Podcasts about utahns

In this episode of 32 Thoughts, Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman touch on all 16 teams that missed the playoffs:Flames (7:43)Canucks (13:22)Utah HC (26:31)Blue Jackets (30:50)Red Wings (35:55)Rangers (41:33)Islanders (48:04)Penguins (51:06)Ducks (55:09)Sabres (1:00:10)Kraken (1:03:27)Bruins (1:05:48)Flyers (1:11:17)Predators (1:14:51)Blackhawks (1:20:11)Sharks (1:23:36)Kyle and Elliotte answer your questions and respond to your voicemails in the Thought Line (1:28:16).In the final segment they preview all of the 1st round playoff series:Jets vs Blues (1:47:17)Avalanche vs Stars (1:51:22)Devils vs Hurricanes (1:57:50)Leafs vs Senators (2:01:52)Wild vs Golden Knights (2:09:31)Canadiens vs Capitals (2:15:28)Kings vs Oilers (2:21:49)Lightning vs Panthers (2:28:00)Email the podcast at 32thoughts@sportsnet.ca or call the Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemail.This podcast was produced and mixed by Dominic Sramaty and hosted by Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates

SLCPD announces $35 per hour starting rate for officers Neighbors run to rescue man who crashed truck into Daybreak lake New poll showcases what Utahns think about congress' spending

A new poll in the Deseret News is shedding light on what Utahns think about what Congress is spending money on. Deseret New Congressional Correspondent Cami Mondeux joins the show to share what stands out in the polling.

A new Utah law expands the number of students who can get free school lunch, but there's more... it also has the potential to expand your child's school lunch break. Dave and Debbie explain.  Utahns chime in about this and if students have enough wiggle time after they eat, or are they skipping their lunch to go and play.

Today is the Great Utah Shakeout. At 10:15, Utahns will be dropping to the ground and holding on to practice earthquake preparedness. Dave and Debbie participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut.  Adam Hiscock, Earthquake Geologist from the Utah Geological Survey and Genevieve Keys from Be Ready Utah chime in, about Utah's likelihood of a big earthquake in Utah and how we can be prepared for it.

This episode discusses a topic within a new Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) report titled, “Women in the Workplace Part 2: Utahns' Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes.” This report has four main areas of focus, and today we'll be discussing the area of workforce development.Dr. Susan Madsen, Founding Director of the UWLP, is joined by Robbyn Scribner, who is a Co-Founder and the Director of Outreach for Tech-Moms, a women's labor force expert, a consultant, and a career coach.Support the show

We are just coming off the rush of tax day..  now a new report has dropped. It reveals that Utah families are putting a big chunk of their budget, not just toward income taxes... but other taxes too.  The hosts reveal Utahns total tax burden and speak with Billy Hesterman, President of the Utah Taxpayers Association about the 2025 Beehive Family Report.

In a new report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute showed that Utah's median income is ranked high among other states and middle-income households are earning more on average. Despite this, Utahns are still feeling the pinch of rising prices. Phil Dean, Chief Economist from the Kem C. Gardner Institute joins the show to discuss these findings and if these numbers really matter to the average Utahn.

Park City Mountain lift lawsuit moves to Utah Court of Appeals, Francis residents appeal one hotel as city approves another, Utahns prepare to "drop, cover and hold" in statewide earthquake drill, Summit County soon to break ground on landfill expansion, former Park City School District COO receives $176K severance package, Christian Center of Park City shares Holy Week activities, Wasatch County Manager Dustin Grabau previews this week's county council meeting and Recycle Utah General Manager Jim Bedell with the latest on a location for a new center.

Twenty thousand people gathered in the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah Sunday night to see Senator Bernie Sanders ..along with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Dave and Debbie speak with Co-Host of Inside Sources and Director of the Walker Institute of Politics, Leah Murray about where the democrats need to go from here to turn things around for the party.

DIY taxes or hire a professional? Buy Now, Pay Later… with Door Dash? El Salvador President says he will not return mistakenly deported Maryland man Thousands of Utahns show up for Bernie Sanders Rally

Hosts: Leah Murray and Greg Skordas  You may recall an interesting story from several months ago about a couple of Utahns being involved in an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those men were imprisoned in the country and faced the death penalty... until this week. Now, they're back in the United States facing additional charges. It's a bit of a complicated situation, so KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas breaks it down. 

Hosts: Leah Murray and Greg Skordas  SCOTUS chimes in on wrongful deportation case  The fight over the future of a Maryland man wrongly deported to an El Salvador prison continues today. Last night, the Supreme Court said the man must be returned to the United States but also said that the courts can't just tell the executive branch how to bring the man home. The Supreme Court passed the case back to the lower courts, who held a hearing earlier today. The Inside Sources discuss the latest on the case.    Can non-citizens be deported for their beliefs?   Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil is a legal permanent U.S. resident. But the government is trying to deport him for his alleged antisemetic beliefs. The federal government was ordered to turn over evidence to the courts explaining why they felt he should be deported; instead, they submitted a brief memo in which Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Khalil could be expelled for his beliefs. Can a non-citizen be deported for their beliefs? It’s a little complicated... The Inside Sources hosts explain.    Senator John Curtis explains some recent initiatives with Inside Sources  Energy dominance doesn't come without a cost. And while Congress works on the full budget and tax package, Senator John Curtis (R-UT) is asking Congressional leaders to keep some of the energy tax credits put in place by the Biden Administration. Senator Curtis is also looking at ways to fix and improve our forests -- something we here in the West are all-too-familiar with. The Senator joins the program to discuss both of these initiatives.    Utah leaders hope to turn state into an AI hub following trade mission to Canada  Artificial intelligence -- it's one of the biggest buzzwords in technology right now. And in a technology-friendly state like Utah, the inclusion of AI is all but guaranteed. This week, Governor Cox and other Utah leaders have been travelling through Canada, meeting leaders in energy and AI. Now, that trade delegation is hoping to take what they learned and make Utah the next global hub of artificial intelligence.    Utahns involved in Congo coup attempt now facing charges in the US  You may recall an interesting story from several months ago about a couple of Utahns being involved in an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those men were imprisoned in the country and faced the death penalty... until this week. Now, they're back in the United States facing additional charges. It's a bit of a complicated situation, so KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas breaks it down.    Trump administration wants more federal oversight of Columbia University  Schools that receive federal funding often must do certain things to keep that money (Title IX is a good example -- schools must not discriminate based on sex). But to what extent can the federal government enforce that? The Trump administration says that for Columbia University -- which was a central part of the pro-Palestinian protests last year -- to keep their funding, they need to allow more federal control and oversight.    Erasing shame or erasing history  The philosopher George Santayana said it best: "Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." It's been a quote used by history teachers and professors for more than 100 years, showing the importance of learning our history. But history isn't always pretty -- it can be raw, ugly, and absolutely terrible. President Trump's administration says it wants to erase the kind of shame associated with those awful events. But is that the best move... to ensure we don't repeat the atrocities of the past?    Resources for people experiencing homelessness  People experiencing homelessness tend to face some unique challenges most of us might not think of. To help with some of these unique issues, the courts hold a kind of homeless outreach program. Greg Skordas took part in some of that this morning; he talks about it with co-host Leah Murray.   

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the SAVE Act, which requires proof of U.S. citizenship when you register to vote. It has not been voted on by the Senate. Dave and Debbie hear from Weber County Clerk Ricky Hatch on what this means for Utahns if it goes into effect and, more specifically, what it means for women who have changed their last name.

Two former Utah high school football players --faced the death penalty in the Republic of Congo -- accused of an attempted coup in the country -- then their lives were spared.  Dave and Debbie speak with Dennis Romboy with the Deseret News to break down the details of this story. KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas shares his perspective.  

What the SAVE Act could  mean for women Utahns spared death penalty after failed coup attempt Salaries for MLB players could reach billions! What would this mean for MLB in Utah? 'The Amateur' is the big movie of the week!

Hosts: Erin Rider and Andy Cupp  During this last legislative session, the Utah state legislature prioritized giving Utahns yet another tax cut -- for the fifth year in a row. And even though the budget was looking tight, they still found a way to eliminate some taxes, including some taxes on social security benefits. Deseret News Opinion Editor Jay Evensen thinks this tax-cutting trend will continue. He joins the show to talk more about that. 

Hosts: Erin Rider and Andy Cupp  SCOTUS rules in favor of Pres. Trump over Alien Enemies Act  President Trump may move forward with the deportation of Tren de Aragua gang members. That's according to a narrowly split ruling from the United States Supreme Court. But those who are set to be deported must receive due process -- they must receive notice of their deportation under the Alien Enemies Act and must also get their day in court to plead their case as to why they shouldn't be deported. The Inside Sources hosts go in-depth on the ruling.    SCOTUS blocks order requiring Trump administration to reinstate fired federal workers  More confusion today for thousands of federal probationary workers recently fired by the Trump administration. A federal judge had ordered the administration to reinstate those employees, saying the process for the firings was a problem. But this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed that lower court's decision. Now, the Trump Administration has the green light to move ahead with the firings and not worry about reinstating those workers.    Dozens of countries looking to negotiate new tariffs  Will the massive tariffs placed on foreign countries trigger negotiations and improve the trade imbalance? It's what President Trump said would happen, but economists still aren't convinced. However, there are reports now of dozens of countries already reaching out to the administration asking to renegotiate trade and tariffs. That news sent stocks hirer today. Inside Sources discusses the possible negotiations and Congress’ role in all of it.    Cabinet members visit Utah – a sign of the state’s growing political influence?  During their visits to Utah yesterday, three members of President Trump's Cabinet praised the state for its work along the lines of health, food, and transportation. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke of wanting to implement a similar ban on fluoride in drinking water – something Utah passed during the legislative session – and make it nationwide. Erin and Andy talk about the growing status of Utah in national politics.    Opinion: Utah will continue trend of cutting taxes  During this last legislative session, the Utah state legislature prioritized giving Utahns yet another tax cut -- for the fifth year in a row. And even though the budget was looking tight, they still found a way to eliminate some taxes, including some taxes on social security benefits. Deseret News Opinion Editor Jay Evensen thinks this tax-cutting trend will continue. He joins the show to talk more about that.    Utah pursuing mining partnership with Canada  Governor Spencer Cox -- joined by state, business, and energy leaders -- continues to tour Canada this week on a mission to strengthen trade ties between the state and Canada. One thing that's been a focus of the visit so far is energy and natural resources. In fact, Canada's Fraser Institute has identified Utah as not one of the most -- but as THE MOST -- attractive location for mining investment. Brian Somers, President of the Utah Mining Association is there on the trade mission and joins us to share some insights.    Dire wolves coming back from extinction  It may sound a little Jurassic Park, and it sort of is. Scientists, using DNA from teeth and bones, say they’ve been able to bring back the extinct dire wolf. Erin and Andy finish the show discussing the potential ethical implications of such a move.   

This episode discusses a topic within a new Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) report titled, “Women in the Workplace Part 2: Utahns' Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes.” This report has four main areas of focus, and today we'll be discussing the area of entrepreneurship.Dr. Susan Madsen, Founding Director of the UWLP, is joined by two of the leaders for A Bolder Way Forward's Entrepreneurship Spoke. Ann Marie Wallace is the State Director of the Women's Business Center. She launched her own business before mentoring other women to do the same. Tara Spalding is a seasoned business strategist and investor, focusing on private investments and operational consulting for high-impact, scaling companies worldwide. Support the show

With rising costs across the board and limited housing availability, younger adults are leaning a little more on their family for financial help. In a new report, nearly fifty percent of parents with children over 18 provide them with some financial support. We talk about this trend and ask Utahns if they are helping their children once they've left the nest. Or if they are on their own. KSL NewsRadio Producer Caitlyn Johnston shares how much her parents help her financially as a 30-year-old. Listeners chime in on if they are willing to cut off their kids financially.   

Utahns' are feeling worse about the economy. Consumer sentiment fell 8-percent last month. Joining me live is Phil Dean... chief economists at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

HHS RFK Jr. is expected to come to Utah and discuss MAHA legislation passed in Utah.  One of the bills passed makes it so starting on May 7th, 2025, Utahns can no longer purchase Soda with food stamps... SNAP Benefits. Dave and Debbie discuss and take listener calls.

Thousands of Utahns joined the nationwide "Hands Off" Protest bringing thousands outside the Utah State Capitol. Senator Nate Blouin was in attendance, he joins the show to discuss the turnout and the purpose.

Hosts: Greg Skordas and Leah Murray  Is it appropriate to say we're now in a trade war? Following President Trump's announcement of steep tariffs on countries worldwide on Wednesday, the markets have seen two days of terrible performance. Then this morning, China announced their own steep tariffs on U.S.-made products. To top it all off, financial analysts with J.P. Morgan have boosted their odds on a global recession to 60 percent as of today. Americans seem to be worried, and Utahns aren’t immune. Troy Keller, Advisor on International Trade and Commercial Policy for World Trade Center Utah joins the conversation. 

Hosts: Greg Skordas and Leah Murray  Tariff turmoil: Stocks fall, China imposes new tariffs, Utahns worried about the future  Is it appropriate to say we're now in a trade war? Following President Trump's announcement of steep tariffs on countries worldwide on Wednesday, the markets have seen two days of terrible performance. Then this morning, China announced their own steep tariffs on U.S.-made products. To top it all off, financial analysts with J.P. Morgan have boosted their odds on a global recession to 60 percent as of today. Americans seem to be worried, and Utahns aren’t immune. Troy Keller, Advisor on International Trade and Commercial Policy for World Trade Center Utah joins the conversation.   Trump administration fires National Security Council staffers for ‘disloyalty’  The White House has fired several officials within the administration, including several National Security Council staffers, over claims that those officials were disloyal to President Trump. This comes after the President's team met with far-right activist Laura Loomer. The Inside Sources hosts discuss this relationship and how influential outside folks are being on President Trump.   The future of nuclear energy in Utah  The 2025 Legislative General Session here in Utah saw Republicans hoping to tackle a looming energy crisis in the state. The answer? They say it's nuclear. In fact, positioning Utah as the new energy frontier was on the list of top priorities for the Republican caucuses. All this to say... the state is pretty gung-ho to explore and expand nuclear energy. Inside Sources dig into the pros and cons of nuclear energy and its future here. Chris Hayter, President, COO, and co-founder of Hi Tech Solutions joins to give a “for” perspective and Lexi Tuddenham, Executive Director of HEAL Utah gives an “against” perspective.    On the Hill 2025: Governor holds ceremonial signing for bills dealing with technology and kids  This morning, Governor Spencer Cox held a ceremonial bill signing to highlight a few bills passed by the Utah State Legislature this year, which aim to protect kids online, remove phones from classrooms, and give people control of their personal information on social media. The Inside Sources hosts share their thoughts on these bills and the effects they could have.   

More on the President announcing sweeping tariff's on all goods imported into the US. Joining me live is Troy Keller, International Trade and Commercial Policy for World Trade Center Utah.  

Parking in downtown SLC can be frustrating for many. Salt Lake City is now proposing to eliminate future large surface parking lots in certain areas of downtown and bring in more parking garages. The goal is to promote a more people-focused urban development, according to KSL.com. Dave and Leah discuss these proposed changes and hear from Utahns about the complications this might create.

Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Rusty Cannon  Have you ever toyed with the idea of leaving the state of Utah due to high housing costs. If so, you're in company with about 1/3 of the state. That’s according to a new poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights. The polling also says that 53% of Utahns rank affordable housing as one of their top three concerns. Inside Sources dig into it a bit more.

Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Rusty Cannon  Uncertainty thrives before Wednesday’s upcoming 'Liberation Day'  'Liberation Day' -- it's what President Donald Trump is calling Wednesday, April 2nd. Why? Because it's the day, he says, when the U.S. will see a reduction in all trade imbalances. But there's still a lot of uncertainty about what will come on Liberation Day and how it'll affect the American people. Inside Sources begins with a discussion on how that uncertainty is contributing to several days of a more volatile stock market and already-raising prices.    GOP Senators push back on proposal to impeach judges who rule against Trump  As President Trump continues his push for federal judges who rule against him to be impeached, Senate Republicans have a warning: don't try it. Even Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley said it's not appropriate to impeach a judge just because the president disagrees with their opinion. But that's not stopping House Republicans from still moving forward with plans to restrict the judiciary. The Inside Sources hosts describe the whys and hows.    Special elections could affect the makeup of Congress  A few special elections tomorrow could affect the national stage, both immediately and in the long-term. In Wisconsin, voters will pick a new Supreme Court justice who could play a role in the district maps within that state. There are also two congressional races in Florida; Republicans are favored to win those seats again, but there seems to be some worry about Democrats performing well. Taylor Morgan and Rusty Cannon share their thoughts on whether these races might be an indicator of President Trump’s approval so far this term.    Poll: 1/3 of Utahns have thought about leaving due to housing costs  Have you ever toyed with the idea of leaving the state of Utah due to high housing costs. If so, you're in company with about 1/3 of the state. That’s according to a new poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights. The polling also says that 53% of Utahns rank affordable housing as one of their top three concerns. Inside Sources dig into it a bit more.    Governor Cox calls for new criminal justice task force  Governor Cox finished his bill review last week with a lengthy letter to legislative leaders. In it, he outlined reasons for why he vetoed certain bills, and what he wants the legislature to change about other bills in special sessions. He also wrote about creating a new task force to tackle criminal justice reform, saying that it needs to be a priority for state leaders.    Could Pres. Trump run for a 3rd term?  While he's joked about it in the past, this weekend President Trump told NBC News that he's no longer joking -- he's looking into the possibility of running for a third term as President. The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids a president from being elected more than twice. But the President says he and his team are looking into other ways to go about this, with the president saying he "likes working."    Long-delayed high-speed rail project in California needs $7 Billion more  For a cost of only $40 Billion, California set out to build a high-speed railway from San Francisco and Sacramento to Los Angeles. The opening date? Well, it was supposed to be 2020. Now, the cost of the project has ballooned to more than $100 Million and won't open until 2030... with the system not being fully operational until 2050. Oh, and the state says they now need another $7 Billion to finish the part they're working on now. The hosts talk about this “colossal failure” of a project. 

In a new poll from Noble Predictive Insights, A third of Utahns say housing costs are so expensive they’ve considered moving out of state. This poll also suggests that 43% are willing to extend their commute by 30 minutes for cheaper housing. Dave and Taylor discuss and get more details on the polling from KSL NewRadio's Adam Small. Ari Bruening, CEO of Envision Utah shares insight on Utah's affordable housing crisis and what needs to be done to combat it. How far are you willing to go to find affordable housing?

How Trump could serve a third term as President Governor Cox says Utah is passing too many bills Is Greenland going to be President Trump's Louisiana Purchase? Police issue warning on 'The Assassin's Game' To sign or not to sign Special election: Balance of Supreme Court at stake in Wisconsin

The Huntsman Mental Health Institute has cut the ribbon on a new center located in Salt Lake... designed to provide mental health care for Utahns. Joining me live is Behavioral Health Supervisor at the Crisis Care Center Christopher Adams.

In a time when respectful dialogue and understanding are more essential than ever, we invite community members, leaders, and advocates to join us for an episode highlighting an engaging panel dedicated to fostering civility and dignity across Utah. Tami Pyfer discusses the Dignity Index, which serves as a powerful tool for measuring and promoting dignity in our interactions. This framework helps individuals and organizations assess their impact on others and encourages practices that uphold the inherent worth of every person. Becky Edwards talks about her passion around electing responsive, thoughtful Utahns who will focus on civility and have complex policy conversations that focus on true governing. Civility and dignity are overarching topics important to A Bolder Way Forward (BWF). The BWF aims to inspire Utahns to engage in civil discourse and make meaningful connections across differences. To do this, we encourage Utahns across the state to focus on active listening, empathy, and respectful communication, which will pave the way for creating positive change in Utah.Support the show

The Feed Utah food drive on March 15th is a statewide effort to collect food and refill the shelves and local pantries of Utah Food Bank's 270 partner agencies throughout Utah. It's more important than ever as Utah's cost of living spikes have left nearly 415 thousand Utahns without enough money to afford their next meal. In this episode, FM100.3 Host Rebecca Cressman is joined by Utah Food Bank CEO Ginette Bott who shares the details on how to help and what to donate to help provide meals to neighbors in need. More info is on UtahFoodBank.org

Utahns are running out of time to give their input on a proposed Rocky Mountain Power rate increase Joining me live is David Eskelsen, Rocky Mountain Power spokesperson.

Today on the News Reel, we speak with Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about the results from the official investigation into a plane crash that killed North Dakota state senator Doug Larsen and his family in Moab in 2023. We also discuss a new program to address domestic violence in Grand County, which has one of the highest rates of domestic violence cases per capita in the state. We finish up with a story about a new law that could roll back a program to relieve property taxes for low income and elderly homeowners, and how that might affect Grand County residents. - Show Notes - • Pilot error caused airplane crash that killed 4 https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/ntsb-pilot-error-caused-airplane-crash-that-killed-4/ • National program aims to address Moab's domestic violence problem https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/national-program-aims-to-address-moabs-domestic-violence-problem/ • Low-income seniors, disabled Utahns could see property tax relief changes https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/low-income-seniors-disabled-utahns-could-see-property-tax-relief-changes/

Could this move by the federal government be a solution to Utah's high housing prices? The Trump administration making a move to open up federally controlled lands for homes to be built. We speak to KSL Reporter Adam Small and Utahns about the new proposal and ask "Could you live off the grid?". Taylor Morgan, Co-Host of Inside Sources and Political Insider shares his insight. Legal Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Steve Bloch explains the concerns they have with this proposal.

Utahns woke up with freezing temps and black ice surprises with nearly 50 crashes tacking place this morning so far. D2 gets an update on the traffic conditions with Heather Kelly in the KSL Traffic Center. John Gleason with UDOT addresses questions surrounding efforts to melt the ice on the roads.  Sgt. Justin Adams, Emergency Vehicle Operations Coordinator with UHP, walks through what to do if you hit black ice to avoid the slide.

Hackers are stealing Utahns’ food stamp benefits... and the funds to reimburse the benefits.. have run out... KSL Investigative Reporter Daniella Rivera joins us next. 

A mailer demanding personal information is showing up in mailboxes in Utah... and Utahns are questioning if it is real or a scam. KSL Investigative Reporter Matt Gephart joins the show with what he found.

Paying with gold? How Utah is gearing up to use gold to make payments Hold the chips! Snack sales are dropping Free checked bags! Frontier flies to rescue with new bags fly free policy The Astronauts are home! What happens to astronauts bodies while in space? Hackers stealing Utahns’ food stamp benefits Legit or scam? mailer demanding personal information showing up in Utah mailboxes

Utahns woke up this morning to roads covered in snow and slush. We speak with KSL's Andy Farnsworth about the traffic and KSL Meteorologist Matt Johnson about the storm and where it hit the hardest in the valley. KSL Newsradio's Adam Small has been out on the road all morning and shares what he is seeing. Listeners chime in to discuss common roads they see problems with during storms.

Five years ago, Utah was hit with a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. An earthquake during the pandemic shook people up, making them think that this was the "Big One" we are all told about.  This sudden earthquake made Utahns more aware that they were not prepared. We speak to Bianca Valasquez from Utah Division of Emergency Management about earthquake safety and how to prepare your family.

Hosts: Erin Rider and Greg Skordas  How do Utah voters feel about Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis? New polling from our partners at the Deseret News shows that for the most part, Utahns are still pretty happy with their senatorial choices. The Inside Sources hosts dig into the data and share their opinions on why Utahns continue to like and support their senators.  

Hosts: Erin Rider and Greg Skordas  Government Shutdown Watch: Will enough Senate Democrats support the CR?  Will Senate Democrats join Republicans in passing the latest Continuing Resolution? It looks like it, especially following remarks from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Democrats in both chambers have voiced a lot of concern, anger, and frustration in Sen. Schumer’s decision to support the CR. Inside Sources begins with a discussion on Sen. Schumer’s choice to support the Trump-backed CR.     Pres. Trump speaks at DOJ in rare presidential visit  President Trump is visiting the Department of Justice today in a rare presidential visit. Usually, Presidents do not physically go to the DOJ; it’s part of a tradition of maintaining distance between the White House and Justice. We give a preview of his speech, listen to part of it, and the Inside Sources hosts share analysis on what the President said and what it means for the future of the DOJ.    Report: Sundance Film Festival may leave due to recent state legislation  A new wrench in plans to keep Sundance in Utah -- reports now say the film festival could leave the state due to passage of House Bill 77, which changes which flags can be displayed on government property. And it's drawn conflicting messages from state lawmakers who've allocated millions of dollars to try and keep the festival in Utah. Hosts Erin Rider and Greg Skordas give their thoughts on the latest developments.    Lawsuits over DOE firings, Federal investigations into DEI at universities  More developments involving education today. More than 20 Attorneys General are suing to block the firing of roughly 50%of the Department of Education. This is happening while the Trump Administration launches investigations into dozens of universities accused of racial discrimination due to DEI policies... including the University of Utah.    Polls: Utahns like and support Senators Mike Lee, John Curtis  How do Utah voters feel about Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis? New polling from our partners at the Deseret News shows that for the most part, Utahns are still pretty happy with their senatorial choices. The Inside Sources hosts dig into the data and share their opinions on why Utahns continue to like and support their senators.     Changing relationship between Canada and the United States  If you go to the Canadian/US border on I-5 north of Seattle, you'll come across the Peace Arch. This monument -- inscribed with the words "may these gates never be closed" -- has been one of the defining characteristics between Canada and United States: peace and allyship. But now, things are changing. We’re on the brink of a trade war just as a new Prime Minister steps in to lead our northern neighbor. Inside Sources finishes by discussing the future of the relationship between the US and Canada.  

Today on the News Reel, we speak with Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about some of the noteworthy bills that were passed during this year's general session, which ended last week. We also tell listeners about WabiSabi's new location. Plus, we hear from Kenny Fallon, editor of the Green River Observer. We discuss a report from the Green River Fire Department that highlights quick response times from this past year. Plus, we talk about a story from High Country News about a new coal mine in Emery County that's struggling to find employees. - Show Notes - • How the Legislature will change Utahns' lives this year https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/its-ugly-but-it-works-how-the-legislature-will-change-utahns-lives-this-year/ • WabiSabi finds a new home https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/wabisabi-finds-a-new-home/ • The Green River Observer https://thegreenriverobserver.substack.com/ • High Country News: Utah's coal mines can't find enough workers https://www.hcn.org/issues/57-3/utahs-coal-mines-cant-find-enough-workers/

Hosts: Taylor Morgan and Greg Skordas  Government Shutdown Watch: Is it up to Senate Democrats to keep the government running?  It all rests on the Senate. And not just the Senate as a whole -- on Senate Democrats. The U.S. House approved a Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded past Friday. But will the Senate concur? Republicans in the Senate have quickly framed the messaging: it's up to Democrats to vote in support of the budget... or force a government shutdown.    Dept. of Education lays off nearly half their staff  Roughly half of the staff working at the U.S. Department of Education are in the process of being laid off today as President Trump continues his push for a complete elimination of the agency. The new Secretary of Education says the workforce reductions are the first step in the dismantling of the department. Inside Sources discusses the latest updates on the future of the DOE.    Immigration app to be replace by “self-deportation” app  During the Biden administration, migrants coming to the US could schedule appointments at points of entry through an app called CBP One. When President Trump took over, he quickly got rid of that feature. Now, the administration is set to release a new app – not for immigration, but for deportation. The new CBP Home app will launch with a new "self-deportation" feature.    Which executive orders do Utahns like the most?  Since re-entering office on January 20th, President Trump has signed 83 executive orders. Between that and hundreds of other executive actions, many in the country have voiced concerns about the executive branch doing too much. In Utah however, new polling shows that voters are more supportive of the President's actions than the rest of the country. What executive orders do Utahns like the most?    Box Elder County public officials facing charges of sexual exploitation of minors  On Inside Sources, we discuss the biggest political stories of the day. Sometimes, that means we discuss legal stories too. And sometimes, it means talking about some rather uncomfortable situations. One of the biggest stories in Utah right now deals with allegations and charges of sexual exploitation of minors and child pornography usage and dissemination between a judge in Box Elder County and the now former Tremonton Fire Chief. With KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas co-hosting today's show, Inside Sources talks through some of the more technical aspects of the cases.    On the Hill 2025: How are Utahns feeling about nuclear power?  One of the hot topics during this year's legislative general session was energy -- how can the state expand energy production? One method discussed was nuclear power. House Bill 249 set a kind of stage to explore the ins and outs of nuclear. The Inside Sources hosts dig into new polling data that shows just how Utahns feel about this potential energy source.    Fmr. Congresswoman Mia Love shares her “living wish” for America  Former Congresswoman Mia Love's battle with brain cancer is coming to an end; she's stopped responding to treatment. Now, she's writing her "living wish" -- what she hopes the country will do in the future. Yesterday, she penned an opinion piece in the Deseret News highlighting her finals hopes for America. Inside Sources discusses a few of the principles she focused on.    Local city councilman joins national committee to represent Utah  Utah is the 30th most populated state in the country. We're not the biggest, but our impact is pretty dang large. It's an exciting thing whenever our leaders take on larger roles in national politics, representing Utah to the rest of the country. Recently, Riverton City Councilman Andy Pierucci announced his appointment to the Community Leaders of America National Steering Committee.  He joins us today to chat about the group and what his presence on the committee means for Utah.   

Utah is gaining national notoriety for our beauty standard. You know it, you can picture it, because it's literally on our billboards. Ex-Mormon author and content creator Alyssa Grenfell joins host Ali Vallarta to give her theories on its origins and what it would take to change the culture around beauty.  Related listening: Utahns' Quiet Obsession With Med Spas [City Cast Salt Lake]  Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It's the best way to support our work and help make sure we are around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  ICO Salt Lake Bees Treefort Music Fest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we can't control many parts of birth, there is so much we CAN do to quite literally change the trajectory of our birth outcome. First: Feel safe with where and with whom you will give birth.Second (but just as important!): Prepare yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. During her first VBAC attempt, Maria hired a midwife. Her second birth had so much more advocacy, progress, and positivity, but there were still missing pieces, new traumas to process, and things she wished had gone differently.You will NOT WANT TO MISS hearing all of the things that changed for Maria from her first two births to her third. The proactive work, the passion, the prep, the healing, the research, the manifesting, the surrendering, the trust, and to top it all off, the beautiful, unmedicated VBA2C outcome. Just like Maria, our greatest hope is for all of you to unlock this birthing power that is already within you, no matter the birth outcome. Needed WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, hello, you guys. It seems like a common theme lately. A lot of people are wanting to submit their VBA2C stories, and I love it. I love it absolutely so much. We know so many of, these listeners in our community are wanting to know, is it possible? Can we VBAC after two Cesareans? I'm sure you've been noticing the theme in January and February, and now here in March, we have another VBAC after two Cesarean stories coming to you today from our friend Maria. Hello, Maria.Maria: Hi.Meagan: Thank you so much for being here and sharing your stories. We were just chatting a little bit before we got started about kind of where her birth took place, and she'll tell you more. But the VBAC was in Texas, right?Maria: It was. Yes, it was in Texas.Meagan: It was in Texas. So Texans. Texans? I don't know. we have Floridians, Utahns. Is it Texans?Maria: Texans. Yeah. Yep. And you know, Texas is a huge state, so this is central Texas in the Austin area. Yeah, because it's such a big state. It is.Meagan: It is very huge. We know people have to sometimes drive really far away to find support. And when it comes to VBAC after multiple Cesareans, we know sometimes that can be really challenging. And when I say sometimes, it's often. It is often challenging to find that support. So I really like to show everybody where you are in a way because we want people who are in Texas or who can get to Texas or who find it manageable, that they know that there is a supportive provider there. We'll learn more about that. But also, just a reminder, guys, if you're looking for a supportive provider, we have a supportive provider list. How many times can I say "supportive provider" in three seconds? A lot, apparently. Go to Instagram and hopefully at this point we'll have it on our website, so check our website too, but we will have that list.If you want to submit your provider, please let us know. Okay. We have a Review of the Week, so I want to get into that. This is by Whitney Goats, and the review title is "Amazing" on Apple Podcasts. It says, "I've been wanting to write a review for a while, but wasn't sure what I could say that would explain how much The VBAC Link meant to me. I had an unplanned Cesarean with my first and for the longest time, I felt broken and defeated. When I heard Julie and Meagan share their VBAC stories on the podcast, I cried. It was the first time that I felt understood and like I was not alone. Listening to their podcast has lifted my spirits, healed my emotional scars from the previous birth, and given me the confidence in myself and my body again. "I am now 28 weeks pregnant and preparing for my VBAC. Instead of being scared for this upcoming birth, I feel excited sometimes. I never thought it would happen. Thank you, Julie and Meagan, for the work that you have done connecting and educating all these amazing moms, and thank you for reminding me that I am a Woman of Strength even when I doubted it myself." Oh, that gave me chills. That gave me chills reading that. Oh my gosh. We love your reviews. That is amazing. And girl, Whitney Goats, I hope that you had the most amazing birth ever, and thank you for being here. Just like Maria and all the storytellers that have become before her, you guys, they're amazing and so are you. These storytellers are here to do that- uplift you, motivate you, educate you, and find the healing within yourself because it can happen, right Maria?Maria: Absolutely. 100%.Meagan: It absolutely can happen. Okay, you guys, as always, if you do not mind and if you are enjoying the podcast, will you leave us a review? You can go to Apple Podcasts. You can go to Google even and leave us a review there. You can go on Spotify or really wherever you listen to your podcasts, leave us a review. If you feel extra special and the platform that you're listening on can leave a comment, leave us a comment. You never know, it may be read on the next podcast. Okay, Maria, I want to turn the time over to you to share these stories.Maria: Thank you so much, Meagan, and I just want to say again how excited I am to be here. I agree 100% with that reviewer. This podcast was so impactful for me, and I hope that it can continue to be that for other women. I was also so excited that you're getting so many VBAC after two stories because I hope that that will continue to normalize that instead of it being this crazy thing that we're doing. Meagan: Yes.Maria: That's so exciting that it's becoming more common.Meagan: I know. It's actually making me smile so big because in the beginning, back in 2018, we had to search, and I mean search. We had to go on forums and type in "VBA2C" and really look for stories and almost had to seek them out. We had to go and ask, "Hey, would you be willing to share your story on the podcast?" And now we're just getting a flood of submissions which is so awesome. I love seeing it, and I would love to hear even more VBAC after three or four or five Cesareans because it is possible. It's not as easy to navigate through, but it is possible. And yes, there are risks. There are risks with anything that we do including a repeat Cesarean, but I want to help normalize this because, I mean, there are so many women just like Maria and myself who have gone on, done the work, got the education, and been able to have a vaginal birth. So. All right, well, we know with every VBAC or VBAC after two Cesareans, there's at least one Cesarean involved, so let's start with that story.Maria: Yeah. Okay. Thank you. So when I got pregnant with my first baby, this was in 2018, it didn't take me very long to find my way to the natural birth world. I watched The Business of Being Born like a lot of women, and I was fully convinced that I wanted to birth vaginally and naturally if possible. So, when my husband and I decided to move to Costa Rica halfway through my pregnancy, the very first thing I did was research the C-section rate versus natural birth rates in the country. I was pretty disappointed, although I wasn't surprised, to find that the rates there are pretty high. I mean, they're about the same as the US but a bit higher in the private hospital setting which is where I was going to give birth.I didn't want to let that deter me, and I was determined to build my team. From when I was still here in the States, I started researching the best OBs and doctors in the area and hospitals. I found two in the city of San Jose which is where we were living, the two most quote unquote natural OBs.Another interesting thing I found out was that midwives are actually not legally permitted to work in Costa Rica independently.Meagan: Really?Maria: Yeah, at least back in 2018. I don't know if things have changed since then, but they are not allowed to work independently. They are allowed to work alongside an OB. So I was like, okay. I went with one of these OBs, and there was one midwife who practiced in the city of San Jose, and they worked together as a team. And so I was like, okay, all right, well, I guess this is it. I have my team, and I thought I was done. I don't think that I fully understood the intensity of birth or the mental and physical stamina that would be required of me because it was my first baby.Meagan: You don't know what you don't know.Maria: You don't know. Exactly. I took a Bradley birth course with my husband, and I just assumed that everything would be fine as long as I had a good team, and I'd be able to escape the dreaded cascade of interventions that I'd heard so much about. I wasn't informed, but I don't know. I was very intellectually informed, but I didn't really know how intense labor is. So intellectually, I knew what I had to do. But anyway, we were living abroad. I went into labor naturally at 40 weeks, and I had a very long labor which began in the middle of the night which was a common theme in all my birth. They always started in the middle of the night which I think is pretty common. And because it was my first baby and I was so excited, I was unable to really stay calm and rest.I got very ramped up way too soon.I burned through a lot of my energy in the first 24 hours of what I now know was very early labor. So by the time it was actually more intense and I made it to the hospital, I was exhausted because I slept so little. We get to the hospital and my labor slowed down, which again, I know is not uncommon, but I think I was also just not feeling very relaxed. I started actually feeling uncomfortable with this midwife /doula as she told me she was. She said, "I'm a midwife/doula." I later learned that is not a thing. It's like, either you're one or the other. I just didn't feel like she was really supporting me as I expected she would. It seemed to me like she wasn't really a doula. I started realizing, okay, this is not what I was expecting. She was more of a quasi-nurse, really, for the OB and just assisting him. She was like his private nurse, basically. She was sitting there in the room either watching me. She'd come in and give me a position, but then just sit back and she was on her phone. At least that's how I was perceiving it. I just started kind of not feeling very safe with her, and I just shut her out. In hindsight, I think I should have asked her to leave. But at the time, I didn't really know that I could do that, and that I could really advocate for myself in that way, so I just kind of shut her out. She probably felt that it just wasn't a good click. So then I began to feel pressure by the team because I'd been there for probably, what is it, maybe 8 hours or so? They started pressuring me to get things going. And so the OB approached me about using what they call natural oxytocin which is what they call Pitocin.Meagan: Pitocin, yeah.Maria: Yeah. But they're like, "No, no, it's natural oxytocin." And I was like, "Okay, I know what that is." I could already see that I was being slowly kind of backed into this corner. I refused it several times, but I finally agreed to it. Of course, my contractions became excruciating, but I just was just determined to not have the epidural so that I could walk, even though I was already plugged into the IV and really not walking as free as I wanted. Eventually, one of the nurses, after a while, came in and she asked me when the last time I peed was. I couldn't remember. That's when I was like, "Oh yeah, it's been a long time." Nobody reminded me. I just didn't think about it. I had been drinking water, so they had me try, and I just couldn't pee. It's like my body just kind of shut down. So they decided to try and insert a catheter to see if it would empty my bladder and help baby descend. So I was laying on the bed. I had five people around me trying to place this catheter in me. I was on Pitocin, so I was having these intense contractions, and they weren't able to insert it. They said it was because of the way my body was. I guess my urethra was towards the back or something, and they just weren't able to do it. That was really disappointing because I was really hoping that that would be the magic thing that would help baby descend. Finally, the OB came in and was like, "Listen, if you want to avoid a C-section, you should just do an epidural so that your body can relax, and maybe that could help us place up the catheter and then, baby will descend." I was like, "Okay, all right. Let's do it." They did it. It felt amazing for a couple of minutes, and then immediately, my baby's heart rate dropped. The OB basically just called in an emergency, and I was whisked off to the operating room for an emergency C-section. I was traumatized because I legitimately thought I was dying. I thought it was a true emergency. I was like, oh my gosh. I can't believe it. I'm gonna die. Of course, I've learned since then that a baby's heart dropping after an epidural is pretty common.Meagan: Pretty common, yeah.Maria: And that it wasn't really a true emergency that merited a C-section right then and there. That's been a really hard thing to process.Meagan: And frustrating, too, because he was like, "If you want to avoid a Cesarean, this is what you have to do," and then you did that, and then it immediately went that way.Maria: Yeah. I honestly thought he was. I think he was probably just prepping me in advance to just have the epidural so we could just go there.Meagan: Yeah, that's hard.Maria: Yeah. After baby was born, the hospital policy required me to go into the post-op room for 30 minutes to recover, and I would then be rejoined with my baby.Meagan: Oh, so your baby wasn't allowed to be with you?Maria: No. Meagan: What?Maria: Yeah. So my first 30 minutes as a mom, I was separated from my baby. He was with my husband. I was taken to this room where I was recovering alongside other people that I didn't know who were also recovering from other types of surgeries.Meagan: Whoa.Maria: Yeah, so I was like on this bed paralyzed still because of the epidural and shivering. It was a really surreal moment because I felt like, oh my gosh. I just had a baby. Wait, why am I here? What is happening? It was really, really traumatizing, and that was just their policy at that hospital. So it was really traumatizing for me. I was eventually joined back with my husband and baby, but needless to say, it really affected me.I did struggle with postpartum depression and anxiety for a long time. I had a very hard time bonding with my baby for that first year. I felt really robbed of that dream birth I had envisioned, and I felt robbed about the golden hour right after when you get to enjoy your baby and celebrate the fact you just had a baby. I felt like I never got that.Meagan: That would be very difficult. There are a lot of people who get their babies taken away, and it is so frustrating. I just wanted to give a little reminder that if you don't have your baby and you want your baby, it's okay to demand your baby and find someone who will do anything in their power to get that baby back to you.Maria: Yeah, so that was my first birth. So the second birth took place about two years later, and we were back in the US due to the pandemic. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I was actually in Costa Rica when I found out I was pregnant, and then we moved back to the US halfway through my pregnancy. I just knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was going to try for VBAC. I was extremely confident that I could do it because I felt that if I found a truly supportive provider, there just was no reason why it wouldn't go smoothly. I had a lot of unprocessed anger and trauma that I hadn't fully worked through. I was still very angry at my OB, at the midwife, at the hospital, even though I did do therapy actually in Costa Rica, but I don't think I fully worked through this part. Even though none of it was truly 100% their fault, I still felt really let down, and of course, I felt anger at myself even for my perceived failure of my body to birth my baby. My way, at the time, of avoiding a repeat of this was to just completely avoid the hospital setting and go the complete opposite direction. So I opted for full midwifery care and home birth. I just didn't want anything to do with the hospital. It was traumatic. I was like, no hospital. At the time, we were living at my parents' home in their hometown. I basically hired the only midwife that I knew in town. I didn't really interview anyone else. I just went with her. I think in my mind at the time, as long as you were a midwife, she would be 100% better than an OB. Again, I was very angry at OB at the time. But also, I did meet the midwifery team and they seemed experienced and I liked them, so I felt really confident that everything would work out like it was going to work out. There was no plan B. Meagan: Yeah. Maria: In terms of preparing for my birth, I didn't really do much outside of remaining active. I did prenatal workouts. I walked. I was healthy. I thought that was pretty much what you had to do. I just thought again that not being in a hospital would solve all my problems, and that was the only ingredient I was missing for my dream birth, which, of course, I later learned was just part of the equation.So this time, my labor started actually pretty slowly. I had a premature rupture of membranes. It was a very slow trickle. It took over 24 hours of that for my labor to actually start. That was even after some homeopathic pellets. I don't really know what it was, but my midwife gave it to me and some castor oil that I took. I'm a pretty anxious person, so I was getting very anxious about my labor not starting because I had it in my head that I couldn't go too long without my water breaking. In my mind, I was on this timeline. I don't do well under pressure, so right off the bat, I was already in my head about it.Meagan: Yeah.Maria: I was so antsy to get labor going that I just wouldn't let myself rest. I actually went walking in the middle of the night with my husband instead of trying to rest. I was like, I will get this labor to start. I was just not really saving my energy. I was getting revved up again too soon. So again, once labor got going, I was exhausted.This time, I'd opted to give birth at my parents' home which in hindsight was probably not the best idea because I felt their presence in the home. I'd sense their worry and their concern over me, at least in my head. I was mostly in their bedroom, so I started getting claustrophobic in there. I felt like a caged lion at one point. I was like, ah. Now nobody was actually pressuring me, but I felt it. I just felt like my whole family knew I was in labor. Everyone was waiting for me. Again, hindsight is 20-20, right? I was like, man, I could have asked them to just leave for a while, but I just didn't feel like I could.Meagan: Yeah, it's their house. It's their house. It's their space. Yeah, it's weird. But I will just point out that who you have in your space and where you labor can impact your labor for sure because you're in your head.Maria: Yes, 100%. It took me two labors to learn that. Especially if you're a sensitive person and feel energy and if you're anxious, you have to be really aware of is somebody helping you or not? And if they are re not, then you can say you can ask them to leave. I just didn't know that I could do that.Anyway, I powered through it. Even despite that, I think labor was better in my home than it was at the hospital. I definitely felt more comfortable. I was more free. I was trying all these different positions and shower, bathtub, you know, everything. I felt really powerful. It was really positive at first. It was, despite the fact that I was really tired too. But it was a very long labor. Once again, my body shut down and I could not pee even though everybody was trying to remind me to go. I was trying to go, and there just came a point when my body just stopped wanting to go. We got to that point where they were like, "Okay, well let's try and place a catheter." They were not able to do it. I guess I have a very small urethra or something. Something happens in my body during labor. It's hard to get to it. This was a home birth, so they had their equipment on hand. They didn't have all the options that maybe they would have in a hospital of different sizes or something, so they just weren't able to place it. It was very, very disappointing. They also felt that I was getting weak, and I didn't want to eat anymore. They hooked me up to an IV. They gave me oxygen. This started triggering this fear in me that this was heading in a direction that I didn't like. It wasn't feeling like the peaceful home birth I had envisioned. I eventually got to 10 centimeters, and they said I could start pushing even though I didn't really feel much of an urge to push but I was like, okay, I'm 10 centimeters. I guess I'll try pushing. I started pushing for multiple hours, but the baby just wasn't descending. And at one point, the midwife could see the baby's head higher up, and she actually attempted to pull the baby out with her hands.Meagan: Kind of went in like a soft forceps.Maria: Yeah, exactly. It was very painful. Super traumatic. I was like, oh, my gosh. This is not what I envisioned. But she wasn't able to do it. He was just too high up. After that, I just remember seeing her throw up her hands and with her body just kind of say, I give up. There was nothing more that she could do for me. At that moment, with a surprising amount of clarity and conviction, I decided to call it and request to be transferred to the only hospital in my town that accepted VBAC, any other hospital would have had me go straight for a C-section. So this was my last chance because I wasn't done trying to VBAC. I was like, okay, home birth isn't gonna happen, but maybe VBAC will at a hospital. And so, we got to the hospital. When I got to triage, they checked me, and they actually said I was nowhere near complete and that I was 8 centimeters dilated, and that I was very swollen.Meagan: That's what I was gonna just ask. I'm wondering if you got swollen.Maria: I was definitely very swollen, but they also said I wasn't 10 centimeters. I was like, "What? What do you mean?" Because in my mind, I was like, I'm almost there. I'm 10 centimeters. Maybe all I need is an epidural maybe. Maybe I just need that final little push. At that point, I was okay with drugs. I was like, "Give me whatever." I'm so close, right?Meagan: Yeah, yeah.Maria: But no, they were like, "No, you're 8 centimeters." And also, my contractions had really spaced out, so they gave me an epidural. They gave me Pitocin, and they let me rest.Meagan: Did they give you a catheter and empty your bladder?Maria: Yes, they gave me a catheter to empty my bladder, but baby was just not coming down. And also, the epidural did not sit well with my baby again. They didn't whisk me away to a C-section this time, but they were starting to bring up, "Okay, it's been a long time." They also were pretty concerned that my water had broken two days before, and that was a big red flag for them. They started mentioning C-section as the safest route for me. After, I don't know, probably 8 hours there, I just kind of said, "Okay, let's just do a C-section, and we just went with it." This time was less traumatic because it wasn't an emergency. I chose it. I was also never separated from my baby, and that was very huge.Meagan: Yes.Maria: That was huge. Yeah, 100%. Like, I got to carry him immediately after birth. I was able to breastfeed him. I was like, nobody is separating me from this baby right now, and they didn't. So that was very healing, and I was very grateful for that. That was that birth. After the birth, the midwives did come to see me at my house, and when I asked them what happened, they weren't really able to give me an answer. The final consensus was that my hips were likely too narrow. At the time, this diagnosis actually gave me comfort because at that point--Meagan: It validated you.Maria: Yeah, it validated me. I felt like, okay, I tried everything. It felt like an answer. It was a neat and clean end to this journey. There was a lot of mourning still. It was a heavy weight on me, this disappointment of a failed VBAC and something that I would need to process for a long time because I felt really cheated. I really felt like I'd run an entire marathon, and that I could see the finish line only to find myself pulled back to the starting line again and have to run another marathon.I felt like I had gone through two whole births, the super intense home birth and then C-section. So I felt like, oh my gosh. I was wiped out. So, yeah. Those are my two C-sections.Meagan: Yeah. I mean, lots of really forward-moving progress with the second for sure and still work to be done. But also, you had some validation for you at the time. It felt better. Overall, it went better.Maria: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It definitely was better. It was better, but it was, in a way, almost more frustrating though because I got so close. I was like, I'm so close and yet I was pulled back to the exact opposite birth.Meagan: Yeah. I want to talk a little bit about swelling because swelling can happen. You can be 10 centimeters. Swelling can happen. It causes puffiness and causes our cervix to swell which then presents as not 10 centimeters. There are a lot of different factors like a baby that is maybe not putting equal pressure on the cervix during pushing or pushing before our body is really ready for us or going in there and doing that, I call it, soft forceps. This is just me making this up, but my fingers are a lot softer than forceps. So her doing some soft forceps was in effort to help baby come down and move but could have disturbed the cervix a little bit and then sitting in on the way. So I just wanted to point out that is it possible that you could have been 10 centimeters? Yes. Is it possible that swelling could have caused the regression? Yes, there are some hem-- oh my gosh. How do you say it? Hemopathic. Is that how you say it? Hemopathic. They're little tablets.Maria: Homeopathic.Meagan: Homeopathic. Why do I say hemeo all the time? Homeopathics. Just like they had given you those little tablets that can actually help with swelling of the cervix. So if you have a midwife or you want to look into that and have that in your bag at the hospital, if that happens, you might want to check that out. While you're telling your third story, I will see if I can find the exact name because I cannot place it in my mind right now, but I've seen midwives use it, so that's another thing. And then sometimes Benadryl. A lot of the time, I'll see moms be given Benadryl for swelling.Maria: Yeah, I don't think they gave me any of that. I think at the hospital they were just kind of like, "Oh, 48 hours. Okay, let's--".Meagan: Yeah, the typical.Maria: And yeah. I think they knew from the beginning probably that I'd end up in a C-section. I don't know.Meagan: Might have. Yeah. So baby one, baby two. How did things change with baby number three?Maria: Everything changed. So when I found out I was pregnant for the third time, I, was very surprised and excited. But as soon as I actually thought about the birth you, I felt dread. I knew I was out of options mostly because my fate had been sort of sealed with this diagnosis of narrow hips. I was pretty much certain that my only choice was a third C-section. That really filled me with dread because I had a really rough recovery with my second C-section. I was really unhappy with my scar. I just felt really not looking forward to a third C-section. So I was like, okay. It felt very scary. I decided to approach my husband about trying for a VBAC again. I was sort of certain he would be nervous about supporting me about that. I felt like it was gonna be like, "Maria, you've tried twice. Let's just accept it. Let's move on." But surprisingly, he was actually supportive and he told me to just start with doing some research about VBACs after two and to get some opinions. So I did. The first thing I actually did though was I looked into gentle C-sections because I was like, "Okay, I'm going to get my kind of worst-case scenarios out of the way just in case. If I'm going to have a C-section, I want it on my terms." I looked up the best gentle C-section OB in the area. I was like, "Okay, I've got something there." Then I reached out to my midwife for my second birth and asked for her opinion about going for a VBAC again. I reached out to a few birth centers in the area, and my midwife pretty much told me that she did not think I was a good candidate for VBAC again and that I would end up likely in a C-section. Again, because she was like, "You did everything you could. It just didn't work. I just don't think you're a good candidate." And then most of the birth centers in the area declined me because they only did the VBACs after one.Meagan: After one. Yeah.Maria: Only two birth centers in the area accepted VBAC after two. I was like, "Okay, I'm gonna go see one of them and just get a second midwife opinion."Meagan: Yeah.Maria: When I got there, this place inspired a lot of peace and comfort. It was this really cozy little space. It was a little cottage near hospital. The midwife I met with, her name is Galyn. Can we give you the name?Meagan: Yeah, yeah. Uh-huh.Maria: Yeah. So this is called The Family Birth Center. It's just amazing and Galyn is amazing. So she just was very confident. I told her my entire birth story. I was sure to add every single complication and also tell her what my previous midwife had said. I honestly painted a really dire picture for her. I was like, "I have really long labors. I can't pee." You know, blah, blah, blah. I was prepared for her to tell me that I was not a big candidate. Honestly, I almost wanted her to say that so that I could just close that chapter and go get my scheduled gentle C-section and move on because that felt easier and safer. Yet her response was not a no. It was actually a non-hesitant, "Absolutely, you can do this." I was shocked. I mean, she obviously asked for my op-reports and everything, but she said that she didn't see why I wouldn't be able to. She had a ton of experience with VBAC after multiple C-sections. She even said that she had a very special place in her heart for these mamas because, as she called us warrior mamas, who really, really wanted it. She did not believe that I was too narrow because that's actually quite rare. She thought it was likely that the baby was simply badly positioned. So right off the bat, she was like, "Okay, I would start you on some Vitamin C to strengthen your bag," which I didn't even know a thing. She was like, "Pelvic floor therapy right off the bat, and you need a proper doula." I was like, "Yes, yes, yes." I'll do all those things because I realized I had not really had a proper doula in my previous birth. And honestly, every concern or worry that I brought up, she was able to talk through it with me, provide a solution or just remind me that no birth is the same. She couldn't really control or predict the outcome of the birth but there were lots of things that we did have control over.One of the things that I was really worried about was my inability to pee during labor. She was like, "Okay well, we'll place a catheter." I was like, "Yeah, but they tried both times and it didn't happen." And she was like, "Well, I'll get you a really tiny one." I was like, "Okay." So she didn't seem worried about that. I just went with it and went with her confidence. I think I decided then and there that I wanted her because I just felt really heard and I don't know. She provided lots of practical and realistic solutions that we could control. Anyway, this time around, I hired a doula. Shout out to Jenna, my doula. Also an amazing, amazing woman. I went to pelvic floor therapy. I also did therapy again to process my past births. I worked really, really hard on radically accepting whatever this birth came to be. So unlike my first two births where I had a really rigid idea of what it would be, this time I worked really hard to just sort of surrender to whatever it ended up being. I also read several books, including how to Heal From a Bad Birth.Meagan: Yes.Maria: A really good book, and Birthing From Within which I also loved. It was a really impactful book, actually. I started doing some art therapy just to process some of my feelings and just about this pregnancy and birth. I listened to every single episode you guys had on VBAC after two. I took The VBAC Link course. Honestly, I hardly worked out mostly because I had two little boys under four, and I just did not have it in me. But I was still very active with just normal life and taking care of two little kids. I did walk a bunch and did some gentle, prenatal yoga. I also did some exercises recommended by my doula from Spinning Babies. The other thing which was different was that I was really mindful of my body positioning throughout my pregnancy. I was always trying to listen to my body and be mindful of my alignment. When I was watching TV or sitting at my desk, I'd sit on a ball. I'd sit on the floor. I love to go on my hands and knees. That felt really good on my back. So just kind of listening to what my body was asking me to do and just being more aware of my body. My whole motto was, throughout the whole time was, "Get out of my head into my body." Preparation felt really different for me this time. I felt like I was preparing my body from the inside out physically speaking. Like I said, I was going to pelvic floor therapy. I was also making room in my uterus for my baby with these exercises to be in the best position possible but I was also really focused on my mind, my spirit, processing all my fears, my traumas. It felt just so much more holistic. I did HypnoBirthing with an app. I wrote down my own prayer affirmations which actually became a really central anchor during my labor. I felt just really ready this time in a new way. And not just because of my dream team but because I was really just ready to surrender to whatever was to come. And also, what was driving me was this new goal which was this idea of just giving my body a chance to labor was the best thing both for me and my baby regardless of the outcome of the birth. Even if it ended up in a C-section, I was still doing what was best for my body and my baby. That's what I kept repeating to myself. It just gave me a lot of peace because the success of this birth was not tied to what kind of birth it was. You know what I mean?Meagan: Yes, yes.Maria: It removed a lot of that pressure, a lot of that fear, and that was just such a game changer for me. Yeah, that was the preparation. A few weeks before the birth, I'd been starting to get more intense Braxton Hicks, but nothing really consistent. I was really just trying to practice the art of basically ignoring them because my goal for my early labor was to just pretend like they weren't happening. I didn't want to get too excited too fast. I wanted to ignore them for as long as possible especially if they started in the middle of the night which is kind of a theme for me. It ended up being really great practice to do that because on Labor Day, of course, I started getting my first contraction at 2:00AM and I just denied it. I was like, nope, they're Braxton Hicks. I just wasn't allowing myself to get riled up. I managed miraculously to doze off for 20 minutes at a time until they started coming on stronger. Once I realized that this was early labor, I had decided before that I wanted to labor alone for a while. This was actually something that I'd been wanting to do just to have this early early labor be a sacred moment for me and my baby. I wanted to be able to pray, to talk to my baby and to prepare together for the work which we would be doing together, both of us. I went into the living room. I let my husband sleep a bit longer, and it was a really special time for me. I'm so happy that I did that.Meagan: Yeah, I was just going to say that is a very powerful moment. Our babies are so connected and if you can have any time, even if it's just like 20 minutes. "Hey, I'm going to the bathroom." Take 20 minutes in the bathroom and connect with your baby. I just think it's so powerful.Maria: Yeah. Yes. It was amazing because I did feel connected the whole labor in a way that I did not in my previous ones where I was very disconnected to what was happening in my body. I was in my head a lot. So at about 6:00am, my contractions were getting stronger and I was like, okay, it's a reasonable time. I'm going to go ahead and wake my husband up. I also knew that my boys would be waking up soon, so I wanted my husband to focus on them and get them breakfast. And then I explained to my boys that baby was coming soon, that they were going to go stay with their cousins for a night or two. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to fully relax if they were still in the house. It felt really important for me to say goodbye and to make sure that they were going to be happy and in a safe place. As soon as my brother-in-law picked them up, I just really felt my body, okay, let go and things just started picking up. I took a shower. I had breakfast. I knew it would probably be a very long labor, so I wanted to eat. I called my doula. She came over and her presence was just such a game changer because she was just this calm, comforting presence. Not to say my husband was not, but she's just more-- this is her job. She's more objective. She was able to suggest different positions. She knew when to let me be. She pushed me when I had to be pushed and let me be when I had to be left alone. But the best thing she did was she did not let me head to the birth center too soon. I wanted to go and she'd be like, "Okay, let's just wait for 30 more minutes. Can you do 30 more minutes? Yeah, let's try this position. Let's walk a little bit. Let's do this and that." That was so important because I would have gotten there way too soon. She and my husband were in touch with Galyn, the midwife. Everyone was just super chill and relaxed. Everyone ate lunch. I don't think I did, but everyone else did. It was just a nice day. It was a cool rainy day. And then at about 2:00 PM my contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart. They were lasting about a minute, and they were getting intense. I was like, "Okay, I need to go." They were like, "Okay, yeah, let's go." We got to the birth center. I was just wrapped in this fluffy blanket. I just picked it up like I was in this daze. I was listening to my HypnoBirthing app. And Galyn, she was so relaxed about everything. Everyone was just very relaxed. It was during the daytime. She'd come in. She'd leave. I got in the bathtub at point. At one point, she checked my dilation and asked me if I wanted to know. And I said, "Nope, I don't want to know because I don't want to get in my head." She was like, "Even if you're 9 centimeters?" And I was like, "No." Okay. That was so amazing. That was such a push of encouragement. And so that was very helpful. Once again, I ran into the issue of being unable to pee. Of course, not surprisingly. So Galyn asked me want if I wanted a catheter. I said, "Okay, let's try it," but I was super nervous about it.Meagan: Yeah.Maria: But this time it was super easy. It was amazing. It went in right away. She had the right size. I don't know what it was, but--Meagan: Right size, pelvic PT.Maria: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was easy. I had a ton of pee. After that I was like, oh, my gosh. I surpassed these two huge obstacles of being really well-dilated and also, an empty bladder. Like, I got this. It's amazing. I felt this new surge of energy. After that, I just focused on one contraction at a time. Each one lasted four breaths for me. Each breath coincided with a short prayer that I would say to myself. The hardest breaths were always breath two and three because it was the peak of the contraction. But I knew the pattern in it, and so I knew what to expect. I just remember opening my hands every time and surrendering and just trying to just relax my body and just accept it, and let it wash over me. I was doing a lot of visualization of my body, my pelvis opening, my baby coming down. I was so connected to my body and my baby. I just remember communicating with her and visualizing her coming closer to me. And this, like I said, was something so new for me, this connection. After about two hours of labor, there I was fully dilated. They had me do some focused pushing. Unfortunately, I never really felt that overwhelming urge to push that I'd read so much about and that I had wanted to feel. My pushing was more directed, but it felt a lot less forced than with my second birth. I decided to push on the bed on my hands and knees. My husband and doula were each holding a hand. Galyn was encouraging me. Every time I pushed and she would feel the baby come down, she'd let me know. That was really encouraging to know that it was productive pushing. I was just so focused. After about 40 minutes of pushing, she told me, "Okay, the next push, you're going to feel a burn." Before I knew it, it was the ring of fire I'd heard so much about. Although it was painful, I was just in awe that I was feeling it. I was like, oh my gosh, this means something. I'm so close. It was surreal. I was experiencing it in this weird, out-of-body way. And then the next push, baby was born. I was just in shock. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't fully believe that I did it. They passed her to me immediately. I was still on my hands and knees. I will just never, ever forget the feel of her body and her skin when I held her for the first time. It was the birth of my dreams. I think one of the other things I just loved was just that time afterwards that I never got to experience and that moment of coziness where we were just laying in this queen bed, my husband and I and my baby, and just eating together, holding her immediately, breastfeeding her like it was just a dream. I got to take a bath with some healing herbs. It was amazing. And then, after several hours, we just drove home with our baby.Meagan: Just amazing. That is what birth is about right there. All of those feelings, all of those smells and experiences and bonding moments. I am so happy for you. Let's just say you debunked the myth. Your pelvis was great. Your pelvis and your hips were just fine. It really just took someone educated to know that your baby was in a poor position and that okay, instead of doing this size catheter, let's do a smaller catheter. It's just these little things that made such a big difference. I think it's really important to vet our providers when we are interviewing them. I love that you were like, I gave her all the bad. Like, all of it. I just laid it on her. I wanted her to know everything that I was being told or that was said or that had been done. And then for her to be like, "Okay yeah, I hear those. I see these op-reports, but still don't believe there's anything that makes you not be able to," is just so powerful. So those are the types of providers, and if there really, really, really is a medical reason, they can back it up. "Okay, let's consider something." But I do love that you just came in with all of it, just all of it, and expecting her to be like, "No." And then when she said yes, you're like, "Wait, what?"Maria: What?Meagan: "Wait, what? Can you repeat that?" We really are getting more of that flack and doubt, so it's so great to hear that there's such a supportive provider out there in your area because every area needs it. I would love to see more support coming in because the fact of the matter is, it can happen. It can happen. It is possible, and really, the risk is relatively low, right? It's low, and it's something. And then we do know that to some people, it's not acceptable, and that's okay. But know that the risk is relatively low and that the world paints it to be so much bigger than it is.Maria: Right. Well and also, nobody talks about the risks of repeat sections. Right? Nobody mentions it. I'm like, why is this not being even mentioned at all?Meagan: We talk about it here because it isn't talked about. We have providers say, "Oh, uterine rupture, uterine rupture this and that," but they're not like, "Hey, dense adhesions connecting to your bladder for life, scar tissue gaining for life, back pain that you may discover in your 50s that is related to your Cesarean adhesions and pain." And then, not to mention there are a lot of things like hysterectomy, increased blood loss. You guys, there are things to talk about and complications that can come forth in the future pregnancies as well. We don't talk about those to scare you. We don't talk about uterine rupture here to scare you. We don't talk about uterine rupture or share uterine rupture stories to scare you. We are here to educate you. We want you to know there are pros and cons on both sides. If you find a provider who is all about sharing the risk about VBAC instead of repeat Cesarean, you might not want to be with that provider because there are risks for both sides so if you're getting a one-sided risk, there are some concerns there.Maria: Yeah. Yeah, exactly.Meagan: Well, thank you again so much for sharing your stories. Congratulations. I'm so happy that you found the right provider. You found the dream team. Everyone was on your side and supporting you along the way.Maria: Thank you, Meagan. Again, I think that's only one part of the equation. We as the moms have that other responsibility of really healing ourselves and our past traumas and doing more than just, I guess, working out. A lot of people don't think about the inner work that we have to make for our pelvic floor and even the uterus with making space for your baby in there for optimal positioning. I never heard of these things before you. All of that knowledge was very helpful.Meagan: Yeah, there's a lot of work. Before we started recording you were like, "With my second birth, I just hired a midwife and put it in her hands and was like, hey, I did the work. I hired a midwife," but there's so much more than that. And yeah, finding a supportive provider, getting the education, but there's so much work. We talk about this in our VBAC course-- mental and physical prep. We talk about it early on in the book because it is such a big part of how things can go and if we don't do those things, it can impact us. That doesn't mean you can't get through it and have a VBAC. I don't want to say if you don't go to therapy, you won't get a VBAC or if you don't do these things, but these things will impact you in a positive way more than a negative. I also want to talk about trauma and birth and going through and working through it from the inside out. It's not even birth. It's life. It's affecting us for life. We hold trauma in our body. We hold emotions. We pent them up and yeah, it's just you. We gotta work through them. We can't just shove them in and be like, "Well, that was that. I'll let it go," because it's not going to be let go. It's inside of us.Maria: Yeah.Meagan: Yeah. It'll show up. It will show up. It might be years. It might be months, you never know, but it's important to work through it. Okay, well I will not take any more of your time because I know you've already been with me for a bit, and I just wanna thank you again.Maria: Thank you so much, Meagan. It's been such an honor.ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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