Shows
Birth SerenitySpotting & Bleeding During Pregnancy - What is normal and when to see your care provider.Noticing spotting or bleeding during pregnancy can feel terrifying and definitely unsettles pregnant mothers, but it isn’t always a sign that something is wrong. Most moms who spot during pregnancy go on to birth a healthy baby.
My guest this week is midwife Natasha Stadler. She has been working as a midwife for over 30 years and holds a special place in my heart as she was my care provider with my first. Looking back at that day, in hindsight I now know if it wasn’t for her extensive knowledge and amazing gift to b...2021-11-1514 minBirth Serenity012: “Failure To Progress” – YOU HAVE TO KNOW THIS IF YOU ARE HOPING FOR A NATURAL BIRTH!“Failure to progress” or “slow to progress” – the most common given reason for C-sections. If you are hoping for a vaginal birth, chances are at some point doctors will tell you that things are not moving fast enough.
But is this alone enough reason to force mothers into having C-sections?
As always, I’ve looked at the research and have answers for you. This is so important to know, if you want to be informed and able to advocate for yourself in the birth room.
What I’ve covered in this episode:
· How often...2021-11-0315 minBirth Serenity011: Real Birth - Birth Serenity Mom Shares Her Story Of Having A VBAC, Breech Birth, In The Car!We seldom hear of mothers having VBAC births. (Even though statistically proven to be safe.)
We rarely hear about vaginal breech births.
And birthing in the car on your way to the hospital is definitely not common...
Imagine having all 3 happen, in ONE birth!
That's Marilee's story and she wouldn't want it any other way!
Enjoy her story as she shares why she first had an unnecessary C-section 5 years ago. How she worked through trauma and in contrast preparing herself better to have the un-medicated birth she dreamed of.2021-10-1353 minBirth Serenity010: The Importance Of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy with Dr Diane MeyerA few weeks ago I messaged co-host, Ashley Pickett and asked her if she knows about a really good Prenatal Chiro that I can invite to record an episode with me. She sent me a few names, but said – ask Diane first!
So that’s what I did – and I’m so glad! Her knowledge and genuine care for her patients are so evident.
“The skull, the spine and the pelvis are subject to respond and react to various different stressors. And when that happens they can shift in a way that distorts functioning of your centr...2021-10-0532 minBirth Serenity009: Worried About Being Noisy During Labour & Birth?In some antenatal classes the educators will actually tell you to not make any noise during labour, since that will distract you from focusing your energy in the right direction during birth. I’ve heard of many women being told by nurses in the hospital setting to keep quiet to not ‘frighten the other women’.
The idea that there is a ‘right’ way to behave or even worse, a ‘wrong’ way to behave is unhelpful, judgemental and in my opinion show a lack of basic knowledge about how birth works.
This is a short episode, but something...2021-09-2209 minBirth Serenity008: The Fear Of Having An (Unplanned) Caesarean BirthFirst of all, I do not want you to plan in great detail for a potential caesarean birth, if you are actually hoping for a vaginal birth. Where the mind goes, the body will follow. So put all your energy & enthusiasm into planning what you hope for… However, with the right preparation, you can be empowered, regardless of how your birth turns out. And that is what we always aim for here at Birth Serenity.
Fear of having a caesarean is a biggie…
I hear this one a lot from women, whether planning a vaginal birt...2021-09-1520 minBirth Serenity007: The Fear Of Pooping During Labour And Birth - And Why It's Something To Welcome InsteadThis week's episode is about something messy, smelly but OH SO AMAZING!! Yes, we talk about pooping during labour & the birth of your baby. This is another "common fear" that many mothers face as they prepare for their baby’s birth.
"What if I accidentally make a mess all over the bed & my baby?"
"What will the doctors think?"
"Who will clean it?"
"How embarrassing!"
If any of these thoughts crossed your mind, I’ve got some good news for you (as always!) Pooping during birth is in fact a ve...2021-09-0712 minBirth Serenity006: The Infant Microbiome And Why You As A Pregnant Mother Should Know All About ItI’m sure in the midst of a pandemic, we are more aware of the unseen world of microorganisms than ever before. No… this episode is not about the Corona Virus, but rather about something magnificent & wonderful… and often overlooked. We talk about the trillions of bacteria that inhabit your gut and other bodily regions. They have a critical impact on your overall health. The same holds true for babies.
The microbiome is important for many aspects of health, from gut health to mental health to immune health, and research shows that the first couple of months of lif...2021-08-3137 min
Birth Serenity005: The Fear Of Birthing A "Big" Baby & The Risk Of Care Provider FearAs with everything else I share on this blog, it is SO VERY IMPORTANT that YOU as the mother have the right facts (based on research) when it comes to this. When a baby is suspected of being big, a woman has an increased chance of interventions during birth, and of experiencing complications caused by those interventions, even if the baby is not actually big. The complications associated with big babies may reflect care provider fear and practice. Notice I am using the term ‘associated’ not ’caused’.
Healthy well nourished women grow healthy well nourished babies. Genetic factors...2021-08-2314 minBirth Serenity004: The Fear Of Baby Having A Nuchal Cord (Umbilical Cord Around Baby's Neck)The presence of a nuchal cord is a very common occurrence during birth. Up to 30% of babies are born with their umbilical cord around their neck.
The nuchal cord has become the perfect scapegoat because it lays blame with the mother & the baby rather than the care provider & the system. This results in unnecessary fear & disproportionate concerns about nuchal cords within our culture.
In this episode we will cover:
What is a nuchal cord
Why & how do babies end up wearing their cords around their neck
Can ultrasound scanning identify the presence of a...2021-08-1622 minBirth Serenity003: The Fear Of Tearing Or Being Cut During BirthStraight to the point with this one – you are a normal woman if you’re worried about how your vagina will feel and look after birth. It just doesn’t seem natural that something so big can fit through something so small without destroying it. Here’s the cool bit – remember I said in the fear of pain episode that your body can produce and use its own hormones to protect us from pain sensations? So we have the hormone oxytocin and the neuropeptide endorphins that help us with pain. Well your body can also adapt itself to birth a baby wit...2021-08-1021 minBirth Serenity002: The Fear Of Pain During Labour & BirthI often hear, “I have low pain tolerance, so I don’t know how I’ll cope with labour”. Believe it or not, labour is more about mental strength rather than physical strength.
In this episode we will cover:
Why the fear of pain during birth even exists. Why are women so scared of these normal, natural sensations? What happened in history that lead to this horrible fear?
How we can dispel those "myths". In order to have a calm birth and not endure unnecessary, excruciating pain, we have to take action long before labour starts.
Practical...2021-08-0316 min
Birth Serenity001 : Dr Michel Odent on C-sections before labour starts, iron levels in newborns & much more!"Our primary objective should not be to "reduce the cesarean rate", but rather to rediscover the BASIC NEEDS of labouring women"...
This is just one of the many truths Dr Odent said in our interview. Here's what we talked about:
04:00 - Your thoughts on cesareans before natural labour starts?
09:35 - If you are told by week 40 "this now needs to be a cesarean", how will you as a mother know if that is truly necessary. Talking about healthy mothers, carrying healthy babies who had healthy pregnancies.
42:25 - Do babies who are born b...2021-07-061h 01