Today, we dive into one of the most common questions that I get asked about epidurals: How do you push a baby out with an epidural? 

This is a question that can cause a lot of anxiety for expectant mothers. So, I'm going to share all the juicy details on epidural pushing positions, tips, and tricks to make pushing a breeze.

I'll also talk about what to expect during labor and how to work with your body to help you deliver your beautiful baby. 

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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

• EP171: Epidurals 101: Get Informed About Epidurals for Birth

Sponsors

Aeroflow Breastpumps

Did you know that your health insurance will cover the cost of a breast pump? It’s true! In fact, many health insurance plans also cover milk storage bags, breastfeeding prep courses, and more.

At Aeroflow Breastpumps, you can shop top-rated breast pumps from brands like Medela, Spectra, and Motif without ever opening your wallet. Fill out their quick and easy insurance eligibility form and they’ll take care of the rest! It might just be the easiest thing you do this pregnancy.

Visit aeroflowbreastpumps.com/mommylabornurse to find out why more than 1 million moms have chosen Aeroflow Breastpumps to get their pump through insurance.

Simply Magnetic Me

Simply Magnetic Me offers GOTS certified 100% organic cotton essentials like footies, coveralls and bodysuits—all featuring safety-tested magnetic closures. No fumbling with tiny snaps or buttons during those middle of the night diaper changes. You can get your baby dressed quickly so everyone can get back to sleep!

You may have heard of Magnetic Me. Simply is their new sister brand that offers the same beloved magnetic closures at a more affordable price. You can create a custom bundle on their website, combining the prints, styles, and sizes you want, with outfits as low as $15. The more outfits in your cart, the more you save. And trust me, babies need a lot of outfits.

Say no to snaps and head to simplymagneticme.com to stock up on no-fuss essentials and use code MLN20 for 20% off your order.

Did you know that an estimated 60% of expecting couples take a babymoon before the birth of their first child? It’s true! And while it’s most common among first-time parents – veteran parents can (and do!) take a babymoon before their next baby’s birth as well.

So in today's episode, I thought it would be fun to talk more about babymoons! We'll talk about why you should do it, when you should do it, planning tips, destination ideas, and more.

But first, I'll start the episode with some pregnancy travel advice and tips so that you can travel safely during your pregnancy! I've got info surrounding flying during pregnancy, long car rides, what to pack, and lots of other great advice.

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!

Related Episodes

• EP160: Ask an OBGYN Anything with Dr. Jennifer Lincoln

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am focusing exclusively on the first trimester of pregnancy!! It's an ask me anything style episode which I LOVE doing for you guys!

All of the questions on today's show were submitted via Instagram stories. I selected a bunch that I wanted to answer with more detail than I can on Instagram - and this episode was born!

Are you ready to learn how to tackle nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and so much more? Let's get into it!

Feeling overwhelmed in the first trimester?

Get support in the early weeks with our FREE 1st Trimester Prep Pack and gain a sense of control!

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 and Resources

• Episode 1: Perinatal Mental Health Interview With Dr. Ream
• Episode 35: FAQ’s About the First Trimester!
• MLN Weekly Pregnancy Email Series
• Expectful App
• Ritual Prenatal Vitamins

Sponsor

Did you know that your health insurance will cover the cost of a breast pump? It’s true! In fact, many health insurance plans also cover milk storage bags, breastfeeding prep courses, and more.

At Aeroflow Breastpumps, you can shop top-rated breast pumps from brands like Medela, Spectra, and Motif without ever opening your wallet. Fill out their quick and easy insurance eligibility form and they’ll take care of the rest! It might just be the easiest thing you do this pregnancy.

Visit aeroflowbreastpumps.com/mommylabornurse to find out why more than 1 million moms have chosen Aeroflow Breastpumps to get their pump through insurance.

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I have a positive planned induction birth story from MLN Community mama, Marissa!

Marissa described her birth as difficult, amazing, and fast, even though it took a while. This is a perfect example of how birth can be a mix of different feelings and perceptions all at once - something that I definitely see as true! Marissa's story includes a hospital-planned induction and epidural.

Want to feel in control before birth? 

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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

• EP166: Giving Birth Overseas: One Mom’s Birth Story Navigating an International Healthcare System
• EP172: How One Mama’s Birth Started with the Midwives’ Brew

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am going to talk about one of my absolute favorite things - birth affirmations!! And no I'm not kidding. I'm obsessed with them and know how much they can help you manage your labor pain.

You see, our minds can be one of our best assets to help manage the pain and anxiety associated with childbirth! And birth affirmations are one of my favorite ways to tap into that mental strength.

What are they? Simply positive words and statements about the birth process that can give you extra confidence, a sense of calm, and even impact your perception of pain.

To get the most out of using birth affirmations during your labor, I recommend repeating them regularly leading up to birth – and actually saying them aloud – I promise it makes ALL the difference.

Then during labor, you can say them out loud, listen to them, read them, or simply think them! But we’ll get more into that inside the episode.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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 106: Mindset Tips for Pregnancy and Birth with Natalie Bacon
• Episode 154: Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts from Peloton Talks Yoga & Meditation During Pregnancy

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we're talking all about labor signs! And more specifically the weird signs of labor you might not know about yet!

I think it’s safe to say that if you’ve ever been pregnant, you’ve probably found yourself googling, “Is XYZ a sign of labor?”. And there are actually quite a few weird things that happen before labor!

The anticipation of meeting your little one soon can definitely cause mamas to be on high alert for any sort of body changes. And this is a good thing! It’s great to be in tune with your body, especially during pregnancy. 

Aside from the obvious signs of labor: contractions and water breaking (which isn’t always as obvious as you might think!) there are quite a few other things that can give you a clue that labor is near! 

Anxious about packing for the hospital?

Grab the FREE Hospital Bag Checklist created by a practicing L&D nurse and feel 10000% certain you’ve got everything you need on the big day!

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!

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

In this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I am joined by Charles Johnson, the founder of 4Kira4Moms. 

Charles tragically lost his wife Kira during a routine C-section at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California in 2016. This experience led him to create 4Kira4moms in 2017.

The goal of 4Kira4Moms is to be a voice for other mothers and families facing unnecessary maternal loss and to help put an end to the black maternal mortality health crisis.

It is a sad reality that in the US, black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than white women. This is due to implicit bias and systemic racism within the healthcare system, as well as a lack of access to high-quality maternal healthcare and resources.

Inside the episode, Charles and I discuss this tragic epidemic and talk about what platforms like 4Kira4Moms are doing to spark change and shed light on the issue. Then we get into what we can do to support his mission!

Tune in to hear Kira's story and learn how you can help make a difference.

Learn more about Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson has dedicated his life to the pursuit of what his own family failed to receive – safe, respectful, and equitable maternal health outcomes in America. His passion for systemic change is driven by his love for his wife, Kira, who passed away following the birth of their second child. In April 2016, Kira underwent a routine C-section following an uncomplicated pregnancy. Hours later, she died from internal hemorrhaging despite adamant pleas for help from medical professionals by her husband and loved ones. Her story exemplifies the current crises happening in America: rising rates of maternal mortality and the silencing of Black voices.

After experiencing the unimaginable, Charles harnessed his pain and used it to pursue the highest level of good. He channeled his grief into founding 4Kira4Moms, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving birth outcomes in America. Charles knows childbirth should be empowering and free of fear for all mothers. 4Kira4Moms advocates for improved maternal health policies and regulations, educates about the impact of maternal mortality in our communities, provides support to victims’ loved ones, and approaches maternal mortality as a human rights issue. Mothers are the very framework of our society. They teach us how to love unconditionally and are willing to protect the most vulnerable among us. The loss of even one at the hands of an unjust system robs our country of what it needs most.

Charles has used his voice and story to advocate for change at countless events and media appearances all over the country. He is a board member of March for Moms and serves as Chairman of the Fairness of Injured Patients Act, which seeks to restore the rights of victims of medical negligence in California. Charles has testified twice before Congress and helped pass key legislation including: the Preventing Maternal Death Act of 2018, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021, and the California Momnibus. He is currently working with Congress to pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, an unprecedented set of bills addressing every aspect of the maternal health crisis happening in America. Charles was also honored by Oprah Winfrey on OWNSpotlight’s 2020 fatherhood special entitled, “Honoring our Kings – Celebrating Black Fatherhood.”

In addition to his advocacy work, Charles is busy raising his two beautiful boys, Charles V and Langston, who keep their mothers’ spirit alive powerfully every day.

Learn more about 4Kira4Moms

• 4Kira4Moms
• HR 1318 - Preventing Maternal Death Acts of 2018
• Kira Johnson Act
• Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast you'll hear an Ask Me Anything style episode, where I give in-depth answers to a few labor and delivery questions left on the podcast hotline. 

I'm covering questions about extra placental lobes, timing an epidural to potentially avoid blood pressure-related side effects, postpartum hemorrhages (particularly if you've had one before!), and if there are any specific things that moms can do in their second pregnancies to prepare for birth.

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!

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!

Related episodes and resources

• Episode 168: Ask Me Anything
• Sibling Basket Ideas

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we're going to talk about your cervix! To be more specific, we'll be diving into cervical checks and membrane sweeps.

Your cervix is essential to birth and can often be used as an indicator of how “prepped” your body is for labor before labor even starts. Today, you'll learn how cervical checks are done, how to handle them, and the general pros and cons during pregnancy and labor.

Then, we'll talk about membrane sweeps, which involve the cervix and are one of several things you can do to help jump-start labor. So, what exactly is a membrane sweep? Here’s a hint, it has nothing to do with actual broom sweeping! Tune in to learn more.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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 77: Why It's Important to Prep Your Body for Labor
• Episode 112: Chatting Prenatal Fitness with Ashley Knowe of Get Mom Strong

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

In this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, Sami shares her birth story where she tried a well-known, and semi-controversial method to kickstart labor! I have never actually talked to anyone who has tried this before so it was very interesting to hear about her experience!

When she was pregnant with her daughter, she tried a bunch of things to jump-start labor, but ultimately ended up being induced. But for her son, she thought she’d try the same things plus one other method that we will talk about today. So stay tuned to see if it worked!

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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 resources

• The Midwives' Brew: A Natural Way To Induce Labor You've Probably Never Heard Of...

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

When it comes to talking about birth, epidurals are often a part of the conversation in one way or another. And I’d guess that most of you already know that epidural placement eliminates labor pain.

But beyond that? Well, a lot of people don’t actually know that much!

I often get questions about how epidurals are placed, how big an epidural needle is, if getting an epidural hurts, and lots more! So in this episode I unpack these epidural placement FAQs that frequently show up in my DMs. Additionally, you’ll get a bit of deep dive into WALKING epidurals.

Walking epidurals are very similar to a traditional epidural, but they allow for greater feeling and movement in the lower half of the body.

This makes them very appealing to mamas that want a sort of “hybrid” birth experience. One where the edge is taken off the pain, but not so much that they can’t move or feel the sensations of labor and delivery.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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 31: What it's like to get an epidural
• Episode 101: Talking Anesthesia and L&D with Dr. Magnolia Printz 

Baby-Led Weaning Made Easy Podcast

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we're going to dive into the topic of medical induction of labor. I'm going to talk about the reasons you might be induced and the various induction methods your provider may use. 

But before we get into it, I want to quickly review what induction is, just in case you're not quite sure! Induction of labor is exactly what it sounds like: you aren't in labor yet so we put you into labor (or we attempt to push you into labor!) through different methods.

There comes a point in pregnancy where the risk of continuing the pregnancy is actually greater than the benefits of keeping baby inside. And that point can be different for different moms!

Keep listening to learn more about why you might need one and how we might do it.

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 72: Help! What is an induction?
• Episode 36: Haley's Positive Induction Story! 

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

This week on The Mommy Labour Nurse Podcast, I am joined by my friend and fellow podcaster Dr. Mona from PedsDocTalk to discuss common newborn behaviors.

Dr. Mona Amin is a pediatrician and parenting expert who equips parents with the tools they need to thrive and feel confident in parenthood. 

In today's episode, Dr. Mona is going to go through 10 newborn realities that are actually very standard - things like hiccups, day and night reversal, and feeding volumes.

And after you're done with this episode, you can keep learning about the newborn days with Dr. Mona. She was on my podcast way back in Episode 9 when she came on the show to answer your most common newborn questions.

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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 and resources

• Episode 9: Mona the Pediatrician Answers Your Most Common Newborn Questions!

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

About Dr. Mona Amin

Mona is a first-generation Indian American, born and raised in southern California. She attended UCLA for her undergraduate training, majoring in psychobiology (the study of how the brain affects our behaviors).

She went on to attend medical school at ATSU-SOMA in Arizona where she obtained her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree. 

After medical school, she completed pediatric residency training at the Bernard and Millie Duker Children’s Hospital in Albany, New York.

She is a currently practicing Pediatrician where she sees babies and moms of every ethnicity and social circumstance.

She loves her work and sharing smart, helpful advice to make the motherhood journey a little easier and a lot more joyful. She's built an inclusive and caring community of over 100,000 fans and followers on her various channels.

This week I'm coming at you with an "Ask Me Anything" episode based on questions my listeners submitted on our new podcast hotline!

My plan for 2023 is to do more "Ask me Anything"-style episodes, and to make it even more fun, I want to feature voices from the community!

So, if you've got 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 voice message.

If chosen, I will play the question on a future episode and answer it right here on the show!

In this episode, I will be covering questions about cholestasis, placenta encapsulation, epidurals, and more.

If you love episodes where it's just me answering questions, do yourself a favor and go listen to the most embarrassing questions about pregnancy and birth on Episode 161 and Episode 162.

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!

Related episodes and resources

• Episode 161: Your Most Embarrassing Birth Questions Answered - Part 1 
• Episode 162: Your Most Embarrassing Birth Questions Answered - Part 2
• Pine tar bar soap
• Cholestasis research article

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I'm doing an episode all about postpartum prep!

As a labor and delivery nurse, I am ALL about getting you prepared for birth. But in my opinion, preparing for birth ALSO means preparing for postpartum.

Because when it’s all said and done, you’re going to have a newborn to take care of, and YOU are going to be an entirely new person as well.

Inside of today's episode, we’re going to unpack what you can do during pregnancy to prepare for postpartum including education, supplies, mindset tips, and more.

Getting educated for birth is so, so important, but truly, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t make sure you were ready for postpartum too.

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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 48: How Has Liesel's Postpartum Experience Been? Part 1 of 2

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

In this week’s episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I am joined by a fellow mom with an extraordinary birth story that entails being pregnant and giving birth in a foreign country.

This birth story is told by Katie, whose husband was stationed at an American army base in Germany.

With the war in Afghanistan coming to an end and a flood of refugees needing medical attention, Katie wasn’t able to receive care at the base but found herself giving birth in a German hospital instead.

Today, she will share with us how she experienced the differences in healthcare systems and how a C-section unexpectedly became part of this international birth story.

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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 45: Midwife Marley Talks To Us About UK Maternity Care!

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about the Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we are chatting about hospital bags! For a first-time mom, I was SUCH a slacker when it came to packing my hospital bag for labor. I was lucky I didn’t go into labor a few weeks early, because I would not have been prepared! For my second birth, I was way more organized and prepared.

Because I know this is a very buzz-worthy topic when it comes to birth prep, I thought it only made sense to make an episode out of it! You see, I’m a BIG fan of packing individual bags for labor, recovery, partner, and baby. This keeps everything so much more organized.

Inside the episode, I'll get into what should be in each of those bags. I'll also cover some things to specifically NOT bring with you, and then we'll talk in-depth about snacks for labor and touch a bit on eating during labor too.

Anxious about packing for the hospital?

Grab the FREE Hospital Bag Checklist created by a practicing L&D nurse and feel 10000% certain you’ve got everything you need on the big day!

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!

Resources from this episode

Liesel's essential oil blend

• 2 drops Yang Ylang
• 7 drops Clary Sage
• 3 drops Lavender
• 3 drops Frankincense

Combine oils in glass bottle and fill to top with a carrier oil.

Sponsor

Are you in search of the perfect pump for your breastfeeding days? Proven to provide more milk in less time, the Motif Luna is a powerful breast pump that’s built for modern motherhood and covered by insurance. With a battery-powered or non-battery version, the Luna is perfect for today’s busy mom.

Click HERE to learn more about the Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

When it comes to making decisions surrounding your birth, you need to think about the immediate after birth, too! Often, we think that’s just for newborn care procedures, but today, I want to talk in depth about cord blood banking, placenta donation, and placenta encapsulation.

As always, the purpose of this podcast episode is to inform you so that you can make the right decisions for your birth and family. I encourage you to take this information, do your own research, and discuss this decision with your OBGYN or midwife before giving birth. 

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

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Click HERE to learn more about the Luna and order one for your breastfeeding and pumping journey. And as a special offer for MLN podcast listeners you can get 15% off site-wide, including the Luna plus all supplies and accessories with code: MLN23. Some exclusions may apply.

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!

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!

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

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.

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.

And be sure to tune into next week's episode, where I chat with OBGYN Dr. Nicole Rankins on what it's like to be an OBGYN, doula care, midwifery care, and much more! You definitely don't want to miss this one!

Anxious about packing for the hospital?

Grab the FREE Hospital Bag Checklist created by a practicing L&D nurse and feel 10000% certain you’ve got everything you need on the big day!

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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 and resources:

• Episode 20: Liesel Answers Your Most Common Breastfeeding Questions - Part 2
• Episode 137: Ask Me Anything About Labor and Delivery
• Episode 155: Ask Me Anything About Pregnancy and Birth
• Episode 161: Your Most Embarrassing Birth Questions Answered - Part 1

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 around 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 questions come in that I actually broke it up into two parts for you, with part two airing next week.

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 and resources discussed in this episode:

• Episode 11: Jeanice Talks To Us About Pelvic Floor Sexual Health
• Episode 58: FAQs About Labor and Delivery
• Episode 121: Tearing During Birth
• Episode 137: Ask Me Anything About Labor and Delivery
• Episode 155: Ask Me Anything About Pregnancy and Birth

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had the chance to interview the amazing Dr. Jennifer Lincoln! Jen is a board-certified OB/GYN that works as an OB hospitalist, and she is also an IBCLC. 

In addition to her bedside work, Jen is a total TikTok Doc celebrity with 2.8 million followers where, in her words, she makes educational videos that are “the health class you wish you had in high school”.

Inside of today’s episode, we did an “ask an OBGYN anything” based on questions submitted by the MLN community. We covered a broad range of topics and used questions that we saw submitted frequently to make sure they would appeal to the widest audience.

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!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I am joined by fellow mom, Gabby. Gabby reached out to share her difficult birth story with us and to hopefully inspire others to advocate for their care if they are not being treated right.

When Gabby got in touch with us, she explained that her appearance caused an inattentive and hostile labor process in which she had to advocate for her care.

You’ll hear her talk about how her epidural caused a panic attack that was not taken seriously and more. After birth, Gabby suffered from postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD and was only offered help at 9 months when it was severe.

I am so grateful that Gabby was willing to come on to the show to share her story because every birth needs to have a voice and sometimes telling your story can be a step forward in the healing process.

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!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we’re talking all about group B strep and how it might affect your birth.

Here we’re going to learn the details about this infection, how GBS disease can impact your baby, and how your provider will screen for GBS. Lastly, we’ll take a look at what it means for birth if you’re GBS positive.
 
If you do have group B strep, your birth will be a little bit different, because antibiotic treatment is highly recommended. But luckily, it’s not as big of a deal as it sounds.

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we are talking about perinatal mental health – a topic that is near and dear to my heart. My guest, Dr. Nichelle Haynes is a Clinical Psychiatrist who specializes in perinatal mental health.

There’s not a lot of psychiatrists who specialize in the pregnant and postpartum population. So Dr. Haynes and I talk about a day in her life, what sort of patients she sees, and what’s the first step if you’re struggling.

We also talk about the difference between a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a therapist because there’s a big difference. We also discuss medication, when to intervene with medication, and what signs and symptoms you should be looking for.

And finally, you’ll hear us debunk the unfortunate societal stigma surrounding psychiatric medications.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I chatted with Sally about the birth of her first son, Bodey. 

Sally and her husband Ash are a queer couple that conceived at home with donor sperm from a good friend of theirs!

Once pregnant, Sally discussed navigating hyperemesis gravidarum, switching care providers later in her pregnancy, and a pretty scary event that disrupted Bodey’s entrance into this world.

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I'm coming at you with a good old ask me anything style episode.

For this episode, I pulled some questions I didn't get to and addressed them here! There's a good mix of questions in this episode covering epidurals, sex in pregnancy, water birth, milk supply, and more!

Anxious about packing for the hospital?

Grab the FREE Hospital Bag Checklist created by a practicing L&D nurse and feel 10000% certain you’ve got everything you need on the big day!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am so excited to share my interview with internationally celebrated Peloton yoga teacher and scholar, Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts.

As some of you may know, Chelsea is currently pregnant with her first child and during today’s interview, we talked all about the ways pregnancy has impacted her own yoga and meditation practice, and her teaching. 

We touched on the benefits of yoga for pregnancy, the mindset with which women should approach prenatal fitness and their changing bodies, how yoga and meditation can play a role in erasing some of the fear and unknown of birth, and so much more.

Stressed about your baby registry?

Get the FREE Baby Registry Checklist created by an L&D nurse and veteran mom for insider tips and an organized list of the things you *actually* need!

Pregnancy to-dos piling up already?

Get your FREE Second Trimester Prep Pack to create your registry with ease and know you’re staying on track!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I have a birth story to share with you. I want to give a content warning for this episode because we do talk about child loss. If this subject could trigger you, please skip this episode and tune in next week.

Shea’s daughter was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, which was found at a genetic screening in the first trimester. Trisomy 13 is a genetic disorder caused by an extra 13th chromosome. This extra chromosome can cause severe mental and physical problems. Unfortunately, this diagnosis is usually associated with a short life expectancy, and some babies are not even born alive.

Even though this specific diagnosis is rare, I wanted to have Shea share her story on the podcast this week about what it’s like to receive a life-limiting diagnosis during pregnancy and how to navigate that journey.

Feeling overwhelmed in the first trimester?

Get support in the early weeks with our FREE 1st Trimester Prep Pack and gain a sense of control!

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!

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.

Pregnancy to-dos piling up already?

Get your FREE Second Trimester Prep Pack to create your registry with ease and know you’re staying on track!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am joined by speech and language experts, Brooke and Bridget who you probably know better as The Speech Sisters on Instagram! Brooke and Bridget are Certified Speech Therapists, and have an incredible platform dedicated to getting your child talking. 

Inside the episode you’ll hear us talk about key things moms can do right from birth, the role of baby sign language in early communication, examples of how to incorporate these things into daily routines, very early speech and language development milestones to be on the lookout for, and lots more.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am airing a special episode in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, which is observed on October 15th every year.

For our special episode, I had the chance to chat with Danielle Lampman. She shared the birth story of her daughter, Rosie Noelle, with me. 

Rosie was stillborn in December of 2021 when Danielle was 37.5 weeks gestation - it was all completely unexpected. It is always so special when mamas reach out to share the stories of their stillborn babies, and it is my absolute honor to share Danielle and Rosie’s story with you 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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I’m going to share tips for choosing a pediatrician. Because as you’re working your way through (your seemingly endless) to-do list before birth, one important task is choosing a provider for your newborn.

In this episode, I'll share a list of considerations for choosing a pediatrician, questions to ask a pediatrician before deciding, and even a little bit about what to expect from your newborn pediatrician visits. Let’s tackle this item that’s been sitting on your to-do list mama! And let’s take it on with confidence!

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

Stressed about your baby registry?

Get the FREE Baby Registry Checklist created by an L&D nurse and veteran mom for insider tips and an organized list of the things you *actually* need!

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!

This week, I have a cute little episode for you about meal prepping and postpartum. My guest, Talia is the founder of a program called workweek lunch – a blog and digital meal plan subscription that has helped 1000s of people all over the world master the art of meal prep. She is also the author of The Workweek Lunch Cookbook, which includes 60 approachable and delicious recipes that are designed to be prepped and stored.

On this episode, we talk about the benefits of meal prepping for pregnancy and postpartum, how to get started, and tips for meal prepping in that last month of your pregnancy to make your life easier once baby comes.

Towards the end, we talked about some tools that you might need on hand to make it a little bit easier!

Anxious about packing for the hospital?

Grab the FREE Hospital Bag Checklist created by a practicing L&D nurse and feel 10000% certain you’ve got everything you need on the big day!

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I have Jordan joining me to talk about her birth story! Jordan is a black woman & first-time mom who had a fairly uneventful pregnancy but unfortunately dealt with some traumatic events that occurred during the birth of her son.

Jordan tells me in the episode that while pregnant, she had educated herself about the racial disparities that unfortunately exist here in the US and she felt informed, and prepared going into her birth. She never really thought she would actually be treated differently because of the way that she looked. 

Stressed about your baby registry?

Get the FREE Baby Registry Checklist created by an L&D nurse and veteran mom for insider tips and an organized list of the things you *actually* need!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we’re going to talk all about birthing without an epidural, and answer a question I get all the time - “How do I have a natural birth?”

And while there is no secret formula…I definitely have some insight into what you can do to set yourself up for success.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Erica Campbell, who is a mom of two, registered nurse, and international board-certified lactation consultant! Erica is also the face behind the growing Instagram platform @themilkmanual, where she aims to make lactation education chill and attainable for all.

In the episode, you’ll learn more about Erica and her platform, find out what she recommends for breastfeeding prep during pregnancy, learn about the benefits of hand expression during pregnancy, and then we’ll get into lactation and the NICU! 

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

On this episode, Carly talks about her journey to motherhood. Carly is a part of a two-mom family, and she's actually now pregnant with her 3rd baby! She and her wife used the same sperm donor for all three of their babies, but the way Carly got pregnant was different all three times.

It's a very interesting, and heartfelt story that you don't want to miss!

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!

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!

Are you wondering what to do while waiting for baby to arrive? I get it, when your due date countdown goes from weeks to days, time can start to feel extra slow. We’ve all heard the joke about the last month of pregnancy lasting 5,654,213 days, right??

Well, this week I’m going to share some ways to help you pass that time and get you a little more prepared mentally, physically, and sentimentally (is that a thing?) for your baby to arrive.

Keep in mind that these are the things that aren’t absolutely essential, but are a great way to fill those waiting days!

Anxious about packing for the hospital?

Grab the FREE Hospital Bag Checklist created by a practicing L&D nurse and feel 10000% certain you’ve got everything you need on the big day!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I was joined by my good friend and fellow Instagram educator, Dr. Ashurina Ream - you may know her as @psychedmommy on Instagram. Ashurina is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with certification in perinatal mental health. 

I put out a call for questions on my Instagram story for this one, and we were able to group questions into three categories to help keep the episode structured.

You’ll hear us cover mental health in pregnancy, mental health after birth, and then some mental health “in general” questions. I always learn so much anytime I have the chance to chat with Dr. Ream, and I know you will too.

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!

I am so excited to share this birth story with you guys. Cathryn struggled with secondary infertility with the birth of her daughter. It was actually a full 18 months of going through rounds of Clomid, IUI, and IVF before conceiving.

It was really tremendous to hear the whole process, have her explain how she was feeling throughout it, and just everything that goes along with infertility because there's a lot to it and it can be really hard to relate to others who are going through infertility if you haven't been through it yourself. I love that she touched on that and shared her story so openly.

During the second half of the episode, Cathryn talks about her pregnancy with her daughter and her amazing birth story, too!

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!

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!

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!

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!

For today’s episode, we spoke specifically about flipping the narrative on working mom guilt and Sarah weighed in with her brain expertise to share why being a working mom benefits children and their development!

You’ll hear as discuss what working mom guilt typically looks like, research-backed reasons why being a working mom can benefit your children, discuss the pros and cons of daycare vs. nanny care in the first year from a neuro-development perspective, and maternity/parental leave in general here in the US.

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.

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

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.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had my sister, Jenna, come on the show to help me do an "ask me anything about labor and delivery" episode! I haven't done an episode like this in a while, and it was very fun to bring it back!

These questions came straight from the MLN community, and when you listen you'll hear me talk about inductions, the big baby myth, epidural side effects, partner tips, and more!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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!

On this episode, I spoke with Courtney Miller, IBCLC all about the benefits of virtual lactation consultants.

Then we switched gears and did a total deep dive into the topic of tongue ties, which I know is something that a LOT of you are curious about.

There's so much great info packed into this episode, so definitely tune in!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

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.

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

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!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

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!

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!

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.

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

In this episode, Anita Lambert, pelvic floor PT, shared her expertise on diastasis recti so that we could do a deep dive for you guys! In the interview, you'll learn about what diastasis recti is, how to tell if you're suffering, what pregnant women can do proactively to help prevent it from happening, and what to expect if you do have a separation and seek out professional help!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

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.

Scheduled C-section on the horizon?

Get the FREE C-Section Birth Prep Pack to take control of your experience!

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!

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.

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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!

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.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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!

In this episode, I chatted with my friend Kristen Krahl who is an experienced pumping mama, certified lactation consultant, and the face behind the amazing platform Be My Breast Friend!

Inside of today's episode, Kristen weighs in on, well, all things pumping! She talked about what to look for in a pump, sizing, when to start pumping, tips for exclusive pumpers, what to do if you're seeing a dip in supply, and so. much. more. 

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast is all about the realities of black maternal health here in the US, and what we can do to spark change!

I actually put this podcast out last year, but I wanted to re-release it this week in honor of Black Maternal Health Week 2022.

To spark any kind of change surrounding racism in healthcare (and specifically in black maternal health), I truly believe that awareness is the first step.

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!

In this episode, I chatted with Leslee, a dietician who specializes in counseling mamas who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. 

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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!

Sierra and Hailey are identical twin sisters who had their first babies born within one week of each other.

And you guys, hold on to your hats. These stories are WILD. I don't want to spoil the episode, but let's just say this episode may have been longer than both of their labors combined.

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!

In this podcast, I’m going to go over the ins and outs of tearing, all the different types of ways to 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!

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!

This week on the podcast we are talking all things TODDLERS! I know a lot of you guys that listen to the podcast each week are veteran moms, who might have toddlers at home.

One topic that is brought up, again and again, is how adding a new baby to your family can affect your other kiddos. 

Devon Kuntzman joined me today from Transforming Toddlerhood, to talk about tips you can do during your pregnancy to help prep your little (or littles) for your new baby!

We talked about behaviors you can expect, tips for that first meeting, how to cope with dividing your time now that you have an additional child, and more!

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!

This week on the podcast we have part 2 of Addie's story featuring birth after still birth. If you missed last week, she shared all about her pregnancy and emergency C-section with her first daughter, Sophie, who died shortly after birth due to what can only be described as negligence on the part of her labor and delivery team. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, it is an emotional episode but one that gives context to today's part of the story.

Here in part 2, you'll hear Addie share about the birth of her rainbow baby, and then in her words, her pot of gold baby - an empowering VBAC after two previous C-sections. 

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

This is part 1 of Addie's 2 party birth story. Addie had an emergency C-section with her first daughter, Sophie, who unfortunately did not survive. Addie goes into detail about the events leading up to that day, and what I can only describe as negligence by her care team during the birth of her first daughter.

She then found herself pregnant again 3 months later with her rainbow baby, and this time chose an elective C-section for her birth. 9 months after the birth of her rainbow, she becomes pregnant with, in her words, her "pot of gold" baby. His birth was an empowering VBAC after her previous two C-sections.

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!

In this episode I share actionable ways that you can educate and advocate for yourself throughout pregnancy and birth and shed some light on the tragic black maternal death rates in the US – because it NEEDS attention!

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!

This week on the podcast I have a short and fun episode for you guys featuring my sister, Jenna! I wanted to keep it light-hearted this time because we've had quite a few longer educational episodes lately.

I quizzed her on some fun pregnancy trivia - it turned out to be WAY HARDER than I thought it was going to be, I think she only got 2 right hah. So, I invite you to play along at home too to see if you can beat her!

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!

Birth trauma is such a heavy subject and needs SO MUCH MORE light shed on to it. Dr. Cassidy is seriously one of the best guests to discuss birth trauma. She not only has personally encountered birth trauma during one of her births, which she will share in the episode, but she's also worked with countless moms who also have in her professional practice.

Today we're talking about risk factors, how birth trauma affects support people, how to process birth trauma if you've been through it, and so much more.

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

In this episode, I am talking all about C-section birth vs. vaginal birth. First, I start off by talking about some common myths regarding C-sections and the pros and cons of the two types of birth.

Then I'll discuss emergency C-sections and why they happen, what the recovery looks like between the two, and more!

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

Today I had Alison from Motherwell Nutrition on the podcast, and we chatted all about hormonal imbalances post-birth.

She discussed how to support our bodies through this period of change, some great ways to move your body in addition to focusing on your nutritional needs, and how to find a functional nutritionist in your area if you want to learn more.

I admit before I recorded this episode I really didn't quite understand what functional nutrition was...but it's SO interesting how our hormones and body systems are all connected in a lot of of what we eat!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This week on the podcast I'm chatting with pre and post-natal corrective exercise specialist, Ashley Knowe from Get Mom Strong.

She talked to me all about prenatal fitness myths vs. facts, ab training, how to even START working out as a pregnant lady if you weren't pre-pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and more!

Pregnancy to-dos piling up already?

Get your FREE Second Trimester Prep Pack to create your registry with ease and know you’re staying on track!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I'm joined by my friend and homebirth midwife, Anne Margolis, from Home Sweet Homebirth! 

Homebirth is something I am NOT very familiar with, from a practitioner standpoint - I've only EVER attended hospital births - but I do respect that some women choose home birth as an alternative to birthing in a traditional hospital setting.

Because of this, I thought it would be really educational (and fun!) to have a homebirth midwife on the podcast to talk to us about some of her experiences and answer some of my questions about home birth! Anne has been in practice for over 25 years as a midwife, so she's really seen it all!

Today we talked about home birth prenatal care, water births, hospital transfers, and so much more! You guys are going to love Anne and all she has to say in this episode!

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I talked ALL about your birth team! These are the people who will help support you throughout your labor. 

First, I discussed the different types of providers that can deliver your baby! There are two main “categories” of providers you can choose from for this job – an obstetrician or a midwife, and both come with their own set of benefits!

Then I’ll differentiate between two other essential birth team members – doulas and labor and delivery nurses (like me!).

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

Kayleigh Summers joined me to share the story of her son's birth. Kayleigh went in for what she anticipated to be a routine induction to meet her son, only to suffer an incredibly rare complication known as an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) right as she was beginning to push him out.

Amniotic fluid embolism happens in approximately 1 in 100,000 births. The infant survival rate is only about 70%, and the maternal survival rate is somewhere between 30-50%. Basically everyone's worst nightmare!

Luckily Kayleigh is here to tell her story today of being an AFE survivor, and I'm honored I had the opportunity to sit down with her and share it with you guys.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had the opportunity to chat with a male L&D nurse, which is not something I come across every day!

You guys are going to absolutely love AJ, he was so much fun to chat with, and he is also HILARIOUS! I thought he was the perfect person to join me this week, and I can't wait for you guys to listen!

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!

This week I'm talking all about third trimester FAQs! As that due date gets closer and closer it inevitably seems like we naturally get more questions that come up!

In this episode I’m going to discuss nausea in the third trimester, traveling during pregnancy, baby movements, itchy feet, labial swelling, hip pain, what to do if you water breaks unexpectedly, and more!

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we're talking all about mindset! You guys should know by now that I'm ALL about getting you in the right headspace when it comes to birth and what better person to interview about this topic than life coach, Natalie Bacon.

In this episode we talk about educating yourself, being open to change, pain coping techniques, listening to what your body is telling you, and so much more!

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!

This week on the podcast I am joined by friend Nikki over at the BelleMethod and we're talking all about pelvic floor health!

Nikki is a women’s fitness expert, Master Pilates Trainer, and passionate pelvic health advocate.

We talked about pelvic floor strength after birth, diastasis recti, signs that you may have pelvic floor weaknesses (or tension), getting back into fitness post-birth, and more!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I have a birth story lined up for you guys! And, let me just preface, this is not any ordinary birth story. This one is INTENSE and shall I even say the word? COVID-filled. Yup.

This week I had Laurel join me on the podcast to talk all about giving birth in the heart of this pandemic that we all know too well. Laurel and her husband BOTH got COVID a few days before she was due, and unfortunately, her husband was not able to attend her birth, and she had to give birth in the hospital alone.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

In this week's episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I talked ALL about preparing for labor...and specifically 10 things you shouldn't forget!

As your due date draws closer, feelings of anxiety, what-ifs, and maybe even some fear are filling your head. Maybe you're actually thinking, "Can I really do this?".

My main focus  of this episode is to give you 10 things you should do before labor starts. 

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!

Have you ever wanted to be pregnant at the same time as your BFF? Well, that's exactly what happened with this week's guests!

Shanna and Laura came onto The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast this week and talked all about being pregnant at the SAME time - what the journey was like and even brought up some struggles they faced.

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!

What do TikTok and anesthesia have in common? Well, nothing really - unless you’re my friend Dr. Maggie Printz who joined me for this week’s episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast.

Dr. Magnolia Printz is a board-certified anesthesiologist from Wisconsin, and at the time of recording she has over 800k followers on TikTok.

In this episode, I sat down with Maggie, and we chatted about all things anesthesia – especially as it relates to birth.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I was joined by Sara who wanted to talk about her journey to becoming a single mother by choice.

The big day of Sara’s embryo transfer happened just two days before we recorded, and I loved that timing because everything was so fresh in her mind.

During our conversation, you’ll hear her talk about the decision and process of freezing her eggs when she was in her early 30s, and all of the thought and steps that went into actually deciding to become a single mother by choice when she turned 40 years old.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I have an induction birth story for guys! Caitlyn Karl is a fellow mom who was on the podcast way back in episode 78. During that episode she shared with us all about her infant adoption story for her son AJ.

It was such a cool conversation and I learned SO much about what the infant adoption process looks like. At the time of recording for that show, Caitlyn was actually pregnant and expecting her first biological baby!

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had Brooke from @thesouthernishmama come on the show to talk all about her pregnancies and birth!

Brooke has a popular Instagram page where she does a lot of fun and relatable content surrounding pregnancy, motherhood, and other lifestyle topics with the use of her letterboard.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

This week I had a chance to chat with Katie from The Breastfeeding Mama. Katie is a mom of three boys, and after the birth of her second baby, she faced a ton of challenges with breastfeeding.

That’s where her journey towards becoming The Breastfeeding Mama started, and really where her passion for helping other women succeed at breastfeeding began too.

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I have a really exciting birth story to share with you guys! I actually had a personal friend of mine, Tess Camp, come on the show to tell the story of her three very different deliveries, with an emphasis on her extremely precipitous labor and second birth!

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!

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.

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!

This week I was joined by Caitlin Fitzgerald for the very eventful and traumatic birth story of her first baby during the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Caitlin opens up about her unexpected induction, unplanned C-section, a NICU stay, postpartum struggles, and so much more!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had a chance to chat with the founders of Feeding Littles!

Feeding Littles is a platform that’s dedicated to helping parents learn how to confidently feed their babies, toddlers, and older kids. They offer online courses and resources to share their knowledge as feeding experts with families around the world.

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This week we are talking all about infant car seat safety with a certified child passenger safety technician and preventable injury specialist, Brigette Watson.

This is a topic that I am always happy to discuss and bring awareness to because car seats are something many of us use every day with our little ones, and it’s actually so easy to make mistakes without even realizing it. I know even I can be guilty of it!

Stressed about your baby registry?

Get the FREE Baby Registry Checklist created by an L&D nurse and veteran mom for insider tips and an organized list of the things you *actually* need!

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!

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!

This week we’ve got part two of our two-part episode with the lovely, Lindsey Shipley, from Lactation Link. She’s a board-certified lactation consultant and a fellow labor and delivery nurse.

Last week on the show we had so much fun chatting and demystifying some of the most common, yet lesser understood L&D terms you might come across during your pregnancy and birth. And this week we’re focusing on your top breastfeeding questions!

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had the opportunity to chat with Lindsey Shipley from over at Lactation Link.

This episode is actually episode one of a two-part series where we address some labor and delivery terms and other terminology surrounding pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding!

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!

This week I chatted with Allison Janadu, a potty training consultant and the face behind the popular potty training Instagram account @pottytrainingconsultant all about potty training!

At the time this episode aired, she and her team at Potty Training Consultants have helped over 2000 families meet their potty-training goals.

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had a chance to chat with Kim Perry about her birth stories!

Kim is a prenatal and postnatal fitness specialist and the face behind the very popular Instagram account @kimperryco, where she shares glimpses into her life as a mom to three little ones, and educates and empowers women to stay fit, strong, and healthy during pregnancy and beyond.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had Sarah, a prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher, come on the show to talk through the ins and outs of yoga during pregnancy!

We talked about some of the benefits that prenatal yoga can provide to pregnant moms, if it’s safe in all trimesters, and when’s the best trimester to do prenatal yoga. She talked about some of her favorite poses and some of the more popular poses. And then we talked about postnatal yoga and baby yoga as well!

Pregnancy to-dos piling up already?

Get your FREE Second Trimester Prep Pack to create your registry with ease and know you’re staying on track!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I did a solo episode talking all about C-section recovery! 

As the basis for this episode, I was able to pull recovery tips that veteran C-section mamas dropped for me over on Instagram. I figured there is no one who can better speak to this better than the mamas that have gone through it first hand.

I start off the episode by talking about what veteran C-section mamas wish they had put in their C-section hospital bag. In fact, I pulled this info from an article I put together last year (read it here!) because you guys blew me away with the suggestions! There is so much good advice.

Scheduled C-section on the horizon?

Get the FREE C-Section Birth Prep Pack to take control of your experience!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had the chance to chat with Sharon Mazel to debunk a bunch of different pregnancy myths!

We start the episode by learning more about Sharon and her background with the What to Expect brand. And how after 23 years she left the brand to branch out on her own, but is still continuing to educate new parents through her website, parenting courses, and guides, and of course over on her Instagram page @sharonmazel.

Tune in to hear us talk about a variety of myths and facts so that we can set the record straight on these fertility and pregnancy topics once and for all!

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!

On this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had the opportunity to chat with Erica from Happy as a Mother. She’s a registered psychotherapist with a master’s degree in counseling psychology and postgraduate certificates in couples and family therapy as well as maternal mental health.

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I’m excited to have a first-ever kind of “birth” story for this show, and that is an infant adoption story!

Caitlin Karl, a fellow mom who’s actually currently pregnant, came on to share all about their journey to adopting their 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 what the order would like that.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I hosted a solo episode talking all about spontaneous labor versus inductions, and why spontaneous labor is typically preferred. I also touch on the timeline of medical inductions and what that entails.

You’ll learn about a few things you can do during your pregnancy to prep your body for labor, too! And then at the end of the episode I share the quick version of what I personally did with both of my boys to get myself into labor.

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!

This week I had Carole Kramer, the founder of Boston Baby Nurse and Nanny come on the show to talk about newborn care specialists and overnight newborn services!

Sleep is such a necessity to maintaining our mental health, that sometimes it DOES make sense to bring in some professional support in the early days, especially if you don’t have local support that can help you overnight.

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

In this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I had my friend (and doula!) Stephanie come on the show to share her unique twin birth story!

A lot of people don’t realize that twins do NOT have to be born via C-section. Tons of mamas are able to birth their twins vaginally. Your ability to do this depends mostly on the way the presenting baby is positioned. If they are head down, you’ll often get the green light for a vaginal birth.

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!

This episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast is all about postpartum anxiety and preparing for postpartum during pregnancy.

Postpartum anxiety is a common, but less talked about reality for many new moms and one that I personally struggled with after both of my babies were born.

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

his episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast is all about the realities of black maternal health here in the US, and what we can do to spark change!

We’ve done some feed posts over on IG about this topic before to help raise awareness, but I knew I wanted to take more of a deep dive over here.

It’s a topic that can be really heavy in some ways, but it’s one that needs a LOT of light! If we’re going to spark any kind of change surrounding racism in healthcare (and specifically in black maternal health) I truly believe that awareness is the first step.

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!

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!

Want to feel in control before birth?

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Podcast, I had the chance to chat with Dr. Darria, an ER doctor, regular contributor on CNN, NBC, and The Dr. Oz Show, and auther of Mom Hacks.

This episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast is light-hearted and fun! I always like to feature interesting and unconventional birth stories, interview experts on various pregnancy symptoms and complications, and discuss all things labor and delivery.

But every once in a while, I like to do an episode that is just, well, FUN! And that’s where this idea came from.

My sister Jenna (who has never been pregnant and is not currently pregnant!) came on for a little segment I’m calling “labor games”. I broke it up into four categories – and they were all a total hit!

So, if you’re looking for some easy listening, pregnancy-related fun, you’re in the right place.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had a chance to do an expert interview with the fabulous Kathlena from @TheAllergyChef.

The episode is about all allergies, specifically food allergies, and even more specifically, milk allergies!

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!

In this episode, I had professional dog trainer, Michelle, come on the Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast to talk all about dogs and babies.

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!

You can learn more about Michelle here:

• Website: www.PoochParenting.net 
• Instagram: @PoochParenting
• Podcast: Pooch Parenting
• Free Facebook group: Parenting Kids and Dogs

On this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had the opportunity to talk to a fellow mom, Serena, about her baby's incredible liver transplant story!

It’s a little different than some of our other birth stories, but I was so thrilled to have her come on and share her inspiring and miraculous story, and raise awareness about the power and importance of organ donation.

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!

In this episode, I interview Kelly Stumpe, aka The Car Mom, about how to buy the right car as a new parent.

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!

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, Lindsey Wimmer the founder and director of Star Legacy Foundation came on the show to talk about stillbirth and poor pregnancy outcomes.

Stillbirth, neonatal death, and pregnancy loss are difficult topics to discuss, but raising awareness, opening dialogue, and knowing where to find support are crucial for those experiencing these realities.

Want to eliminate stress before birth?

Get your FREE 3rd Trimester Prep Pack to know everything is done and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag!

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!

In this week's episode, my business partner and fellow labor and delivery nurse, Tiffany Tippin, talk about what it's like to be a labor and delivery nurse!

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!

In today’s episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we’re going to set the record straight on pregnancy fitness! I’m interviewing Sarah Kuhn, a prenatal and postnatal exercise specialist and the founder of Juna!

Pregnancy to-dos piling up already?

Get your FREE Second Trimester Prep Pack to create your registry with ease and know you’re staying on track!

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!

Sponsor

Juna is the companion app for your motherhood journey.

Sarah, the founder of Juna, created the app to provide scientifically backed and up-to-date fitness and nutrition information, all in one place.

When you download Juna you’ll enter your baby’s due date or your baby’s birthday, and you’ll be put directly into the appropriate week of your journey.

There’s a key nutrient every single week with recipe suggestions, a daily trimester-specific workout, and pregnancy and postpartum tips from Sarah and the team at Juna. There’s really no other app like it out there!

Sarah is giving a special offer to Mommy Labor Nurse listeners so right now you can get Juna for 25% off a yearly subscription by using the code LIESEL at subscribe.juna.co.

In this episode, my mom and sister join the podcast to talk about our two vastly different birth stories!

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!

About Sharon Heinzelmann

Sharon lives in Raleigh, North Carolina and currently owns and renovates rental properties with her husband. She has two daughters, Liesel and Jenna, and two grandsons, Walter and Ryland, who she loves to pieces!

In this episode, I answer your most commonly asked questions about labor and delivery!

Here are the questions I go over!

1. Any advice on choosing a pediatrician?
2. Is it standard to have to lie down to push?
3. Is it normal for Braxton Hicks to slow down?
4. Fetal hiccups. When to worry?
5. Third pregnancy, 37 weeks, baby hasn’t dropped yet, previous babies dropped early, normal?
6. If my water breaks and I go to the hospital, am I stuck in the bed?
7. Have you had any moms with polycystic kidney disease have a success for delivery without a C-section?
8. 3 1/2 months postpartum, normal delivery. Having white, glass like discharge in vagina. Is this normal?
9. Is it true that you must wake up to do a night feed to keep milk supply up?
10. Can you explain what station mean? Midwife said I was -2 at 36 weeks pregnant.
11. How long will your cervix stay dilated at 10 cm?
12. What are good thank you gifts for nurses?
13. Is lightning crotch OK to have at 28 weeks?
14. Is it possible to do skin-to-skin immediately after a C-section? 
15. How often is your nurse typically in the room? Is Covid changing this?
16. Where in the arm is a saline lock to IV usually in place? Are different placements better for movement?
17. Any TV shows about labor and delivery?

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!

Sponsors

Kindred Bravely

Kindred Bravely is a company built on love - a love that is poured into every piece of clothing they bring to life. Their clothes are meticulously designed to make your motherhood journey easier, from the bump to the breast and beyond. You deserve to look and feel great all of the time, Mama!

They have two goals: creating maternity and nursing clothes that are beautiful, useful, and comfortable, and building a community of moms who support and encourage each other on the motherhood journey.

Kindred Bravely has donated over $500,000 worth of hands-free pumping and nursing bras to mamas who are currently working in healthcare during this pandemic as a thank you for what they’re doing every day.

Use code MLN15 to get 15% off all Kindred Bravely products.

Uqora

Uqora is an effective way to flush out UTI-causing bacteria. Uqora flushes out new bacteria introduced to the urinary tract after activities like sex or exercise. You can drink after activities that trigger your UTI's. Uqora binds to bacteria and increases your urinary flow to flush bacteria out.

Use code MOMMY to get 30% off all Uqora products at uqora.com/mommy!

In this episode, Kelsey shares her two very different birth stories with her son and daughter, the second being a healing experience after the trauma from her first.

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!

About Kelsey Fay

Kelsey Fay is a 27 year old stay at home mother of 2. She and her husband has been married for almost 4 years, together for 11 years total!

She welcomed her first child in February of 2018, experiencing a somewhat traumatic birth, including a failed epidural, a fast labor that resulted in her doctor not arriving in time, and an experience with a less than helpful lactation consultant.

Her second birth, in December of 2019, was another quick birth, and required vacuum assistance as a result of her son’s heart rate dropping quite a few time. However, even though her second birth required some unexpected interventions due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around her son’s neck multiple times, she felt that it was very much a healing experience after the trauma of her daughter’s birth. 

Sponsor

Milkology provides affordable yet high quality online courses all about breastfeeding and pumping. Milkology has The Ultimate Breastfeeding Class, The Ultimate Back to Work Pumping Class, The Ultimate Exclusive Pumping Class, Pump it Up, and Master your Milk Supply!

Use code MLN10 to get 10% off any Milkology course!

In this episode, Brittany shares her unplanned 39-hour long induction at 37 weeks.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

About Brittany Dougherty

Brittany Dougherty is a mom to a 1.5 year old and is currently pregnant with baby number two. She lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband, son, and two dogs. She is a civil engineer by trade, but she enjoys talking about pregnancy and babies whenever she gets the chance.

You can learn more about Brittany here:

• Growing Our Family Podcast & Blog Website: https://growingourfamily.com/
• Instagram: @growingrfamily

Resources

• Listen to Brittany's podcast episode that I was on here!

In this episode, my business partner and personal friend Tiffany shares her empowering unmedicated birth story with her second son, Callan.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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!

About Tiffany Tippin

Tiffany is a long-time friend to Liesel, a co-owner of Mommy Labor Nurse, and a fellow labor and delivery nurse. After marrying her husband Ben, Tiffany got pregnant shortly afterwards and on April 18th, 2019 delivered her first son, Wyatt.

In this episode, my business partner and personal friend Tiffany shares her birth story and difficult postpartum experience with her first son, Wyatt.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

About Tiffany Tippin

Tiffany is a long-time friend to Liesel, a co-owner of Mommy Labor Nurse, and a fellow labor and delivery nurse. After marrying her husband Ben, Tiffany got pregnant shortly afterwards and on April 18th, 2019 delivered her first son, Wyatt.

Sponsor

Kindred Bravely is a company built on love - a love that is poured into every piece of clothing they bring to life. Their clothes are meticulously designed to make your motherhood journey easier, from the bump to the breast and beyond. You deserve to look and feel great all of the time, Mama!

They have two goals: creating maternity and nursing clothes that are beautiful, useful, and comfortable, and building a community of moms who support and encourage each other on the motherhood journey.

Kindred Bravely has donated over $500,000 worth of hands-free pumping and nursing bras to mamas who are currently working in healthcare during this pandemic as a thank you for what they’re doing every day.

Use code MLN15 to get 15% off all Kindred Bravely products.

In this episode, I interview my friend Parijat, a high-risk pregnancy specialist, all about stress and how it relates to pregnancy and delivery.

Here are the questions we go over!

1. Talk to me about how stress can play a part in pregnancy?
2. How is stress related to preterm labor/other complications during pregnancy?
3. What are some of the high risk complications that can occur related to stress?
4. What are some tips we can do to reduce our stress during pregnancy?
5. How about postpartum - is stress related to complications during postpartum as well?

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!

About Parijat Deshpande

Parijat Deshpande is a leading high-risk pregnancy specialist, somatic trauma professional and speaker, and author who guides women to improve their pregnancy complications so they can reduce their risk of preterm birth. Her unique neurobiological approach has served hundreds of women to manage pregnancy complications and reclaim a safety and trust in their bodies that they thought was eroded forever.

Parijat is the author of bestselling book Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. She is also the host of the popular podcast Delivering Miracles®, that discusses the real, raw side of family-building including infertility, loss, high-risk pregnancy, bed rest, prematurity and healing once baby comes home.

You can learn more about Parijat here:

• Website: https://parijatdeshpande.com/
• Instagram: @healthy.highriskpregnancy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParijatDesh/
• Parijat's Book, Pregnancy Brain
• Listen to the Delivering Miracles® podcast

Sponsor

Is there something interfering with your happiness or is preventing you from achieving your goals? Betterhelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. 

You’ll get timely and thoughtful responses, plus you can schedule weekly video or phone sessions so you won’t ever have to sit in an uncomfortable waiting room as with traditional therapy! Betterhelp wants you to start living a happier life TODAY.

In this episode, Erin shares her traumatic birth story with her twin daughters and her redemptive unmedicated birth story with her son.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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!

About Erin

• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Helpful book Erin read to help prepare for her second delivery
• http://www.chicagobirthboutique.com/: Erin's doula, Lauren Elliott in Chicago

In this episode, I interview my friend KC all about baby's milestones in the first year of life. 

• Instagram: @milestones.and.motherhood,
• Website: www.milestonesandmotherhood.com

In this episode, Madison shares her positive natural induction story with her daughter Everly.

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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!

About Madison

Madison is a former teacher turned stay-at-home mom after the birth of her first daughter, Everly, in October 2019. Through her blog, Little Teacher Wife, she shares posts about marriage, family, and teaching to help make fellow mom’s lives a little bit easier!

In this episode, my Mommy Labor Nurse team members and I continue the conversation about my second postpartum experience with Ryland!

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

In this episode, my Mommy Labor Nurse team members and I discuss my second postpartum experience with Ryland!

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

In this episode, I interview my friend Brookes, a nurse practitioner, all about women's health! We talk about PCOS, fertility, endometriosis, and more!

Prenatal care feeling tricky to navigate?

My FREE 45 Minute Workshop will teach you what to expect, educate you about important tests and procedures, and ensure you’re making the most of your prenatal care!

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!

About Brookes Vaughn

Brookes is the founder of The Women’s Health Company and a Board Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner with over 5 years of experience in Women’s Healthcare.

Brookes received her BS in Public Health from UGA and her WHNP from Vanderbilt University. Brookes’ passion is to educate, equip, and empower women to become whole and healthy by providing them with evidence-based Women’s Health resources and life-giving encouragement.

Brookes is a lover of the Georgia Dawgs, dirty chai lattes, and healthy baking. She lives outside of Athens, GA with her husband, Schuyler, and golden retriever, Riggins.

You can learn more about Brookes here:

• Instagram: @thewomenshealthcompany and @brookesbvaughan_np
• Website: thewomenshealthcompany.com

Resources

• Recommended Registered Dietician

In this episode, Malori shares her hotel birth story with us via C-section, and talks about her fertility struggles. 

Scheduled C-section on the horizon?

Get the FREE C-Section Birth Prep Pack to take control of your experience!

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!

• Instagram: @warriorlifewellness
• Blog: https://www.warriorlifewellness.com
• YouTube: http://bit.ly/maloriyoutube

In this episode, my friend Marley talks all about how maternity care differs in the UK!

Prenatal care feeling tricky to navigate?

My FREE 45 Minute Workshop will teach you what to expect, educate you about important tests and procedures, and ensure you’re making the most of your prenatal care!

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!

About Marley Hall

In this episode, my employees and I discuss my second birth story with my son Ryland!

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get the FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack for the confidence you need, because simply wanting it might not be enough!

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!

Resources

• http://www.milescircuit.com/

In this episode, my friend Stephanie and I talk about everything doula!

About Stephanie Sinclair

In this episode, my friend Ashley talks to us about her three very different birth experiences, ranging from a C-section to VBAC to a traumatic birth. She has also experienced preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and IUGR.

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!

About Ashley Boyd

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theboydtales/

In this episode, Samantha shares her powerful unmedicated birth story with her third using mindfulness and meditation techniques!

You can learn more about Samantha here:

• Blog: Evidence-Based Mommy
• Pinterest: pinterest.com/evidencemommy

In this episode, I interview my friend Karrie, a postpartum and nursery RN, all about what she does to take care of patients postpartum, recovery, breastfeeding, bleeding, and more!

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

In this episode, my friend Marta shares her birth story having TRIPLETS!

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!

In this episode, my friend Gail, the founder of Spinning Babies®, comes back a second time to talk inductions, VBACs, belly mapping, and more!

Click here to listen to part 1!

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!

Sponsor

The word “Spinning” in Spinning Babies® means how babies move through the pelvis to find the most space to come down. What makes birth easier for baby is what makes birth easier for Mom. 

Our Spinning Babies® mission is to make physiological birth more accessible to birthing people and providers alike. For instance, we believe that being head down is only half the story. How baby’s head enters the top of the pelvis correlates with length of labor and ease of labor. When facing forward a first baby may not be able to rotate for a day or two. We offer daily activities to add comfort in pregnancy now and ease in labor later.  

The Daily Essentials video is the easiest way to learn the habits and moves. Starting in mid-pregnancy is ideal. 

The Parent Class video or an in-person Parent Class for late pregnancy. The Parent Class video has lots of labor tips and techniques for comfort and also to help labor stay on track to help avoid cesareans simply because baby’s not aiming into the pelvis. 

Does your doctor or midwife require baby to be head down before labor? Do they do cesarean birth for all breeches? Are you pregnant and hoping to avoid surgery? Then the Helping Your Breech Baby Turn eBook is for you. Prepare for an easier childbirth with this eBook, a self-directed 6-day program for pregnant parents with a breech baby developed by a Certified Professional Midwife.

Listeners of Mommy Nurse Labor podcast can use the code MOMMY15 on the Spinning Babies® online shop for 15% off your purchase of the Helping Your Breech Baby Turn eBook.

Warning: This episode talks about infant loss. If you have experienced infant and/or pregnancy loss, please proceed with caution.

In this very special episode, my friend Maria shares her story with us about her beautiful daughter, Camila. 

You can learn more about Maria here:

Instagram: hopeforcamila and mariaevaitriago

Resources

For more support with Di George’s Syndrome (22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome):

• https://www.22q.org/
• https://22qfamilyfoundation.org/what-22q/22q-overview

For Free Early Intervention Services and Pregnancy Support in Southwest Kansas Area:
Russell Child Development Center
(620)-275-0291
https://www.rcdc4kids.org/
FB: RUSSELL CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Books for Grieving Families:

• The Fight to Flourish by Jennie Lusko
• It was not supposed to be this way by Lisa TerKeurst
• Be the One to Heal Yourself by Beth Rogerson, PhD

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!

In this episode, I answer the most commonly asked questions about the first trimester!

In this episode, I interview my friend Sandy, an IBCLC, and we answer all of your breastfeeding questions!

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

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!

Sponsor

Mommy Knows Best empowers all moms with the tools and resources necessary to give your newborn the best start in life! From an assortment of delicious lactation cookies to supplements and beyond, their products contain all natural herbal remedies traditionally and effectively used for generations to treat low milk supply.

Whether you’re a new mom or a pro, Mommy Knows Best gives you plenty of options, all of which are created with the health and safety of both baby and mom in mind. 

Plus, I’m really excited to tell you they just added a new gluten and dairy free lactation cookie mix this week! 

Use code LABORNURSE10 to get 10% off all Mommy Knows Best products valid at MommyKnowsBest.com!

In this episode, Jasmine shares her preemie story at 25 weeks.

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

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!

About Jasmine Hill

In this episode, I interview my friend Ryann all about pregnancy nutrition and other factors that relate such as cravings, morning sickness, prenatal vitamins, and more!

In this episode, I go over a highly requested topic that you guys have sent me: EPIDURALS!!

Here are the questions we go over!

Sponsor

Larken was born out of a struggle to find a comfortable and simple way to nurse and pump. While pumping and nursing their daughters, the Larken co-founders tried several bulky, ill-fitting tops and bras with irritating elastic and cumbersome snaps and zippers. Frustrated with the options on the market, they knew there had to be a better way. So they designed it.

Their all-in-one nursing and hands-free pumping bra is the first without any irritating elastic, snaps, zippers, or other hardware. It's super easy to use and ultra-comfortable. It provides relaxed support without being restrictive.

All of their products are hardware free and are made with incredibly soft, breathable materials with great stretch and recovery so they can adapt to mom's changing body. Their customers have shared that they love being able to wear them all day for easy transitions between nursing and pumping without ever having to change bras or undress, and they also sleep in them at night because of how comfortable they are. 

They've been named by The Bump, Scary Mommy, US Weekly and New York Magazine as a best hands-free pumping bra.

Use code LIESEL10 for 10% off any Larken products.

In this episode, my friend Marta and I went over some important topics related to high risk pregnancies, genetic screenings, inductions, and more!

Here are the questions we go over!

Mommy Knows Best empowers all moms with the tools and resources necessary to give your newborn the best start in life! From an assortment of delicious lactation cookies to supplements and beyond, their products contain all natural herbal remedies traditionally and effectively used for generations to treat low milk supply.

Whether you’re a new mom or a pro, Mommy Knows Best gives you plenty of options, all of which are created with the health and safety of both baby and mom in mind. 

Plus, I’m really excited to tell you they just added a new gluten and dairy free lactation cookie mix this week! 

Use code: LIESEL10 to get 10% off all Mommy Knows Best products valid at MommyKnowsBest.com!

There are a lot of questions and fear surrounding labor! In this episode, I go over some common labor and delivery fears such as pooping, tearing, C-sections, and more!

In this episode, my friend Meaghan shares her induction experience followed by an agonizing 4th degree vaginal tear.

In this episode, my friend Brittany shares her story with us about her 3 miscarriages. In the second-half of the episode, I answer some of your common questions about miscarriages and loss. 

Here are the questions I go over:

1. How common is miscarriage?
2. What are the signs/symptoms of miscarriage?
3. How does age increase the risk of miscarriage?
4. What exactly happens when you have a miscarriage?
5. What are some of the treatment options?
6. What may I see? What do I do if I am managing it at home?
7. How soon can I conceive again?

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!

In this episode, I interview my friend Lisa, the founder of Bumpin Blends, about common nutritional needs during pregnancy!

Here are the topics we go over:

In this episode, my friend Amanda shares her stillborn story with us about her beautiful daughter, Juniper Ann.

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!

In this episode, I interview my friends Julie and Meagan all about VBACs!

The VBAC Link’s mission is to make birth after Cesarean better by providing education, support, and a community of like-minded people. Organized by Julie Francom and Meagan Heaton, VBAC moms, doulas, educators, and doula trainers, they have supported over 700 women on their individual VBAC journeys and have a community of thousands of women all over the world. 

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!

1. What should I do if I need help?
2. What are some of the common treatment methods?
3. Are there certain risk factors?
4. What should I say to people if they think I’m fine, because I don’t look sick?
5. How long will it take for me to feel better?

Feeling alone on your postpartum journey?

CLICK HERE to get supportive tips and advice from an L&D nurse and veteran mom sent straight to your inbox each week!

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!