Stay ConnectedWelcome to the Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, where we firmly believe in the power of education when it comes to giving birth! Tune in each week as we dive into pregnancy-related topics, expert interviews, and a variety of birth stories!
As a reminder, anything you hear on this podcast should not be taken as medical advice, please see mommylabornurse.com/disclaimer for more info.
Copyright: © Labor Teen LLC dba Mommy Labor Nurse
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
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!
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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
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, 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 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 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!
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!
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!
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