Podcasts about lamaze

Avenger, two-time Oscar nominee and real life superhero, Jeremy Renner, joins Kelly to discuss his life- altering accident where he technically died and his miraculous road to recovery. Jeremy shares how the accident affected his life, which of his Marvel  co-stars showed up to support him, and what his nickname in the ICU was. Tune in to hear which Oscar winning actor he hallucinated during his hospital stay, how Lamaze classes helped save his life and about the future of Hawkeye.

Christine Eck and Stefanie discuss the intersection of passion and profession in the field of doula work. Stefanie, a Lamaze educator since 2002 and president of Doula Training Canada, shares her journey from a self-funded hobby to a full-time business. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals, identifying target markets, and overcoming money mindset issues. Stefanie's business grew significantly after addressing her financial mindset, leading to a 10,000% increase in revenue. She also highlights the significance of volunteer work in advocating for positive change in the childbirth field and encourages aspiring doulas to invest in their passion, despite initial challenges.Stefanie's Bio:Stefanie has been a Lamaze® Educator and doula since 2002. She leads several organizations providing a variety of services to expectant parents and training for those wishing to pursue work in the childbirth field. She is the president for Doula Training Canada. She is a board member with the Association of Ontario Doulas, former Treasurer and Public Relations Director for DONA International, and sits on many local boards and coalitions to improve our communities.Stefanie is a contributing author in the best selling Power of Women United and the book Bearing Witness: Childbirth Stories Told by Doulas. Stefanie was awarded Business Woman of the Year 2022 by CanadianSME.Her belief is that the world can be a better place if parents can have more positive childbirth experiences that allow them to bond properly with their babies.Doula School Canada - Doula Training | Flexible LearningAre you feeling the call to know more about Conscious Postpartum Care?Learn about our programs at ⁠www.sacredwindowstudies.com⁠Follow us on Instagram at @‌sacredwindowstudiesFacebook at @‌AyurvedaForPostpartumJoin our ⁠Facebook Group⁠Reach out! ⁠Schedule a time with Christine⁠ to find out if our programs are a good fit for you!Here is the ⁠link⁠ to out free class

Dr. Darrell Martin is an OB/GYN with four decades of expertise in women's health and the author of the bestselling memoir “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” In this episode, Dr. Martin and Meagan walk down memory lane talking about differences in birth from when he started practicing to when he retired. He even testified before Congress to fight for the rights of Certified Nurse Midwives and for patients' freedom to select their healthcare providers! Dr. Martin also touches on the important role of doulas and why midwifery observation is a huge asset during a VBAC.Dr. Martin's TikTokIn Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth RightsDr. Martin's WebsiteCoterie DiapersUse code VBAC20 at checkout for 20% off your first order of $40 or more.How to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, everybody. We have Dr. Darrell Martin joining us today. Dr. Martin hasn't really been in the OB world as of recently, but has years and years and over 5000 babies of experience. He wrote a book called, “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” We wanted to have him on and talk just a little bit more about this book and his history. That is exactly what he did. He walked us down memory lane, told us lots of crazy stories, and good stories, and things they did along the way to really advocate for birth rights and midwives in their area. Dr. Darrell Martin is a gynecologist, a dedicated healthcare advocate with four decades of expertise in women's health, and the author of the bestselling memoir, “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” His dedication to patient care and choice propelled him to testify before Congress, championing the rights of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) and advocating for patients' freedom to select their healthcare providers. A standout moment in his career was his fervent support for nurse-midwifery in Nashville, Tennessee, showcasing his commitment to advancing the profession. Additionally, Dr. Martin takes great pride in having played a pivotal role, in like I said, more than 5,000 births, marking a legacy of life and joy he has helped bring into the world.Our interview was wonderful. We really walked down what he had seen and what he had gone through to testify before Congress. We also talked about being safe with your provider, and the time that he put into his patients. We know that today we don't have the time with our providers and a lot of time with OBs because of hospital time and restricting how many patients they see per day and all of those things. But really, he encourages you to find a provider who you feel safe with and trust. I am excited for you guys to hear today's episode. I would love to hear what your thoughts were, but definitely check out the book, “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.”Meagan: Okay, you guys. I really am so excited to be recording with Dr. Martin today. We actually met a month ago from the time of this recording just to chitchat and get a better feel for one another. I hung up and was like, “Yes. Yes. I am so excited to be talking with Dr. Martin. You guys, he has been through quite the journey which you can learn a lot more about in more depth through his book. We are going to talk right there really quick. Dr. Martin, welcome to the show. Can we dive into your book very first? Dr. Darrell Martin: Surely. Thank you. Meagan: Yeah. I think your book goes with who you are and your history, so we will cover both. Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, okay. Meagan: Tell us more. Darrell Martin's book is “In Good Hands”. First of all, I have to say that I love the picture. It's baby's little head. It's just so awesome. Okay, we've got “In Good Hands: A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery and Birth Rights.” Just right there, that title is so powerful. I feel like with VBAC specifically, if we are going to dive into VBAC specifically, there are a lot of barriers that need to be broken within the world of birth. We need to keep understanding our birth rights. We also have had many people who have had their rights taken away as midwives. They can't even help someone who wants to VBAC in a lot of areas. A lot of power is in this book. Tell us a little bit more about this book and how it came about. Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, the book came because of patients. As I was heading into my final run prior to retirement, that last 6-8 months, and I use that term, but it shouldn't be patient. It should be client because patient would imply that they have an illness. Occasionally, they do have some problems, but in reality, they are first the client wanting a service. I thought my role as to provide this service and listen to them about what that was and what they wanted to have occur. In response to the question of what was I going to do when I retired, I just almost casually said, “I'm going to write a book.” The book evolved into the story of my life because so much of the patients and clients when they would come to me were sharing their life, and they were sharing what was going on in their life. Amazingly, it was always amazing to me that in 3 or 4 minutes of an initial meeting, they would sometimes open up about their deepest, darkest secrets and it was a safe place for them to share. I always was blown away with that. I respected that. Many times there were friends of my wife who would come in. I would not dare share a single thing notwithstanding the fact that there were HIPAA regulations, but the right thing was they were sharing with me their life. I thought, “I'm going to turn that around as much as I can by sharing my life with them.” It was an homage to that group of individuals so I would like them to see where I was coming from as I was helping them. That was the goal. That was the intent. Secondarily, for my grandchildren and hopefully the great-grandchildren that come whether I'm here or not because including them with that was the history of my entire American heritage and my grandfather coming over or as we would call him Nono, coming over to the United States and to a better place to better a life for his family. Our name was changed from Marta to Martin at Ellis Island. I wanted that story of his sacrifice for his family and subsequently my uncles' sacrifice and my parents' sacrifice for the priority they placed on families. That was for my children as well and grandchildren. There were a lot of old pictures that we had that we pulled out and that didn't occur in the book because there wasn't enough money to produce a lot of those pictures into the book, but they will be there in a separate place for my kids and grandkids. It was a two-fold reason to do the book. It started just as a narrative. I started typing away. The one funny ironic, and I don't know if ironic is the right word, story as I was growing up, is that people as my why I become an OB/GYN. I'm sure this was not the reason, but it's interesting as I reflected that growing up, it was apparently difficult for my mother to have me. I was her only child. She always would say I was spoiled nice, but I was definitely spoiled. When she was mad at me, the one thing she would say, and I didn't understand it until much later when I was actually probably in medical school, was that I was a dry birth and I was breech, and I just ruined her bottom. When she really got aggravated occasionally, she would say those little words to me as I was probably a teenager. Then on reflection, I became an OB/GYN so I really understood what she was saying then. Meagan: It was interesting that you said the words “dry birth” because my mom, when my water broke with my second, she was telling me that I was going to have this dry birth. She was like, “If you don't go in, you're going to have this dry birth.” So many people I have said that to are like, “What? I have never heard of that in my entire life,” and you just said that, so it really was a thing. It really was something that was said. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. It was a term back then in the late 40s to late 50s I guess. Meagan: Crazy. So you were inspired. You decided to do the OB route. Tell us a little bit of how that started and then how you changed over the years. Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, when I was in med school, and I went to West Virginia University Medical School, principally, it was fortunate because I would say in retrospect, they were probably lower middle class. I had the opportunity to go to West Virginia. Literally, my tuition per semester was $500. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Dr. Darrell Martin: My parents didn't have to dig into money they didn't have. They never had to borrow any money, so I was fortunate. I did have a scholarship to college. They didn't have to put out the money with the little they had saved. The affordability was there and never an issue. I went to West Virginia, and in my second year, I guess I connected a little bit with some of the docs and some of the chair of the department in West Virginia, Dr. Walter Bonnie, who I didn't realize at the time had left. He was the chairman of Vanderbilt before he was the chairman of West Virginia so now I understand why he was pointing me to either go to Vanderbilt or to Duke. I think I'm fortunate that I went to Vanderbilt. In spite of everything that happened, it was the path I was supposed to take. I did a little rotation as a 2nd-year medical student with some private OBs. I was just amazed. I was enthralled by the intervention of the episiotomies I observed. I said, “Well, you're going to learn how to sew.” What really struck me was that I went into this. I still can picture it. It was a large room where there were probably four or six women laboring. They had almost one of the baby beds. They had the thing where you can pull up the sides so someone couldn't get out of the bed. I couldn't figure out why someone in labor was like this. There was a lady there. I'll never forget. She had been given scopolamine which is the amnesiac which was often used where women sometimes don't even know where they are. They don't even have memory of where they are. She was underneath the bed on all fours barking like a dog. I asked him, “Why are you not going to let her husband in here?” They were saying things they probably shouldn't say under the influence of these crazy drugs. It made me start thinking even from that point on, “Why are they doing this? Why are they zapping them so much in the way of drugs?” Then I didn't see or understand fetal monitoring. We didn't have it at West Virginia. It came in my residency. It had just come in the first year prior to that, and the new maternal-fetal head at Vanderbilt brought in fetal monitoring. He had done some of the original research with Dr. Han at Yale. What I was doing a medical student during my rotations was sitting at the bedside. That's what we as medical students were responsible to do. Sit at the bedside. Palpate the abdomen. Sit with the fetoscope, the little one you stick around your head and put down, and count the heartbeats. We would be there six or eight hours. We were responsible for drawing all of the blood, but more importantly, we were there observing labor. Albeit, they weren't allowed to get up, but it was just the connection and I loved that connection. I loved that sense of connecting with people, and then that evolved into you connecting with them when they come back for their visits. I've had quite a few people who I've seen for 20, 30, 35 years annually. That became a much more than just doing a pelvic exam, blah, blah, blah. It became a connection. It was a communication of, “What's going on in your life? What's happening?” Meagan: A true friendship. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. Meagan: It became true friendships with these parents and these mothers. I think that says a lot about you as a provider. Yeah. That makes us feel more connected and safe. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. I desperately miss that. I still miss that as a vocation and that connection. I would look forward to it. I would look on the schedule, “Who's coming in?” I could remember things about them that we would deal with for 15 years or more. One client of mine who, we would begin by, “How are you doing?” We would still go back to when her son was at a college in Florida and was on a bicycle and got hit and killed. We were relating and discussing that 15 years later. It was a place where she knew that we would go back to that point and talk a little bit about her feelings and it's much more important to me. If everything's fine doing a breast exam and doing a pelvic exam, listening to the heart and lungs, that's all normal and perfunctory. It's important, but what's really important is that connection. My goal also was, if I could, to leave the person as they went out the door laughing and to try to say something to cheer them up, to be entertaining, not to make light of their situation if obviously they had a bad problem, but still to say as they would leave with a smile on their face or a little laugh, but the funny one, I still remember this. We had instituted all of these forms. It would drive me crazy if I went to the doctor. We had all of these forms with all of these questions. They were repetitive every year. You just couldn't say that it was the same. She came in. She was laughing. She said, “These forms are crazy. It's asking me do I have a gun at home?” I said, thinking about it, in my ignorance, I hadn't reviewed every single question of these 15 pages that they were going to get. I'm sure it was about depression and to pick up on depression if they have a gun at home. She laughed. She said, “The young lady who was asking me the questions said, ‘Do you have a gun at home?' I said, ‘No, I have it right here in my purse. Would you like to see it?'” Meagan: Oh my gosh. Dr. Darrell Martin: So it was just joking about how she really got the person flustered who was asking the question. Sometimes we ask questions in those forms that are a little over the top. Meagan: Yeah. What I'm noticing is that you spent time with your patients not even just to get to know them, but you really wanted to get to know them. You didn't just do the checked boxes and the forms. It was to really get to know them. We talked about finding a good practice last time. What does that look like? What can we do? What are things to do? What is the routine that is normal for every provider's office or is there a normal routine for every provider's office? From someone coming in and wanting an experience like what you provide, how can we look for that? How can we seek that?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, what you're saying and particularly when it evolves into having a chat, is first trust. you want to trust your provider. If you don't trust, you're anxious. We know that anxiety can produce a lot of issues. I would often tell a client who was already pregnant let's say as opposed to what should be done before they get pregnant. I would say they are getting ready to take a big test, and that test is having a baby. I said, “It's like a pass/fail. You're all going to pass. What do you want to have happen? You need to be comfortable and learn as much as you can and have people alongside you that you trust so that it is a great experience.” The second one, I'm sure you've seen this is that sometimes you just worry that people get so rigid in what they want, and then they feel like a failure if it doesn't happen. We want to avoid that because that can lead to a lot of postpartum depression and things that last. They feel like a failure. That should never happen. That should never happen. They should understand that they have a pathway and a plan. If they trust who's there with them, what ends up happening is okay. It's not that they've been misled which is then where the plan is altered by not a good reason maybe, but it's been altered and it really throws them for a loop. Meagan: Yeah. Dr. Darrell Martin: I think in preparation, first they've got to know what their surroundings are. They start off. Ideally, someone's thinking about getting pregnant before they get pregnant. I've had enough clients who, when we start talking about birth control, and I'll say, “Are you sexually active?” “Yes.” “Are you using anything for birth control?” “No, I don't want to use anything for birth control.” I said, “Do you want to get pregnant?” “No.” I said, “Well, that's not equal. A, you're not having intercourse and B, you're not using anything, so eventually, you're going to get pregnant. You need to start planning for that outcome, but the prep work ahead of time is to know your surrounding. You've got to know what you know and you've got to know what you want. You really should be seeking some advice of close friends who you trust who have been through and experienced it in a positive way. You've got to know what your town where you live is like. Is there one hospital or two hospitals? What are the hospitals like?” Someone told me one time that I should just write a book about what to do before you get pregnant. Meagan: Yeah, well it's a big deal. Before you get pregnant is what really can set us up for the end too because if we don't prep and we're not educating ourselves before, and we don't know what we're getting into, we don't know our options. That can set us up for a less-ideal position. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. I think that's where the role of a doula can come into play. I hate to say it this way, but if they're going to go to the provider's office, they're not going to get that kind of exchange in that length of time to really settle in to what it is what that plan is going to be like. To be honest, most of the providers are not going to spend the time to do that. Meagan: Mhmm, yeah. The experience that you gave in getting to know people on that level is not as likely these days. OBs are limited to 7-10 minutes per visit?Dr. Darrell Martin: That's on a good day probably. Meagan: See? Yeah. Dr. Darrell Martin: You're being really kind right there. You're being really kind. It's just amazing. Sometimes you're a victim of your own success. If you're spending more time, and you're involved with that, then you've got to make a decision in your practice of how many people you're going to see. If you're seeing a certain amount, then the more you see, what's going to happen to them? You have control of your own situation, but then often you feel the need to have other partners and other associates, and then it gets too business-like. Smaller, to me, is better. The only problem with small with obstetrics is we know that if it's a solo practice, for example, someone will say, “I'm going to this doctor here because I want to see he or she the whole time.” I say, “You've got to think about that. Is that person going to be on-call 365 days a year?” Then what happens later on in the pregnancy when that becomes more of a concern to the client, they'll ask. They'll say, “Well, I'm on-call every Thursday and one weekend out of four.” They freak out. They get really anxious. “What's going to happen? I just know you.” They'll say, “I'm on-call on Thursday. I do inductions on Thursday.” So it leads into that path of wanting that provider. So then to get that provider, they're going to be induced. And we know that that at least doubles the rate of C-sections, at least, depending on how patient or not patient they are.Meagan: I was going to say they've got this little ARRIVE trial saying, "Oh, it doesn't. It lowers it. But what people don't really know is how much time these ARRIVE trial patients were really given. And so when you say that time is what is not given, but it's needed for a vaginal birth a lot of the times with these inductions.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes, yes, if the induction is even indicated to begin with because the quality assurance, a lot of hospitals, you have to justify the induction. But it doesn't really happen that way. I mean, if there's a group of physicians that are all doing the same thing, they're not going to call each other out.Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: It's just going to continue to happen is there're 39 weeks. I love how exactly they know how big the baby's going to be. But even more importantly, how big can this person have? I mean, there are no correlations. There are no real correlations. I can remember before ultrasound, we were taught pelvimetry. the old X-ray and you see what the inner spinous distance is, but you still don't know for sure what size has going to come through there.Meagan: Oh right. Well, and we know that through movement, which what you were seeing in the beginning of your OB days in your schooling, they didn't move. They put them in the bed. They put them in a bed and sat them in the bed. So now we're seeing movement, but there's still a lack of education in position of baby. And so we're getting the CPD diagnosis left and right and being told that we'll never get a baby out of our pelvis or our baby's too large to fit through it, when in a lot of situations it's just movement and changing it up and recognizing a baby in a poor position. An asynclitic baby is not going to have as easy as a time as a baby coming down in an OA, nice, tucked position. Right?Dr. Darrell Martin: Exactly. Exactly. There was the old Friedman Curve and if you went off the Friedman Curve, I was always remarked it's 1.2 centimeters, I think prime at 1.5 per hour. But I can never figure out what 0.2 two was when you do a pelvic exam. What is that really? Is the head applied against the cervix? So it's all relative. It's not that exact. But no, I think that if a person could find a person they trust who knows the environment, I think that's where the value of a really good doula can help because they're emotionally connected to the couple, but they're not as connected as husband and wife are or someone else.Meagan: Or a sister or a friend.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. And that may be their first shot at that sister of being in a room like that other maybe her own child. It's nice to have someone with a lot more experience that can stand in the gap when they're emotionally distraught, maybe the husband is. He's sweating it out. He's afraid of what he's going to say sometimes. And then she's hurting and she needs that person who can be just subjective to  stand in the gap for her when they're trying to push the buttons in the wrong direction or play on their emotions a little too much.Meagan: Yeah. I love that you pointed that out. We actually talked about that in our course because a lot of people are like, "Oh, no, it's okay. I can just hire my friend or my sister." And although those people are so wonderful, there is something very different about having a doula who is trained and educated and can connect with you, but also disconnect and see other options over here.So we just kind of were going a little bit into induction and things like that. And when we talked a couple weeks ago, we talked about why less is better when it comes to giving medicine or induction to VBAC or not. We talked about it impeding the natural process. Can you elaborate more on that? On both. Why less is more, but then also VBAC and induction. What's ideal for that? What did you use back then?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, we're going back a long time.Meagan: No, I know, I know.Dr. Darrell Martin: We're going back a long time. See, that would be like what you just did was give me about three questions in one that would be like being on a defensive stand on trial. And then you're trying to figure out where the attorney going, and he sets you up with three questions in one, and then you know you're in trouble when he does that.Meagan: I'm finding that I'm really good at doing that. Asking one question with three questions or five questions?Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes.Meagan: So, okay, let's talk about less is more. Why is less more?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, first of all, you can observe the natural process of labor. Anytime you intervene with whatever medication-wise or epidural-wise, you're altering the natural course. I mean, that to me it just makes sense. I mean, those things never occurred years ago. So you are intervening in a natural course. And you then have got to factor that in to see how much is that hindering the labor process? Would it have been hindered if you hadn't done that? If you'd allow them to walk, if you allowed them to move? The natural observation of labor makes a lot more sense than the intervention where you've then got to figure out, is the cause of the arrest of labor, so to speak, is it because of the intervention or was it really going to occur?Meagan: Light bulb.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes.Meagan: That's an interesting concept to think about.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. And you want to be careful because it's another little joke. I say you just don't want to give the client/patient a silver bullet. Often I've had husbands say, "Well, they don't need any medicines." You have to be careful what you're saying because you're not the one in labor. But I wouldn't say that quite to them. But they got the picture really quickly when their wife, their spouse, lashed back out at them.Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: So you can come over here and sit and see how you like it. I can still remember doing a Lamaze class with Sandy, and we also did Bradley class because I wanted to experience it all. She was the first person to deliver at Vanderbilt without any medication using those techniques. And when we would do that little bit of teaching, I can remember doing that when they would try to show a guy by pinching him for like 30 seconds and increasing the intensities to do their breathing, maybe they should have had something else pinched to make them realize-- Meagan: How intense.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah. How intense it isMeagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: We can't totally experience it. So we have to be empathetic and balance that. And that's where, to me, having that other person can be helpful because I'm sure that that person who is the doula would be meeting and with them multiple times in the antepartum course as opposed to they go into labor and if there's a physician delivery, chances are their support person is going to be a nurse they've never met before or maybe multiple ones who come in and out and in and out and in and out, and they're not there like someone else would be. To me that's suboptimal, but that's the way it works. And I observed the first birth. I didn't tell the people at the hospital for my daughter-in-law that I was an obstetrician.Meagan: And yeah you guys, a little backstory. He was a doula at his daughter-in-law's birth.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes. But her first birth did not turn out that well at an unnamed hospital. She didn't want to come to my practice because they weren't married that long and that's getting into their business a little bit. Plus, she lived on the north side of town and I was on the south side. So she chose, a midwifery group, but the midwife was not in there very much. I mean, she was responsible. They were doing probably 15 to 20 births per midwife.Meagan: Wow.Dr. Darrell Martin: They were becoming like a resident, really. They were not doing anything a whole lot differently. And then she had a fourth degree, and she then, in my opinion, got chased out of the hospital the next day and ended up turning around a day later and coming back with preeclampsia. I heard she had some family history of hypertension. I had to be careful because I'm the father-in-law. I'm saying, "Well, maybe you shouldn't go home." And then she ends up going back. And she didn't have HELLP syndrome, but she was pretty sick there for a day or two. That was unfortunate because she went home, and then she had to go right back and there's the baby at home because the baby can't go back into the hospital. And so her second birth, because it was such a traumatic experience with the fourth degree, she elected to use our group and wanted one of my partners to electively section her. She did the trauma of that fourth degree. That was so great. So she did. But obviously, she had a proven pelvis because she had a first vaginal delivery. And then she came to me and she said, "I want to do a VBAC." And so I said, "Oh, that's great." And so one of my partners was there with her, but my son got a little bit antsy and a little bit sick, so he kind of left the room. I was the support person through the delivery. That was my opportunity to be a doula. And of course, she delivered without any medication and without an episiotomy and did fine. Meagan: Awesome.Dr. Darrell Martin: And a bigger baby than the one that was first time.Meagan: Hey, see? That's awesome. I love that.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yes.Meagan: So it happens.So we talked a little bit about midwives, and we talked about right here "A Doctor's Story of Breaking Barriers for Midwifery". Talk to us about breaking barriers for midwifery. And what are your thoughts one on midwives, but two, midwives being restricted to support VBAC?Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, that's two questions again.Meagan: Yep. Count on me to do that to you.Dr. Darrell Martin: I'll flip to the second one there. I think it's illogical to not allow a midwife to be involved with a VBAC. That makes no sense to me at all because if anybody needs more observation in the birth process, it would potentially or theoretically actually be someone who's had a prior C-section. Right? There's a little bit more risk for a rupture that needs more observation, doesn't need someone in and out, in and out of the room. The physician is going to be required to be in-house or at least when we were doing them, they were required to be in house and there was the ability to do a section pretty quickly. But observation can really mitigate that rush, rush, rush, rush, rush. I've had midwives do breeches with me and I've had them do vaginal twins. If I'm there, they can do it just as well as I can. I'm observing everything that's happening and they should know how to do shoulder dystocia. One thing that you cannot be totally predictive of and doctors don't have to be in the hospital for the most part in hospitals. Hopefully, there probably are some where they're required, but it makes no sense and they're able to do those. So if I'm there observing because the hospital is going to require that, and I think that's not a bad thing. I never would be opposed or would never advocate that I shouldn't be there for a VBAC. But I think to have the support person and that be the midwife is going to continue and do the delivery, I think that's great. There's no logic of what they're going to do unless that doctor is just going to decide that they're going to play a midwife role and that they're going to be there in that room. They're advocating that role to a nurse or multiple nurses who the person doesn't know, never met them before, and so that trust is not there. They're already stressed. The family's stressed. There are probably some in-laws or relatives out there and they say, "Well, you're crazy. Why are you doing this for? Why don't you just have a section?" Everybody has an opinion, right? So there's a lot of family. I would observe that they're sitting out there and we've got into that even back then that's a society that some of them don't want to be there, but they feel obliged to be out there waiting for a birth to occur. Right. When four hours goes by, "Oh, oh, there must be a problem. Why aren't they doing something?" You hear that all the time. I try to say, "Well, first labor can be 16 to 20 hours." "16 to 20 hours?" and then they think, "I'm going to be here for that long."Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Darrell Martin: So there's always that push at times from family about things aren't moving quickly.Meagan: Right.Dr. Darrell Martin: They're moving naturally, but their frame of reference is not appropriate for what's occurring. They don't really understand. And so that's the answer. Yes. I think that it makes no sense that midwives are not involved. That does not make any sense at all.So the first part of the question was what happened with me and midwives?Meagan: Well, breaking barriers for midwifery. There are so many people out there who are still restricted to not be able to support VBAC. I mean, we have hospital midwives here in Utah that can't even support VBAC. The OBs are just completely restricting them. What do you mean when you say breaking barriers for midwifery and birth rights?Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, what I meant was this is now in late 1970, 79, 80. And I'd observe midwifery care because as residents, we were taking care of individuals at three different hospitals, one of which was Nashville General, which was a hospital where predominantly that was indigent care, women with no insurance. And we had a program there with midwives.Dr. Darrell Martin: And so we were their backup. I was their backup for my senior residency, chief residency, and subsequently, as an attending because I was an attending teaching medical students and residents and really not teaching midwives, just observing them if they needed anything, within the house most of the time, principally for the medical students and the junior residents. But I saw their outcomes, how great they were. I saw the connection that occurred. We didn't have a residency program where you saw the same people every time then. It was just purely a rotation. You would catch people and it just became seeing 50 or 75 people and just try to get them in and out. But then you observe over here and watch what happens with the midwifery group and the lack of intervention and the great outcomes because they had to keep statistics to prove what they were doing. Right? Meagan: Yeah, yeah. I'm sure. Dr. Darrell Martin: They were required to do that, and you would see that the outcomes were so much better. Then it evolved because a lot of those women over the course of the years prior to me being there and has evolved while I was there, I was befriended by one midwife. She was a nurse in labor and delivery who then went on to midwifery school. We became really close friends. Her family and my family became very close. They had people, first of all, physicians' wives who wanted to use them and friends in the neighborhood who wanted to use them, but they had insurance and people that had delivered there who then were able to get a job and had insurance and wanted to use them again, but they couldn't at the indigent hospital. You had to not have insurance. So there was no vehicle for them in Nashville to do birth. We advocated for a new program at Vanderbilt where they could do that and at the same time do something that's finally occurring now and that's how midwives teach medical students and teach residents normal birth because that's the way you develop the connection that moves on into private practice is they see their validity at that level and that becomes a really essentially part of what they want to do when they leave. They don't see them as competition as much. Still, sometimes it's competition. So anyhow, at that point, our third hospital was relatively new. The Baptist private hospital run by the private doctors where the deliveries at that point were the typical ones with amnesiac, no father in the room, an episiotomy, and forceps. So when we tried to do the program, the chairman-- and we subsequently found some of this information out. It wasn't totally aware at the time. They were given a choice by the private hospital. Either you continue to have residents at the private hospital or you have the midwifery private program at Vanderbilt. But you can't have both. If you're going to do that, you can't have residence over here. So they were using the political pressure to stop it from happening. Then I said, they approached myself and the two doctors, partners, I was working with in Hendersonville which is a little suburb north of town. We had just had a new hospital start there and we were the only group so that gave us a lot of liberties. I mean, we started a program for children of birth with birthing rooms, no routine episiotomies, all walking in labor, and all the things you couldn't do downtown. Well, the problem was we wanted midwives in into practice but we didn't have the money to pay them. We were brand new. So we had a discussion and they said, "Well, we want to start our own business." And I said, "Oh." And I kind of joked, I said, "Well that's fine, I can be your employee then." And that was fine for us. I mean, we had no problem being their consultant because someone asked, "Well, how can you let that happen?" I said, "We still have control of the medical issues. We can still have a discussion and they can't run crazy. They're not going to do things that we don't agree with just because they're paying for the receptionists and they're taking ownership of their practice." So they opened their doors on Music Row in Nashville.Meagan: Awesome.Dr. Darrell Martin: But as soon as that started happening and they announced it, at that time, the only insurance carrier for malpractice in the state of Georgia was State Volunteer Mutual which was physician-owned because of the crisis so they couldn't get any insurance the other way a physician couldn't unless it was through the physician-owned carrier. Well, one of the persons who was just appointed to the board was a, well I would call an establishment old-guard, obstetrician/gynecologist from Nashville. And he said in front of multiple people that he was going to set midwifery back 100 years, and he was going to get my malpractice insurance. He was going to take my malpractice insurance away.Meagan: Wow.Dr. Darrell Martin: For practicing with midwife. And that was in the spring of the year. Well, by October of that year, he did take my malpractice insurance. They did.Meagan: Wow. For working with midwives? Dr. Darrell Martin: For risks of undue proportion. Yes. The Congressman for one of the midwives was Al Gore, and in December of that year we had a congressional hearing in D.C. where we testified. The Federal Trade Commission got involved. The Federal Trade Commission had them required the malpractice carrier to open their books for five years. And what that did was it stopped attacks across the United States. There were multiple attacks going on all across the country trying to block midwives from practicing independently or otherwise. And so from 1980-83, when subsequently a litigation was settled, the malpractice carrier, including the physicians who were involved, all admitted guilt before it went to the Supreme Court. I went through a few years there and that's where you see some of those stories where I was blackballed and had to figure out a place where I was going to work. I almost went back to school. This is a little funny story. I was pointed in the direction of Dr. Miller who was the head of Maternal Child Health at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina. I didn't realize that then two months later, he testified before Congress as well because he wanted me to come there. I interviewed and then I would get my PhD and do the studies that would disprove all the routine things that physicians were doing to couples. I would run those studies. It was a safe space. It was a safe place, a beautiful place in Chapel Hill. So he told me, he said, "You need to meet with my manager assistant and she'll talk to you about your stipend, etc." Now I had three children under four years of age.Meagan: Wow, you were busy.Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, the first one was adopted through one of the friends I was in school with, so we had two children seven months apart because Sandy was pregnant and had like four or five miscarriages before.Meagan: Wow.Dr. Darrell Martin: So I had three under four. So she proceeded to say, "Well Dr. Martin, this is great. Here's your stipend and I have some good news for you." I said, "Well, what's that?" He said, "Well, you're going to get qualified for food stamps." That's good news? Okay. So I'm trying to support my three children and my wife. I said, "I can't do that. As much as I would love to go to this safe place," and Chapel Hill would have been a safe place because it would have been an academia, but then I had to find a place to work. So it was just how through my faith, it got to the point where know ending up in Atlanta, I was able to not only do everything I wanted to do, but one of the midwives that I worked with, Vicki Henderson Bursman won the award from the midwifery college. And the year after, I received the Lewis Hellman Award for supporting midwives from ACOG and AC&M. But we prayed. We said, "One day we're going to work together." And this was 1980. In 93, when we settled the lawsuit, we reconnected. I was chairman of a private school, and we hired her husband to come to Atlanta to work at the school. Two weeks, three weeks later, I get a call from the administrator of the hospital in Emory who was running the indigent project at the hospital we were working at teaching residents. They said that they wanted to double the money. Their contract was up and they wanted double what they had been given. So the hospital refused and they asked me to do the program. We didn't have any other place to go. And then what was happening? Well, Rick was coming to Atlanta, but so was Vicki. So Vicki, who I hadn't worked with for 13 years, never was able to work, came and for the next 20 years, worked in Atlanta with me. And we did. She ran basically the women's community care project, and then also worked in the private practice. And then the last person, Susie Soshmore, who was the other midwife, really couldn't leave Nashville. She was much, much more, and rightly so, she was bitter about what happened and never practiced midwifery. Her husband was retiring. She decided since they were going to Florida to Panama City, that she wanted to get back and actually start doing midwifery, but she needed to be re-credentialed. So she came and spent six months with us in Atlanta as we re-credentialed her and she worked with us. So ultimately we all three did get to work together.Meagan: That's awesome. Wow. What a journey. What a journey you have been on.Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah, it was quite a journey.Meagan: Yeah. It's so crazy to me to hear that someone would actively try to make sure that midwifery care wasn't a thing. It's just so crazy to me, and I think it's probably still happening. It's probably still happening here in 2024. I don't know why midwives get such a bad rap, but like you said, you saw with the studies, their outcomes were typically better. Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah.Meagan: Why are we ignoring that?Dr. Darrell Martin: Doctors were pretty cocky back then. They may be more subtle about what they do now because to overtly say they're going to get your malpractice insurance, that's restricted trade.Meagan: Yeah. That's intense.Dr. Darrell Martin: Intense. Well, it's illegal to start with.Meagan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, right?Dr. Darrell Martin: If you attack the doctor, you get the midwife. They tried to attack the policies and procedures. That was the other thing they were threatening to do was, "Well, if you still come here, we're going to close the birthing room. We're going to require women to stay flat in bed. We require episiotomies. We require preps and enemas." Well, they wouldn't require episiotomies, but certainly preps and enemas and continuous monitoring just to make it uncomfortable and another way to have midwives not want to work there.Meagan:  Yes. I just want to Do a big eye-roll with all of that. Oh my goodness. Well, thank you so much for taking the time and sharing your history and these stories and giving some tips on trusting our providers and hiring a doula. I mean, we love OBs too, but definitely check out midwives and midwives, if you're out there and you're listening and you want to learn how to get involved in your community, get involved with supportive OBs like Dr. Martin and you never know, there could be another change. You could open a whole other practice, but still advocate for yourself.I'm trying to think. Are there any final tips that you have for our listeners for them on their journey to VBAC?Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, pre-pregnancy that next time around, we know very quickly that the weight of the baby is controlled by heredity which you really essentially have no control over that including who your husband is. If he's 6'5", 245, their odds are going to be that the baby might be a little bigger. However, you do have control what your pre-pregnancy weight is, and if you get your BMI into a lower range, we know statistically that the baby's probably going to be a little bit smaller, and that gives you a better shot. You don't have control of when you deliver, but you do have control of your weight gain during the pregnancy and you do have control of what your pre-pregnancy weight, which are also factors in the size of the baby. So control what you can control, and trust the rest that it's going to work out the way it should.Meagan:  Yeah, I think just being healthy, being active, getting educated like you said, pre-pregnancy. It is empowering to be educated and prepared both physically, emotionally, and logistically like where you're going, and who you're seeing. All of that before you become pregnant. It really is such a huge benefit. So thank you again for being here with us today. Can you tell us where we can find your book?Dr. Darrell Martin: Yeah, it's available on Amazon. It's available at Books A Million. It's available at Barnes and Noble. So all three of the major sources.Meagan:  Some of the major sources. Yeah. We'll make sure to link those in the show notes. If you guys want to hear more about Dr. Martin's journey and everything that he's got going on in that book, we will have those links right there so you can click and purchase. Thank you so much for your time today.Dr. Darrell Martin: Thank you. I enjoyed it and it went very quickly. It was enjoyable talking to you.Meagan:  It did, didn't it? Just chatting. It's so fun to hear that history of what birth used to be like, and actually how there are still some similarities even here in 2024. We have a lot to improve on. Dr. Darrell Martin: Absolutely, yes. Meagan:  But it's so good to hear and thank you so much for being there for your clients and your customers and patients, whatever anyone wants to call them, along the way, because it sounds like you were really such a great advocate for them.Dr. Darrell Martin: Well, we tried. We tried. It was important that they received the proper care, and that we served them appropriately, and to then they fulfill whatever dream they had for that birth experience or be something they would really enjoy.Meagan:  Yes. Well, thank you again so much.Dr. Darrell Martin: Okay, thank you. I enjoyed talking to you. Good luck, and have fun.Meagan: Thank you.Dr. Darrell Martin: Bye-bye.Meagan: Thank you. You too. Bye.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

Ep 130 Description:  “Maternity care is everybody's business, acknowledging the deep need for improvement and making sure that people have something concrete and specific based on where they are and their own journey as a consumer of maternity care.” —Jill Wodnick   Maternal health is a global issue that impacts families worldwide. Equitable access to quality care and the right to safe, respectful birth experiences are fundamental human rights. Yet too many mothers continue to face disparities, trauma, and preventable complications.  Jill Wodnick is a Lamaze childbirth educator, doula, and maternal health policy expert dedicated to advancing respectful, evidence-based maternity care. She serves on national advisory councils and provides technical assistance to community organizations. Tune in as Jill shares the powerful history and legacy of the 123forMOMS movement, the complex role of doulas and Medicaid reimbursement, as well as strategies for advocating for quality indicators and respectful care during pregnancy and childbirth, and more.      Connect with Debra! Website: https://www.orgasmicbirth.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth X: https://twitter.com/OrgasmicBirth  YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/OrgasmicBirth1  Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@orgasmicbirth  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471      Episode Highlights: 03:22 Meet Jill- Professional Birth Advocate  08:34 123forMOMS 13:15 Expanding 123forMOMS 20:36 Advocating for Quality Maternity Care  27:34 The Forgotten Chakra   Links Mentioned: 

What do you do when your organization's name is well known, but what you actually do is NOT well known or understood? How do you educate the public and the healthcare community for greater awareness and support?In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Silvia Quevedo, Executive Director of Lamaze International. Silvia discusses: That Lamaze is so much more than a breathing technique. Lamaze is a philosophy, education, advocacy, and practices that foster healthy labor, delivery and early parenting.The maternal health crisis in the US, especially among women of color and women in rural communities.The six healthy birth practices that are supported by the World Health Organization.How being an association executive is Silvia's second career, and how being an executive director for the first time is like drinking from a fire hose.Her biggest piece of advice to other association CEOs: listen more and listen to what's being said and NOT said.How Lamaze expanded membership categories so that anyone working with pregnancy and birthing can join.How Lamaze is a brand and the organization licenses its name to products, including clothing and toys. The processing for vetting licensees is very thorough.Lamaze's advocacy work includes supporting the Medicaid expansion in states, and support for workforce development programs.The member toolkits and resources Lamaze has developed, enabling members to better communicate the organization's mission and services.References:Lamaze International website

Tread Merrily 2024 continues with an episode of ALF known as "ALF's Special Christmas" — although it will be referred to as “ALF'S Christmas Special”. When the Tanners take the opportunity to spend Christmas at a cabin in the woods, ALF grumbles about the lack of indoor plumbing and electricity. His antagonism gets so bad, Willie sends him outside for a few hours. ALF ends up driving into town with the cabin's owner, who also volunteers as Santa at the local hospital. There, ALF learns the "true" meaning of Christmas as guest stars Cleavon Little and Carl Franklin class up the joint. Will the Tanners find ALF before he's mistaken for a toy? Also: a wild Molly Hagan appears! Erik and Justin end up watching almost two hours of ALF thanks to a typo. "ALF's Special Christmas" proves to be Seasonal Affective Disorder in TV form and it inspires a lot of dark comedy. Justin is convinced TV in the late 1980s was all in soft focus. The ALF impressions are abundant, but there's nary a Max Wright impression to be heard. Justin realizes the problem with Gordon Shumway answering to "ALF." Erik's qualitative objection to Ben Stiller comes to light. Unfunniness gets examined. The pair debate whether or not Edgar Wright should make Don't and an actor brings a new spin to the tired Lamaze joke.

SITE INTERNET : https://driveco.com/

SITE INTERNET : https://driveco.com/

Holly Zeinfeld, 79, has moved 22 times and lived in 8 states during her marriage to Steve. They were partners in life and in work until he died a little over a year ago. Holly cared for him in home hospice for 7 years with periodic help from her son. Everywhere Holly goes, she finds meaningful work to do and makes lifelong friends. She calls herself the Director of Intangibles. No fitness center for pregnant women? She buys one and learns Lamaze to teach it and improve women's lives. Employees disgruntled? Create a plan to build a cohesive and happy staff. School in Israel is not working for two of her grandsons? Bring them to Chicago to attend high school and live with her for several years.Even today, living at Plymouth Place in La Grange Park IL, she continues to organize, participate in and build a strong community for herself and her neighbors. No seder? Run one for anyone who might come - 30 people showed up. Thoughts become things. Say the good ones.Resilience, tolerance, a deep caring and willingness to put herself out there for others - that is Holly Zeinfeld. CONNECT TO HOLLY:Email: nanuholly@yahoo.com

Ce 1er épisode hors-série est consacré à l'événement Engage Paris 2024 qui a eu lieu en juin 2024.Engage Paris, c'est l'événement francophone dédié aux équipes Customer Success et aux Customer Success Ops.Cet événement existe depuis 5 ans et est organisé par Sue Nabeth Moore, Justine Joliveau, Valentin Lejot et Gabrièle de Lamaze.À travers cet épisode, vous aurez l'occasion d'écouter 3 invités qui sont intervenus durant l'événement Engage Paris 2024 :Sue Nabeth Moore : Sue est une experte reconnue dans la communauté francophone des Customer Success. Avec sa société Success Chain, elle accompagne les entreprises qui ont besoin d'expertise sur des sujets de structuration et d'accompagnement de leur équipe CS.Elisabeth Courland : Elisabeth est CS Ops au sein d'Agorapulse. Après avoir évoluée plusieurs années en tant que Customer Success, elle a décidé de donner une autre direction à sa carrière et de se dédier aux Ops afin d'accompagner les équipes CS dans leur quotidien.Bastien Laugiero : Bastien est Program Manager chez Qlik et en charge d'un gros projet d'harmonisation de leur plateforme suite au rachat de la société Talend par Qlik.Bonne écoute !

Le 15 avril 2019, peu après 18 heures, un incendie est déclaré sur l'île de la Cité à Paris, la cathédrale Notre-Dame brûle. Un peu plus de cinq ans après et des rénovations colossales, l'édifice va rouvrir ses portes début décembre 2024, et ceux qui veulent y entrer pourraient devoir mettre la main à la poche. En effet, Rachida Dati, ministre française de la Culture, a évoqué un prix unitaire de cinq euros par visiteur, avec un objectif, selon elle, « sauver le patrimoine religieux » du pays. Pour en débattre : - Didier Rykner, historien de l'art et directeur de la rédaction du magazine de presse en ligne La Tribune de l'art - Pierre Ouzoulias, vice-président du Sénat, sénateur PCF des Hauts-de-Seine, co-rapporteur d'une mission sénatoriale sur l'état du patrimoine religieux en 2022- Edouard de Lamaze, président de l'Observatoire du patrimoine religieux. 

Le 15 avril 2019, peu après 18 heures, un incendie est déclaré sur l'île de la Cité à Paris, la cathédrale Notre-Dame brûle. Un peu plus de cinq ans après et des rénovations colossales, l'édifice va rouvrir ses portes début décembre 2024, et ceux qui veulent y entrer pourraient devoir mettre la main à la poche. En effet, Rachida Dati, ministre française de la Culture, a évoqué un prix unitaire de cinq euros par visiteur, avec un objectif, selon elle, « sauver le patrimoine religieux » du pays. Pour en débattre : - Didier Rykner, historien de l'art et directeur de la rédaction du magazine de presse en ligne La Tribune de l'art - Pierre Ouzoulias, vice-président du Sénat, sénateur PCF des Hauts-de-Seine, co-rapporteur d'une mission sénatoriale sur l'état du patrimoine religieux en 2022- Edouard de Lamaze, président de l'Observatoire du patrimoine religieux. 

In this episode of The Lamaze Podcast, host Tanya Cawthorne, LCCE, FACCE, sits down with Dr. Hazel Keedle, Ph.D., a senior lecturer at Western Sydney University and a leading expert in midwifery. Dr. Keedle shares insights from over 20 years in the field, discussing her research on vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC), birth trauma, and maternity experiences. She talks about her journey to earning her Ph.D. and writing her book “Birth After Caesarean”, while offering accessible advice for women seeking VBAC. Dr. Keedle also shares her top three tips for a successful VBAC, which align with Lamaze's Six Healthy Birth Practices. Dr. Hazel Keedle, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer of midwifery at The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University. Hazel has more than two decades of experience as a clinician in nursing and midwifery, educator, and researcher. Hazel's research interests are vaginal birth after caesarean, birth trauma, and maternity experiences explored primarily using feminist mixed methodologies. Hazel's work is recognized nationally and internationally, with many invited conference and seminar presentations including academic publications and a book for women based on her Ph.D. findings “Birth After Caesarean”. Hazel is the lead researcher on Australia's largest maternity experiences survey, The Birth Experience Study.   Episode Links https://www.lamaze.org/ | https://learn.lamaze.org/ | https://www.lamaze.org/LCCE | Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth by Hazel Keedle | What Women Want If They Were to Have Another Baby: The Australian Birth Experience Study (BESt) Cross-sectional National Survey | Parliament of New South Wales — Select Committee on Birth Trauma | New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Select Committee on Birth Trauma. Report No. 1. (May, 2024) Black Birthing Initiative https://chcimpact.org/chc-black-birthing-initiative/ | Black Birthing Initiative Survey

Hey Fuller House Fans, Angela Bowen here, the host of Oh Mylanta Holy Chalupas: An Unofficial Full House Fuller House Podcast. Today, I covered S4E5 No Escape, in this episode D.J. and Steve go on a double date with Matt and his new girlfriend. Stephanie and Kimmy host a Lamaze class at the house. and S4E6 Angels Night Out, in this episode while Joey watches the boys at home, DJ and the girls don flashy costumes for a '70's-themed cruise. But it's not quite the crowd they expected. Fernando and Ramona spend the day together and the boys pull a prank on Joey. I hope you enjoy the Podcast Episodes and have a great week.

Hey Fuller House Fans, Angela Bowen here, the host of Oh Mylanta Holy Chalupas: An Unofficial Full House Fuller House Podcast. Today, I covered S4E5 No Escape, in this episode D.J. and Steve go on a double date with Matt and his new girlfriend. Stephanie and Kimmy host a Lamaze class at the house. and S4E6 Angels Night Out, in this episode while Joey watches the boys at home, DJ and the girls don flashy costumes for a '70's-themed cruise. But it's not quite the crowd they expected. Fernando and Ramona spend the day together and the boys pull a prank on Joey. I hope you enjoy the Podcast Episodes and have a great week.

Hey Fuller House Fans, Angela Bowen here, the host of Oh Mylanta Holy Chalupas: An Unofficial Full House Fuller House Podcast. Today, I covered S4E5 No Escape, in this episode D.J. and Steve go on a double date with Matt and his new girlfriend. Stephanie and Kimmy host a Lamaze class at the house. and S4E6 Angels Night Out, in this episode while Joey watches the boys at home, DJ and the girls don flashy costumes for a '70's-themed cruise. But it's not quite the crowd they expected. Fernando and Ramona spend the day together and the boys pull a prank on Joey. I hope you enjoy the Podcast Episodes and have a great week.

Shawn has trouble seeing Angela dating someone else; Eric becomes the coach for a woman he meets in Amy's Lamaze class. We're back to talk about episode 6x12 of Boy Meets World including bits of nostalgia, a scene-by-scene recap, and a wholesome lesson to top it all off. Weekly Nostalgia: Punch Up the Jam and The Penumbra Podcast You can find us on social media: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thelostyearspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheLostYearsPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thelostyearspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be sure to share your nostalgia with us in our website messages. Your answers might get on the show! Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thelostyears@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a patron!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thescavengersnetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠scavengersnetwork.com/thelostyearsshop⁠

In this special episode of the Lamaze Podcast, Lamaze International Executive Director Silvia Quevedo, CAE, sits down with Julie Gwaltney, vice president for TOMY International. Sil and Julie celebrate the 30-year relationship between Lamaze and TOMY, highlighting the importance and benefits of organizational partnerships. They also discuss the value of playing with purpose for both parents and children, noting some special friends from the Lamaze line of TOMY products. Episode Links https://www.lamaze.org/ | https://learn.lamaze.org/ | https://www.lamaze.org/LCCE | https://www.lamaze.org/shop-for-a-cause | https://us.tomy.com/brand/lamaze/

Most people think of it as a "breathing technique" that helps women during labor and delivery. However, Lamaze is much more than that. Through the years, this childbirth education method has evolved into a philosophy that builds women's confidence and prepares them for pregnancy and birth. So, what are the main principles of Lamaze? And what can you expect to happen during a Lamaze class? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He's tired of paying for it

In the next verses Mike and Ken discuss, Paul, a spiritual parent, shares his broken heart over the Galatians. He longs for Jesus to be formed in them, which reveals his pastor's heart for these congregations. Following this concern, he uses more of Abraham's story as an allegory to illustrate the issues of law and grace. Ken and Mike discuss the two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, as well as an introduction to the comparison Paul will make in the verses to follow. A listener asks the guys what unsolved mysteries, religious or otherwise, they would love to have solved. And how do Lamaze and bouncy houses find their way into the episode?Passage: Galatians 4:19-23

15 things that every first time mom needs to know about birth and labor, but no one tells you!This week's episode, I get REAL and HONEST and share what I wish someone would have told me before I gave birth for the first time!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IMPORTANT LINKS:- Shop HERE for portable breastmilk and formula warmer at BisbeeBaby.comUse code MOM10 for 10% offConnect with them on Instagram HereConnect with them on Facebook Here- Shop HERE for the best breathable, hypoallergenic crib mattress at Pinwheelsleep.comUse code LEARNINGTOMOM for 20% offConnect with them on Instagram HereConnect with them on Facebook Here- Connect with ME on Instagram HERE or at @learningtomom.podcast-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------how to prepare for labor, birth preparation tips, labor tips, birth tips, Unmedicated birth tips, How to have a natural birth, Preparing for labor, First-time labor advice, Birth plan ideas, Labor and delivery tips, Pain management during labor, Labor positions, What to pack for hospital birth, Signs of labor, Early labor tips, Active labor tips, Breathing techniques for labor, Pain relief options in labor, Labor support tips, Doulas and labor support, Epidural pros and cons, Water birth tips, Home birth preparation, Birth center vs hospital birth, Inducing labor naturally, Labor induction methods, Hospital birth tips, What to expect during labor, Partner support during labor, Birth positions, Hypnobirthing techniques, Labor and delivery expectations, Managing labor pain, Stages of labor, Labor exercises, Labor and birth preparation classes, Mental preparation for labor, Positive birth affirmations, Birth visualization techniques, Pelvic floor exercises for labor, Perineal massage tips, Birth recovery tips, Labor and delivery podcast, Birth podcast for first-time moms, Labor advice podcast, Tips for first-time labor, Preparing for childbirth, First-time birth experiences, Labor tips podcast, Childbirth education, Labor contractions, Managing contractions, Signs of active labor, Preparing for birth emotionally, Natural childbirth tips, Lamaze breathing techniques, Relaxation techniques for labor, Labor massage techniques, Labor pain relief podcast, Hospital birth experience, Midwife vs doctor birth, Birth podcast tips, Childbirth podcast, Preparing for your first birth, Birth anxiety tips, Labor pain relief techniques, Birth class recommendations, First-time birth advice, Childbirth preparation, How to handle labor pain, Labor and birth information, Birth preparation podcast, Best pregnancy podcast, First time mom podcast, new mom moms, How to prepare for pregnancy, What is the best pregnancy podcast, That pregnancy podcast, Natural pregnancy podcast, Pregnancy podcasts for first time moms, Pregnancy podcast is it Normal, Podcasts for early pregnancy, Pregnancy podcasts, Podcasts for expecting mothers, Pregnancy podcasts for first time moms, motherhood podcast, Podcasts for expecting mothers, Pregnancy podcast week by week, birth podcast, birthing podcast, How to prepare for pregnancy, Birth podcast, Motherhood podcast, Best birth podcast, First time mom podcast, Natural birth podcast, Best pregnancy podcast, 

A colleague invites Quinn on a hike. By Quinn_McMullen, in 8 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. The next morning, I woke earlier than usual and made myself a hearty breakfast of eggs, sausage, toast, and coffee. About quarter to nine, there was a knock at the kitchen door. I looked around the corner and saw Zoë. I waved her in."I'm just cleaning up from breakfast. Can I get you anything?"Zoë came in and said, "Got any coffee?"Before I could respond, she had moved to the pot. She grabbed a mug from the cupboard and poured a cup."Milk is in the fridge and there's sugar on the table."Walking from the fridge to the table she came up behind me and gave me a hug. I could feel her breasts on my back. I put my hand up to hold her arms in place, savoring the contact; my cock stirred slightly.Zoë said, "We're going to have a blast. We're going up in the state forest. It's an easy hike, and the late summer wildflowers will be out in the high meadows. I have a nice lunch packed. No mayo."I gave her a smile, "You're being very kind to an old man.""Quinn, you are not old. You look like you're in great shape.""Looks can be deceiving." I finished the frying pan and placed it in the drying rack. "Can I get you anything to eat?""No, all set. Good coffee, though. That must be a Navy habit, cleaning up like that.""That's me. Shipshape and squared away.""I don't know too many guys who do that.""You just don't know the right guys. I have some 'to go' cups if you would like to take your coffee with you.""Yes, please."I broke out the cups, poured her coffee in, and then handed it back. I poured a cup for myself, then quickly rinsed out our mugs and placed them on the drying rack. "You may want to top that off.""Good idea," Zoë said as she moved to the pot. "Ready?"I turned off the coffee machine. "As ready as I will ever be. Let's get going before I change my mind." Zoë drove us to the state forest, about a 45-minute drive. She talked the entire time about several things, but never mentioned Chris. I just listened and nodded a lot. As we pulled into the parking lot, she asked, "What's the temperature?"She pushed a button on the wheel and reported, "Sixty-six. A little chilly to start. I don't think we need jackets, should we bring them in the knapsacks?"I said, "I don't think so. It's only going to get warmer. The weather lady on channel seven said mid-eighties.""Right. It is August after all."As we stood before the trunk of her car, Zoë ran through a mental checklist, "We've got lunch. Some snacks. Water. First aid kit. Plenty of sunscreen for the pale blonde and redhead. Picnic quilt. Looks like we're good to go." She stripped off her running sweats to reveal some short, loose-fitting shorts that showed most of her shapely legs. She took off her jacket and shivered a little. Underneath she was wearing a yellow college t-shirt underneath. I could see a white string bikini tied at the back of her neck. Her erect nipples could be detected through the fabric. She donned a baseball cap.I was wearing knee length shorts and a long sleeved sports shirt. I put my foot up on her bumper and put sunscreen on my calves.Zoë came up alongside of me, "Good idea." I held out the tube of SPF 50 to her and we finished the application."Aren't you going to be hot in long sleeves?" She asked."This shirt is actually really light and designed to keep you cool. Feel."She felt he fabric, "Like those really flimsy bikinis.""Oh, I didn't know that. Plus, I have to keep the dermatologist at bay.""Oh, that's right. You've had how many melanomas?""Three."I put on my broad brimmed hat and tossed my windbreaker into the trunk. "Want me to carry the knapsack?""We have two. You take this one. It has our picnic quilt and extra water,"Zoë handed me a second knapsack. It was fairly light.I put the knapsack on, "Picnic quilt? You sound like a professional hiker and picnicker.""Only the best for us.""Very well. Then lead on my dear colleague because I haven't a clue where I'm going.""Wait, first a selfie for Facebook. You can be an honorary Wood Nymph." She held out her phone and snapped a picture of the two of us. "Okay, let's go."Zoë struck out at a leisurely pace, and I didn't have trouble keeping up on the flat terrain. I also didn't mind the view of her legs. I kept up for about 30 minutes, but as the trail began to slope upward, I started sucking wind and fell behind at least a couple of dozen yards. The trail leveled off and came out in a broad meadow. The temperature had climbed significantly. Sweat was pouring down my face and my shirt was stuck to my chest. Zoë had stopped at a park bench under some shade trees at the edge of the meadow and had set down her knapsack. As I approached, she held out an energy bar."Time for a break and refueling. Serious hiking takes serious refueling.""Sounds good, Captain."Since we were in the shade I peeled off my shirt and laid it out on the bench to dry.Zoë said, "Oh. That's nice. I love a hairy chest."A light breeze felt really good, cooling my skin. I sat down on the bench, stretching my arms out on top of the bench. "Serious hiking? I thought you were going to take it easy on me.""I am, but we need to get you up to speed."Zoë sat down next to me as I caught my breath, our legs touching. Her bare arm against the side of my sweaty torso. Her shoulder tucked in below my armpit. What a nice feeling.She dug in the knapsack, "Here's some ibuprofen. Drink some water. You have to stay hydrated. Drink a lot of water.""Just like survival school." I dutifully downed the pills, drank some water, and took a bite of energy bar."When did you have to go to survival school?" She asked."When I went through flight school. Learned what bugs to eat, how to stay warm and dry. That sort of stuff."The meadow had bloomed in an assortment of wildflowers and some distant hills made an impressive picture.I pointed at the meadow, "This is lovely."Zoë smiled, "That's one reason why we like hiking. Plus, I like having good company." She patted my thigh.I smiled at her, "You are wonderful company."We sat in companionable silence for a minute or two, enjoying the cool breeze. I felt her looking at me and turned my head."Quinn?""Yes, my dear.""Can I ask you a question?""Ask away.""Do you think you will ever get married again?""Actually, I haven't given it much thought. Why? Do you want to apply for the position?"Zoë blushed a deep red.I immediately felt bad for her, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."She touched my thigh again. "That's okay. It was a silly question.""No, it wasn't. It came from a place of caring, and I was a smart ass. Let me rephrase that." I thought for a moment. "Zoë, I don't know. For me, being married is all in. It is a sacred commitment that you only take with the absolute right person.""So how did you know when you found that person?""Sometimes that's just as hard. The first time for me was not the right person. The second time was. For some people they know right away. For others, they kind of settle. I think that's what I did the first time, settle.""Thanks for that." She leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek, "It's just something that I have been thinking about for a long time. Haven't found the right person, and I never want to settle.""Never a good idea. You must have had someone you were serious with over the years.""Never the right one. So I guess what I meant to ask was: are you going to look for someone, or are you happy just being a widower? I don't think that came out right either.""Zoë, you're fine." This time I did the touching, patting her shoulder. Her skin was silky smooth. "I don't know. I can tell you that it is very lonely in that big house. My dog kept me company while I had her, but I had to put her down back in the spring. We, humans, are social creatures. We need to be around other people. Last night I was dreading the idea of a hike, but I am so happy I came with you."She put her opposite arm around the front of me and gave me a partial hug, her breast pressed into my side. Having my arm behind her made it easy to reciprocate, and I pulled her close. More bodily contact. My cock was stirring. Psychologists will tell you that touching is an important part of flirting. Our flirting just moved up a notch."Shall we get going?" Zoë said as she stood and pulled her t-shirt over her head. The string bikini that had I seen the top of was very small. It was damp with sweat, and the material clung to her breasts; her areolas visible through the material.My jaw had dropped at the sight of that beautiful body. "Quinn, you surprise me. You look like you've never seen a woman in a bikini before," Zoë said as she handed me the sunscreen."I must admit it has been a while. You are beautiful."She looked surprised, "You think I'm beautiful?""Zoë, you are drop dead gorgeous."She placed her hand on my cheek. "That's sweet." She held her hand there looking into my eyes, smiling. "Could I trouble you to put some sunscreen on my back?"She turned around. I squeezed some sunscreen into my hand and began rubbing it on her back."Ooh! That's cold. You've got me nipped out," she said turning around so I could see her nipples standing at attention inside her bikini.After admiring her for a few seconds, I looked into her eyes, "Yes I have. It must be this flimsy material."She turned around again, and I rubbed the sunscreen onto her shoulders and back."Make sure you get under my waistline. Otherwise I'll burn."I slipped my fingers ever so slightly under the edge of her shorts applying the sunscreen. When I got to the horizontal string of her bikini top, I worked on either side of it."You need to get under the strings. I could use some help with my sides as well." Zoë reached back and released the knot on the lower string on her top. The halter still draped over her breasts. I slowly rubbed in the sunscreen on her back and then started on the sides of her torso. When my hand was at the side of her breast, she turned suddenly, and my hand was on her breast. Zoë looked back smiling."Make sure you get the other one too," she whispered, then pulled the top string and the halter dropped completely away. She turned to face me. "Here, you need some on your face. Maybe on your neck too," as she put both arms around my neck and started rubbing sunscreen.I was tempted to look down at her breasts, but maintained eye contact. My hands roamed freely over her torso, her erect nipples getting their share of attention. I looked down and admired her. Even though she was 40-ish, Zoë had the pert breasts of a 20-year-old. Her breasts were about the perfect champagne glass size by my tactile estimation. Her fair complexion led to fair breasts. Her nipples and the surrounding areolas were pink; the nipples were slightly turned upward.Just then, we heard voices coming up the trail.Zoë reached down and grabbed her top and turned around. "Here tie the bottom."I did as ordered while she tied the top. A quartet of hikers came out of the woods, three women and a guy.Zoë sat back down. "Let's see which direction they go."

In this week's episode we meet Phoebe's twin, Chandler abuses his power at work, and Ross goes to Lamaze class. Don't forget to join our new Facebook listener group to interact with us, and have your comments read out in the show! https://www.facebook.com/groups/861635818954588 If you like this podcast, or hate it and us and want to tell us so - You can reach us at https://poddymouthradio.com. If you really like us and think we're worth at least a dollar, why not check out our patreon at http://patreon.com/poddymouthradio. Every little bit helps, and you can get access to bonus episodes, and early releases.

Eric and Matt Discuss the following episodes: EP 252: 24 Hours of Lamaze (featuring Assistant Coaches Byron Grubman & Tim Geving) EP 253: The Steph Curry of Westeros EP 254: Danger Eugene Robinson (featuring Head Coach Dave Wortz) EP 255: Heisman Trophy for Hackysack (featured Assistant Coach Ethan Metzker)

Assistant coach Tim Geving joins the bench and teams up with Mason to face Matt and Scott in this game hosted by Assistant Coach Byron Grubman. In it we learned that Tim doesn't own a lot of pantaloons, Tim and Mason do some breathing excersizes to get through the game, Matt's only answer for the halftime was Eddie the Eagle, Matt got Scott to an answer with the word sphincter but he didn't say that, did Red Aurbach's son play D1 sports, Jockies wear valoor outfits, Mason is regreting his life decisions and everyone gets credit for answering a question with Fanatics. #RexHudler #WNBALegendDaveWinfield #KoiStory #LongBeachDirtBags #Mango #Hypocloids #NotedJewPlácidoPolanco https://www.patreon.com/benchwarmerstp https://www.facebook.com/benchwarmerstp https://www.twitter.com/benchwarmerstp https://www.instagram.com/benchwarmerstp/ https://www.teepublic.com/stores/benchwarmers-trivia-podcast

Macy's first birth was a scheduled C-section due to breech presentation that required follow-up exploratory surgery due to an unknown cause of internal bleeding. Unfortunately, her surgeon had accidentally nicked an ab muscle. Macy's recovery was very difficult.With her second, doctors were nervous about her chances of VBAC and would only let her try if she showed up in active labor before 39 weeks. Otherwise, she would go in for a scheduled C-section. Macy agreed and her birth ended in another Cesarean. Her birth was beautiful and her recovery was smooth, but it still wasn't the empowering experience she hoped for. Macy hit the ground running during her third pregnancy. When doctors were not supportive of a VBA2C, she knew home birth was her best option. She found a midwife who was willing to take Macy on as her first VBA2C client! We know you will absolutely love listening to this birth story. Like Meagan said, “It is so beautiful. It is so peaceful. It sounds like one of those births where you close your eyes and you envision birth and how peaceful, beautiful, and calm it really can be.”The VBAC Link Blog: VBA2C Practice Bulletin - VBACInformed Pregnancy - code: vbaclink424Needed WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details 03:44 First C-section with internal bleeding and a follow-up exploratory surgery09:04 Second pregnancy11:37 Scheduled C-section and getting pregnant again shortly after18:44 Finding a supportive home birth midwife23:24 VBA2C prep during pregnancy27:46 Labor begins32:42 Breaking her own water and pushing for 17 minutes36:47 ACOG's statement on VBA2CMeagan: Hello, hello Women of Strength. We are so excited to be sharing an HBA2C story and if you don't know yet what HBAC means, that's home birth after Cesarean and then HBA2C is home birth after two Cesareans. I feel like that's kind of funny. It's never really a term I used because I wasn't at the hospital and I wasn't at home, but I also kind of feel like I sort of had an HBAC. It was at a birth center. Maybe that's a term, birth center birth after two Cesareans. I don't know. But obviously, VBAC after two Cesareans are near and dear to my own heart and today we have our friend Macy from California sharing her HBAC story and just before we started recording, we were talking about how one of her messages that she wants to give is that you can do this. Right, Macy? You're just like, you can. People can do this. Macy: For sure. Meagan: Yes. Yes. I am excited to hear your story and then I wanted to also just talk a little bit at the end about some evidence on VBAC after two C-sections. So if you're wondering more about VBA2C, make sure you stick to the very, very end even after the story because we'll talk a little bit about that. 01:24Meagan: We do have a Review of the Week and this is from Jenna. It is actually on our How to VBAC: Ultimate VBAC Prep Course. She says, “I just started but have already learned so much. After two C-sections and one where my doctor made me think it was very risky, I was terrified to try again. With this course, not only have I learned the truth about VBAC, but I am excited to attempt mine in August.” That's coming up. I am so excited for Jenna. Thank you so much for the review and the support, of course, of taking the course. I am so excited that you are getting educated and definitely keep us posted. 03:44 First C-section with internal bleeding and a follow-up exploratory surgeryMeagan: Okay, cute Macy. Welcome to the show. Macy: Thank you for having me. Meagan: Absolutely. I'd love to turn the time over to you and share whatever message you feel is important for our beautiful Women of Strength listeners. Macy: Okay, well like with all VBACs, my story begins of course with my first pregnancy. During my first pregnancy, I was pretty healthy. I didn't love being pregnant, but I was excited that we were starting our family and I got to– I can't remember– 34 weeks maybe, 35ish, and baby was still breech. They offered me the ECV procedure, but they told me I would have to do it around 37-38 weeks and I was worried about it being so early before my due date that she would turn again. I was scared. They got me scared. They don't really present the ECVs as something that should work. Meagan: I know. I know. Macy: My midwife with my third pregnancy was like, “I wish you would have done it,” but they talked me out of it so I decided not to do it. Come 40 weeks, she was still not flipped, but I wasn't in labor so another thing is I wish I would have just waited to see because maybe she would have flipped in labor. Meagan: Sometimes they do. I actually recently had a client last year in 2023 that did have that. She was scheduled for her version and then she went into spontaneous labor so she actually went in pretty early because she was like, “Oh my gosh. My baby's breech. I was scheduled the next day for a version,” and they were like, “Baby's head down.” So it definitely happens. Macy: With my third one, she was sunny-side up. She was posterior, but I could feel her turning and getting into position. But anyway, I'll get there. I'll get there. I had my C-section scheduled. My daughter, Alayna was born 10 days before Christmas in 2018. She was perfect. She was 6 pounds, 13 ounces. I was not great. After my surgery, I came out. I was in the PACU and my blood pressure was dropping crazy low and my heart rate was spiking super high. I was ghost-white and they were like, “We don't know what's going on.” Long, long, long story short, I was having crazy internal bleeding. Meagan: I was going to say, were you hemorrhaging? Because that sounds like hemorrhaging. Macy: I was hemorrhaging. I was bleeding internally, but it was from having surgery. It was not anything to do with baby or birth. It was just surgery. So what we discovered is they had accidentally nicked an ab muscle and it was bleeding. 24 hours after my daughter was born, I had to go back in for an exploratory surgery and I was put under anesthesia completely again. They had to cut back open my layers and start over. Thankfully, they didn't have to cut into my uterus again, but they did open me back up and stop the bleeding, cauterize it and I mean, my recovery was just horrible. Meagan: Not great, yeah. Macy: I mean, thankfully I only had one baby so it was just her and my husband is amazing. I could not ask for a better partner, but it was just hard. It was hard to accept that, to grieve the birth I had dreamed of my whole life, but it never occurred to me that I couldn't have a VBAC. My mom had me via C-section and my three subsequent siblings were all VBAC. So when someone said to me at 12 weeks, I recovered. I was back at the gym and someone from the gym was like, “Oh, so you have to have all your babies as C-sections now.” I was like, “Wait, that's a thing still? We're still doing that?” I was like, “No. I'm going to have a VBAC.” I never even thought about it. I immediately was like, “Oh, so this is going to be a thing.” That's when I found you guys and I started listening before I was even pregnant with my second one, but when I did get pregnant three years later with baby number two, I probably binge-listened to every single episode. I was like, “I'm doing this.” 09:04 Second pregnancyMacy: I switched providers just because I didn't have a great experience so I was like, my postpartum care, I didn't care for my pediatrician so I just switched everything. But because I was with a new provider, I had a really difficult time locating my surgical notes. My new providers wanted to know if my first C-section was done with a single or double-layer closure. Meagan: Oh, interesting. Okay. Macy: Because of course, if it's single, it's going to increase my risk for a rupture. I at this point was already like, the risk of rupture is so low. I am not worried about it. Breech baby is a great candidate for VBAC. Meagan: And the evidence on that is really not solid on which one really is best. There are some that show double may be better, but that doesn't necessarily mean that your rupture rate skyrockets because you have a single layer. So they are focusing on something that didn't have a ton of evidence. Macy: Right. I was like, “There is just not enough research to justify all of these C-sections.” But because they didn't understand what had gone wrong and why I had to have a second surgery even though I told them a million times it wasn't anything to do with my uterus. It wasn't a me problem. It was a doctor's problem. They were just like, “We just don't feel comfortable with TOLAC.” And you know, it's always TOLAC. It's never just a VBAC. Meagan: I know. Macy: But they didn't want to do anything. They didn't want to offer ultrasounds. They just were not willing to take a chance even though it was a really good chance. So basically, they were like, “The only way you are having this second baby VBAC is if you come to the hospital and you are in labor and it's time to push.” I mean, that's kind of scary to someone who doesn't know. I mean, now that I've done it I'm like, “That's what I should have done,” and that's what I tell my friends. You don't go to the doctor until your contractions are two minutes apart because they try to scare women out of their VBAC. 11:37 Scheduled C-section and getting pregnant again shortly afterMacy: So I just didn't really stand up for myself. I just agreed like, “Okay, I guess.” I told myself, “If I go into labor before my scheduled C-section at 39 weeks, then that's the way God wants it and I will have my VBAC.” Obviously, that never happened and 39 weeks is pretty early now knowing especially when due dates are just guess dates. Meagan: Very important note that you just gave there. Macy: Yeah. I had my baby at 39 weeks. She was perfect. I mean, my recovery was– she was another 6 pounds, 15 ounces so they were almost the same size. That was Reagan. Recovery was a lot better but still, I had a 3-year-old at home. Going from one to two was pretty good for me. I have a big family. That was great. But it was still not the empowering birth that I wanted. I did feel– I don't want to say I didn't feel empowered because C-section is badass. It's hard. Meagan: Yeah. Mhmm, yeah. Macy: It's not the easy way out ever. There is no easy way out of birth. I do want to preface that and say if that's what ends up happening and you only have two kids and you only have two C-sections, that's okay too. I knew we weren't done having kids. I wanted the birth I wanted. I did not plan to get pregnant with such a short turnaround time. I was almost 8 months postpartum when we found out we were pregnant again. We were a little surprised. I mean, we are grown adults. It shouldn't be that surprising. Meagan: But still, it can be a little alarming when you weren't mentally preparing for that. Macy: I had just finished breastfeeding. I was just starting to track and all of these things so I was like, “Oh no.” But that was kind of when my work really started for me because I was like, “Okay. We are doing this again and I'm going to do this the way I want. This is going to be how I want it to go. This is my story and this is going to be an essential component of who I am as a woman and as a mother going forward for the rest of my life. I need this to go the way I want it to go.” I wanted it to go the way God wanted it to go of course, but I was like, “I'm going to take more control.” Meagan: Can I add something to that? Sorry to interrupt, but there are so many times that I hear people, I read on social media that people are getting after moms and parents who are like, “I want this birth. This is what I want. This is what I feel I need,” or what you are saying. “I want it to go a certain way.” They are like, “Why do you have to focus on what you want? It's not what you want. It's what's best for the baby.” They are railing on these people. I want to stop and say that what you said is okay. I feel like maybe a little passionate about that too because so many people were naysayers to me. “It does not matter what you want. It's what's best for the baby.” It's like, well guess what? That's also maybe what's best for my baby. Macy: Right. Meagan: It's okay to say, Women of Strength, “I want this birth. This is what I want.” And you deserve that. You deserve to go after what you want. Macy: It is hard and being a mom is hard. Meagan: Yes. Macy: You can start out in a way that you feel empowered. It is life-changing. It really is. Meagan: It is. So sorry for interrupting, but I just wanted to give a little tidbit that it's okay for people to want what they want. I wanted a white vehicle. I was going to find a white vehicle. It's okay to get what you want and to put forth energy and to say that out loud, “I want this VBAC. I'm going to get this. I want it.” Macy: You spend almost 10 months thinking about this and praying about it whereas you talk to– I mean, it wasn't as important to anyone else in my life except for me. That was okay. Especially the doctors and the providers, I'm just another person to them and yes, there are some really great providers out there and they do care, but they are at their job. They are doing their job. Well, my job is to be a mother. That's my job, so doing what serves me well was birthing my baby the way– Meagan: Having a VBAC. Macy: Having a VBAC. So I really hit the ground running. There were a few girls in my town who had recently had homebirths. They weren't VBACs, but they were VBACs so I reached out to them– shoutout to my girls Megan and Emily. They were so helpful because they were real people. I reached out to you guys and I just wanted to know, “Hey, what is the research on really close pregnancies?” because I wasn't going to hit the 18 months. Meagan: The 18 months. Your babies were going to be 17 months apart, right? Macy: 17 months. So that was even annoying too because I was like, “I'm right there. Come on.” You guys were like, “Go join the Facebook Community group.” I was so glad that I did because I was just finding story after story after post after post. Not only were so many women having VBACs after two+ C-sections, but they were close together. Some were like, “Mine were 12 months apart.” I'm like, “Oh, I'm good to go then.” It was so nice having that community. I was even able to join a community within the community of everyone who was due at the same time as me so when we got close, we had a group message and everyone was like, “Is it happening today? Is it happening today?” It was so nice not to be alone in that. I also had to find a midwife because I knew my providers were not going to be supportive of VBAC after two. I actually had a hard time finding a midwife which was also annoying because I was met with some medwives who were just really going to stick to that 18 months. 18:44 Finding a supportive home birth midwifeThen I happened to just find a woman who was like, “I've never done this before. You are my first VBAC after two,” but she was a midwife who was very knowledgeable. She had done lots of home births. She had done VBACs, but not after two. She was like, “If we don't start accepting these patients, how are we ever going to change the status quo? How are we ever going to make a change?” Meagan: Boom.Macy: Right. Meagan: It's so true though. Macy: I was like, “Okay. Statistic me, please. I would love to be a statistic for the positive.” The only thing was I was like, “I can't be one for a hospital birth, but it's fine.” Meagan: That's okay. That's okay. Macy: So I found Sarah. I started my visits with her. I had to travel an hour to my visits. It wasn't the worst thing ever. Meagan: That's a commitment though. That's a commitment. Macy: Towards the end, she came to me a lot more which was so nice. So nice. Meagan: That's really nice. Macy: Then we did a couple of phone calls, but we also texted all of the time and would FaceTime. It was just so personal. I also received co-care with another third local provider. I did that because my midwife wanted to have me get ultrasounds to check my uterus. She wanted to check for previa and we wanted to check for– what's the other one? I'm blanking. Meagan: Accreta? Macy: Yes, so she just wanted to be aware. Meagan: Placental issues and make sure the placenta is out of the way and all is doing okay. You're actually clear to have a VBAC. Macy: Yeah. Meagan: Which is very responsible of her. Macy: I received my co-care. I would go in there. I don't know. I almost had a chip on my shoulder because I was like, “I don't really need you guys,” kind of. I didn't leave those appointments feeling like I wanted to cry like I did with my second pregnancy because I knew that I had something better planned. So it wasn't as upsetting, but they were pretty rough on me. I had expressed my interest in a VBAC after two and you have to see the series of providers within the office. I had only one who was a little bit younger which was interesting, but he was the only one who was like, “Yeah. I really support this and the birth you want to have. I'm going to give you a referral to UC San Francisco and when we get to the end, I want you to start care there and plan to have your birth there.” He was the only one who was like, “I support the birth you want to have.” Everyone else was pretty awful. They told me, “If you TOLAC and your uterus ruptures, you will die and your baby will die.” I was like, I will never forget getting in my car and texting my midwife and being like, “Can you believe that he just said this to me?” I was just like, “Are you God? Do you know?” How could you say that to someone? “You will die.” Because that's not the case at all. That was interesting but I knew. Like I said, I knew I had a backup plan in the back of my mind. It was just eye-opening for me more than anything. It wasn't upsetting. Meagan: Someone that doesn't necessarily know the evidence of that, it can be terrifying. Macy: Yeah. Yes, totally. And you know what? It's frustrating because a lot of people just trust their providers. I'm a very skeptical person. I'm very conspiratorial, so I'm always researching things and looking into things, but people who are not prone to that are just going to trust what the doctor says because they went to school and they are smarter than them. It's so unfortunate that it's causing a high C-section rate for no reason. 23:24 VBA2C prep during pregnancyMacy: That was a bummer but anyway, throughout my pregnancy, I did all of the things. I did my VBAC Link course. I loved it. It was great to have that. I did a Lamaze class which was really fun. It was funny because we were the only parents in there with other kids. One other lady was a VBAC, but the rest were all first-time parents. They were like, “What are you doing here?” I'm like, “This is new for me.” Again, shoutout to Modesto Birth and Beyond. They are fantastic. They have a great set of doulas. I'm now on a friendly basis with them. They were great to have and they were really supportive of my whole journey. Let's see what else. I did a Hypnobirthing class. I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I mean, I walked and I stayed in shape. I kept doing CrossFit. I did CrossFit for all three of my pregnancies so I kept on. I ate healthy. I drank lots of water. I did all of the things. But I knew that when it came down to it, my mind was going to either make or break me.Fast forward to 41 weeks and I was getting very, very anxious. Meagan: Were you getting anxious because you were getting ready to have a baby type thing or were people giving you some grief that you were over 40 weeks? Macy: By the time I was 40-41 weeks, the grief and the doubt and the naysayers that I got were kind of gone. Most of the people in my life were supportive. I always got that question of, “What if this happens?” I live 5 minutes from the hospital, so I was not too worried about it. I was more anxious of, I was ready to meet this baby. I was the biggest I'd ever been. Third baby, only 17 months apart. My belly was huge. It was hot. I was swelling. I was ready to be done, but I also had never labored before. I had no clue what my body was going to do. Was I just going to go into spontaneous labor at 40 weeks? At 39? I had no idea. So every day that passes, I'm sure you remember that too, every day was a whole week where you wake up in the morning and I would just cry, “I can't believe I'm still pregnant.” Meagan: I remember going to bed and I was like, “Tonight could be the night,” and then I'd wake up and I was like, “It wasn't the night,” then that night, I'd be like, “Maybe tonight,” and it just kept happening. Macy: So annoying. I had so much prodromal labor. I had contractions. I could time them and I was like, “Oh, they are 20 minutes apart. They are for sure going to get closer,” then I'd go to sleep, wake up, and be like, “Okay. Here we go again.” Let's see. So on a Monday, I did acupuncture. Then on a Wednesday morning, I was 41 weeks and I went and got a massage. I got some acupressure. You never know if these are the things that really get things going, but sometimes they do. I got a massage and she gave me some moxibustion so I did that. You light it and do it around– my mom was like, “This is so hokey.” I'm like, “If it works, who cares?” I was trying everything. But I didn't want to be induced and I hadn't had my membranes swept yet. That was going to be the first intervention that my midwife and I agreed on because she was like, “Legally in California, you can't go past 42 weeks and have a home birth.” I was like, “Okay. I've got one week. One week and this baby will be here.” 27:46 Labor beginsMacy: That Wednesday morning, I went and got my massage and by 2:00 in the afternoon, I was like, “Okay. Things are starting to pick up.” I started having pretty intense contractions. I was having to– I could still talk. I was still taking care of my two little girls, but I was starting to feel really uncomfortable. My mom went home, then she came back. My husband gets off work at 3:30 and it was 2:30. I was feeding my youngest one a snack and he was like, “Do you want me to come home early?” I was like, “No, I can totally make it until you get home.” I had a contraction where I leaned over my kitchen counter, and then I was like, “Okay. Maybe just come home now.” He came home. I just didn't feel it. I was starting to feel irritated by my kids and I was like, “I just want to go in my room and watch a show on my laptop. I just want to be alone.” I didn't necessarily want them to leave yet, but I wanted to be alone and I wanted to know that they were taken care of. He came home and he was taking care of them. He was like, “Do you think this is it? Let's call my mom.” I was like, “Yeah. I think this is happening and I think it's going to be soon.” I just didn't know how long I was going to labor. It was a mystery. My mother-in-law came and picked up my little two daughters. That was kind of sad watching them leave knowing the next time I saw them, we were going to be a different family– a better family, but a different family. Yeah. I just labored at home. It was so nice not having to go anywhere. I took a shower. I had some snacks. I wasn't super hungry, but I definitely started drinking my electrolytes and started preparing to be hydrated. Meagan: Smart. Macy: I was like, “I'm preparing to run a marathon so I need to gear up.” I didn't nap. I've never been a great napper, but I laid around and watched some shows, then I didn't text my midwife right away because I had been bugging her so much with all of my prodromal labor that I was like, “I'm not going to text her until it's really happening.” But by 6:00 or 7:00 PM, i texted her and was like, “Just so you know, my contractions are about 10 minutes apart.” As they got closer, she was like, “Okay. I'm going to come now.” Once the sun started setting, it was getting a little bit more intense. We set up my birth space at home. I set up my pool. Well, I didn't. My husband set up the pool and we laid out all of the sheets on the couch and hung my birth affirmations. Actually, they had been hanging. My birth affirmations had been hanging for a couple of weeks so I started having them memorized, but we turned on the twinkle lights and I started listening to the Christian HypnoBirthing app which was fantastic. I just had such a peaceful labor. I don't know how else to describe it. My mom came in and then my sister-in-law came over then my other sister-in-law came over. They just talked around me. I could hear them, but I was just in my space. I labored and my water never broke for a very long time. I got in the pool at one point and then I got back out because my husband was like, “I think that being in the pool is slowing down your contractions a little bit. I want you to get out and walk.” I got out and started walking down the hall then I got really sick with a contraction. I happened to already be laboring backwards on the toilet and I was like, “Oh my gosh. I'm going to throw up.” I jumped back off the toilet so I could throw up in it then my midwife was like, “Okay. You're in transition now. You've got to be.” I hadn't had any checks at all this whole time either too so I had no clue what I was even dilated at. I was just completely trying to trust my body and just know that when it was time, it would be time. It really was. My body just did what it knew to do. 32:42 Breaking her own water and pushing for 17 minutesMacy: Like I said earlier, I felt her move into position. I got back in the water and I felt so relaxed in the water. I was drifting off in between contractions. Meagan: Oh, that's awesome. Macy: It was so calm and I just kept telling myself, “Breathe her down with every contraction,” and just all of the things I had been practicing, I was finally able to put into use. That was really cool, then I had a couple of urges where I was like, “I feel like I can start pushing soon.” I was like, “Do you want to check me now?” As soon as she stuck her finger, I was like, “Oh, no. No. Get your finger out. It's time. She's coming.” She was like, “Yeah. She's ready. She's right there, but your waters haven't broken yet.” I was like, “Can I break them myself?” She was like, “Yeah,” so I reached in. I gave it a pinch-twist and in the water, I broke it. Meagan: Oh my gosh, that's so cool. Macy: I felt the padding around her head, then I just felt her head. I felt her hair. I started pushing when it was time to push and I pushed for 17 minutes. It was perfect. Like I said, I felt her move and get into position. She came out and she was 9 pounds, 12 ounces so she was 3 pounds– Meagan: I was going to say 6lb,15oz, right, was your second and close to your first?Macy: 3 pounds heavier than my other two. She came out. She did perfectly. Her heart rate was perfect the whole time. She came out mad, screaming mad. She was so cozy in there. She did not want to come out. She came out but hearing her cry within 20 seconds was so reassuring. She was safe. I didn't need anybody. I just needed to trust my body and to trust the Lord. My midwife was like, “That was one of the most perfect births I have ever attended.” She was beaming with joy and she was so excited for me. She was just so happy because she was like, “I've never done this after two.” She was like, “You changed everything I thought I knew about home birth, about after two C-sections.” She even now has another client which is great who is a VBA2C. I cannot wait for this podcast to come out so I can share it with my midwife and she can share it with her new client. Hopefully, they have a really great birth too. All in all, it was just everything I dreamed of. I was so thankful and I just remember laying there with her on my chest. I was watching the video last night trying to get in the mindset and remind myself and get there. On the video, I can hear myself go, “I'm so freaking proud of myself.” Meagan: You should be!Macy: I was beaming with joy. I was like, “That was so hard but so worth it.” So it was great. It was a great experience. I could not be more happy with her birth. She's a great baby. She's so happy. She was a little hard at first for 10 weeks which was different for me, but after that 10-week hump, she was a really good baby. Her name is Lucille. Meagan: Cute. Macy: We call her Lucy which means “light” and she is the light of our lives. She is the best and I can't even believe we had a family without her for a minute there. But that's my story. 36:47 ACOG's statement on VBA2CMeagan: Oh my gosh. It is so beautiful. It is so peaceful. It sounds like one of those births where you really do. You close your eyes and you just envision birth and how peaceful and beautiful and calm it really can be. To me, you just described the birth that you physically did with one that I would imagine. Macy: Yes. It's how it felt. My sisters-in-law and my other girlfriend who was there taking pictures just kept saying, “You did so good.” I was just like, “I don't know what that means.” But everyone was proud of how it all went. I think that's so super revolutionary. I hope my story touches other people's lives. Meagan: It totally will. I'm so happy that you found your midwife and that your midwife was willing to take you on because a lot of the time, providers can be nervous if they have never done it before. Macy: Which I get. Meagan: Oh yeah. For sure, for sure. I'm just so glad that she was willing. That's one of the things that gets me sometimes with so many people who just are not, we have to respect them and what they are comfortable with. But really, the evidence does show that VBAC after two Cesareans is reasonable. The overall risk and rate of rupture is approximately 1.4% so it's still very low. It's still very, very low. I mean, ACOG themselves, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, they suggest it. They say it's a completely reasonable option so for so many people to be cut off after one is heartbreaking because there are so many people who could have a vaginal birth all over the world but aren't given the option. We have a high Cesarean rate. We have so many. There are so many people. Just actually weirdly enough at the gym, a man who is the darndest cutest thing ever, his name is Robin and he will always say hi to me and check in on me and how I'm doing. He knows that I cycle and one of the things he asked the other day was, “How's that doula thing coming?” I said, “It's really great.” He said, “I never asked you. What made you want to become a doula?” I just told him my story and he said, “Oh, so you had two C-sections?” His eyes were wide. He said, “But you said you have three kids.” I said, “Yeah.” He goes, “But you only had two C-sections?” I said, “Yeah.” I said, “With my first two girls.” He was like, “Wait.” He literally was stumped there for a minute. Macy: Yeah, people don't know. Meagan: He said, “You had a normal birth after two C-sections?” I said, “Yes.” I said, “Robin, I had a vaginal birth after two Cesareans.” He looked at me because I said the word vaginal. I said, “That's what it is.” He said, “I didn't even know that was a thing.” People just don't. They just don't know that and then there are still so many providers all over the world who aren't supporting it. In the ACOG Practice Bulletin, it says that VBA2C, vaginal birth after two Cesarean, is reasonable to consider for women with two previous low-transverse Cesarean deliveries to be candidates for TOLAC. We mentioned the word TOLAC earlier, a trial of labor after Cesarean. A lot of providers use that. It is a medical turn. We call it VBAC. They call it TOLAC. It's not a VBAC to them until the baby has passed through the vagina. It says that they are candidates for TOLAC and “to counsel them based on the combination of other factors that affect their probability of achieving a VBAC.” Meagan: Now, just a couple of things to share before we drop off on this episode, if you had a Cesarean before or two Cesareans, it is not necessarily a reason for you to have a third. If you have gestational diabetes, that doesn't mean that you can't VBAC either. I'm trying to talk up these other factors, right? If we have preeclampsia, that doesn't always necessarily mean that we have to schedule a Cesarean. We've shared stories in the past. We've even had things like babies with medical conditions where still even their provider said, “Just because your baby has this doesn't mean you can't have a VBAC.” That doesn't always necessarily mean you can't either. If you have a big baby, here we are. A nine-pound baby, right? A nice, squishy little baby. Big baby doesn't mean you can't either. A diagnosis of a small pelvis shouldn't be considered– these factors really are more extreme I feel like so if your provider is giving you some of these, “Oh, well you could have a VBAC after two Cesareans but because your baby didn't come down the last two times, it's just probably not going to happen.” You can't see it. Macy rolls her eyes with me. Macy: The baby is going to come out. It has to come out. Meagan: Baby is going to come out. Believe in yourself. Do the research. We do have a VBAC after two Cesarean blog. We'll make sure to link it here and kind of spin back to what you said about how you were like, “Let me be a statistic. Let me a statistic to your midwife.” VBA3C– we don't have a lot of stats on VBA3C and I think a lot of it is because we are not doing them. We are not allowing them yet we have so many VBA3C moms in our community who share or on our podcast who show that it still is possible. I feel like there needs to be more risk assessment there and studies need to be done there. So know that even if you've had three Cesareans, that still doesn't mean that you are eliminated from the chance to go for what you want, fight for what you want, and have that experience not only that you want but that you deserve. Macy: For sure. Meagan: Yes. Thank you so much for sharing your story and I cannot wait for this to be published for you to send this to your midwife so she can send it on to the next Woman of Strength. Macy: Thank you so much for having me. I have loved being here and talking with you. I hope there are so many lives touched and changed by sharing my story.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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Dr. Mom Butt Balm: drmombuttbalm.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We're digging into safer childbirth and how to prepare for the birth of your baby. Years ago, when I had my children, no one was talking about doulas, midwives or how to advocate for yourself during childbirth. I remember taking a childbirth class and some Lamaze breathing with a coach, which was about it. I didn't know that if I wasn't happy with my care in the hospital, I could speak up. Fortunately for me, everything went well during the birth process for both my children (even though they were both born via c-section and labour was very long). Did you know that more than 250,000 people in the United States die every year due to medical mistakes? We are in charge of our health, and we have to advocate for what we need. Today, I'm excited to welcome Gina Mundy to the podcast. Gina Mundy is an attorney who specializes in childbirth cases. For over two decades, she has analyzed the mistakes made during labour and delivery. Drawing on this knowledge, she has authored the book A Parent's Guide to a Safer Childbirth.   In this episode, you'll learn: 1) The most common problems that occur during childbirth and how YOU can help prevent them 2) Labour and delivery lingo you NEED to know to communicate with your delivery team 3) The RIGHT way to pick your doctor and hospital for a less stressful delivery 4) Tips for when your delivery team is NOT at your bedside 5) The EASY way to determine how your baby is doing at any point during labour 6) How to create the ULTIMATE birth plan for keeping both you and your baby safe --- RESOURCES: Fab Fertile Method https://www.fabfertile.com/what-we-do/   Gina Mundy's Book | A Parent's Guide to a Safer Childbirth: Expecting the Best: Using the Power of Knowledge to Help You Deliver a Healthy Baby https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9KFNPNQ/   Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH - https://fabfertile.clickfunnels.com/optinvbzjfsii   Ultimate Diet for Egg and Sperm Health - https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/the-ultimate-diet-for-egg-and-sperm-health   Want to Get Pregnant This Year - https://fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/want-to-get-pregnant-this-year   Top Fertility Supplements You Need To Get Pregnant This Year - Access your free guide here at www.suppguideffl.com   --- Where should I start to optimize pregnancy success? Get started with the Fertility Preparation Bundle (US residents only) here https://fabfertile.com/products/fertility-preparation-bundle and use code LAUNCH15 to save 15%.   --- Get your free copy of our Winter Fertility Recipe Guide (includes 5-day meal plan/grocery shopping list, all free from the TOP allergens) at https://www.fertilitydietfreebie.com/.    --- Join my FREE Facebook group and get my training on HOW to improve pregnancy success with your own eggs. https://www.facebook.com/groups/451444518397946   --- Check out =https://www.fabfertile.com/blogs/podcasts/how-to-advocate-for-a-safer-birth-when-you-are-ttc-with-gina-mundy/   ---   Please note when promoting a product, we only select products that either Sarah Clark or her team has tried and believe are beneficial for someone who is TTC. We may receive a small commission.

*Rebroadcast* Doula Rachael shares the framework that can help guide you along your unique path to giving birth. The Lamaze 6 Healthy Birth Practices are foundational, practical, and effective in helping to ensure you have the best chance at having a safer, healthier, and more satisfying childbirth.  Use these birth practices to help increase your knowledge and confidence and to have conversations with your care provider about how they support these healthy birth practices.  You can also use these practices to begin filling your tool bag with resources, tips, and information to help you navigate the unpredictable events that can often lead to additional and oftentimes unnecessary or unwanted consequences later in labor or birth. In this episode, Rachael shares the Lamaze 6 Healthy Birth Practices:1.Let labor begin on its own2.Continuous Support3.Move around, change positions during labor4.Avoid unnecessary interventions5.Avoid pushing on your back6.Keep mom and baby togetherIf you can root in these guiding principles, you will be able to achieve the safe, healthy, and empowering birth experience you deserve!Your Birth Your Way Online Childbirth Education Course (by Doula Rachael)Mysteries At Riddleton ElementaryJoin Billy Bananza and Susie Sockington, as they unravel wacky mysteries at their school.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showWant to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth CommunityInstagram: Aligned Birth Email: alignedbirthpodcast@gmail.com Find us online:Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness North Atlanta Birth Services Editing: Godfrey SoundMusic: "Freedom” by RoaDisclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

Today on the show I speak to experienced doula and Mama of 3 Moran. Originally hailing from Israel - Moran fell pregnant with her first at 24 (nearly 20 years ago now!) after she had moved to Australia. Not knowing any friends who were pregnant or much about pregnancy at all - she went down the typical route and hired a private obstetrician and ended up with a birth that had ‘all the intervention'- just minus the c-section. Consequently the birth left her with postpartum anxiety and the thought that she would never have another biological child after that experience.  But with time, came healing, awareness and a change in location where she had attracted like-minded friends. She decided to have another babe and by this stage heard about Doulas and hired one. This was a game changer for her and she emersed herself in learning about natural birth. Still in the medical paradigm - Moran had went with a private ob for this pregnancy too. As she was in labour at home, Moran listened to her body and she made the conscious decision to simply just stay home - proof that you can change your path at anytime.  She talks about the joyous experience this was and how it changed everything for her. For her third Moran wanted to have another birth at home but ended up settling on a birth centre. This labour was much harder for her and we talk about the psychology of this - especially the fact that she really didn't want to birth in hospital. We end by chatting about her opinion of circumcision as a Jewish woman and her tips for birthing women as an experienced Doula. I loved chatting to Moran - someone who came to freebirth well before it was in the 'zeitgeist' and did it simply because it felt right. Enjoy! About Moran: My name is Moran and I am a birth Doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, HypnoBirthing practitioner, Stillbirthday Doula and a Placenta encapsulation specialist. I have been working with families in birth for nearly 12 years now and it came as a work of passion which originally culminated from my own birth experiences. I have now supported hundreds of families through their birth preparation and through their births and I truly believe when women change their mindset around birth they open up the immense possibility of walking away from their births truly transformed into empowered mothers. 

In this transformative episode of the Orgasmic Birth Podcast, host Debra Pascali-Bonaro explores the complex journey from childbirth trauma to empowering and pleasurable birth experiences with guest Moran Liviani. As a seasoned birth doula, Lamaze educator, hypnobirthing practitioner, and placenta encapsulation specialist, Moran offers valuable insights and personal reflections on overcoming past traumas, facing unconscious beliefs, and fostering a supportive environment for birth.     In This Episode:   Learn how Moran uncovered the patterns affecting women's births and why it's crucial to heal unresolved issues and traumas during pregnancy. Understand the importance of working with both the mother and her partner to dismantle fears and unhealthy beliefs, fostering a safe birthing environment. Moran shares the profound differences in her labor with her third child, painting a picture of growth and change. Discover how to follow Moran's work, engage with her content on social media, and benefit from her online private sessions. Debra highlights the enriching doula workshops available on orgasmicbirth.com, inviting you to learn and share your stories.   Key Takeaways:   Moran Liviani's personal journey from birth trauma to empowering birth experiences underlines the significance of addressing past traumas and unconscious beliefs to ensure a safe and positive childbirth. The crucial role of support systems in transforming birth experiences is highlighted, demonstrating that having a doula or a community of like-minded individuals can empower and normalize the birthing process for expectant mothers. Moran's transformation from a traumatic first birth to her subsequent empowered experiences emphasizes the importance of trusting one's instincts and valuing intuition when making birth-related decisions. The discussion between Moran and Debra sheds light on the psychological components of childbirth, showcasing that mental preparation and working through personal triggers can profoundly influence the labor experience. The episode encapsulates the ideology that every birth comes with a lesson and that empowerment and pleasure in childbirth can lead to profound personal growth and increased confidence for the mother.       Key Quotes:   "Embracing your vulnerability can lead to the most orgasmic, powerful birthing experience." - Moran Liviani   "The moment you realize you're the protagonist of your birth story, everything changes." - Moran Liviani   "Parenting began the moment I chose to approach birth as a celebration of strength, not a trial of endurance." – Moran Liviani     Connect with Moran!   Website: www.2life.com.au Instagram: @2lifedoula Facebook: 2Life Doula       Connect with Debra!   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/OrgasmicBirth YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/OrgasmicBirth1 Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@orgasmicbirth Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471/     Visit https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/ for more information on how to Positively Prepare for birth and parenting     Check out Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret, the film creating buzz around the world!    Orgasmic Birth Podcast: Pleasure in pregnancy, birth, and parenting. I believe pleasure is our birthright - from our sexuality, birth, parenting, and beyond, we can find pleasure when we create space for joy and intimacy in our lives. Join me to have deep conversations about breaking the taboos of Sexuality + Motherhood/Parenthood.   Listen to leading experts in sexuality, healing, and childbirth, as well as stories from new parents, doulas, doctors, midwives, and nurses. We will discuss how to positively prepare for childbirth and parenting by expanding love and intimacy in your life.  

If you see a very old lady in the checkout line with a cart full of diapers and baby food, that's just Sarah! The aged wife of Abraham, taking Lamaze classes - that's funny. She was the first to laugh, and we're still chuckling at God's sense of humor. Sarah's name appears in the list of the faithful in Hebrews 11, representing all the women who advanced Heaven's plan because of their belief. Jim's sermon is called, Faithful Rocking Rules the World. He'll open it with prayer. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS01312024_0.mp3Scripture References: Hebrews 11:11-12

If you're going to be preparing for birth at any point in the near future, this episode is for YOU. I am chatting with Deb Flashenberg of the Prenatal Yoga Center, all about how to have a more efficient and functional birth through exercise, including prenatal yoga. In the episode Deb shares strategies you can practice to help have a smoother labor, help your baby descend through your pelvis and, ultimately, how to set yourself up for a better birth experience - both mind and body. This is THE stuff I wish I had known before my first birth and I'm so excited to share this with you. Deb Flashenberg is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a labor support doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, and mother of two. Deb also hosts the podcast Yoga | Birth | Babies, where she speaks with some of the world's leading experts in pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenthood.  Explore the Prenatal Yoga Center: Website: http://www.prenatalyogacenter.com/ Instagram: @prenatalyogacenter Strong Mama Wellness Links and Resources: [FREE GUIDE] Pregnancy Exercise Modifications by Trimester 1:1 Pre/Postnatal Fitness Coaching: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠ Connect with me on Instagram! ⁠⁠@strongmamawellness⁠⁠ Learn more about my work on the ⁠⁠website⁠ Discount Codes: Milkology Breastfeeding/Pumping Courses 10% off (*affiliate): Click here and use code SMW10

If you're going to be preparing for birth at any point in the near future, this episode is for YOU. I am chatting with Deb Flashenberg of the Prenatal Yoga Center, all about how to have a more efficient and functional birth through exercise, including prenatal yoga. In the episode Deb shares strategies you can practice to help have a smoother labor, help your baby descend through your pelvis and, ultimately, how to set yourself up for a better birth experience - both mind and body. This is THE stuff I wish I had known before my first birth and I'm so excited to share this with you. Deb Flashenberg is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a labor support doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, and mother of two. Deb also hosts the podcast Yoga | Birth | Babies, where she speaks with some of the world's leading experts in pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenthood.  Explore the Prenatal Yoga Center: Website: http://www.prenatalyogacenter.com/ Instagram: @prenatalyogacenter Strong Mama Wellness Links and Resources: [FREE GUIDE] Pregnancy Exercise Modifications by Trimester 1:1 Pre/Postnatal Fitness Coaching: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠ Connect with me on Instagram! ⁠⁠@strongmamawellness⁠⁠ Learn more about my work on the ⁠⁠website⁠ Discount Codes: Milkology Breastfeeding/Pumping Courses 10% off (*affiliate): Click here and use code SMW10

Despite awareness and accountability of obstetric violence having grown over the last decades, mistreatment remains pervasive in maternity care. And being witnesses to obstetrical violence can certainly burn doulas out! Dr. Hillary Melchiors is paying attention, and has insights and solutions that will help doulas navigate OB violence and sustain themselves through their careers.   Hillary is a DONA certified birth doula and a Lamaze certified childbirth educator who has lived in the tri-state area since 2012. She also has a PhD in Medical Anthropology and a Master's degree in Public Health. She loves working with all types of families to help them have their best birth experience, no matter what their preferences are, and teaching families all of their options. Since founding the Doula Group of Evansville in 2014, Hillary has had a wide variety of professional experiences both as a doula and anthropologist, including being invited to speak about doulas and cultural barriers to breastfeeding at The Women's Hospital in Evansville. In her free time, she enjoys being with her partner Andrew and her two daughters Annika and Mayzie. Find Hillary on her personal website https://hillarymelchiors.com/.  You can follow her doula agency on Instagram @doulagroupofevansville. 

Deb Flashenberg, the founder of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC and host of the Yoga Birth Babies Podcast, brings valuable insights to the discussion on childbirth.  Together we discuss the dramatic identity shift that happens when you cross the threshold into parenthood. We also discuss the prenatal and birth experience. Emphasizing the importance of a mother's right to choose her birthing experience, she underscores the need for thorough preparation and the significance of having a well-prepared birthing team and advocate who is familiar with the mother's preferences. Additionally, she delves into the topic of pelvic floor health, highlighting the common issue of postpartum loss of bladder control and dispelling the notion that it is unavoidable.    IN THIS EPISODE: [3:13] Deb introduces herself and shares her professional background and training and how yoga inspires her life [7:30] Explains her roles as a doula and describes how the pelvic floor and the misconceptions surrounding this critical function [12:39] Deb discusses deciding what type of birthing experience you want and selecting a provider and team [16:16] Deb talks about what she would like to see in the future regarding birthing and things that need to change [22:42] Deb shares how the transition to a parent is a lifestyle, emotional and physical change  [28:14] Deb discusses her decision to have home birthing, and she outlines how socio-economics can affect the ability to choose your birthing vision [37:01] The different fears associated with the birthing experience are discussed [42:05] Deb defines what the family unit means to her   KEY TAKEAWAYS: You should never feel guilty about taking time for yoga. It isn't just exercise. It's a way to clear your mind so that you are present for the rest of the day.  Women who have problems with peeing when they laugh or sneeze have a weak pelvic floor, and it is false to think it's normal, and they have to live with it. Seek a pelvic therapist.  Medical staff need education about informed consent. Being in a hospital setting does not give someone a license to touch a patient without asking and being given permission.    RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Prenatal Yoga Center - Website Prenatal Yoga Center - Instagram   BIOGRAPHY:  Deb Flashenberg is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a labor support doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, mother of two and self-proclaimed "birth and anatomy geek.” For the past seven years, Deb has also greatly enjoyed hosting the podcast Yoga | Birth | Babies, where she speaks with some of the world's leading experts in pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenthood. Currently, Deb is knee-deep in Dr. Sarah Duvall's Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist program, pursuing the Spinning Babies Parent Educator certification and loving every minute of it!

"Rosemary's Baby," a devilishly delightful film directed by Roman Polanski, invites you into a world where pregnancy comes with a side order of satanic shenanigans. Set against the backdrop of swinging '60s New York, it's a baby shower you won't find on any registry. Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and her husband Guy (John Cassavetes) move into a quirky apartment building with more secrets than a gossip column. Little do they know, their dream of parenthood takes an unexpected turn into the occult when Rosemary becomes the unwitting star of a demonic maternity shoot. With nosy neighbors, creepy cradles, and a dash of devilish humor, "Rosemary's Baby" is a rollercoaster of cravings, contractions, and perhaps a bit more than your typical Lamaze class prepares you for. Get ready for a devilishly good time as Rosemary navigates the ultimate baby bump in this devilish classic. Reviews start at 01:03:15 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/storiestodismember/message

Welcome to part 1 of a 2 part series we shared back in 2021, but this interview with LaToya is timeless.  As a self-described “Christian, doula, wife, mother, certified birth nerd” LaToya Murray-Johnson the owner of DoulaviewLLC and founder of The Birth Impact is sharing what it means to be a doula and what it's like working with her.  She loves being the catalyst that sets mom on the path of success when it comes to their birth.  She considers herself a birth servant and someone who helps educate women about birth to dispel some of the misconceptions that are rampant in society.  By educating women and helping them understand their values and formulate their birth plan, she is able to help break down those misconceptions, and ultimately build back up the knowledge of the normal physiology of birth. Be sure to check out Part 2 of our interview here! Plays On Word RadioIn-depth look at God's Word, Biblical Plays we perform & those who've joined us on the wayListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showWant to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth CommunityInstagram: Aligned Birth Email: alignedbirthpodcast@gmail.com Find us online:Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness North Atlanta Birth Services Editing: Godfrey SoundMusic: "Freedom” by RoaDisclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

Your Maladjusted Misfits react as Phoebe feels neglected when Joey falls for her twin sister. Chandler struggles to fire an attractive co-worker. Ross attends Lamaze classes with Carol and Susan. Multiple plot lines, Mad About You crossoverness, guest stars, and misfits telling it like it is.The One to Follow Misfits on Facebook: The One Where We Talk about FriendsThe One to Visit Misfits on Instagram: The One Where We Talk about FriendsThe One to Email The Misfits: themaladjustedmisfits@gmail.com

If you are pregnant and due around the holidays, this episode is for you. When it comes to navigating the end of pregnancy, there are several mixed feelings and emotions and likely some degree of discomfort and eagerness to meet your baby and for the pregnancy to be over.  Every path is unique for each birthing person. What works for one person may not work for you and what works for you may not work for someone else. The goal is for you to feel as confident and prepared for this time of pregnancy and that you've had conversations withs with your provider leading up to your birth to fully understand how they support letting labor begin on its own and this includes going beyond your due date and learning about medical and non-medical reasons a provider may recommend an induction.  In this episode, we will discuss:What is the “estimated due date” and how to know what is normal, safe, and healthy for the length of pregnancy. Rates of inductions and birth surrounding major holidaysAvoiding the unnecessary inductionInformed and shared decision makingWhy it's important to let labor begin on its ownNavigating the final weeks of pregnancyEpisodes mentioned in this podcast:Ep 26: Due Dates and HolidaysEp 40: Lamaze 6 Healthy Birth PracticesEp 54: Navigating Final Weeks of PregnancyEp 65: Gentle InductionEp 71: All About Prenatal Massage Therapy with Tara ThompsonEp 77: Informed and Shared Decision MakingSupport the showWant to show your support? Want to help us continue doing this important and impactful work: Support the Show (we greatly appreciate it!)Don't miss new episodes: Join the Aligned Birth CommunityInstagram: Aligned Birth Email: alignedbirthpodcast@gmail.com Find us online:Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness North Atlanta Birth Services Editing: Godfrey SoundMusic: "Freedom” by RoaDisclaimer: The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This disclaimer includes all guests or contributors to the podcast.

Season 1, Episode 15 of Friends, "The One with Two Parts", premiered on February 23, 1995. It was written by Marta Kauffman & David Crane and directed by Michael Lembeck. Phoebe feels neglected when Joey falls for her twin sister. Chandler struggles to fire an attractive co-worker. Ross attends Lamaze classes with Carol and Susan. Rachel switches identities with Monica so she can use her health insurance. Send in any questions, comments, feedback or criticisms to The Postman: 1. On Twitter @asinensky @achester99 @PPPGFriends 2. By Email curbpostman@gmail.com 3. By filling out this ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give us a 5 Star Rating and Review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pretty-good-friends/support

Amy Spurling is the Founder and CEO of Compt, helping companies build and scale flexible perks, stipends that delight teams. She explains how Compt's approach to benefits aligns with an employee's life stages, and shares insights from data that revealed the vast diversity of vendors utilized by employees. Amy talks about fundraising for Compt, highlighting the gender investment gap and the difficulties faced by female founders. She also shares her personal experiences as a lesbian founder and emphasizes the importance of a diverse workforce. She outlines Compt's mission to provide equitable compensation and foster a broader perspective within companies, the economic miss of not investing in female-founded companies, and the complexities of transitioning into different roles within a startup. Amy's leadership values of balance and belonging are explored, and she shares insights about navigating hurdles like SOC 2 and GDPR compliance. Additionally, they talk about trends in the tech industry, such as AI's use in healthcare and the potential for bias in software, along with data privacy issues. __ Compt.io (https://www.compt.io/) Follow Compt.io on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/compt/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/compthq/), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ComptHQ), or Xr (https://twitter.com/ComptHQ). Follow Amy Spurling on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyspurling/) or X (https://twitter.com/amyspurling). Follow thoughtbot on Twitter (https://twitter.com/thoughtbot) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/). Become a Sponsor (https://thoughtbot.com/sponsorship) of Giant Robots! Transcript: VICTORIA: This is the Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast, where we explore the design, development, and business of great products. I'm your host, Victoria Guido. WILL: And I'm your other host, Will Larry. And with us today is Amy Spurling, Founder and CEO of Compt, helping companies build and scale flexible perks, stipends that delight teams. Amy, thank you for joining. AMY: Thanks so much for having me. VICTORIA: Amy, I saw in your LinkedIn background that you have a picture of someone hiking in what looks like a very remote area. So, just to start us off today, I wonder if you could tell us a little bit more about that. And what's your hobby there? AMY: Sure. I do spend a lot of time backpacking. That picture, I believe, was actually taken in Mongolia a couple of years ago. We spent ten days kind of hiking around in, I mean, everything is backcountry basically in Mongolia. So, spending a lot of time walking around, looking at mountains, is kind of my pastime. WILL: I have a question around backpacking itself. When you say backpacking, what does that mean? Does it mean you only have a backpack, and you're out in the mountains, and you're just enjoying life? AMY: It depends. So, in Mongolia, there were a couple of folks with camels, so carrying the heavy gear for us but still living in tents. My wife and I just did a backpacking trip in the Accursed Mountains in Albania, though, and everything was on our backpack. So, you're carrying a 35-pound pack. It has all your food, your water, your camping gear, and you just go. And you're just kind of living off the land kind of. I mean, you're taking food, so it's not like I'm foraging or hunting but living in the outback. WILL: Wow. What does that do for you just internally, just getting off the grid, enjoying nature? Because I know with tech and everything now, it's kind of hard to do that. But you've done that, I think you said, for ten days. Like, walk us through that experience a little bit. AMY: Some people use yoga, things like that, to go to a zen place, be calm, you know, help quiet their mind. For me, I need to do something active, and that's what I use this for. So getting off away from my phone, away from my laptop—those are not available to me when I'm in the mountains—and just focusing on being very present and listening to the birds, smelling the flowers. You know, pushing myself to where I'm, you know, exerting a lot of energy hiking and just kind of being is just...it's pretty fantastic. VICTORIA: And I'm curious, what brought you to decide to go to Albania to get to that experience? Because that's not a top destination for many people. But -- AMY: It is not. So, we travel a fair amount, and we backpack a fair amount. And the mountains there are honestly some of the most beautiful I've seen anywhere in the world. And so, we're always looking for, where can you get off the grid pretty quickly? Where can you be in the mountains pretty quickly in a way that still has a path so that you're not putting yourself in danger? Unless...I mean, we've done that too. But you want to make sure you have a guide, obviously, if you're going completely no path, no trail kind of camping, too. But it just looked really beautiful. We planned it actually for three years ago and had to cancel because it was May of 2020. And so, we've had this trip kind of on the books and planned for it for a while. VICTORIA: That's awesome. Yeah, I know of Albania because I had a friend who worked there for a few years. And she said the rock climbing there is amazing. And it actually has one of the last wild rivers in Europe. So, it's just a very remote, very interesting place. So, it's funny that you went there [laughs]. I was like, wait, other people also go to Albania. That's awesome. I love the outdoor space. Well, what a great perk or benefit to working to be able to take those vacations and take that time off and spend it in a way that makes you feel refreshed. Tell me more about Compt and your background. What led you to found this company? AMY: Sure. I've been in tech companies for, you know, over 20 years. I've been a CFO, a COO building other people's dreams, so coming in as a primary executive, you know, first funding round type of person, help scale the team, manage finance and HR. And I loved doing that, but I got really frustrated with the lack of tools that I needed to be able to hire people and to retain people. Because the way we compensate people has changed for the last 10, 15 years. And so, ultimately, decided to build a platform to solve my own problem and my own team's problems, and started that getting close to six years ago now. But wanted to build a tech company in a very different way as well. So, in the same way, I take time off, I want my team to take time off. So, we operate on a basis of everyone should be taking their time off. Don't check in while you're out. We'll make sure we're covered. You know, let's build a sustainable business here. And everybody should be working 40 to 45 hours a week, which is definitely not a startup culture or norm. WILL: Yeah. I love that. I was doing some research on Compt. And so, in your words, can you explain to everyone exactly what your company does? AMY: Sure. So, we build lifestyle benefit accounts for companies. And what that means...and the terminology keeps changing, so some people may call them stipends or allowances. But it's really looking at how you pull together employee perks, benefits that will help compete for talent. And right now, retention is kind of the key driver for most companies. How do I keep the people I have really happy? Competitive salaries are obviously table stakes. Health insurance for most industries is table stakes. So, it's, what else are you offering them? You can offer a grab bag of stuff, which a lot of companies try and do, but you get very low utilization. Or you can do something like a stipend or a lifestyle spending account, which is what we build, which allows for complete flexibility so that every employee can do something different. So that even if you're offering wellness, you know, what the three of us think about as wellness is likely very different. I spend a lot of money at REI, like, they are basically, like, as big as my mortgage. I spend so much money there because I want backpacking gear. Wellness for you folks may be a little bit different. And so, allowing for that personalization so everybody can do something that matters to them. VICTORIA: Right. And I love that it comes from a problem you found in your own experience of working with early-stage startups and being on the executive level and finance and building teams from the ground up. So, I'm curious, what lessons did you find in your previous roles that were maybe ten times more important when you started your own company? AMY: I learned so much through all of my prior companies and pulled in the lessons of the things that worked really well but then also the things that it was, like, wow, I would definitely do that different. DEI is very important to us. I knew building a diverse team was going to be a competitive advantage for us. And none of my prior teams really met that mark. You know, most of them were Boston-based, the usual kind of profile of a tech company: 85%-95% White guys, mostly from MIT, you know, very, very talented, but also coached and trained by the same professors for the last 20 years. So, I knew I wanted different perspectives around the table, and that was going to be really key. So, looking at non-traditional backgrounds, especially as we were looking at hiring engineers, for instance, that was really interesting to me because I knew that would be part of our competitive advantage as we started building up this platform that is employee engagement but very much a tax compliance and budgeting tool as well. VICTORIA: I love hearing that. And it's something I've heard from actually thoughtbot's founder, Chad. That is something he wished he invested more in when he first started it. So, I'm curious as to how that's played out from when you started to where you are now. You said, I think, it's been six years, right? AMY: January will be six years, so five and a half-ish, I guess, right now. I mean, it was a stated part of what we were going to do from day one. All of my prior companies wanted that as well. I don't think anybody starts out and says, "Hey, I'd really love a one-note company." No one says that. Everybody thinks that they're doing the right things and hiring the best talent. But what you do is you end up hiring from your network, which usually looks just like you. And when you get to be, you know, 100, 150 people and you're looking around going, wow, we have some gaps here, it's really hard to fill them because who wants to be the first and the only of whatever? You know, I've been the only woman on most management teams. So, for us, it was day one, make it part of the focus and make sure we're really looking for the best talent and casting a very wide net. So, right now, we're sitting at 56% female and 36% people of color, and somewhere around 18%-19% LGBTQIA. So, we're trying to make sure that we're attracting all those amazing perspectives. And they're from people from around the country, which I also think is really important when you're building a tech company. Don't just build in areas where you're in your little tech bubble. If you want to build a product that actually services everyone, you need to have other kind of cultural and country perspectives as well. VICTORIA: Yeah. And that makes perfect sense for what you described earlier for Compt, that it is supposed to be flexible to provide health benefits or wellness benefits to anyone. And there can be a lot of different definitions of that. So, it makes sense that your team reflects the people that you're building for. AMY: Exactly. WILL: Yeah. How does that work? How does Compt accomplish that? Because I know early on I was doing nonprofits and I was a decent leader. But I struggle to get outside of myself, my own bubble if that makes sense. So, like, that was before I had kids. I had no idea what it meant to have kids and just the struggles and everything if you have kids. So, there's so many different things that I've learned over the years that, like, just people have their own struggles. So, how does Compt accomplish the diversity of a company? AMY: So, it's so interesting you mentioned that. I was on a podcast the other day with somebody who was, like, "You know, we didn't really think about our benefits and how important they were." And then, the founder who was the person on the podcast, and he was like, "But then I had kids. And suddenly, I realized, and we had this amazing aha moment." I'm like, well, it's great you had the aha moment. But let's back it up and do this before the founder has children. Sometimes you need to recognize the entire team needs something different and try and support them. My frustration with the tools out there are there are tools that are like, hey, we're a DE&I platform. We will help you with that. You know, we've got a benefit for fertility. We've got a benefit for, you know, elder care. There's all kinds of benefits. These are great benefits, but they're also very, very specific in how they support an employee. And it's very small moment in time, usually. Whereas with something like Compt, where we say, "Hey, we support family," your version of family, having children is very different from my version of family, where I don't have children, but we both have families. And we can both use that stipend in a way that is meaningful for us. What puts the employee back in charge, what matters in their lives, instead of the company trying to read everyone's mind, which is honestly a no-win situation for anyone. So, it just makes it very, very broad. VICTORIA: Yes. And I've been on both sides, obviously, as an employee, but also previously role of VP of Operations. And trying to design benefits packages that are appealing, and competitive, and fair is a challenging task. So -- AMY: It's impossible. It's impossible. [laughs] VICTORIA: Very hard. And I'm curious what you found in the early stages of Compt that was surprising to you in the discovery process building the product. AMY: So, for me, I mean, discovery was I am the buyer for this product. So, I wanted this about five years before I decided to go and build it. And I was talking to other finance and HR professionals going around going, "All right, are you feeling this exact same pain that I'm feeling? Because it is getting completely insurmountable." We were all being pitched all these different platforms and products. Everybody had something they wanted to sell through HR to help attract, and engage and retain talent and all the things, right? But there's no tracking. It's not taxed correctly. And ultimately, no matter what you bring in, maybe 2% to 3% of your team would use it. So, you're spending all this time and energy in putting all this love into wanting to support your team, and then nobody uses the stuff that you bring in because it just doesn't apply to them. And so, I realized, like, my pivotal moment was, all right, none of this is working. I've been waiting five years for somebody to build it. Let's go build something that is completely vendor-agnostic. There's no vendors on this platform by design because everyone ultimately wants something different. And, you know, through that process, we were, of course, pushed by many VCs who said, "Hey, build your marketplace, build your marketplace, you know, that's going to be your moat and your special sauce." And I said, "No, no, no, that's not what we're going to do here because that doesn't solve that problem." And we finally had the data to prove it, which is fantastic. You know, we actually did a sample of 8,700 people on our platform, and we watched them for a year. And said, "How many different vendors are these 8,700 people going to use?" Because that's the marketplace we'd have to build because we have 91% employee engagement. Nobody can beat us in the industry. We've got the highest employee engagement of any platform in our category. So, how many different vendors could 8,700 people use in that time period? Do you guys have any guesses how many they used in that time period to get to that engagement? VICTORIA: Out of 8,700 vendors? AMY: No, 8,700 employees. So, how many different vendors they used in that time period. VICTORIA: Hmm, like, per employee, I could see maybe, like, 10? I don't know. Two? AMY: We saw 27,000 different vendors used across all the employees, so 27,000 different unique vendors. So, on average, every employee wants three unique vendors that no one else is using. VICTORIA: Oh wow. WILL: Wow. VICTORIA: Yeah, okay. [laughter] Right. AMY: So, it's just you can't build that, I mean, you could build that marketplace, but nobody's going to visit that marketplace because nobody wants to scroll through 27,000 things. And so, it just keeps changing. You know, and I saw that even with the woman who started the company with me, you know, when she...we, of course, use Compt internally. And she started using her wellness stipend. You know, at first, she was doing 5Ks. So, she'd register for the race. She'd go train. She'd do all the things. Then she got pregnant and had a baby and started shifting over to prenatal vitamins, to Lamaze classes, to, you know, mommy yoga, things like that. Then once she had the baby, it shifted again. And so, it allows for a company to flow with an employee's lifecycle without having to get into an employee's life stage and, "Hey, what do you need at this moment in time?" Employees can self-direct that, so it makes it easier for employees and a lot easier for companies who are not trying to...we don't want to map out every single moment of our employee's personal life. We shouldn't be involved in that. And so, this is a way to support them but also give them a little space too. WILL: I absolutely love that because that is, yes, that is a flow. Like, before you have kids, it's, like, yes, I can go run these 5Ks; I can do this. When you have kids, it totally changes. Like, okay, what can I do with my kids? So, workout, or that's my away time. So, I love that it's an ebb and flow with the person. And they can pick their own thing, like -- AMY: Right. We're all adults. WILL: Yes. [laughs] AMY: I think I sat there going; why am I dictating someone's health and wellness regimen? I am not qualified for this on any stretch. Like, why am I dictating what somebody's mental health strategy should be? That's terrifying. You're adults. You work with your professionals. We'll support it. WILL: Yes. I remember at one company I worked for; they had this gym that they had, you know, got a deal with. And I was so frustrated because I was like, that's, like, 45 minutes away from my house. AMY: [laughs] Right. WILL: It's a perk, but it means absolutely nothing to me. I can't use it. So yes, yeah. [laughs] AMY: Well, and, like, not everybody wants to work, say...there was, you know, we see a lot of that is there's been a transition over time. COVID really changed that as people couldn't go to gyms, and companies shifted to stipends. But you may not want to work out with your co-workers, and that's okay, too. Like, it's okay to want to do your own thing and be in your own space, which is where we see this kind of decline of the, you know, on-site company gym, which, you know, some people just don't want to do that. VICTORIA: Yeah. So, I love that you stayed true to this problem that you found and you backed it up with data. So, you're like, here's clear data on, say, why those VCs' advice was bad [laughs] about the marketplace. AMY: Ill-informed. They needed data to see otherwise. [laughs] VICTORIA: Yeah. Well, I'm curious about your experience going through fundraising and starting up for Compt with your background as a CFO and how that was for you. AMY: It was...I naively thought it would be easier for me, and maybe it was because I had all this experience raising money as a CFO in all these prior companies. But the reality is that women receive less than 2% of all funding, even though we start 50% of the businesses. And if you look at, you know, Black female founders, they're receiving, like, 0.3, 0.5% of funding. Like, it's just...it's not nice out there. You know, on average, a lot of VCs are looking at 3,000, 4,000, or 5000 different companies a year and investing in 10. And so, the odds of getting funded are very, very low, which means that you're just going to experience a whole lot of unique situations as a female founder. I saw that you folks work with LOLA, which is fantastic. I'm a huge fan of LOLA and kind of what their founders put together. And I've heard some amazing things about the pitches that she's done for VCs and that she's just not shy about what she's building. And I really appreciate that. It's never a fun situation. And it gets easier the later stages because you have more metrics, and data, and all of that. And we ultimately found phenomenal investors that I'm very, very happy to have as part of our journey. But it's definitely...it's not pretty out there is the reality. VICTORIA: Right. And I saw that you either attended or put on an event about the gender investment gap, which I think is what you just referred to there as well. So, I'm curious how that conversation went and if there were any insights about what the industry can do to promote more investment in women and people of color founders. AMY: So, that's actually coming up August 10th, and so that's coming up in a few weeks that we're going to be hosting that. I'm actually part of a small group that is spearheading some legislation in Massachusetts to help change this funding dynamic for female founders, which I'm pretty excited about. And California also has some legislation they're looking at right now. In Mass, we're looking at how fair lending laws can apply to venture capital. There are laws on the books on how capital gets distributed when you look at the banking system. But there's virtually no regulation when you look at venture funding, and there's no accountability, and there's no metrics that anybody is being held to. I don't believe that you know, just because I pitched a VC that they should be funding me, you know, it needs to be part of their thesis and all of those things. But when you see so much disparity in what is happening out there, bias is coming into play. And there needs to be something that helps level that playing field. And so, that's where legislation comes into play and helps change that dynamic. So, pretty excited about the legislation that's before both the Senate and the Mass State House, likely going to be heard this November. So, we're pretty excited about that. Mid-Roll Ad: As life moves online, bricks-and-mortar businesses are having to adapt to survive. With over 18 years of experience building reliable web products and services, thoughtbot is the technology partner you can trust. We provide the technical expertise to enable your business to adapt and thrive in a changing environment. We start by understanding what's important to your customers to help you transition to intuitive digital services your customers will trust. We take the time to understand what makes your business great and work fast yet thoroughly to build, test, and validate ideas, helping you discover new customers. Take your business online with design‑driven digital acceleration. Find out more at tbot.io/acceleration or click the link in the show notes for this episode. WILL: So, Amy, you're talking a lot about diversity, inclusion, and just biases, and things like that. You're doing a great job with it. Your product is perfect for that because it reaches so many different levels. And I just want to ask you, why are you so passionate about it? Why is this so important to you? AMY: For me, personally, I am a lesbian founder. I am the only, you know, LGBTQ in many of my companies. And I'm always the, I mean, very frequently, the only woman in the boardroom, the only woman on the leadership team. That's not super comfortable, honestly. When you are having to fight for your place at the table, and you see things that could be done differently because you're bringing a different perspective, that, to me, is a missed opportunity for companies and for employees as well who, you know, there's amazing talent out there. If you're only looking at one flavor of talent, you're missing the opportunity to really build a world-class organization. And so, to me, it's both the personal side where I want to work with the best people. I want to work with a lot of different perspectives. I want to work with people who are bringing things to the table that I haven't thought about. But also, making sure that we're creating an environment where those people can feel comfortable as well, and so people don't feel marginalized or tokenized and have the ability to really bring their best selves to work. That's really important to me. It's a reflection of the world around us. It's bringing out the best in all of us. And so, for me, that's the environment I want to create in my own company. And it's also what I want to help companies be able to foster within their companies because I think a lot of companies really do want that. They just don't know how to go about it. They don't have actual tools to support a diverse team. You pay for things for the people you have, and then you hire more people like the people you have. We want to be a tool to help them expand that very organically and make it a lot easier to support a broader perspective of people. VICTORIA: I appreciate that. And it speaks to something you said earlier about 50% of the businesses are started by women. And so, if you're not investing in them, there's a huge market and huge potential and opportunity there that's just not -- AMY: The economic miss is in the trillions, is what's been estimated. Like, it's an absolute economic miss. I mean, you also have the statistics of what female-founded companies do. We tend to be more profitable. We tend to be more capital efficient. We tend to, you know, have better outcomes. It's just so the economics of it are there. It's just trying to get folks to understand where their biases are coming into play and funding things that may be a little outside their comfort zone. VICTORIA: Right. That's going to be a big project to undo all of that. So, each piece that works towards it to break it down, I think, is really important. And it seems like Compt is a great tool for companies to start working towards that, at least in the equity of their benefits, which is -- [laughs] AMY: Exactly. Because, I mean, if people can't use a perk, then it's inequitable compensation. And if you have inequitable compensation, you're already going down that path. You end up with wage gaps, and then you end up with promotion gaps. And all these things feed into each other. So, we're just trying to chip away at one piece of the problem. There's lots of places that this needs to be adjusted and changed over time. But we want to at least chip away at that one piece where this piece of compensation can be equitable and support everyone. WILL: Yeah, I love that. I was looking at your LinkedIn. And it looks like you've been almost, later this year, maybe six years of Compt. What was some of the early traction? Like, how was it in the early days for you? AMY: It was an interesting transition for me, going from CFO and COO over to the CEO role. That was easier in some ways than I thought it was going to be and harder in other ways. You know, on the easy side, I've already done fundraising. I understand how to write a business model, and look at financial plans, and make sure the concept is viable and all the things. But I also am not an engineer. I'm not a product designer. And so needed to make sure we immediately surrounded ourselves with the right talent and the right help to make sure that we could build the right product, pull the things out of my brain that are conceptual but definitely not product design. No one wants me touching product design. I've been barred from all codebases in this company. They don't want me touching anything, with good reason. And so, making sure that we have those right people to build and design the software in a way that functionally makes sense. VICTORIA: I think that is great that...I laughed when you said that you are barred from touching any of the code. [laughs] It's like, you're able to...I think a strong leader recognizes when other people have the expertise and makes space for them to do their best work. I also see that, at the same time, you've been a mentor with the MassChallenge group. And I'm curious if you have a most frequent piece of advice that you give to founders and people starting out building great products. AMY: The biggest piece of advice, I think, is to make sure you're taking care of yourself through this process. It's an exhausting process to build a company. And there's always way more that you should be doing every day than you can possibly get done. And if you just completely absorb yourself in it, you're going to end up burning out. So, making sure that you rest, that you still make time to exercise and to move, and that you spend time with family. All of those things, I think, are really, really important. That's been part of our core tenets. From day one, I said, "No more than 40 to 45 hours a week." It doesn't mean I'm not thinking about this business far more than 45 hours a week, but I'm not going to sit behind a computer that many hours in a week because I will burn out. And if I'm out and I'm reading something, or I'm, you know, going for a walk, I'm going to have moments of inspiration because I can actually have those creative thoughts firing when I'm not just putting out fires. And so, I think that's really, really important for founders to make sure they take that time and allow their brains to clear a little bit so that they can build more efficiently, build faster, and have really good critical reasoning skills. WILL: I love that you not only have the product to, you know, help taking time off, but you also are preaching it per se, like, take time off. Don't work more than 40-45 hours. Like, take care of yourself. So, I love that advice that you're giving is right in the message with your product. So, I love it. AMY: Thank you. I do hammer home with this team. What we build is obviously very, very important to me, but how we build this company is equally important. We spend just as much time thinking about how we're building and designing this company internally as we do about our product because they need to be a virtuous cycle between the two, quite frankly. And so, if they aren't aligned, we're going to fail. WILL: Definitely. Wow. Awesome. What does success look like for you and Compt in the next, you know, six months to a year? AMY: For us, it's really about reaching as many people as possible. So, how do we have an impact on as many lives as possible and help people be able to access this piece of their compensation? What is interesting right now is we're in a really interesting moment. The tech industry is going through...shall we call it an awakening? Where money is tighter. There's been some layoffs. You know, it's just a very different world in tech right now. And everybody's in a little bit of a holding pattern to figure out, okay, what's next? What we're seeing across our portfolio of companies is that there's a lot of industries that are, for the first time, really thinking about how do we retain folks? How do we think about hiring in a new way? So, industries like construction and manufacturing. Industries that never had employee kind of lifestyle benefits or perks they're taking a look at that because unemployment is so, so low. And so, for the first time ever, we have the ability to have an impact on groups that never had access to professional development, to wellness, to things like that. And that's really exciting because you can have such a huge, impactful moment where people have just been without for so long. And so, that's pretty exciting for us. VICTORIA: You're touching upon a topic that I've thought about before, where in the tech industry, we're used to having a lot of benefits and perks and that not every industry is the same way. So, I'm curious; you mentioned construction and some other groups that are looking to adopt more of these benefits because unemployment is so low. I'm curious, like, if there are any patterns or things that you see, like, specific industries that are more interested than others, or what's going on there? AMY: Our portfolio of tech companies are only about...they're less than 40% of our customers, actually. So, a relatively low percentage of our customers come from the tech industry. What we find is that healthcare systems this is really important. As you're thinking about how you're going to retain nursing staff, it is incredibly difficult. And so, we see a lot of movement in the healthcare space. We see a lot of movement, again, across manufacturing and construction, you know, financial services. Pretty much anybody who is struggling to hire and is worried about retaining is trying to figure out what's my strategy? How do I do this in the least expensive way possible but reach everyone? Because those employee engagement metrics are so consistently important to look at. And most platforms and things that you could be doing out there are going to give you a 2% to 3% utilization. So, it's very, very low. You know, wellness is by far the most common use case we see companies putting in place. It's good for employees. It's good for the employer. That's by far the most important or the most common. But we also see things like family, and just more of a whole well-being kind of concept as well, so beyond wellness, so allowing for that broader reach. We're also seeing industries where people are starting to age out. So, we've got five generations at work right now. There's industries where folks have historically stayed forever. You know, you've got the people who have been there 20-30 years. Well, those same industries are now sitting there going, all right, how do I get the next two generations to come in here? Because it's such an old-guard and old approach. We've got to change things up. And so, we're seeing a pretty big cultural shift happen within a lot of these more nascent industries. WILL: Yeah. I can definitely see how that would be tough going from, you know, you said five generations are currently in the workforce? AMY: Yep. WILL: I didn't even think about that. Wow. AMY: Yeah, you got a lot of different parts of the life cycle. You know, think about professional development. Professional development for a 22-year-old is very different from professional development for a 65-year-old. But both are in the workplace, and both want to keep learning. It's just what your needs are and what you need to learn. And how you want to learn is going to be very, very different. WILL: Wow. So true. I love how you're talking about your leadership and just the way you lead. I can just hear it in what you're saying. What are some of your core values that drive you every day? AMY: One of the big ones, and it probably goes back to, you know, I'm sure, birth placement, whatever. I'm an oldest child, all the things that come with being an oldest child. But fairness is a really big one for me. And so, it's thinking about how we apply that as a company, so equitable compensation falls under that. Making sure that we've got a team that is balanced and diverse is really important to me. You know, thinking, you know, our core values are balance and belonging. That runs through absolutely everything that we do and is core and central to it. Because, again, how we build this company is just as important to me as what we're building. And so, making sure that we hold true to those values is critical because we have amazing people, and they need to feel supported as well. VICTORIA: Well, that really comes through in everything that you say and that we've talked about so far today, and I really appreciate that. And I'm curious if you could go back in time to when you first started Compt and tell yourself any piece of advice or information; what would you say? AMY: That piece of advice has changed over time; I will tell you that. The one that is most recent for me is really because we're an HR tech platform, and we service, you know, an entire organization, is really thinking about how you support different industries at different moments in time, the concept of product-market fit. When you're that type of a platform, which there aren't many, there's not many platforms that sit across an entire organization, but compensation is one of them. You need to be thinking about which industries are struggling to hire, which are struggling to retain at this moment in time. And so, I don't think there's one place, like, hey, we have product-market fit, now we can scale. I think that's a misnomer for our part of the HR tech space. And so, it's constant experimentation on go-to-market strategy and constant kind of adjustment as markets ebb and flow over time. WILL: What is some of your biggest hurdles right now or even in the future that you can see coming? AMY: If I had a crystal ball, life would definitely be easier. I'd love to know when this economic cycle is going to shift and, you know when things get a little bit easier for companies. You know, HR leaders and finance leaders are not having the most fun at this moment in time. They're being tasked with making everybody happy but on very small budgets, and so they're really challenged with that. And they're really burnt out, and they're exhausted. So, I'm looking forward to a shift so when people can get back to feeling a little bit physically better. But also, it just helps navigate a market and be better able to support your employees. VICTORIA: I've been thinking about that question recently, what I would tell my past self, and I think it's mostly, like, food related. [laughter] AMY: Ooh, interesting. VICTORIA: Use better vinegars, like, invest in fancier olive oil. [laughs] AMY: So, my new luxury pro-tip is you buy a $7 bunch of eucalyptus at the grocery store, and you tie it above your shower head. I'm not kidding; you will feel like you're at a spa. It costs $7. I learned it because I was at some fancy resort. One of my investors, you know, paid for us to go to a conference that I was not paying for. And I was like, that is genius. You suddenly feel like you are in someplace fancy, and it was seven bucks. It's amazing. WILL: Yes. VICTORIA: That sounds incredible. I'm going to do that. WILL: Same. [laughter] VICTORIA: [inaudible 34:35] buy some. No, it's so good. Do you have any questions for us, Amy? AMY: Yeah. I mean, what trends are you seeing in the market right now? Like, what types of companies are being developed? Where do you see growth happening in the market? VICTORIA: That's probably a better question for me. As a managing director, I spend more time networking and going to events. And it's interesting being in San Diego. There's a big biotech startup here. So, I went to an EvoNexus Demo Day and saw the things that people were using. And there seemed to be a trend of using AI and machine learning to create better health outcomes, whether that's for predictors for which people will respond better to anti-cancer drugs, or, you know, how do we monitor the release of drugs for someone's system who's, you know, going through methadone in therapy. So, it's really interesting. I think that you know, you mentioned that there's not the same amount of money in the tech market, but I think there is still a lot of work being done to solve real problems that people have. So yeah, I'm really curious to see those types of projects and which ones are going to be successful, and how much the AI trend will really fade out. Like, clearly, in some use cases, you can see how beneficial it could be. And other times, it seems like it's kind of just like slapped on there for -- AMY: Agreed. VICTORIA: Marketing purposes, so... AMY: That's really just a database query. It's not AI. [laughs] VICTORIA: Right. [laughs] It's interesting because, you know, I just had lunch with a bunch of other CTOs in San Diego, and we were talking about AI, and some of the inherent risks of it, and the damage it can cause. And I always like to bring it back to, like, there are some people who are already harmed by these trends. And we have to work around that. Like, there is some, you know, greater supposed existential threat with AI that I think is rather unlikely. But if we think about that too much and not focus on the current harm that's being done, then that's, you know, more dangerous than the other one. AMY: Yeah. No, absolutely. I mean, there's definitely, I mean, even just with facial recognition and how that's applied and what that's used for. I mean, any software that is built with people has bias. And so, whatever biases they're bringing into it is the bias that's going to exist in the software. And so, there's...we already are starting from, you know, going back to our earlier conversation, if companies are not diverse and not building for really diverse perspectives, they're inherently going to build bias software, whether or not, I mean, I don't think that's anybody's intention. But that's what's going to happen because you just didn't think about things you didn't know. VICTORIA: Right. And, of course, I'm here in Southern California. There's the strikes for the actors and writers' strike happening a few hours north of us. And they were actually, you know, for some actors, signing away their rights to their likeness. AMY: Wow. VICTORIA: And then they could make an AI image and -- AMY: Wow. You could just create an entire movie with somebody's image and dub in a voice, and suddenly you don't need actors. VICTORIA: Right. And it's, of course, more often non-White actors and models who are being replaced. And so, I think that's a very interesting trend that people may not have thought about yet. AMY: Fascinating. VICTORIA: So yeah, I mean, having people on your leadership team who are thinking about these [laughs] different types of issues, like, yeah, I think it's really important. And then also, from, like, a data privacy perspective, all the laws that are coming out and that have come out. And I think that some founders and CTOs are really struggling with how to comply and protect everyone's data that way. AMY: No. It's something we think about a lot because we have the potential to have access to a lot of employee data. We take a very minimalist approach stated, not a big data play. That's not what we're here for. That's not what we're trying to do, this mountain of data on people, and then we'll figure out how to monetize it. We want to build something a little bit different. And so using only data that needs to be used so that we can truly support people with what our actual goal and aim is, rather than having that be a secondary cause. VICTORIA: Yeah. And I wanted to ask you about that actually because you have SOC 2 and GDPR compliance. And it's a topic that I think a lot of founders know that security is important, but it can be a significant investment. So, I'm curious your trade-offs and your timing for when you went for those compliance frameworks. AMY: We went early for it. I mean, so our platform, I mean, we're integrated with payroll platforms. We're touching employee data. So, we went for it early because we knew that it was going to be important, and it's a lot easier to do it before you make a mess than it is after the fact. I've done SOC 2 compliance in two prior companies. It's not fun. It is not my most fun thing that I've ever done. Fortunately, there are geniuses out there who built platforms to make this very, very easy now. We use a platform called Vanta that is absolutely incredible, made it super easy to get SOC 2 compliant, go through our audits, do all the things, so that, at least, is a lot easier. But it was something that we needed the funding to invest in. It's not inexpensive. But we knew that it was going to be critical because people need to feel that their data is secure and that you know what you're doing, and that you're not just kind of flying by the seat of your pants. There's a lot of tech companies that operate on, we'll figure out the tax, or we'll figure out the law. We'll figure out the compliance later. And that's been a stated part of their mission. That's just not the way I'm going to operate. And that doesn't work very well when you're dealing with HR, quite frankly, or finance because we have to comply with laws. So, getting ahead of that early was part of our strategy. VICTORIA: That makes sense. Your finance background making it clear what the legal implications are. [laughs] AMY: Exactly. Like, I'm not messing around with the IRS. Nobody wants to get audited by the IRS. It's not fun. Let's just keep things tax compliant. Chances are you're not going to get audited by the IRS. But if you are a tech company, if you do want to go public, if you do want to be acquired likely from a public company, you have to have these things in order because otherwise, it's coming off your purchase price or your stock price because you've got disclosures you've got to put out there, so little hidden, nasty gotchas. And it can be a six-year lookback period. So, you're like, oh, I'll worry about it later. Six years is a long time. And if you start messing around with that, it gets very, very expensive to clean up. So, just do it right from the beginning. You know, the same way you're doing payroll correctly now, invest a little bit, and it makes it a lot easier. VICTORIA: Yeah, I agree. And I think the tooling that's out there makes it a little bit easier; at least then, you know you have the confidence that your data is protected. Especially if you're a non-technical founder, I can imagine that makes you feel better that things are the way they should be. AMY: Exactly. Somebody has looked at this thing. Somebody is making sure that it's working the way it's supposed to. You know, that definitely helps when you're a non-technical founder, or just not a tax expert, or a legal expert, you know, around these things. It's not even the technical founders that have to worry about it. Data comes in all kinds of forms. VICTORIA: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. AMY: This has been a fantastic conversation. I've really enjoyed it. VICTORIA: Well, thank you. WILL: Same. VICTORIA: I've enjoyed it as well. I really appreciate you taking the time. You can subscribe to the show and find notes along with a complete transcript for this episode at giantrobots.fm. If you have questions or comments, you can email us at hosts@giantrobots.fm. You can find me on Twitter @victori_ousg. WILL: And you can find me on Twitter @will23larry. This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot and produced and edited by Mandy Moore. Thanks for listening. See you next time. ANNOUNCER: This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot, your expert strategy, design, development, and product management partner. We bring digital products from idea to success and teach you how because we care. Learn more at thoughtbot.com. Special Guest: Amy Spurling.

We are so honored to have today's guest, Henci Goer, joining Meagan today. Henci has made it her life's work to help women make informed decisions about their care in the birth space. She has written multiple books, received countless awards, and has made current obstetric research more accessible to women worldwide. Henci defines uterine scar separation and talks about what factors may contribute to or help prevent this from happening. Meagan and Henci talk extensively about VBAC, VBA2C, birth plans, induction, and epidurals all using evidence-based research. We love that Henci's mission is to empower women and families to make the choices that are best for them. Here at The VBAC Link, our mission is the same!Additional LinksHenci's Blog: Is VBAC Safe?Henci's WebsiteLabor Pain: What's Your Best Strategy? By Henci GoerOptimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic ApproachNeeded WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode DetailsMeagan: Hello, hello. Welcome to The VBAC Link. This is Meagan and you guys, we have an amazing, amazing, amazing episode for you today. This episode has actually been kind of a long time coming. We have our friend, Henci Goer. She is just a wealth of knowledge. You're going to absolutely pick this episode apart. I know it. You're actually probably going to want a notebook so if you're one of the listeners that goes on walks or is driving, you might want to press pause or listen to it and come back with a notebook because I know you're going to want to write these stats down. We're talking about uterine scar giveaway, you guys. I know that this is something huge. All of our listeners, every single one of our listeners that has had a VBAC is aware of uterine scar separation so this is going to be a really great episode filled with wonderful evidence and all of the things for you. So buckle up. It's going to be amazing. Review of the WeekBut of course, we have a Review of the Week so I am going to quickly share that with you. This review today is actually on our How to VBAC: The Ultimate Parents Course. This is from Rosie. It says, “As someone who had an unplanned Cesarean myself and as a doula, I really appreciated how well-balanced this course is. There's no shaming. There's no bias. It's just the facts.”Thank you, Rosie. I'm so glad that you are enjoying the course or have enjoyed the course. And if you didn't know, we do have a How to VBAC Parents Course and a Doula Course for all of you birth workers out there who want to learn how to support your VBAC clients. We have this course. You can check it out at thevbaclink.com. Henci GoerMeagan: Okay, Ms. Henci. I am so honored to have you on the show today. I mean, really, it seems like we've been talking for months. I really think it was the beginning of the year, right? Henci: Something around there, yeah. Meagan: Yes. Oh my gosh, it's been so long. Just for anyone out there who wants to know a little bit more about Henci and why we are having her on the show today, she actually started out as a Lamaze teacher and a doula. Her life's work soon became analyzing and synthesizing obstetric research in order to give pregnant women, birthing people, and birth professionals access to what continues to be optimal care in childbirth. Just that right there, that little bit right there, I'm telling you guys, it really is her life's work. If you Google her name, you're going to find a ton of research. She's an author of four books. Four books, you guys. Labor Pain, What is Your Best Strategy?, Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for Physiological Approach with co-author Amy Ramana– is she on MSN and CNN or has been mentioned? Tell me about that. Henci: She's a nurse-midwife. That's Master of Nursing. Meagan: Oh, I was thinking CNM in my head. MSN, so what is that? Henci: It's a Master of something. I don't know what that degree is. She's a nurse-midwife. Meagan: She's a CNM. Certified Nurse-Midwife, yes. In my head, I read CNM. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth and Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities. You guys. In addition, she has written numerous blog posts, articles, given lectures around the world, and here she is today on our podcast. I'm so honored. In recognition of her work, she has received among so many others, the American College of Nurse-Midwives' Best Book of the Year. Henci, congratulations on that. Henci: Yeah, that was a thrill. Meagan: That is amazing. Lamaze International Presidents Award, DONA International Claus– Henci: Both of their memories are a blessing. Meagan: I know. Seriously, a research award on that. Life Achievement Award, I mean, you guys. She has so many awards and here she is to talk with you, Women of Strength, all about one of the biggest topics in VBAC. Right? Uterine separation, also known as uterine rupture. When I started talking with Henci, I love that she was like, “You know, I don't love to call it uterine rupture. It's uterine separation.” I have really grown to love that over the last few months that we have been talking. Yeah, so let's talk about it. What is uterine scar separation, Henci? What is that? Henci: Well, before we get started because I think we are going to be giving a lot of information. I want to emphasize that one of the things that took so long is that what we decided to do is that I would do a blog post that had all of the detailed information in it.Meagan: And it does. Henci: So, not to worry. I imagine that with the notes for the podcast, you'll post a link to the blog post which will have detailed numbers in it. My life's work– and I love the review of your course because just sits where I sit. My life's work has been wanting to give women and birthing people the ability to make choices having all complete, accurate information on the pros and cons of their option which is really difficult to get as you probably know and your people probably know. Meagan: It is. Yes. Henci: What they choose to do with it, it's just that I'm there for the information. No judgment. I'm here to help people decide they want to plan a repeat Cesarean. Whatever it is, I want people to have accurate, balanced information to the best of my ability to create a space where they can make the choice that's right for them and their families. Meagan: Absolutely. I love that so much and that is really what we are here about at The VBAC Link. There's no shaming in choosing a repeat Cesarean. There's no shaming in choosing an epidural over unmedicated, right? There's no wrong way to birth, but the most important thing to us here at The VBAC Link is that you know the facts, you know the options, and you choose the best route for you. Henci: And then the other piece which is part of my work as well is to go beyond the information and say, “So now you have this information, what can you do with it?” What are the tips, ideas, and recommendations that will help you craft a plan that will help take you in the direction that you want to go? I'm very careful. This may be one of the more important things that I say to your group and it's not informational. I'm very carefully not saying “goal”. I think it's very important to distinguish intention from goal. Goal assumes that you have you get somewhere and if you don't get to that place then you failed, right? The intention– is this is the direction that you want to go in?To have that in mind helps you, first of all, to plan the journey in a way that's most likely to succeed in getting there, but it also helps you have your priorities so that if things happen along the way, you're able to be flexible to know what's really important, to navigate the space, but to understand that sometimes life has other plans so if you don't take anything else away from what I say today, please take away that because I think that's really key. Meagan: Yeah. As a doula, when we're doing prenatals with our clients, a lot of people will be like, “Can you help me write a birth plan?” I love the idea surrounding birth plans. Let's have this idea of how we want this birth to go, but I like to reference it more as birth preferences. “Here are my preferences and I'm going to label them from A to D, most important to less important, and have this idea and this plan, but then also know that there are other options and it's okay if I choose those. It's okay if my birth goes another route because I have these preferences and we're going to do everything we can to have them, but we know it doesn't always pan out that way. We know that. Henci: I think too that something has gone wrong. I talk about this in the introduction to my latest book. I think “plan” has gotten a bad rap. So a plan isn't a laundry list or a blueprint. It's more like, “Are you planning for a career? Well then, you're going to decide what you're going to do to take steps in that direction. Are you planning a vacation?” But it's not something that has checkboxes on it. Meagan: It's not a list. Henci: I think, if I may be so bold, the problem with preference is that at least, I think especially if you talk about preferences to medical staff, it becomes like, “Well, I think I'd rather wear a blue gown or have chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla.” It doesn't have the same strength as saying– Meagan: “This is my plan.”Henci: And that can be internal to the woman or the birthing person. But yeah, let's get into the meat of what I want to say today. Meagan: No, I love that message though. I do love that message. I think it would be really good if we did stop because the reason why we change “plan” is because if things don't go as planned, we failed. That's how our minds work and it's not how it is, but that's how the world has–Henci: Right, but this I think is what happened when birth plans became a thing in the medical environment. It became a checklist. But when you say, “I'm planning a vacation,” if your plane flight gets delayed and you miss your connection to the cruise boat, you don't say, “Oh, I failed.” Right? Meagan: Right. Henci: It's a plan. “All right. How am I going to get to Costa Rica?” It's a very different mindset and I'd just like to relieve the audience from the idea that a plan is too limited. Meagan: Yeah. I love that. I love that. Let's talk about how when we are planning to have a VBAC and when we are going for a trial of labor after a Cesarean, we have a lot of providers talking about–Henci: I'm going to plan a VBAC trial. I think language is just so key to all of this. Meagan: Right? I know. Henci: A trial suggests that– Meagan: We're trying. We're trying. Henci: The other word that I'd just like to take out is “success”. You either plan a VBAC and have a VBAC or you plan a VBAC and you have a repeat Cesarean. Meagan: Like you say, those words are so important. We talk about VBAC and TOLAC language in our course and talk about how you might hear TOLAC and that actually might be triggering. It is to a lot of people because you are like, “I'm not trying to do anything. I'm going to have this baby. My goal or my plan is to have a vaginal birth after a Cesarean.” I don't love trial, but we talk about how that is how medical professionals will label it so we try to get comfortable with the term TOLAC so when we hear it at birth, we're not triggered, but knowing in our minds, we are planning to have this VBAC. So when we are planning for our VBAC, one of the number one things that focuses on that from a lot of providers is uterine separation. Henci: Right and even there, the language that the medical practitioners use is right with the language of failure. So let's even take that. You hear, “What are my odds of–” even if they don't call it uterine rupture? The thing is that there are a couple of really big studies, like 50,000 because now we have these big databases and in one of them, the likelihood of the scar giving way was 5 out of 1000 and in the other one, it was 3 out of 1000. What you have to think of is, in one of those studies, the odds were 995 out of 1000 that you wouldn't have a problem with your scar and in the other one, it was 997 out of 1000 that you would not have a problem with your scar. The other thing that people have to understand is that even if you do, even if the scar gives way, yes, it's an emergency. The odds of having something bad happen to your baby– Meagan: Catastrophic, yeah. Henci: Catastrophic happen to your baby are again, 997 out of 1000. When that problem happens with your scar, 997 times out of 1000, your baby is going to be just fine. You're going to have an emergency Cesarean, but your baby is going to be fine. Meagan: Usually Mom is fine too. Henci: Yes, absolutely. So you have to think in those terms so that the numbers are very low. The thing there is that it's a general number. Meagan: Right. It is a general number. That is something that we really, really need to keep in mind. This is a general number. Henci: I want to drill down and look at some things that affect that number. The first one, and don't worry, I go into details and give all of the numbers in the blog post. The first one is what I noticed when I started doing the research for this is that you have two factors that pull in opposite directions. One of them pulls towards having a problem with the scar and that is the use of induction or augmentation. The other pull in the direction of not having a problem with the scar and that's having a prior VBAC. Before we get to, “Well, my last baby was big. Does that increase my chance because I might have a bigger baby this time?” Those two things are key and one of them, you sort of have control over. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah, not inducing. Henci: What I can tell you is that it's pretty clear that the stronger the stimulus to the uterus, the more likely you are to have a problem with the scar. In other words, particularly the highest risk is if you are induced at all just with oxytocin and then if you're induced or augmented, it really goes up– this is really the key point– if you are induced when the cervix isn't favorable for labor and they give you an agent. Meagan: To help soften the cervix and get you ready for induction. Henci: Right. It does a great job of softening the cervix, but there actually may be a reason why the agents that soften the cervix are problematic for the scar because the cervix is made of connective tissue. What those agents do is that they cause the cervix to soften by pulling in water and softening the way you'd wet a sponge. Meagan: I love that analogy. I've never thought of that. Henci: Guess what the uterine scar tissue is made up of? Connective tissue. That could be where the problem is. But anyway, so the more you augment the uterus, the more likely you are to cause a problem with the scar if the contractions are stronger and longer and for longer periods of time. One thing to keep in mind is that induction is never an emergency or a necessity. If, for example, you do have a medical issue like your blood pressure is going up, there's a real reason that induction and getting the baby out sooner rather than later is possible. I'm going to put this on the back burnerhere are studies that show if you are really careful to induce to mimic as much as possible what the body does naturally, you can induce without overstressing the scar. That's something to say if, “Oh my god, if my only choice is induction or a repeat Cesarean, I guess I'd better choose repeat Cesarean,” then I would say, “Yes, there are ways to do this.” Like the wicked witch says, “These things must be done carefully.” That's one thing. The other thing is that there is very strong evidence that if you have had a VBAC, you are much less likely to have a problem with a scar. Having a prior vaginal birth, a vaginal birth before a Cesarean doesn't seem to have as much of an effect on that, but if you get a VBAC under your belt, you are very, very likely to go on having uneventful VBACs if you choose to have more children. Meagan: Why do you think that is? Just because the uterus has progressed and it has pushed a baby out? I read that question a lot and in my head, I know there is a showing that you are more likely, but in my head, I'm like, “Why? Why is it exactly why you are more likely to have a VBAC if you've had a vaginal birth and if you've had a VBAC, you're less likely to have separation when the uterus is doing the same chemical functionality?” It's contracting and squeezing and pushing a baby out.Henci: If that were true, then it wouldn't make a difference whether you've had a vaginal birth before you've had a Cesarean or you've had a VBAC after you've had a Cesarean. Meagan: It's really weird. Henci: So I have no idea. I'm just the literature lady. I just can tell you what the research says. Meagan: Yeah. Right? I don't know that either. I can't figure it out myself either. I don't understand why. Yeah. Okay, I had a vaginal birth and then I had a C-section and then now I don't have as high of a risk. It's just interesting. It's really interesting. Henci: Yeah, certainly. If you have had a VBAC, for anybody to say, “Oh, we just don't do VBACs and you really need to have a repeat Cesarean,” your best option is to plan a repeat VBAC. I mean, that is a really strong link there. Meagan: Right, but we're not having providers suggest it. We're still having providers saying, “It is your best option to have a scheduled repeat Cesarean.” Henci: Do they say why?Meagan: We have people writing all over. One, we just don't support it. Two, the vaginal birth that you did have– say if they had a vaginal birth– wasn't until 41 weeks so if you have a baby by 39 weeks, it's fine. You can have that but after 39 weeks you can't. Henci: Yeah, that's what I call a Cinderella VBAC. You can have a VBAC if you go into labor before 40 weeks and if your previous baby wasn't too big and if you make progress in labor, but you know, the basic reason is, “We don't do VBACs here because we can't handle obstetric emergencies.” Oh, wait. Let's think about this. You're a hospital. You have women coming in in labor. Some of them have high blood pressure. Go down the list and you're saying that you can't handle an obstetric emergency 24/7? You shouldn't be doing births here. Meagan: You shouldn't be having babies here. That happens a lot where you've got more rule areas like, “We can't support VBAC because we can't handle an emergency Cesarean.” It's like, “Well, if you can't handle an emergency Cesarean, then that's a big concern for anyone to give birth because VBAC or not, we know emergent Cesareans can be needed for first-time moms.” If they can't handle a VBAC Cesarean, then how are they totally able to handle someone who has an emergency Cesarean just in general?Henci: Unfortunately, this isn't something that your audience can change. They're not going to talk that hospital into changing, so it just hurts my heart that people are put in this sort of form of dilemma where they don't have a good option. They have a least worst option. Meagan: They feel stuck. That is the same thing with me. It hurts my heart that so many people feel so stuck out there. We have mamas that travel out of the country or out of the state just to find somewhere but that option isn't for everyone. So it's really hard if you feel stuck and you're not feeling supported in your community. So yeah. It hurts. That's a whole other type of podcast. Henci: That's a whole other topic. Meagan: Yeah, so let's talk about what uterine separation is. We talk about uterine separation. I'm going to use the word that a lot of providers use as rupture. So when we hear this really big word, when I picture a water balloon breaking– Henci: That's why I don't like that word. Meagan: That's what we hear. That's what we hear. We hear “rupture” and that's what I hear is a water balloon breaking and popping. That is really terrifying to hear and to think of when in actuality, it's not usually how that happens, right? Henci: Right. Meagan: Our uterus doesn't just break open and explode. It doesn't so let's talk about separation. What does it mean? What does that mean? And there are multiple types of separation. Henci: Actually, it's been interesting to see because I've actually been involved in this work since the 1980's so to watch the evolution when VBAC started coming in and went out again, as the research has grappled with an agreement on a definition of exactly what that meant because they find this all the time in repeat Cesareans that little windows can open up in the scar. It's not a big deal. Scars are tough. They don't cause any problems so what they finally ended up with is the scar completely gives way to form an opening in the uterus between the uterus and the abdominal cavity. That would be in combination with symptoms, usually heavy bleeding or the baby being in distress. Meagan: Or baby going high up. Henci: There is no clinical significance to a window. There are no symptoms. Nobody is hurt. Nobody is at risk, but if the scar gives way to the extent that there is heavy bleeding and in very rare cases, the baby or part of the baby can actually be in the abdominal cavity, that's a scary situation. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah, and talking about the uterine window– as she was saying, it's where it thins out so we've got this thinning. The crazy thing is that there really aren't any symptoms. Henci: There are none. Meagan: You really wouldn't know if you had a uterine window unless you were opened up. Henci: Unless you had a repeat surgery, yeah. So there is the interesting thing about that. One of the things they tried to do– and I hope that none of the doctors they are encountering are doing this– was they thought, “Hmm. Why don't we do an ultrasound to see how thin the scar is? Maybe that will help us predict whether the scar will give way.” It turns out and there is absolute agreement on this that you can't use that. It isn't accurate enough to tell you anything and what's more, the correlation in that study was when she was pregnant, we did this ultrasound and we measured the thickness of the scar. Then, when they had their surgery, we looked to see if in fact there was a problem with the scar. They found some little windows, but that didn't mean they would have had a problem if they would have gone into labor. So that whole idea of, “We have some way of predicting when the scar will give way so that we can advise whether it's a good idea to try a VBAC,” all of the studies that have been done of that have said that they aren't accurate enough to be used to counsel a person about VBAC. So anybody that's using that one is not scientific. Meagan: Yet we get those messages all the time. “Hey, my doc said I can't have a VBAC because my uterine thickness is too thin.” We get that reason all of the time, being told that they cannot VBAC because of that. It's so disheartening when we've got evidence showing certain things, but we have providers not following evidence-based information. Henci: Yes. You can always find a reason to do something you don't want to do. Meagan: Yes. That is what I was going to point out too. Sometimes when we have providers saying things that are completely opposite of what evidence even says or just don't support evidence in general. We got a message saying that they had a 60% chance of uterine rupture. Henci: Oh sheesh. Meagan: Yeah. They said that their uterine scar would give way 60% of the time. I'm like, “No way. No.” Where do we even get that? But a lot of the time, these providers are, like you said, saying things because they don't want to do things or they've seen things that make them scared so they put people under this general umbrella and they're like, “Oh, you've had a C-section. You're under this umbrella and this umbrella is not going to let you have a VBAC.” Henci: I have a dear friend who was interested. She was a marriage and family counselor and she was doing work with PTSD, child-related PTSD. We were sitting at a conference and there was an obstetrician who was lecturing who started actually talking about an emergency birth where things went wrong and she actually started to tear up. My friend had an epiphany. She said, “Oh my god. It's not just women who develop PTSD.”Meagan: Yeah. It's these providers. Henci: It's birth professionals as well and if you've been at a crisis birth even if everything turned out right, but if it was that sort of an emergency, “Oh my god, we might lose this mother or we might lose this baby,” that's going to change the way you practice because what is the signal effect of PTSD? It's intended to be protective. Your brain says, “I never want to be in that situation again. What do I need to do to avoid it?” Meagan: Right. Henci: I have compassion for that, but it doesn't help your audience who is stuck with these people who have no idea what is actually driving their decisions. Meagan: Right. I guess I want to mention that just because sometimes I feel like, and even on this podcast, we're guilty of saying things that make it feel like we're painting bad pictures of providers and putting them in a bad light. That's not the goal here in this podcast. That's definitely not what we want to do but we do know that a lot of people have been let down. Henci: Yeah. Meagan: I mean, here's this failed word but there are a lot of people out there who have been failed. Henci: They've been failed by their care provider. I will use failed in that case. Meagan: They've been failed by the staff or by their care provider or their location. A lot of the time, it's really hard because we don't know what that other person has experienced. We hope that those professionals will work through those and stop putting these general umbrellas over people, but we know that it's probably not going to ever stop happening. Henci: No, unfortunately. But I want to move back to how we just talked about a case where the research doesn't back up what the doctor says, but I want to talk about a couple of cases where- and this is where being more critical of what the research has to say. It does on the surface back doctors up. So now let's get into some of the categories for induction. The big one is, “We don't want you to get past 40 weeks because we know that with longer pregnancy duration, there is more chance for scar rupture.” That sounds good and it's actually in the research, but here's the catch. Underneath that is what happens at 40 or 41 weeks? They induce labor and there is research that shows that the reason that you get more is that all of the scar ruptures were in induced labor. We know that induction increases the risk of scar rupture. It creates the illusion that it's pregnancy duration. It's not. It's pregnancy management. The other one where that happens and it's actually in the research is women who are expecting a big baby or they think the baby is big. Meagan: Suspected big baby. Henci: First of all, if your doctor says, “Oh, you know. This baby is going to be on the big side. We did the ultrasound. I've been feeling your belly.” You might as well flip a coin because there is a 50/50 chance that that is incorrect and your baby isn't going to be on the big side. So number one, they may be anxious about something that isn't even true. Meagan: It's so true. Henci: The second thing is, then what happens next? Let's induce before the baby gets bigger. So again, you find an association between VBAC labors with bigger babies and an increased risk of scar rupture but that's not the root cause. The root cause is those laboring women were induced. So that is something to take into account when you hear those things and again, I've got the numbers. The reason I keep coming back to the importance of the blog post is one of the things that I think is less than helpful is vagueness like, “There is a chance.” The first question I'd have is, “How big?” so I wanted to as much as possible give people the numbers so that they can do what feels right for them but also know how those numbers are distorted by management. The VBAC rate itself is distorted by management because VBAC studies outside of the hospital coming from home births and birth centers show a VBAC rate in women who have not had any prior VBACs– the first birth was the Cesarean and this is the second delivery. The VBAC rate was 81%. Out of the hospital-based studies, they range up to the low 70 percentile, but the hospital studies don't get up that high.Here's the important thing. If it's at all possible, find a care provider who's really comfortable with VBAC and knows how to manage them because where do you see the bad outcomes? To a huge extent, they're in labors that were induced and labors in which there was a problem with the scar which is much more likely if they were induced or augmented or she wasn't given enough time and then she went to C-section.The complications happen in C-sections so the more you are able to have a birth that proceeds at its own pace with no stimulation and there is a spontaneous vaginal birth, your birth by your own efforts, that's when it's minuscule in terms of having complications. Meagan: Right. It's so hard because yes. We talked about this earlier. Oh, we've got hypertension and oh, we've got this thing and we have options. Do we induce or do we have a C-section? It still is very possible to have a VBAC with an induction. We're just talking about uterine giveaways and the chances. You increase your chances by choosing to be induced. That doesn't guarantee you're going to have that happen or anything but you have to know walking into it, “Okay, I have this, this, and this, and I'm going to choose to induce.” You have to know the risk that you are taking. We have to weigh out the risks and say, “Okay. I know it increases a little bit. I'm comfortable taking that risk or I am not comfortable taking that risk.” Henci: Right. Or how can I minimize my risk? Because it still is possible. You have to do it diplomatically but if you have a care provider who is willing to be flexible and is like, “Yeah, I'm not sure about this one,” but you're able to have that conversation where you feel like they can hear you and you're going to be respectful and hear them, then I think there's a lot that can be done. You can say, “No or not yet.” Meagan: Yep. We just made a post on Instagram and Facebook about that saying, “I appreciate the time that we just took. I'm going to choose to wait” or “Thank you so much for that, but I'm not going to do that.” Henci: The other thing I would suggest if you're in a situation where you're saying no is to have a discussion around which new information would change your mind because that again creates space with, “Oh, I don't have one of these patients that's just being difficult,” but to say and talk about, “If my blood pressure goes up–”. I don't know what it might be, but to have a conversation about under what circumstances might you consider changing your mind. Meagan: Right, yeah. It's powerful. Conversation and information are powerful. I always encourage someone to ask questions and to get their research. If we have a provider saying you have a 60% of uterine scar giveaway, let's talk about that. “Wow, that seems really high. Is there any way that you can provide me with that information so that I can study that and see what's comfortable for me?” And then you'll look and it and go, “Oh, there aren't statistics showing that I have that? Okay.” Then you might make a different choice, but if you just hear that number and don't ask any questions, then you automatically might say, “That seems really scary. I'm not even going to go there.” We have these myths and these numbers and if we don't ask for information, we're doing ourselves a disservice. Henci: I've got the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists practice bulletin. I wonder if there is any way– I mean, a summary of recommendations and conclusions backed by level A evidence, good and consistent scientific evidence. The first one on the list is, “Most women with one previous Cesarean delivery with a low transverse incision are candidates for and should be counseled about and offered TOLAC.” Meagan: Yes. Henci: My eye goes down and I want to talk about women who've had two prior Cesareans. I know we wanted to talk about that. Meagan: We do want to talk about that. Yes. Henci: I will say that they're not enthusiastic about it, but nonetheless, this is under level B evidence which is limited or inconsistent scientific evidence, and what it says is, “Given the overall data, it is reasonable to consider women with two previous low transverse Cesarean deliveries to be candidates for TOLAC and to counsel them based on the combination of other factors.” They have all of these VBAC predictions which I'm just going to be blunt, they're crap because they're evaluating the wrong thing. What they should be evaluating is the doctor's propensity to care for VBAC and their confidence in VBAC. Then you'd get the numbers that would really correlate with whether labor would end in VBAC or they wouldn't. Meagan: Right. Right. I know. Then just going one step further, vaginal birth after two Cesareans, then we've got people talking about vaginal birth after three or more. There's no evidence in there because we're not doing them very often. Henci: The evidence is not there for three. It is there for two, although again, you can get very low, again, the equivalent of sort of the average. There are some Israeli studies where there is a very large population of women there who have large families so you do get people with two Cesareans, but the thing there is they need to be managed carefully. In one case, it was like, “We don't do inductions other than by rupturing membranes in someone whose cervix is ready to go.” There are ways to do that. But what I wanted to say is that now here's a case where you have to look at the other side which is that there are studies that show there are consequences because as you accumulate uterine scars, the complications in subsequent pregnancies go up. So when you get to two prior Cesareans and there are studies that looked at the branch in the road. You had two prior Cesareans. Did you plan a VBAC or did you plan a repeat Cesarean? And guess what? The severe complication rates were identical. It was an identical rate of hysterectomies. There was the same rate of perinatal mortality so it's not like, “Oh, I'll just choose that safe third Cesarean.” There are increased risks, but there are also increased risks to taking another Cesarean on board. Meagan: And then to add to that, future pregnancies. With each Cesarean that we have, we have also risks in future pregnancies that are not discussed when we're counseling in this medical world from what we're finding. We're being counseled for VBAC. We're being counseled about the risk of uterine separation and the VBAC issues, but we're not talked to about the blood loss or the risk of hysterectomy. We're not talking about those things. Henci: Or chronic pain. Meagan: Chronic pain or dense adhesions or placenta accreta. We don't talk about these issues or even deeper issues. We're not talking about them. That is where I think is one of the places we're going wrong in this medical world. We're not truly counseling on all sides of things to really give people the opportunity to make that really informed decision. We're kind of just prefacing over here, but like, “Oh, but we could schedule your baby's birthday and get your hair done the day before because you know exactly when your baby is coming.” We're not counseling. Like you said, there are issues and there are risks. So with VBAC after two C-sections, through your education and ACOG not saying, “Yeah, go for it for sure, for sure,” But they're saying, “It should be reasonable.” Through your uterine scar separation research, is it substantially larger? I know there are going to be numbers in the blog and we talk about it in our course and things, but is it like you have a 0.4% to what? To 10% if you've had two to 1%? We've got people being told things all over the place. I guess my question is through your research with VBAC after two Cesareans, we're going to specifically talk about two Cesareans here, is it increased and truly that much higher? I mean, I know the answer, but let's talk about it. Is it really that much higher or is it pretty low statistically? Henci: Well, I actually turned to that page in the blog post and I had a couple of different studies. There was an increase in both studies. It was quite small. The difference in these studies, I really think, had to do with the fact that in one of the studies, that was the one where they would only allow the rupture of membranes as a means of induction. So in one case, it went from 3 per 1000 with planned VBAC after one Cesarean to 6 in 1000 with planned VBAC after two Cesareans, and in the other one, it went from 7 to 1000 to 16 per 1000. But that's still a 98% chance of not having a problem with your scar. Meagan: Right. Henci: The thing is, there is a consciousness, but if you're planning a large family, that maybe I think a lot of care providers will say, “Well, if you're only planning on having two children, it really is not that big of a deal to have another Cesarean.” But the thing with that is that I think it is really important to understand that you may plan to complete your family with two children. That doesn't necessarily mean that's what's going to happen. Meagan: That's true. That is so true. Henci: I think unless you or your intimate partner are planning on doing something permanent about your fertility, you have to consider the fact that you may choose to have another baby or you may find yourself pregnant and decide you're having another baby. Meagan: Right. Henci: I think you always have to take that possibility into consideration when you're making that first decision. Personally, this is totally my opinion and my judgment. No pressure here. I think the best thing that you can do is get off the Cesarean track if you can. Meagan: Mhmm, yeah. I mean, it really is. There's proof in the pudding that a vaginal birth is the ideal route in the long run overall. Henci: Yep. Meagan: I guess as we're wrapping up here, let's talk a little bit about, well, how you do you decide? How do we decide? Henci: I know that I wanted to get to something because we talked about this. I wanted to get to the epidural issue. Meagan: Epidurals yeah. Let's talk about that too. Yeah. Henci: What you are saying is you're hearing both sides. One is that you can't have an epidural and the other is that you have to have an epidural. Meagan: Literally, they say that you have to have an epidural to have a VBAC. Some of them are like, “Well, yeah. You can VBAC. Just know.” I feel like it's used as this fearful thing. “Just know that you can't have an epidural so you're going to have to go unmedicated.” Henci: Let's take care of that one that you can't have an epidural first because that's the easy one. Again, I go back to ACOG. Level A evidence. “Epidural analgesia for labor may be used as part of a TOLAC.” I mean, I was jaw-droppingly shocked because it's at least two decades since that myth about, “Oh, we can't give you an epidural because then we won't know if there is scar separation.” So that is totally bogus. But let's get to the, “You have to have an epidural.” The thing about that is that there are two problems, I think. First of all, the idea is in case there is an emergency, we can deal with it faster. The thing is, an epidural is problematic in a couple of ways. One is, one of the more common side effects of an epidural is that there is a drop in the mother's blood pressure and the baby's heart rate. Guess what is the best predictor that the scar has given way? The number one predictor that the scar has given way– and again, in most of those cases, it hasn't but nonetheless, it's a better predictor than pain, is the baby's heart rate. You are adding, number one, something that will possibly provoke concern and a Cesarean you don't need. But the other thing is that it interferes with mobility. I think the number one reason– I mean, you want everything in your favor in terms of making good progress and an epidural interferes with that. Plus, you then have the problem of epidural fever because obviously, they want to give you that epidural early. You'd maybe have it for hours and then you'd start to develop a fever and they'd be like, “Mmm, it's time to get the baby out.” An epidural actually decreases your chance of a VBAC. But about the emergency piece, the thing is if you have a sterile water lock where you've got the business end of the IV, the needle is there but it's not hooked up to anything. Meagan: Are you talking about the “just in case” epidurals? Henci: Right, the “We want you to have an epidural because of the emergency possibility. We'll already have you anesthetized.” We first talked about, “We've given you a procedure that may lead to an unnecessary Cesarean,” and they decreased your probability of progressing to a vaginal birth. So that's already like, “Umm, really? Do you want to do that to me? Why?” The answer is, “Well, in case there's an emergency.” You can do a spinal a lot faster than an epidural. It is perfectly possible to get you numb within a very short period of time and sufficient to do the Cesarean surgery. It really is kind of bogus. Meagan: Yeah. I want to talk about this too because if it is a true, serious, serious surgery where we've got minutes if that, we're going to usually be put under general anesthesia. Henci: Well, that's a possibility too. Meagan: Yeah, so that's the thing. Henci: The other thing is that I also want to move into that gray zone of, well, I just talked about the drawbacks of having an epidural, but I mentioned that there's a fair number of members of your audience who are thinking, “I'd really like to have an epidural.” For some of them, depending on what their first labor was like, it may have been like, “I can only contemplate VBAC if I can also contemplate having an epidural.” This is where my new book comes in. The full title is, Labor Pain, What's Your Best Strategy? Get the Data. Make a Plan. Take Charge of Your Birth. In that book, I give all of the evidence, pros, and cons of all of the different other methods of do-it-yourself comfort measures to epidurals and then the last chapter is again, the fork in the road. You would like to avoid an epidural and here are all the ways of doing that, and you would like you plan an epidural. You want to make an epidural plan A and then here are all of the ways of maximizing your chances of having one that goes smoothly. I don't think I need to go into all of the details here on the show, but if anybody is interested in finding out more about the pros and cons of their pain-coping options including epidurals and how to plan to avoid an epidural if it is plan A or the reverse, then I think my book could be helpful. Meagan: That is amazing. Just to let you guys know, we're going to have so many things in our show notes here. We're going to have, of course, the blog with all of the numbers going deeper into what we're talking about today. We're going to have a link to all of her books because I think it is important to know things from all of them. Henci: I mean, I would actually stop you because I think Thinking Women's Guide was a great book. It was published in 1999. Meagan: Yeah, so it's a little older. It's a little dated. Henci: Optimal Care was really intended for birth professionals. Meagan: We have a lot of birth professionals. Henci: Even that was in 2012. Meagan: We have a lot of birth professionals listening. Henci: So I really want to preface the new book. It's been out less than a year so it's really current. Meagan: Mhmm. We're definitely going to have that number one. I haven't read it yet, so I'm going to read it myself because I think it's important too. I know you and I trust you but I want to know even more so I can keep referring it out and also learn by reading it myself. Henci: Yeah, I think you'll get some ideas for your classes. Meagan: Yeah, for my clients, and keep referring them out. I mean, you guys. The more information you have, the better. The more knowledge that you have under your belt as you are entering into these births, it's going to help you along the way. It's going to help you feel more prepared, more educated, and more confident. Right, Henci? Don't you feel like confidence is something that no matter what, VBAC or not, just with birth in general that we need? Henci: That's why the name of my new series– I'm working on a book on induction– is Take Charge of Your Birth. You can't take control of your birth because you don't know what's going to happen. Life happens. But you can take charge in terms of having the information, having thought through what is really important to you, and there is actually research on this. Feeling in charge is the key component in having a positive experience. If you felt helpless, if you felt like you didn't have any say in what was going on and you were scared and you didn't feel supported, you could have a lovely, uneventful vaginal birth and be traumatized. If you were in charge, you were a full participant in all of the decisions, you felt like your options were presented, you made the best choices you could, the people around you were encouraging and supportive of what you were trying, and you could have a very difficult experience in terms of what actually happened and it would still be a positive experience. Trauma is a very personal experience. It's what you feel in the moment. No one can say of you that you shouldn't have been traumatized by that birth because it wasn't traumatic enough. It's subjective. Meagan: Right. Right. Henci: But as a whole, feeling like you are in charge is powerful.Meagan: It's really powerful and there are actual stats behind that. My second birth didn't go the way I desired. I still to this day believe that I wasn't allowed enough time or wasn't given enough resources that I deserved. But at the same time, once the decision was made to have a second Cesarean, a repeat Cesarean, there were a lot of things that I communicated. I took charge at this moment. “If this is how it's going to go, this is what I need and want.” My providers were really receptive to that. With my second Cesarean, although still not desired at all or even felt that it was necessary, I actually have a very different viewpoint on it because I was actively involved in that birth and in the decisions that were being made. Again, even though I didn't feel that the decision that I made for the repeat Cesarean was really warranted, it was a decision that I made. I accept that. The other decisions along the way, I literally can look back at that birth and say that it was healing. A lot of people are like, “Wait, what? You're saying that you didn't want your second C-section but it was healing?” I can say, “Yeah, absolutely. It was healing because I was able to really participate in this birth in a different way.” I just think it's so powerful because I could have looked back with a lot of anger and hate. I probably could have beat myself up even more, but I viewed that as a positive, healing experience. I think that's what I needed to end my C-section journey. I needed that birth to say, “Okay. This is a better experience. I'm ending the C-section journey now. VBAC from here on out, but I needed this experience to have a different view on the C-section experience as a whole.”Henci: I think I heard something else which is key and correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like when you agreed to the second Cesarean, you were making the best decision that you could at that time. You still had a decision. It sounds like you weren't sort of bullied into the repeat Cesarean. It sounds like there was a discussion and you felt like, “Yeah, I think I'll go along with the repeat.” I think that's key too is when you do make a decision and it is your decision and you can own it, I think that helps too because later, you can say, “You know, if I were in that same spot again, I might do something different. I've learned something from that. But you know what? That was also what made sense to me at the time and now I can let go of it.”Meagan: Yeah, you know, when I got my op reports when I was going to interview all of the providers for my VBAC after two Cesarean baby, which I wasn't even pregnant, but I started interviewing before, I was reviewing my op reports. As I was reading them, I did get a little triggered and I got a little bit angry. My husband looked at me as I had a tear rolling down my face saying, “These were unnecessary.” He said, “Babe? We made the best choice we knew at the moment with the information that was given to us at the moment.” Henci: Mhmm. Meagan: He said, “Do not ever shame yourself for making these choices because you were not given the information and you were not in a space mentally where you could be in that– oh, the statistics say–”. Right? That's one of the reasons why I think doulas are so important because they can help remind you of those things, but I wasn't in a space where I could go through my journal of information and say, “Oh, but this and this.” I was given these facts, this information, and I made a choice based off of the information that I was given. I can never shame myself for that. When he said that, I was like, “You know what? You're right.” I would go back and do things differently if I were to look back. If I were there again, I probably would have made different choices or I would have done different things, but I'm loving the journey that those experiences have given me and brought me to. Does that make sense? Henci: Yes. Meagan: This journey that I'm on right now, I probably wouldn't be on if I didn't have those experiences. I wouldn't be with all of you here today talking about VBAC and repeat Cesarean and what the evidence shows and sharing these absolutely amazing stories and bringing on these incredible professionals without those experiences. So yeah. I had two births that I didn't desire the outcome of the Cesarean, but I will be forever and ever grateful for those experiences. Henci: I will add that I wouldn't be who I was here today if I hadn't had an emotionally very negative experience. I talk about that in the prefaces of who I am today and why I wrote the book and the difference between my first birth and how I experienced my second. Well, the first one, I was delivered. The second one, I gave birth. That in a nutshell is the difference between the two and that started me on my journey. I wanted other women and birthing people to know that the choices that they made were crucial to how they were going to end up feeling about themselves, their partners, their babies, and their everything, that it was not trivial, and making my life's work looking at the research, because that's my skill so that they would have that information. Information that I didn't have until I started reading stuff after my first delivery. Meagan: Yeah. That's how a lot of us doulas and birth professionals start based on an experience where we want to help people have a different experience. We want to empower people. Henci: I'm so glad that you're in the world. It sounds like you are doing a great service for a lot of people out there. Meagan: Aww, well thank you so much, and likewise. You are incredible. All of your blogs are amazing. Seriously, people could spend hours and hours and hours on your blogs just picking apart the information and the stats and putting these large studies into English because honestly, that's one of the hardest things about studies. You go through and you're like, “I don't even know what this means. Can I just get a clear conclusion?” But your blogs make sense. They're English to me. Henci: Oh, thank you. Meagan: I know they will be for so many of our followers as well. Well, thank you so much for being here today. Seriously, I am so, so grateful. If you guys want to go follow Henci, like I said, we're going to have all of the links for all of the things in the show notes but you can also go onto Instagram and Facebook @takechargeofyourbirth.Henci: Yes. That is correct. Meagan: Or hencigoer.com. Henci: And actually, I think there are places on social media but if you go to hencigoer.com, you can also sign up for my newsletter. I have a monthly newsletter. Meagan: That's what I was just going to say, hencigoer.com. Like I said, we'll have this in the show notes. Go in there. Sign up for the newsletter. Sign up for all of the amazing things that she's putting out because you really are. You're a wealth of knowledge and it's really so fun and I'm so honored that you took the time today to be with us. Henci: Well, it's been my pleasure to be here. 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

Your baby's birth day is right around the corner and you want to be prepared. There are so many birth education methods out there. How do you know which one will be the best fit for you? I've taken the uncertainty and guesswork out of it all and created a quick and easy guide leading you through a high-level overview of the 5 most popular courses out there (including a few other ones that are gaining popularity). You'll find helpful resources at the end of each section to point you in the right direction so that you can dive deeper into any specific method. Wishing you a confidently calm birthing day! Learn more about the childbirth education method/courses highlighted in this episode:   Learn more at the official Bradley Method website Learn more at the Hypnobabies website Learn more at the  HypnoBirthing website Learn more at the Lamaze website Grab your Free PDF listing ten popular childbirth classes/courses here if you'd like to find more class/course options. Or Take the 2-minute childbirth personality quiz to find out which one of the five courses covered in today's episode might be right for you.

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This week on the podcast I am joined by Deb Flashenberg. Deb is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a labor support doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, mother of two and self proclaimed "birth and anatomy geek”. For the past 7 years, Deb has also greatly enjoyed being the host of the podcast, Yoga | Birth | Babies, where she speaks with some of the world's leading experts in pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenthood. In this week's episode, we are talking all things prenatal and postnatal! Deb shares where her passion for perinatal support came from, what inspired her to open the Prenatal Yoga Center, why getting a prenatal yoga teacher training is a great idea for all yoga teachers, why prenatal and postnatal yoga is a great niche, business lessons she's learned through her career, and more! Enjoy! This episode is brought to you by OfferingTree. If you're interested in finding an all-in-one platform for online or in-person teaching, then you should check out OfferingTree. OfferingTree has been supporting M.B.Om for over a year now and I not only love the product but I also love the people. OfferingTree is providing special pricing for M.B.Om listeners, so be sure to visit offeringtree.com/mbom. In this episode: Deb's yoga journey and what inspired her to become a yoga teacher How Deb first became interested in prenatal yoga and the birth world Deb's advice for new yoga teachers How Deb created her business and where the idea for Prenatal Yoga Center originated from The differences of prenatal yoga in both Mexico and Canada The niche of pre and postnatal yoga specifically and why the certification is worth it Deb's recommendation for yoga teacher training Top business lessons Deb has learned through her career Guest links: Prenatal Yoga Center: https://prenatalyogacenter.com/ Yoga | Birth | Babies: https://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/category/podcast/

Instructors are converging in NYC for the 2nd Annual Instructor Summit. Scenic Row classes on the app.  Peloton releases ‘In The Row.' A new series that offers a Row tutorial.  Self Magazine reviewed the Row.  Men's Health took Peloton's Monthly Running Challenge.  Tom's Guide discusses the merits of adding a second monitor to your Peloton.  Morgan Stanley highlights weak web traffic for Peloton.  Dr. Jenn -  What to do when you don't have enough energy to exercise. The Instructor Summit means lots of IG posts of instructors hanging out: Kirsten Ferguson at a Rangers game. Cliff Dwenger checking out the Brooklyn Bridge. Marcel Maurer getting excited about a shoutout from Olivia Amato. People Magazine interviewed Jess Sims. Matty Maggiacomo talked to The Vibe about mental health. Tunde spoke with Shape about her favorite skincare products. Tunde spoke at Path University's Women's Leadership Conference. Rebecca Kennedy talked to Well & Good about standing core workouts. Alex Toussaint is doing an in-store appearance at Puma NYC to celebrate his new collection. Oars And Alps is giving away a one-on-one coaching session with Matt Wilpers. Aditi Shah talks to Yoga Journal. Robin Arzon attended ETHDenver. Hannah Corbin got a new puppy. Why is Angelo making Tom do “Lamaze”? The latest Broadway Series features & Juliet. Tonal has a new CEO. Sports Illustrated put Peloton and Tonal in head-to-head combat. The Clip Out (courtesy of Tina Fryling) reviews Peloton's new Instructor Match Quiz.  We also talked about the best classes for your glutes (courtesy of Nikki Smith).  All this plus our interview with Tricia Callahan   Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.theclipout.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dana Sardano is an artist who fully embraces her artist's life to model for her daughters the importance of listening to your soul's purpose by following your bliss. In January 2015, Dana picked up a paintbrush for the first time since childhood. That was the catalyst for a major shift in her career in June 2017. She has since opened Ubuntu Fish Gallery in Stuart, Florida, co-founded Phenom Publishing and FindUniquelyU.com, and has authored several books for both adults and children, never for a second regretting her decision to take that leap of faith. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.ubuntufishgallery.com Book: Veda Finds Her Crown: Second Edition By Dana Sardano and Angela DiMarco Book: Beyond the Ten, Decoding the Woo Woo By Dana Sardano and Angela DiMarco Book: Ten Recommandments For Personal Empowerment By  Dana Sardano Most Influential Person Her husband. Effect on Emotions It's everything. The thing about mindfulness is it's quick in 10 commandments, I think it's the second recommendation I shall not become entrenched in my emotions. We get all sorts of entrenched in our emotions. Our emotions are just a guide to show us what's good for us and what's not. So if we feel yucky, then don't do that. And if we feel good, do more of that. And so if we're mindful of our emotions, then we can regulate them. Thoughts on Breathing I have truly learned to take a breath. I've learned mindfulness I've learned to become mindful of what I hold my breath. When I'm tense. I've learned to become mindful of when I'm in pain or worried to breathe through it. When you see Lamaze, people have given birth, and they're teaching them how to breathe. I remember, as a young woman, I was like, That's stupid. But I've come to realize that the breath is when you focus on the breath, it really you could handle anything. So for me, just the act of when I feel myself get tense to take a breath, or before I make a rash decision to take a breath. Suggested Resources Book: Veda Finds Her Crown: Second Edition By Dana Sardano and Angela DiMarco Book: Beyond the Ten, Decoding the Woo Woo By Dana Sardano and Angela DiMarco Book: Ten Recommandments For Personal Empowerment By  Dana Sardano Bullying Story If we individually learned to value ourselves and not to circle back to VEDA because what I do is I touch on every developmental age. And when the trauma or when something happens that alters the mindset that creates a belief system that might be toxic, or doesn't serve you. Bullies are looking for power, they're looking to be seen and heard. So we label them. And even as adults, we label the narcissist, the empath, the bully, and the victim. But the reality is, every single one of us the bullies in the non-bullies, just wants our needs to be met. Related Episodes A Hypnotic Approach to Wellness; Adrianne Hart Art Activities For Busy People; Cynthia Hauk Your Creative Art Oasis; Faigie Kobre Special Offer Are you experiencing anxiety & stress? Peace is within your grasp. I'm Bruce Langford, a practicing coach, and hypnotist helping fast-track people just like you to shed their inner bully and move forward with confidence. Book a Free Coaching Session to get you on the road to a more satisfying life, feeling grounded and focused. Send me an email at bruce@mindfulnessmode.com with ‘Coaching Session' in the subject line. We'll set up a zoom call and talk about how you can move forward to a better life.

After an awful flight to Los Angeles Nikki is happy the hotel amenities include a giant bottle of seltzer and an orange in a brown bag. Before leaving St. Louis, she watched some of the new Pamela Anderson documentary and learned that Tommy Lee looks like Pam's dad. Nikki is really not into horoscopes and Anya believes it is a characteristic of her being a Gemini. They cover the difference between jealousy and envy. In Collection of Co'uhls they share first comments about their bodies as teens, their take on celebs cropping each other out of pictures, and talk about what on Nikki's rider that might make her a Diva and Anya's "dusty root of ginger".  Nikki gets coached on being on top during sex and in the Final Thought she explains how her boyfriend saved the day when she woke up on the wrong side of life.  ---- Watch this episode on our Youtube Channel: The Nikki Glaser Podcast Follow the pod on Instagram for bonus content: @NikkiGlaserPod Leave us your voicemail: Click Here To Record Get Pod Merch: Podshop.NikkiGlaser.com Nikki's Tour Dates: nikkiglaser.com/tour Anya's Patreon: patreon.com/anyamarina - More Nikki: IG More Anya: IG More producer Noa: IG    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.