Birth With Power

Latest Episodes:

Ep134: Answering Questions About Abortion Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

To be honest, I debated whether or not I should cover this topic because I know it’s polarizing and there are a lot of strong emotions involved. However, there is a lot of disinformation on this subject and, just like always, I want to be a source of factual, evidence-based information.

Abortion is more common than you might think - chances are you know someone who has had one. I encourage you to listen to this entire episode regardless of where you stand on this issue.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

-How many women have abortions and at what point in pregnancy

-What are some of the reasons women might choose abortion

-What is the procedure itself and what are the procedure options

-Whether or not a fetus can feel pain

-What are some of the potential complications from abortion and how common are they

-Whether abortion has an effect on women’s mental health

-What is the definition of an unsafe abortion

-What is the public opinion of abortion

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode134

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Ep133: Busting Baby Myths with Child Psychologist Dr. Cara Goodwin, PhD Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

Today, licensed child psychologist Dr. Cara Goodwin, PhD, joins the podcast to tackle some common topics from the angle of research and data. We break down important facts about holding your baby, sleep training, pacifiers, and even some science behind baby talk!

Dr. Goodwin specializes in child development and founded Parenting Translator with the mission of taking recent scientific research and translating it into information that parents can use in their everyday lives.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

-Whether you can spoil a baby by holding them too much

-How baby-wearing can have myriad benefits in addition to freeing up your hands

-What is the science around co-sleeping

-Whether sleep training has an affect on developmental outcomes

-How baby talk can actually help advance language development

-What are some of the many reasons to read with baby

-What does research say about baby soothers i.e. pacifiers

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode133

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

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Ep132: Alex’s Birth Story - Cholestasis and Induction Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

In today’s birth story episode we have Alex. Alex is an oncology pharmacist at her local cancer center. She joins us today to share her experiences with loss, pregnancy during Covid, a rare complication, and induction without an epidural.

This episode is an example of why it’s so important to have a pain management plan. You don’t know what options will work for you until you try. You need lots of tools in your toolbag which is why educating yourself is so important. You can take my new, quick quiz to assess your knowledge about managing pain in labor.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

-Why Alex’s doctor recommended against a D&C (dilation and curettage) after miscarriage

-How Alex’s co-workers helped mitigate the risks of working in a cancer center

-What cholestasis is and how serious it can be

-How listening to birth stories helped Alex prepare for a non-epidural birth

-Why Alex’s doctor induced her in response to her cholestasis

-How quickly Alex’s pain level escalated and why she regrets utilizing nitrous oxide

-How effective pelvic floor therapy can be for myriad purposes

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode131

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Take a quick, fun labor pain quiz

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Ep131: Sex and Pregnancy with Therapist and Sex Educator Dr. Juliana Hauser Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Sex and sexuality are a normal part of life, but they can change over the course of pregnancy and after birth. Having a healthy sexual relationship prior to pregnancy doesn’t guarantee that you won’t face difficulties along the way and, as always, the best way to prepare is to educate yourself. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Juliana Hauser helps you get educated and navigate those changes.

Dr. Juliana is a licensed couples and family therapist. For 20 years, she’s worked with clients to help them manage relationships, sexuality, confidence, infertility, and more. She breaks down some of the common challenges and changes you can expect during pregnancy and as a new mom, and delivers some great advice on how to manage those challenges. There is a lot of great information (and life advice) in this episode that we all need to hear.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

-What sexual agency means and how it relates to pregnancy

-Why Dr. Hauser wants people to be their own “sexpert” and trust their own decisions

-What are some common issues she sees for women and couples surrounding sex and pregnancy

-How sex is not about servicing each other but about experiencing together

-How to learn from what you don’t like

-How your birth experience can have an effect on your sexual agency

-What are the challenges of reconciling being a mother and a sexual being

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode131

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Ep130: Hannah’s Birth Story - Surviving and Healing Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

Hannah welcomed her son, Oleander, in February. After an uncomplicated pregnancy and mostly straightforward birth, she experienced several postpartum issues which required multiple hospitalizations and ultimately she underwent an emergency hysterectomy. This was caused by a life threatening infection called group A streptococcus.

In sharing her story, I don’t want to frighten you. I want you to be aware. Knowledge is power. That’s what this podcast, and all my work actually, is about - empowering you with knowledge.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

-What it was like trying to conceive while working in the ICU during Covid

-How a struggle with not one but two epidurals resulted in Hannah giving birth without pain medication

-Why it’s so important to trust yourself if you feel like something isn’t right

-Which symptoms Hannah had when her OB suggested she go to the hospital

-What is group A streptococcus and how serious is it

-Why Hannah had to have an emergency hysterectomy

-Which signs indicated that Hannah had pancreatitis and how it was treated

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode130

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Ep129: Your Options for Managing Pain in Labor Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

In this episode you’re going to learn all about your options for pain management during labor. And here’s the thing: everyone who’s having a baby needs to know all the options - whether you plan to get an epidural or you plan to have an unmedicated birth or you’re somewhere in between.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

Why it’s important to think about labor pain differently than other kinds of pain
Why everyone needs to learn about all the options for managing pain
How having a pain management plan is crucial
Medication-free pain management techniques
What are the pros and cons of an unmedicated birth
Medications that are not an epidural and how can they affect you and your baby
Epidurals - the pros, cons, and risks as well as some things you probably didn't know

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode129

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ep128: The Gallbladder and Pregnancy with Dr. George Crawford Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

Today, I am talking with Dr. George Crawford, MD about how gallbladder issues and concerns can impact your pregnancy. Gallbladder removal is the second most common non-obstetrical operation that occurs during pregnancy. Knowing where your gallbladder is and what it does can help you distinguish between normal pregnancy nausea and vomiting and a gallbladder that has gone bad. We also dig into what to do before you get pregnant if you have had gallbladder issues in the past.

Dr. George Crawford is the founder and lead surgeon at The Crawford Clinic in Anniston, Alabama. In addition to running his multi-specialty clinic, Dr. Crawford sits on the board of trustees of the North East Regional Medical Center and volunteers through a mentorship program he created which allows high school students a practical, first-hand experience in medicine.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

What is the gallbladder, where is it, and what does it do
What is the difference between gallbladder disease and gallstones
What are the signs that you may be having an issue with your gallbladder
How common is gallbladder disease in pregnancy
How is gallbladder disease treated
How safe is gallbladder surgery during pregnancy
What can people expect after gallbladder surgery and how long does recovery take
What are the risks for gallbladder disease and how you can reduce those risks

Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode128

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ep127: Lauren's Birth Stories - Same Mom, Different Births Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

After Lauren's first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, she was determined to learn everything she could about the female body and how it creates and births babies. She has since had two healthy pregnancies and two (very different) pain medication free births. Lauren hopes that by sharing her stories she can help other women feel empowered to walk into birth with every ounce of confidence in the choices they will make along the way.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode127 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources.

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Ep126: Choosing Your Baby’s Name with Jennifer Moss of BabyNames.com Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

This is a really fun episode all about choosing your baby’s name. Jennifer Moss is the founder & CEO of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names workbook, and co-host of The Baby Names podcast with her sister Mallory. In the past 25 years since the launch of BabyNames.com Jennifer has worked with thousands of parents to find their perfect name, and has been featured on CNN, The Today Show, The List, and in hundreds of top media outlets as the go-to expert on names and naming. BabyNames.com is the #1 names site with over 2 million visitors a month.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode126 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources.

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ep125: Casie’s Birth Story - Looking on the Bright Side Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode of the podcast we have Casie. Casie wanted to share her story because she is striving to passionately empower others based on her experience. I’m going to give away the ending of this birth story: Casie wound up pushing for 5 ½ hours, she had a forceps birth, a fourth degree tear, and a fistula.

She keeps it real about some touchy subjects in this episode, including some slightly more adult content towards the end - so if you have kiddos listening, keep that in mind.

Find full show notes at drnicolerankins.com/episode125 and check out all the free pregnancy & birth resources I have for you at drnicolerankins.com/resources.

Learn more about donating your cord blood and get up to $100 Amazon gift card! --> thecordbloodgroup.com/drnicole

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy