Shows
The Expecting and Empowered Podcast85. C-Section Awareness Month Special: Everything You Need to Know the First Two Weeks After a C-sectionOne-third of babies in the United States are delivered via c-section. In honor of C-Section Awareness Month, we thought it would be a great opportunity to revisit one of our earliest episodes about everything you need to know during the first two weeks after a c-section. Here at Expecting and Empowered we celebrate all births whether they are vaginal births like Amy’s, or c-sections like Krystle’s. We will link Krystle’s c-section birth story about her breech baby, Brooke, down below! Our hope from this episode is to revisit important information that still...2025-04-3033 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast84. Postpartum Issues They Don't Tell You About with Stacia ScottTransitioning from pregnancy to postpartum can sometimes leave new moms feeling confused, tired, and depleted. Here at Expecting and Empowered, we feel passionately that every mama should get the care, education, and support they deserve and love sharing the microphone with other women who feel the same. That's where Stacia Scott and her company Postpartum Care USA come in! Stacia is a mother of 3, CEO of Postpartum Care USA, and nurse practitioner. With her root-cause approach using in-depth lab testing, tailored nutrition, and natural treatments at her revolutionary postpartum and postnatal care company, she helps women with things...2025-04-1649 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast83. How to Find the Motivation to Make Exercise StickFinding the motivation to workout while being a mom can be hard. Our to-do lists are long and our schedules are busy! Amy is solo for today’s episode to share why we feel pure motivation isn’t going to get you to workout. Instead, changing your mindset, prioritizing yourself, and creating the habit of exercising by knowing your “why” are the three keys to keeping a consistent workout routine and a healthier mind and body. We’re going to dive deeper into these three keys in today’s episode and leave you with some great tips and thinking poi...2025-04-0222 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast82. How is Your Pelvic Floor Doing Postpartum? Pssst...We're Including a Free Resource that Helps You Check!Over our last few episodes, we’ve gone over our #1 most downloaded resource about c-section scar mobilization AND our second most downloaded resource ever on labor positions! Today we are bringing you a BRAND NEW resource we think all of you need to see all about the pelvic floor! The pelvic floor is the “basket” keeping all of our internal organs up and in place and plays a huge role in our everyday activities. During pregnancy and birth, these pelvic floor muscles are doing a lot of work which can make them tight and weak. We are going to wal...2025-03-1926 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast81. All Things Sleep: Mom Edition with Sleep Dr. ShelbyAs moms of young babies and children, we focus so much on their sleep. Baby sleep is so important for growth and development. But why isn’t the sleep of the mother more talked about? Today on the podcast, Dr. Shelby Harris, a Board Certified Sleep Psychologist and mother, is here to help us dissect sleep as a mom. There are so many different influencing factors that go into how we sleep at night like having a newborn, stress and anxiety, and sleep diagnoses like insomnia, just to name a fe...2025-03-0535 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast80. Running with Prolapse: How to do it SafelyAs avid lifelong runners, we, Amy and Krystle, know that when you’re a runner, you want to keep running through all phases of life! And sometimes, pelvic organ prolapse can feel like it’s keeping you from doing the thing you love. One of our most popular blog posts was about running with prolapse. So, today we thought we’d expand on that post and bring you more of the education we think you need to know to feel empowered about your own health. Addressing prolapse sooner after it happens is key, versus waitin...2025-02-1934 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast79. Why a High Pain Tolerance Alone Won't Get You the Unmedicated Birth That You're Hoping for with @alifeinlaborOn the podcast today, we are happy to have Heather Knezic! Heather is a Labor & Delivery nurse, wife, mom of 3, birth educator and founder of A Life In Labor who has helped thousands of women achieve their most empowered birth experience. This episode is an open and honest conversation about having the goal of an unmedicated birth. We recognize and honor that this is not everyone’s goal or choice when making their birth plan - all births are beautiful! But if this is your goal, we want you to ha...2025-02-0559 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast78. Labor Positions That Will Help Keep Labor Moving (Includes Our 2nd Most Downloaded Resource!)Today, Krystle and Amy are diving into different laboring positions to utilize during labor and delivery! There is still a big misconception about movement during the laboring process, however, we know from the research that utilizing several positions can help your baby descend during the labor process. Our goal during this episode is to educate you on the options available AND to help you and your baby! We are leaving a link in the show notes to our second most downloaded resource from our site EVER - our Essential Guide to Laboring Positions FREEBIE! Use that guide to...2025-01-2241 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast77. All About Pumping with Dr. Dianna Dixon of @pumpwithpurposeWe could not be more excited to bring you today’s episode! Our special guest, Dr. Dianna Dixon is a Postpartum Certified Doula, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist and Certified Lactation Counselor, as well as a Doctor of Public Administration among other amazing qualifications. She created her platform, Pump with Purpose, after her final breastfeeding journey to help teach women all around the world the ways to pump and to increase supply as well as to be a resource in the breastfeeding community. She offers a range of services to help every family feel seen, heard, valued, and validated. Diana sp...2025-01-081h 00The Expecting and Empowered Podcast76. Greatest Hits Episode 16: Preparing Your Body and Mind For Labor + DeliveryThis week we are revisiting one of our most listened to episodes, ever! This Christmas we wanted to give you the gift of information - and this episode is packed FULL of info we want you to know! We get asked often in our community about preparing for labor and delivery, which is why we recorded this episode in 2022 and thousands of you have listened. We wanted to provide moms listening with tangible tips, so that you can set yourself up for success. During the episode we heard from people that are really excited about the labor and...2024-12-2556 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast75. The C-Section Scar Mobilization Episode (Includes Our Most Downloaded Resource EVER!)We feel very passionately that c-section mamas deserve to have all the information they need to have a full recovery after birth. Co-founder of Expecting and Empowered, Krystle, is a c-section mama herself, having had 3 cesarean births! Her personal experience combined with her professional experience as a Women’s Health Physical Therapist means she is the perfect person to educate our listeners on their healing process! Today’s episode will focus on post-cesarean recovery, specifically emphasising on scar mobilization and healing. If you’re interested in more info about what to expect immediately after your c-section, we have linked...2024-12-1133 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast74. Understanding Provider Lingo During Birth with @myessentialbirthToday we are happy to host Stephanie King from My Essential Birth (@myessentialbirth), a mother, childbirth educator, and doula. After experiencing several unexpected changes leading up to the births of her children, Stephanie was inspired to get educated on the birthing process so she could inform and educate pregnant mothers to trust their bodies and feel empowered during their pregnancy, birthing, and postpartum journeys. We really feel like our missions align, so we are excited to have this conversation with Stephanie today about the medical terminology our providers use and how this can help you construct your birth...2024-11-2747 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast73. 5 Things You Didn't Know You Could Ask For During a C-sectionKrystle and Amy are back together to bring you today’s episode, 5 things you didn’t know you could ask for during a c-section! Krystle is not only our Expecting and Empowered in-house Physical Therapy expert, but is a three-time cesarean birth mama, making her a wealth of knowledge about the c-sections. Krystle is going to walk us through today’s 5 things to help you feel more prepared and feel empowered to collaborate with your care team to create a positive c-section birthing experience. Whether you have a planned c-section or unplanned, educating yourself about the options can help s...2024-11-1327 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast72. Breaking Down Gestational Diabetes with @lilynicholsrdnWe want to thank you all, our listeners, for helping us find the best expert to interview for today’s episode all about gestational diabetes! Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author who has a passion for sharing evidence-based nutrition with mamas-to-be. Whether you’ve yet to be pregnant, are pregnant with your first baby, or are a seasoned mama, this episode has so much great information for you.To help reduce the fear surrounding GD, Lily breaks down non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors of gestational diabetes and the...2024-10-3043 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast71. Labor From a Partner's Perspective with Amy + DrewAmy’s husband, Drew, hops on the podcast today to talk about what labor and delivery is like from a partner’s perspective. Having been through three labor and deliveries together, Drew has some solid advice on how to be a supportive partner during an L&D experience. We also had a lot of really great questions come in from our IG followers that Drew and Amy discuss with raw and honest answers. If you are a partner listening to today’s episode, know that you are such an important part of the birthing process and we appreciate you!2024-10-1628 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast70. Fostering Friendly Homecomings with @dogmeets_babyCertified dog trainer, Dominika Knossalla-Pado, was thrilled to be adding newborn twins to their family. Sadly, her beloved dog had a difficult transition when the babies came home. Dominika has now made a career out of her passion, helping families safely integrate new babies into homes with dogs and new dogs into homes with kiddos. Dominika is a wealth of knowledge and we are so excited to share all of the information in today’s episode with you.Being a first-time parent means a lot of unknowns. Having a plan for your dog during the...2024-10-0240 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast69. How to REALISTICALLY Prioritize Yourself In the Fourth TrimesterOne of our goals here at Expecting and Empowered is for women to feel empowered going into the fourth trimester! We hope this episode helps you pinpoint some spots where you can prepare before the birth of your baby to be set up to heal well and feel more like yourself during your fourth trimester experience! We prepare for 9 months for our babies! We plan the perfect nursery, buy all the cutest clothing, we take baby courses and classes…but have you prepared yourself for postpartum? Today we will go through our suggestions of thin...2024-09-1819 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast68. Everything You Need to Know About Epidurals With @Mackenzie.On.MotherhoodWe are so excited to bring back Mackenzie from Mackenzie.On.Motherhood on Instagram. She was with us for episodes 27 and 28 where we talked about what an L&D nurse wants you to know about labor and what actually happens after a hospital birth. So we thought it would be perfect for her to come back and educate us about epidurals! Whether your birth plan will include an epidural or not, this episode will be a great opportunity to educate yourself on the option of an epidural and what that process of having one looks like. It’s be...2024-09-0440 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast67. Prepping Your Mind For Labor and DeliveryToday is a solo episode from one of your hosts, me, Amy! As a trained doula, Registered Nurse, and mom of three, I feel confident we can provide you with some strategies in today’s episode to help you create a positive mindset around your upcoming labor and delivery. Mindset is aways trainable! Something we encourage you to do is to learn about the birthing process. We’ve linked some of our previous episodes for you below about the different stages of labor and women’s birth stories. I also share my favorite book and doc...2024-08-2823 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast66. Minimalism Doesn't Mean Getting Rid of Everything - Just the Right Things with @minimalistmomspodcastWe are so excited to have Diane Boden from the Minimalist Moms on the podcast today. After feeling like she wanted to live more intentionally and simply, Diane pursued sharing her experience through Minimalist Moms Podcast, which has become a top rated podcast and resource for women! Diane doesn’t want the term “minimalist” to scare you - she really just means living your life more simply, with less clutter taking up space in your mental load and taking time away from really enjoying your life with your kids and your family...2024-08-2140 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast65. Improving Your Pregnancy Sex Life With Krystle + AmyAs you already know, here at Expecting and Empowered, we don’t mind covering topics people are scared or shy to talk about. And today is no different! Today’s episode is all about sex during pregnancy. Some women love sex while pregnant and some want nothing to do with it! Either is okay. We are going to dive into this topic through the lens of a physical therapist and mamas of three. First of all, is sex during pregnancy safe? Unless your provider specifically tells you to abstain, YES, it’s safe...2024-08-0718 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast64. Helping Moms Sleep One Feeding At A Time With @babysettlerThe creator behind the Instagram account @babysettler, Hillary Sadler is a labor and delivery nurse, feeding specialist, and mom of 4. She also is the author of the book “Babies Made Simple”, a roadmap to the baby stage! Hillary fills the information gap between your OB’s office and baby’s pediatrician. She gives evidence-based guidance to new moms, as she would to any friend, without the high cost burden you’d incur in a traditional healthcare setting.Well fed babies sleep better, so Hillary is on a mission to make sure all new ma...2024-07-2443 min
The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician MomWhy Strength Training is Important in Pregnancy and BeyondOn this show, I welcome guests to chat about parenting and parental health, especially maternal physical and mental health. Taking care of ourselves is just as important as caring for our children. On this episode, I welcome sisters Amy Kiefer and Krystle Howald, founders and creators of Expecting and Empowered. They join me to discuss:
Why strength training is important in various stages of our life
Mindset shifts and reframing to approaching strength training and working out during pregnancy and postpartum
How to build strength training into our busy lives
Connect wi...2024-07-1741 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast63. Building Communication With Our Kids Through Connection with @playtalkloveToday on the podcast we are happy to host Chelsea Swopes. Chelsea is a baby and toddler speech language expert (SLP) with over 15 years of experience. Chelsea is known on her Instagram page as @playtalklove and is a mama herself! Chelsea’s goal is to help families build strong connections in order for those kiddos to grow into functional communicators. Reading to your baby isn’t just a sweet thing to do as part of a bedtime routine, it’s also a great way to build a strong bond and expose them to...2024-07-1035 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast62. Processing Your Birth Trauma with @thebirthtrauma_mamaNo two births are alike. Just as no two mother’s perception of her birth experience is alike. Trauma related to birth is in the eye of the beholder as Kayleigh Summers, licensed clinical social worker and birth trauma therapist, shares with us today. Kayleigh experienced a traumatic birth which she details in today’s episode. This experience is what led her to helping other moms process and work through their birth traumas and change the trajectory of their healing. Society leads us to believe that if we end up with a healthy baby, we should be grateful. 2024-06-2632 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast61. What's the Deal With Macros and Should I Be Counting Them With @mindinmymacrosSocial media seems to be flooded with the new fad diet of “counting macros”...or is it a fad? And is it even a diet? Dani Patton, nutritionist, macro coach, and face of Mindin’ My Macros on Instagram, is on the podcast today to discuss this phenomenon. Dani wants all of you to know that macros are a tool, not a restricting fad diet, used to help you achieve your health goals and enjoy a well lived life. The idea is to fuel your body with the macronutrients it needs, not restrict it!A...2024-06-1242 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast60. Feeding Your Baby With Confidence With @goodbabylactationHaving a baby is one of the most exciting times of our lives. We prepare months in advance for the baby's arrival. We take labor and delivery classes, parenting classes, and read all the books…but do we prepare enough for how we are going to feed our baby? Jessica McKee, a seasoned NICU RN, mom, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), is on the podcast today to discuss everything breastfeeding and pumping.From our own experiences with breastfeeding, it isn’t always easy. Taking the time during your pregnancy to s...2024-05-2936 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast59. Empowering Your Hormone Health with @yourhormonebalanceToday we are hosting our first mother/daughter duo! Candace Burch is a Hormone Health Educator with over 30 years of experience and her daughter, Jess Suchan, is a board certified Holistic Health Coach. Together, they educate and coach women on how to holistically support their bodies through healthy hormone practices. During our discussion, Candace and Jess share with us the concept of cycle syncing, hormone focused nutrition, and other ways to support healthy hormone habits. After going through her own personal hormone struggles, Jess decided to leave her corporate job and go to n...2024-05-1555 min
Mindin' My WellnessHow to Strength Train and Leverage Your Pelvic Floor Throughout Pregnancy For a Smoother Delivery and RecoveryWhen you first think of pregnancy, you probably don’t associate strength training with it. However, the right strength and pelvic floor training during pregnancy can really make a difference throughout your pregnancy and beyond. That’s why I am so excited to jump into today’s episode with my guests, Krystle Howald and Amy Kiefer, the sister duo behind Expecting and Empowered, a pregnancy and postpartum fitness company that aims to help women navigate this challenging time with safe and efficient workouts. In today's episode, we discussed the benefits of strength training during pregnancy, the pelvic floor...2024-05-0737 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast58. Maintaining Your Identity in Motherhood With @experiencemotherhoodElisabeth Emmerich is the mom to three boys, a play therapist, a licensed registered therapist in the state of Minnesota, and hosts her own podcast; Experience Motherhood. Today, Elisabeth is talking with us about the importance of embracing your individuality in motherhood and finding what matters most to you. We both share personal experiences of navigating motherhood and the challenges that come along with it.Knowing who you are as a mom, first and foremost, is so important to the impact it has on your child’s development. Elisabeth encourages us to...2024-05-0141 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast57. What Your Enneagram Number Might be Telling You About Your Workout Habits @enneagramashtonWe are so excited to have Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober from @enneagramashton on the show today. Ashton is the mom of two and the author of The Enneagram Made Simple: A No-Nonsense Guide to Using the Enneagram for Growth and Awareness. She is passionate about helping people understand their enneagram type and themselves better. Knowing your enneagram type can be so helpful when it comes to understanding why you are the way you are and why others act the way they do. It can also be helpful to understand what intrinsically will help y...2024-04-1734 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast56. The Power Your Breath Has to Heal Your BodyWhat if someone told you they have one thing that can reduce your stress, increase your energy, and enhance your mental clarity? You would do it, right?! Well, what if we told you it’s something you do everyday and don’t even realize - but you might not be doing it correctly.? It’s breath.In today’s episode I, Krystle, walk you through all of the benefits that our breath has. Our bodies have so much power to restore and help themselves however, during pregnancy and postpartum, our breathing patterns change so much. If...2024-04-0345 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast55. Why You Might Benefit from a Postpartum Doula with @physiodoulaWe get to learn from Dr. Tasha D of @physiodoula today. She has her doctorate in physical therapy and is a birth and postpartum doula. Dr. Tasha is passionate about providing holistic care for women throughout the entire pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods.Bringing a baby home from the hospital for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. In our conversation with Dr. Tasha, she explains what a postpartum doula actually is and the services they can provide to help ease this major life transition. Being able to afford or...2024-03-2034 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast54. You're Not an Angry Mom, You Just Need Support with @psychedmommyMom rage. Is this something you’ve ever experienced? Today, I (Amy) get behind the mic with Dr. Ashurina Ream, the woman behind the well known Instagram @psychedmommy. We discuss both our personal experiences and clinical expertise with having these feelings. Dr. Ashurina is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified in perinatal mental health. She is an incredible resource over @psychedmommy and is a mom herself which is a huge reason why she added perinatal mental health to her education.Dr. Ashurina explains what mom rage is and what it typically lo...2024-03-0654 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast53. Let's Talk About Sex With Dr. Emily JameaDr. Emily Jamea is a sex therapist and an expert on love & relationships. She is also the author of the upcoming book - Anatomy of Desire and hosts her own podcast, Love & Libido. Emily is also a mom which was really important to us when we were looking for someone who understands what our bodies go through as we experience pregnancy + postpartum and how that can impact our sex life.Growing up in a sex positive household paved the way for Emily and...2024-02-2134 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast52. Navigating an Unplanned Diagnosis + NICU Stay with Shanna HutchesonShanna from @wellnessforthewin on Instagram is on the show today. She is a dietitian, an Expecting and Empowered ambassador, and a mom to two beautiful boys. Shanna is going through an incredibly tough situation after the birth of her second son, Levi. He had an unexpected stay in the NICU and we hope that by sharing Shanna’s story we are able to help other NICU moms feel seen, understood and less alone.Not only did Shanna’s son Levi have an extended stay in the NICU but Shanna herself had to r...2024-02-0746 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast51. Myths + Facts About Diastasis Recti (DR): Healing Your Belly After BabyDiastasis recti (also known as DR) affects ⅔ of women during pregnancy and continues into postpartum for most women. The separation of your abs as a result of pregnancy and/or postpartum can be really frustrating and cause women to feel self-conscious. In this episode we are talking all about what diastasis recti is, how to know if you have it, and what to do to improve it.I, Krystle, walk you through a test you can do on yourself to see if you might have DR. I also share my own pe...2024-01-2431 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast50. @drnicolerankins OBGYN On Being Your Best Birthing AdvocateWe are excited to have our first OB/GYN on the show today, Dr. Nicole Rankins! She is a board certified practicing OB/GYN, a wife, a mom of two, host of The All About Pregnancy & Birth Podcast, and has been serving pregnant women for over 20 years.Dr. Nicole explains to us the difference between an OB/GYN and a Midwife. She also talks about how we can make sure our OB/GYN is a good fit and stresses the importance of advocating for ourselves throughout the entirety of this episode.2024-01-1038 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast49. Overcoming Fitness Roadblocks for Type A’s + Type B’s with Abby GreenToday I’m (Amy) in the studio with Abby Green. You may recognize her voice from episode 21 where she talked all about her experience with prolapse. It was a very vulnerable conversation so if this is something you’re experiencing, you’ll definitely want to go back and listen to that episode.Abby is also one of our Expecting and Empowered running coaches. In addition, she’s a University of Wisconsin certified mindset and business coach. She’s helped so many women work through their personal and profession...2023-12-2727 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast48. Navigating Sick Season With @resilientrascalsWe have Dr. Anjuli Gans from @resilientrascals on the show today. Her goal over there is to serve as a resource for parents to bridge the gap between your instincts and professional medical advice. She’s not only a pediatrician but she’s a mom as well. Have you ever felt like your kid is sick all the time? Dr. Anjuli goes over how many illnesses are normal for the first year of a child’s life. She also explains that as children get older, things do tend to get better. Their i...2023-12-1337 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast47. How To Prep Your Pelvic Floor For Labor + DeliveryIt’s Krystle here and today we are talking about your pelvic floor! I’ve heard it both in the clinic and inside the Expecting and Empowered community that women are told to just do kegels to prepare for labor and delivery. And, oh boy, could that be farther than the truth. Today I am going to help you improve your labor experience by strengthening your ability to work with your body during childbirth, decrease tearing, and reduce the risk of having an emergency C-section.We discuss understanding the role the pelv...2023-11-2923 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast46. What REALLY Happens During Labor With Mommy Labor NurseToday we have a special surprise for you. We have Liesel Teen on the show! She is a registered labor and delivery nurse and the face behind the very popular account @mommy.labornurse on Instagram. She has two kids herself and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping people prepare for labor and delivery. Her goal is to empower women and give them resources to help them through this phase of their lives.We cover what a labor and delivery nurse is in charge of during a birth...2023-11-1549 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast45. Everything You Need to Know About Preventing Tearing During LaborA common fear that a lot of women have when they are going into labor is tearing. Especially if it’s your first time. We want to address this fear in this episode. We cover what you can do in pregnancy to prepare, how to protect your perineum during labor, and what to do if you do end up tearing.Krystle explains what tearing actually is and what the different degrees of tearing mean. We get into why tearing happens and why it is more common among athletes. We teach you ho...2023-11-0130 min
Momwell196: Redefining Postpartum Fitness with Amy Kiefer & Krystle Howald, co-founders of Expecting and EmpoweredOur postpartum physical health often goes hand-in-hand with our mental health. But in many ways, it feels taboo to talk about the physical changes we experience after having a baby. And finding answers about postpartum fitness isn’t always easy. What’s safe? What’s effective? And how do we keep a healthy mindset? Today, I’m joined by Amy Kiefer & Krystle Howald, co-founders of Expecting and Empowered, to redefine what postpartum fitness means and learn how we can let go of unrealistic goals and harsh messaging and create a path to heal our bodies.Show Note...2023-10-2551 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast44. Battling Perfectionism + Navigating Working Motherhood with @momwellMaternal mental health is what our guest Erica Djossa specializes in. She is a registered psychotherapist with over a decade of experience. Erica is the founder of Momwell - a mom centered virtual therapy service for every stage of motherhood.In this episode we discuss why we often have unattainable goals in motherhood and Erica explains how we are living in the era of intensive mothering. Perfectionism is a constant battle for many of us moms whether or not we work in or outside of the home. We set such high...2023-10-1848 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast43. How to Support Your TTC Journey Through Nutrition with @ttc.nutritionistCan nutrition really have an impact when you are trying to conceive? Yes, it absolutely can! Today we are talking with Sophia from @ttc.nutritionist about the nuts and bolts of how what we put into our bodies plays a role in getting pregnant.Sophia is a registered dietitian who focuses on optimizing your progesterone levels during pregnancy, helping to support women along their fertility journeys through education and empowerment during the luteal phase. She is a mom herself and a military spouse.There...2023-10-0439 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast42. Why Everyone Should See A Women's Health PTToday we have Sarah Rubatt, a women’s health physical therapist at the Empower Movement clinic, on the show. Sarah has been a physical therapist for nine years and she specializes in the rehabilitation of orthopedic conditions of the spine and upper & lower extremities as well as pelvic floor rehabilitation in prenatal and postnatal moms. Sarah is a mom of two and helps us at Expecting and Empowered with responding to more of your physical therapy related questions.In this episode both Krystle Howald, co-founder of Expecting and Empowered, and Sarah ta...2023-09-2039 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast41. Optimizing Your Hormonal Health with Dr. Corina DunlapIf you’ve ever thought to yourself that feeling sluggish is just how it is now, then this episode is for you. Dr. Corina Dunlap, licensed naturopathic doctor and medicinal researcher, talks with us today about how regulating your hormonal health can pay off in dividends.Dr. Corina is a mom of two and she is on a mission to help women live their healthiest, most abundant life by working to understand their body and how they can heal it. She explains her top recommendations for those women who are trying to...2023-09-0641 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast40. Simplifying Your Mom Life with @katyjoywellsI have the pleasure of talking with Katy Joy Wells on the podcast today. She is a declutter expert and is all about giving sustainable tips to live clutter free, even with kids.Katy explains how she got coined with the nickname “Your Declutter Bestie”, whether or not her clients tend to say the clutter gets worse once they become moms, and what the difference between clutter and the expected mess really is.Are you at a point where you feel so overwhelmed that you...2023-08-2345 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast39. Mantras and Mindsets for Labor + DeliveryIf you’re heading into labor for the first time, you are heading into the unknown. With this experience we can feel a wide range of emotions including everything from fear to excitement. As a mom of three, nurse, doula, and co-founder of Expecting and Empowered, it is my goal to help you move toward acceptance and preparation versus avoidance when it comes to labor and delivery.We know that our mindset plays a pivotal role in birth. Have you heard of the fear/pain cycle? I explain what this is and...2023-08-0922 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast38. Pain Management Strategies For Labor With Birth Doula Elizabeth JoyLiz Sandoz, a practicing doula, is on the podcast this week! She is a mom of two with a third on the way and has her own podcast; Morning Chava. Liz talks with us about why she loves births so much and why she is passionate about being a part of the birthing experience.The role of a doula can be confusing to some. Liz explains what a doula does in the delivery room and what the difference between a midwife and a doula is. She also talks about how her...2023-07-2642 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast37. Your Burning Questions About Exercising In Pregnancy AnsweredExercise in pregnancy - let’s talk about it! It can be confusing. What is okay to do and what shouldn’t I do? This is the whole reason why we started Expecting and Empowered in the first place. The goal of today’s episode is to take the guesswork out of pregnancy exercise.I’m here with my sister, and co-founder, Krystle. She’s a physical therapist who also has a pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist certification. I’m asking her all of the burning questions that you guys submitted ab...2023-07-1228 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast36. Fueling Your Body and Creating a Positive Relationship With Food With @antidietmamaWe have Sammie Gollup of @anti.diet.mama on the podcast today. She is a mom of two, a registered dietitian, and her mission is to help people have a better quality of life by improving their nutrition and their relationship with food.A lot of women are actually undereating and might not even know it. Sammie explains why this is hard on our bodies and shares the first step we can take if our body doesn’t seem to be sending us proper hunger cues. She shares what she wants mo...2023-06-2840 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast35. Krystle Howald's Second and Third C-section Birth + RecoveryKrystle is back on the podcast today and we are covering her experience with her second and third C-sections. Krystle shares how her goal with her second birth was to have a VBAC and gets honest about how she felt pressured into having a C-section instead. She shares what tools have helped her the most in dealing with this birth trauma.We ask Krystle questions around how you can set your house up for success prior to having a C-section, what it was like to come home to little ones and...2023-06-1423 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast34. Integrative Health And The Small Things You Can Do To Improve Your Well-being @kate.eskuriThis week’s guest is Kate Eskuri; a mom, fellow Midwesterner, and registered nurse with her doctorate in integrative and holistic health. Kate has a really approachable way of talking about health and wellness including inside motherhood. She speaks on how to slow down and how we can implement a more clean lifestyle into our homes.You might be wondering what the term integrative health even means. Kate explains how the definition is going to be different for every individual. She shares her top three tips for us busy moms on ho...2023-05-311h 08The Expecting and Empowered Podcast33. Navigating Parenthood From the Non-Birth Partner Perspective with Eli Weinstein, LCWSWe are bringing you the non-birth partner’s perspective today. Eli Weinstein is a licensed clinical social worker therapist of The Dude Therapist podcast. He works with couples and specializes in anxiety, relationships and parenting. He’s a husband and a father of two and is really open on Instagram about the mental struggles that Dad faces.Eli covers topics including how bringing their first child home affected his relationship with his partner. He talks about what the bonding experience felt like with his child as the non-birthing partner. We chat abou...2023-05-1753 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast32. Amy Kiefer's Unmedicated Birth Of Baby #3It’s Amy here and I am really excited for today’s episode because I will be telling the story of our third son’s birth. If you are looking for other birth stories, be sure to check out episodes #3 and #15.This birth has such a special place in my heart. It was challenging but doable, hard but beautiful all at the same time. I share how my husband Drew played such an important role in Cole’s birth. He was an advocate for me and his support gave me faith to know...2023-05-1031 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast31. Maintaining Your Sense of Self with Dr. Morgan CutlipToday we are talking to Dr. Morgan Cutlip who is a wife, mom of two, has a PhD in psychology, and is passionate about helping moms understand their relationships with themselves and their partners.We all know that once we become moms our identities shift both personally and professionally. Dr. Morgan shares what that transition has been like for her and discusses the importance of eventually getting that identity back. She gives us prompts we can ask ourselves that help us reframe whether or not we’ve actually lost ourselves or if...2023-05-0348 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast30. Strength Training Or Cardio - What's Right For Me?It’s Amy here this week and I’m educating you on one of my favorite topics which is the difference between lifting weights and cardio. They both have their place but today we are diving into what the science says is best for us.The reason we are really passionate about this subject is that there are a lot of misconceptions about lifting weights. Today I'm hoping to put people's fears at bay. Some women get nervous that they are going to get bulky from lifting and that’s just not tr...2023-04-1926 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast29. Must Know Skin + Hair Care For Pregnancy and Postpartum With Dr. Fatima From @dermy_doctorWith so many skin and hair products on the market it is hard to determine which ones are best, and safest, during pregnancy and postpartum. Today we have the lovely Dr. Fatima Fahs who is a board certified dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology on the show to help us demystify all of the misinformation out there on all things skin and hair.She is also the face behind the Instagram account @dermy_doctor where she shares great information about skin care and hair care. Dr. Fatima...2023-04-0559 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast28. What Actually Happens After A Hospital Birth With @mackenzie.on.motherhoodThis is part two of our series with Postpartum and Labor + Delivery nurse, Mackenzie from @mackenzie.on.motherhood. If you haven’t listened to episode 27 yet, we highly recommend you go back and listen to that episode as well. Today we are talking all about your hospital day after birth - what you can expect, things people don’t always talk about and things that might surprise you.As a labor & delivery and postpartum nurse, Mackenzie doesn’t shy away from the things people don’t always talk about in postpartum. She shar...2023-03-2244 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast27. What a Labor + Delivery Nurse Wants You To Know About Labor With @mackenzie.on.motherhoodThis week we are featuring part one of a two part series with Mackenzie from @mackenzie.on.motherhood on Instagram and TikTok. She is a labor and delivery nurse as well as a postpartum nurse. She is in our home state of Wisconsin and we absolutely love supporting fellow Midwesterners.Today we are talking all about labor and delivery. Mackenzie answers our questions on what the role of a labor and delivery nurse is, the sometimes controversial subject of Pitocin, and what cervical checks are and why they’re performed....2023-03-0854 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast26. How to Build Sustainable, Healthy Habits As a Busy MomOne thing that we are really passionate about here at Expecting and Empowered are daily habits. We just finished our first accountability challenge of 2023 and we got so much positive feedback from our community that we had to make this idea of healthy, sustainable habits into a podcast episode.Krystle and I both love the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. If you haven’t read it, he gives so much scientific evidence on the power of forming habits. We know that when you go to make a lifestyle change it ca...2023-02-2230 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast25. Dr. Alice On Healing Your Birth TraumaToday we sit down with Dr. Alice Pickering who is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified clinical trauma specialist. She owns her own private practice and has an incredible Instagram account where she shares resources for women and mothers that are going through different phases of their lives. Dr. Alice explains how she got started in psychology and how her own mothering experiences have impacted her practice. She breaks down what birth trauma is and what occurrences put some women at a higher risk for it than others. Dr. Alice gives t...2023-02-0835 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast24. Understanding the Stages of Labor and How to Work With Our BodiesToday we are talking to you about how you can prepare for your upcoming labor and delivery. We cover everything from the different stages of labor and what to expect in each one, to optimal laboring positions whether you choose to get an epidural or not. We touch on the emotional side of things including who is going to provide you with support during the duration of your labor and delivery and how you want them to talk to you throughout. Finally we cover the different pain management options and how people with rituals tend to cope a...2023-01-2545 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast23. Larissa from @steadyparents on Managing Overstimulation During the Little People YearsToday, we are so lucky to sit down with Larissa Geleris from @steadyparents. She is an occupational therapist who specializes in helping parents to regulate their senses and emotions to nourish their relationships with their children.Larissa shares how she focuses on getting parents what they need so that they can show up in a way that they are proud of for their kids. She also shares why she is so passionate about helping parents find their steadiness.If you enjoyed this episode we...2023-01-1134 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast22. 4 Tips for Getting Your Workout In During the Busy Little People YearsIt’s Amy here and this week we’ve got a mini episode for you. We put together our tangible, best tips for getting your workouts in because we know it’s incredibly hard to do when you have a bunch of little people that depend on you. We've been in the trenches of motherhood where you don’t feel like you have a spare moment let alone 45 minutes for a workout.But we do know that prioritizing working out can be so important to our lives so throughout our journeys we've al...2022-12-2817 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast21. Abby Green's Experience with ProlapseThis week’s guest might sound familiar to you if you’ve taken any of our runs inside our app. We have Abby Green with us today to talk about her experience with prolapse. Abby is an amazing member of the Expecting and Empowered team and community. She's a mom to three kids. And she's Amy’s co-host on the HERself and Pursuing HER Purpose podcasts. We wanted to talk about prolapse, because we know it can be really hard for women, when they go through something like this and it isn’t t...2022-12-1439 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast20. Dr. Angel Montfort on Perinatal Mental Health + AnxietyIt’s Amy here and today I am honored to have my friend, Dr. Angel Monfort on as a guest. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified in perinatal mental health. Dr. Angel helps women navigate the challenging years of motherhood through The Center of Maternal Mental Health and she is a mom of four.Dr. Angel shares the things she had anxiety about when she first became a mama and how being a high achieving perfectionist caused motherhood to be even harder for her. She shares that she wishes sh...2022-11-3042 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast19. Lacey Yasick's Positive, Pitocin Free InductionIt’s Amy here today with a really fun episode for you, because you’ll get to hear the birth story of one of our employees at Expecting and Empowered, Lacey Yasick who shares how her third child recently came into the world! I had the absolute honor of being there as Lacey’s doula for that magical moment where she met her third baby for the very first time, and I can’t wait for you to hear all about it in this episode.Lacey also reveals how each of her three pregnancies have been diff...2022-11-1633 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast18. Amber Latsch, CNM on Why You Might Want a MidwifeIt’s Amy here, and I’m so excited to sit down in person with Amber Latsch, who is a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. Amber works right here in Madison, Wisconsin and we got to know her as a part of the midwife team for one of our employees, Lacey. In this episode, Amber shares how she got interested in becoming a midwife, and what the process to become one looked like for her. She talks about who would be a good candidate for midwife services, thing...2022-11-0239 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast17. Urinary Incontinence Doesn’t Have to Be a “Normal” Part of MotherhoodIn this episode, we’re diving into a topic that we know more women need to hear about, and that is urinary incontinence. Even today, we hear a lot of different comments, thoughts, and experiences on this topic. No matter what you’ve heard, you may be surprised at how quickly urinary incontinence can improve! We know that this can be frustrating, but we hope the tips we share here can help turn things in the right direction for you. As mentioned in the episode, we encourage you to download our free resource here, which contains more valua...2022-10-1935 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast16. Preparing Your Body and Mind for Labor + DeliveryWe get asked often in our community about preparing for labor and delivery, which is why we are focusing on this topic today. We want to provide moms listening with tangible tips, so that you can set yourself up for success. We hear from people that are really excited about the labor and delivery experience, others that are terrified, and everything in-between, and no matter which describes you, it is our hope that you find this episode really helpful! If you like this episode, we have so much more for you inside of our Prepping for Labor + D...2022-10-0556 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast15. Amy Kiefer's Second Birth Story: A Swift Bedside DeliveryIt’s Amy here, and today I am sharing the story of my second son’s birth. His name is Trey Daniel, and I will say that out of my three births, this one was my favourite labor and delivery experience (and you’ll hear why that is)! In this episode, I reveal some of the important discussions that I knew I had to have with my OBGYN, the way that I prepared myself for this birth, and how it differed from my first. I also give a complete breakdown at what that day was like for me, fro...2022-09-2127 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast14. Dr. Cassidy On Navigating Your Mental Health From Trying to Conceive Through the Postpartum PeriodA huge part of this podcast is about helping women be more prepared for postpartum, and we’re so excited to bring you this conversation with Doctor Cassidy, LMFT, where she shares her expert tips and advice for how we can better equip moms, from the beginning!In this episode, you’ll hear Dr. Cassidy’s fertility journey advice, the way to set boundaries, and how to mentally prepare for becoming a mom in a world where information can seem so intimidating. She also covers the topics of restorative rest, child rearing and roles and responsibilities in the ho...2022-09-0745 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast13. Jacquelyn Brennan on Empowering Your Core After BabyWe’re so excited to sit down with our dear friend Jacquelyn Brennan today to talk about all things core after baby! Jacquelyn is the owner of Pilates + Coffee in Chicago, Illinois, and a certified personal trainer and perinatal corrective exercise specialist. In this episode, she shares the ways that the body changes when you’re pregnant and how that can affect your core, the importance of breath work during pregnancy, what to know about your core training during the postpartum period, and why you shouldn’t skip the beginning stages of strengthening your core. As Jacqu...2022-08-2441 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast12. Everything You Need to Know the First Two Weeks After a C-SectionIn the last episode, we revealed everything that you need to know the first two weeks after a vaginal birth, and today we’re sharing what you need to know the first two weeks after a C-Section. One-third of babies in the United States are delivered this way, yet by hearing from you, we feel that there is still a gap in the information that women need for recovery versus the information they are getting, and this is why we wanted to share openly with you on this topic. If you haven’t listened yet, in Episode 10 Kryst...2022-08-1033 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast11: Everything You Need to Know the First Two Weeks After a Vaginal BirthWith recovery from a vaginal birth, there is a lot going on that is often unspoken, a taboo topic, or considered as just “normal”. Today we are here to give you some proper recovery tips from a mom who has had three vaginal births and pelvic floor physical therapist, and you’ll want to tune in for our next episode where we talk about what you need to know the first two weeks after a C-section! If this episode resonated with you, we would be so honored if you shared it and tagged us on Instagram, @expectingandempowered, so that...2022-07-2741 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast10. Krystle Howald's First C-section With Breech Baby BrookeToday is a special episode, as Krystle is sharing all about her first C-section birth with her beautiful baby, Brooke. As you’ll hear, Krystle has never shared the whole story all at once, and in this episode, she opens up about a lot of things that moms typically don’t talk about. This is a very personal account of the way she processed the emotions that came up for her immediately after having her C-section birth, and she also reveals how she prepared for it, the physical and emotional impact that accompanied the birth, and much more.We...2022-07-1326 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast9. Rachel & Stacey of Decoding Couples on Navigating Parenthood with Your PartnerIf you feel your relationship has unhealthy patterns and you need some tangible relationship support, you’re not alone. Today’s expert guests are Rachel Facio and Stacey Sherrell, the duo behind Decoding Couples. They are both licensed marriage and family therapists with a combined 20 years of experience in the field of relationships and marriage, and they are here to help provide you strategies and tools to support your relationship. Rachel and Stacey’s mission is to take the complications out of communication, help you break unhealthy patterns, and connect in a way that “makes your grandma blush” as...2022-06-2947 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast8. Kayleigh Medeiros Precipitous Labor Ends In A Car BirthWe recently asked our community who they wanted to join us on the podcast when it comes to sharing their birth story, and they told us we had to talk with Kayleigh Medeiros! Kayleigh is the mom of two and owner of Heritage Baby Designs, a company she created to design babywearing ring slings for the everyday mom. She has a pretty wild birth story about her second child that just might involve giving birth in a car. This is a story that you’re going to want to hear, and we are so happy that we had...2022-06-1532 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast7. Dr. Whitney Casares of Modern Mommy Doc on How to Make Working Motherhood WorkHow would you like to go from conflicted to centered as a mom in today’s super busy world? We are so excited to speak with Dr. Whitney Casares of Modern Mommy Doc, a pediatrician who helps moms thrive in their roles as mothers, while also finding joy in the process. If you are a working mom who is trying to juggle it all during the busy days of motherhood, and you want to discover how to do it without losing sight of making time for yourself, then this episode with Dr. Whitney is for you! If you...2022-06-0133 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast6. Hey Shayla on Hypnobirth and Preparing for Baby #2Our special guest today is Shayla from Hey Shayla, a content creator who has gained a loyal following on Instagram and YouTube for her relatable, honest, and hilarious motherhood content. If you aren’t following her already, you definitely should be, because as Shayla says, child development is her jam and she actually likes nerding out and reading about it (she’ll give you the cliff notes so you don't have to)! Full disclosure, Shayla is one of our amazing ambassadors for Expecting and Empowered and we’ve had the honor of getting to know her over the pas...2022-05-1838 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast5. Molly Chesterson's Positive Planned Induction for Baby #3It’s Amy here, and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Molly Chesterson, who is a member of the Expecting and Empowered community and a mom to 3 beautiful little girls. Molly and I have a really special connection, because I got to be there for her third birth, which is the one that she shares about today on the podcast. In this episode, you’ll hear all about Molly’s third birth story and why she chose to do a planned induction, her experience with doulas, and why this birth was different than her other two. Sh...2022-05-0437 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast4. Olena Gudz Danko of C-section Strong On Why C-section Empowerment MattersFor today’s show we wanted to look at why C-section empowerment matters, which is why we’ve brought a special guest on to share her wisdom and experience on this topic with you.Olena Gudz Danko of C-Section Strong™️ empowers mothers to OWN their cesarean birth, and she is shifting the C-section conversation! In this episode, she reveals what C-section experiences can look like, along with the common myths that exist and the kind of support that these moms really need during this time.We want to empower you with the tools and information to help...2022-04-2027 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast3. Amy Kiefer's Empowering Unmedicated Hospital Birth (Baby #1)Hi, I’m Amy, half of the Expecting and Empowered co-founder duo, and in this episode I’m honored to be telling the story of the birth of my first child, Maxwell Todd Kiefer. Today I reveal all the details of the beautiful experience, starting at 11:30 am that day when I was 40 weeks pregnant, up until 11:04 pm when our first baby entered the world and we became a family of 3! You’ll hear my mindset during all the stages, what helped me so much in this process, the biggest surprises I encountered, the fears I had, and so much...2022-04-1330 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast2. Brooke Miller, Registered Dietitian On Fueling Your Body PostpartumChildbirth, and the time immediately following it, can be a difficult journey for new mothers, so the goal of today’s episode is to give you really understandable and accessible information about nutrition, breastfeeding, and exercise during this time. Our special guest is Brooke Miller, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Lactation Counselor, wife and mom who is passionate about helping other moms and women improve their health without food rules and restrictions. She is the co-host of The Mama Well Podcast, and if you love this conversation with Brooke, you’re going to want to subscribe and listen to thei...2022-04-1335 minThe Expecting and Empowered Podcast1. Welcome to the Expecting and Empowered Podcast!We’re so excited to be here talking to the community that we love so much for the very first episode of the Expecting and Empowered Podcast! Today we thought we’d jump right in and talk about how we envision this podcast being different from all the other podcasts that are available, and the ways that we would like to make it fun and user friendly. Best of all, we’ll be taking some deep dives into topics that you have been asking about, so that you are equipped with the knowledge that you need! We want to...2022-04-1329 minThe Expecting and Empowered PodcastExpecting and Empowered Podcast TrailerWhen we started Expecting and Empowered in 2017- we knew a huge cornerstone of the business would always be FREE information. So here we are- with another way to give women the information they need during their pregnancy and postpartum journey. As you might know- we have a pregnancy and postpartum workout app that guides you through exactly what to do. You might also know- we’re two sisters on a mission to change women’s health. So that’s what we’ll be doing here on the podcast. We’ll be bringing your...2022-03-2901 min
The C-Section Strong®️ PodcastInterview with Amy Kiefer and Krystle Howald of Expecting and EmpoweredSisters Amy Kiefer, RN, BSN, and Krystle Howald, PT, DPT, are the founders and owners of Expecting and Empowered. They provide pregnancy and postpartum fitness guides and enormous value on their Instagram account. Join us as we talk about their different birth experiences, how important the initial healing process is after a cesarean birth, tips for recovery further out after having a c-section, c-section scar management, and how to properly ease back into fitness after your cesarean birth. Expecting and Empowered C-section birth prep and recovery tips Expecting and Empowered Fitness Guides: Use...2020-02-2654 min