A Better Birth

TW: Fetal LossMay is Anencephaly Awareness Month and felt like the perfect time to share Aubrey & Jensen's story. Their's is a story of faith, courage, strength, and deep love like I've never had the honor of sharing before. For those who don't know, anencephaly is a severe, fatal neural tube defect where a baby develops without major parts of the brain, skull & scalp. It affects approximately 1 in every 4700 births in the United States. There is no cure or treatment for this condition. If someone you know could benefit from hearing this story, please consider sharing this episode. Further resources: - On Angels Wings: http://oawphoto.org - Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org- http://anencephaly.info

The conversation around maternal mental health has come a long way in the last 5 years. Resources for moms are more accessible & making a huge impact on our postpartum experience. Join me for a conversation with mom of 2 and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) for Reach Counseling PMH-C, Savannah Seninger Cowley.

Hormone health, nutrition, and upcoming birth plans - chatting about it all with inspiring mompreneur, creator of Nourished & Whole, Savannah Parr. Grab your matcha & push play. Follow Savannah on instagram @nourished_and_whole

FINALLY sitting down with one of my absolute favorite doulas in the Utah birth community (Am I biased? No, no I'm not lol). Annalee was my doula for the my twins birth & is here to chat all things birth, doula work, c-sections, and even a little astrology?! You don't want to miss this. Follow Annalee on Instagram: @muse.birth and book a free consultation!

After years of fertility struggles, Eliza and her husband turned to her twin sister as a gestational carrier to help them start their family. A few months later, they got the surprise of their lives. Tune in for Eliza's incredible story of faith, hope, and mothering her "virtual twins". Instagram: @elizajward

Welcoming baby #2 became a journey that would be soul-defining, transformative, and showed Lauren the faith she has in herself is not to be faulted. Tune in for her beautiful home birth story.

Having wanted to be a mom her whole life, Emi was overjoyed when their fertility journey ended with an uncomplicated pregnancy - or so she thought.Her world was turned upside down & changed forever 72 hrs post birth when she received the diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy. Tune in now to hear her story. instagram & tiktok: @emi.naegle You can learn more about PPCM here: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiomyopathy/what-is-cardiomyopathy-in-adults/peripartum-cardiomyopathy-ppcm

First solo pod of hopefully many! Some honest thoughts about preparation and things you can do to set yourself up for a positive birth experience. Let me know what you think!

Tune in if you want to hear us talk about our kids!!!Laughing about all things motherhood & a whole lot more. You don't want to miss this.

To do for one, what they can't do for themselves - A true act of selflessness that will change a family for generations to come. "A testament to the power of humanity. A path paved with challenges, emotions, and unmatched courage". You don't want to miss one detail of Jessica's surrogacy journey. Check her out on instagram @lavenderandhoneydoula

From finding her way into the perinatal therapy field to planning her recent home birth, Jessica has learned the power of tuning into her intuition and following it with her whole heart. Whether you are in need of a therapist, consultant, or inspiration to have your own home birth, this one is for you. Check Jessica out on instagram @Jessica.the.therapist to get on her schedule for in person/online sessions.

Two pregnancies with cholestasis. Two completely different birth stories. You don't want to miss this one.

It's not very often that you hear about a c-section incision breaking open but when it does, things can get complicated. Tune in to hear how Carly rolled with the punches and let positivity carry her through her rocky start to motherhood.

When Olivia and her husband discovered their 4th baby would actually be #4 & #5, they knew they were in for a wild year. Nothing could've prepared them for the miracle that came next. Tune in for @oliviabeth miraculous twin experience.

A difficult pregnancy turned into years of navigating and recovering from a birth experience she could never have anticipated. Tune in for Madeline's courageous story of birth trauma recovery and taking on motherhood as she healed.

A mother's path to motherhood is individual & just hers. Nearly 3 years ago, Olivia experienced the loss of her daughter due to Trisomy 18, a very rare genetic disorder. Today, after working through the new onset mental health challenges and taking the courageous step into the world of IVF, her family has grown. This one is worth every minute.

Sometimes we don't understand our power until we turn in, soul search, and begin to heal. Years of miscarriage and infertility, a miracle baby, and a birth that went far from planned -- Anna's journey is one you definitely don't want to miss.

It is possible to lose yourself & find yourself in motherhood. Tune in to hear how Katie navigated her postpartum mental health and how going back to work was exactly what she needed to feel herself again.

The long-awaited story of one of the best days of my life... carrying the babies to 38+ weeks, the best support in my birth room, and the birth that was perfect for me. This is one I want to relive over and over again.

Hopefully, you aren't as uneducated about acupuncture as I was going into this convo (lol) but I can promise you'll walk away wanting to book yourself an appointment after hearing about all the incredible benefits Mallory's work has to offer. Check out Flow Acupuncture in Salt Lake City, Utah to learn more and book an appointment of your own!

When Jessica found out she was pregnant for the first time she questioned if she could have her first baby out of the hospital setting.. but why couldn't she? Tune in to be inspired by her unwavering belief in the power of women as she shares both of her empowering birth stories.

Tune in to learn from first-time mom Emily as she shares her experience with a breech baby, scheduled C-section, and navigating how to return to work with a newborn.

What do you get when you put two birth nerds in one room and give them mics? Some candid opinions, empowering birth stories, and a little education you didn't know you needed.

From a spiritual intuition that just kept coming back to navigating the throws of postpartum depression & motherhood, Chantel's honesty and example is one we can all learn something from.

FINALLY roped Jake into coming on the podcast. His reaction to twins was priceless. You won't want to miss this!

We are back at it friends! Here's a little sneak peek of what you can look forward to in the coming weeks. I can't wait to continue learning & growing together.

A happy little chat about motherhood and all its joys & frustrations. happy tuesday!

Occupational therapist turned somatic practitioner & craniosacral therapist, Lesha Nelson is making a difference here in the Salt Lake City, Utah birth community. Whether working with newborns, helping women connect with their bodies, or striving to prevent and treat birth trauma, she is a force to be reckoned with. Tune in now. 

A birth story with an intense TCC journey, a surprise preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), long labor & delivery, and a NICU stay. Seems like a lot. And it is... but then you hear Shelby's beautiful perspective. Don't miss this one.  

Finding time to exercise & eat nutritious foods as a mom can feel so overwhelming. Meet Lindsay, a kitchen witch and mindset queen. Tune in as she shares about the goodness she has going at LVL Holistics, where she is helping people everywhere feel good in their own skin and create a positive mindset that leaves the "diet cultures" in the dust.  check out her website https://lvlholistics.com/  and follow along on instagram @lvlholistics for more! 

Talkin' triage, the need-to-know of labor, and poop lolol. But really you don't want to miss the insider's tips about what to expect during your hospital stay. Tune in now! 

We've talked about labor & birth doulas but we haven't talked about the powerful work of postpartum doulas.. You don't want to miss this one. Tune in now! 

Sometimes it takes being stretched to your limits to really discover how strong & capable you are. Tune in to hear Hannah's story of unresolved trauma, birth, and overcoming some of her biggest fears to come out on top, as the mom she always hoped she'd be. 

Endometriosis, subchorionic hemorrhage, & gestational diabetes... I can pretty much guarantee you'll learn something new from Aubrey's story.  Tune in now and let's be a little more educated together. 

From a dating app love story to figuring out how to use ovulation kits to facing some extreme circumstances during labor, delivery, and the first months postpartum, Katie's entry into motherhood is a story of resilience we all can learn from. Tune in now.  

A surprise pregnancy riddled with health challenges, extreme birth trauma, and an unknown future for her son. Tune in for a moving story of unwavering strength, positivity, and embracing life, no matter what it throws at you.   

No better way to start the new year than with a beautiful birth story! Tune in to hear Brynn's wise perspective on embracing motherhood, no matter what your journey looks like. 

There are a lot of things that you hear about happening in the hospital after you have your baby. But do you know the why behind it all?? Probs not.   Dive in with postpartum & baby nurse, Rachel and you'll walk away ready to take on your hospital stay with your new babe!  

Hospital births can be beautiful too!  "From a traumatic first birth experience before becoming a midwife, to my amazing redemption hospital water birth, to now helping other mamas meet their birth goals. I am confident it is about the preparation support and setting high expectations for your journey of pregnancy and birth from the beginning. You can have a low-intervention hospital birth!"  Tune in for Beth's story now! 

From understanding how your body changes during pregnancy to movement modification to mindset to motherhood, diving in with Meg Miles was a breath of fresh air. Check out her incredible fitness app, WILMA, and tune in for one of my favorite episodes yet.

Imagine a supplement to your birth class that actually addresses the pelvic floor and all the changes you are experiencing while pregnant & during birth and the postpartum. This is Birth Embodied. Tune in now! 

The postpartum.. Let's just say it is a beast of its own. Jess, mom to two (almost three!) & creator and host of the 'Jess for Moms' podcast is an expert when it comes to this new life change. Tune in for her tips on how to cope with the fourth trimester through proper planning, personal coaching, and giving yourself a little grace. 

When you get that positive pregnancy test a million emotions flood through you. The excitement of finding out you are pregnant, the surprise of telling everyone  'the news', envisioning your future. But what about when you see that first sign that all might not go as you plan? Fear, anxiety, pain. Today we are talking about miscarriage. Tune in and hear Madison's moving story. 

A story of years of misdiagnoses, a pregnancy plagued by severe preeclampsia, her sons battle for life, and how Anna is taking charge of her own health. Tune in to hear her moving story.  Also, check out her podcast "Let Them Vent" on Spotify! 

My guess is you dont know as much about your pelvic floor as you think you do. The typical mom things like "peeing when you sneeze" and "sex is painful since having kids".. Common but NOT normal ladies. This is where Dr. Fett comes in.  Natasha Fett is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Engage Physical Therapy & Wellness in Salt Lake City, UT. Engage PT & Wellness is redefining the culture of are for birthing and female bodies. Natasha's purpose is to ensure birthing people and athletes feel strong and resilient for life, throughout its unique seasons. She combines PT, strength & conditioning, pilates, and run-specific training in her programs to get results, crush goals and keep you doing what you love for life.  Tune in now to learn more. 

A big career change, surprise positive pregnancy test, suspected intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and decision to deliver early. Tune in to find out how videographer, Tiktok legend, & boss mama Jen managed everything life threw her as she stepped into motherhood and truly found herself and her "little best friend". 

Today's guest is Ashley B., the founder and CEO of BirthSmarter, an inclusive + one-of-a-kind birth and parenting education resource. 

Remember Sarah S. sharing her IVF journey with us all the way back in episode 1? Well, she's back and with the best surprise for us all! Tune in friends! 

Days before defending her graduate thesis, Jaimee received life-changing news at a routine gynecology appointment. Tune in to see how her story unfolds. 

Did you ever hear that doulas are only involved in birth if it is at home in your bathtub? While they absolutely can be there at your home birth, doulas have so much to offer by way of support + advocacy in WHATEVER birth setting you choose! Beth Hardy, the founder of Heart Tones Birth Services in Salt Lake City, Utah, helps us be a little more educated about what a doula can actually do for you including, 24/7 support + continual advocacy + more positive birth outcomes.