Birth Kweens

Latest Episodes:

Ep 18: The Glamorous Life of a Birth Worker Jan 18, 2018

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There are so many amazing things about being a birth worker – supporting strong women as they work hard to birth their babies, witnessing families be born, the list goes on and on! But there's another side of the story that isn't talked about as much… the less-than-glamorous parts of the job. In this episode of the Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali tell some of their best stories about the most challenging and exhausting parts of their jobs and what they do to stay healthy, happy, and relatively sane in the midst of it all. As always, there's lots of laughs (because what's a better coping skill than humor!?!?). Enjoy!

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The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women's health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at birthkweens@gmail.com with your questions, suggestions and feedback.

Ep 17: Postpartum Healing & the Fourth Trimester with Kimberly Johnson Jan 11, 2018

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Karly and Ali talk with the incredible Kimberly Johnson about the importance of women being nurtured and supported throughout the 'fourth trimester', or the postpartum period. Kimberly is a Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution practitioner, birth doula, and single mom who specializes in helping women prepare for birth, recover from birth injuries and birth trauma, and heal from sexual trauma. She is the founder of Magamama.com, an international holistic women's health care resource for expectant and new mothers. She is the co-founder of the STREAM School for Postpartum Care, where she trains birth professionals, yoga teachers, somatic therapists, and bodyworkers to help women prepare for birth and recover from birth. She is also the author of The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions and Restoring Your Vitality. Kimberly talks with the Birth Kweens about her own difficult postpartum experience and how that led her down the path of birth work and trauma healing. Here's what you'll learn about in this episode:

Kimberly's own birth and postpartum experience with her 10 year old daughter, particularly how unprepared she was for the postpartum period
How the physical trauma she experienced from her birth resulted in years of pain and pelvic floor dysfunction which ultimately led her down a path of seeking out alternative, non-surgical modalities of healing
The huge gaps that exist in postpartum care, particularly regarding the lack of training and knowledge that midwives and obstetricians have about treating scar tissues and pelvic floor dysfunction
The importance of addressing the mind AND the body to achieve complete postpartum healing
The reason Kimberly was driven to write her book and what she's hoping to accomplish with it
A few other helpful books about postpartum healing that Kimberly used in her journey to healing:
- Click here for Natural Health After Birth: The Complete Guide to Postpartum Welless by Aviva Jill Romm
- Click here for The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou
- Click here for Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood - and Trusting Yourself and Your Body by Erica Chidi Cohen
The 5 universal needs of every postpartum woman and why meeting these needs will heal us on a societal level.
Click here to buy Kimberly's wonderful new book, The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions and Restoring Your Vitality
Click here to see the promo video for the book.
Click here to listen to Kimberly podcast MAGAMAMA

Thanks for listening to another episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast!

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Ep 16: Postpartum Sex & Fertility Jan 04, 2018

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In this week's episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali get into the nitty gritty details of postpartum sex and fertility – YAS KWEEN! Here's a list of the specific things that the gals cover in this episode:

How tearing during birth can impact postpartum sex
The details about perineal massage during pregnancy – does it really help prevent tearing and is it worth the time/energy/lubricant that it requires?!
When it's safe to resume sex after giving birth and the risks associated with having sex before you're completely healed
The wide spectrum of normal when it comes to how soon women are ready to resume sex postpartum
The various kinds of sensations that women can experience during postpartum sex and some possible root causes of discomfort/pain
The impact that breastfeeding can have on sex, including libido and lubrication
The importance of talking with your partner as early as possible about realistic expectations regarding postpartum sex
The emotional and lifestyle changes of the postpartum period and how those factors can impact sex
How pelvic floor physical therapy can help with painful intercourse (and all manner of pelvic floor dysfunction!)
The importance of reconnecting with your body/vagina in the postpartum period and how doing some self-exploration with lubricant can aid in understanding the physical changes that have occurred and whether there's any scar tissue
The impact of postpartum mood disorders on sex drive
How thyroid issues can impact libido
Fertility in the postpartum period – when it comes back and how you know that you're fertile again
How breastfeeding impacts fertility and whether it is REALLY an effective means of birth control
How your birth control options change postpartum, especially if you're breastfeeding
- The Justisse Method book about fertility awareness
- The Fertile Focus Ovulation Microscope
- A basal body temperature thermometer that syncs with smartphones
- The super cool and fancy fertility tracking systems offered by Daysy and KindaraHere are the products mentioned in this show:
- YES Personal Lubricant (water-based! won't feed the yeast beast inside of you!!!)
- Sir Richard's Condoms - a natural alternative to the typical [chemical-ridden] condoms being used by most people

That's all for this episode of the show! Thanks for listening, Kweens!

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Ep 15: Birth Story with Monica (pt. II) Dec 29, 2017

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In part two of Monica's birth story, she talks about the birth of her son, Murphy. The pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences were completely different with Murphy than they were with Betsy and she explains why. Here are a few high points from this episode:

The breastfeeding challenges and postpartum anxiety she dealt with after her first birth and how those experiences informed her postpartum expectations for baby #2
What bonding with her new babies looked like and how "baby bliss" was NOT a thing she experienced in the early days with either of her babies.
What it's like to be a working mom and how much Monica actually looked forward to going back to work after maternity leave
How Monica and her husband made the decision to have another baby and how preparing for that birth was different than her first
Monica's expectations and fears for birth #2 given the rather traumatic experience she had with her first birth
The Wellness Mama article on preventing GBS that Monica mentions
What it was like to go into labor spontaneously (and before 41 weeks!) with baby #2
How Murphy's birth unfolded – unmedicated and in a birth center just like she wanted!
The magical Bucky 40 Blinks eye mask that helped Monica through her labor and birth
The healing that Monica experienced through her second birth

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Ep 14: Birth Story with Monica (pt. I) Dec 28, 2017

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In this episode, Karly and Ali sit down with Monica, Ali's best friend/N.O.K. (Number One Kween), to hear about the birth of her first child, Betsy. This birth did not go as planned and involved a lot of surrender, acceptance, and flexbility. Monica reflects beautifully on the steps she and her husband took to prepare for Betsy's birth and what it was like to walk through labor, delivery, and the early postpartum period. Here are some of the specific points that Monica includes in Betsy's birth story:

Planning on and preparing for a natural birth, including seeking out midwifery care, hiring a doula, and taking Hypnobirthing classes
The impact that being raised in culture of body shame had on Monica's pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences
How it was empowering to take an interest in her birth experience and plan for a low-intervention birth
What it was like to go 2 weeks over due (aka – EMOTIONAL WARFARE) and all the natural induction tools that Monica tried
Dealing with cervical scar tissue, back labor, and thick meconium throughout labor
The use of an epidural and Pitocin despite the original plan to have an unmedicated, low-intervention birth
Processing her birth experience in the months following Betsy's birth
How Monica and Ali fell in love and became best kween friends because of Betsy's birth

Enjoy, Kweens!!

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Ep 13: Induction: An Eviction Notice for Your Uterus Dec 21, 2017

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This week on Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali dive into one of the most relevant topics for birthing families today: INDUCTION! Here's an overview of what we covered in this episode:

What exactly IS an induction?!
The questionable reasons that are often used to justify [medically unnecessary] inductions, including suspected big baby, advanced maternal age, diet-controlled gestational diabetes, scheduling preferences (aka – my doctor is working tomorrow/my mom is coming into town/etc.), and provider preference.
Article on the evidence for induction with a suspected big baby - https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/
Article on the evidence for induction for advanced maternal age - https://evidencebasedbirth.com/advanced-maternal-age/
Article on the evidence for induction for low fluid -https://www.scienceandsensibility.org/p/bl/et/blogid=2&blogaid=503
Legitimate/medically-necessary reasons to consider an induction, including diabetes (type I or med-controlled GD), pre-eclampsia, cholestasis, IUGR, baby showing distress during prenatal screenings, a severe shoulder dystocia in a previous birth, a history of stillbirth, family scheduling issues (i.e. your partner is being deployed), and, most importantly, when mom's intuition tells her it's the right thing to do.
Article summing up ACOG's guidelines regarding the management of late-term and post-term pregnancies - http://contemporaryobgyn.modernmedicine.com/contemporary-obgyn/news/acog-guidelines-management-late-term-and-postterm-pregnancies?page=full)
Exercises to encourage baby's head to engage in the pelvis - https://spinningbabies.com/start/in-pregnancy/is-baby-engaged-yet/
Info about the Bishop's Score – what it is and why you should know yours if you're considering an induction
Info about natural (out of hospital) induction methods, including acupuncture, castor oil, nipple stimulation, and all of the most common things that people try when they're trying to get labor started
Evidence on the use of evening primrose oil as a means to inducing labor - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10380450
Link to purchase cotton root bark tincture - https://www.herb-pharm.com/products/product-detail/cotton
What to expect with a hospital induction (length of time, meds that are used, etc.)

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Ep 12: Interview with Sera Bonds of Circle of Health International Dec 18, 2017

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In this special bonus episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with Sera Bonds, the founder and CEO of the incredible aid organization Circle of Health International. Sera is an activist committed to working towards balancing the scales of access, equity, and availability in women's reproductive healthcare. She has training in midwifery, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women's Studies, and a Masters Degree in Public Health. The Birth Kweens had her on the show to talk about the amazing work that Circle of Health International is doing all over the world and to encourage people to support their efforts. Here's an overview of what you'll hear in this episode:

Sera's background and how she ended up starting Circle of Health International
How and why the midwifery model of care is a central tenant to the way that COHI operates
How COHI differs from most other aid organizations
Stories about various aid projects, both past and present – where COHI got involved, how they helped, and why it was successful

Not only is this organization doing incredible work, but they're doing it in a culturally sensitive way that places high value on the needs and perspectives of the community that they're serving. The Birth Kweens are huge supporters of COHI and its unique, women-centered approach to aid work. We know that resources are limited for many people, but if you are able please consider supporting Circle of Health International in one of the following ways:

If you'd like to donate money to support COHI, click here
If you'd like to donate supplies, click here
If you're interested in getting involved with COHI as a volunteer, click here
More information about the In Her Shoes Campaign and the Go the Distance Campaign

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Ep 11: Fertility and TTC with Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP Dec 14, 2017

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In this episode, Ali and Karly talk with the wonderful Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP about fertility issues and using Chinese medicine to support people who are trying to conceive. Bridgit practiced Chinese medicine for 13 years and is a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner. She became passionate about women's health and fertility after her own difficult postpartum period. She currently runs an online women's health community called Women's Wellness Collaborative and has her own podcast, Women's Wellness Radio. Here's an overview of what she shared with the Birth Kweens in this episode:

How infertility is viewed from a Chinese medicine perspective and how that differs from the perspective of western medicine
Some of the Chinese medicine techniques used to treat infertility
How acupuncture can be used in conjunction with western fertility treatments like IUI and IVF to increase the chances of success
The role that Functional Diagnostic Nutrition can play in treating infertility
The impacts of stress on fertility
The mental and emotional impact that infertility can have on people who are TTC and the importance of getting support throughout that process
How reducing inflammation can help with infertility

If you're interested in signing up for Bridgit's Perfect Periods course, click here. (This is a great resource for anyone struggling with infertility, heavy or irregular periods, and PMS – it's not to be missed!)

If you'd like to receive Bridgit's free fertility eBook, click here.

If you'd like to receive the series of interviews with fertility experts featured in Bridgit's Fertility Week Series, go to the homepage of her website, scroll down until you see "Fertility Week" on the right hand side, and input your contact info.

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Ep 10: Cervical Dysplasia with Dr. Elizabeth Winter Dec 07, 2017

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This week on the Birth Kweens podcast, Dr. Elizabeth Winter joins Karly and Ali to talk about cervical dysplasia. Dr. Winter is naturopathic doctor in San Diego, CA who specializes in women's health and pediatrics. She is extremely knowledgeable about cervical dysplasia and offers a wealth of information about alternative treatment methods. Here's what you will learn about in this episode:

What is cervical dysplasia and how is it diagnosed
The connections and differences between cervical dysplasia, HPV, and cervical cancer
What it means when the results of a pap smear come back abnormal
The role that a colposcopy and cervical biopsy play in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical dysplasia
Risk factors for HPV and cervical dysplasia
How to diagnose and treat HPV in men (and how it differs from diagnosis and treatment in women)
The following [startling] facts: Approximately 70-80% of women and 50-60% of men will contract HPV at some point in their life, and it is estimated that at any given time ~79 million people are positive for HPV.
Whether women should get pap smears and be treated for cervical dysplasia while they're pregnant
The traditional medical approach to treating cervical dysplasia, including LEEP procedures, cryo surgery, laser therapy, and cone biopsies
The alternative treatment options for cervical dysplasia and HPV, including oral supplements, suppositories, and cervical escharotics
The pros and cons of opting for the alternative treatment vs. traditional medical treatment
Why it's important for pregnant women to be aware of the potential impacts of cervical scar tissue on the process of labor

If you'd like to find out more about Dr. Winter's naturopathic approach to treating cervical dysplasia or schedule a consultation with her (she offer's Skype consults!), you can visit her website here.

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Ep 9: The Gross Out Episode Nov 30, 2017

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In this week's episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali dive into the gross parts of being a birth worker. After doing this job for a number of years, they both have PLENTY of stories about the hilarious and disgusting things that happen at births. A few of the high points include what it's like to have someone's water break into your shoes, how your hands smell after wearing latex gloves while being submerged in a birth tub for hours on end, and a detailed look into Ali's post-birth sanitation routine (spoiler alert: she's a germaphobe). Listen along as they laugh about their favorite stories and even share a few personal faux pas!

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