral HouseCall and be sure to check back tomorrow where we answer more of our community's questions!      - - - Show Notes and Resources: StephenCabral.com/2843 - - - Get a FREE Copy of Dr. Cabral's Book: The Rain Barrel Effect - - - Join the Community & Get Your Questions Answered: CabralSupportGroup.com - - - Dr. Cabral's Most Popular At-Home Lab Tests: > Complete Minerals & Metals Test (Test for mineral imbalances & heavy metal toxicity) - - - > Complete Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins Test (Test for 75 biomarkers including yeast & bacterial gut overgrowth, as well as vitamin levels) - - - > Complete Stress, Mood & Metabolism Test (Discover your complete thyroid, adrenal, hormone, vitamin D & insulin levels) - - - > Complete Food Sensitivity Test (Find out your hidden food sensitivities) - - - > Complete Omega-3 & Inflammation Test (Discover your levels of inflammation related to your omega-6 to omega-3 levels) - - - Get Your Question Answered On An Upcoming HouseCall: StephenCabral.com/askcabral - - - Would You Take 30 Seconds To Rate & Review The Cabral Concept? The best way to help me spread our mission of true natural health is to pass on the good word, and I read and appreciate every review!  

***Trigger Warning*** – In this episode we discuss topics that may be triggering for some listeners, namely Babies in Intensive care and baby loss. If you are affected by any of the subjects in this episode you can find support here. Iwan Thomas is an Olympic athlete, TV presenter, commentator, Celebrity Masterchef and a dad! Iwan was a whirlwind of a child and his strict, military dad encouraged him to focus on sport - which turned out brilliantly! After spending many years focussed on sport and being a self-confessed, selfish athlete, at 45 Iwan was ready to become a dad. His first son, Teddy was rushed to intensive care shortly after birth with the life threatening infection, Group B Strep. Iwan was thrust into being a new parent and not knowing if his son would survive – a situation that was naturally devastating but he found it hard to reach out for support.   Teddy survived his illness and Iwan now has two energetic boys in his life and is working hard to create great memories for his sons every day. He is also spreading awareness of Group B Strep, and how easy it is to prevent passing it onto a baby through birth.  Huge thanks to Iwan for joining us and sharing his story 

Cheryl Sew Hoy is our guest today and she is the founder of Tiny Health; a company that specializes in at-home gut health tests for moms and babies. I use this company with my own son and with my patients. My only regret is that Tiny Health wasn't around sooner!In our conversation, Cheryl explains what the word microbiome even means. Some of you may be very familiar with that term, but for those of you who are not, she has a great way of explaining the importance of the makeup of microbiome and the role it plays in preconception, pregnancy, baby and childhood years.If you are a parent worried about your baby's start - maybe they spent some time in the NICU, were on antibiotics, or had an inability to breastfeed - Cheryl shares her top recommendations on what you can do to optimize their first 1000 days in order for them to develop the healthiest gut health.Cheryl also shares how the Tiny Health tests can help those of you whose first child was at a high risk for atopic diseases like eczema, allergies, or asthma in subsequent pregnancies. You also might be wondering if there are benefits to testing moms vaginal microbiome in pregnancy and if that is something that can affect her Group B Strep status? Well, Cheryl gives us an answer to that question as well.The future of microbiome in medicine is an exciting one. Tune in to this episode to learn about all things gut health!Sponsor: Eco Chic Movement - Enter code ‘PODCAST' at checkout for 25% off your first purchase.Links & Resources:20% Off Tiny Health with code ‘ECOCHICMOVEMENT'Follow Eco Chic Movement on Instagramwww.ecochicmovement.com

Episode 7 takes us juuuust across the Coral Sea, to New Caledonia where Stacey, her husband Paul and their first born 4 year old Aydan (born in hospital in Kalgoorlie), welcomed baby Atlas. Stacey tells us a bit about the maternity system in New Caledonia and why she was left not much choice but to take the step and freebirth Atlas. I loved this story, but am also saddened by how the medicalisation of maternity care is also, alike Australia, associated with British and  French colonialism in New Caledonia. Freebirth story begins approx 9:10 I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did! Links to people/business/resources Birth Time https://www.birthtime.world/Great Birth Rebellion Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/3gQRikeOcaHkJjWTtcT1B1?si=867bf263322f46c1Free Birth Society https://www.freebirthsociety.com/Rhea Dempsey books https://www.birthingwisdom.com.au/book/Core and Floor Restore Webinar https://coreandfloor.com.au/collections/webinars/products/birth-webinarDr Sarah Buckley https://sarahbuckley.com/gentle-birth-gentle-mothering/introduction/Fear - Tension - Pain Triangle https://betterbirthblog.org/fear-tension-pain-teaching-tool/Rhea Dempsey Birth Prep course https://www.birthingwisdom.com.au/birthing-services/birth-preparation/Birth Mapping https://coreandfloor.com.au/products/the-birth-map-and-gameWhat is haemochromatosis? https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/haemochromatosis/Waterbirth and the dive reflex https://evidencebasedbirth.com/waterbirth/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12022304/ (I couldn't link the whole article, if you want it I can access and share it with you) Blissful Herbs tinctures https://www.blissfulherbs.com.au/What is 'matrescence'? https://birthtrauma.org.au/what-is-matrescence/Group B Strep https://www.sarawickham.com/gbse/Great Birth Rebellion GBS episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/4fRdhbcx12Iax2BEoVrl0G?si=f068a5b2881b44d1Support the show

Join Loren Sofia, Functional Fertility Coach and owner of Innate Fertility, and Jared St. Clair, an herbalist, natural supplement formulator, podcast host of Vitality Radio, and owner of Vitality Nutrition in Bountiful, UT, as they discuss everything you need to know about the microbiome.In this episode, you'll learn:What the microbiome isWhen it's formed and if it can be changedHow you can tell if your microbiome is balanced or notHow your microbiome can impact your hormones and fertilityHow your microbiome can influence your immune system and autoimmunityThe different types of bacteria that play a role in your microbiomeHuman strain probiotics versus spore-based probioticsHow antibiotics work and what you can take as an alternativeSolutions for chronic sinus and urinary tract infectionsHow you can optimize your microbiome starting todayHow what you eat influences your microbiomeEpisode Links:Just Thrive Spore-Based Probiotics (use code INNATE to save 15%)North American Herb & Spice Sinu-Orega  (use code INNATE to save 15%)Vitality NutritionJared's InstagramMy Vitality FacebookFacebook Listeners GroupVitality Radio PodcastMore Resources

This week's episode is Elliott Rae, Dad of 1 and one of the UK's most prominent speakers on fatherhood, masculinity and men's mental health. He is also the founder of the parenting platform Music Football Fatherhood - or MFF Online. He founded the platform after being diagnosed with PTSD as a new dad after the traumatic birth of his daughter. Themes discussed: Birth trauma, PTSD, Group B Strep, Masculinity, NICU, Male mental health, new fatherhood and Equal Parental Leave rights. Recorded in 2022.

Kelsey would title her VBAC story, “When Everything Goes Wrong”. This episode is a must-listen as she shares her VBAC birth after testing positive for Group B Strep.Kelsey's first provider: Pushed a scheduled C-section due to a possible big babyChose elective C-sections for all of her own birthsKelsey's second provider:Wasn't concerned about Kelsey's blood clotting disorderDidn't push for induction upon borderline amniotic fluid levels Limited cervical checksSuggested a Cook's Catheter at 0 centimeters dilated with ruptured membranesDidn't push for C-section after 24 hours of ruptured membranes with GBSWe are incredibly grateful for all of those VBAC-supportive providers out there! They make ALL the difference. Additional LinksThe VBAC Link Blog: Group B Strep Prevention and Your Options for GBS+ BirthHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsThe VBAC Link Facebook CommunityFull Transcript under Episode DetailsMeagan: Hello, hello you guys. Welcome to The VBAC Link. This is Meagan, your host of The VBAC Link. We have a story for you today that has been something that we've been seeing trickling in our inbox a lot. So I went onto our VBAC Link Community on Facebook and said, “Hey, I'm looking for some stories with this specific topic.” That specific topic is GBS, so Group B Strep if you don't know what GBS means. That is something that we've been seeing in our inbox of people being told they cannot have a vaginal birth if they test positive for GBS which we all know, I hope through listening to these episodes that you'd know by now, is false. If you are told that you absolutely cannot have a TOLAC, a trial of labor after Cesarean because you have Group B Strep, that is not true. That is just simply not true. We have our friend Kelsey today from outside of Dallas, Texas is that right? Kelsey: Yes. Yes, yeah that's right. Meagan: Yes and she is going to share her story just proving that. Another fun twist to her story is that she had a rupture of membranes. One of the things providers fear more or worry most about is GBS and rupture of membranes and the longevity of the membranes being ruptured increasing risk of infection. So a lot of providers will say, “If you have GBS, the second your water breaks, TOLAC or not, you need to come in and start antibiotic treatment immediately.” There is definitely some evidence with treating with antibiotics and we're going to talk about some of that in the end and also some ways that you can try and avoid testing positive for GBS, but one of the crazy things or cool things I should say about Kelsey's story is that her rupture of membranes was 24+ hours. So a lot of the times, we have providers also saying after a certain amount of hours and they have a cutoff or a certain number of doses of antibiotics, we're at a high risk for the newborn getting GBS and then we need to have a Cesarean. So I'm excited to hear Kelsey talk about her journey with 24+ hours with a rupture of membranes with GBS. Then another twist to her story is when she did arrive, she was a certain centimeter that a lot of people also think can't be helped. I'm just going to leave that right there and we'll let Kelsey talk about that. Review of the WeekBut of course, we have a Review of the Week so I want to dive into that. This was back in 2021, so a couple of years ago actually from mckenna_123 and her subject is “You're Not Alone, Mama.” It says, “When I had my first baby 7 months ago via C-section due to placenta previa, I was left discouraged and sad with little to no tools to help me process all that had happened. It was hard for me to tell my story to others confidently and joyfully because I felt so isolated by the experience. Enter The VBAC Link.” Ooh, that just gave me chills actually.“I spent my early postpartum months listening to an episode every day while I nursed my newborn. When I came across the placenta previa story on the podcast, I felt so seen and understood. This podcast gave me the opportunity to feel bound to other strong mamas who have healed from similar experiences. All of a sudden, I didn't feel so alone. I'm not pregnant with baby #2 yet, but when that happens, I will be armed with invaluable tools and knowledge for my journey to have a beautiful and redemptive VBAC. Thank you ladies for being the voice for moms who feel alone and unseen.” Whoa. I got chills all while reading that whole thing. She is so right. You are not alone. We are here with you. I know I've said this before and I'm going to say it a million times again but here at The VBAC Link, we truly love. I know we don't know you, but we love you and we don't want you to feel alone. That is why we created The VBAC Link because we felt alone. We were in that spot. Julie and I years and years ago felt alone wanting to have this vaginal birth which seemed so normal. Vaginal birth just seems like it should be normal. That's what happens, right? But then we had these C-sections, unexpected and undesired and we didn't know where we belonged. We didn't know what we could do. We didn't know who was saying whether that was true or not. That is why we are here. That is why The VBAC LInk exists. So thank you, McKenna, so much. Congratulations on your baby that is now probably almost two. Kelsey: And we need an update, McKenna. Meagan: We need an update. Are we having another baby? Where are we at? Are you still with us? Let's hear that update. Definitely email us. If you haven't had the time or a chance to put a review in, we would love that. We love getting them in the email box, on Apple Podcasts, and on Instagram. We love seeing your reviews. I'm not kidding you. When I was reading this review, I would get chills and then they would go down and then I'd get chills again and then they'd go down. They mean so much. So definitely if you haven't, drop us a review. Kelsey's StoryMeagan: Okay, Kelsey. Welcome to the show. Kelsey: Hey, thanks for having me, for having me on the VBAC podcast. I'm so excited to be here. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Well, I am so excited that you are here and sharing, like I said, such a great topic because I don't know. Tell me what you have heard about GBS. Have you heard that you can't have a vaginal birth with GBS? Or have you heard anything like that?Kelsey: Oh absolutely. Not from my doctor per se and I'll give you some more info about that as I share my story, but I believed that everything had to go according to plan despite listening to y'all's episodes, despite hearing other VBAC stories, I just felt like there is no way that I can have this vaginal birth after a Cesarean unless everything goes just as it should. My story is one that should be titled, “When Everything Goes Wrong”. Meagan: Okay, “When Everything Goes Wrong”. Kelsey: Yes, yes. I definitely heard that. One of the things that I kept in mind and I'll mention this too is that when you have ruptured membranes longer than 24 hours– I mean, I Googled this last night just to be sure. You'll see all over the place, “You've got to get baby out. You've got to get baby out. You've got to get baby out,” and that just wasn't the case for me. So yeah, I've got a lot of fun to unpack with you. Meagan: Yeah, and actually, my water was broken for over 24 hours too and so I connect so much to that because I hear it so much with our clients, “Within 24 hours, if you haven't had a baby, we've got to get baby out.” Some people are like, “Oh, within 8-10 hours, if contractions haven't started, we have to induce.” But that's not necessarily the case and we are two people that are living proof of that. Kelsey: Absolutely. Absolutely. Can I start by giving you just a little rundown of baby #1?Meagan: Absolutely. I was going to say, let's unpack where it all began. That's exactly where it began, right? Kelsey: That's exactly where it began. My son was born via scheduled Cesarean in July of 2018 at 40+2. I had never felt a contraction prior to having my son. I was diagnosed with polyhydramnios in the latter weeks of that pregnancy which of course as you know, leads to increased ultrasounds, and the more ultrasounds you have, the more– I don't want to say that things can go wrong, but he did get the big baby label because he was seen so much. Of course, you guys have shared that those can be up to 2 pounds in either direction. I remember somewhere along the 36-38 week mark, my provider because discussing delivery with me and she mentioned that she would hate to see me run out of the clock on a 24-hour labor which should have been red flag #1. Meagan: Uh-huh. Kelsey: She said that I would be so tired from laboring all day only to have a newborn that would not let me get any rest. She mentioned shoulder dystocia and that he would get stuck. She pulled out all of the stops. Then she even said– and you're going to die when I tell you this– she said, “I've seen too many things go wrong with vaginal deliveries during my residency and it's why I chose elective Cesareans for the births of my own children.” Meagan: Oh, dear. Oh, dear. She is in the wrong field. Kelsey: I don't want to demonize her. I trust that she was–Meagan: Probably speaking from her heart. Kelsey: Yes. She was. She was not out to get me. Meagan: No, and this is the thing. A lot of the time, these providers have this bad rap. I'm like, “Oh dear, red flag.” They do take, a lot of the time, from what they have maybe seen. She was mentioning shoulder dystocia. Maybe she's seen really hard shoulder dystocia so she fears that. She fears that but she's labeling every other birth that way to the point where she even scheduled her own Cesarean because she was that scared of vaginal birth. Right?Kelsey: Right. Meagan: If you have a provider that is that scared of vaginal birth for herself, then that is a red flag for sure. Kelsey: Yeah, absolutely. Meagan: But we don't even think about that. Kelsey: Yeah, and I didn't have the knowledge or experience to present a case for vaginal delivery for myself nor did I feel like I had the ability to so I walked in and had a scheduled Cesarean. It was very routine, very rote. My son did weigh 9.5 pounds, but there I was a first-time mom. I felt like this experience that I so desired to have, this vaginal birth, was snatched right out from under me. I had never felt a single contraction. I don't know why that was so important to me, but I just felt like I was missing something. Meagan: It's a signal to our minds and our brains that our baby is coming. Kelsey: Yeah. Meagan: It's a sure sign when we start having contractions and experiencing labor that, “Okay. We are now entering this stage.” I swear because the same thing, I remember the last time I felt a contraction with my second and I was sad. I'm like, “Wait. Where did they go?”Kelsey: Yeah. So that feeling really set the stage for the birth of my daughter. She didn't come until about 4 years later, but I knew that the first weapon in my arsenal would be to find a new provider. I conducted some interviews with two providers here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. You are a part of the Facebook pages like DFW VBAC and you see names pop up over and over again. I chose Dr. Downey who you guys actually, one of your very first episodes was with a gal named Rachel and she used Dr. Downey for her VBAC. I remember there were 13 months between her Cesarean and her first VBAC. Meagan: Wow. Kelsey: So we've got a repeat doctor on here. Meagan: Yeah, that is really good to know. Dr. Downey. Kelsey: Dr. Downey, yeah. He was amazing. He never batted an eye. He briefly mentioned induction by 41 weeks due to health concerns on my end. It was nothing major, but I had a few markers for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Meagan: I don't think I've ever heard of that. Kelsey: It's a blood clotting disorder. Meagan: Oh, okay. Kelsey: So I was on Heparin shots. Lovenox shots and then moved to Heparin shots closer to delivery. But he was largely very patient. Very, very patient. He said, “You're going to be getting a call from the hospital to schedule an induction by around 41 weeks.” I kept waiting, waiting, and waiting for the call. I hated the waiting. I wanted to decline the induction, but I also, to be honest with you, wanted to follow my doctor's advice so I felt like I was in a really weird place. Anyway, I never got that phone call. I never got that call to schedule an induction. I never had to make that decision because the hospital was packed and they didn't have room for me and it was not truly medically necessary so I left my 40-week appointment with my next appointment scheduled for 41 weeks and he was like, “Okay. I guess we're just going to wait for you to go into labor.” I said, “Great. I love that.” So fast forward to my due date, I texted my doula that afternoon an update, and at about 9:30 PM that evening, to my surprise, I started cramping sporadically but because I had never felt a contraction as I said, “I just kept thinking, is this it? This can't be it. This is it. It has to be. It can't be. What is going on?”I even got out my contraction timer just to see. My sense of time was so distorted because I was excited but confused. So I got out my contraction timer just to see how long were these cramps. How much time was between them? I didn't expect any regularity, but I did continue to cramp until early morning. I woke my husband up. Talk about excitement. That guy got showered, packed a bag, and was fully dressed in 7 minutes. Meagan: Oh my gosh. That's awesome. Kelsey: I very kindly reminded him that this could take a while. He should probably rest. I was resting as best as I could, eating, and drinking, and at 3:21 AM the next morning, I felt that little pop that everyone talks about that you just don't really know until you experience it. I was glad. Is there such a thing as TMI on this show? Meagan: No. No. Kelsey: I had a pad on by that point because I had some bloody show. I was so glad because I didn't have this massive gush of water. It was just some leaking. When I went to the restroom, I noticed that it was not clear. I think one of the things that I hope people glean from my story is that you have to do what you're comfortable with despite risk and statistics and all of the numbers. I knew that yes, I could stay at home and I could continue to labor but I just felt more comfortable going to the hospital with the fact that my waters were not clear. Meagan: Yeah. Kelsey: I called my doula. I send her pictures, God bless her, and with my own gut feeling, my husband's urging and her advice, we headed to the hospital about 2 hours later and we were admitted by 7:30 AM that next morning. Meagan: Yeah. I just want to talk about despite what evidence may say, “Oh yeah, I'm safe to be here but my heart says that I shouldn't.” That is so important to listen to. We talk about it on the podcast all of the time. What does your heart say? What does your gut say? But it really, really, really is so important. I love that you had a doula to validate you and say, “Yeah. That's totally fine. That's a great idea. You can go on in.” Kelsey: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I think you have to take into account all of your experiences in the past too. What is going on in your life as you're experiencing this labor, as your baby is coming into this world? I kind of felt like I was taking a risk by having a VBAC. I know that I wasn't necessarily, but that was big enough for me so I needed to mitigate the other smaller risks by just going to the hospital and being in a place where I felt comfortable. That might not be the case for others listening and that's okay. Something else I decided fairly early on in my pregnancy was that I did not want to know how far dilated I was. I didn't want to know baby's station. I knew that this was a mental game, so whether I was a centimeter dilated upon admission or 6 centimeters, I just did not want to know. I wanted to do what my body was doing, lean into that. My husband was told how far dilated I was. He relayed that info to my doula until she was present and then obviously, my doctor knew as well. You mentioned at the beginning of the show, I was a certain centimeter dilated when I was admitted and that was 0. Meagan: Not dilated at all. Kelsey: Not dilated at all. Meagan: A lot of the time, with people who are wanting to VBAC, if you walk in with ruptured membranes, nothing is really happening, and you're not dilated at all, Pitocin doesn't help when not much is happening. It helps us dilate but usually, they want it to be something. Do you remember how effaced you were? Kelsey: I don't remember how effaced I was. I don't know if I even was at all. Meagan: Okay, yeah. See? And then right there, a provider sometimes might say, “There are no options here.” Kelsey: Yeah, and let me tell you. Because I was not having any contractions, I didn't know how dilated I was, but I do remember my labor and delivery nurse saying, “Because you're not having contractions, Pitocin is really your only option.” My doctor came in right after that and said, “I don't see why I can't insert a balloon catheter. He was the one who was like, “Wait a minute. I'm the doctor. I'll make that decision.” Meagan: Let's not let the nurse call the shots. That's good that they were willing to give you Pitocin because sometimes, we'll have providers say, “We'll try to give you Pitocin and try and help you efface and open just a little bit to help us get a Foley or a Cook in,” but some providers are like, “No. No contractions, no dilation, no effacement, rarely is Pitocin going to help.” But it can. Kelsey: We didn't do Pitocin yet. We started with a balloon catheter. Meagan: Can you tell people how uncomfortable or comfortable it was and how you could get through it? Because not dilated at all, you're literally putting a catheter through a closed, hard cervix. Kelsey: Absolutely. It was painful. It was painful getting it in, but the real painful part– and I'm sure that your listeners know and you'll have to correct me if I'm wrong– the balloons are inserted. They are pumped with saline to manually being to dilate the cervix. They fall out by themselves somewhere around 4 centimeters. Is that right? Meagan: 3-4 centimeters, yep. Kelsey: Putting it was painful, but the real pain came when my nurses would try to put some tension on the balloon to tug on it to see if it would come out. My husband will say, “That looked like it was the most pain that you were in the whole time.” That was so painful. And of course, I don't have an epidural at this point. It's not coming out, lady. It's not coming out. Give it a minute. So that was pretty painful. Meagan: Yeah. And they pull and push and put pressure on it to try and encourage it and see because sometimes it will just slip out but it also needs to come down and put pressure on the cervix but it's obviously not the funnest. But could you say manageable or worth it or would you say, “I'd never do it again in my life”?Kelsey: No, absolutely. No. I would absolutely do it again because it worked for me and really, only one of the balloons that came out was painful. I got up to use the restroom at about maybe 5:00 PM that night. It was inserted at 9:30 in the morning. I got up to use the restroom one time at 5 and the second one just popped out like that. It was easy peasy. So I would absolutely do it again. It was not that miserable but it was certainly not comfortable. Meagan: Yeah, not pleasant. Kelsey: Yeah. And I love what my doctor said. He came in whenever that second balloon fell out and he said, “You're dilated. We know you're dilated to a certain point at least.” I was very conservative with cervical checks. I was like, “You can check me when I'm admitted but other than that, I really don't want anyone up there,” because I know that increases the risk of infection. So he said, “There's no reason for me to check you. We know that you're at a certain point, but now we've got to work to get your contractions to match your dilation,” which was such an easy way for me to understand what was going on. And you'll have to forgive me because I don't remember when they started the antibiotic drip. I was diagnosed with GBS as we mentioned and I did choose to go the antibiotic route just because– and this takes into another point that we talked about earlier– I had a friend whose daughter did contract GBS during delivery and she was very, very sick, hospitalized the first week after she was born. So I knew statistically the odds were very small for my little one to experience any adverse consequences but that was a risk I just didn't want to take. I wanted to mitigate it. Meagan: And that's great. Kelsey: So I did take antibiotics. I don't know how much, but I did go that route. Meagan: Yeah, most people do. Most people do. Kelsey: Yeah. So we did begin to work to get contractions to match my dilation. I pumped a little bit. I moved around. We began Pitocin and this was honestly my favorite part of labor. I would do the hours from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM when I did get an epidural over and over and over again. I put my headphones in. I got in the zone. I spent a lot of time on the birthing ball and on the toilet. When people say the toilet is a magical place to be when you're in labor, they're not wrong. They're not wrong. Meagan: I loved it too. I loved it. Kelsey: I loved it so much. Meagan: It was this weird way to put counterpressure, open the pelvis, take off the pressure, but also at the same time, get the good pressure. I don't know. I loved it too. Kelsey: Yes, and my doula had set up candles in the bathroom and the lights were turned off. It was a moment when I was unhooked from the machines. She had some essential oils in the toilet. I don't know. I never knew the hospital restroom could be so relaxing, but it was great. Meagan: I love that. Kelsey: It was so great. I did work through contractions for about 5 hours. I was getting so tired by this point. I had been up for 24 hours without a drop of sleep. I didn't have the same fortitude that I maybe would have had 12 hours prior, so I began to no longer work with my contractions. I was just fighting against them. I was yelling, “No” a lot. I was saying things that– I don't know. Laboring brings out a whole other individual within a woman I believe. At about 10:00 PM that night, Pitocin was up to a 5. I was dilated to about 7 centimeters and I decided to get the epidural which is something that I necessarily didn't plan on, but I'm glad that I did. It was a good decision. Meagan: I love that you say that because I think that there's so much shame sometimes about having this goal and desire, but then “giving up” which is not giving up, just to let you know, listeners. The epidural can really come in as such an amazing tool when you're exhausted. Sometimes we're holding so much tension, so getting an epidural actually offers relaxation. There are other pros and cons to epidurals, but the epidural can be such a great tool and you should never feel bad or question your decision to change your mind. Kelsey: Yeah, absolutely. And this is another thing that I learned as I was laboring or really reflecting on the labor and delivery process is that first of all, for the most part, none of your decisions have to be instantaneous and I remember my doula telling me this. She was like, “You can take a minute. You can ask everyone to step out of the room and it just be you and your husband. You can think through the pros, cons, risks, and advantages. For whatever decision you make, for the most part, you have time.” I was always afraid that I would be pressured into, “Okay, you're in here. We've got to make a decision. What do you want to do?” and I wouldn't know what to do. So I was so glad that there was time and that there were options. I feel like my epidural was one of those things. I remember asking everyone to leave the room and it was just me and my husband. We were talking through it, but it allowed me to rest. I got to sleep a little bit. Because of my doula and nurses, they positioned me just so that baby moved several stations. I dilated to 9 centimeters and I was 80% effaced in a matter of hours. Meagan: Wow. That is awesome. Kelsey: Yes, it was great. I still didn't know how far dilated I was until this point. My doula, nurse, and husband decided it would be– I mean, they let me make the ultimate decision, but they thought it would be a good idea to know that I was 9 centimeters because I was 24 hours into this thing and kind of discouraged to be quite honest. Anyway, we were quickly approaching the 24-hour mark since my water broke. That was another thing that I was starting to freak out about. I felt like, “Okay, because my water is broken and it's been 24 hours, this is going to be an automatic C-section,” but that was not the case. I remember– my doctor didn't really come to see me that much, but he just seemed so unbothered by it. Meagan: So what you're saying is that he didn't even treat you any differently? Kelsey: No, no. Meagan: That's amazing. That's amazing.Kelsey: He is so– if you're ever in the DFW area– Meagan: That's what we want. That is what we want. If you in your mind are like, “Oh, I've got this C-section. I've got this and I've got that,” and your provider is just acting like you are any other person coming in and having a baby, yeah. That's awesome. That's what you want. Kelsey: That's how my nurse was too. I remember telling her, “I'm so scared every time you come and take my temperature because I'm afraid that I'm going to have spiked a fever.” Meagan: That you'll say I have an infection, yeah. Kelsey: Yes. I remember she put her hands on my knees and she looked me in the eye and she said, “Even if I come in and you've spiked a fever, a C-section is not the only way to get this baby out. She's right there. She's right there. There are other options. It's going to be okay.” Meagan: Yes. That's awesome. Kelsey: So we just kept on keeping on. I slept. I kept sleeping a little bit. I rested from about 2:00 AM until 6:15 AM when I was complete. We started doing some practice pushes, but on the first practice one, the baby's head started coming out. Meagan: Ah! That first practice push. Kelsey: Yes, so my nurse was like, “Can you hold on a minute? Let me go get the doctor.” I'm pretty sure he came from home. This is probably one of those do as I say not as I do situations. I was so tired of waiting and I was so tired in general. I just started pushing even when contractions weren't necessarily helping me, but that girl came out in 30 minutes. She was born and put in my arms. It was the very best. I never heard a single, “Well, you've got Group B Strep or your waters have been broken this long.” I mean, none of that from my doctor, from nurses, no one. Meagan: Awesome. Kelsey: I feel like they treated me as an individual case because I was. I was not a textbook that they were reading in nursing school or medical school or anything like that. It was, “At this moment, how is your baby doing? How are you doing? What are the signs that we have from data and all of those kinds of things and experiences? I think we're okay to keep going.” So that's what we did. Meagan: I love that. This team sounds really awesome. Kelsey: They were great. Meagan: It would be really cool if we could just replicate them and send them all over the world. Kelsey: I know. They were awesome. Meagan: There are providers just like them for sure, but that just sounds so awesome and so non-pressuring especially when you have all of these little factors that could really impact a provider's view. Kelsey: Yeah. Meagan: Ah, it's so awesome. Well, I am so happy for you. Huge congrats. Huge congrats. Kelsey: Thank you. Thank you. Meagan: I'm so glad that along the way you were one, supported, and two, you were able to follow your heart and feel validated for following your heart, and being able to shift gears based on what you were giving. This is so important to know. Plans can change. Things can change and you didn't go with the same exact provider. A lot of the time, we do so that's another little tidbit I would like to talk about it providers and how important providers are and can really impact. This is even before having a C-section. From the get-go, right? If we have a provider that is really against vaginal birth in the beginning or really prone to induction and pressing and pushing Pitocin really hard and then we stress baby out and then we're not doing well and then we have a C-section, we needed to be supported and not pressed from the beginning. Know that if you are feeling these red flags as a first-time mom if you're listening because I know we have first-time moms listening. Know that if you're feeling weird about a provider, it's okay to change at any point. It's really okay. Find a provider like this that supports you and says, “Okay, this is what we've got. Everything is looking okay. Here we are. Let's keep going,” and really helps you as your guide. Kelsey: I remember there were two things. I guess I just want to rave about him more. Towards the end of my pregnancy, we were doing– oh gosh. What is it? A non-stress test. We were doing that at every appointment because of my blood clotting disorder and just making sure that baby was doing okay. My amniotic fluid level was kind of decreasing. It was getting pretty close to that line where most doctors would say, “Oh, it's getting too close. You've got to come in tomorrow. We're going to induce at 39 weeks.” He just said, “Oh, we'll check it again next week. Just make sure you're drinking a lot of water.”When I came in to be admitted, there was meconium because I had that rupture of membranes and there was meconium. It wasn't clear so I was freaking out and he said, “That's actually pretty normal for full-term. We're not going to be worried about it.” And I didn't know that!Meagan: Yeah. Yeah, it is. The longer-term the baby goes, it's common. I mean, it can happen really anytime, but yeah. Meconium is more common than the world knows. Kelsey: Absolutely. Absolutely. Meagan: There are so many babies that are born with meconium that the nurses and the staff pay attention to a little more after birth but have no complications. Kelsey: Yeah, yep. That's exactly what happened with us. Meagan: Yeah, yeah. That's important to know. Well, I want to talk a little bit about GBS. Let's talk about the actual evidence. The risk of a newborn getting a GBS infection– you kind of mentioned that it's pretty low, but based on your own experience you're like, “Yeah, it wasn't worth the risk to me.” It's the same thing when we're talking about TOLAC. Okay, uterine rupture risk is pretty low, but then we have to evaluate what risk is acceptable to that individual. Kelsey: Absolutely. Meagan: Not treating meaning no use of antibiotics which is usually Penicillin via IV and it's usually done about every 4 hours, especially after a rupture of membranes. The risk of serious infection including so serious death is 1-2%. Kelsey: Yeah. It's small. Meagan: It's very small, but again, it's what risk you are willing to take. Some people are 100% willing and say, “I would really rather not receive antibiotics,” and that is okay too. There's not a ton of evidence with Hibicleans and stuff like that. It's a vaginal wash. Honestly, it's like a douche. Sorry for saying that word everybody, but that's what it is. You put it on up there and it cleanses the canal. So the risk of infection with the treatment of antibiotics is about 0.2%. So, still very low.Kelsey: Also small.  Meagan: Also very small. But still, there you go. And then one thing that– and it's from a small trial and it was quite a few years ago. I think it was 7 years ago maybe in 2016. They did a small trial and they found that women that were GBS positive that took probiotics decreased their chance by 43%. 43% of them became GBS-negative by birth. Kelsey: Okay, interesting. Meagan: So really interesting. Probiotics. I believe in probiotics not even pregnant, just all the time. I think it's really a good thing because there is so much in our food and everything these days but that was kind of an interesting thing. Again, like I said, it was a smaller trial. It was done quite a few years ago, but 43% of them became negative by birth. That's pretty high. Kelsey: Absolutely. Meagan: 43%. So knowing also that if you test positive, you can retest closer to birth because it can go away. It doesn't always though, so don't think that if you get positive and you start probiotics that you are for sure not going to be positive, but know that there are things that you can do or the garlic and things like that. We'll have a blog in the show notes today linked about GBS. We'll have these trials and things linked as well so you can go check them out for yourself and make the best decision for you. Kelsey: Yeah, I think it goes without being said too that there is going to be a risk with antibiotics as well. Where there is risk, there has to be choice. I made my decision but probably hundreds of thousands of women listening to this are going to choose differently. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah, and that's okay. That's one of my favorite things about this show. We all have opinions and we all have things that we would do versus someone else, but there's no shaming in any decisions that anyone makes. I was actually never GBS positive so I never even had to make that choice which I'm grateful for. A lot of people will say, “No. No way. I don't want antibiotics because there's risk with antibiotics.” But then a lot of people will say, “Well, I'd rather have the risk of taking the antibiotics than this risk too.” So you just have to weigh out the pros and cons and decide what's best for you. But yeah. I love your story. I love that you had a long birth, premature rupture of membranes, walking in at no dilation, and a less-ideal cervical state. Kelsey: Yes. Adding that to my resume. Meagan: A less-than-ideal cervical state with my VBAC. And a Cook catheter and that took time and all of the things. Here you are and you had a vaginal birth. Kelsey: I did. I did. I would do it all over again. Meagan: A lot of people ask me that. “Would you do it again?” because I had a really long labor as well and I'm like, “Yeah. Yep. I totally would do it again. 100%. Absolutely.” Well, thank you so much for being with us today and sharing your story. Kelsey: Thank you for having me. It was great. 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

In today's episode, we talk with Emily Helgerson, an EBB Childbirth Class Graduate about how taking the EBB Childbirth class helped her navigate transferring from a birth center to the hospital after experiencing premature rupture of membranes while being positive for Group B Strep.   Emily Helgerson holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education in Spanish, with a minor in Italian, from the University of Minnesota and a master's in second language teaching with a focus on immersion from McGill University. Emily taught Spanish immersion elementary school before deciding to stay home with baby Teddy, after he was born. Her and her partner, Brad, live in Minneapolis with their toddler and two cats. In 2023, it was announced that Emily will be the new Dean of Skovsøen, the Danish language village in Northern Minnesota.   Emily shares how the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class provided tools, resources and preparation that her and her partner were able to practice throughout pregnancy and remain empowered when they faced a hospital transfer. Emily talks about her Golden Ticket team, with her partner, doula (who is also her mom!) and the team of midwives between the birth center and the hospital.     We will also introduce a newer research topic regarding placenta size, placental measurement and its correlation to newborn health outcomes.   Content Warning: Group B Strep, Antibiotics for group B Strep, Heart decelerations, birth center transfer to hospital     Resources:   Check out EBB's Signature Articles: EBB Signature Article on PROM EBB Signature Article on GBS   Follow Emily Helgerson's Parenting Group on IG @Common Ground Parenting    Listen to the following podcasts:  Listen to EBB 262 to hear about advocating for your newborn in the hospital Listen to EBB's Group B Strep Podcast Series here Listen to EBB's Webinar replay here Listen to Lisa Taylor's Podcast Birth Matters   Check out these pregnancy books   ·      Ina May's Guide to Childbirth ·      The Birth Partner ·      Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby's First Years ·      Pregnancy Day-by-Day book   Blooma's Prenatal Yoga Learn more about Spinning Babies here Subscribe to Jen McLellans pregnancy week by week here Learn more about Sharon Quinn's EBB Childbirth Class here

On today's podcast, we will be sharing with you an excerpt from a live webinar featuring Dr. Rebecca Dekker all about debunking the myths of Premature Rupture of Membranes, GBS, & Waterbirth.  We discuss the following topics: The Updated Evidence on Premature Rupture of Membranes - There are two new meta-analyses on GBS-- but they have limitations and cannot be applied to countries that screen and treat GBS. New guidelines are included from ACNM, ACOG & the Association of Ontario Midwives. The myths on GBS - We review what the microbiome is, the influence of probiotics, and why antibiotics are used. How Waterbirth can be used for labor - We covered the differences in association guidelines of waterbirth, as well as, reviewed the significant results for the risks and benefits of waterbirth from the largest and highest-quality study on waterbirth to date! This is podcast breaks down the topics for parents and professionals to be informed and empowered! LECTURE HANDOUTS For lecture handouts from the webinar, click here: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/GBS-PROM-Waterbirth-Webinar-April-2023-for-Handout.pdf  EBB SIGNATURE ARTICLES Evidence on Premature Rupture of Membranes https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-inducing-labor-water-breaks-term/   Evidence on Group B Strep: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/groupbstrep/  Evidence on Inducing for Due Dates https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-inducin... Evidence on Waterbirth https://evidencebasedbirth.com/waterbirth/ EBB PODCASTS EBB 230 – An Inspirational Home Waterbirth Story with EBB Childbirth Class Parent Shelitha Owens EBB 223 – An Empowering Hospital Water Birth Story with Samantha Parker and Justin Fontaine EBB 261 – Mini Q&A on Group B Strep  EBB 257 –  The Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy: Part 2 EBB 254 – The Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy: Part 1    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Association of Ontario Midwives on PROM: https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/prom-term  Full list of References can be found on our blog post here. Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on:  TikTok Instagram Pinterest Ready to get involved?  Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here  Find an EBB Instructor here  Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. Content warning: We will mention labor, medical interventions (i.e. antibiotics, epidural), hospital transfer, waterbirth, pain, premature rupture of membranes, gendered language, medications in labor, vaginal/pelvic birth, Group B Strep, inductions, cervical exams

Our guests, Jake and Kelcie Craft, chat with us about their 5-year-old twins. One of the twins, Henry, was diagnosed with Group B Strep meningitis and sepsis at 4 weeks old, which resulted in strokes, a diagnosis of Cortical Visual Impairment, and severe global developmental delays. The Crafts discuss the care and team that continue to support Henry. Our show host is Brittany Spence and our Executive Producer is Castria.Subscribe today to stay up to date and don't forget to leave a rating and review!

Dimitri wonders what giving birth was like, and Linh tries her best to explain it… slowly… Check out Linh's app, Not Phở, a cook that introduces the user to Vietnamese cuisine, especially dishes other than Phở. It runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It also have an iMessage sticker pack so that you can share with all your friends and family. App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1525104124?pt=14724&ct=Podcast&mt=8 Website: https://notpho.app Follow us on Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@LinhAndDimiChan Follow Dimitri on Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@dimitribouniol Follow Linh on Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@linhbouniol Follow Linh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linhbouniol

Rachel is a pediatric dentist who owns her own practice in Pensacola, Florida. She fought for an empowering second birth experience even with an initial diagnosis of complete placenta previa. When her placenta thankfully moved, Rachel was cleared to go for her VBAC and she was all in!Rachel drove six hours to be able to birth with the provider she knew would best support her VBAC. With her doula and supportive family by her side, Rachel achieved the beautiful birth she envisioned. Additional LinksHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsThe VBAC Link Facebook CommunityFull Transcript under Episode DetailsMeagan: Women of strength, you are listening to The VBAC Link and I cannot wait for today's story. Reading this story, there are so many twists. Not even twists I should say, but factors to this story. We have our friend Rachel telling it from Florida so welcome, Rachel. Rachel: Thank you so much. I'm so, so honored to be on this podcast. I can't believe I'm actually getting to share this amazing journey with you guys so thank you for having me. Meagan: We are honored that you are here with us. Yeah. I feel like there are quite a few things within your story. Things like baby's position, placenta previa which we are going to talk a lot about at the end, even dental stuff, close duration, so there are a lot of things where I feel like people can relate to this story. Review of the WeekI will read a review and then we will get right into your beautiful story. Today's reviewer is haley222222. It says, “I can't recommend enough. I found this podcast shortly after my C-section in 2019 with my first and it has helped me so much. My doctor had told me that I was only going to be able to have four children because I was going to have C-sections from here on out. This podcast opened my eyes to the possibilities I didn't have a clue about and I had options.” Oh, I just scrolled, and okay. Here we go. It says, “I was able to find providers that I trusted and who actually believed in me. I prepared for my VBAC and unfortunately, my first VBAC was a stillborn at 26 weeks, second baby boy in October of 2022.” So sorry to hear that, Haley. It says, “Although it was heartbreaking, it was truly an amazing experience and I can't wait to have another vaginal birth hopefully with a better outcome and a baby we can bring home. I am pregnant with my third now and I'm relistening to all of the episodes. I am so excited to do this. I am in the process of hiring a doula and we will be taking a birth course this time around. Thank you so much for creating this podcast and I'm so grateful for all that I have learned.” Well, Haley, thank you so much. Again, my condolences to you on your second and congrats on your third, and thank you so much for sharing your review. Rachel's StoriesMeagan: Okay, we have our friend Rachel. Like I said earlier, she is from Florida. So you are a dentist and you have your own clinic, is this right?Rachel: Yes. I am a pediatric dentist. I only work on children. We have a private practice in Pensacola, Florida which is the panhandle of Florida. It's lower Alabama, kind of LA but it's on that end of the spectrum, not south Florida. Meagan: Awesome. That is so exciting. So, so exciting. Rachel: Thank you. Meagan: Well, thank you so much for being with us. I would love to turn the time over to you to share this story and then at the end, we'll get into that placenta previa and some dental stuff. Rachel: I know, who would have thought that dentistry could be related to C-sections? Meagan: Who would have thought? Really, though. Rachel: I know. It's all related. Meagan: We never talk about it so I'm excited too. Rachel: Well, I guess I'll just get excited about my children journey. Again, I'm just so thankful that I get to talk on this podcast. I listen to you guys every single day when I was preparing for a VBAC and Meagan, what you're doing is changing so many people's lives. Like we talked about, I'm sure recording a podcast can get a little crazy like with any job that we do, but you really are making such a difference in so many people's lives so I really thank you for that. Meagan: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Rachel: Yes. So okay, my children journey I guess what you could say started in Gainesville. My husband and I were living in Gainesville. He was finishing up an orthodontic residency at that time and I was working as a pediatric dentist. I had just finished residency and I was working at a private practice. We became pregnant with our first baby. They said I had a subchorionic hematoma around 7 weeks and said, “Don't worry.” It's a pretty common thing I think. Meagan: It is. Rachel: I came back for a follow-up ultrasound anyway around 10 weeks or so and no heartbeat. We had a miscarriage. They gave me two options, either the misoprostol pill to pass the baby or the D&C.Meagan: Cytotec. Rachel: Yeah, or the D&C. After talking to a lot of people, I just decided to have the D&C. It seemed less emotionally scarring. Anyway, so we did that. Right around that time, the day before surgery, the whole COVID thing in 2020 started and they said that for some reason, dentists were considered non-essential so everything was shut down for the whole month of April. Meagan: What?!Rachel: I had never not worked my whole life. This was the most time I had ever had off ever so it was crazy. I was not working. I had scheduled the D&C. That morning, I had a 99-degree fever or something. My OB in Gainesville was amazing. The whole hospital staff was like, “Oh my gosh. She might have COVID. We can't do the surgery.” Yeah, so crazy. My OB had to vouch for me to say that I didn't have COVID and that we could still do the D&C anyway. I'm pretty sure I was the last elective surgery to have done and then after the date, literally I think it was March 20th, and the day after, they stopped doing elective surgeries and stuff. I was super thankful for that. It's Dr. Erin in Gainesville and she was just awesome. We had a miscarriage. It was a super tough time for me and my husband. I just remember praying and asking God to comfort us because we are Christians and I just really believe that God is close to the brokenhearted. The Bible says, “He's near to the brokenhearted.” It's still hard though because he's not here to comfort you physically. I just remember I was praying and there was this dove that came to our house and lived in our backyard. It was so crazy. For several weeks, he just made a nest on the ground.Meagan: That just gave me the chills. Rachel: It is. I'm telling you, I prayed so hard. He can comfort you but he's not going to give you a hug or something. I don't know. Do you know what I mean? So literally this dove came and lived in our yard. That dove was there. I'm not even kidding you. The day that I found out I was pregnant, the dove just left. We were like, “Where did that dove go? He was living in our yard and now he's not there.” That was the day I found out we were pregnant with our second baby, or our first baby. Meagan: Uh-uh. Wow. Rachel: It was so insane. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Rachel: Yes. That was the first crazy thing. I had wanted a puppy after the miscarriage and we had a really small courtyard so my husband was like, “Well, if we get a puppy, I'm getting a monkey.” I'm like, “No.” I was like, “Well if you really do want a monkey, I can look into finding us a monkey if you'll let me have a puppy.” He's like, “Okay, deal.” Well, he knows not to put anything past me after that because I found a monkey and we literally have a little squirrel monkey. His name is Rocko and we have a Maltipoo whose name is Remi. So the week after we got our monkey, that's when we found out we were pregnant again. I was like, “Now we have a monkey and this puppy and now we're going to have a baby.” That's how life goes. If you know me, that's just how my life goes. It's just like, the more fun, the better. Anyway, so I was pregnant with the second one. I also had a subchorionic hematoma in the beginning and Dr. Erin was like, “Okay, I know I told you not to worry about it last time but seriously it's usually not a big deal.” But you know, you're still worried because you have the same thinking. Meagan: Yeah, trigger back a little bit. Rachel: Exactly. So I was just a little worried about that, but I kept pressing forward. So then fast forward later, everything is healthy. Six months into the pregnancy, I found out that we got a great opportunity to move back to Pensacola which is where I'm from. It's about six hours away from Gainesville. It's near my home town. My parents live here. A pediatric dentist, Dr. Stu Bonnin was selling his dental practice in Pensacola so we decided to merge together and transition. I went there. I was probably about seven months pregnant when we moved to Pensacola. I was starting up. I'm seven months pregnant. I'm starting brand new seeing all of these patients I'm just getting to know. My husband started an orthodontic practice next door which is a dream come true. We have always wanted to do this. The doors opened up to where it could happen. Timing sometimes seems crazy but it just happened that way. I mean, I remember we moved here on December 24, 2020, so Christmas Eve. U-hauls are a lot cheaper then by the way. Our family had COVID so we weren't going to go see them anyway. I remember waking up on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day morning and I was sleeping on an air mattress. We had just bought our house and moved everything in. I'm like, “Wow. What a whirlwind. This is crazy.” So we moved halfway through. I'm a new business owner. So then I started seeing patients at about eight months pregnant. I'm trying to establish rapport with my new patients. I just decided it was in their best interest to work up until my due date. I worked up until my due date. At this point, I had no knowledge of birthing a baby at all which is my fault. I should have researched everything but there was just a lot going on. Meagan: Yeah. Don't put too much pressure on yourself there. Rachel: Knowing what I know now–Meagan: You had a lot of juggling pieces. Rachel: I know. Plus I was like, “I don't want to know how the baby gets here. I just want to know what to do after it gets here,” so I did a lot of Taking Cara Babies, reading how to get them to sleep through the night. I really wanted to breastfeed so I was focused on what to do when the baby gets here. Meagan: Which also is something that a lot of the time we forget to do. Rachel: I know. I know. It's all hard. So I worked up until my due date. I was expecting to be two weeks late for some reason because I was two weeks late as a baby. My husband was two weeks late and we were both first babies. I'm like, “It's going to be fine. I'll probably just be a little late.” A week passed and I had found an OB here. They did the BPP thing, the biophysical profile. Everything had been healthy. Nothing was out of the ordinary. She started talking about inducing me because I had borderline low amniotic fluid. That's the reason they gave me. So I guess amniotic fluid level from my understanding can be anywhere from 5 centimeters to 25 centimeters and mine was a 7. So she's like, “It's borderline low. The baby's not in distress but the older your placenta gets, the more likely that you'll have a stillbirth or you can have babies born with cerebral palsy and complications.”Meagan: Big words, very big words. Rachel: Yeah. I'm like, “Oh my gosh, well I don't want that.” I trust the doctor. I'm a doctor. I feel like I look out for people's best interests. I mean, I know I just deal with baby teeth but I truly want the best for my patients so I know she was probably recommending the same thing. All of that is not untrue, but anyways. Knowing what I know now, I'm just like, “What in the world?” She recommended that I be induced because of the borderline low amniotic fluid and that the longer time passes by, the increased chance of stillbirth. Because I had done zero birth education, I had nothing to really guide my decision-making process and my husband wasn't there because it was all COVID stuff. He couldn't come to any of the appointments so I was making these decisions on my own. I was just like, “Okay. We'll get induced. That's fine.” I only had a month off for maternity leave anyways, so I'm like, “Okay. It'll probably work out that the baby's born more on time.” Meagan: That you'll have some time. Rachel: Yeah, exactly. The day before, I just had this really bad feeling. I called the doctor's office and I was like, “Hey, is there any way we can postpone the induction?” I was really nervous. They were like, “No. This is the only time. We don't recommend that. This is the best thing.” I'm like, “Okay.” I got to the hospital. I started on, is it Cervadil?Meagan: Yeah, Cervadil. Rachel: The insertion pill thing. Meagan: So the pill is Cytotec and then there's the tampon-looking thing and that's Cervadil. Rachel: Okay. I think that might have been what that was. So yeah. I did that. I got to 2 centimeters dilated and they started the Pitocin. So then after the Pitocin, it was a gentle induction. The doctor I went to I guess is known for gentle inductions so that was good. I got to 2 centimeters dilated. Our daughter's name is Heidi. Her heart rate started dropping even this early on. I was only 2 centimeters dilated. Every time they turned the Pitocin up, it would drop. I was just like, “Just take me off of everything. Let's just wait.” The OB came in and she's like, “We've already had nonreassuring fetal heart rates.” I hope I'm using the correct words but I think that's what it is. Meagan: Correct. Rachel: It's just not looking good so we would recommend some kind of intervention at this point. I was like, “What about an epidural?” She was like, “Maybe you could use an epidural. It would help you relax and just speed things along.” So I got an epidural and then Heidi's heart rate dropped again. This just kept happening and I will never forget. There was a younger nurse. The doctor wasn't there. It was 2:00 AM and she came walking in the room. She said, “Hey, so the doctor just told us that we need to prep you for a C-section.” I'm just like, “What? A C-section? Excuse me? No one told me this was a possibility.” I had never even researched what that was. I never even knew that was a possibility. Meagan: A lot of us don't. Rachel: I mean, I'm stupid for not realizing that is a possibility, but at the same time, you're not planning on it. It's just an unplanned surgery. Meagan: Yeah. We go in thinking we're just going to have this baby which we do have a baby but we just don't envision it that way. Rachel: I know. I just truly wanted what was best for my baby. Meagan: Absolutely. Rachel: If it meant a C-section to save her life, then obviously that's what I would do but I was realizing this cascade of interventions was leading from one thing to another thing to another thing and I just was so upset. The OB got there and finally, my husband was like, “Whoa. Okay. What is going on here?” He talked to her and he was like, “Let's just take her off of everything and see how her heart rate is.” We literally asked her. We were like, “Listen, if you think our baby is going to lose oxygen or something dangerous where it's going to save her life to do a C-section, we will do a C-section, but if she is okay and we can work through–” the nurses were changing my position and the heart rate would get better. Sometimes I think the cord can just get compressed or things like that. She literally looked at us. I was really upset. I don't even know what I said. I was just really upset. But she looked at us and she was like, “Okay, yeah. The heart rate looks great. You're doing great. I'm okay with that. Let's just give it a little bit longer.” It was probably another 12 hours that we had done that. Long story short, the same thing happened again and after she gave me time, and at that point, I think I had progressed to 6 centimeters. I was like, “Okay, we're going to have this baby. This is looking good.” Even the nurse said that it was looking good. I think the final thing that happened is that I started running a fever and then when I ran a fever, the heart rate shot up and it was super high. Yeah, she was tachycardic. I'm like, “Yeah, she is not looking good.” At this point, it's been 72 hours. I mean, I have so many fluids. I've been on an IV. So we were like, “Okay, we really need to do this.” I was kind of expecting it at that point even though I was super upset and super sad. I was just kind of waving my little white flag. We did what we could and they prepped me for a C-section. It was the craziest thing I've ever experienced because everything went really well with the C-section. The OB was great with the C-section. All of the team was really fast. I kept saying, “I can still feel some pressure. Give me some more medicine. More, more, more.” I was so numb that my intercostal muscles were numb all the way up into my chest so it was kind of hard to breathe. I knew it was just because my muscles were numb so I was okay with it. It was so crazy because I was so happy. I heard my daughter cry so I knew she was healthy. I knew she was there. It was the best moment ever but at the same time, you're sad. Everybody that has talked on this podcast, you know the feeling of where you're so happy. Your baby is here. You're healthy. There could be way worse other things, but at the same time, it's just that this was not what I was expecting. It's crazy. Anyway, she had to go to the NICU because there was fluid in her lungs so she had to have help with oxygen and then she had to get IV antibiotics because there was suspected chorioamnionitis. Meagan: Because of the fever? Rachel: Yeah, because of the fever. So it wasn't proven, but they go ahead and put the baby on antibiotics before the results get back from pathology because it takes a while so they want to go ahead and get them on antibiotics just in case. It came back and it wasn't chorio so she had unnecessary antibiotics. But I get it. You have to have certain protocols in place. So she had to have that. She was in the NICU for just a couple of days. It wasn't bad. I was able to breastfeed. It was a struggle. You have to really make sure you're on a strict schedule when your baby is in the NICU. You have to go feed them and pump especially when your milk is coming in. So that was hard but we were able to do the breastfeeding which is good. Oh, Heidi had a lot of donor milk in the NICU because it was good that they gave her donor milk. I always joke around. I'm like, “She's going to have the best immune system because of all of the donor milk that she got.” Side note, whoever donates breastmilk, you guys are amazing. I just cannot believe that is a thing, so thank you to whoever donated breastmilk.Fast forward to the follow-up, everything is looking good after the C-section. Heidi is doing great. I'm so happy. I wanted to share this. I don't know if a lot of people have ever experienced this but I talked to my provider. I mean, I really liked her other than she suggested the induction. I just really wasn't that on board but she was like, “Yeah. In the future, you will definitely be a candidate for a VBAC.” But then I got this letter in the mail. I'm just going to read it. It says, “Dear Rachel, The patient/physician relationship is important in providing quality care. I feel your unacceptable behavior toward me and the hospital staff as well as your unwillingness to follow my recommendations for your safety and the safety of your baby has jeopardized our relationship. Therefore, this letter serves to notify you that I will not continue to be your provider.”Meagan: What?Rachel: I was so, so sad because I thought I followed her recommendation. She thinks I put my baby at jeopardy. If she thought my baby was at jeopardy, she should have told me that I should have had the C-section earlier. I just was so sad. I, as a physician, I'm not a physician but I'm a dentist and all of my patients, I try to give them both sides to everything. Not everybody is as informed as I am about teeth. Duh, we all don't know. That's why you go to a doctor for advice. Meagan: That's why you go to a specialist. Rachel: I try to give everybody two sides. I try to inform them and then they make the decision. I don't ever want to force someone into doing something that they don't want to do but also if someone doesn't take my recommendation, I'm not going to say, “Okay, you're dismissed from my practice.” I get that some people just don't feel comfortable treating certain people which is fine. I'm not bitter about that but I was super floored that she would dismiss me as a patient because I didn't take her recommendation to get a C-section in the first place. Meagan: You did and then you had a conversation and she said, “Yeah, I'm totally fine with it. Let's keep going.”Rachel: I had a doula with me, Ashley Andrews, she is amazing. She is my prayer warrior doula. She even said, “I don't think you're out of line, Rachel. I'm really confused.” Meagan: I'm sorry. Rachel: Anyways, not to harp on that but it was really sad. It was really for the best because I started looking at other providers anyway because I knew I wanted another baby. Okay, so here's the good part of the story. Dun, dun, dun. Nine months later, we found out we were having another baby. This time, it was a boy so I found a different provider in Pensacola that was okay with VBAC. It's really hard surprisingly to find someone that is super on board. It really is up to you to do the research and all of that. We have doctors. People think doctors are there to give you a magic pill and everything is solved. Doctors can't do anything if you don't make an effort on your end too. I feel like that's why there is so much diabetes and all of these things because you have to do some kind of work on your end too to educate yourself and realize that you can't just go to a doctor and expect them to fix all of your problems. I realized that and I'm like, “Okay, that's in every situation. I have to become educated myself.” I found you guys. I listened to your VBAC podcast literally every single day at lunch and I would cry on my lunch break. I'm such a loser. Meagan: You are not. These stories are amazing. Rachel: I would listen to these stories and I would just cry. I'm like, “Wow. This is so awesome.” My husband, I love him. He's so sweet. He's like, “You guys should make a podcast for husbands on how to deal with their wives when they have decided that they are going to have a VBAC,” because he's like, “All right, I've already accepted all of this stuff. It's fine.” Anyways, at 20 weeks I was diagnosed with complete placenta previa, not just partial. The placenta is completely covering your cervix. My OB here in Pensacola, the new one, was like, “It's highly unlikely that this is going to move. It's complete. It's very rare.” He started talking about placenta accreta and how sometimes it can even grow into the C-section scar and grow out into your bladder and stuff. I'm like, “Whoa.” I was so sad. I'm like, “Y'all, okay. I guess I'll just have another C-section. This is fine.” But then I was like, “Okay. God, you said in the Bible.” Matthew 17:20 says, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there' and it will move and nothing will be impossible.” I'm like, “God if you can move mountains, I know that you can move this placenta. I know that nothing is impossible for you.” I just started praying. In the meantime, my sister who lives in Jacksonville had this great practice that helped her with her delivery. Full Circle Women's Care, I highly recommend. I also talked to a friend, Saundra Fetner, who had a VBAC with them. I talked to her about it and she was like, “Yes. You need to go there.” I had a Zoom conference or a telemedicine conference with Dr. Adams. She is the owner there, the OB there. She was like, “Okay, yeah. We even have some missionaries that will be in Africa and then fly here and deliver their baby here and go back.” She was like, “If you want to deliver here, that would be fine with me. You just see your provider in Pensacola and then when it gets time, you just make arrangements to stay in Jacksonville until you have the baby.” Meagan: Dual care. Rachel: Yeah, exactly. I was like, “If something crazy happens in Pensacola, then I have the provider here.” I talked to my provider here and he was completely okay with it. He was like, “Well, with the placenta previa, you might want to try to rent a private jet so you can get there really quick.” I'm like, “Okay, that's not going to happen but whatever.” He was okay with it. I didn't care. Dr. Adams by the way, just has such passion for what she does. If you don't have passion for what you do and you don't enjoy it, why are you doing it? She actually had a C-section with her first baby and she's an OB. So she's like, “I understand how medicine is there if you need it, but sometimes you need to let your body do what it was created to do.” I was like, “Oh my gosh, yes girl. Preach, preach. I'm going to come see you. I don't care that I have to drive six hours. I'm going to come here.” I scheduled a follow-up. Granted, it had only been two weeks since I had been diagnosed with placenta previa. Coming to the follow-up, I had another ultrasound and all of that at Full Circle Women's Care. My first appointment, my sister went with me and we were like, “Let's just not say anything. Let's not say that I had placenta previa. Let's just see what they say.” The ultrasound tech looked at everything and she was like, “Yeah, everything looks great. Your baby's healthy. We just might need to get one more little position of the head when you come back.” I'm like, “What?” So then I'm like, “Okay, well you don't see placenta previa or anything going on?” She's like, “No. The placenta is way over here. This is the placenta here. This is your cervix here. There's no placenta previa.” I'm like, “Oh my gosh.” My mom had been praying. My dad, my mother-in-law, Angie. I'm like, “Y'all, you will not guess what just happened.” I sound so crazy but I'm like, “God moved my placenta.” I even had Ashley, my doula, had her Sunday School group. She was like, “Girl, we've been praying for you.” I know that's not the story with everybody, but it's just so crazy. I really do believe that and I'm just so thankful. I had my appointment with Carol, one of the midwives and she's like, “Yeah, everything looks great. You're due around September. We're going to do everything we can to help you have a successful VBAC.” I'm like, “Okay, Carol. You promise I don't have placenta previa?” She's like, “What are you talking about sweetie? Your placenta is far away from the cervix.” I couldn't believe that it was the case. I had this regained energy and excitement. We were back on track. Let's do it. Then a couple of weeks later, I met with Dr. Adams and it's a group so you meet with different people because you don't know who's going to deliver you. Everyone I saw, I'm like, “If you deliver me, I don't care. Everyone is great. Fantastic.” I met with Dr. Adams and she's like, “You know, there's this thing that you can read.” It is a recommendation for TOLAC or how to have a successful VBAC and how to ripen your cervix. She had all of the guidelines there. She was like, “Have you been following the guidelines? Have you been doing your daily squats to open up your pelvis and doing the specific Spinning Babies exercises to get the baby in the right position?” I'm like, “Yeah, I've been doing my squats.” She's like, “Let me see you do 20 squats right now.” This is at my OB appointment. I'm like, “Okay.” She's holding my hands and doing squats with me at the appointment talking to me about what I need to do. Meagan: Oh my gosh, I love that. Rachel: I'm just like, “This is awesome.” Anyway, she really practices what she preaches. She's like, “All right, then let me see you do some squats.” So I did that. Also, going back so for Valentine's Day of last year, instead of giving me chocolates and stuff, my husband printed off the recommendations that they gave me. I'm like, “You don't care about this as much as I do. I wish you could just know what I'm going through.” He's like, “Okay, Rachel.” He printed off the guidelines of how to have a successful VBAC and he highlighted all of the things. This is on the OB's website, How to Have Your Cervix Ripened Before Birth. These were the things you needed to do. At 20 weeks, drink red raspberry leaf tea. At 36 weeks, do acupressure, acupuncture, and chiropractic care. At 37 weeks, start taking evening primrose oil. At 38 weeks, start using clary sage oil and do birth stimulation, sex, and all of that stuff. At 39 weeks, you can do membrane stripping. He's just so funny because he even bought all of these things. He's like, “Are you drinking red raspberry leaf tea? Is it 36 weeks yet because that's when you need to start going to a chiropractor.” That was awesome. I was just doing everything. I wasn't perfect. I tried to eat healthier and all of that stuff. You do what you can but I work full time. At the end of the day, we're not perfect but I tried to do all of those things. I did that. I found a doula in Jacksonville and she helped me through Hypnobabies. It is super interesting because your mind really can help you control pain. It's so crazy. It really can. I even want to look into this for my patients. I think it would be so cool if you could learn to hypnotize. Dentistry is scary, especially for kids so I'm always looking for new things to try. Okay, so we go to Jacksonville. I was due September 29th. I took a week off early from work. We closed the dental clinic down. I had a dentist that's working for me too, Dr. Bonnin and he's awesome. Thank you for working for me on maternity leave. I closed for a week. We just went to Jacksonville. We had a little mini vacay. We took Heidi. I feel like it was so much just to spend time with me and Edwin with my daughter for a straight week in a really long time and focus just on our family. We have had a lot going on up until then so it was a nice little breather away. Meagan: That's such a beautiful way to spend the end of pregnancy. Rachel: I know. Meagan: Sometimes in the end of pregnancy, we're so stressed. We're getting a lot of pressure from the outside world or from whoever. Why haven't you had your baby yet or why haven't you been induced? So it's nice to just be with your family and create this space going into it. Rachel: Yeah, it really was. It was such a blessing that we were able to do that. I didn't have to worry about, “Okay, let me do the last-minute touches on the nursery.” It was just relaxing. So I'm like, “Okay, for sure this baby is going to come soon.” I'm super relaxed. I saw a shooting star. I'm like, “All right. It's going to happen.” It didn't. A week passed so I'm already a week later and then I think I was 41 and a few days. I had the BPP again and they start doing the monitor thing. They just do the heart rate monitor. Meagan: Oh, a non-stress test? Rachel: A non-stress test just to make sure everything is good. They kept saying, “Everything is good but we are going to keep seeing you back.” They weren't letting me go very long. Meagan: It's very standard doing NSTs at 41 weeks, very standard. Rachel: Yeah, okay. They were just doing all of the things to make sure everything was good. But Dr. Adams was like, “I know you want to go into spontaneous labor on your own. If you're not by 42 weeks,” and she was one to wait up until 42 weeks to do an induction. She's like, “We'll do a super gentle induction. We'll start with breast stimulation. We won't even go to Pitocin or anything.” I didn't even want to hear the word induction so I'm like, “Okay.” But she was great because she allowed me all the way up until two weeks to schedule the induction whereas for some people, it just depends on the hospital scheduling and that's where modern medicine is sad because you have to do the schedule and your body's not on a schedule. Your due date is just a guess date. I mean, Jane, the doula in Jacksonville is like, “So what's your guess date?” because it is. We try to do what we can but at the end of the day, sometimes you just have to let nature take its course. Anyway, so I talked to Dr. Adams and everything was good. I was trying to go into labor on my own. My best friend from dental school, Jackie, actually had premature contractions at 32 weeks so her doctor was telling her all of the things she needs to do to not go into labor and I was trying to do all of the things that they told her the opposite. I'm like, “Okay, what did your doctor say? Okay, I need to do that.” It just goes to show you that getting babies on this earth is just hard no matter what way you look at it but if you're educated, it's a lot easier. Hurricane Ian was brewing up and we had to move from our hotel because our hotel was on the beach and they were like, “We are going to have to evacuate the hotel because a hurricane is coming.” I'm like, “Oh, this baby is for sure coming. It's a hurricane.” It didn't. The hurricane came and went. I even drank midwives' brew and all of that stuff. I was 41 and 5 days or something like that. Our daughter, Heidi, got really sick. She contracted something while we were there. She was throwing up. She couldn't keep anything down. My husband was getting a little bit antsy. My husband was like, “I have a lot of stuff I need to work on at home. Why don't you just stay here with your sister? I'll take Heidi home and I'll come back when you go into labor.” I was like, “Okay, sounds good.” He took Heidi home. She actually couldn't keep anything down when he got home. Home was in Pensacola so it was six hours away from Jacksonville. He drove home and she actually had to be admitted to the ER because she had to get an IV and all of that stuff. I'm just like, “Oh my gosh. My daughter is in the hospital.” I feel guilty because I've been focusing on myself and making sure I don't have a C-section meanwhile my daughter is at home in the ER. I was thinking about, “I'm just going to go home. I'll just be induced again.” You just want what's best for your babies. That's why we're here. That's why we try to avoid C-sections when we can but have them when it's going to save our babies' lives. We just want what's best for our babies so I just felt so guilty that I wasn't there with her. But anyway, she was fine. I finally went to Dr. Adams again. It was the first time I had a check. She said, “Okay, you're 2-3 centimeters dilated.” I'm like, “Why am I not in labor right now?” I was 2 centimeters dilated at the hospital a couple of hours in. So anyways, she's like, “You are super favorable. You are 2 centimeters dilated. You're at whatever plus station where your baby is really low.” She's like, “I'm surprised you're not in labor right now. All you're waiting on is for this baby to say, ‘Okay, it's time for me to come into the world.'” I mean, we just don't know. That's why medicine still has some mysteries to it. You just don't know what puts someone into labor. Anyways, she did a membrane strip which was great. Membrane stripping, is that what it's called? Membrane sweep. Meagan: Yeah, a stripping or a sweep. Rachel: She's like, “Okay.” We had the induction scheduled for that Thursday and it was a Monday. She's like, “Rachel, you're going to have this baby. You're not going to have to be induced. We have it scheduled just in case but you are going to go into labor on your own.” I'm like, “I really hope you're right.” I went home. My sister and I went to a coffee shop and we just relaxed for a little bit and then we went home. We were going to see a movie. My brother lives in Jacksonville too. Me, my sister and my brother were going to see a movie together. He happened to be off work. It was crazy. We're getting ready and then I start having some Braxton Hicks stuff but some contractions. Anyways, it really progressed and it started getting uncomfortable. I didn't know. I thought, “Okay.” We contacted our doula. We met her at the hospital. She was like, “Do y'all really think y'all should go to the hospital?” I was having trouble breathing through everything. I was like, “I don't know. It might just be Braxton Hicks.” We got to the hospital. I couldn't breathe through it very well so then Jane, our doula, was like, “Okay. Let's just go to the hospital and get checked.” I'm getting scared. “No, they're going to trap me. They're going to make me stay and I'm going to have to get a C-section again.” She's like, “Rachel, no. That's not true.” I've got my birth posse with me. We go in. They checked me and I was only at a 4. I'm like, “What the heck? I'm such a woosie. I'm only at a 4?” I'm like, “Let's just go back home.” Carol was there, the midwife that I really had a good connection with and she's like, “Rachel, I really don't recommend you going home. I really think that things are progressing quickly. You should stay here and just relax.” Then I talked to my husband too. Meagan: Make your drive. Rachel: As soon as I got admitted to the hospital, Heidi actually got dismissed so he's like, “We've got two babies heading out.” I'm like, “You're such a nerd.” He's like, “Rachel, stay at the hospital. You're being crazy. Just relax. Do your Hypnobabies thing and I'll be there.” I did that and it was crazy. As soon as I zoned everybody out and put my little headphones on– Meagan: And acclimated to the space.Rachel: Yeah, exactly. I had time to get acclimated. I was like, “Okay. This is going to be okay. This baby is coming.” I just relaxed and then things started getting a little cray cray during transition. Yeah. Now I know what people talk about with that. Also, I didn't have an epidural because I'm like, “No. They slow things down. I do not want to get an epidural.” Yeah. So that was great and then the transition thing. Okay, things started getting really serious. My sister was there with me because my husband couldn't be there. I had my sister and a doula. I was like, “Sarah, why did you talk me into this? This is so stupid. I can't believe I'm doing this. This is the dumbest thing ever.” Then Jane was like, “Okay, I think she's ready.” Meagan: Usually when there is intense talk and doubt kicks in, it's like, “I think it's happening right now.” Rachel: Exactly. So then Carol came in. She checked me. I was 9.5. I had a little cervical lip and I was like, “Oh my gosh. No. I cannot believe it.” I was just like, “How in the world?” Carol was like, “Okay, I think your husband is almost here so we can wait to pull the cervical lip out of the way.” I'm like, “No. We are not doing that!” I'm not waiting. He should have been here a little bit ago.Anyway, so we did that. I'm about to start pushing. My brother was there at the hospital. He met my husband out in the hospital parking lot and they were literally sprinting. They were like, “Okay, your baby is about to be born. Here you are.” Luke led him to the exact room. Edwin comes in. He has a backward baseball cap on. I'm like, “They're going to think you're a crazy person coming in here.” They're like, “Is this the baby daddy? Okay, come in here.” I was pushing and I'm like, “Oh my gosh. The baby is going to get stuck,” because I've heard stories that the baby is going to get stuck at 10 centimeters. Carol was so amazing. By the way, she has a British accent. She's from Africa and she's the coolest person ever. She's like, “Rachel, you are doing it. You're about to have this baby.” I'm like, “No way. Are you serious?” At that moment, she's like, “Rachel, you're having this baby. This is happening. It's too late to turn back. He's not getting stuck.” I'm crying. I'm like, “This is the best feeling ever.” He was born. He's healthy. He's here. I'm healthy and this is how things are supposed to happen. It was the most amazing thing ever. You just can't explain it. I'm just like, “Oh my gosh.” I just can't believe that it actually happened and everything was great. The births were such polar opposites. No one's birth is less important than the other. I don't ever want my daughter to think, “Oh my gosh. I was a failure birth, and then baby John–”. His name is John Edwin Richard the Third and then John was a regular birth. It's not about that. It's just how God can take our pain and our failures that we have and turn beauty from ashes. That is what happened. This is how it's supposed to be. It was the best feeling in the whole world. I was just so thankful. I can't believe my husband made it there. I didn't think he was but he did. Meagan: So close. Rachel: Yeah. I was like, “Oh my gosh.” I do want to say that I'm not trying to diss C-sections. You need it when you can but who you have as a provider is the most important thing. I trusted them and I knew that if she had recommended that I needed a C-section I was going to say, “Okay. I know that I've tried everything I can. I'm going to trust you guys.” She even said, “The position of the baby is the most important thing.” Baby has to be in the right position to do that. So anyway, it was just the most beautiful thing ever. I'm just so thankful for everything. Meagan: Oh my goodness. It's such a beautiful story honestly from all of it, from the dove in the yard flying away to moving and driving six hours away. Those are hard decisions sometimes to make and sometimes dual care is really hard too because sometimes you will have providers disagreeing with the other provider so that's really hard. But so beautiful. I could see the emotion and I could hear the emotion in your face. You're so happy. It sounds just so beautiful. Rachel: I know. It's amazing. It's the best. Meagan: Well, thank you. I do want to talk about that placenta previa because it's interesting to go from being diagnosed with complete previa to so far away. That's a miracle. It's so crazy but a lot of the time, we hear diagnoses of full placenta previa so I wanted to talk about what that is. You mentioned accreta too but previa is where it covers the cervix. To diagnose complete previa, it should be directly over the innermost side, so the OS. Directly over the canal of the uterus which is the cervix. So with pregnancies 16 weeks or more when this is happening, sometimes they're diagnosed with a low-lying. Low lying is when it's really, really close or the edge is less than 20 millimeters away from the OS, the cervix. 20 millimeters is 1 inch or 2 centimeters. Usually, most providers when it's 20 or more are totally okay and comfortable with that. One of the interesting things, and I'm curious how you had yours, but a transvaginal ultrasound to diagnose the placenta previa has a way higher chance of it actually being accurate than an abdominal. Did you have an abdominal?Rachel: It was transvaginal, yes. Meagan: It was. Rachel: Yes. On both, yeah. Meagan: See? Look at that. That's so amazing. If someone is diagnosing you with previa on the abdominal outside, you can also request a transvaginal because that can bring higher accuracy. If we get diagnosed and there are placenta issues within the pregnancy, then sometimes they will suggest a 34-36 week induction so that's another thing and then if there aren't any complications, sometimes it's 36-37. So just for those who have been diagnosed. I also want to mention that a lot of the time when we have low lying or something like that, it does move throughout pregnancy. Rachel: Yeah, and usually it does take a lot longer than that. I did so much research too. So yeah, just like what you were saying, and if it does migrate upwards, it never will migrate back down because your uterus is growing up, not down. It all is about where the placenta attaches to the uterus. It's this tissue and you can't help it. It's when the baby is conceived, that it attaches. I had a D&C and a C-section which can increase the risk of it. I had a friend that was diagnosed with it and she even had some bleeding. She almost had to have a C-section but it had migrated more than what did you say it was? Meagan: 20 millimeters, 1 inch, or 2 centimeters. Rachel: Yeah, she said it was 3 centimeters so her provider was letting her go. I'm not saying that everybody's just miraculously moves all of the time but the chances are pretty good that it's going to move. If your provider says that you need a C-section, just maybe give it some time. Everybody is different. Meagan: Yeah. Well, yeah. I think it's just something that a lot of the time we don't talk about, placenta previa. It can be really scary when you hear at 20 weeks, “Hey, you've got this possible placenta previa or low lying and you might have to have a C-section,” so at 20 weeks we're hearing, “I might have to have a C-section,” and it immediately starts making our wheels turn. Rachel: It does. It's crazy. Meagan: And then last of all, I really want to talk about teeth. Rachel: Yeah, teeth. Meagan: Our pearly whites. So obviously, you're a pediatric dentist and one of the interesting things that you have found that we didn't realize is that C-sections can affect enamel. Rachel: Yes, it can. If you think about it, at about six months in utero is when the baby teeth are starting to develop. Anything that happens, if the mom gets a fever or you don't have the certain Vitamins A, C, D, or E which are really important for your teeth to mineralize and you don't have the certain minerals, then your teeth can be a little bit weaker when you are born. All of these things in pregnancy affect the development of your teeth. Right at birth is when your adult molars, so you have four adult molars in the back and the front four on the top and the front four on the bottom. Right at birth is when those molars start to calcify. If you have, and I'm not saying that a C-section increases but it's more of a correlation. It's not a cause and effect. It's a correlation. Meagan: It's a correlation, yeah. Rachel: Yes. That's observed if you have anything that happens right around the time of birth. With a C-section, sometimes the baby might be a little bit earlier. When you are born, you have things that happened at birth. The baby might be a little bit earlier. A C-section brings the baby earlier. Sometimes those things can affect the mineralization process of those six-year-old molars and the front four top teeth and the front four bottom teeth. It's called molar incisor hypomineralization. If you have something like that, it's just a really good idea to see a pediatric dentist. You can put sealants on it. Sealants can protect the adult molars from getting cavities and things like that to strengthen it. Also, being on antibiotics right at birth–Meagan: That's just what I was going to ask. What about antibiotics?Rachel: Yeah. I'm not getting into the nitty-gritty of everything, but certain antibiotics are worse than others. Usually, the C-section has a higher chance of having to be in the NICU and taking antibiotics. That can affect the mineralization process of your molars. That in turn can cause them to be weaker which puts them at higher risk for cavities. It's just so crazy that even a C-section can affect your teeth which is my small little bubble of medicine that I do. Even that can have a role. It's not like if you have to have a C-section, you're like, “Oh my gosh. My kid is going to have cavities forever.” It just puts you more at risk for that just like someone could be more at risk of being overweight but there are things that you can do through your diet and all of that to keep yourself healthy. It's not an automatic thing. There are things you can do. Don't drink juice and eat sugar. There are things you can do to keep cavities from forming. But yeah, at around that time is when everything is forming. It's so crazy. Meagan: It's just good to know.Rachel: It is. It is. Meagan: Even if you've had a vaginal birth with a lot of antibiotics from Group B Strep or something like that, it's good to just be aware. Rachel: Yes. It's not necessarily with a C-section, but with antibiotics and stuff. Meagan: Awesome. Rachel: Oh my gosh. Awesome. You guys are the best. I love you. Meagan: We love you back and we are so honored that you wanted to share your story and touch the world around you.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

In this episode we talk with Emily Chandler and Taylor Washburn, EBB Childbirth Class graduates about their experiences in the childbirth class; their informed and empowered hospital birth; and how they navigated an extended hospital stay for newborn jaundice.   Emily, is a marine scientist, and Taylor, is a teacher and rowing coach in the Boston area. Together, they love hiking, biking, rowing, and taking advantage of the great outdoors. And they're also very busy taking care of their baby. While pregnant, Emily dove headfirst into learning about pregnancy, birth, and the state of maternity care in the United States. Emily and Taylor took the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class with EBB instructor Chanté Perryman.   Emily and Taylor share their experiences in the EBB Childbirth Class and how that informed many of the decisions they made regarding their birth plan, including Taylor being both inspired and empowered to “catch” their baby. They also share how they used the advocacy skills learned in class to better communicate with their providers and each other. After experiencing the birth they desired, complications arose when Emily experienced difficulty breastfeeding and inadequate lactation support. Difficulty was further exasperated when their newborn was diagnosed with jaundice leading to an extended hospital stay. Content Warnings: extended hospital stay due to newborn jaundice, “yellow baby,” difficulty breastfeeding, syringe feeding, lack of lactation support poor latch, heel pricks and bilirubin testing, treatment for elevated bilirubin, poor outcomes for Black and Brown infants with jaundice Resources: Access the CDC article on Jaundcie here Access the Evidence Based Birth® Signautre Articles on:  The Evidence on Premature Rupture of Membranes here  The Evidence on Group B Strep here  The Evidence on Pitocin® in the Third Stage here Listen to EBB 145- Fatherhood and Advocacy in Birth with JacMichael Perryman here Listen to EBB 244 - Evidence on AROM, AVD and Internal Monitoring here  Learn more about Chanté Perryman's EBB Childbirth Class and services here or on her Instagram account @babydreamsmc Learn more about The Nest Collaborative for lacation support here References:  Here are the scientific references on jaundice for the blog article: ·      Dunn, P. M. (2003). Dr Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) of Lichfield and placental respiration. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed;88:F346– 8. ·      Katheria, A. C., Lakshminrusimha, S., Rabe, H., et al. (2017). Placental transfusion: a review. Journal of Perinatology; 37:105-111. ·      McDonald, S. J., Middleton, P., Dowswell, T., et al. (2013). Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamping of term infants on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD004074 ·      Ashish, K. C., Rana, N., Malqvist, M., et al. (2017). Effects of Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping vs. Early Clamping on Anemia in Infants at 8 and 12 months: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr;171(3):264-270. ·      Mercer, J. S., Erickson-Owens, D. A., Deoni, S. C. L., et al. (2018). Effects of Delayed Cord Clamping on Four-Month Ferritin Levels, Brain Myselin Content, and Neurodevelopment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. ·      Andersson, O., Lindquist, B., Lindgren, M., et al. (2015). Effect of delayed cord clamping on neurodevelopment at 4 years of age: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatr;169:631–8. ·      CDC article on Jaundice: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/jaundice/facts.html   Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on:  TikTok Instagram Pinterest Ready to get involved?  Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here  Find an EBB Instructor here  Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.  

In this bonus episode, we wrap up our 2-part series on Group B Strep in Pregnancy, where I answer some of your questions following the first two episodes. Here are the questions answered in this bonus episode: Is it possible to retest between an initial GBS swab and going into labor? Are there things that can be done to get a negative test before labor occurs? If you are GBS positive in one pregnancy, are you likely to be positive in subsequent pregnancies? Discussion about an important limitation to one of the studies in our GBS update. Discussion about risk factors and the “Other Risk Factor” approach vs the Universal Screening approach Is there evidence for screening for GBS twice in the same pregnancy? Make sure you listen to Part 1 and Part 2  to review the updated GBS research. Resources: Listen to EBB 254: Group B Strep in Pregnancy Part 1 here Listen to EBB 257: Group B Strep in Pregnancy Part 2 here Listen EBB 87: Cristen Pascucci on How to Disagree on Birth Topics Respectfully! here Learn more about the use of antibiotics in labor in our Pocket Guide to Labor Interventions  References: Parente V, Clark RH, Ku L, Fennell C, Johnson M, Morris E, Romaine A, Utin U, Benjamin DK, Messina JA, Smith PB, Greenberg RG. Risk factors for group B streptococcal disease in neonates of mothers with negative antenatal testing. J Perinatol. 2017 Feb;37(2):157-161. doi: 10.1038/jp.2016.201. Epub 2016 Nov 17. PMID: 27853322; PMCID: PMC5280520. Kabiri D, Hants Y, Yarkoni TR, Shaulof E, Friedman SE, Paltiel O, Nir-Paz R, Aljamal WE, Ezra Y. Antepartum Membrane Stripping in GBS Carriers, Is It Safe? (The STRIP-G Study). PLoS One. 2015 Dec 31;10(12):e0145905. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145905. PMID: 26719985; PMCID: PMC4697801. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on:  TikTok Instagram Pinterest Ready to get involved?  Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here  Find an EBB Instructor here  Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this episode, we continue to bring you the Updated Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy. This is Part 2 of a 2-part series, where we talk about the evidence on alternative treatments for GBS and answer some of your FAQs about this hot topic.   In Part 2, we'll be talking about: The “Other Risk Factor approach,” Alternatives to antibiotics for GBS, including Chlorhexidine and garlic, Vaccines, Probiotics, Topical use of human milk, Address frequently asked questions Review the Guidelines from 3 countries We wrap up with the Bottom Line on the Updated Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy.   Content Warning: GBS-related stillbirth, infant death, critical illness of newborns, vaccines, antibiotics, and racial disparities in GBS positive results and GBS disease in newborns.   References and Resources: For a full list of scientific references, see the blog post that goes along with this episode here. Find about more about colloidal silver here  Learn more about Neonatal Sepsis here  Learn more about the National Guidelines for screening and treating GBS in the USA, UK, and Canada:  Guidelines in America: ACOG Recommendations for Prevention of Group B Strep Early Onset Disease in Newborns  AAP Guidelines for Management of Infants at Risk for Group B Strep Disease Guidelines in the United Kingdom:  United Kingdom National Screening Committee Recommedations  Recommendations from the Royal College of Obstetrians Guidelines in Canada  Recommendations from the Society of Obstetrians and Gynaecologists  Recommendations from the Association of Ontario Midwives  Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on:  TikTok Instagram Pinterest Ready to get involved?  Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here  Find an EBB Instructor here  Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this episode, we review a youtube video about Group B Strep that Dr. Momma Jones discusses. We're examining this video from our holistic & autonomous perspective on perinatal health!  Stuart James Fischbein, MD was Board Certified in 1989 and became a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology in 1990. Dr. Fischbein now practices community-based birthing and works directly with home birthing midwives www.birthinginstincts.com to offer hope for those women who prefer and respect a natural birthing environment and cannot find supportive practitioners for VBAC, twin, and breech deliveries. He is an outspoken advocate of informed decision-making, the midwifery model of care, and human rights in childbirth, receiving the 2016 “Most Audacious” award from HRIC and the Association for Wholistic & Newborn Health.  Links Referenced in this Video:  Video Referenced: Candace Owens Birth Story is DANGEROUS medical misinformation  Intrapartum antibiotics for known maternal Group B streptococcal colonization   How your birth Decisions Affect Your Baby  Group B Strep: Prioritizing Agenda Over Science**** https://open.spotify.com/episode/6XIyCcixhigungazd61Dut?si=B1CA-P8cTHiET0heVjMhyw Group B streptococcus infection during pregnancy and infancy: estimates of regional and global burden #222 Breech Birth Review & What You Need to Know About Group B Strep Access your FREE Guide on mastering 5 Techniques to Conquer the Fear of Birth. As a bonus, discover a collection of mindfulness tools curated to quell anxiety and fear during pregnancy and childbirth. ⁠Grab Your Guide⁠. Live long, loud, and in prosperity-dear members of the "RebelBirth Crew."  Until we cross paths again, thrive unapologetically! ⁠Instagram⁠  ⁠Website⁠  ⁠Submit a Topic⁠  ⁠Be My Guest⁠ Discounts NEEDED Prenatal Supplements: FRUITOFTHEWOMB for 20% off one-time purchase orders or the first three months of the one-month subscription option.    FullWell Prenatal & Fertility Supplements Use Code FRUITOFTHEWOMBBIRTH for 10% off ​ Christian Hypnobirthing Course Use Code: ANGEL for 20% off the course ​ MotherLove Herbal Products Use code Wombbirth15 for 15% off --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebirthrebel/support

In this episode, we bring you the Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy, in anticipation of the research update to the Signature Article on Group B Strep in Pregnancy.   This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. In today's Part 1, we'll be talking about: The evidence on GBS during pregnancy The evidence on testing for GBS The evidence on antibiotics, including the pros and cons of giving antibiotics during labor for GBS. Content Warning: GBS-related stillbirth, infant death, critical illness of newborns, antibiotics, disparities, access to health care. References and Resources:  For a full list of scientific references, see the blog post that goes along with this episode here. Find the CDC GBS Prevention App for Obstetric Providers here  Find the ACOG GBS Prevention Guidelines here  Listen EBB 87: Cristen Pascucci on How to Disagree on Birth Topics Respectfully! here Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on:  TikTok Instagram Pinterest Ready to get involved?  Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here  Find an EBB Instructor here  Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class

 Blyss & Dr. Stu catch up on crazy California weather and current events in the birth world, and share listener letters from their new email account. They also discuss the latest "crisis" article on Group B Strep and the continuous destruction of trust in medicine.In this episode of Birthing Instincts:Surprise breech, “emergency” c-sections, & gestational diabetesSatisfaction vs. trauma from unexpected birth experiencesThe danger of think tanks & confirmation biasThe importance of looking at who funds researchAgendas, v@cc*nes, & third world countriesThis show is supported by:LMNT | Go to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with every orderNeeded | Use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to save 20% off your one-time order or first three months' subscription OR use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS100 for $100 off the first three months of a plan at thisisneeded.com. Splash Blanket | Visit splashblanket.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 11% off your orderResources:Listen: #222 Breech Birth Review & What You Need to Know About Group B StrepListen: #229 Stop the Sugarcoating: Pregnancy & DiabetesLinkedIn: Michael HallReferenced article: Group B streptococcus infection during pregnancy and infancy: estimates of regional and global burden Comedy Show: @doctorberlinConnect with Dr. Stu & Blyss:Instagram: @birthinginstincts / @birthingblyssWebsite: birthinginstincts.com / birthingblyss.comEmail: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com Call-in line: 805-399-0439This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we're talking all about group B strep and how it might affect your birth. Here we're going to learn the details about this infection, how GBS disease can impact your baby, and how your provider will screen for GBS. Lastly, we'll take a look at what it means for birth if you're GBS positive.   If you do have group B strep, your birth will be a little bit different, because antibiotic treatment is highly recommended. But luckily, it's not as big of a deal as it sounds.   Ready to learn!? Let's do it.

This weeks guest is an absolute warrior, Sarah Doolin. After the death of her baby Ezrah she has worked tirelessly to campaign, fundraise and raise awareness in Ezrah's name. She found that it gave her the focus, distraction and purpose that she needed when navigating life after loss. However as the month's ticked by she realised that she hadn't actually been focussing on her grief and personal recovery so decided to join our Pathway To Recovery course for some self care and wellbeing focus. It helped her immensely and she wanted to give back to the community by sharing her story. Below are some useful links: Group B Strep Support's page for signs and symptoms of infectionInfo on testing for Group B StrepEzrah's fundraising page-------------------------------Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review and share.Visit our website where you can find out a bit about us, read the blog and even 'purch our merch' via the online shop!Did we mention that we have written a book? It's officially an Amazon Best Seller! You can buy it here!Find out more about our online courses; THE PATHWAY TO RECOVERY which is designed to support, nurture and empower you following the loss of a baby as well as the TRYING TO CONCEIVE AFTER LOSS COURSE to support you through the pressures of TTC after loss.  Both courses are self paced and run over 6 weeks with free access for up to 5 months. The next PTR course will run in January and the next TTC course will start in. February. Email us to register your interest. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Contact us via social media platforms or email info@twgge.co.ukYou'll find us on...FacebookInstagramTwitteror you can join the TWGGE Facebook Support GroupIt's time to break the silence and open up the dialogue around the topics of miscarriage and pregnancy loss. No more shame, no more taboo, lets ditch it for our children; the ones that will come, the ones that are and the ones that never came to be.

Join your cohosts, Dr. Starlin and Sarah, as they interview Dr. Ann Anderson-Berry, Executive Director of the Child Research Institute, Division Chief of Neonatology and many other things at UNMC. We chat about her different roles, Group B Strep in neonates and her experience with IP and IC in the NICU. This podcast is brought to you by Nebraska ICAP. This team is grant funded to provide infection control and infectious disease support for facilities across Nebraska. You can find more information about Nebraska at https://icap.nebraskamed.com/ Don't forget to follow us on Twitter at @dirty_drinks and reach out to us if you want to be a guest on the show! The views expressed in this podcast are those of the guests and hosts. These views do not represent the official standing of any public, state or federal entity.

Did you know that the health of your vagina (I prefer to call her *yoni) has its own unique microbiome? In fact, your overall health impacts your vaginal ecology and vice versa, which creates a very important internal ecosystem. Vaginal health is so vital that it is considered a sixth vital sign. The Symptoms of a Disrupted Vaginal Microbiome: You experience chronic pelvic pain and infection, UTIs, vaginal itching and irritation, yeast, Gardnerella, Group B Strep infections, vulvovaginitis (overall inflammation and irritation of the vagina, the vulva, or both), or vaginal dryness. Painful sex. You have used antibiotics, singularly or chronically. Infertility issues (conception difficulties, implantation issues, and miscarriages). You have PCOS - Elevated androgens are closely related to vaginal dysbiosis. You did / currently have an IUD. To learn more, tune into this episode of the Peace. Love. Hormones. podcast and/or read our research article on this topic. Show notes Maddie's Instagram PLH Instagram

If and when your water might break in labor is often confusing and stressful for expecting parents. Michelle explains when this can happen, what to expect, what to look for, and a helpful acronym to remember- MTACOS, Movement of baby, Time, Amount, Color, Odor, and Status of Group B Strep. Michelle recommends also listening to episode 132 featuring Heidi Snyderburn of Birth Story podcast regarding some recent research on rupture of membranes and labor.  Connect with Michelle Smith:Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, Facebook:   Birth Ease,   The Birth Ease PodcastInstagram:    @birtheasemichellesmithYouTube:    Birth EaseLinkedIn:  Birth Ease Michelle SmithWebsite:  BirthEaseServices.com  

Our long awaited deep-dive on Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is here! GBS affects approximately one-third of all pregnant women, and involves widespread use of intravenous antibiotics in labor even though the screening tests are known to be highly imperfect, and some women are at significantly greater risk of GBS colonization than others. Further, there are specific risk factors making some babies far more likely to contract GBS than others. This "universal" approach to GBS management is the very start of our deep and detailed discussion on GBS. Cynthia and Trisha  have reviewed all the available data from the past three decades to provide you with informed decision-making on GBS.This episode is divided into two parts, with the first part available on all podcast platforms, and the full, extended version available right now on our Patreon platform or through Apple Subscriptions. In the regular episode (the first half of the extended episode) we cover what GBS is, how it's screened, who is most likely to test positive, the controversies around the universal approach to treating GBS in labor, how effective the antibiotics are, plus a detailed analysis on the likelihood of a baby becoming ill from GBS in both the mothers who opt for and against the antibiotics. We also discuss the difference between colonization and infection in babies,  the associated risk to babies and the maternal risk factors that increase risks to the baby. Ultimately, we break down the stats to answer the question everyone wants to know: How likely is it that my baby will get sick and/or die from GBS infection if I do or do not get tested and/or take antibiotics in labor?In the extended version of this episode, available to all our listeners at the click of a button on Patreon, we also cover:- ways to "pass" the test, and what to keep in mind if you do so;- how to treat your GBS naturally, skipping the antibiotics altogether;- the effects of the antibiotics on your baby's microbiome and the two no-risk, natural things you can do postpartum to restore your baby's flora safely and quickly;- risks of the antibiotics on moms, and how to minimize those risks;- how the antibiotics can interfere in your breastfeeding relationship;- what we're seeing with probiotics, how to take them and specifically the best probiotic to take during pregnancy to support vaginal flora;- what if you're planning a home birth and have GBS;- the rapid test (promising results but not without its limitations); and- what you can do to reduce your chances of being a carrier of GBS in your pregnancy. Our goal in this episode is to give you all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not you will accept or decline the GBS test in pregnancy and whether or not you will choose antibiotics in labor, should you test positive. As usual we don't provide medical advice, but we do hope to support the informed decision that's right for you and your baby.Please support our work by joining our community on Patreon. With your subscription, you'll immediately have access to every extended episode we've ever produced, plus additional benefits including downloadables and direct communication with us and other followers.Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.comInstagram @downtobirthshowCall us at 802-GET-DOWN 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 healthca...

Current ACOG/SMFM/CDC guidelines for the prevention of Group B Strep neonatal infection are aimed at prevention of early onset GBS neonatal disease. But late onset infections still occur worldwide and are devastating for the newborn. This is why there is a new Group B Strep (GBS6) vaccine in the pipeline! On September 22, 2022 the FDA granted this vaccine “Breakthrough Therapy designation”. In this session, we will review what that designation means, why this vaccine is needed, and where we are in the process.

Amielia is a 21 year old Djab Wurrung woman and this week we would like to share her birth stories in celebration of NAIDOC week.Amielia only found out about the details of her indigenous ancestry when she was 12 and who her family were related to. She grew up learning about her cultural practices and a part of the disappointment in her first birth was the disconnect between these practices and the public hospital system. Later she would learn there was a program dedicated to indigenous women that she would seek to be a part of in her next pregnancy.When she first fell pregnant it was unexpected but despite this her partner vowed to support her no matter which path she took. She speaks about the lack of knowledge she had going into the pregnancy and how it felt going through her first pregnancy amid Covid lockdowns in Victoria.At 41 and 5 days, doctors suggested an induction which she agreed to. She had tested positive for Group B Strep. After what was deemed ‘failure to progress' at 2cm dilation Amielia felt powerless and agreed to an emergency caesarean after her baby's heart rate started to show signs of distress.After this experience Amielia did not want to be induced again. She hired a student doula and ended up experiencing the vaginal birth she always wanted at almost 43 weeks. Due to her baby passing meconium in her womb she agreed to have her baby tested for infection and tells us how her baby ended up staying in hospital for 5 days and what that experience was like for her.Thank you Amielia for sharing your VBAC journey with us. NAIDOC week: https://www.naidoc.org.au~ PATREON ~Please consider joining our Patreon if you are enjoying the podcast and would like to help support us by making a donation:https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories~ AFFILIATES ~Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:Birth Time film:USE DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2KfvxtPartum Panties:USE DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstorieshttps://www.partumpanties.com.auThe Birth Store:USE DISCOUNT CODE: VBAChttps://thebirthstore.com.au~ Notes ~Doula: Courtneyhttps://beyondbirthcollective.com.auInstagram of womb specialist: @rosewomb_xVBAC Australia Support Group (Facebook):https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=vbac%20australia%20support%20groupPerinatal Depression & Post Natal Depression/Anxiety support: If you or anyone you know is affected by PND symptoms please don't hesitate to contact the following support networks.The Gidget Foundationhttps://gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/,PANDAhttps://www.panda.org.au/info-support/pandas-national-perinatal-anxiety-depression-helplineBeyond Bluehttps://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-supportCopehttps://www.cope.org.au**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories

In today's episode we are joined by our nutrition coach here at The Natural Nutritionist, Bianca, to discuss Group B Strep, or GBS. We teach you the importance of language, early prevention, what the literature shows, how to make an informed decision, alternatives to the standard of care in Australia, the necessary paradigm shift required when it comes to pregnancy, birthing and beyond and so much more.     Head to https://www.stephlowe.com/podcasts/385 for show notes, episode transcripts and more.

I have had so many questions recently about testing positive for Group B Strep or GBS and the number one concern is, "Will this ruin the birth that I want?" I'm here to break down what GBS is, how it affects pregnancy and labor, ways that you can decrease your chances of testing positive, what happens if you choose to use antibiotics, and also options other than antibiotics should you test positive.If you're a mom that is wanting to stay at home as long as possible before heading to your birth place, but if you test positive you definitely want the antibiotics, I talk about all of your options AND I want to encourage you right now that being GBS+ does NOT ruin any kind of birth you are aiming for! If you're reading along and have no idea what I'm talking about, that's ok and I know you're not alone.

Breast cancer makes up a third of all cancer diagnoses for black women and for those with the most common type of cancer, ER-positive (estrogen or oestrogen positive) cancers, black women are 42% more likely to die of the disease than white women. The reasons for these disparities are complex and include socio-economic factors and racism. There is also a historical absence of samples from black women in research databases and lack of inclusion in clinical trials. Researchers at Stanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute at La Jolla, California in the US have discovered significant differences at the molecular level which could explain some of the disparities. In research published in the journal, Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, Dr Svasti Haricharan and her team found significant differences in black women in the all-important DNA damage repair genes, the proteins which form our body's first line of defence against damage to our DNA. Dr Haricharan tells Marnie Chesterton that these findings have real-world implications for the treatments black women should be offered and when. GP Dr Ann Robinson joins Marnie to discuss a new study which suggests people with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on prescription, could be increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes. University of Edinburgh researchers published in the journal, Circulation, trial results which suggest that although taking the painkiller for headaches and fever is safe, doctors should think twice about the risks and benefits to patients taking it over many months. The trial tracked volunteers, two-thirds of whom were taking drugs for high blood pressure, or hypertension. Paracetamol, the results showed, increased blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Group B Streptococcus is an infection which causes almost 100,000 new-born deaths, at least 46,000 stillbirths, and significant long-term disability for babies around the world. The bacterium is harmless for most pregnant women who carry it but it can be extremely serious when it passes to babies during pregnancy, childbirth or in the early weeks of life. James Gallagher reports on the merits of testing for Group B Strep and talks to Dr Kate Walker, Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Nottingham in the UK about a large, randomised controlled trial she is leading which will provide much-needed evidence about how best to protect babies from this dangerous infection. And Dr Ann Robinson shares with Marnie new research which focuses on the best ways to avoid and treat gout and how playing games on your mobile could help you to quit smoking. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Paula McGrath and Fiona Hill (Picture: A senior woman looking through a window. Photo credit: FG Trade/Getty Images.)

Group B Strep Bacteria In this episode, we talk about Group B Strep bacteria found on the lower genital tract.  The reason why Group B Strep is a problem, how to know the women with Group B Strep, how to treat women with the bacteria and, why women with Group B Strep are not given antibiotics before labor.   Timestamps [01:38] About Group B Strep bacteria [03:31] The reason why the bacteria is a problem [05:30] How to know the women with Group B Strep [07:12] How to treat women with the bacteria [09:34] Why women with Group B Strep are not given antibiotics before labor [12:12] The test for Group B Strep   Notable quotes Group B Strep is part of the normal vaginal flour. The main reason why Group B Strep is a problem is that rarely, it can get into the nose and mouth of a newborn that is passing through the birth canal and cause a Neonatal infection. Women with Group B Strep are given antibiotics in labor, usually ampicillin. Once the water breaks, the baby might be exposed to the bacteria in the vaginal canal.   Resource links Group B Strep   Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes Our Social Channels are as follows Twitter: https://twitter.com/integrativeob YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/maternalresources IG: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeobgyn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeOB

Dr. Stu and Blyss catch up on what's been going on in their world, then chat about some questions listeners sent in and go over a breech birth. Plus Dr. Stu explains why informed consent is so vital, and gives an in-depth explanation of Group B Strep and everything you need to know about what your rights are. In this episode of the Birthing Instincts Podcast:When NICU intervention overreachesReviewing a breech birth What Group B Strep is and what you need to know about itQuestions and messages from listenersThe importance of informed consent Connect with Dr. StuInstagram: @birthinginstinctsWebsite: birthinginstincts.comConnect with BlyssInstagram: @birthingblyssWebsite: birthingblyss.comThis show is produced by Soulfire Productions

Group B Strep Awareness MonthThis year is the 21st year July is being observed as International Group B Strep Awareness Month. It was created to bring awareness of group B strep to the general public . Group B strep is a bacteria that is so serious it can even lead to death. Symptoms: About 1 in 4 pregnant women “carry” or are colonized with group B strep. There are 3 types of potential GBS disease, each with their own prevention challenges. Prenatal-onset GBS disease (before birth), Early-onset GBS disease (birth through the first 6 days of life), and late-onset GBS disease (7 days of age trough usually 3 months of age).On this episode of We are Living Healthy, Alexis is joined by Tara Randis, Neonatologist and GBS researcher. They talk about the importance of GBS, as it is a fast acting type of bacteria so that everyone who takes care of children knows the symptoms of possible GBS and how to respond. Dr. Tara empowers women to listen to your body to recognize symptoms. Key Takeaways from Alexis chat with Emily: • How many people suffer from this disease? • Talk to your Doctor.•  Recognize the severity of GBS disease. Connect with Dr. Tara Randis: trandis@usf.edu Group B strep website: groupbstrepinternational.org For more great We Are Living Healthy content, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on all major podcasting platforms. https://3cstvshow.buzzsprout.com/ Already subscribed? Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast so that we can reach as many people that need the help as we can: https://3cstvshow.buzzsprout.com To watch the FULL video :https://coxhub.wistia.com/medias/hqh1d3mtg0Follow us on Facebook: @WeAreLivingHealthyTV