The Birth Lounge Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 143: Friday Free Talk: The 'Magic Words' in Birth Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

I recently attended a birth where the provider was forcibly suggesting that my client allow for an IV hep-lock to be placed. The issue arose when my client asked if there was any medical reason to have the IV placed at that time and the provider began to spew fear-based rhetoric and painted the picture (actually, just confirmed) that the placement of an IV was 'just in case' something bad happened there would already be easy IV access. In this episode, I dive into the legality of this interaction, how we navigated it, the outcome of the IV situation + the outcome of the birth! We teach you how to have these tough conversations with your providers AND share all the research you need to make your birth plan as ideal as possible!

Join the waitlist for The Birth Lounge: www.TheBirthLounge.com/waitlist

Ep. 142: The Beginning of Homebirth with Katelyn Fusco Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

Let’s rewind the clock—and I means AGES— I want to talk about how we used to birth—before we moved it to hospitals. Lets go all the way back to how physiological birth is expected to work. Today, Katelyn Fusco, Host of Happy Homebirth Podcast, is going HeHe to chat about home birth and how birth has transformed over the years. Katelyn is sharing who is right for home birth and the top home birth myths. We are also diving into stickier topics like the business side of birth and how legislation can impact women’s health. We shine a spotlight on consent and continuity of care as well. If you are an expecting parent, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about birth. Buckle up, my friend, we are about to embark on a life-changing conversation!

BOOKS MENTIONED:

Dr brad bootstaylor —book: Shared decision making

https://amzn.to/3lTUflE

Tina Cassidy— book: Birth, The Surprising History of How We are Born

https://amzn.to/3dxGHcY

PODCAST MENTIONED:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000466477615

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-homebirth/id1446934537?i=1000463115609

JOIN HAPPY HOMEBIRTH ACADEMY HERE! https://happy-homebirth.mykajabi.com/a/27299/ijuPR8rd

Ep. 141: Friday Free Talk: The Bishop Score Oct 16, 2020

Show notes

Today is all about inductions and how to know if you are a 'good candidate' for one. HeHe is diving into a tool that the women's health field uses to rate a a pregnant person’s cervix in order to determine their readiness for induction. The original Bishop score (Developed by Dr. Bishop, OBGYN in 1964) is based on 5 criteria: dilation, effacement, station of baby, position of cervix, consistency of cervix. Since it's creation, there has been a simplified Bishop score that has come along and HeHe is going to share the differences. Interestingly enough, it is not a great tool for people who have had a baby before. It is a flawed tool, but it is the best we have at the moment.³ It does a pretty good job of indicating your body’s receptivity to a medical induction. This is definitely a tool to be aware of and to know your personal boundaries of what you consider a good number to induce your body. Remember consent is a discussion with your provider--make sure that is being done around the topic of induction especially.

To learn more about tools to help you stay in control during labor join The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com

Ep.140: Your Child's Physical Development in the First Year with Pediatric PT, Kara Masse Oct 13, 2020

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This episode is all about your child’s physical development in the first year of life! Pediatric Physical Therapist, Kara Masse, joins HeHe on the show to take about muscle development, rolling, crawling, and walking! What if your child’s physical development appears to be behind? What constitutes behind? Where do you go from there? What specialists do you see? Can you self refer? Kara is sharing all the deets so parents can be proactive in protecting and supporting your child’s physical development in those months where they grow rapidly! We are going to end on the note of how to avoid setting adult expectations for your baby!

Join The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com/join

Instagram: @the.birth.lounge and @tranquilitybyhehe

Ep. 139: Friday Free Talk: When Nurses Perpetuate the Patriarchy Oct 09, 2020

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Inside The Birth Lounge, HeHe does a weekly group prenatal visit with our members! We chat about all things pregnancy, planning for birth, and preparing for postpartum. This week's episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast is a blurb from last week's prenatal inside the membership! After supporting over 200 birthing people, HeHe has a keen eye for things that hinder the birth process and disrupt the birthing space. She is sharing how nurses can sometimes unknowingly be perpetuating the patriarchy and stripping birthing folks of their power in doing so. This is an eye-opening episode to say the least!

The Birth Lounge: www.TheBirthLounnge.com

Ep. 138: The Truth about Exercise in Pregnancy with Kayla Mehr Oct 07, 2020

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Today’s guest is a dear friend of mine and a fitness expert specializing in prenatal and postnatal corrective exercise! Kayla Mehr, Founder of Your Fit Mom, is joining HeHe in an episode that is getting down and dirty about the truth of exercise in pregnancy and postpartum! Kayla is sharing how to determine who is qualified to help support your fitness goals during pregnancy (an unqualified instructor can seriously hurt you and your baby!), the top workout myths, and the best fitness routines to help you prepare for labor! We also dive into easing back into postpartum fitness, how to make c-section modifications, and Kayla’s opinion on Belly Bands! This episode is one you won’t want to miss!

Work with Kayla: https://www.yourfitmom.com

The Birth Lounge: https://www.thebirthlounge.com

Ep 137: Friday Free Talk, When "Checking In" Hinders the Process Oct 02, 2020

Show notes

When people check in with us, it's generally done with good intention, but sometimes "checking in" can do more harm than good! There are multiple places in women's health and birth work where this rings true! When it comes to checking in with a pregnant person at the end of their pregnancy, it can be tricky! You can easily cross into the territory of annoying, overwhelming, and sometimes infuriating. What if I told you that cervical checks in the end of pregnancy aren't always evidence based? As in, 'checking in' on your cervix regularly can be counterproductive to your birth goals! I'm sharing my full list of places where humans "checking in" needs to be reconsidered and a new standard of practice needs to be created!

Learn more about the science behind common birth practices at blog.thebirthlounge.com

You can join The Birth Lounge here!

Ep. 136: An Inside Look at Obstetrical Violence Sep 29, 2020

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Have you ever heard the term “obstetrical violence” and wondered what it meant? Or maybe you envisioned this blatant act of disrespect or an assault of sorts. These are both examples of obstetrical violence, but is another side to it, too. A sneaky side. Today’s episode is going to share a few instances of medical manipulation in the birth room that were silent and coy and draped in not-so-graceful wordsmithing from providers. I am sitting down with Tranquility by HeHe team member and doula, Caitlin LeBeau, to chat about the things we have witnessed in labor and delivery rooms across the nation. Some cases are blatantly obvious and some cases are as covert as 007 himself. Note to listener: we do not give traumatic recounts of these instances. You need not be worried about hearing content that may cause trauma. Nonetheless, this episode is focused on obstetrical violence so listener discretion advised.

To learn your rights as a birthing person and understand how to protect yourself during your birth experience, visit www.thebirthlounge.com

Ep. 135: Friday Free Talk: Don't Stop Pushing Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

Inside The Birth Lounge, I teach my Secret Sauce to Pushing. Part of that formula is based on your baby's position in your pelvis! I actively advise against what's called 'directed pushing,' where birthing people are told how and when to push (primarily talking about unmedicated births). It is not new that directed pushing can be less effective than letting the birthing person push with their body, but what about being told not to push? Nurses are notorious for saying 'don't push' for this reason or that. (This is obviously not applicable to all nurses and is a generalization.) Whether it be that you are not fully 10cm dilated yet or the doctor isn't in the room, your body is telling you to push. I am diving into the science behind this urge to push and what you should do when you feel it!

Sources:

Longer labor times with directed pushing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871519218304025

EPU: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0266613812001805

Dilation: https://midwifethinking.com/2016/06/15/the-anterior-cervical-lip-how-to-ruin-a-perfectly-good-birth/

https://midwifethinking.com/2014/04/16/pushing-leave-it-to-the-experts/

The Birth Lounge: thebirthlounge.com/waitlist

Ep.134 Why Preparing for Postpartum is Essential BEFORE Birth with Ariana Witkin, MD Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

Today’s episode is all about planning for the unexpected parts of postpartum! HeHe is joined by MaMa MD, Ariana Within, to dive into how to thrive (not just survive) in the weeks right after birth! Postpartum is often feels like one of the most isolating times in a parents life, so how can you feel empowered during such a challenging space in life? Shifting the perspective to how amazing postpartum women are is huge in this—we grew and birthed a baby and now are keeping that baby alone! Shifting the way you think about productivity, prioritizing needs, and asking for help can make an incredible difference, too! Ariana is here to share that you have control over how your postpartum period goes with the proper planning! We talk about the importance of community and communication plus how important it is to reign in the negative self-talk that can cause ‘comparisonitis!’ Join us for this honest conversation about what life after birth looks like!

Ariana”s Website: arianawitkin.com.

IG: @arianawitkinmd

Power Hour (1:1, baby shower gift): https://arianawitkin.com/work-with-me

Masterclass info: http://bit.ly/MamaRisingPPP

Masterclass sign up: http://bit.ly/MamaRisingRegister

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