Podcasts about mommy labor nurse

Whether you're preparing for birth or in the thick of postpartum recovery, this episode is packed with real talk and practical advice. We're joined by Liesel from Mommy Labor Nurse (@mommy.labornurse) to answer some of the most common questions about labor, C-sections, vaginal delivery, and what actually happens after the baby is born. We cover: How to advocate for yourself during labor (without conflict) Must-have items for C-section and vaginal birth recovery How to care for stitches and prevent infection What no one tells you about postpartum bleeding Pain management tips and why you shouldn't try to be a hero Why stool softeners are your best friend (seriously) From grabber tools to emotional resilience, this is the kind of candid postpartum prep we all deserve. Want more? Enjoy the full episode at PedsDocTalk.com 00:00 – Welcome & Episode Preview 00:46 – Advocating for Yourself During Labor 03:04 – C-Section Recovery Must-Haves 05:28 – Postpartum Tips for Vaginal Deliveries 07:12 – How to Care for Stitches (C-Section & Vaginal) 10:28 – One Thing I Wish I Knew Postpartum 13:47 – Why the First 24 Hours Postpartum Are Wild 14:22 – Surprised by Postpartum Bleeding? You're Not Alone 15:16 – Wrap Up & Takeaways We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on the podcast, I had my sister Jenna come on the show for a fun and light hearted episode that I'm really excited to share with you guys. Jenna and I watched some birth videos – but not the kind of birth videos that you're thinking of! – and react to them live on the episode. I thought it'd be interesting coming from me as a labor and delivery nurse and from Jenna, who you know has never been pregnant and doesn't have any kids. I'm not gonna spoil too much of the episode. It was a lot of fun to record, but was also a big pain in the butt to get ready for, so I hope you guys like it! Related Podcast Episodes: EP116: Pregnancy and Birth Trivia EP68: The Labor Games EP61: What's It Like to Be a Labor and Delivery Nurse ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week I am back to answer your most embarrassing birth questions, part 2! I had so much fun with last week's episode, I just had to come back and answer more of your questions because we got so many good ones! Not only are these “Ask Me Anything” style episodes fun, but it's my hope that they are really informational and educational for you as well. We all have questions that we might be a little embarrassed to ask our provider (even I do!), but have no fear, I'm here to unpack it all. Questions covered in the episode How common is pooping and peeing during birth? How do I clean up all the stuff after birth? What happens if I get diarrhea in a birth pool? How do I pee in a catheter? Does it come out whenever, or do I have to push it out? How often do moms have urinary retention after getting an epidural? Is it difficult to pee during labor? I pooped 3 times – is that normal? What are your tips for first postpartum poop pain? What if I don't have control of my bladder and pee during contractions? Is it normal for my provider to put their finger in my butt while I am pushing? How common is it to fart during pushing? ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get my FREE hospital bag checklist - straight from the brain of an L&D nurse to make sure you are 10000% ready to go! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** Happy New Year podcast fam! If you are listening to this in real time, then you know that this is the very first episode of 2023, and we're kicking off the year with a super fun “Ask Me Anything” style episode. This time, I asked our community over on Instagram for their most embarrassing questions that they had about birth (you know, the kind of things that you might be a little bit shy to ask but you really want to know), and let me tell you, you guys delivered – no pun intended! I had such a great time doing this episode for you because I love talking about embarrassing stuff. And we had so many great questions come in that I actually broke it up into two parts for you, with part two airing next week. If you love these types of episodes, after listening to this one make sure to check out episodes 58, 137 and 155. Questions covered in the episode: How common are hemorrhoids during delivery, and what causes them? I already have painful hemorrhoids; how much more painful will it get and what can I expect during childbirth? Does the doctor push the hemorrhoids back in while I'm pushing during birth? Can masturbation during labor and delivery help move things along? Why was delivering my baby such a relief and is it normal that it felt similar to having an orgasm? What kind of outfit do I wear during labor, both for the top and bottom? What do I wear in the bathtub or shower if I don't want to be completely naked? Do lots of people really labor while naked? Can you wear pants and underwear? What can I do if I'm scared to tear badly during labor and delivery? Is it ok to have pubic hair or do I need to shave it? What about waxing? Will my vagina go back to normal after birth, and will sex feel different?    Related Episodes: EP11: Jeanice Talks To Us About Pelvic Floor Sexual Health EP58: FAQs About Labor and Delivery! EP121: Tearing During Birth EP137: Ask Me Anything About Labor and Delivery  EP155: Ask Me Anything About Pregnancy and Birth ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to discover my top tips for a more positive birth in my FREE 45-minute mini birth class! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I'm excited to be answering some questions submitted by listeners from the podcast hotline! First, we have a mom-to-be who is hoping for a VBAC. She explains that she's already feeling some discomfort around her C-section scar. She is wondering if this could indicate an increased risk for uterine rupture and if pursuing a VBAC is a safe option for her. Next, we have Taylor, a second-time mom who is curious if her second labor will be similar to her first, which involved very frequent contractions that lead to an epidural she was hoping to avoid. If you want to submit your question to be featured on the show, all you have to do is call the hotline and leave a voice message! The number is 919-213-8719. And if you like what you hear, you can listen to Episode 168 which has the same format. A peek at the questions we covered: Why do I have a tugging sensation around my C-section scar? What is scar tissue? What can affect the sensation of scar tissue? What is a uterine rupture? As a VBAC candidate, am I at a higher risk for uterine rupture? Should I try having a vaginal birth after I had a C-section? What factors should I consider when deciding for a VBAC? What are the benefits of a VBAC? Is my second labor going to be the same as my first? Does labor get shorter with the more babies I have? ****** Want to erase anxiety and actually feel excited about birth? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my free mini birth class to learn tons of pain-coping strategies and actionable tips today! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Mike "C-Roc" welcomes Liesel Teen, also known as Mommy Labor Nurse, to share her incredible journey from working long shifts as a labor and delivery nurse to building a thriving online brand. Liesel opens up about her transition from bedside nursing to creating an impactful presence on social media, helping moms everywhere prepare for one of life's biggest moments—giving birth. Discover how Liesel turned her passion for maternal health into an online platform that empowers women with education, support, and a touch of humor. From starting a blog on a whim to growing her Instagram and TikTok into vibrant communities, Liesel shares valuable lessons in advocating for yourself, finding balance as a mom, and turning obstacles into opportunities. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a parent, or someone seeking inspiration, Liesel's story will remind you that with creativity and determination, you can redefine your path. Tune in for a conversation filled with heart, humor, and actionable advice! Website- www.mommylabornurse.com https://www.instagram.com/mommy.labornurse/?hl=en

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I'm joined by my sister and MLN team member, Jenna, for a fun get-to-know-me style episode. Usually, I'm the one interviewing other people, but this week Jenna is going to interview me so that you can get to know me better, professionally and personally! You'll hear about how I got started in L&D, my L&D superpower, what I'd be doing if I wasn't a labor and delivery nurse, and a whole lot more. What questions do we cover? Where are you from, how old are you, and what's your “official” job title? What was your first exposure to the L&D world? What were you doing when you decided to become an L&D nurse? What do you like most about being an L&D nurse? What do you like least about being an L&D nurse? What is your L&D superpower? What might you be doing if you weren't an L&D nurse? What are you doing when you're not working in the hospital or on MLN stuff? Who tolerates your crazy schedule? What are three fun facts about yourself? Related Episodes and Articles A Typical Day in the Life of a Labor and Delivery Nurse EP108: What's It Like Being a Male L&D Nurse? EP61: What's It Like to be a Labor and Delivery Nurse? ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this podcast, I'm going to go over the ins and outs of tearing, all the different ways you can tear, how to prevent tearing if there is such a thing, how to care for a perineal tear if it does wind up happening to you, and more. My goal with this episode is to rid that fear of tearing from your brain.  More MLN content related to tearing during birth: Blog Article: How To Prevent Tearing During Birth: Tips from a Labor and Delivery Nurse Blog Article: Episiotomy Vs Tearing: Which is Better? Instagram Post: Scared of Tearing During Birth? Instagram Post: Different Types of Perineal Tears ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE Mini Birth Class to learn tons of pain-coping strategies and actionable tips today! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am sharing a twin birth story, but not the kind of twin birth story you are thinking of…no this mom, or should I say moms were not pregnant with twins! I had Sierra and Hailey on the podcast this week, and THEY are twins! About Sierra: Sierra O'Toole is a mom to 18-month-old daughter, Kora, and lives in Ventura, CA with her husband Sean O'Toole. She works as a Marketing Manager for Primal Kitchen and in her free time enjoys surfing, family beach days, reading, cooking, and listening to birth story podcasts. Connect with Sierra and birth resources she loved: Instagram: @sierrapartridge  Precipitous Labor Facebook Group Doula: Anastasia Stone IG: @my_lovestones OBGYN: Dr Melissa Drake IG: @dr_melissa_drake  About Hailey: Hailey O'Rourke is mom to 18-month-old son, Patrick, and is currently pregnant with her second baby boy, due in July 2022. She lives in a suburb of Denver, CO with her husband, Eamonn O'Rourke, and works as a flight attendant for a major US Airline. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, skiing, surfing, and walking her French Bulldog, Finnegan. Connect with Hailey and birth resources she loved: Instagram: haileyjorourke Doula: Anissa Cornelius Dr. Sterling & Dr. Cassidy's Prepared Postpartum Course: https://thesterlinglife.com/courses/ ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE for our FREE mini birth class. You will discover my top tips for a more positive birth in this 45-minute class. CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!  

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I'm on solo for you guys! In this episode, I'm answering LOTS of third trimester FAQs. I remember what it was like being in my third trimester (both times) – and that last one really wasn't that long ago, and gosh I gotta say it can come with quite a few discomforts!  As that due date gets closer and closer it inevitably seems like more questions come up!Some of the topics I cover are: nausea in the third trimester, traveling during pregnancy, baby movements, itchy feet, labial swelling, hip pain, what to do if your water breaks unexpectedly, and more! Resources from the episode: This episode was actually inspired by two blog articles we have on the site, so in lieu of detailing out the show content, I'm going to leave the links here for your browsing: Third Trimester FAQs and Tips with an L&D Nurse All About Water Breaking During Pregnancy ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get your FREE Third Trimester Prep Pack and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag and know you're not forgetting to do a thing. CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Colleen's first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 6 weeks. At 12 weeks along with her second pregnancy, Colleen and her husband found out that their daughter would be born with a genetic condition called Trisomy 18. Colleen shares her experiences with Trisomy 18 and how she found the right support to help her navigate through it all. Due to IUGR and other medical concerns, Colleen had her daughter via Cesarean with an 85-day NICU stay afterward. To her surprise, Colleen had a third pregnancy just 6 months after her daughter's delivery which ended in a heartbreaking second-trimester miscarriage. After discussing her pregnancy and birth histories at an appointment, Colleen's doctor referred her to be screened for a MTHFR gene mutation for which she came back positive. MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is a gene that impacts your ability to process and absorb folate. It can be responsible for complications during pregnancy and is detected through a simple blood test. Colleen and Meagan talk more about what MTHFR means, and what Colleen was able to do to have a fourth uncomplicated pregnancy and a beautiful, smooth VBAC delivery! Needed WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Welcome to the show, everybody. We have our friend, Colleen, on with us today sharing her stories and navigating through this amazing journey that we call birth. Birth is such a journey, wouldn't you agree, Colleen?Colleen: Absolutely. Meagan: One of the most unique things about it is obviously through the stories we all hear. They are all unique and individual to us and even one birth that you've given doesn't mean the next birth is the same. So we're going to be talking today about navigating through birth and we know that a lot of the times through these journeys whether it be because of a Cesarean or because of how we were treated or because of how our body responded or whatever it may be, sometimes and a lot of the times, we experience trauma. Trauma is viewed differently from everybody and processed differently. We are going to be talking about navigating through trauma. Then Colleen is actually going to share some of her fertility journey as well. I think that's also a really important thing because we have so many mamas out there– we know. We know. We see it. They have to navigate through fertility challenges. We're going to be talking about that along with a VBAC. Let's get into that here in just a minute. We do have a Review of the Week then like I said, I'm going to introduce Colleen and turn the show over to her so she can share her beautiful stories. This review is from lexieemmarie. It says, “So thankful. I just wanted to say thank you for creating this podcast. I had my baby girl via emergency Cesarean at 30 weeks due to several medical complications with my baby. We spent 95 days in the NICU and while in there waiting for my sweet girl to grow, I started to research VBACs to see if it was right for me. Once I found this podcast, it sealed the deal. I absolutely can't wait to VBAC with my next pregnancy. You all are incredible to listen to because you provide the wealth of knowledge and positivity but are also fun and entertaining to listen to. Amazing job, ladies.” Aww, that just made my heart so happy. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much, Lexi, for your review. As always, we love these reviews. They make our hearts and our minds so happy. You guys, this is what we want. We want you to have that wealth of knowledge. We want to have you feel inspired and guided and uplifted and educated along the way through all of these stories. As usual, leave a review if you haven't yet. We would be so grateful. Meagan: Okay. We have Ms. Colleen. She lived in Michigan. Did you have your VBAC baby in Michigan? Colleen: I did, yes. Meagan: You did. Colleen: My husband and I live in a suburb of Detroit in Gross Point so that's where I gave birth in August of 2024. Meagan: Awesome. Awesome. Okay. Wait, 2024? Just right now?Colleen: Yeah, I'm 2 weeks postpartum. Meagan: Yes, I love it! So really, really fresh. Colleen: Fresh. Meagan: I love sharing stories that are so fresh like that. It is right there in your brain. Colleen: Exactly. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Okay. She has two beautiful children now and one two-week-old baby. Your two-year-old daughter is Gianna? Colleen: Gianna, yes. Meagan: She was born via Cesarean due to chromosomal abnormality. Do you want to share what that means?Colleen: Yeah, I would love to. Gianna has a chromosomal condition called Trisomy 18 that we did find out about through the genetic screening early on in pregnancy that she was considered high risk for coming down with Trisomy 18. As the pregnancy progressed, it became pretty evident that it would be the reality. For those of you who don't know, Trisomy 18 on its surface means that the baby will have an extra 18th chromosome in some or all of their cells. How that manifests itself is through some pretty serious medical complexities that require quite a bit of care. I will get into that a little bit more with my story but that is the quick version of Trisomy 18. She is also now 2 years old and a bubby, sometimes sassy, little girl. Meagan: Is there another name for it with an E?Colleen: Edwards Syndrome, yes.Meagan: I have another friend who has that and I seriously adore him. He is thriving and doing amazing in life. Colleen: Yes. She is a warrior. She is so strong. She is so beautiful and has brought nothing but love and joy to everyone who knows her or who don't know her. There are so many people from near and far who love her. It's great. Meagan: Yes. Awesome and then we've got Sonny who was born via VBAC just two weeks ago you guys. She says, “As a mama of a medically complex child, she is passionate about awareness and education for those within her daughter's condition. She also enjoys running, reading, cooking, and volunteering.” Colleen: Yes, that's a little bit about me. Meagan: I love it. Welcome to the show and thank you so much for being here with us. I would love to turn the time over to you to start sharing Gianna's story. Colleen: Amazing. Thank you so much for having me on. The VBAC Link was a staple on so many of my walks when I was getting ready to give birth. I just found it to be so uplifting and empowering and I'm so glad that I found you as a resource. A little bit of background before getting to my VBAC– it really does begin in about 2022. It starts out with some of those fertility issues that you had mentioned at the start of the podcast. My husband and I decided to start trying after about two years of marriage and we got pregnant pretty quickly. That ended early in a miscarriage at about 6 weeks. But we said, “Okay, let's try again.” We had processed and accepted that miscarriages do happen so we quickly said, “Let's give it another go.” But we had those reservations and that in the back of our mind of moving forward cautiously. We did get pregnant quickly again. Throughout the first trimester, we just kept it tight-lipped. We just told immediate family and then decided we wanted to do the genetic testing of course to find out the gender. We didn't really give too much thought to what else you learn from that bloodwork. As my pregnancy progressed throughout the first trimester, I was feeling confident then at about 12 weeks, we received a call from my midwife. She told us that it was a girl and that she came back high-risk with Trisomy 18. We weren't expecting that. It was scary and a shock and the more we learned and the more we read in those early days was devastating to us. We were just coming off the heels of a miscarriage so then to have this thrown at us was just a real curveball. In order to move forward and navigate that, my husband and I were always planning on keeping the pregnancy so it just meant, what does that mean going forward? After talking with more specialists and maternal-fetal medicine at the health system that I was at at the time, it became very apparent that they weren't really willing to help. We needed to find another health system. We are so fortunate because we were living out of state for quite some time then moved home before we started to try. We were living in Chicago and then moved back to Michigan. University of Michigan, so CS Mott Children's Hospital is for sure the best in the state and one of the best in the country for caring for kids with my daughter's condition. We switched all of my prenatal care there and they provided us with hope and were willing to monitor me and have a very wonderful NICU. They were willing to provide interventions and things after she was born. But as it related to my pregnancy, it completely deterred any sort of plans and any sort of “normalcy” that one might have. It was shrouded in sadness and anxiety and fear and unknown. Each ultrasound and each week was closer and closer to meeting her but also closer and closer to what does this mean for her? What does this mean for our family? I completely abandoned any apps or what size fruit she was going to be at a certain week because she had intrauterine growth restriction. That rulebook and those guidelines went out the window. I was really afraid to connect with her when I was pregnant. A lot of the time I would say, “Okay, be in tune with her. Read to her and rock her and listen to music with her,” and I would just end up in the nursery that we decorated in tears because I just had so much fear and sadness around what was to come. With that being said, because my plans had been derailed, I really threw myself into learning about her condition and learning about what would come afterward. That gave me hope as a very Type A person. I needed to be doing something to prepare and connected with other families from around the country to give me and my husband hope and learn about what life with children with Trisomy 18 looks like and what they are capable of really was our main driver throughout pregnancy. With that said, I did not prepare for birth at all. I didn't learn about how it could possibly go. I really just, like I said, focused on what care for her would look like. Just as a very small example of what that even looked like was when I came to write my birth plan, I probably wrote a couple of things like, “Oh, open to epidural. Do you have a birthing ball?” I honestly had a line in there that said, “If she is born not breathing, resuscitate her.” That is where my head was throughout pregnancy and it just came to however she was going to arrive, that was second to her being here and us starting to care for her. Meagan: Yeah. Colleen: That said, my care team, obviously I was being seen by the MFM department at CS Mott. They were very supportive. I never felt like they weren't looking out for both me and her. I think they wanted me to deliver vaginally and with the understanding that if it came to a Cesarean that would be what it was. My husband and I made it very clear that we wanted to be treated however they would handle a typical pregnancy. Meagan: Anybody else, yeah. Colleen: Yes. Yes. If it meant a C-section, that's what it was going to be kind of thing. She was showing that she wasn't tolerating labor. We got to the end of pregnancy and we were discussing what birth would look like. We all agreed that an induction at 37 weeks was going to be the plan for a couple of different reasons. From our perspective, we wanted to just start caring for her knowing that she was going to have complexities. We were in the best place possible to start that process. There is some research that would show that the longer that babies with Trisomy 18 are in utero, you could run into a stillbirth situation. Now again, it's a little bit more on the anecdotal side because many, many kids with Trisomy 18 are born vaginally at 40-41 weeks and it's how you want to play it. Meagan: You have to weigh it out for what's best for everybody. Was IUGR becoming a problem at all or was she still small but staying within her own growth chart?Colleen: Toward the end there, we were seeing some stagnated growth so yeah, they were very much of the mindset, “Let's just get here here,” kind of thing. She was born at 3 pounds, 12 ounces. She was just a peanut. Meagan: Little tiny, yeah. Colleen: I was induced at 37 weeks without having much knowledge of what the induction process was going to look like for me and I went in at a centimeter. They started with a cervix softener so that they could then insert the Foley balloon. I was in bed a lot. I utilized the tank of nitrous oxide. I labored that way for a while just to mitigate that pain. I was walking around a little bit but honestly, the Foley balloon for me in the whole induction process was probably the worst part. I was in quite a bit of pain after that. Meagan: Were you dilated at all before when they tried to insert that or was it a closed, posterior cervix? I'm assuming at 37 weeks, it's not doing much. Colleen: I was a centimeter when I came in and I was maybe a 2 when they inserted it I believe. Yeah. It was very apparent that my body was probably not ready for that process. Meagan: Yeah. Colleen: Yeah. That also became apparent once the Foley balloon came out but then pretty much I got to 5 centimeters and just parked it there for quite a bit. The pain was pretty intense so I received an epidural after laboring I would say probably 14-16 hours or something like that. The attending OB wanted to take additional steps by breaking my water and my husband and I were talking. We said, “If they break my water and then I don't progress, then what situation are we in?” We also knew beforehand that my daughter did have a confirmed heart defect. We wanted a more gentle approach to induction especially when it came to Pitocin. We really wanted to take it slow and monitor her to make sure she was tolerating it and things like that. We opted for Pitocin before breaking my water and took it slow. I would say probably another 6-8 hours went by. We were taking it very slow. I wasn't progressing and then we started to see some sporadic, not super consistent but enough to keep make us aware of her, decels that she was having. Again, the attending OB really wanted to continue on. She wanted to break my water. She wanted to optimize my chances for a vaginal birth, but again, I think my husband and I were so zeroed in on having her here safely that even the attending OB after observing some of the decels into the night was like, “Okay, I think–”Meagan: That was enough. Colleen: Exactly. She arrived via C-section on October 28, 2022 at 3:18 in the morning which we find incredibly special because 318 is a universal number around Trisomy 18. We just feel that she was meant to be here just as she is. That was enough for us to say, “Okay. We did what we think we needed to do to get her here safely.”Meagan: And happy birthday to her today. She will be 3?Colleen: She's actually turning 2. She's turning 2. Yep, yes. So that was my obviously first birth experience and it was– I can't even say different than what I expected because again, I really went into that not having much of a reference or much preparation at all. I say, “Okay. That was my experience. It was a C-section.” We weren't thinking at the time. We always knew we wanted future children but with the timeline, we had an 85-day NICU stay with her. There were other things that we were focusing on. Meagan: You and the reviewer. You NICU mamas are amazing. Colleen: Perfect review for today. After 85 days, we came home in January of 2023. We were getting settled into home life and then fast forward to about 6 months postpartum. We had just been home for a couple of months and much to my husband and I's surprise, we were pregnant again. From the first miscarriage to my daughter, we had that hope and that mentality of, “We have no reason to think that anything is going to go wrong so let's just operate from the stance that everything is going to be okay.” We took a similar approach this time around. We said, “Okay. We're going to roll with the punches. Gianna's going to get a sibling a little bit sooner than we initially had thought. Let's just play it like everything is going to be okay.” We had met with a geneticist and knew our risk for having another child with Trisomy 18. We were just slightly above the general population when it comes to the statistics there. We weren't super concerned. It was a very, very low risk. We decided to do the genetic testing anyway. I didn't consider myself to be high risk so I moved my care to a little bit closer to home. The University of Michigan is a little over an hour for us. I had a great experience but wanted to move just a little bit closer to home to a practice that is very utilized on this side of town by many women. I did the genetic testing and everything was good. We were having a boy and then the very next day, I woke up to a very large gush of blood. I went to the emergency room. This was on a Saturday. They did an ultrasound and said, “Baby is looking good.” I was again, about 12 weeks at this point. They said, “Sometimes just bleeding in the first trimester happens.” I took that at face value. I came home Now mind you, with my daughter's condition, she has a lot of medical equipment and lower muscle tone so it's a lot of carrying her around and at that point, she was still pretty small but again, I'm pregnant and I'm hauling her medical equipment plus her some days. I'm a stay-at-home mom so I'm trying to navigate all of that. I'm going about my daily life not really thinking much of it just saying, “Okay, that's what it is. The first trimester bleeding.” I went back to the OB that week and they also confirmed, “Oh yeah, it could just be bleeding.” I said, “Okay.” Then about 2 weeks later I'd say, again on a Saturday, it happened again. The bleeding had tapered off then it happened again. I went back to the emergency room to make sure everything was okay and it was a different emergency department. The nurse practitioner came back in after the ultrasound and said, “You have a really large subchorionic hematoma.”Meagan: I was going to ask if that's what it was. Colleen: Yes. We had done research obviously between the two ultrasounds and people said, “If you do, it likely will heal on its own.” Meagan: It takes time, but if you do activity and things like that. Colleen: Yes. I would say probably about 2.5-3 weeks went by with me not knowing I had it. I hemorrhaged again. This time, I really tried taking it easy leveraging my husband, my mom, and my mother-in-law to really help care for my daughter so I would be able to rest and recover. When I had gone to the OB that Monday just because I had been in the emergency room over the weekend, they painted it like there was not much you can do. If you can take it easy, great. If not, I actually went in that Monday and I had brought up the subchorionic hematoma and the provider that I met with said, “Oh, yeah. You have it but actually, I want to talk to you about something else.” It was a potential marginal cord insertion or a velamentous cord. Meagan: Okay. Colleen: She said, “I actually want you to be more aware of this than the subchorionic hematoma.” Again, it was pushed to the side. At that point, in partnership with some other pretty inappropriate and I would say frankly bad bedside manner from the practice, I was looking to move again. They were very insensitive around my daughter's condition. They made me to be othered because of her. I just didn't appreciate that. I was like, “This is a different birth.” I didn't appreciate that treatment. They asked very inappropriate questions about her and her life expectancy and things that were very triggering for a) someone who was fresh out of birth and a very traumatic pregnancy. I just felt that was very inappropriate to ask those things especially when we are also not talking about my daughter. We are talking about this pregnancy at hand that was having some issues. I was looking to switching providers. I have my best friend in the area. I loved her. She was pregnant at the time as well. She loved her OB so I was looking to switch. I couldn't get in for a couple of weeks so I just said, “Okay.” At the next month's appointment, I would switch practices away from where I currently was. In the meantime, I would say about a week and a half later, I was bleeding again. It was on a Monday so I got in that day and I personally had a little bit of peace around it because I just said, “Okay, this has happened before. Baby has always been okay, but let's get in.” So I got in that Monday and I was given an ultrasound and the ultrasound tech put the wand over my belly and then very quickly went out of the room. My heart sank. I just knew what that meant. She came back and I asked, “Was there a heartbeat?” She just shook her head no. I was by myself because my husband was home with my daughter and it was just completely unexpected and devastating. It crushed us because we again had just come off of something so difficult and had so much hope and for that to be the result was quite crushing. I had reached out to the OB that I had planned to switch to and I just explained the situation. She said, “I'd like to still see you.” I went in about 2 weeks after my miscarriage and just laid everything out for her. She shook her head after me telling her about my first miscarriage and then my daughter and this most recent miscarriage. She took it all in and she goes, “I think there is something going on. I don't think these are just flukes so I want to run some tests.”She ordered some pretty extensive bloodwork mostly in the autoimmune space but she also ran for MTHFR. After many vials of blood and a few weeks of waiting, I came back negative for anything autoimmune but I did in fact come back for MTHFR and she is a provider who believes that it does make a difference. She said at the time that she provided us with this glimmer of hope. She said, “If I know that a patient has that, I start them ideally on a pretty ‘easier' regiment or something to get them started to see if that makes any difference in their pregnancies. If not, we can build with Lovenox injections and things like that.” Basically she said, “I want you on additional folic acid.” I took methylfolate and a baby aspirin. But she posed it to my husband and I. “Do you just want to go the Lovenox route? Once you go on Lovenox, I won't be able to walk you back on additional pregnancies. If you have a successful pregnancy–”. Again, knowing this wasn't going to be the answer and that we could potentially have another loss or more issues with pregnancies but we wanted to start on that first step before jumping forward.She said, “Pick up those supplements when you feel like you are ready.” We needed time. We needed months of healing and of focusing on my daughter's care to just really level-set for our family. But in December of last year, we felt strongly that we wanted Gianna to have a sibling so we decided to try again. I got pregnant and began those supplements. From that perspective, my pregnancy was very difficult. Now, it also gave me that time both prior to getting pregnant and then throughout my pregnancy to really– I really wanted to level-set my approach and my outlook on pregnancy. I had felt like I had been always in this cycle of seeking out information or researching based on issues and I think my and as well as my husband, the trauma aspect always played into it of, okay. Here's a symptom. It could be something very normal or it could be these very unique, rare things that we got used to feeling comfortable in that space. Meagan: Yeah. Colleen: I sort of recognized that as something that I needed to work through. I needed to work through some things that were either emotions I pushed aside. I pushed aside the thoughts and feelings around especially that second miscarriage because I said, “Okay, I have a daughter with medical complexities.” I needed to jump back in and I think that distraction helped me push those thoughts away but then I will say they came back. They reared their head and I said, “Okay. It's time for me to deal with them.” So going back to talk therapy has been really helpful for me for working through some of those emotions as well as unprocessed things with my daughter's pregnancy and birth and care and things like that, the realities around her life and how it's impacted myself, my family, and things like that. I went back to talk therapy and then also got pregnant. I thought that was the perfect time to really sort of level-set my outlook on pregnancy. We forewent the genetic testing around. We just said, “What will be will be.” For now, the fourth time, we are choosing to believe that all will be well. We will have these feelings. My first trimester almost felt like the closer I got to the end of my first trimester, the more anxiety I had because I had that second-trimester miscarriage that I just had the opinion that it could happen at any time and why wouldn't it just happen to me again?There were some friends who didn't know that I was pregnant until my anatomy scan just because I felt like I needed to hold it close to my chest. Meagan: Just keeping your space safe. Colleen: Exactly. Exactly. And protecting my own emotions. So the first trimester for my son did have some of those thoughts and feelings. The OB who I had switched my care to was very accommodating. She had a little portable ultrasound machine in her office if I felt like I needed that reassurance that she would provide the ultrasound for me. She asked me how often I wanted to come see her. She was just very understanding and accommodating based on my previous circumstances. It also allowed me the space, especially as I moved through pregnancy, to really think about birth and think about how that process could be healing as well. In my second trimester, I remember going on a walk because I needed to clear my head and just feeling so overwhelmed by not knowing where to start and then I was being hard on myself because I was like, I should have done this with my daughter. I should know these things already. This is my second birth. I was being very self-critical as if I didn't have other things to focus on with her. That's when I came across The VBAC Link. I actually came across it because my husband and I had taken some on-demand birthing classes through Mommy Labor Nurse and we very much so said that we needed a refresher and probably to take some more diligent notes this time around. It was a resource that she has promoted so I checked it out and I just immediately felt like it was going to be so helpful as it was throughout pregnancy just listening to the podcast episodes, referencing the blog, getting your emails, and just really feeling like I had a resource that was going to support me. I can't express how grateful I am for that because– and I'm about to get emotional– of how along pregnancy and that journey has felt. I've constantly felt like I've been up against walls that it's been exhausting to have to overcome and to break down. Meagan: Yeah. It's a terrible feeling to feel so alone in this really big moment in your life and not feel like you know the direction all the time and then also making decisions and then having the world pretty much question why you are making that decision. It's so heavy and that's why I love this community so much because they make you feel connected to people that are not even within reach. They are hundreds and thousands of miles away. Colleen: Absolutely. Absolutely. Just to have that support because it very quickly became my goal to VBAC because I flipped the script after finding The VBAC Link. I said, “There is nothing pointing to my body not being able to do this. I'm going to go for it.” I'm a competitive person and sometimes I'm competitive with myself and I said, “This is going to be a competition and I'm going to do this.” I will say getting into the true VBAC part of it, my OB was very supportive. She said, “I think you are the perfect candidate to VBAC.” She did want to see what my body did closer to which made me a little bit nervous. She was like, “I'm not for induction but I would do augmentation.” I was like, “Okay. Let's see.” Again, it was a motivator to me to do all of the things that I could do to edge myself along kind of thing. The biggest thing I leveraged was walking. I walked a ton and I just found a routine in the business of life that worked for me that I could rely on each and every day and say, “Okay, these are the three things that I'm going to do throughout the rest of pregnancy to a) give myself peace mentally and physically, but also just to say life is busy, but this is what I'm going to do to move myself forward.” It was a lot of walking. It was a prenatal that I just really adored and I just committed to a pretty nutritious diet to make sure that I was nourishing my body in all the ways that I could. Around 36 weeks, I received a cervical check and was starting to dilate and efface. I was about 2 centimeters. Meagan: Wow. Colleen: Yes, with about 70% effacement at that time. My OB said, “Things are looking good. You are on the right track here.” I just kept doing what I was doing. I did opt for a membrane sweep at 38 weeks and I will say having never labored before, between that 36 and 38-week mark, I was having a ton of prodromal labor which was very frustrating because I never knew what was real. We went to labor and delivery once. I got turned away and sent home. I thought it was the real deal. Yes. Prodromal labor is a tease. But after the membrane sweep, it became very apparent that I was actually in labor. That afternoon, my husband and I and my daughter lay on the couch. I was having closer and stronger contractions and we joke that it was absolutely the real deal because all the times leading up with prodromal labor, everything was squared away. My meals were prepped. Everything was squared away with my daughter. My in-laws and my parents were ready to go and jump in. The day that I started to be in labor, our basement flooded with our sewage backed up. Meagan: Oh no. Colleen: I'm actively in labor and my husband comes up and says, “This is absolutely the real deal because this wouldn't have happened if you weren't.” I'm in labor and my father-in-law are bleaching the floor and scrubbing. It was a whole thing and I was like, This isn't funny right now but it will be funny one day. And it's funny. I was able to labor at home for a few hours. I got to the hospital. I had the membrane sweep at noon that day. I got to the hospital around 9:30 PM and was at a 5. I was feeling pretty good about that. I was feeling those contractions of needing to pause. I wasn't really able to talk through but still at that point now knowing what later labor felt like that it was just the beginning of things. I had a wonderful labor and delivery nurse who was super supportive. I never felt being there like I had to convince anybody. They knew that my plan was a VBAC. The attending OB was cool with it. My OB lived just a few minutes away from the hospital and said that she would be there within a moment's notice when I did deliver so I would have her for the moment of. I got to a 5. They did put me on the monitors and had me hooked up so my movement was pretty limited which kind of limited what I was able to do. I wanted to walk a little bit more. I was only able to sit on the birthing ball in a certain area of the room. That was a little bit tricky. The shower was really nice and I did appreciate laboring in the shower but it was the attending OB who had checked me when I first got there and determined I was a 5. A few hours later, the labor and delivery nurse checked me and said, “Oh, I think you are a 7.” My goal was to get to active labor before I decided if I wanted an epidural but ideally, I wanted to go unmedicated. So when they said I was a 7, I was like, “Oh, okay. All right. That's the motivation I needed to keep pushing on. I can do this.” My contractions were becoming more frequent but they weren't getting stronger. It almost felt like at a moment's notice when they had to put the IV in or if the pain was too intense that I would start to space out again which I found to be interesting. But when a few hours went by, the pain was intensifying. They wanted to check me again and it was the OB this time who had checked me earlier and she said, “Oh, you're a 6.” My husband and I said, “Well, they said I was a 7 when they checked me last time.” She said, “Yeah, but I've got the frame of reference and you're more of a 6.” That messed with my head. Meagan: I'm sure. Colleen: My breathing was no longer effective. The pain was getting to me. The next step they wanted to take was breaking my water. I just didn't feel like I was in the headspace to continue on without the epidural. Meagan: You were mentally derailed. That can happen. Colleen: Yeah. When it came to my birth plan this time around, I was a little bit more descriptive because I had done more research. I wanted to go the unmedicated route if I absolutely could. If not, at least active labor. I really didn't want any augmentations or interventions when it came to breaking my water or Pitocin. I really wanted to be able to do it on my own but I will say and I think this is one of my bigger takeaways from this birth is that even when things don't go according to plan, you really have to trust your gut. I will say in those moments, my gut was telling me I think what needed to happen to service the overall goal which was my VBAC. I said, “Okay. I think in order for my body to relax, I want the epidural.” I get the epidural. My body did just that. I was able to relax. My contractions were getting closer together again. They did break my water and now we were into the morning hours here. I get a call from my OB and she said, “Hey, I'm aware of your situation. I see that your contractions are getting closer together but they are still not at that strength that we are really wanting to see.” She said that, “If you are okay with it, they want to start me on very low doses of Pitocin.” She said, “I think you will need a whiff of it in order to get to where you need to be.” My husband and I looked at each other and I think because of our experience with Pitocin previously and not wanting to stall out or anything go wrong, we really struggled with that piece but I think ultimately, we said, “Okay, we're already here. If this is what my OB thinks this is what I need–” and again, I personally felt okay with moving forward in those directions, “then, let's give it a try.” She was absolutely right. They started at a 1 and bumped it up 45 minutes later. I was feeling some pressure and I wanted to switch positions. I had the nurse come in to help me. She lifted up the blanket to move me and she said, “Oh, his head is right here.” He had been crowing for we don't know how long.Meagan: Oh my gosh. Colleen: My husband looks down and he goes, “Yeah, his head is poking up.” My OB gets there. It was super relaxed. She just walked in. She had her sunglasses on. She was just like, “Okay, let's do this.” She was getting set up. He had a bunch of dark hair and she was giving him a faux-hawk while she waits for things to get set up. For the moments that led up to that with anxiety around the interventions, the moment of his birth was very relaxed, very calm– Meagan: Lighthearted. Colleen: It had this great energy around it. I pushed for about 15 minutes and he was born. Meagan: Oh my gosh. That is amazing. What a way to end such a lead-up to get to this moment in your life. Colleen: Yes. His birth, the moment of his birth and the half-hour leading up was so joyous and healing like I had always hoped it would be and exactly what I think my heart needed. Just not necessarily VBAC-related, but I think I also struggled with all of the needs of my daughter and having now split time, I think going from one to two for some mamas can conjure up those feelings and that guilt around what your firstborn is not getting especially with all of her extra needs and things. I was really feeling that guilt. Now he's here and he is exactly what my family needed. He is just this puzzle piece that was missing. We didn't know it. We didn't know it until he was here and now we feel that way on so many levels. Meagan: Isn't that crazy sometimes? This is one of the coolest things I think about being a doula is that we see these couples and they think that their life is so amazing and it is. Don't get me wrong. It is amazing. They think that they love each other more than they ever could love each other. I can see the love in their eyes. I can see the support as the labor goes and then this human being enters their family and like you said, it's just this puzzle piece that fit that you didn't know you were missing. It's this extra joy and this deeper love that they didn't even know existed and it's one of the coolest things to see families transform. Yeah. It's absolutely amazing. Even from no kids to one kid and from one kid to four kids, it doesn't matter. Like you said, it's the puzzle piece that they didn't know they were missing. Colleen: Absolutely. I just can't wait to watch my daughter learn from him and him learn from her. That relationship– I even had the thought where I was like, “I'm the most important thing to my daughter,” then I'm like, “Okay, but she's going to have a sibling and that is such a gift in and of itself that I just am happy to be able to provide that,” but to your point, it is. It's a love unlike any other love. You will always obviously hold your partnership with your partner. It's so important and so instrumental to providing that love for your children as well but that love that you get from birthing a child is unparalleled. Meagan: Oh my gosh. It's so amazing. It is so amazing. I feel so grateful as a doula and as someone who is done having kids– my youngest is 8 years old now but I get to keep living through all of these couples. It's just so amazing. Oh, well congratulations. Colleen: Yes. It's so beautiful. Again, it didn't go on the micro-level according to plan, but on the macro-level and in my big-picture goal of having a VBAC, it was all I could ask for. Rolling with the punches and I will say again, going back to the beginning of the podcast and sharing that I'm a very Type A person, I think had my past not happened, any of these little interventions that were needed throughout this birth could have also derailed me or discouraged me and I just think all of these experiences I had up until this point taught me that rolling with the punches and just understanding that things might not always go according to plan but healthy me, healthy baby– Meagan: And a good experience. Colleen: Exactly. Meagan: Rolling with the punches while trusting your intuition because some of those punches might look like punches but it's actually what you need. Colleen: 100%. Trusting your gut, advocating for yourself, also important to keep in mind. Meagan: Super important. Well, before we go, I wanted to quickly give some more depth into some of the things that you had brought up along the way. We talked about your daughter's condition and then there was something that you said that is a really big tip that I give to my clients when it comes to breaking the waters versus starting Pitocin. It's okay if you don't agree with me, everybody out there. A lot of people would rather break water over starting Pitocin because it's the “more natural way to get things going”. But I'm such a person of, let's try a whiff of Pitocin that we can turn off, but if we are artificially meaning we are breaking the bag of waters by ourselves against mother nature's choice, we can't patch that back up and we don't know what's going on so we don't know if baby's in a weird position. We don't know if baby is too high. We don't know what's going on so sometimes I think just starting that 1-4 mL drip of Pit and then you can always turn it off and it's gone. I was going to say that's weirdly one of my suggestions that over all of my years of doing this, I would weirdly suggest that sometimes over breaking your water. That really depends on where we are at too. If we are 9 centimeters and baby is +2 station, we're really engaged, I dont know. It might change. But if we are at the point where you were at, I actually would suggest that. I wanted to really quickly talk about VCI and marginal. So velamentous cord insertion. You mentioned that the OB was like, “Yes, subchorionic and we're here but then we've also got this.” With VCI, that is where the cord is inserted abnormally into the placenta. It can cause things like IUGR which we talked about earlier so intrauterine growth restriction. I don't know if they gave you any stats on this but it's a 1% chance of that happening with a singleton baby, a 6% chance with twins and then if they do share the same placenta, it can go up. I want to say it's upward of 15%, so much higher. But a lot of the time, even VCI babies carry to term and everything is okay. I do want to throw it out there that a lot of providers do suggest a Cesarean with VCI. I don't know if you've ever heard of that. People can have vaginal births but a lot of providers will suggest Cesareans. If you have VCI or are being told that you have VCI, just know that might be a conversation and you want to discuss that with your provider earlier on. She also mentioned a marginal cord insertion which is where that attaches to the side I believe so also an abnormal insertion. I don't know. Did your provider tell you anything about that? Colleen: Not the statistics around it but they also said that I was 6 months postpartum, post-C-section when I did get pregnant again so their recommendation I think regardless was going to be a repeat C-section. Meagan: Yeah, so it can happen. Then last but not least, I just want to throw out anything that you have about MTHFR to the listeners who may have gone or are going through experiences like you. MTHFR really depends on a provider. Some people still roll their eyes at it but it's definitely a thing. Do you have any suggestions toward anybody who may have it or maybe finding out that process?Colleen: Yeah. Meagan: Or going through the process?Colleen: For sure. Just through my own research, again, my OB was like, “Just additional folic acid.” Meagan: I love that you mentioned that by the way. Colleen: So I obviously am no expert or dietician or nutritionist but when you do have MTHFR, you can either have homozygous or heterozygous mutations. There are also two different variations. There's the A variant and the C variant. I think there is research around the severity or the impact of each of the variants on fertility and things like that but sort of the biggest takeaway when it comes to MTHFR is that it can make you more prone to clotting issues as well as malabsorption or the inability to use folic acid effectively. That is why a lot of research will indicate that you should be on the purest form of folate which is methylfolate because it's so easy for your body to absorb when you do have the MTHFR mutation and then when it comes to having additional methylfolate, essentially I found a prenatal that had methylfolate and was just chock-full of a bunch of good stuff. I was also taking additional micrograms of methyl folate on the side just as a pure supplement. Personally, I found that to be helpful and again, that is something that I baked into that consistent routine of mine making sure I was on a really optimal prenatal as well as taking the methylfolate every day. In addition to the baby aspirin, that was to mitigate some clotting issues. The other thing I will plug is a resource and a follow on Instagram if you don't already follow is Lily Nichols. Meagan: Yes. We love her. She has been on the podcast. We have her books. Colleen: Yes, exactly. In addition to when you know you have MTHFR, just really ensuring that you are getting proper nutrition and that is top of the line in pregnancy when you are trying every day of your life basically. I definitely broke and cheated with my little guilty pleasures here and there of course. But I really largely throughout pregnancy tried to stick to a really vitamin and nutrient-dense diet. Meagan: Yes. I don't know what prenatal you took and I don't judge you for any other prenatal of course. We love Needed but you said the optimal amount. That's what we are finding. So many of these prenatals don't have the optimal amount and they don't have the purest forms. We love Needed and truly 100% suggest it. But yeah, exactly what you said. It's so important. It's so important.Colleen: Exactly. That would be my advice to anyone who wonders. I would also advocate and press to be tested if you are having issues. I just think it would be so beneficial just to have that piece of information in your toolbox so that if you do want to ask either on your own or you do want to press your provider to take it seriously, then I would definitely recommend just saying, “Hey, can I get the bloodwork to find out?” Then you can go from there. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. Bloodwork. You can start there and know. Colleen: Exactly. Meagan: Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for this amazing information along the way, your beautiful stories, and thank you for taking the time to share with us. Colleen: Thank you so, so much for having me. It was such a pleasure. Meagan: Absolutely. 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

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had the opportunity to chat with the lovely Dr. Natalie Crawford all about infertility and more specifically secondary infertility. Dr. Crawford's Bio: Dr. Natalie Crawford is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and is Director of Patient Experience and Education and co-founder of Fora Fertility, a boutique fertility practice in Austin, Texas. Dr. Crawford values developing close connections with her patients throughout their fertility journeys. She is passionate about education and promotes fertility awareness through social media and community outreach.  Connect with Dr. Crawford: Website: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/ Instagram: @nataliecrawfordmd YouTube: Natalie Crawford, MD TikTok: @nataliecrawfordmd Twitter: @ncrawfordmd Podcast: As a Woman ******  

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** Caitlin Karl, a fellow mom who's actually currently pregnant, came on to share all about her journey to adopting her son AJ. Caitlin shares that she and her husband always knew they wanted to grow their family through adoption and biologically, and was never really quite sure in what order it would happen. Ultimately, they decided to pursue adoption first because they knew there was a lot of time, resources, and energy required to go through the process of adopting a baby. So in the summer of 2019, they started the whole process and by July they brought their sweet baby boy home. Caitlyn Karl's Bio: Caitlyn Karl is a working mom who lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband Jake, son AJ, and soon daughter (due at the beginning of June). Caitlyn and Jake started their family through the adoption of their son this past year.  You can find Caitlyn Karl on social media here: Instagram: @k.adoption.journey Resources from the episode: Be the Bridge Transracial Adoption Guide The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family Book by David R. Cross, Karyn B. Purvis, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine Angela Tucker: Transracial adoptee and Public Speaker. @angieadoptee on Instagram, “The Adoptee Next Door” Podcast, “Closure” documentary Brandi Ebersole: Adoptee and Adoptive Mom. @brandi_ebersole on Instagram Wreckage and Wonder: Torie is an adoptee who shares her perspective on adoption Cam Lee Small: Adoptee and adoption informed therapist. @therapyredeemed on Instagram,  Ashley Mitchell: Birth mother, adoption reform advocate, founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation. @bigtoughgirl on Instagram, “Twisted Sisterhood” Podcast Adoption Education Keys: Adoption education from the perspective of a birth mother. @adoptioneducationkeys on Instagram Adopt Well: Two adoptive moms who educate about adoption.  “Adopt Well Podcast”, @adoptwell on Instagram  Kindredand.Co: Adoption community, blog, profile books, run by adoptive mom Hannah Eloge. @kindredand.co on Instagram Susan VanSyckle: This is the adoption consultant Caitlin and her husband worked with ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** Labor induction – this is a topic that comes up a LOT in my DMs over on Instagram and in the MLN community in general! So, today on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I'm doing a Q&A-style episode all about planned inductions. Your most burning labor induction FAQs, answered! I see it all the time, women are nearing the end of their pregnancy, and not planning on an induction, and then all of a sudden, they need one! When this happens, there's not always a ton of time to research, prepare and sort through all the info that's out there. So, I thought I'd put together this episode with some of the most common questions I get about inductions. Let's go! ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get free birth plan templates straight from the brain of an L&D nurse - that's me! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, Malori shares her hotel birth story with us via c-section, and talks about her fertility struggles. Malori's Bio: Malori Mayor is a registered nurse, military wife to Mark, and new mom to Max!  After an almost 2-year struggle with infertility, holistic treatments, and surgery for endometriosis, Malori and Mark were finally able to conceive their first child.  Aside from being a wife and mom, Malori is passionate about helping other women also going through infertility who want to treat it holistically.  While going through infertility herself, she began helping others share their stories of infertility and miscarriage on her blog, and also started a podcast, Restoring Fertility Naturally.  Malori spent most of her pregnancy in Germany, where her husband was stationed with the Army, and then gave birth to Max after moving to California.  In whatever little free time she has, she enjoys reading a good book, baking, and going on neighborhood walks with her little family and their German Shepherd, Zoey. Malori's Birth Story: Other than moving from Germany to California in my third trimester, I had a pretty easy and normal pregnancy and planned on an unmedicated birth.  We lived in a hotel for most of my third trimester while waiting on military housing, so I was fully prepared to bring home our new baby to a hotel room.  But otherwise I expected all to go smoothly.  I got the biggest surprise of my pregnancy when I went to my 40 week appointment and it was found that baby boy was breech!  He had been head down just the week prior.  My doctor reviewed all the options with me and I opted for a version the next morning and then would wait it out for natural labor to start.  However, baby boy had other plans!  I went into labor that evening, as we were moving items into the house we had just gotten the keys to.  I was totally in denial that it was labor but finally realized that the contractions weren't Braxton Hicks anymore!  My doctor had me come to the hospital to get checked around 12:30am, and Maximilian John was born via c-section at 1:54am on January 8, 2020!  He was born healthy, pink, and screaming, and him being laid on my chest with my husband by my side was incredibly glorious.  Even though a c-section was my last choice, that moment was priceless and a beautiful culmination of all our fertility struggles.  Max is now 8 months old and is such a happy and active boy! You can find Malori on social media here: IG: @warriorlifewellness Blog: https://www.warriorlifewellness.com YouTube: http://bit.ly/maloriyoutube Resources from the episode: Malori's podcast where she goes into further details about infertility: http://bit.ly/podcastrfn This is the model of treatment that Malori used for infertility:  http://www.naprotechnology.com/ ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive C-section tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, my friend Marley talks all about how maternity care differs in the UK! Marley's Bio: Marley is registered midwife from Surrey, UK and is also a mother to 5 children including a set of twins. She has practiced midwifery in various settings over the past 11 years working in hospitals, birth centers and in women's homes. She cares for women from conception up until 2 weeks postpartum. Marley is also a widely recognized prenatal education instructor who shares lots of useful information on instagram through her cartoon drawings. Having delivered over 600 babies, Marley is an expert in childbirth and is passionate about helping women to have a positive birth experience no matter what type of birth they may have! You can find Marley on social media here: Website: www.midwifemarley.com Instagram: @midwifemarley  ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to learn what to expect, find out about important tests and procedures, and ensure you're making the most of your prenatal care! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!  

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, my friend Cierra shares her traumatic birth experience with her first, and her amazing, empowered birth experience with her second after taking Birth it Up! Cierra's Birth Story: After having a traumatic 1st birth of her son, Cierra wanted to have a different experience with the birth of her daughter. Switching providers and educating herself lead to the unmedicated water birth she dreamed of. She had some hurdles breastfeeding at first, but was able to go on to exclusively breast feed for 4 months and counting. Cierra's Bio: Cierra is from Dayton Ohio. She's married to her husband, Nathan, and a stay at home mom to her two children, Ezekiel and Hannah. You can find Cierra on social media here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/cierraivey ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, my friend Mallory shares her experience with postpartum depression and later I do a Q&A answering your questions about it. Here are the questions I go over in the Q&A! What should I do if I need help? What are some of the common treatment methods? Are there certain risk factors? What should I say to people if they think I'm fine, because I don't look sick? How long will it take for me to feel better? Mallory's Bio: Mallory is a mom to two sweet kids, ages 3.5 and 8 months who fill her heart with joy and her home with mess and never-ending laundry! She and her husband live in Nashville, TN and Mallory spends her time outside the home helping parents and school personnel provide the best services for their kids with special needs. She is a contributing writer for Scary Mommy, the Mighty, and Wallet Path and can be found online at www.iepguru.com, or by email at mallory.a.whitmore@gmail.com. Resources from the episode: www.ppdjourney.com Changes that Heal, by Henry Cloud When Changing Nothing Changes Everything, by Laurie Short Unseen, by Sara Hagerty postpartum.net ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, we dive into all things mental health! I sat down with Dr. Ashurina Ream, a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced training in perinatal mental health! We talk about a range of topics including: Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Anxiety, Prenatal Mood Disorders, Coping Skills, & more! Dr. Ream's Bio: Dr. Ashurina Ream, PMH-C is a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced training in perinatal mental health. Her passion to help pregnant and postpartum families arose after becoming a mother herself. She recognized the limited support and education in the community regarding the care for women. This resulted in her pursuing additional education as well as creating resources for those impacted by perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to this specialty, Dr. Ream has trained in various disciplines as it pertains to the field of psychology. She has worked with those struggling with body image, eating disorders, parenting, health-related mood impairment, cognitive functioning, and general mental health. You can find Dr. Ream on social media here: Instagram: @psychedmommy Website: psychedmommy.com Resources from the episode: postpartum.net pregnancyafterlosssupport.org Her postpartum support group on FB can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2432150633740181/ ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!  

Ever wondered how to make childbirth a more empowering experience? Join us as Liesl Teen, a labor and delivery nurse and the founder of Mommy Labor Nurse, shares her expert insights and practical advice for expectant mothers. Liesl discusses the essentials, from understanding your hospital options and crafting a flexible birth plan to natural methods for inducing labor and preventing tearing. Her unique blend of humor and straightforwardness makes complex medical topics both accessible and engaging, ensuring you feel prepared and confident as you approach labor.Liesl doesn't shy away from common labor concerns, addressing everything from the likelihood of pooping during delivery to the chances and degrees of tearing. By the end of this episode, you'll be equipped with valuable tips and knowledge, making the childbirth journey less intimidating and more empowering. Want more? Find and follow Bree onwww.bodybybree.comInstagramPinterestYouTubeBlog

Ever wondered what it really takes to recover from a C-section and regain your strength and confidence? Whether you're gearing up for your 1st or 4th C-section, we have some tips for you. In today's episode, I sit down with the incredible Liesel Teen, labor and delivery nurse and founder of Mommy Labor Nurse. C-section recovery can be more challenging than a vaginal delivery due to the major abdominal surgery involved. From essential prep tips to must-know post-delivery advice like using abdominal binders, taking it slow, and even a neat trick for tackling stairs—we cover it all. In today's episode, we explore: The importance of stocking up on extra help at home and preparing for the recovery period with the same diligence as prepping for the C-section itselfTips for a methodical and gentle approach to significantly aid in your recovery process and prevent additional strain on your bodyWays to utilize medical support devices to support your healing processWhy recovery involves managing pain and preventing complications with medication Resources:https://mommylabornurse.comBundled classes https://mommylabornurse.com/classes-and-resources/IG- https://www.instagram.com/mommy.labornurse?igsh=MXc1djE1bmtvb21iYQ==Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast episode with Kristen as guest- https://mommylabornurse.com/podcast/expert-guest/pumping-tips-kristen-krahl/Follow @bemybreastfriend on InstagramBemybreastfriend.combemybreastfriend Amazon Storebemybreastfriend YouTube

In this episode, I'm joined by Liesel Teen, a seasoned L&D nurse and childbirth educator and the creator of Mommy Labor Nurse, where she reveals the common myths surrounding pregnancy and birth.   Learn about the shocking misconceptions, such as babies running out of room, the impact of baby size on vaginal delivery, the importance of partner education, and the need for postpartum care. She also delves into the unexpected, and rare, scenario of giving birth in the car, and shares essential tips for partners and mothers on how to keep the baby safe and warm during this intense moment. Liesel's valuable insights will empower expectant parents to approach their childbirth journey with knowledge and confidence. Discover the truth behind these myths and how to prepare for a positive birth experience.   Content Warnings: emergency car births, risk of stillbirth, gendered language     Resources: Follow Liesel's work: website, podcast, IG, Facebook, TikTok Learn more about Push Pregnancy on their website Check out some Mommy Labor Nurse podcast episodes: Episode 197 - Pharmaceutical Pain Options for Labor (other than an epidural!) Episode 199 - The Evidence on Natural Labor Induction with Dr. Rebecca Dekker Listen to an EBB Episode: EBB 243 - The Importance of Kick Counting for Preventing Stillbirth with Stephaney Moody, Health Equity Ambassador of Count the Kicks   For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.   Follow us on:  TikTok Instagram Pinterest Want to get involved at EBB?  Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here  Find an EBB Instructor here  Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class

Today we have a special surprise for you. We have Liesel Teen on the show! She is a registered labor and delivery nurse and the face behind the very popular account @mommy.labornurse on Instagram. She has two kids herself and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping people prepare for labor and delivery. Her goal is to empower women and give them resources to help them through this phase of their lives.We cover what a labor and delivery nurse is in charge of during a birth and what they help the doctor with. Liesel also explains what women who seem really prepared for their births do ahead of time to set themselves up for success. Ever wondered how to tell if you're actually in labor or not? Liesel explains how to know so that you don't go to the hospital and end up getting sent back home. She also covers the pros and cons to epidurals and why it might seem your labor and delivery nurse is having you change positions so often. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us both; @expectingandempowered and @mommy.labornurse. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!Follow Liesel on InstagramFollow Liesel on TikTokLiesel's WebsiteLiesel's PodcastLinks & ResourcesExpecting and Empowered YouTube ChannelExpecting and Empowered AppExpecting and Empowered WebsiteExpecting and Empowered InstagramExpecting and Empowered Prepping for Labor + Delivery Course - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

You spoke (literally!), and we listened! In this episode, I'm diving into two more questions from our podcast listener line.  Today we'll be talking in depth about breech positioning and what that means for birth, the recurrence rate of breech pregnancies, how to VBAC after a breech Cesarean, and more. Then we'll be unpacking pregnancy anxiety and fear related to birth too! This is actually a topic I'm really passionate about, and one of the main reasons I started Mommy Labor Nurse (and this podcast!) to begin with!! If you have a burning question about pregnancy, birth, or postpartum that you'd like me to answer on the show, all you have to do is call 919-213-8719 and leave a voicemail! Want to erase anxiety and actually feel excited about birth? Get instant access to my FREE Birth Workshop to learn tons of pain-coping strategies and actionable tips today! Have an even better birth! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum! Related Episodes Episode 168: Ask Me Anything Episode 174: Ask Me Anything: Talking Placentas, Epidurals, and Second Pregnancies Episode 191:  Me Anything: Placenta Previas to Postpartum Recovery

Happy 200 MLN Podcast fam!!  To celebrate, I'm giving away five $50 Amazon gift cards! All you have to do is leave a written review of the podcast, take a screenshot of your review, and send it to podcast@mommylabornurse.com - that's it!! Entry closes on October 8th, 2023.  In this episode, I thought it would be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and give you some behind the scenes insight into the podcast! My sister Jenna is joining me and we're going to talk all about some of my most memorable episodes! Whenever you joined the MLN podcast community, I want you to know how grateful I am that you're here! I love getting to connect in this way every week, and this show would never be possible if it weren't for all of you. Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy info out there? CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! Have an even better birth! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum! Episodes Mentioned Favorite expert interviews: Episode 17: How to Have An Easier Labor! – Interview with Gail Tully from Spinning Babies® Episode 38: Gail Tully from Spinning Babies Talks Inductions, VBACs, Belly Mapping, & More! Favorite birth stories: Episode 37: Camila's Story – The Fight To Flourish Episode 196: Christa's Empowering Birth Story Funniest: Episode 140: Liesel and Jenna's Live Reactions to Birth Scenes in the Media Most proud of: Episode 54: A Fellow Labor Nurse's Birth Story! (Part 1) Episode 55: A Fellow Labor Nurse's Birth Story! (Part 2) A must listen: EP106: Mindset Tips for Pregnancy and Birth with Natalie Bacon

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I have a very special birth story from my good friend Christa Innis, host of the Mom Talks with Christa Podcast She is one of my oldest Mommy Labor Nurse friends and she just had her first baby about four months ago. When she reached out to share her story it was an easy yes! I'm so excited to have her share her very positive and amazing birth story with you in today's episode. Don't forget to grab our FREE Birth Prep Guide! 40+ pages of exclusive birth prep content to get confident and prepated! CLICK HERE to grab it!  Have an even better birth! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum! Related Episodes EP184: Andrea's Inspiring Natural Birth Story EP190: Different Types of Twins: Molli's MoMo Twin Birth Story About Christa Innis Christa Innis is a dedicated Senior Social Media and Content Manager at Mommy Knows Best and LaVie Mom, deeply committed to empowering mothers on their breastfeeding and postpartum journey. Based in Wisconsin with her husband, she combines her expertise in content creation with her role as a new mom to a 5-month-old, fostering support and positive change within the parenting community.

  Description: Learn what to expect when you are done with your birth, and are in your postpartum hospital stay. Shownotes:   In this episode of the Baby Pro podcast, Liesel Teen, from the Mommy Labor Nurse, shares her expertise as a labor and delivery nurse, offering tips and insights for new mothers navigating the hospital environment. They also discuss the importance of education and empowerment for pregnant women and new parents, providing valuable information and resources to help them feel confident and in control during this exciting but often overwhelming time. In this episode, you will learn the following:   Navigating the Hospital Environment: Tips for new moms to feel comfortable and in control in the hospital setting and advice for creating a birth plan and advocating for oneself during labor. Preparing for Labor and Delivery: Importance of having a support system during labor and delivery and discussion of the importance of preparing for labor and delivery. Postpartum Care: Discussion of the physical and emotional changes that occur postpartum and advice for creating a postpartum plan and seeking support. Connect with Liesel Teen:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mommy.labornurse/ Website: Mommy Labor Nurse - Online classes and resources to help you feel prepared and in control — no matter how you deliver. Connect with Shelly:  Insta: https://www.instagram.com/shellytaftibclc/ Website: Massachusetts IBCLC | Lactation Consultant - Shelly Taft Resources Mentioned:  Article: zookeeper teaches orangutan to breastfeed: Zookeeper with baby teaches new orangutan mom how to breastfeed  

Labor, delivery, and postpartum are filled with a roller coaster of activity and being informed about this process is crucial. I welcome my friend and social media powerhouse, Liesel Teen, who is a labor and delivery nurse and founder of Mommy Labor Nurse to educate you about 5 things she wants you to know about labor, delivery, and postpartum She joins me to discuss:  Fear women have about pooping in the delivery room Tearing during vaginal deliveries C-section misconceptions Just because you want an epidural, timing doesn't allow itSizing for babies and vaginal deliveries Thank you to our episode sponsor, Philips Avent. Check out Philips Avent products by visiting Philips.com/avent and using promo code ParentYourWay20 for 20% off today!Get the Free Birth Prep Workshop or find out more about Liesel and Mommy Labor Nurse on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok @mommy.labornurse

Labor, delivery, and postpartum are filled with a roller coaster of activity and being informed about this process is crucial. I welcome my friend and social media powerhouse, Liesel Teen, who is a labor and delivery nurse and founder of Mommy Labor Nurse to educate you about 5 things she wants you to know about labor, delivery, and postpartum  She joins me to discuss:   Fear women have about pooping in the delivery room  Tearing during vaginal deliveries  C-section misconceptions  Just because you want an epidural, timing doesn't allow it Sizing for babies and vaginal deliveries  Thank you to our episode sponsor, Philips Avent. Check out Philips Avent products by visiting www.Philips.com/avent and using promo code ParentYourWay20 for 20% off today! Get the Free Birth Prep Workshop or find out more about Liesel and Mommy Labor Nurse on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok @mommy.labornurse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know her as Mommy Labor Nurse (mommy.labornurse) on Instagram, the L&D nurse who helps you have an EVEN BETTER birth experience, but today Sarah and Whitney get to know Liesel Teen on a more personal level. From her experience with postpartum depression to how she supports her patients' mental health, this episode highlights what moms can do to mentally prepare for birth and postpartum. Join us and fall in love even more with your favorite L&D nurse! Follow Previa Alliance!Previa Alliance (@previa.alliance) • Instagram photos and videosPrevia Alliance Podcast (@previapodcast) • Instagram photos and videosKeep the questions coming by sending them to info@previaalliance.com or DM us on Instagram!Liesel Teen, BSN, RN is a labor and delivery nurse and the founder of Mommy Labor Nurse. Mommy Labor Nurse equips pregnant women with the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to erase the unknown, feel in control, and have an even better birth - no matter how they deliver.With 8 years and counting as a bedside labor and delivery nurse, Liesel knows that knowledge is the key to an even better birth. To date, over 40k women have completed a Mommy Labor Nurse birth class, eliminated fear, and been empowered by Liesel's comprehensive childbirth education.Liesel has been featured on ABC11, Forbes, Healthline, PureWow, Motherly, Romper, and Scary Mommy. She regularly shares pregnancy, birth, and postpartum-related content on Instagram to a community of over 585k and The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, which receives over 100k monthly downloads.  Mommy Labor NurseInstagramTikTokYouTubeThe Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast 

Liesel Teen, BSN, RN is a labor and delivery nurse and the founder of Mommy Labor Nurse, an educational space that equips pregnant women with the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to feel in control, and have an even better birth - no matter how they deliver. Liesel has been featured on ABC11, Forbes, Healthline, PureWow, Motherly, Romper, and Scary Mommy. Andrea and Liesel discuss what things to be aware of pre, and post labor, as well as learning how to plan for the unknown.Follow LieselInstagram: @mommy.labornurse TikTok: @mommy.labornurseWebsite: Mommy Labor NurseGet your free birth plan template https://share.hsforms.com/1w6BD3dylQ1aZs6G8MnofKA5jhrmMake it Simple is sponsored by Athletic Greens Visit https://athleticgreens.com/simple to get a FREE one year supply of vitamin D and five travel packs with your first purchase. Follow the Make it Simple Podcast@make.it.simple.podcast Follow Andrea on Instagram@deliciouslyfitnhealthy@dfh.training.picsTraining & Coachinghttps://www.deliciouslyfitnhealthy.com/linksVisit Andrea's Websitewww.deliciouslyfitnhealthy.comProduced by Light On Creative, LLC

Today's guest, Liesel Teen, BSN, RN, is a labor and delivery nurse and the founder of Mommy Labor Nurse. I have been wanting to have a labor and delivery nurse on for a long time because I know how important they are to the birth experience. We obviously have quite a bit of overlap in what we do but I never want to come in front of you like I'm the only one with information to help you through your pregnancy and birth. Now of course I offer fantastic information but it's great to have more than one trusted source. We come from different backgrounds, different experiences, and we bring that to our work. It can also be reassuring to hear the same thing from multiple experts. Different people present information in different ways and you may just find that one educator's style works for you better than another. In this Episode, You'll Learn About: -What exactly does a labor and delivery (L&D) nurse do during labor and birth -What are some misconceptions about L&D nurses -How L&D nurses work with doulas, doctors, and midwives -What should you expect from your L&D nurse -What you should do if you are not happy with your L&D nurse -What are some tricks and tips that Liesel has learned from her career   -- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode194 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am joined by the amazing Dr. Nicole Callaway Rankins who you may know from her very popular pregnancy podcast, All About Pregnancy and Birth Podcast! Similar to Mommy Labor Nurse, Dr. Rankins offers amazing, online resources for pregnant women because she too knows what a critical role education plays in a woman's ability to advocate for herself during birth and reduce any sense of fear or anxiety she may have. On today's show, Dr. Rankins is going to share with us more about what it's like to be an OBGYN, memorable moments from her years of practice, thoughts on doula and midwifery care, a bit of birth advice, and more. I'm so excited to share Dr. Rankins with you today, so let's get right into it! Click HERE to sign up for FREE Weekly Pregnancy Updates tailored to your exact due date Click HERE to learn more about our online, on-demand childbirth classes About Dr. Nicole Rankins Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins is a board-certified, practicing OBGYN and mom of 2 who empowers first-time moms to feel calm, confident, and empowered for pregnancy and birth. In her over 15 year career she's helped more than 1,000 babies into this world and has demystified pregnancy and childbirth for thousands more women through her popular podcast All About Pregnancy & Birth, which has been downloaded over 1.25 million times. She regularly shares holistic, evidence-based pregnancy and birth info with her community of 19K+ on Instagram @drnicolerankins, and has served thousands of moms-to-be through her online birth plan class, Make A Birth Plan The RIGHT Way, and comprehensive online childbirth education class, The Birth Preparation Course.

On today's episode, Christa talks with Bryana Kappadakunnel, from Conscious Mommy. Bryana is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Perinatal Mental Health Specialist, and Infant Mental health Specialist. We talk about what it means to be a conscious parent. She also discusses why we should set boundaries with our children instead of punishments. Finally, we discuss some typical childhood anxieties and how they can manifest into adulthood.   Check out her website and social media:   Online Workshops: learning.consciousmommy.com   IG: @consciousmommy   TikTok: @consciousmommy    Sign up for the Conscious Connection & Get my Free Conscious Parenting Guide   LAST CHANCE TO JOIN OUR BABY REGISTRY GIVEAWAY! During the month of December, we will randomly select 1 mama each week to receive an item off their registry (up to $50 per mama)! More details here. The holiday season is here! Make sure you follow @mommyknowsbest  on Instagram and our sister brand @LaVieMom for some amazing holiday deals!   Join our email list at mommyknowsbest.com and get 15% off your first order at MKB.com as well as product launch announcements, exclusive deals, mommy events and more!Currently pregnant? Planning on breastfeeding but don't know where to start? Download our FREE Breastfeeding Starter Pack now! Get it here: https://bit.ly/3KQKliwJoin our Private Facebook Group: New Moms - Breastfeeding & More Support Group by Mommy Knows Best: https://bit.ly/3gQIF9zThis episode was sponsored by Mommy Knows Best. Mommy Knows Best is a brand dedicated to empowering all moms on their journey with support, tips, and products to help boost their milk supply.   Visit Mommy Knows Best at www.mommyknowsbest.com or follow us on Instagram @mommyknowsbest   Subscribe to the Mommy Knows Best YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/Mommyknowsbest   MomTalks with Christa and Mommy Knows Best are committed to providing informational, motivational, and inspiring videos to all moms. Statements in this video are for informational purposes only and are not to be taken as medical advice or recommendation. Any health concern or condition should be brought to the attention of your doctor.    

For today's episode, we thought it would be fun to reshare some clips from our most popular episodes from 2022!  TOP 5: Kristen Sorondo, RN, IBCLC (IG: @orlandolactation) - Tips for Working Moms: Pumping at Work     TOP 4: Sarah Giannetta (IG: @the.midwifemummy) - Hypnobirthing: Tips and Tricks for a Positive Birth     TOP 3: Mommy Labor Nurse (IG: @mommy.labornurse) - What to Expect at Your First Newborn Appointment     TOP 2: Jessica Hurd (IG: @jessica_studer2) - Married at First Sight     TOP 1: Ophelia Nichols (IG: @ophelianicols) - How to Be Your Kid's Safe Space     JOIN OUR BABY REGISTRY GIVEAWAY! During the month of December, we will randomly select 1 mama each week to receive an item off their registry! (Up to $50 per mama!)   More details here.  Holidays are quickly approaching! Make sure you follow @mommyknowsbest  on Instagram and our sister brand @LaVieMom for some amazing holiday deals coming up soon!   Join our email list at mommyknowsbest.com and get 15% off your first order at MKB.com as well as product launch announcements, exclusive deals, mommy events and more!Currently pregnant? Planning on breastfeeding but don't know where to start? Download our FREE Breastfeeding Starter Pack now! Get it here: https://bit.ly/3KQKliwJoin our Private Facebook Group: New Moms - Breastfeeding & More Support Group by Mommy Knows Best: https://bit.ly/3gQIF9zThis episode was sponsored by Mommy Knows Best. Mommy Knows Best is a brand dedicated to empowering all moms on their journey with support, tips, and products to help boost their milk supply.   Visit Mommy Knows Best at www.mommyknowsbest.com or follow us on Instagram @mommyknowsbest   Subscribe to the Mommy Knows Best YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/Mommyknowsbest   MomTalks with Christa and Mommy Knows Best are committed to providing informational, motivational, and inspiring videos to all moms. Statements in this video are for informational purposes only and are not to be taken as medical advice or recommendation. Any health concern or condition should be brought to the attention of your doctor.    

If you're pregnant you may find yourself scrolling through Tik Tok or instagram, happening upon a video or post and thinking “I want my birth to look like that.” Whether you're thinking about the music you'd like to hear during birth or figuring out what type of pain management you'd like these preferences are often referred to as a birth plan.  In today's episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies we're going to talk about birth plans or maybe you want to call them birth preferences or fluid birth ideas (my guest Liesel and I say fluid birth plans a lot!). To have this conversation, I invited Liesel Teen RN and founder of Mommy Labor Nurse on the podcast. It was such a fun conversation. Liesel covers so much practical and helpful information! From how to make a birth plan, when to make a birth plan, the concept of a fluid birth plan, to how to work with the hospital and nursing staff from presenting your birth plans to supporting you throughout your birth experience. You might have thought birth plans are only for vaginal births, but cesarean birth plans are just as important considering one third of folks have their babies as a belly birth. You may be surprised to learn that many of your preferences can be brought into the operating room too.  It's a fantastic conversation full of so much information you can take with you into your birth experience and even your next care provider's visit. I can't wait for you to listen. Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com Don't forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE  If you love what you've been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify! To connect with Deb and the PYC Community:  Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liesel Teen, founder of Mommy Labor Nurse, loves birth and loves helping people…she's just the best. Listen to our conversation to gain confidence as you prepare for baby, and feel OK about the weird/unexpected things that can happen in labor. You don't want to miss Liesel's top hacks for reducing nausea, making labor in the hospital feel more calming, managing pain, and making pumping less awful.Resources:Mommy Labor Nurse InstagramMommy Labor Nurse Website ​Mommy Labor Nurse TikTokBirth Plan Template

What happens if you poop at delivery? Today I'm talking with a fellow labor nurse about what WE think, why it happens and what we do if/when it does! Liesel Teen, BSN, RN is a labor and delivery nurse and the founder of Mommy Labor Nurse. Mommy Labor Nurse provides online birth classes and other resources that give pregnant women the tools and confidence they need to erase the unknown and have an even better birth - no matter how they deliver. ● Instagram @mommy.labornurse to a community of over 450k https://www.instagram.com/mommy.labornurse/ ● The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast which receives over 70k monthly downloads https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mommy-labor-nurse/id1481120045 ● The Mommy Labor Nurse Blog read by an average of 150k users every month https://mommylabornurse.com/blog/ ● Her weekly newsletter that reaches over 40k email subscribers Big thanks to our sponsor The Online Prenatal Class for Couples -- if you're looking to simplify birth it's the class for you! In this episode Why you might poop at delivery What the nurse does if you poop at delivery What happens when you push Other things that might interest you How long does it take to push a baby out? Labor fears episode Signs you're going into labor

#63: In today's episode, we are chatting with Liesel Teen, the Founder of Mommy Labor Nurse. This episode is filled a ton of helpful information in how to prepare for childbirth, what to expect and tips on postpartum. Liesel and her team have so many amazing tips and trick over on their Instagram and they do such an awesome job empowering and educating women (and partners) on what to expect when having a baby and more. Here are some of the topics we discuss in the episode: How do you know it's time to go to the hospital? What do pre labor run mean? And pooping in labor? What are your best tips for going unmedicated if someone chooses not to have an epidural?  When is it too late to get an epidural? What are your thoughts on getting induced? Is the loss of the mucus plug a sign you're going into labor? What can you do to help with preparing for "easy delivery"? What are your must haves in your hospital bag? What to take from the hospital home with you? Any tips or words of wisdom for someone who knows they need to have a c-section and are nervous? What are your tips for c section recovery? Thoughts on getting multiple c sections? How do you know if you're a good candidate vbac after a c-section? Can you do anything to prevent hemorrhoids from happening? Once you do have them how can you make the pain and discomfort less severe?  What about vaginal tarring? What can you do to prevent that What's the deal with not being able to eat post delivery with a c-section and when you're in labor? + even more info in the episode!   For more from me, I'm over on IG @rachLmansfield, tiktok @rachLmansfield and rachLmansfield.com  

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast I have a birth story to share with you guys from Bryce Reddy who you probably know as @mombrain.therapist over on Instagram. You'll hear Bryce open up about her struggles, what it was like to navigate this unexpected pregnancy and the amazing birth story of her third little kiddo.

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast I was joined by psychologist and couples therapist, Dr. Tracy Dalgleish to talk all about preparing your relationship for baby before they're here! Inside of the episode, you'll learn actionable tips and systems you can put into place now, hear about common pitfalls and obstacles that couples often have so that you can prepare for them, and so much more!

There is no one right way to have a baby. Some people want an all natural birth, some people want an epidural, and some prefer c-section. The important thing is that you create a birthing environment that's right for you. Today Liesel of Mommy Labor Nurse breaks down the ways we can have a better birth experience that's right for you. We talk epidurals, c-sections, popping during birth, inductions, sex prior to birth, the easy ways you can make a hospital room feel more like home, and how to ask for what you need during birth.!   For products mentioned in this episode, head to https://meaningfullliving.com/   PARTNERS: Little Passports: 20% off for new customers when you go to LittlePassports.com/FULL Evlo Fitness: 30 days free with code LIVING at checkout Seed: Visit seed.com/LIVING and use code LIVING to redeem 20% off your first month of Seed's DS-01™DailySynbiotic   Produced by Dear Media.

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast I'm excited to share Natalie Portman and her birth story with you guys! Natalie reached out to me to share the story of her positive, natural birth! Natalie hopes that her story will help women who are on the fence about unmedicated birth or that are just scared about giving birth, in general, to know that although you can't control everything about the situation, there is still a lot you can do. In her words, Knowledge is power, and trust is power

On this episode of the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast, I'm talking all about the first 48 hours after birth. We'll start with details about the very first hour - also known as the golden hour. This is because an uninterrupted first hour of life is actually filled with evidence-based benefits for both mama and baby! Then we'll get into the duration of your hospital stay so that you're totally prepared for that too! The first 48 hours after birth are a critical time of recovery for you, and there's a lot you can do during your hospital stay to make your transition home with your baby a bit easier.

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast, I had my friend and follow Instagram Nurse/Educator Tori Meskin come onto the show to talk to us all about the NICU! Today on the show, Tori shared her insights into what it's like to be a NICU nurse, the most common reasons babies are admitted into the NICU, what the deal is with visiting babies in the NICU, all about kangaroo care, feeding your NICU baby, and so much more!

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast I have a birth story to share with you guys from Heather Evans.  Heather reached out to me to share her story because she hopes that it will help those with infertility, those considering egg donation, mamas of multiples, preemie moms, and moms of kiddos with special needs. And furthermore, her career as a pelvic health PT offers insight to ALL moms!

In this episode of the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast, we're going to talk all about your placenta and the umbilical cord! You will learn all about the placenta, potential complications, how it's expelled, and more! We're also going to cover umbilical cords so that you understand what's normal and what's not with baby's cord, too.

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast, fellow mom Payton Bridges came on the show to share her incredible birth story. In the episode, you'll hear her tell that story about how they tried to keep her growing as long as possible, but that she ended up having an emergent c section at 26 weeks after lots of ups and downs.  She explained how when she was going through this she did what we all do, and went to Google to look at statistics and other stories. But it was SO difficult to find positive information on Mirror Syndrome and positive outcomes.

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast we're talking about stillbirth prevention. And I know that this topic can be very heavy and can provoke anxiety for a lot of mamas. It's not something that anyone really wants to talk about. Here you'll learn about what stillbirth is, some statistics surrounding this tragedy, risk factors, and some actionable things you can do to help prevent stillbirth!

This week on the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast I'm happy to share the birth stories of Kat Tepylo Murphy with you guys! Kat reached out to me to share about the redemptive, natural birth of her son after a traumatic first birth.