Podcast appearances and mentions of jen mclellan

Send us a textTraveling while fat? Oh, we're going there — and we're taking the aisle seat and the window. In this episode of Big Sexy Chat, Chrystal and Merf are joined by the incomparable Jen McLellan: author, speaker, certified childbirth educator, and the force behind Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy Podcast.Together, they dive into the joys and frustrations of navigating the world in a fat body when it comes to planes, cars, and hotel beds — with zero shame and maximum honesty. From seatbelt extenders and compression socks to airplane bathroom acrobatics, car rentals, TheraGuns, travel-friendly sex toys, and awkward TSA moments, no topic is off-limits.There's laughter, a little rage, a few fan recommendations (hello, perimenopause), and a whole lot of empowerment packed into this juicy ride-along.And just when you think the episode's winding down — surprise! We've got a breaking update from Tigress Osborn, Executive Director of NAAFA, with an exclusive message for our listeners.This one's for the babes who refuse to shrink themselves, in size or spirit.Guest Info:

Jen McLellan, founder of Plus Size Birth and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast, is joining Dr. Dekker to explore how birth workers can provide compassionate, size-inclusive care for people in larger bodies. Jen shares her journey to founding Plus Size Birth, the impact of size bias in healthcare, and practical advice for both expectant parents and birth professionals. Together, they discuss how to challenge assumptions about plus-size pregnancies, the importance of self-advocacy, and how to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all bodies during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.   (01:41) Jen's Journey to Founding Plus Size Birth (03:42) Misconceptions About Plus-Size Pregnancy (07:35) The Effects of Weight Bias in Healthcare (10:09) Navigating Healthcare as a Plus-Size Person (14:36) Tips for Birth Workers to Provide Size-Inclusive Care (17:46) The Power of Language in Size-Inclusive Care (24:06) The Impact of Healthcare Bias on Other Areas (28:50) The Challenge of Anesthesia for Plus-Size People (33:09) Addressing Bias in Fertility and Pregnancy (43:40) The Future of Ozempic and Weight Loss in Pregnancy (46:17) Empowering People Through Size-Inclusive Support (50:47) Body Image and Advocacy   Resources Get the Plus Size Pregnancy Guide and Audio Book here. Sign up for the Size-Friendly Birth Course for Birth Professionals here. Tune in to the Plus Mommy Podcast 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.

Join us for an inspiring episode as Hollie and Megan chat with the amazing Jen McLellan, a certified childbirth educator and passionate advocate for plus-size pregnancy. Jen opens up about her personal journey and the challenges she faced, which led her to become a voice for plus-size individuals during pregnancy and childbirth. We discuss the importance of finding size-friendly care providers who offer personalized medical care. Jen shares valuable insights on promoting positive body image and self-love, and why inclusivity in birth and baby care is crucial. This episode is packed with practical advice on advocating for yourself and ensuring you receive the best care possible. Don't miss out on this heartfelt and informative conversation! Get your FREE Guide: Your Birth Plan Blueprint  Let's Connect! Our WEBSITE: www.birthbootcamp.com INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/birthbootcamp/ FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/birthbootcamp/ Connect with Jen - Plus-Size Birth Her WEBSITE: https://plussizebirth.com/ INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/plussizebirth FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/plussizebirth

In this episode, Karen talks with Jen McLellan, founder of Plus Size Birth and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast about plus size pregnancy, weight bias, body love, and so much more. Jen is a certified childbirth educator, published author, advocate and mother. Her work has been featured everywhere from Good Morning America and the Today Show, to People and Glamour magazines and publications like The Bump and the National Institute of Health. Jen shares her insights, experience and knowledge, including: her story and why she created Plus Size Birth and then the Plus Mommy Podcastthe effect of weight bias in healthcare and specifically during pregnancy the biggest misconceptions about a plus size pregnancy and birthtips on how to connect with a size-friendly care providerrecommendations for raising body positive kidsParents of all sizes will benefit from this conversation as Jen's perspectives and messages are not only insightful and impactful , but empowering. Links:plussizebirth.comPlus Mommy PodcastLove the show? Subscribe, Rate, & Review! https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

Join us for a moving and impactful conversation as host Jen McLellan interviews her mother, Kathryn. At 71, Kathryn has turned an encounter with weight bias at the doctor's office into a lesson on self-advocacy. Despite visiting a doctor for an eye infection, Kathryn found herself in an uncomfortable situation where the focus was shifted to her weight, overshadowing her immediate health concern. Determined to change this narrative, Kathryn shares her story. Then, she talks with Jen about strategies for self-advocacy in healthcare settings, inspiring listeners to take control of their health narratives and assert their needs. Join us for this deeply personal and empowering episode.

Heidi and Jen sit down and chat about all things birthy with love and affirmation for those of us in bigger bodies. This is an episode not to miss especially if things like scales in hallways, small blood pressure cuffs, and monitoring have you stressesd TF out! Let us pour some positivity into your day today! Follow Jen at plussizebirth.com and on IG at instagram.com/plussizebirth XOXO-Heids (IG @Birth.Story.Academy) PS. I would love for you to let me teach you all things pregnancy and birth in Birth Story Academy. Use code BIRTHSTORYFRIEND for $20 OFF at BirthStory.com

Today's episode is a dream! Jen McLellan aka Plus Mommy joins the show to chat about her incredible work highlighting care and needs for people with larger bodies who are pregnant, giving birth, and in postpartum. Jen is the founder of plussizebirth.com and the Plus Mommy Podcast! You can find Jen here: https://plussizebirth.com/ https://www.instagram.com/plussizebirth/ https://www.facebook.com/PlusSizeBirth/ Enjoy Jen's Size-Friendly Care Providers Guide: https://plussizebirth.com/subscribe Join today's Amplify Her Networking Group (June 7th) at 1:00pm EST at www.amplifyhermedia.com/networking

Are you pondering the possibility of an unmedicated birth, particularly in a hospital setting? This episode is for you! With her experience of giving birth without pain medication and professional expertise as a childbirth educator, Jen McLellan offers invaluable advice, helpful tips, and motivation for having an unmedicated childbirth.

Kristin chats with Jen McLellan of Plus Size Birth, about the misconceptions surrounding pregnant plus size women.

How to raise kids that are not fat-phobic assholes. Thanks to Jen McLellan, the founder of Plus Mommy, PlusBirth.com, and the creator of Plus Mommy Podcast for her amazing interview.Asherlee stepped in to help me interview Jen while Merf was off having a few fun days in Atascadero. Thanks, Adherlee. We discussed so many topics about getting competent health care for your kids. Jen and Asherlee give some really great advice for dealing with your kids' healthcare providers. We also discuss the new (garbage) AAP guidelines and what trash they are. We asked Jen how she handles the grandparents and aunties/uncles to NOT fat shame and NOT talk about bodies of any size. #boundariesaresexyHow does Jen handle it when her son asks about her fat body and so much more.Jen feels there is some hope for younger doctors that are just coming out of medical school. She talks with and interviews them and she does see a glimmer of hope with the new doctors who want to offer health care to marginalized communities, empathic health care to people in fat bodies, Jen got to interview Mary Lambert here>> https://plusmommy.com/mary-lambert/Here is a link to Mary Lambert's 4-week babe camp:https://everybodyisababe.teachable.com/Mary's Weight Neutral Provider Spreadsheet. Great tool. We also asked Jen which is her favorite sex toy at the end of the episode. Support the showBigSexyChat.com appreciates you and our community. We do this for you, so if you ever have any ideas about a subject we can discuss for you, email us at Sexy@BigSexyChat.com.You can find us on Facebook and Instagram as BigSexyChat.Twitter (who knows how long we will stay there) is BigSexyChatPodCheck out our merch at www.BigSexyTees.com (credit to Toni Tails for setting this up for us!)Chrystal also sells sex toys via her website BlissConnection.com and you can use the code BSC20 for 20% off. Big thanks to our Sponsor Liberator Bedroom Adventures. We ADORE the products from Liberator. And, to be clear, we all loved their products even before they became a sponsor!

Let's chat about starting the new year with attainable resolutions by taking tiny steps that make a big impact. First, I open up about slight changes I've made. Of course, I'm talking about embarrassingly simple tasks many do without thinking but I've neglected. Then I dive deeper by discussing setting boundaries and focusing on mental health. So, if you want to start the year with positive intentions that are easy to implement, tune into this episode with yours truly, Jen McLellan.

Jen McLellan helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic twelve-year-old. In this episode Jen shares tips for those living in larger bodies - from preconception to postpartum - as well as how we can all be allies and create space for EVERY BODY.    Jen Shares: Jen's experience with plus size pregnancy + birth Misconceptions about plus size pregnancy and birth How we can all be allies and create a safe place for all sizes Healthcare bias and how to find support The importance of a supportive midwife and birth team How to advocate for yourself so you can have a positive birth experience How to navigate hurtful comments about plus size pregnancy Relative vs. actual risk  The true safety of plus sized pregnancy  Wellness vs. weight   Show Notes:  For more of Jen, please visit instagram.com/plusmommy  on Instagram and plussizebirth.com on the Web For more of We Go There Podcast, please visit instagram.com/wegotherepodcast on Instagram wegotherepodcast.com on the Web *Warning- this podcast is completely unfiltered. If you are around young children, we suggest headphones.*

Embodiment for the Rest of Us - Season 2, Episode 10: Jen McLellan   Chavonne (she/her) and Jenn (she/her) interviewed Jen McLellan (she/her) about her embodiment journey.   Jen McLellan, CBE, is a published author, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood.   With over 7 million page views, Plus Size Bith is the premier plus size pregnancy resource trusted by parents and professionals. The Plus Mommy Podcast has over 280,000 downloads and was named one of the best pregnancy podcasts of 2022 by The Bump.   Jen's work has been featured in major publications, including The New York Times, Glamour, and Huffington Post.   As a public speaker, Jen has been featured at numerous events, including presenting at the National Institutes of Health. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic twelve-year-old.   Plus Mommy Podcast - https://plusmommy.com/  Plus Mommy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/plusmommy/  Plus Size Birth - https://plussizebirth.com/plus-size-pregnancy/ Plus Size Birth Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/plussizebirth/ My Size-Friendly Care Providers Guide (free guide on how to connect with a size-friendly care provider) - https://plussizebirth.com/subscribe/    Content Warning: discussion of privilege, discussion of diet culture, discussion of medical fatphobia, discussion of fatphobia, discussion of fatphobia   Trigger Warnings: None for this episode   The captions for this episode can be found at https://embodimentfortherestofus.com/season-2/season-2-episode-11-jen-mclellan/#captions/   A few highlights: 5:19: Jen shares her understanding of embodiment and her own embodiment journey 13:05: Jen discusses how the pandemic affected her embodiment practices  24:02: Jen shares her understanding of “the rest of us” and how she is a part of that, as well as her privileges 31:34: Jen discusses how podcasting has enhanced her connection to embodiment 36:56: Jen shares how advocating for fat pregnancy and birth has changed her own embodiment 52:36: Jen discusses how listeners can make a difference based on this conversation 1:00:19: Jen shares where to be found and what's next for her Links from this episode: Intuitive Eating Jen's Viral “Flying While Fat” IG Reel   Music: “Bees and Bumblebees (Abeilles et Bourdons​)​, Op. 562” by Eugène Dédé through the Creative Commons License   Please follow us on social media: Website: embodimentfortherestofus.com Twitter: @embodimentus Instagram: @embodimentfortherestofus

Talking about being pregnant and plus size is becoming normalized, as evident by the #plussizeandpregnant hashtag reaching nearly 25 million views on TikTok. Even with access to supportive information becoming readily available, there are some questions people secretly ponder. Jen McLellan, certified childbirth educator, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast, answers seven questions people mull over but might have trouble openly discussing. From facing internalized fatphobia to having tough conversations with care providers - we're going there!

Those who are plus-sized often face a lot of judgment and shame from obstetrical providers. They are made to feel undeserving of the same compassionate medical care that smaller people get. They are automatically labeled as "high risk" even if they have no other risk factors other than their size. Jen McLellan is a published author, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Her work has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Glamour, Today's Parent, Huffington Post, and International Doula. As a public speaker, Jen has spoken at numerous events, including presenting at the National Institutes of Health. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic eleven-year-old.     Check out The Franciska Show podcast here.      Get 20% off of your purchase at EmeTerm anti-nausea wristband with code HAPPYBIRTHWAY.         Click on this link to get a FREE diaper bag with your Dyper subscription. Cancel at any time and still keep the bag!         Use Happi Tummi's comforting waistband to instantly calm your baby's crying. Use their adult waistbands to soothe your own tummy cramps. Use code HAPPYBIRTHWAY at checkout for 10% off of your entire order.         Explore all of KiwiCo's crate collections. You will love Panda Crate's 3-pack for your newborn. Enter code LEARN30 at checkout for 30% off of your first month's subscription.         Sign up for my After the Birth course to learn how to thrive during your postpartum recovery.       Check out the Yoledet Picks Amazon Storefront to find any of the products mentioned in this episode, and discover Chanie's other favorites.       To continue the conversation, and learn more about similar topics, check out the Yoledet Academy Instagram community.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with the founder of Every Baby Eats, licensed clinical social worker, and IBCLC, Kristin Cavuto Kristin Cavuto, pronouns she/they, is a licensed clinical social worker in IBCLC and private practice in central New Jersey. Her practice specialties are low supply, parental and infant mental health, and the intersection of ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender in the care of the new family.   Kristin is the mother of two children who nursed full-time despite maternal insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) and who are now 16 and 13. Kristin is also an anti-racist activist and an LGBT+ activist, a member of Transformative Works fandoms, and makes fighting for a better world part of their daily life. We talk to Kristin about supporting families struggling with feeding infants in a realistic, family-centered, and non-disparaging way. We also talk about fatphobia as a form of oppression and marginalization in medicine and birth and what we can all do to challenge bias and model acceptance Content warning: We mention the intersection of fatphobia and racism.   Resources: EBB 99 – Plus Size Pregnancy and Birth with Jen McLellan  Harvard Implicit Bias Test Fat Phobia Scale Revisited by Robinson, Bacon, et al.  HAES (Health at Every Size) The Body is Not An Apology  National Association for the Advancement of Fat People  To follow Kristin on Facebook  Kristin's current project: https://www.everybabyeats.com/

Jen McLellan is a published author, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Jen has grown a community of over 230,000 via the Plus Mommy Facebook page. Her work has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Glamour, Today's Parent, Huffington Post, and International Doula. She authored the My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide and co-wrote the Amazon bestseller, The Peachie Moms Guide to Body Love for Moms. She also has an essay in Jes Baker's book Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls. As a public speaker, Jen has spoken at numerous events, including presenting at the National Institutes of Health. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic eleven-year-old. Follow along with Jen: https://plussizebirth.com/ Use code: 'birthlounge' for 20% off the 'My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide'

How you feel about your body does not exist in a vacuum. It’s not just about your body, it’s about all the things in your life. So I ask people to really reflect on how size-friendly is their life? Welcome to Burnt Toast! This is the podcast where we talk about diet culture, fatphobia, parenting, and health. Today I am chatting with Mia O’Malley, a content creator on Instagram and the creator of @plussizebabywearing. Mia’s work sits at the intersection of fat advocacy and momfluencing. She’s doing a lot of important work on access to fat friendly doctors and we also talk about influencing—and the potential and promise for fat advocacy in the space. PS. Friends! The Burnt Toast Giving Circle is up to almost $8,000! We are so close to our goal. And if you’ve been thinking about joining, we still need you! Here’s the Burnt Toast episode where I announced it, ICYMI, and the link to donate.Episode 36 TranscriptVirginiaHi Mia! Can you tell listeners a little bit about you and your family and your work?MiaHi, I’m Mia. I am @MiaOMalley on Instagram and @plussizebabywearing on Instagram and TikTok. I’m a content creator. I’m based out of Connecticut. I’m a mom of an almost four year old and I do a lot of work on my social platforms on advocating for people in larger bodies and sharing resources for people in larger bodies and how to navigate the world. I’m a babywearing educator, as well, with a focus on celebrating parenting in larger bodies.VirginiaSara Peterson was on the podcast recently and we sang your praises on the babywearing piece in particular. That was something I struggled with, with both of my babies. The bias against fat bodies, fat moms— all of that came into play for me. So I’m grateful for the work you’re doing to change that conversation. As I was doing my homework for this episode, I read your interview on Cup of Jo—which has great fashion inspiration—and I love that you said you look at fashion as an advocacy issue. Was this always your plan? How did this come about?MiaI was pregnant with my son around 2017-2018 and I felt very isolated as a fat pregnant person. I had taken these beautiful maternity photos. But when I shared them, I was like, “This isn’t the whole story.” Because those photos were really hard for me to take. I couldn’t find anyone who looked like me who had done maternity photos. Like for inspiration, if you looked on Pinterest, there were no bodies like mine. And that’s how I felt going through all of my pregnancy. I never saw people in similar bodies being pregnant. I felt very underrepresented and isolated. So when I posted my maternity photos, I kind of said that quiet part out loud. I said, “I feel invisible as a plus-sized pregnant person.” And my world kind of opened up with that post, just in the sense that I kept saying those things that I kept to myself. I realized that there are other people like me who are feeling the same way. To be in community with those other people is amazing. It made me realize that the fat experience is so, so shared. We’re all going through a lot of the same things, across generations. And fashion is just another one of those issues. I can’t talk about fashion without seeing it as an advocacy issue. There are people who can’t find winter coats! There are people who literally don’t have a bra that fits them at their size. It doesn’t exist. I talked to someone who was a C-suite executive and she has nothing to wear to meetings with her colleagues! She had no suits that fit her. She talked about just how humiliating that was for her. When we say those quiet things out loud, they become advocacy issues because so many people have that shared story. So yeah, I talk about fashion, but it often becomes about sharing resources because there’s so many people that feel like certain things are inaccessible for them—and are truly inaccessible for them. The same thing goes for babywearing. So many parents said to me, “I didn’t even think I could wear my baby at this size.” And that’s not true! There are plenty of options for all bodies to wear their babies. But there’s a perception that this is an inaccessible thing to do because of marketing, because the lack of representation. VirginiaWas it scary to start sharing? Because I think a lot about how what advocacy asks of us is to share in this very personal way. It’s so important because you’re articulating something that someone else hasn’t been able to say out loud, but that also means you’re the person who has to say it out loud. MiaI have to take really long breaks from some of the work that I do. I will take a week or two long break where I don’t post content and I step away, because I hold so many people’s stories. Most of my time spent online is in DMs, sharing stories and resources. But that comes a lot with having to face my own experiences that were hard. It’s a lot to hold on to. So I do take a lot of breaks and I do experience burn out, but I also find it incredibly rewarding. It’s the part of this work that I love the most.VirginiaI’m glad you have that strategy. It has taken me a long time to figure out that I also need those breaks and need to build in that time. Previously my experience as a writer / advocate was as “medical mom,” and a sort of similar thing happens where once you’ve been public about your experiences, people send you their stories and those stories are often tragic and linked to my own trauma. I can imagine there’s a similar thing here where people are sharing with you traumatic experiences that you have also lived. MiaThat’s why I’m so passionate about resources. Some people will ask, “What’s your advice for feeling better about your body?” And there are so many strategies and there are people who do this professionally. But I tell people that how you feel about your body does not exist in a vacuum. It’s not just about your body, it’s about all the things in your life. And so I ask people to really reflect on how size-friendly their life is. How comfortable are you in your body on the day-to-day? Is your work chair comfortable? Is your partner supportive of you? Is your car comfortable? Do you have a winter coat to wear? What is your workspace like? How comfortable is your bed? Is your couch comfortable? You know, all these things. It’s about the world that we operate in and how comfortable we are in the body that we’re in right now. That really influences how positively we can feel about our body. It’s just not about how positively we feel about our thighs or our belly. It’s much bigger. VirginiaDiet culture teaches us that weight is this personal responsibility project. And we know that’s b******t. But often, the next part of the conversation is that loving yourself is a personal responsibility project. And that’s also b******t, in a world that’s not built to support your body. Instead of saying, “How do you do this internal work?” which may or may not need to happen at some point, it’s “How do you recognize how the larger systems of your life are failing to support you?” MiaYeah, it has to be looked at that way. And we can’t discount how chronic discomfort and chronic pain influence how we feel about our bodies. Sometimes there are small changes that can make you physically comfortable. But a lot of us who exist in larger bodies are so disconnected from our actual bodies that we can’t even tap into that. VirginiaSo I recently wrote about this big debate that comes up every so often about whether to get weighed or not at the doctor’s office, and if you do want to decline it how to decline and I think it’s an important conversation. If you have a fat friendly doctor, it basically becomes moot because even if you get on the scale, they’re not going to use that number against you. If you don’t have a fat friendly doctor and you’re fat, your weight will be weaponized whether or not you get on the scale. So you have been doing the hero’s work of building this database of fat-friendly health care providers. So tell us about this project.MiaI would love to, but first I do want to shout out Jen McLellan from Plus Size Birth. She’s @PlusMommy on Instagram. Literally, her work changed my life as a pregnant person. She wrote the book on plus sized pregnancy. Her resources on plus size birth are so critical. And she does a lot of work training other medical professionals on how to be more size friendly. I just want to shout out Jen, who I’m proud to say is my friend. She has a directory for for doulas, OBGYN, and midwives on her page. There’s another colleague of mine, Nicola Salmon, who runs Fat Positive Fertility. She also has a book and resources on fertility services for people who exist in larger bodies and how to support yourself as you’re navigating how to conceive in a larger body, which is incredibly fatphobic and very hard to do. She also has a directory! So I want to shout out those two resources. Obviously, there are other directories that exist, but my community is a very interactive community for Instagram. We share a lot of recs and I couldn’t get around not sharing recommendations for health care providers. People need size-friendly care providers. I don’t know that a lot of people understand how critical it is to connect with a medical professional that does not operate with a weight bias or weight discrimination. It’s a literal life or death issue. So I have a sheet—a Google Doc, basically—of providers that have been recommended to me that I’m pulling together into a more formal database as we speak, actually. But right now, it’s a Google sheet of shared recommendations. Having a size-friendly care provider means that you have people who are going to see a doctor more. A lot of preventative care can happen there. It also can mean a vastly different experience in your pregnancy, your birth, your postpartum. I have spoken to countless people who have been trying to conceive for years and have been told to freeze their eggs and seek weight loss surgery first. I have talked to people who have been unable to have doulas at their birth because of a high risk determination that was not evidence-based, because they are with a non size friendly care provider. I’ve talked to people who have serious issues, life or death issues, that were ignored for years because everything was so focused on weight. This is such a critical resource for people in larger bodies to have. Just to be able to do that work is the most important thing to me, out of all the things that I spend my days doing. VirginiaWe will definitely link to the size friendly care provider list. You also have a form for people who want to submit their providers. MiaYes, I hope that there’s going to be more of a universal database. Also Jen is focused on the training, and I think that’s something that needs to be talked about more. As well as the sharing of these gems of care providers that are somehow treating us with dignity and giving us medical care that we need. I was four months postpartum and I had decided to go to my PCP at the time. I had horrible, painful water retention and my legs were swollen. It was hard to move my legs. It was hard to sit down. She barely looked at my legs, she was focused on the fact that I had gained weight after my pregnancy. She really dismissed me. It was because of my community that six months later, I went back and I demanded that I get a water pill. Within like a week after that, my swelling was gone. I’m not directing anyone to go get a water pill, but I am directing them to advocate for themselves if they feel they’ve been dismissed. And immediately.VirginiaThat’s six months you were in pain.MiaI was in so much pain! Immediately, you have to seek out those other care providers. Those care providers that will treat you well and will listen to you, they do exist. You have to decide that you want this for yourself. If your insurance allows for it, if you’re able to make that change, please make that change. Because those care providers do exist.VirginiaI’m so glad Jen is working on the training piece because it seems like we haven’t even yet agreed upon the standards that you should have to meet to be a weight inclusive provider. What I was seeing come up in a lot of my DMs were people saying like, “Well, I don’t know if this person is really Health at Every Size, but at least they didn’t give me a hard time about X.” The bar is way too low about what we’re willing to accept. We need more of a consensus about what this really should look like and what you should be able to demand. I think fat people are just so used to expecting nothing—or worse than nothing—that it can be hard to even know where to start advocating for yourself. MiaIt also becomes really tricky, because fatness is a spectrum, right? So, someone who goes in at a certain weight might be treated one way. Someone who is 30 pounds over that weight might be treated vastly different and categorized completely different. Then you have further intersections of that—if you are BIPOC, if you are of the LGBTQI+ community—those intersections would make one healthcare provider considered size friendly by one person be completely different with another. So it does get tricky. I would always tell people to call first. Or if you don’t feel comfortable calling, maybe have a friend or a partner come with you or advocate for you. Or you can go in and and talk to the front desk and just say these are the things that I’m looking for. Or you can email, whatever. Somehow to just start the conversation and go in advocating for yourself and be ready to advocate for yourself because even with these directories, you never know what the experience is going to be like and you have to be prepared to advocate for yourself.VirginiaShilo George, who is a wonderful advocate on these issues, I interviewed them for a Health.com piece last year, and a strategy they have is writing up a one sheet of your primary health concerns and stating some of your boundaries. Just being clear about what you need from the provider. I think that can feel very scary and people are worried that they’re going to make the doctor angry or start off on the wrong foot. That tool may not be for everybody, but I just want to throw it out as another suggestion. I think there are ways to do it that can be really empowering and very helpful.MiaYeah, it could be good. It could be a gentle hand. There’s a lot of different ways to do it. Ragen Chastain, on Instagram, has amazing resources and a course that you can take and a lot of free resources, and has been doing this work for so long—discussing medical fatphobia and how to advocate for yourself. VirginiaI do think it’s worth thinking through what strategy feels comfortable to you. Maybe you want to write down that sheet and it’s not something you hand to the doctor but it just helps you organize your own thoughts. That could be a useful tool. MiaI just want people to know that if you are in a larger body, you deserve to be treated with respect in a doctor’s office. Shame is not a an effective tool. If you don’t want to talk about weight, you do not have to talk about weight. I want more people to realize that that’s even a thing, because there was a time in my life where I didn’t realize that was a thing.VirginiaI’m curious, for someone who’s doing the work and doing the work in a fat body, how do you think about your work as an influencer? What do you love about it? What do you want to see change?MiaThat is such a good question. I don’t know where the industry is going, but I do know that the representation has gotten much better since I started doing this in 2017. As more body positive influencers become parents, it’s changing the momfluencer world to be a little more inclusive. But I think that some of the strongholds in mommy brands and parenting brands need to also change with that. I’m not necessarily seeing that change in terms of choosing parents that are in different bodies or represent different communities. I think they could be doing more to use different bodies in marketing. Why am I not seeing more bodies that represent the average? When you go on Pinterest, and you’re looking for maternity outfits for your photoshoot, or you’re downloading an app for your pregnancy and the first thing it talks about is “belly only weight gain”— is that influence really happening? Is it influencing the spaces that it really needs to to change how people feel about their parenthood? VirginiaIt’s making me think about when we do see influencers in bigger bodies doing a campaign with a brand, it’s often because the brand has decided they want to brand themselves as body positive, right? We’re not yet at the point where body diversity is a given, and you would just be the influencer selling this brand of cute diapers because you had the platform and the metrics they wanted. You’d be selling cute diapers because they went about running a body positive campaign this one month and that’s it. That kind of thing is coopting the rhetoric of the movement rather than furthering the movement.MiaThis is such a pain point for me, too, because there are so many brands that will do a campaign about plus size clothes that they have, right? They will work with plus size influencers to market that campaign and use the budget to market that campaign for those clothes. And you walk into the store, you can’t buy those clothes.VirginiaRight. They’re not stocked.MiaSo, they’re using these campaigns to look good as a brand and you’re not actually given the access that everyday people can use to make their, their lives easier. Old Navy was one of these! They’ve changed. I forgot what they called their campaign, but they’re now have all sizes in stores except for size 30. That one is that one’s online.VirginiaSo close, Old Navy! Almost there.MiaBut for so long, they excluded plus size from coupons. They excluded plus size from stores. Not to make it about Old Navy, but they have such a huge customer base that’s plus size and they actually were excluding us from so many different things, yet doing campaign work with plus size influencers. The same thing happens within the momfluencer space with brands. I think there are brands that are doing great things, especially in the babywearing community. But some of the very popular websites and apps and things for pregnancy where pregnant people really need to see themselves represented to feel good in their bodies and to feel good going through this special time. We need to see more.VirginiaAubrey Gordon had a great tweet recently where she said when brands do that kind of thing, they’re really using plus size people as cover to make their thin customers feel better. This is a brand that’s trying to be inclusive without having done the work of talking to fat customers, of making things that that customers need. I think it’s important for all of us with any degree of thin privilege to think about. We might feel good that Anthropologie is carrying our size now, but who are they not serving? How much further do they need to go? And how do we hold them accountable? MiaWho’s not at the table with me? That’s something that I’m asking myself a lot, as I do this work. I gained weight after my pregnancy and that shift from a size 16 to a size 20 was so eye opening for me. Because I was either out of certain ranges for certain brands, fashion-wise, or I was like the last size, right? So I found that things I was sharing, people were like, “I wish it came in this size!” or “Oh, that won’t work for me.” It’s really hard to share something with your community and then realize that so many people are left out. So I try to share as many inclusive brands as I can that have an extended size range or have a very inclusive size range. I wish there were more of them. The same thing is true of the momfluencer space. Who isn’t coming with me? You have to look around.VirginiaI just love that you are using your role as an influencer so thoughtfully and raising these questions that are sometimes uncomfortable but that really need to be asked. It’s really important work, so thank you.MiaI try. It’s a lot of reflection and I’m certainly not showing up perfectly. But, I hope I’m getting better every year. Butter For Your Burnt ToastMiaClothes-wise, Universal Standard has some amazing pieces out, like these foundation turtlenecks. They have my favorite t-shirt, which is the Tee Rex, and they have the essential tee. I highly recommend those. They are pricier but they last and they are really worth it. You’ll be happy with the quality. VirginiaYou’ve been influencing me about this turtleneck the whole time we’ve been chatting. It’s very cute. I’m very glad that that was your recommendation because now I can go look it up. My recommendation is going to be pretty off topic, as they usually are. My recommendation is to go buy yourself some flowers. It is March. March is very long. I live in the Hudson Valley of New York where March is 19 months long every year because spring does not happen. This is when I’m just really grateful we have a very cool local flower store. So I go in once a week and buy myself some flowers. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on this, but the amount of hope I feel having like something green and pretty is worth it.Thank you so much for being here! Tell listeners where they can follow and support your work.MiaThanks, Virginia. Mia O’Malley and Plus Size Babywearing on Instagram and you can find me on TikTok on under Plus Size Babywearing, which is not just baby wearing—it’s a lot of everything.The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by me, Virginia Sole-Smith. You can follow me on Instagram or Twitter.Burnt Toast transcripts and essays are edited and formatted by Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, an Instagram account where you can buy and sell plus size clothing.The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Jeff Bailey and Chris Maxwell.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting independent anti-diet journalism. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Becoming Moms, Dr. Sterling shares a conversation she had with childbirth educator, Jen McLellan, on having an empowered plus size pregnancy. She is a wealth of knowledge to help question fatphobia in our culture and learn how it impacts prenatal care. Her mission to raise awareness and create change is as simple as it is profound; we need more compassion in our care for pregnant people in larger bodies. Listen in to learn about what aspects of the medical system needs to change and how to currently navigate a broken system when you have a plus size pregnancy. Your body is just as incredible in pregnancy as anyone else. Follow Jen on Instagram to learn more! @plussizebirth Resources: www.plussizebirth.com Sterling Parents Membership - https://sterlingparents.com/ (Sterling Parents) The Best FREE Pregnancy Class - https://thebestpregnancyclass.com/ (4 Ways EW Registration Page (thebestpregnancyclass.com)) Selfcare Rituals for Pregnancy Guide - https://www.thesterlinglife.com/pregnancyselfcare (https://www.thesterlinglife.com/pregnancyselfcare ) Host: Dr. Christine Sterling, Board Certified ObGyn & Founder of Sterling Parents Membership Music: Good For You by THBDhttps://soundcloud.com/thbdsultan ( https://soundcloud.com/thbdsultan) Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream:http://bit.ly/2PgU6Mu ( http://bit.ly/2PgU6Mu) Music promoted by Audio Libraryhttps://youtu.be/-K_YSjqKgvQ ( https://youtu.be/-K_YSjqKgvQ)

Hey peaches! This week I am talking to Jen McLellan AKA Plus Mommy! Jen is a published author, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Here is an article that Jen mentions in our conversation: plussizebirth.com/vagina-too-fat-to-give-birth/ And here is how you can connect with Jen: @plussizebirth on Instagram and Facebook @plusmommy on Instagram and Facebook TW: Mention of the 'O Words' aka obesity and overweight   

Following a summer hiatus, we're back covering a topic that needs to be talked about far more often - how to connect with a fat-friendly doctor! Jen McLellan shares her recent experience searching for a care provider, and the impact size-friendly care makes. You'll learn five tips for connecting with a fat-friendly doctor and tools for self-advocacy!

It is time we rethink how we define and categorize health. Health doesn't have a specific shape, size, or color.  In fact, health is not something we can see at all.    In this episode Jen McLellan, author, speaker, host of the Plus Mommy Podcast and awesome human, joins Fuel Her Awesome for an important and powerful conversation. This heart-to-heart is about her journey as she discovers she is STRONG, ENOUGH, and WORTHY… as she is (no weight loss required). We talk about health at every size, fat-phobia, healthy eating and exercising in a larger body, advocating for respectable care, and how we can all make the world a little better for people in different body shapes and sizes. Jen's vulnerability is powerful as she shares her story and the obstacles she has worked so hard to overcome. She is an empowering voice for so many as she gives us insight into her experience. She opens a door for us to rethink our culture's definition of health. You don't want to miss this one friends!  Grab her book: My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide here!  Be sure to check out her podcast Plus Mommy Podcast and connect with her on Instagram for more resources!    Grab a cup of coffee sisters- Fuel Her Awesome episode #23 is… well… awesome!    And if you are in need more support in reconstructing a healthy relationship with food I got you covered friend... Step 1: Enroll in Fuel Her Awesome Food Foundations (e-book and fuel plan included!)  Step 2: Work with me 1:1- email me at jessbrownrd@gmail.com to get my coaching menu! Step 3: Be awesome. You always were, but now you are free to shine!  Can't wait to chat with you babes next time, until then… cheers and happy eating.   

  When Jen was pregnant in 2010, she realized that she was being treated differently because she exists in a larger body.  Determined to make her plan for an unmedicated birth a reality, Jen researched and found a midwife who supported and encouraged her to pursue the birth plan she wanted.  After the birth of her baby, she decided to start a blog to share her story, but soon it was clear that this was not just about her own story.  She became a childbirth educator and created an evidence-based website and podcast that includes positive resources, so she could change others’ stories as well.  She now also sits on a National Institutes of Health panel to give input on creating the Pregnancy for Every Body program.   Jen McLellan is a published author, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Her work has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Glamour, Todays Parent, Huffington Post, and International Doula. As a public speaker, Jen has spoken at numerous events including presenting at the National Institutes of Health. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic ten-year-old.  Listen in as we explore Jen’s journey and learn important information we can use in our lives and practices every day.      Listen and Learn:   How to help women understand their options based on their personal health and not only their BMI  What can be done to increase the number of size-inclusive healthcare providers available  The difference between relative risk and actual risk when assigning a risk status  How COVID may impact plus-size patients who may be mistreated if attending an appointment on their own and what tools can be used to prevent that  What ideas can be implemented to create a size-friendly environment  The shocking stats on cesarean rates based on BMI  How important this topic is: Jen has reached 6 million page views on her website, 150 thousand downloads on her podcast      Resources & Mentions:   Plus Size Birth Website & Blog Plus Mommy Podcast My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide Size-Friendly Directory   Pregnancy For Every Body Health At Every Size ARTICLE:  Birth Outcomes of Women with Obesity Enrolled for Care at Freestanding Birth Centers in the United States   Related Products from InJoy:   Understanding Birth Curriculum  Understanding Pregnancy Curriculum 

  When Jen was pregnant in 2010, she realized that she was being treated differently because she exists in a larger body.  Determined to make her plan for an unmedicated birth a reality, Jen researched and found a midwife who supported and encouraged her to pursue the birth plan she wanted.  After the birth of her baby, she decided to start a blog to share her story, but soon it was clear that this was not just about her own story.  She became a childbirth educator and created an evidence-based website and podcast that includes positive resources, so she could change others’ stories as well.  She now also sits on a National Institutes of Health panel to give input on creating the Pregnancy for Every Body program.   Jen McLellan is a published author, founder of Plus Size Birth, and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Her work has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Glamour, Todays Parent, Huffington Post, and International Doula. As a public speaker, Jen has spoken at numerous events including presenting at the National Institutes of Health. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic ten-year-old.  Listen in as we explore Jen’s journey and learn important information we can use in our lives and practices every day.      Listen and Learn:   How to help women understand their options based on their personal health and not only their BMI  What can be done to increase the number of size-inclusive healthcare providers available  The difference between relative risk and actual risk when assigning a risk status  How COVID may impact plus-size patients who may be mistreated if attending an appointment on their own and what tools can be used to prevent that  What ideas can be implemented to create a size-friendly environment  The shocking stats on cesarean rates based on BMI  How important this topic is: Jen has reached 6 million page views on her website, 150 thousand downloads on her podcast      Resources & Mentions:   Plus Size Birth Website & Blog Plus Mommy Podcast My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide Size-Friendly Directory   Pregnancy For Every Body Health At Every Size ARTICLE:  Birth Outcomes of Women with Obesity Enrolled for Care at Freestanding Birth Centers in the United States   Related Products from InJoy:   Understanding Birth Curriculum  Understanding Pregnancy Curriculum 

The “Your Story” Series This week we are sharing the story of Jen McLellan, known for her work in advocacy for plus size birth. We discuss this week how the stigmas that those in larger bodies receive in health care, and the lack of willingness from medical providers to see plus size bodies as beautiful, strong, worthy and equal to other bodies, leads to an increase in poor medical care. This can range from inappropriate touch, exaggerating statistics of high risk, making inappropriate recommendations of weight loss due to the doctor’s own bias or denial of natural childbirth.  Our theme in this season is understanding how our internal dialogue and core beliefs impact our body image and body story and we love how Jen spoke on this in her interview this week by sharing how she first had to own the mantra “I am worthy of good health care” in order to then advocate for herself to find and receive the health care that respected her body. This is such an important point to make because healing our relationship with our bodies always has two parts: one is personal and the other is societal.  While our podcast, Jen’s podcast, and so much of the #bodypositivity on social media is aimed towards healing society, we know that that is a huge mountain to climb. And so, the healing that comes from within is the ultimate first step. Do YOU believe you are worthy, that your body is worthy of care, and that you are worthy of being an amazing Mom, no matter what your body looks like? Phew, those are your journal prompts for this week and we hope that listening to Jen’s story will inspire you in your process! https://plussizebirth.com/ https://plusmommy.com/   Connect with the Mom Genes community: www.momgenesthepodcast.com IG: @momgenesthepodcast FB: Mom Genes The Podcast group

Shanna and Laura talk with the founder of Plus Size Birth and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast, Jen McLellan, about the challenges plus-size people face when pregnant, her journey to becoming an advocate for plus-size pregnancy, advice on finding body-positive care providers and more! You can find Jen and all her resources at https://plussizebirth.com. Also, Laura reports on feeling baby kicks much earlier in her second pregnancy than in her first, and Shanna talks about her toddler’s favorite new early 1990s songs to sing. Finally, they reveal their BFPs and BFNs for the week. Shanna’s toddler is 20 months old, and Laura’s toddler is 19 months old. Laura is 15 weeks pregnant.This episode's show notes - https://bigfatpositivepodcast.com/ep-116/ | Jen McLellan at Plus Size Birth - https://plussizebirth.com | Get social - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bfppodcast/ | Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/bigfatpositivepodcast/ | Email - contact@bigfatpositivepodcast.com | Our mom-tested ultimate baby registry list - https://bigfatpositivepodcast.com/registry/

Jen McLellan joins us today to talk about pregnancy for plus-sized people, how providers can provide more compassionate care, and shifts she's seeing in the medical field now. We cover common misconceptions people have about plus size pregnancies, why we must be aware of our own biases when providing care, and how to have a great pregnancy and birth experience as a plus size parent. Check out ncrcoaching.com/episode79 for complete show notes, and join my email list at ncrcoaching.com/email-signup/!

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, Jen McLellan shares the detours she experienced along her breastfeeding journey, and what she wishes she would’ve done differently. The reality is breastfeeding when you are plus size looks different! There are unique obstacles plus size people face while breastfeeding. From the lack of plus size nursing apparel to a delay in milk production and how plus size moms are sometimes mistreated in public - she talks about it all!

There is an alarming amount of false information on the internet that has lead us to believe that women who exist in larger bodies are incapable of having a healthy pregnancy and delivery. There is also an alarming amount of women who have had traumatic or negative experiences with healthcare providers, leaving them feeling anxious and uncomfortable to seek medical help. This week we are hearing from Jen McLellan, host of The Plus Mommy Podcast and a plus size pregnancy and birth educator. She is on a mission to change the way healthcare providers see and treat women in large bodies, and help moms feel confident in their ability to carry and birth their babies. Join us as Jen shares her story of being an advocate for plus size women and what her journey to motherhood and learning to not only accept, but love herself has looked like! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you plus size and looking for additional support while you are TTC, pregnant or giving birth? Visit Jen's website to learn how she can support you OR for more information! https://plussizebirth.com/ Jen's Plus Mommy Podcast: https://plusmommy.com/ Instagram: @plusmommy @plussizebirth ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPONSOR! Today's episode has been sponsored by Ashley, owner of Millie's Little Closet. She is a mama to two littles who runs her business with one kiddo strapped to her back, while her other plays at her feet. I have absolutely loved getting to know Ashley and can't say enough great things about how this Canadian mama runs her business! Find her adorable and affordable kids clothes by visiting her on Instagram @millieslitlecloset

To hear the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/birthhour! Jen McLellan is a published author and founder of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy blog. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Her work has been featured in major publications such as Yahoo Shine, Huffington Post, Everyday Feminism, and International Doula. She authored My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide and co-wrote the Amazon bestseller, The Peachie Moms Guide to Body Love for Moms. Jen is also a childbirth educator, skilled patient advocate, professional speaker, wife, and mother.

The post 195: Plus Size Pregnancy with Jen McLellan appeared first on Seven Health.

Here's what teachers think about coronavirus. A special shoutout to Joe Bryant, Larry Bencivengo, and Jen McLellan for starring in this episode.

Jen McLellan was excited to start a family but as she looked around for examples of happy plus sized pregnant women, she found that most of those searches came up with results for a lot of gloom and doom and cropped out bodies. Jen had a healthy birth with the help of a doula and was inspired to help other women not feel so alone in their plus sized pregnancy journey. If you are a person of size, you may relate to many of Jen's experiences. If you are a person of less size, you will benefit from learning what it is to experience life in a larger body. One of the topics we discussed is diversifying your social media feed to allow yourself to learn from people with different experiences. Hope you enjoy listening to Jen McLellan as much as I enjoyed talking with her. You can learn more about Jen McLellan at www.plussizedbirth.com Plus Mommy Podcast Facebook Community: Plus Mommy Instagram: @plusmommy To find out more about doulas in your area check out DONA www.dona.org To learn more about Jen's work with NIH on the Pregnancy For Every Body Initiative www.nichd.nih.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mom body image is, for better or worse, a fairly universal struggle. But if you’re a mom in a larger body, there can be a lot of added layers to navigate. Today we’re chatting with Jen McLellan, author, speaker and creator of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy Blog and Plus Mommy Podcast about how she helps plus size moms navigate birth, body love and motherhood.  FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help. Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here.  TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much!  Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Mom body image is, for better or worse, a fairly universal struggle. But if you’re a mom in a larger body, there can be a lot of added layers to navigate. Today we’re chatting with Jen McLellan, author, speaker and creator of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy Blog and Plus Mommy Podcast about how she helps plus size moms navigate birth, body love and motherhood.  FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help. Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here.  TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much!  Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Mom body image is, for better or worse, a fairly universal struggle. But if you’re a mom in a larger body, there can be a lot of added layers to navigate. Today we’re chatting with Jen McLellan, author, speaker and creator of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy Blog and Plus Mommy Podcast about how she helps plus size moms navigate birth, body love and motherhood.  FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help. Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here.  TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much!  Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Have you ever felt shamed by a healthcare provider, especially during pregnancy? Today’s guest is Jen McLellan, founder of Plus Sized Birth. She started her blog after her own pregnancy when she realized there weren’t enough resources out there for pregnant plus-sized women. In this episode, Jen talks about her experience of using a midwife and the misconceptions that many plus-sized women face during their pregnancy, labor and delivery.  We also chat about the shame that many women feel from healthcare providers and why the language that healthcare providers use when speaking with patients matters. She shares how to teach children to embrace people of all sizes and what “body love” means to her. WHAT’S IN THIS EPISODE: Why Jen opted to go with natural birth and how her pregnancy led her to start her blog  How important the language that care providers use with patients is What you should look for from a care provider for your pregnancy Misconceptions that plus size women face during their pregnancy, labor and delivery What “body love” means to Jen

From bumps to bellies, we talk about it all - and we're doing just that during this ask me anything episode of the podcast with host Jen McLellan.

In this episode I am joined by Jen McLellan, author, speaker, and founder of the website Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy blog. She is also host of the popular podcast Plus Mommy, and is a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother. With more than four million page views on her blog, Jen is passionate about helping others navigate the bumps along the road of motherhood. Jen notes that her doula’s recommendation to look into the midwife model of care changed the course of her first pregnancy. As she had first began care under an obstetrician and researched plus size pregnancy online, she had started to believe that she was at high risk due to her size. However, she had an empowering natural birth with no complications. As Jen developed her blog, she realized the great need for plus size pregnancy support. While she covers a variety of topics, one of her main areas of focus is helping women to connect with a care provider who will not make them feel ashamed. We discuss practical tips for finding a supportive and welcoming provider, as well as some of the biased messages women of size commonly hear during the course of their care and birth. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. RESOURCES: Follow Jen on Facebook,  Instagram, and Twitter.  Check out Plus Size Birth, the Plus Mommy blog and the Plus Mommy podcast. Use coupon code “EBB” to get 30% off Jen’s book, My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide. For a directory of plus-friendly providers and doulas, visit SizeFriendly.com.

Jen McLellan is a birth professional,  speaker,  blogger, founder of Plus Size Birth and host of the popular Plus Mommy Podcast. Jen joins us for an informative conversation regarding misconceptions about plus size birth, and shares valuable tips for women of size to have a healthy and empowered pregnancy,  birth and postpartum experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One Wednesday morning, during circle time, a student bravely spoke up about an experience she had at her last prenatal appointment. Her doctor told her she had gained too much weight between visits. The woman left her appointment upset, ashamed and confused about what to do next. Upon hearing, I too was confused and had no answer to give her other than weight gain is not linear and not be so hard on herself. That conversation inspired this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies with Jen McLellan. Jen is a certified childbirth educator, published author, speaker, founder of Plus Size Birth and host of the popular Plus Mommy Podcast. Jen shares insight and advise communicating with your care provider about weight and offers evidence based information about assumed health risks for plus size bodies. No matter what size body you live in, this is an important episode to hear. Support our sponsor: Go to stitchfix.com/KIDS/YBB and get an extra 25% off when you keep everything in your box! And as a bonus, Stitch Fix will waive the $20 styling fee when you use this shows special URL- stitchfix.com/KIDS/YBB Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com If you love what you've been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies To connect with Deb and the PYC community: instagram & facebook @prenatalyogacenter YouTube: Prenatal Yoga Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we visit with Jen McLellan of the massively popular, Plus Mommy. Jen is an advocate, blogger, and all-around fantastic human. Her focus is plus size pregnancy, birth, and mommy life, yet she is always advocating for the plus-size community as a whole. We discuss tips for flying while fat, advocating for yourself in travel circumstances, and how to be best prepared for travel in a larger body. We dive in and don’t leave any topic untouched in this episode. We get honest, emotional, and even a little passionate as we discuss the ups and downs of traveling plus size. You don’t want to miss this one! Thank you for listening! --------------------------------------- For show notes: https://chubbyandaway.com/ep-23-flying-while-fat-with-jen-mclellan-of-plus-mommy/ -------------------------------------- We have new PudgeCast episodes every other Monday! For our YouTube channel, and to find all of our exciting videos: http://www.youtube.com/chubbyandaway Follow us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/chubbyandaway https://www.facebook.com/TheShapelySisterhood Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chubbyandaway/ https://www.instagram.com/theshapelysisterhood/ And of course, log on to our website at www.ChubbyAndAway.com For questions, comments, or if you have a show idea, please contact us at info@chubbyandaway.com

My husband, Chris, joins the Plus Mommy Podcast as we answer questions about marriage following our 11th wedding anniversary. We are completely transparent, sharing our struggles and how we've strengthened our marriage throughout the years. 

The truth is there are ALL kinds of moms, but not all moms are wholly represented and most are grossly under-advocated for and mistreated when it comes to health care. Our guest this week is the luminous Jen McLellan, host of Plus Mommy Podcast and the founder of Plus Size Birth. Jen's story of navigating her own birth plan as a plus size mom-to-be is nothing short of infuriating, and her ideals and perspectives on what this country keeps as priorities when it comes to women is truly enlightening. Jen's seeks to create an environment of acceptance and end the stigma surrounding plus size pregnancy with education, support, and a sense of humor. She’s also a certified childbirth, educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic 8-year-old. We have all the questions, we discuss fat vaginas, and we hope you take the time to hear a smart powerful woman talk about how to be smart, powerful, women. Be sure to download Jen's podcast Plus Mommy Podcast Check out Jen's book The Guide to Body Love For Moms Join her amazing FB community at Plus Mommy How have you been enjoying our podcast? If you're into it, can you please leave us a rating or comment? We value your feedback so we can make this thing better! And as always, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Email us anytime at pumpanddumpshowATgmail.com, leave a rating or comment on your podcast app, or tell us IRL and come see us at a show! ************** Shayna and Tracey have been friends since the 8th grade – that’s over 25 years. After college, they each moved to separate coasts for a decade. They were reunited when they decided to leave big city life and settle down with their families in Denver, Colorado and Facebook told them their daughters are 3 weeks apart. After several play dates, some more childbirth, some unsuccessful pumping, and the overwhelming nature of mommy community boards, The Pump and Dump Show was born. The show launched in 2012 in a bar in Northwest Denver and quickly grew to a bi-monthly, local staple for new moms to have a night out. In 2014, Shayna and Tracey took The Pump and Dump Show on its first national tour and continue to perform every month to audiences nationwide. For tour updates and more shenanigans, follow Shay and Tracey at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePumpAndDump/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/ThePumpAndDumpShow/Tour schedule: https://www.thepumpanddumpshow.com/tour-dates  

In April of 2011, Jen McLellan launched the Plus Size Mommy Memoirs (now called Plus Mommy) blog, housed within the Plus Size Birthwebsite. This award-winning blog, which has received over 4 million pageviews, focused on topics ranging from plus size pregnancy to birth, body positivity to motherhood. A Facebook page and exploded overnight and brought together thousands of plus size women of all walks of life. After blogging for seven years Jen felt a desire to try something new and deeper explore topics surrounding motherhood and body image. The Plus Size Birth website is now focused on conception, pregnancy and postpartum for plus size people. Whereas the Plus Mommy website and podcast hones in on motherhood and body love, while still sharing stories and resources around plus size Pregnancy. Jen McLellan is a published author, founder of [Plus Size Birth](https://plussizebirth.com/) and host of the Plus Mommy Podcast. She helps people navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body and laughs her way through the adventures of parenthood. Jen has grown a community of over 177,000 via the [Plus Mommy Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/plusmommyblog/)page. Her work has been featured in major publications such as Yahoo Shine, Huffington Post, Everyday Feminism, and International Doula. She authored the [My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide](https://plussizebirth.com/my-plus-size-pregnancy-guide/)and co-wrote the Amazon bestseller, [The Peachie Moms Guide to Body Love for Moms](http://amzn.to/2uIQcBN). She has an essay in Jes Baker's book [Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls.](https://plusmommy.com/body-positive-book-club/) As a public speaker, Jen has spoken at numerous events including presenting at the National Institutes of Health. Jen is also a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic eight-year-old. It was an absolute delight talking to Jen and I am so pleased that she is part of the [Virtual Midwife family](http://hevirtualmidwife.com)  Please join me in my Facebook group [The Virtual Midwife Cafe](https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevirtualmidwifecafe) where I do weekly live mini workshops and share information and resources for pregnancy.

We all know about the unfair stereotypes and stigma that exist in our society, but have you ever thought about---or experienced---what a plus-size woman goes through in pregnancy? The body shaming and unfair assumptions are particularly tough to take. Today’s guest is passionate about changing the stereotypes and offering help to these often unsupported moms. Jen McLellan is a published author, speaker, and founder of Plus Size Birth, and she now hosts the Plus Mommy podcast. Plus Size Birth is a premier resource for all things plus-size pregnancy, with over four million page views. Jen is passionate about plus-size pregnancy, sharing tips on embracing your body and navigating the bumps along the road of motherhood. Through the Plus Size Mommy podcast and other social media outlets, she seeks to create an environment of acceptance and to end the stigma surrounding plus-size pregnancy with education, support, and a sense of humor. She is a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic 8 year old. We’re discussing many great topics related to being a plus-size mom, education, and statistics on things we should consider in supporting plus-size moms to have the happy, healthy pregnancies that they deserve.   Show Highlights: In 2010, Jen became pregnant, went online for support, and was horrified at the messages there for plus-size moms Why she decided to break the cycle by telling her story and starting a blog How she found a community of followers who were hungry for resources that weren’t there Why she became a childbirth educator The stories of mistreatment for plus-size women, even by their healthcare providers How a woman’s mental health is affected by this treatment The importance of connecting with a size-friendly care provider Ways to handle weight issues with doctor appointments Stigma about pregnancy and birth for plus-size moms The assumptions: that a plus-size pregnancy won’t have a positive outcome, will definitely have gestational diabetes, cannot have a vaginal birth, and will probably smother her baby while breastfeeding Jen’s work: sharing images of plus-size pregnant women, so they see “someone who looks like me” The care that’s available to help plus-size moms with breastfeeding Why plus-size women should wear clothes that celebrate pregnancy Why plus-size moms don’t take pregnancy photos  Ways to normalize the pregnancy experience for larger bodies The importance of connecting with a therapist during the postpartum period Be mindful of language that might be triggering, like “obese” What you can’t tell about a plus-size woman: what she eats, how much she eats, or how she struggles Why we need to come from a place of compassion and not a place of shame How Jen was changed forever by a midwife who had compassion and believed in her The “health at any size” approach, and why it’s important The need to work through your own personal bias The podcast: the topics that are covered with transparency and the hopeful messages that make an impact How the Plus Mommy community as grown as people learn that people don’t deserve to be mistreated just because of their size Resources: Plus Size Birth:  http://www.plussizebirthcom Plus Mommy Podcast:  http://www.plusmommy.com Social Media: Facebook:  https://www.facebook.om/plusmommyblog/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/plusmommy/

Normal, healthy births happen every day, and for women of every size. And yet birth care professionals often alienate plus-size moms-to-be with shaming, inadequate equipment, and mistreatment. In this episode of Birth Allowed Radio, we talk about plus size birth and how to find a practitioner who will treat you like a person, not a risk factor. My special guest is Jen McLellan, of www.plussizebirth.com. “My midwife was the first health care provider to ever touch my body with compassion.” Plus size pregnant women are often treated differently during the pregnancy and birthing process, even though 60% of the population in child-bearing years are considered overweight or obese. But our bodies are designed for this, and we can have healthy outcomes. And if we do develop complications, it isn’t because we are bad people. We should be fully supported along our journey to motherhood, and not to be made to feel ashamed. Let’s talk about people as human beings, not just statistics and worst case scenarios. Instead of focusing on negative possibilities, using shame and scare tactics, it is important to focus on the positive outcomes that we want. Women who are shamed are less likely to receive routine medical care and more likely to gain weight. If we make risks seem like foregone conclusions then what is the incentive to make the pregnancy as healthy as possible? It is important to connect with size-friendly care providers. • They have worked through any biases they have around weight and health. http://www.obesity.org/obesity/resources/facts-about-obesity/bias-stigmatization • They don’t classify pregnant mothers as high risk based solely on BMI. • They have the proper equipment (i.e. larger blood pressure cuff, larger speculum, scale with higher upper limit, appropriate labour bed). Your first clue about this is whether they have chairs without arms in the waiting room. The message is: “If you fit in here, then you are welcome. If you don’t, you aren’t welcome.” • They have honest and compassionate conversations about health and weight; this isn’t about avoiding talking about risks. “Pregnancy is an opportunity to change the relationship that you have with your body.” Resources mentioned: Get Jen’s Plus Size Pregnancy Bundle (30% off with code 30off) - https://plussizebirth.com/my-plus-size-pregnancy-bundle/ Become a size friendly professional - https://benourished.org/trainings-post/promoting-body-trust-in-clinical-practice/ Check out Jen’s new website: www.plusmommy.com WANT TO LEARN MORE? Go to www.birthmonopoly.com WANT TO CONNECT? Email: birthallowedradio@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/birthmonopoly Twitter: www.twitter.com/birthmonopoly Instagram: www.instagram.com/birthmonopoly WANT TO SUPPORT US? Review us on iTunes, SoundCloud, or wherever you listen to the podcast. Businesses and organizations: Underwrite the show! For more information, contact us at birthallowedradio@gmail.com

Welcome to the Plus Mommy Podcast! Here we celebrate living fulfilled lives without focusing on weight loss and body shame. We address the struggles and joys of plus size pregnancy and motherhood. As well as embarking on a journey to body love! From bumps to bellies, we talk about it all on the Plus Mommy Podcast! I'm your host, Jen McLellan, and seven years ago I started the blog Plus Mommy (formerly Plus Size Mommy Memoirs). After all of these years of being a blogger, certified childbirth educator, and public speaker, I'm excited to start this new chapter of Plus Mommy with a podcast.   Don't forget to subscribe and explore the Plus Mommy website! 

In this episode, we take a look back at the previous year and highlight three women who share about how building their families and giving birth gave them an invaluable gift; careers they are passionate about. For each of us, having a child is a unique experience. We want to learn as much as we possibly can to make the best choices for our family. When we don’t find what we’re looking for, some take it upon themselves to create the experience they find missing for others. That is what Jen McLellan, Steph Crowder, and Lauren Falconer did. In Episode #5 with Jen McLellan, Jen shares how becoming a mom at a plus size left her at a loss when she searched for information online about pregnancy and birth.  Discovering that there was a complete lack of empowering and informative resources for plus size pregnant women, she set out to create the space she knew women needed.  Jen is now the best resource for plus-sized women online! In Episode #4 with Steph Crowder, Steph describes how she experienced a transformation around her career perspective when she became a mom and found an amazing way to pursue meaningful work while being present as a mother.  You’ll be inspired by how Steph describes shifting her goals and habits to experience motherhood on her terms. In Episode 17 with  Lauren Falconer, Lauren shares how she found the space in her pregnancy and birth to tap into her intuition and energy as a woman.  Realizing how empowering of an experience pregnancy and birth can be, she pursued becoming a yoga practitioner and childbirth educator to help other women discover their potential.  Lauren designed the incredible online childbirth education course “Spirit Birth”, a program that helps mamas consciously and lovingly prepare for any birth.   In This Episode: ● Achieving a deeper understanding of purpose and calling ● Becoming an entrepreneur ● Creating resources for others ● Finding a career you are passionate about ● Balancing a career and a family ● Embracing the season of creation ● Shifting into motherhood   Show Notes: Plus Size Birth — Jen McLellan's site Courage and Clarity Podcast with Steph Crowder Lauren Falconer’s website

Jen McLellan is a published author and founder of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy blog. She helps women navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of motherhood. Jen has grown a community of over 178,000 via the Plus Mommy Facebook page. Her work has been featured in major publications such as Yahoo Shine, Huffington Post, Everyday Feminism, and International Doula. She authored My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide and co-wrote the Amazon bestseller, The Peachie Moms Guide to Body Love for Moms. Jen is also a childbirth educator, skilled patient advocate, professional speaker, wife, and mother to a charismatic 7-year-old. Find her at :  https://plussizebirth.com https://plusmommy.com https://www.facebook.com/plusmommyblog https://www.instagram.com/plusmommy/ https://www.pinterest.com/plusmommy/ https://twitter.com/plusmommy https://plussizebirth.com/my-plus-size-pregnancy-bundle/ Want to continue the conversation? Join us over at the Nurtured Mama Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/nurturedmamacommunity/ Learn more about The Nurtured Mama at www.thenurturedmama.club  

Today we’ll be talking about having a healthy plus-size pregnancy and birth. While the incidence of cesareans, inductions and other interventions are higher for plus-sized women, this does not have to be the case. Jen McLellan is here to share the 3 things that can help you have a fabulous experience, no matter your size. Plus, a special guest appearance from Barley, Revered and Gus.

Biz and Theresa get deep and talk about...stickers! Where do they get stuck in YOUR house or car? Is permanent sticker damage to furniture avoidable or inevitable? Has exhaustion led to a lack of caring about the answer to any of the above questions? Whatever the answer, just like the sticker on Biz's childhood luggage says, "Keep Truckin’.” Plus, Biz wins big, Theresa has a toddler sleep update and PeachieMoms.com founders Amanda Edwards and guest Jen McLellan join us to talk about body love for mothers.   Share your genius and fail moments! Call 206-350-9485* *Be sure to tell us at the top of your message whether you're leaving a genius moment, a fail, or a rant! Thanks!! Subscribe to One Bad Mother in iTunes Join our mailing list!