Shows
Birth KweensEp 139: Farewell, Birth Kweens!After 3+ years and 138 episodes, the Birth Kweens Podcast is coming to an end! Listen to this final episode to hear Karly and Ali wrap things up. Thank you all for supporting us and listening to the show over the past few years. We love and appreciate all of you!
2021-01-1409 min
Birth KweensEp 135: VBAC Success Story with Anissa BallesterosAnissa Ballesteros is here today to share her two birth stories with us. For her first baby, Anissa had planned and prepared for an unmedicated hospital birth but her baby was breech so she ended up having a cesarean. When she got pregnant with her second baby, she knew she wanted a different experience so she hired Karly and planned a home birth. Anissa shares about how difficult her cesarean birth was for her and how healing and positive her HBAC (home birth after cesarean) experience was. --- SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Get a...
2020-11-1251 min
Birth KweensEp 129: A Home Birth Transfer Story with Laci SilvaLaci Silva shares about the birth of her daughter, Lilás. Laci and her husband Jimmy had planned a home birth with Karly and Ali but after a long few days of early labor with no progress they made the decision to transfer to the hospital for medical intervention. Despite things not going as planned, Laci and Jimmy still had a very positive (albeit exhausting) birth experience! --- SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Support your mind and body with high quality CBD and adaptogen products from FOCL. Go to FOCL.com and use code KWEENS f...
2020-08-2053 min
Birth KweensEp 128: Vitamin K for the NewbornIn this episode we’re covering vitamin K for the newborn. You’ll hear about what vitamin K is, why it’s routinely given to newborns, the two ways it can be administered, and the risks and benefits of receiving it, including it’s effectiveness. The resources used to put together this episode are listed below: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021393/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24059412/ https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-the-vitamin-k-shot-in-newborns/ https://www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/vitamin-k-prophylaxis-in-newborns#:~:text=Since%201961%2C%20the%20American%20Academy,after%20birth%20to%20prevent%20VKDB. --- SUPPORT...
2020-08-1343 min
Birth KweensEp 127: The Rebozo: History, Cultural Significance & Use During the Childbearing Year with Gina KirbyToday we’re talking with the amazing Gena Kirby about the rebozo! We discuss what it is, it’s history and cultural significance, and how it can be integrated into pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. To get information about Gena’s workshops or buy her e-books visit her website GenaKirby.net. Check out Gena’s mentorship program The Doula’s Doula and support Gena via Patreon! Click here to read the article titled “The Rebozo: Fashion, Feminism and Death” that Gena mentions. --- SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Get a high quality, fully breathable, washable, and re...
2020-07-301h 23
Birth KweensEp 126: Back Labor & Sterile Water InjectionsIn this episode we’re talking about back labor, including its possible causes, how to prevent it, its impact on labor progression, and what to do if you find yourself experiencing it. We also delve into sterile water injections – what they are, why they’re useful in labor, and what it’s like to get them. Here are the links for the resources mentioned in this episode: The Spinning Babies website, specifically the pages for daily and weekly activities to do during pregnancy and the section dedicated to what to do during labor A TENS unit which can be a gre...
2020-07-1641 min
Birth KweensEp 125: Common Pregnancy DiscomfortsIn this episode we’re talking about common pregnancy discomforts and some remedies to treat them. We cover morning sickness, back pain, heartburn, sleep problems and more! --- SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Treat yourself to some amazing skincare products from OSEA Malibu. Go to www.OSEAMalibu.com/birthkweens for $10 off your first purchase of $50 or more. Free shipping for US orders over $75 and free samples with every order! Sign up for a subscription with Ritual Vitamins today! Get your daily multivitamin or prenatal delivered right to your door by visiting Ritual.com/kwe...
2020-07-091h 01
Birth KweensEp 124: Breast Implant Illness with Dr. Elizabeth Winter, ND, LM, CPMDr. Elizabeth Winter, ND, LM, CPM joins us in today’s episode to discuss breast implant illness. Dr. Winter is naturopathic doctor in San Diego, CA who specializes in women’s health and pediatrics. In this episode we discuss what breast implant illness is, the signs/symptoms of it, and treatment options for those who have it. --- SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a membership with Thrive Market and start saving 25-50% off traditional retail prices on all your favorite clean, organic products! Go to ThriveMarket.com/KWEENS to get $20 in shopping cred...
2020-06-1840 min
Birth KweensEp 123: Perinatal Psychology & the Lasting Impacts of Birth with Anna VerwaalThis episode features Anna Verwaal, a maternal-child health nurse, conscious conception & birth consultant, midwifery, nursing and doula instructor, primal period & childbirth educator, UCLA certified lactation educator, and birth photographer from the Netherlands. After a 25-year nursing career in various countries in obstetric, pediatric, neonatal and home-health settings, she preferred to work with families and babies as an educator and started her own private birth consulting practice in Los Angeles, attending homebirths for over 10 years. In this episode you’ll learn about: Anna’s background and how she got into birth work How babies are impacted by their conception, gestation, and birth How...
2020-05-281h 27
Birth KweensEp 122: Little Flipper: Drea Haire's Birth StoryDrea Haire joins us on today’s episode to share about the birth of her first baby. You’ll hear about what she and her husband did to prepare for labor, her goal of having a water birth in a birth center, and how her plans got turned upside when she found out her baby was breech at 37 weeks (and AGAIN at 39 weeks!). This is a super unique birth story and we’re so happy to be able to share it with all of you! --- SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a member...
2020-05-1456 min
Birth KweensEp 121: Placenta Consumption with Maria Pokluda of BEST PlacentaIn today’s episode we’re talking with Maria Pokluda about placenta encapsulation. Maria is a doula, childbirth educator, and placenta encapsulator who teaches encapsulation workshops through her training organization, BEST Placenta. In this episode we discuss: The history of placenta consumption A book about the topic – Placenta: The Forgotten Chakra The existing data on placenta consumption The benefits, risks, and contraindications of consuming your placenta What’s contained in the placenta and the benefits of those active ingredients The difference between placenta pills and tincture and how a tincture can be used long term The different methods of prepa...
2020-04-1659 min
Birth KweensEp 120: COVID-19 Resources & A Review of Labor Comfort MeasuresIn light of all the craziness currently happening with COVID-19, we decided to re-release this episode about comfort measures in labor. Many people will be having their babies with little or no support because of the current hospital restrictions and we hope that these tips will help with managing the intensity of labor, especially if you’re doing it without the support you’d planned on having. Additionally, here are a few helpful resources that we mentioned at the top of the episode: COVID-19 resources page on Evidence Based Birth The WHO’s page on COVID-19 The CDC’s page o...
2020-03-261h 27
Birth KweensEp 119: Understanding and Solving Painful Sex with Emily Sauer of OhnutToday we’re talking about painful sex with Emily Sauer, the creator of Ohnut. Ohnut is a wearable tool that helps solve the problem of painful sex by customizing penetration depth without sacrificing sensation for you or your partner. In this episode we talk about the typical causes of painful sex (both physical and mental), how common it is, and how Ohnut can help. Use code BirthKweens at checkout to get a discount on your purchase (*offer valid until June 5, 2020). And don’t forget to check out Ohnut’s blog and follow them on Instagram! --- SUPPOR...
2020-03-0542 min
Birth KweensEp 118: Natural Remedies for Cold & Flu SeasonSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sign up for a subscription with Ritual Vitamins today! Get your daily multivitamin or prenatal delivered right to your door by visiting Ritual.com/kweens. Use the promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off during your first 3 months! Treat yourself to a beautiful piece of luxury jewelry from Noemie! Go to hellonoemie.com/KWEENS to see their collections and get $50 off your first purchase with promo code KWEENS. --- In this episode Karly and Ali explore some natural remedies for prevention and treatment of cold and f...
2020-02-0632 min
Birth KweensEp 117: Reducing Pregnancy Pain with Lindsay McCoy of One Strong MamaIn this episode we’re talking to Lindsay McCoy of One Strong Mama about pain during pregnancy and how exercise can be used to mitigate it. Lindsay is an Exercise Physiologist, birth doula, childbirth educator, and co-founder of the online prenatal exercise birth prep and recovery program, One Strong Mama. She is also one of the creators of the Body Ready Method professional training program that helps birth and fitness pros assess and train pregnant clients- specifically for core and pelvic floor optimization. She has helped thousands of pregnant people have more comfortable pregnancies, more efficient births, and smoother re...
2020-01-2343 min
Birth KweensEp 116: Giving Birth After A Shoulder Dystocia: Dominique Richey’s Birth StorySUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sign up for a subscription with Ritual Vitamins today! Get your daily multivitamin or prenatal delivered right to your door by visiting Ritual.com/kweens. Use the promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off during your first 3 months! --- Dominique Richey is back on the show to share the birth story of her third baby, Aminah! You may remember Dominique from episode 70 where she shared about her first two births (an unmedicated hospital birth and a home birth that included a significant shoulder dystocia). Preparing for this birth was different...
2020-01-091h 05
Birth KweensEp 115: Accidental Unassisted Home Birth with Ryan & Mary LeeMary and Ryan Lee join us to share about the exciting birth of their first child, Thea. (You may remember Ryan from episode 8 where he talked with us about healing the scar tissue that remains after a cesarean.) Thea’s birth was fast and furious and although Ryan and Mary had planned a hospital birth, Thea decided to come quickly in their bathroom at home one afternoon in April 2019. Ryan and Mary share about the whole experience, including what it was like for Ryan to catch Thea and how Mary has healed after her birth experience. We hope you en...
2020-01-021h 06
Birth KweensEp 114: Providing Care for Queer and Trans Families with Annie Kocher, CDSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Treat yourself to a stylish, comfortable pair of scrubs from FIGS today! Visit www.WearFigs.com and enter code KWEENS at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! #FabFitFunPartner --- This week we’re talking with birth doula Annie Kocher about how to provide sensitive, respectful care for queer and trans families. Here’s an overview of what we cover as well as the resources Annie mentions in the episode: Basi...
2019-12-201h 05
Birth KweensEp 113: The Vadge Gadge Episode with Dr. Rose Schlaff, DPT, IF, WHCSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Get the important men in your life a meaningful and functional gift from Swanky Badger! Use promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off your order. Treat yourself to a beautiful piece of luxury jewelry from Noemie! Go to hellonoemie.com/KWEENS to see their collections and get $50 off your first purchase with promo code KWEENS. --- We’re back for part two with Dr. Rose Schlaff, DPT, IF, WHC! If you didn’t catch her on last week’s episode about postpartum sex and intimacy, click here. This week’s...
2019-12-1239 min
Birth KweensEp 112: Postpartum Sex & Intimacy with Dr. Rose Schlaff, DPT, IF, WHCSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Get the important men in your life a meaningful and functional gift from Swanky Badger! Use promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off your order. --- This week we’re talking postpartum sex and intimacy with Dr. Rose Schlaff, DPT, IF, WHC. Many people struggle with sexual fulfillment and intimacy during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum so we invited Dr. Rose on the show to share some of her valuable insight on how to work through these challenges. Dr. Rose is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Women's Sexual He...
2019-12-0534 min
Birth KweensEp 111: Persevering Through Long Labors: Mariane's Birth StoriesSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Get the important men in your life a meaningful and functional gift from Swanky Badger! Use promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off your order. --- Mariane Konstantaras joins us to share about the births of her two sons, Luca and Leo. With Luca, she started off in the care of a doctor with a plan to deliver in the hospital. Midway through pregnancy she transferred her care to midwives at a freestanding birth center. After a long early labor that presented some unexpected challenges, Mariane ended up transferring to...
2019-11-281h 06
Birth KweensEp 110: Inductions & Cesareans for Suspected Big Babies with Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based BirthSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Get the important men in your life a meaningful and functional gift from Swanky Badger! Use promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off your order. Treat yourself to a stylish, comfortable pair of scrubs from FIGS today! Visit www.WearFigs.com and enter code KWEENS at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! #FabFitFunPartner --- This week’s guest is the amazing Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth! Rebecca is...
2019-11-2143 min
Birth KweensEp 109: Prenatal Yoga with Deb FlashenbergSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Treat yourself to a beautiful piece of luxury jewelry from Noemie! Go to hellonoemie.com/KWEENS to see their collections and get $50 off your first purchase with promo code KWEENS. Download Honey, the FREE browser add-on that finds you the best deals online and automatically applies the discounts to your cart at check out! Go to joinhoney.com/KWEENS and start saving today. --- In this episode Deb Flashenberg joins us to talk about prenatal yoga and how it can be used to prepare your mind and body f...
2019-11-1434 min
Birth KweensEp 108: Pelvic Organ Prolapse with Dr. Lauren Mallari-Snyder, PT, DPTThis week we’re talking with physical therapist and women’s health specialist Dr. Lauren Mallari-Snyder, PT, DPT about pelvic organ prolapse. Lauren works primarily with people who are pregnant or postpartum and handles issues spanning from neck, to vagina, to the gym and all things in between. She’s been a PT for almost 8 years and has been trying to change the world one pelvic floor at a time. She and her husband, Aaron, own their own PT practice in San Diego called Thrive Physical Therapy. In this episode, we cover what a prolapse is, what organs can be invo...
2019-11-0743 min
Birth KweensEp 107: A Medicated Birth and a Front Seat Baby: Ashley Wadleigh's Birth StoriesAshley Wadleigh came on the show to share about the births of her two kids, Charlie and Elise. Both were planned hospital births, but after her experience with Charlie (unsupportive hospital, pressured into unnecessary interventions, etc.) Ashley took a whole different approach when preparing for Elise’s birth. She shares in depth about both experiences, including what it was like to go from a long, medicated hospital birth to a quick, unmedicated birth in the front seat of her car. We hope you enjoy this fun episode! --- If you liked this episode of the Bi...
2019-10-311h 10
Birth KweensEp 106: Reducing Racial Disparities & Improving Outcomes for Black Birthing People and Birth Workers with Sabia WadeSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Treat yourself to a stylish, comfortable pair of scrubs from FIGS today! Visit www.WearFigs.com and enter code KWEENS at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! #FabFitFunPartner --- Today we’re talking with the indomitable Sabia Wade about how racism and white-centering are negatively impacting black birthing people, their babies, and black birth workers. Sabia is a Black and Queer Full Spectrum Doula, Doula Business Coach and Reproductive Justice Advoca...
2019-10-2458 min
Birth KweensEp 105: All About Home Birth (part III)SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Download Honey, the FREE browser add-on that finds you the best deals online and automatically applies the discounts to your cart at check out! Go to joinhoney.com/KWEENS and start saving today. --- Part 3 of our home birth series is focused on answering your FAQs about giving birth at home. Tune in to get detailed answers to questions about birth set up/clean up, whether home birth can be paid for by insurance, reasons you might need to transfer to a hospital, and lots more! And if you haven’t l...
2019-10-1756 min
Birth KweensEp 104: All About Home Birth (part II)In part two of our series on home birth we’re diving into the details and logistics! This includes the pros and cons of choosing home birth, what the prenatal and postpartum care are like, what you can expect on the day of the birth, and how to decide whether home birth is right for you. And if you haven’t done so yet, check out episode 103 to take a deep dive into the research on home birth safety. --- If you liked this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, tell your friends! And go to i...
2019-10-1030 min
Birth KweensEp 103: All About Home Birth (part I)SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Level up your nutrition game with a superfood mix from Your Super! Use the code KWEENS at checkout for 15% off your order. --- In part one of our three part series on home birth, we’re diving into the research. You’ll hear about some notable studies on the safety of having your baby in an out-of-hospital setting both in America and abroad. The following links lead to the studies and resources we used when researching this episode: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/birt.12411 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih...
2019-10-0325 min
Birth KweensEpisode 102: CBD Use in Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Beyond with Dr. Cade Copeland, DCSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! #FabFitFunPartner --- Dr. Cade Copeland, DC is a chiropractor and functional practitioner in Naples, FL as well as the founder and co-owner of Rooted Apothecary, a company that sells products (including high-quality CBD) that support people on their journey to optimal health. He graduated from NWHSU in 2009 and has dedicated his life to working with families to address health issues through a multidisciplinary approach to wellness. Instead of focusing on what is wrong...
2019-09-261h 09
Birth KweensEp 101: Ask Us Anything (part II)SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Download Honey, the FREE browser add-on that finds you the best deals online and automatically applies the discounts to your cart at check out! Go to joinhoney.com/KWEENS and start saving today. --- In part two of our Ask Us Anything series, we continue answering questions submitted by our wonderful listeners. A few highlights include how we each got our businesses off the ground, helpful things to bring with you in your hospital birth bag, some tips for home birthers, and more details about how we find balance amidst...
2019-09-1951 min
Birth KweensEp 100: Ask Us Anything (part I)SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Level up your nutrition game with a superfood mix from Your Super! Use the code KWEENS at checkout for 15% off your order. --- Happy 100th episode, kweens! In part one of our "Ask Us Anything" series we’re answering listener-submitted questions about birth, being birth workers, and a few tidbits about our lives outside of work. Thanks for hanging out with us through 100 episodes! We love you! --- If you liked this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, tell your friends! And go to iTunes, Stitcher, Goog...
2019-09-1240 min
Birth KweensEp 99: Birthing From Within with Nicole Morales, LM, CPMNicole Morales, LM, CPM is a home birth midwife, Approved Spinning Babies Trainer, and Certified Birthing From Within Mentor from San Diego, CA. You may remember her from her episode 72 on breech birth. We invited her back to the show to talk with us about the childbirth prep method Birthing From Within. We hope you enjoy! Also, if you're located in San Diego and you're looking for a local BFW mentor, check out http://birthingfromwithinsandiego.com. --- If you liked this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, tell your friends! And go to iTunes, Stitcher, Go...
2019-09-0552 min
Birth KweensEp 98: A Cesarean and Two VBACs: Andrea Pond's Birth StoriesSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! #FabFitFunPartner --- Andrea Pond is the guest of this episode and she’s here to talk about the births of her three kids, Watson, Maggie, and Nora. With her son Watson she’d planned to give birth at an out-of-hospital birth center but after going 24 hours with her water broken and no contractions, she transferred to a hospital where she eventually gave birth via cesarean. She shares about how she processed that experience and...
2019-08-291h 31
Birth KweensEp 97: Chiropractic Care for Infants and Children with Dr. Chris Norton, DC & Dr. Rafael Ramon, DCIn this episode we’re talking with Dr. Chris Norton, DC and Dr. Rafael Ramon, DC about chiropractic care for infants and children. Chris and Rafael are San Diego-based chiropractors and have been serving families via their practice, Acru Health, for over 5 years. They also have a podcast called Healthy Habits San Diego where they partner with local experts to empower and equip people to make healthier habits, which leads to healthier lifestyles. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this episode: How to identify whether a chiropractor has adequate training and experience working with infants and kids The...
2019-08-2255 min
Birth KweensEp 96: Informed Consent and Birth with Ilana Stanger-RossSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Download Honey, the FREE browser add-on that finds you the best deals online and automatically applies the discounts to your cart at check out! Go to joinhoney.com/KWEENS and start saving today. --- In this episode we’re exploring the topic of informed consent in birth with midwife Ilana Stanger-Ross. Ilana is a Registered Midwife based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and the author of "A is for Advice (The Reassuring Kind): Wisdom for Pregnancy" (William Morrow, 2019). Originally from Brooklyn, she received a BA at Barnard College; an MA in...
2019-08-151h 10
Birth KweensEp 95: All About PlacentasSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a subscription with Ritual Vitamins today! Get your daily multivitamin or prenatal delivered right to your door by visiting Ritual.com/kweens. Use the promo code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off during your first 3 months! --- In this episode we’re talking about the amazing PLACENTA! Here’s an overview of what we cover, including the various resources we refer to: The general structure and function of the placenta Great article with in-depth explanation of the structure of placenta, including how/when it develops, blood flow patt...
2019-08-011h 12
Birth KweensEp 94: Harrowing and Redemptive Home Birth Stories with Jessica DeMasterJess DeMaster is a wife and mother of two from San Diego, CA. She’s had two homebirths (both with our very own kween Karly!) and she came on the show to share about her experiences. On paper, both of her births were very similar – relatively straightforward home births – but her personal experience was quite different each time. Her first birth challenged her in ways she couldn’t have imagined, including a very prolonged pushing phase (7 hours!) and an extremely challenging postpartum period. Given her first experience, she prepared carefully for her second baby, focusing specifically on her bulletproof plan for...
2019-07-251h 21
Birth KweensEp 93: Menses of Yesteryear: How We've Managed Our Periods Throughout History**CORRECTION** We shared some misinformation about Judaism in this episode and one of our listeners, Daci Goldin, was kind enough to point it out. (Thanks, kween!) She sent us an excellent write up explaining why the info we shared misrepresented the Jewish faith (specifically Orthodox Judaism) and what they actually believe and practice in regards to menstruation/bleeding. You can find her full write up linked at the top of the page for episode 93 on our website. --- In this episode, we’re joined by one of our favorite past guests, Monica Toombs (see ep 14 and...
2019-07-181h 22
Birth KweensEp 92: Breastfeeding and the Working Parent with Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLCRobin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC is a lactation consultant in San Diego, CA. She started the San Diego Breastfeeding Center in 2009 and is the author of a new book, Latch: A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage. She recently launched an online course Breastfeeding for the Working Family (use code BIRTHKWEENS15 for $15 off). Here’s an overview of what’s covered in this episode: Some common mental, emotional, and logistical concerns of breastfeeding parents regarding going back to work How/when to prepare for going back to work while breastfeeding. (Click here to get Robin’s guide...
2019-07-1149 min
Birth KweensEp 91: A Survivor's Birth Stories with Karli Haviland**TRIGGER WARNING: sexual abuse** Karli Haviland is a doula, wife, and mom from Arizona. She was generous enough to come on the show and share about how being a survivor of sexual abuse impacted her experiences giving birth. Karli opens up about how her first birth was unexpectedly triggering for her, the work she did after that experience to begin the healing process, and how she and her birth team approached her second labor to avoid re-traumatization. It’s an important and empowering story and we’re so grateful that Karli was willing to share it with us!
2019-06-271h 44
Birth KweensEp 90: Exploring Endometriosis with Dr. Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, NBC-HWCDr. Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, NBC-HWC, Founder of the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, is passionate about empowering women who struggle with chronic pelvic pain conditions and hormonal imbalances and supporting women’s health and wellness professionals globally. She has two decades of experience working with women using physical therapy and functional nutrition. In this episode, she shares some important information about endometriosis. Here’s what we discuss with her: What endometriosis is and what it does to the body Signs and symptoms of endometriosis The lifespan of endometriosis How common it is to have endometriosis and not know...
2019-06-2055 min
Birth KweensEp 89: A Deep Dive Into Water BirthSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Treat yourself to a beautiful piece of jewelry from Ana Luisa! Go to www.AnaLuisa.com/BirthKweens and enter code BIRTHKWEENS10 at checkout to get $10 off your order! --- In part two of our water birth series, we’re exploring more of the facts on water birth. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this episode: A brief history of water birth Benefits of laboring and birthing in water Common concerns about the safety of water birth (and whether these concerns are legitimate) The actual risks associated with water...
2019-06-131h 11
Birth KweensEp 88: An Into to Water Birth with Barbara Harper, RN, CLD, CCCE, MidwifeIn this episode we’re talking with Barbara Harper about water birth. Barbara is a former OB and neonatal nurse, a midwife, doula, childbirth educator and writer. As the founder and director of Waterbirth International, she’s become an internationally recognized expert on water birth and childbirth reform. She teaches and consults within hospitals, universities, and community groups worldwide. Here’s a brief overview of what’s covered in this episode: A bit about Barbara’s background and how she became a water birth practitioner The story of her second birth (her first home water birth) and how it...
2019-06-061h 00
Birth KweensEp 87: Dori's Birth Story with Dori Varga of TRIBE de MAMASUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Get a great personalized gift from Swanky Badger. Enter code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off! --- Dori Varga of TRIBE de MAMA is sharing her birth story with us in today’s episode! She gave birth to her son Noah in a hospital in San Diego in September 2014. She shares about what it was like to start a family in a new place, a world away from her native Hungary, and how she found a community in a local yoga studio. Her time in that yoga studio led her down a...
2019-05-301h 23
Birth KweensEp 86: Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders with Lauren Robbins, MS, LPCC, LADC, PMH-CSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Get a great personalized gift from Swanky Badger. Enter code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off! Sign up for a subscription with Ritual Vitamins today! Get your daily multivitamin or prenatal delivered right to your door by visiting Ritual.com/kweens. Use the code KWEENS for 10% off during your first 3 months! --- Lauren Robbins is a mental health therapist in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. She is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider. She founded a h...
2019-05-231h 07
Birth KweensEp 85: Leaving Room for the Magic of Birth with Haize HawkeSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Get a great personalized gift from Swanky Badger. Enter code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off! --- Haize Hawke, A.L.A.C.E, A.C.H.I, T.O.G., REV. is a birth worker, healer, life coach, and reiki practitioner in Los Angeles, CA. She attends births the LA area and offers remote coaching services. She came on the show to talk with us about setting the tone of birth and leaving room for the magic to unfold. She shares about how she works with her clients prenatally to...
2019-05-161h 02
Birth KweensEp 84: Empowered Hospital Birth with Dr. Nicole Rankins, MD, MPHSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! --- Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins is a wife, mother of two girls, OB/GYN physician, podcast host, women’s health advocate and certified integrative health coach. She works as a Labor & Delivery hospitalist in Virginia and came on the show to talk with us about how to have an empowered hospital birth. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this epiode: Rankin’s background and how she ended up as an OB hospi...
2019-05-091h 01
Birth KweensEp 83: Naturopathic Care for Breast Cancer Treatment and Prevention with Dr. Aliza Cicerone, NDSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Get a great personalized gift from Swanky Badger. Enter code KWEENS at checkout for 10% off! --- Dr. Aliza Cicerone, ND FABNO is a naturopathic doctor with a practice in San Diego, CA. She specializes in oncology and came on the show to talk with us about using naturopathic/holistic treatments for breast cancer. Here’s an overview of what’s covered in this interview: Cicerone’s background and how she became an ND and decided to specialize in oncology The difference between an MD and an ND The risk profil...
2019-05-021h 12
Birth KweensEp 82: Confronting Breast Cancer with Karen RoslieIn this episode you’ll hear about one woman’s journey with breast cancer. Karen Roslie was a healthy, low-risk woman in her 40s when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. She shares about what it was like to discover a lump in her armpit and how she had to really advocate for herself in order to get the testing needed for a correct diagnosis. She also explains her course of treatment, which has included both allopathic and naturopathic tools. Although her treatment is ongoing, she shares some of the valuable lessons she’s learned from this experience. ...
2019-04-251h 13
Birth KweensEp 81: Hospital Births and Unexpected Postpartum Mood Disorders: Heidi Ledger's Birth StoriesHeidi Ledger is a wife, mother of two, and small business owner from San Diego, CA. She’s sharing her two birth stories with us in this episode, include her experiences with postpartum depression and anxiety. Click here to check out Heidi’s amazing small business, Threadspun. It offers beautiful and sustainably sourced goods and 10% of all proceeds go to one of our favorite nonprofits, Circle of Health International. SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a subscription with Ritual Vitamins today! Get your daily multivitamin or prenatal delivered right to your door by visiti...
2019-04-181h 26
Birth KweensEp 80: Navigating Infertility with Rachel Rabinor, LCSWIn this episode, we’re speaking with Rachel Rabinor, LCSW about navigating infertility. Rachel is a psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health and runs her own private practice in San Diego, CA. Here’s an overview of what’s included in this episode: Rachel’s background and how she came to specialize in this aspect of mental health The technical definition of infertility (i.e. how long someone must be TTC to be diagnosed with infertility) Some stats about infertility, including an estimation of how many people struggle with it today The...
2019-04-111h 00
Birth KweensEp 79: Postpartum Fertility with Lisa Hendrickson-JackIn this episode we’re talking with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack about postpartum fertility. Lisa is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. In her new book The Fifth Vital Sign, Lisa debunks the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to fertility awareness and menstrual cycle optimization. She hosts the Fertility Friday Podcast, a weekly rad...
2019-04-041h 13
Birth KweensEp 78: All About Babywearing with Emily E. Little, Ph.D.SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! --- In this episode we’re talking with Emily E. Little, Ph.D. all about babywearing/carrying. Emily completed her Ph.D. at University of California, San Diego in developmental psychology with a specialization in anthropogeny, which is the study of human origins. Her research program examines maternal-infant health behavior from a cultural and psychological perspective, focusing on the intersection of physical contact, breastfeeding, and communication. She has used her skills as...
2019-03-281h 07
Birth KweensEp 77: Treatment Options for Tongue & Lip Ties with Dr. Najmeh Hannanvash, DDS, MSDIn this episode, we’re speaking with Dr. Najmeh Hannanvash, DDS, MSD about treatment options for tongue and lip ties. Dr. Hannanvash is a board certified pediatric dentist who owns and operates Little Star Pediatric Dentistry in San Diego, CA. Here’s what we cover: Hannanvash’s background and how she got into this field The anatomy of ties (what they are, where they’re located, the different types, etc.) Info about posterior tongue ties and how they’re different from a “regular” tongue tie Who’s qualified to diagnose a tie and what the diagnostic criteria are Long-term implic...
2019-03-2155 min
Birth KweensEp 76: Tongue Ties & Breastfeeding with Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLCRobin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC is a lactation consultant in San Diego, CA. She launched the San Diego Breastfeeding Center in 2009 and has recently published her first book, Latch: A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage. Robin was kind enough to sit down with the Birth Kweens to discuss the feeding implications of tongue and lip ties. Here’s an overview of what’s covered in this episode: What tongue and lip ties are (different types, where they’re found anatomically, etc.) How tongue/lip ties are diagnosed and whether lactation consultants are qualified to make a diag...
2019-03-1459 min
Birth KweensEp 75: Preeclampsia, Induction, & Home Birth: Birth Stories with Stephanie MillerStephanie Miller is a wife and mom of two boys from San Diego, CA and she’s sharing both of her birth stories with us in this episode! Stephanie planned to have her first son, James, in a hospital-based birth center but that plan changed when she was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 38 weeks pregnant. She was admitted for an induction right away and James, via an unmedicated vaginal delivery. James spent some time in the NICU after birth and the whole hospital experience proved to be a bit challenging for their family. When Stephanie got pregnant with their second so...
2019-03-071h 19
Birth KweensEp 74: Weird & Wonderful Birth Rituals from Antiquity & BeyondSUPPORT OUR SPONSOR! Sign up for a Fab Fit Fun box today! Enter code KWEENS for $10 off your first box! --- In this episode, we’re joined by one of our favorite past guests, Monica Toombs (see ep14 and ep15 to listen to her birth stories)! She’s a research beast and took the time to look up tons of info about weird and wonderful birth rituals from antiquity and beyond! Tune in to this episode to hear some strange facts and cool stories about how humans have been growing and birthing babies sinc...
2019-02-281h 23
Birth KweensEp 73: Chiropractic Care in Pregnancy with Dr. Stanton Hom, DCIn this episode of Birth Kweens, we’re talking with Dr. Stanton Hom, DC about chiropractic care in pregnancy. Here’s what we cover: Stan’s background and how he became a chiropractor A basic explanation of what chiropractic care is and what’s in the scope of practice for a chiropractor The goal of chiropractic and how it’s different from the typical medical model of care Why chiropractic care is so helpful during pregnancy When to start getting adjustments prenatally The specific pregnancy-related conditions that chiropractic adjustments can treat How to figure out whether a chiropractor is experie...
2019-02-211h 01
Birth KweensEp 72: Breech Birth with Nicole Morales, LM, CPMNicole Morales, LM, CPM is a home birth midwife, Approved Spinning Babies Trainer, and Certified Birthing From Within Mentor from San Diego, CA. She has an extensive amount of knowledge and experience regarding breech birth which is why we asked her to come on the show and talk with us about this often misunderstood topic. Here’s an overview of what’s covered in this episode: Nicole’s background, including how she became a birth worker and her own experience giving birth to a breech baby The point of pregnancy at which it’s normal/common for a baby to...
2019-02-141h 15
Birth KweensEp 71: Healing from Birth Trauma with Jennifer Summerfeldt, MACPIn this episode of Birth Kweens, we’re talking with Jennifer Summerfeldt, MACP about birth trauma. Jennifer is a counselor who has nearly two decades of experience working in maternal health and psychology. In addition to being a counsellor, she’s also been a childbirth advocate, maternal educator, doula, midwifery apprentice, and published writer. She is the founder and creator of the Healing After Birth program, where she uses her expertise and voice to help advance the dialogue on motherhood, mental health, and healing. She is the author of the book Healing After Birth. Here’s what we cover with J...
2019-02-071h 28
Birth KweensEp 70: A Couple of Great Birth Stories with Dominique RicheyDominique Richey is sharing her two birth stories with us this week! Dominique is a mom of two who lives with her family in the Houston, TX area. Both of her children were born in San Diego (her 6yo daughter at a hospital and her 4yo son at home with kween Karly!). Both were unmedicated vaginal deliveries, although they were two very different experiences. The birth of her daughter was long and relatively uneventful (healthy baby born after a few days of labor), but Dominique experienced a lot of push back from the hospital staff. Because she didn’t fe...
2019-01-311h 04
Birth KweensEp 69: The Value of Childbirth Education with Chloe Quinn, MSN, RN, APRNIn this episode of the podcast we’re talking with Chloe Quinn, MSN, RN, APRN about the importance of childbirth education. Chloe is a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner with more than 10 years of experience working with pregnant women. She started out as a labor and delivery nurse and absolutely loved it. Since then she’s worked in all different types of settings from Planned Parenthood to Yale University to telehealth. Today she prefers working online with families to support them on their journeys from pre-conception through postpartum. She also has a complete online pregnancy course called The Pregna...
2019-01-241h 06
Birth KweensEp 68: Baby Kween Sleep Solutions with Sophie AcottThis week’s episode is about the one thing that challenges parents everywhere: SLEEP! We’re talking with mom of four and sleep consultant Sophie Acott of Sleep Play Love about how to create and maintain healthy sleep habits for your baby kweens. Sophie’s approach is based on connecting with your child and she offers some great practical advice about how to make bedtime more peaceful and successful. Click here to buy her new book, Sleep Play Love. Support our sponsor and get the important men in your life a great personalized gift from Swanky Badger. Enter...
2019-01-171h 16
Birth KweensEp 67: Spinning Babies with Gail Tully, CPMWe’re talking with Gail Tully, CPM in this episode of the pod! Gail is a midwife and the founder of Spinning Babies, a series of techniques that promote balance in the pregnant body and optimal positioning for babies in utero. She’s a major influencer in the birth world today and we are so honored that she made time to talk with us! Here’s an overview of what we discussed with Gail: How she got into birth work and became a midwife What events in her career helped her understand the importance of fetal position The origin...
2019-01-101h 28
Birth KweensEp 66: From Hospital to Home Birth: Three Birth Stories with Kelly PappasThree birth stories for the price of one, kweens! In this episode, fellow San Diego birth worker Kelly Pappas is sharing the stories of her three kids’ births! Her first baby, Keaton, was an unmedicated hospital birth and her two daughters, Selah and Gemma, were both born at home with midwives. Although she had three unmedicated vaginal births, each one was very unique and Kelly reflects on them beautifully. She’s an awesome woman and we’re so honored she decided to share her birth stories with us! --- If you liked this episode of the Bir...
2019-01-031h 15
Birth KweensEp 65: Prenatal TestingKarly and Ali dive into the topic of prenatal testing in this episode! They review all of the typical screenings and tests that are offered from the time you find out you’re pregnant until the day your baby kween is born. This episode will be helpful for both expectant families and birth workers alike. Enjoy! --- If you liked this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, tell your friends! And go to iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay, and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show. For more from us, visit www.BirthKweens.com to sign up...
2018-12-201h 08
Birth KweensEp 64: Intuitive Eating with Jaren Soloff, RD, CLEIn this episode, we’re talking to Jaren Soloff, RD, CLE about food and nutrition in the postpartum period and beyond. Jaren is a San Diego based Registered Dietitian and is currently obtaining her clinical hours to receive her credential as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) through the University of California, San Diego. With specialized training in treating eating disorders and prenatal/perinatal health, Jaren works with women on all areas of the reproductive spectrum from preconception to postpartum. Jaren's practice is rooted in compassion and evidenced based practices to support all women’s innate ability to birth...
2018-12-131h 10
Birth KweensEp 63: Decoding Gestational Diabetes with Lily Nichols, RDN, CDEThis episode we’re talking to Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE about gestational diabetes. Lily is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and unapologetically critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She’s the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Here’s what we covered in our conversation with her: How Lily got into this field (specifically, how the outdated approach to treating GD piqued her interest) The definition of gestational diabet...
2018-12-061h 18
Birth KweensEp 59: Weight Stigma in Pregnancy with Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLCOn this episode, we are joined by Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC to discuss weight stigma in pregnancy. Crystal is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Virtual Nutrition Coach for moms, and mama of 5. She is passionate about helping moms nurture a peaceful relationship with food and their bodies so they can confidently nourish their kids, end the battles at the dinner table, and bring joy back to eating. Here’s what we covered with Crystal: A bit about Crystal’s background, including why she got into this field and her own struggles with an eating diso...
2018-11-011h 03
Birth KweensEp 55: Exploring Body Image & Intuitive Eating with Stephanie Dodier, CNPThis week we’re joined by the lovely Stephanie Dodier, CNP. Stephanie is a nutritionist, podcast host, writer, and natural born leader dedicated to helping women make peace with food and their body. She joined us to explore intuitive eating and body image, specifically as they relate to women of childbearing age. Here’s an overview of what’s covered in this episode: Stephanie’s story of food dependence and addiction and how she overcame it Discussion about body image and food behavior during pregnancy and the postpartum period Some data about how women are impacted by media in regar...
2018-10-0446 min
Birth KweensEp 53: Bearing Witness to Birth: An Interview with Emily Graham of "These Are My Hours"In this episode, Karly and Ali speak with Emily Graham, the subject of a new birth documentary called These Are My Hours. Emily is a wife, mother, and birth worker who welcomed a film crew into her home to capture the birth of her fourth child. She shares candidly about all of her previous birth experiences, how she became a part of this documentary project before she was even pregnant with her 4thbaby, and what it was like to give birth in a house full of strangers and film equipment. The film is incredible to watch and Emily is...
2018-09-201h 29
Birth KweensEp 52: All About Birth PlansAli and Karly tackle the topic of birth plans in this episode of the podcast! Here’s an overview of what’s covered: The definition of a birth plan, and why it’s probably better to think of it as a list of birth PREFERENCES instead of a plan Where to begin when putting together your birth preferences, including the importance of getting good prenatal education, choosing a supportive care provider, and having excellent support during labor (i.e. get a doula!) How to organize your birth plan, including things you might want to include about labor, birth, and th...
2018-09-131h 07
Birth KweensEp 49: The Facts About Miscarriage**TRIGGER WARNING: Miscarriage and pregnancy loss In this episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali discuss miscarriage, specifically the physical and medical aspects of the experience. Here’s an overview of what’s covered: What exactly is a miscarriage and how is it different than a stillbirth? The different types of miscarriages (obvious miscarriage, missed miscarriage, chemical pregnancy, incomplete miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy) and what happens in each scenario Some statistics on miscarriage – how common it is, when it usually occurs, etc. The signs of a miscarriage What to do if you think you’re having a miscarriag...
2018-08-231h 03
Birth KweensEp 36: Postpartum Healing Rituals with Tema Mercado, LM, CPMIn this episode of Birth Kweens, Tema Mercado, LM, CPM talks to the Kweens about postpartum healing rituals. Tema is a Xicana mother of five children, wife, and licensed midwife. She has dedicated the past 18 years of her life to serving women in various capacities – Gang Intervention Specialist, Sexual Assault Counselor, Perinatal Health Educator, Teen Parent Advocate, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor and Birth Doula. After being a doula for some time, Tema came to a crossroads. Being a doula meant she could support many women within the hospital setting, but it also meant she must bear witness to some of th...
2018-05-171h 14
Birth KweensEp 32: Prolapse, Pee Pants & Other Pelvic Floor Problems with Dr. Jaime Goldman, DPT, RYT, DoulaKarly and Ali talk with Dr. Jaime Goldman of Luna Physical Therapy about pelvic floor health before, during, and after pregnancy. Jaime is a licensed women’s health physical therapist specializing in pregnancy, postpartum, and pelvic floor health. She has been practicing physical therapy for 10 years, as well as being a yoga instructor and birth doula. Healing her own birth-related injuries and returning to exercise following the births of her daughters is what led Dr. Goldman to pursue her path in pelvic floor health. Here’s an overview of what you’ll hear about in this episode: Jaime’s backgro...
2018-04-191h 08
Birth KweensEp 31: Fertility Awareness Education & Body Literacy with Vienna Farlow, The CuntsultantIn this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, Karly and Ali talk with Vienna Farlow (aka – The Cuntsultant) about general body literacy and the Justisse Method of fertility awareness. Vienna is a vagina enthusiast, advocate, and student. The Cuntsultant is the culmination of her lifelong pursuit to learn as much as possible about the vagina and the people who have them -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She strongly believes that all female bodied people should be empowered to know more about their bodies and the way they work. She is passionate about reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ inclusion, full spectrum care, abo...
2018-04-121h 02
Birth KweensEp 30: All About VBACsIn this episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali take a deep dive into the hot topic of VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean). There’s a lot of misinformation floating around about VBACs, but lucky for you the kweens are here to clear things up with lots of evidence-based information and practical insight! Here’s an overview of what’s covered in this episode: What it means to have a VBAC and why they’re such a hot topic in the birth world The most recent data on the cesarean rate in the USA Evidence on the optimal cesarean...
2018-04-051h 01
Birth KweensEp 29: Birth Stories with Heather LairdIn this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, mom Heather Laird shares her birth experiences with Karly and Ali. Heather is a wife, mom to two baby kweens (3 year old son, Emmett, and 3 month old daughter, Hazel), and all-around rad lady from San Diego. Ali had the honor of being Heather’s doula for both births, which were two very different experiences. Heather shares about what her first pregnancy was like (easy!), what kind of birth she was planning (an unmedicated birth center birth), and how the whole birth and postpartum experience ended up being much more challenging than sh...
2018-03-2958 min
Birth KweensEp 28: The Beast of Hormonal Birth Control with Holly Grigg-SpallIn this episode, Karly and Ali chat with Holly Grigg-Spall about hormonal birth control. Holly is the author of "Sweetening the Pill: Or How We Got Hooked On Hormonal Birth Control". She is consulting producer on a documentary inspired by her book, directed by Abby Epstein and executive produced by Ricki Lake. Holly is also currently an ambassador for the Daysy fertility tracker and a marketing consultant for several women's health-centric companies. She has a ton of knowledge about the pitfalls of hormonal birth control and shares some great stuff with the kweens! Here’s an overview of what’s cov...
2018-03-221h 08
Birth KweensEp 27: Acupuncture, Birth Stories & Authentic Living with Jamie Boyd, L.Ac.In this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, Karly and Ali talk with Jamie Boyd, L.Ac. about her work as an acupuncturist, her training in midwifery, and her own birth experiences. Jamie is the proud mother to two radiant girls in San Diego, CA. She has been a licensed acupuncturist with a Master’s of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine since 2006. She started her journey with women’s health in 2002 as a homebirth midwife assistant for Catherine Chichakian LM, CPM. While working as an assistant homebirth midwife, Jamie attended the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. She...
2018-03-151h 09
Birth KweensEp 26: Comfort Measures for Labor & BirthKarly and Ali get down to the nitty gritty details of coping with the pain of labor and birth. They explain why it’s essential for every birthing person to learn about non-medical coping techniques (even if they plan to use pain medication during their birth) and they review the best tools and techniques for pain management. Here’s an overview of everything that’s covered in this episode: The reasons why it is SO important to know a variety of non-medical pain management coping techniques, including times when birth goes too quickly to use medication or when meds d...
2018-03-081h 13
Birth KweensEp 25: Cannabis in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding with Heather ThompsonIn this episode, Karly interviews Heather Thompson of Elephant Circle, a birth justice organization in Colorado. Heather is a molecular and cellular biologist, clinical researcher, birthworker and queer parent. She has worked on issues related to reproductive health for more than 25 years, advocating for equity, access and autonomy in childbirth. Currently she is the Deputy Director of Elephant Circle, a birth justice organization where she gets to combine her background in increasing access to physiologic birth with science and community organizing. She is passionate about supporting the family unit and helping families navigate their own journey, particularly as it re...
2018-03-0542 min
Birth KweensEp 23: Julia's Birth StoriesIn this episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with the lovely Julia Evans about her two births. Julia had her first baby, Ollie, in an out-of-hospital birth center, and her second baby, Edie, was born at home. Karly was lucky enough to be present at both births, once as the birth assistant and once as the midwife. Ali and Karly talk with Julia about what it was like to have two unmedicated births, what made her choose a home birth the second time around, and what it’s like to reflect back on her birth experiences now th...
2018-02-221h 03
Birth KweensEp 22: PCOS: My Ovaries are a Mess! with Amy MedlingOn this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, Karly and Ali talk with Amy Medling, the PCOS Diva. Amy is a certified health coach who specializes in working with women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, who are frustrated and have lost all hope when the only solution their doctors offer is to lose weight, take a pill, and live with their symptoms. In response, Amy founded PCOS Diva and developed a proven protocol of supplements, diet, and lifestyle programs that offer women tools to help gain control of their PCOS and regain their fertility, femininity, health, and happiness...
2018-02-1558 min
Birth KweensEp 21: Elimination Communication: When Tiny Humans Use the ToiletIn this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, Karly and Ali sit down with Monet Combs to discuss elimination communication (EC). Monet is a doula and certified Go Diaper Free coach in San Diego, CA. She has both personal and professional experience with EC and she shares her infinite wisdom with the Kweens! Here’s an overview of what you’ll hear about in this episode: What exactly is elimination communication? How to decide whether EC is right for your family Common misconceptions about EC, including how EC doesn’t have to make your life more difficult (and, in fac...
2018-02-081h 03
Birth KweensEp 19: The Birth of TabithaIn this episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with Genavie and Colt Stevens about the birth of their 6th child, Tabitha. Karly was lucky enough to be the midwife for their home birth and Ali has a great time interviewing the three of them about Tabitha’s birth. The highlights of this episode include: A quick overview of Genavie’s first 5 births, which included 4 medicated vaginal deliveries and 1 emergency cesarean What it was like to recover (both physically and emotionally) from the emergency cesarean with baby #5 How Colt had a vasectomy after baby #5 because they were SO S...
2018-01-251h 09
Birth KweensEp 18: The Glamorous Life of a Birth WorkerThere are so many amazing things about being a birth worker – supporting strong women as they work hard to birth their babies, witnessing families be born, the list goes on and on! But there’s another side of the story that isn’t talked about as much… the less-than-glamorous parts of the job. In this episode of the Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali tell some of their best stories about the most challenging and exhausting parts of their jobs and what they do to stay healthy, happy, and relatively sane in the midst of it all. As always, there’s lots of...
2018-01-181h 02
Birth KweensEp 17: Postpartum Healing & the Fourth Trimester with Kimberly JohnsonKarly and Ali talk with the incredible Kimberly Johnson about the importance of women being nurtured and supported throughout the ‘fourth trimester’, or the postpartum period. Kimberly is a Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution practitioner, birth doula, and single mom who specializes in helping women prepare for birth, recover from birth injuries and birth trauma, and heal from sexual trauma. She is the founder of Magamama.com, an international holistic women’s health care resource for expectant and new mothers. She is the co-founder of the STREAM School for Postpartum Care, where she trains birth professionals, yoga teachers, somatic...
2018-01-111h 02
Birth KweensEp 16: Postpartum Sex & FertilityIn this week’s episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali get into the nitty gritty details of postpartum sex and fertility – YAS KWEEN! Here’s a list of the specific things that the gals cover in this episode: How tearing during birth can impact postpartum sex The details about perineal massage during pregnancy – does it really help prevent tearing and is it worth the time/energy/lubricant that it requires?! When it’s safe to resume sex after giving birth and the risks associated with having sex before you’re completely healed The wide spectrum of normal when it come...
2018-01-0454 min
Birth KweensEp 14: Birth Story with Monica (pt. I)In this episode, Karly and Ali sit down with Monica, Ali’s best friend/N.O.K. (Number One Kween), to hear about the birth of her first child, Betsy. This birth did not go as planned and involved a lot of surrender, acceptance, and flexbility. Monica reflects beautifully on the steps she and her husband took to prepare for Betsy’s birth and what it was like to walk through labor, delivery, and the early postpartum period. Here are some of the specific points that Monica includes in Betsy’s birth story: Planning on and preparing for a natu...
2017-12-281h 05
Birth KweensEp 13: Induction: An Eviction Notice for Your UterusThis week on Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali dive into one of the most relevant topics for birthing families today: INDUCTION! Here’s an overview of what we covered in this episode: What exactly IS an induction?! The questionable reasons that are often used to justify [medically unnecessary] inductions, including suspected big baby, advanced maternal age, diet-controlled gestational diabetes, scheduling preferences (aka – my doctor is working tomorrow/my mom is coming into town/etc.), and provider preference. Article on the evidence for induction with a suspected big baby - https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/ Article on the evidence for indu...
2017-12-211h 14
Birth KweensEp 12: Interview with Sera Bonds of Circle of Health InternationalIn this special bonus episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with Sera Bonds, the founder and CEO of the incredible aid organization Circle of Health International. Sera is an activist committed to working towards balancing the scales of access, equity, and availability in women's reproductive healthcare. She has training in midwifery, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women's Studies, and a Masters Degree in Public Health. The Birth Kweens had her on the show to talk about the amazing work that Circle of Health International is doing all over the world and to encourage people to support t...
2017-12-1852 min
Birth KweensEp 11: Fertility and TTC with Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNPIn this episode, Ali and Karly talk with the wonderful Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP about fertility issues and using Chinese medicine to support people who are trying to conceive. Bridgit practiced Chinese medicine for 13 years and is a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner. She became passionate about women’s health and fertility after her own difficult postpartum period. She currently runs an online women’s health community called Women’s Wellness Collaborative and has her own podcast, Women’s Wellness Radio. Here’s an overview of what she shared with the Birth Kweens in this episode: How infertility is viewed fr...
2017-12-141h 03
Birth KweensEp 10: Cervical Dysplasia with Dr. Elizabeth WinterThis week on the Birth Kweens podcast, Dr. Elizabeth Winter joins Karly and Ali to talk about cervical dysplasia. Dr. Winter is naturopathic doctor in San Diego, CA who specializes in women’s health and pediatrics. She is extremely knowledgeable about cervical dysplasia and offers a wealth of information about alternative treatment methods. Here’s what you will learn about in this episode: What is cervical dysplasia and how is it diagnosed The connections and differences between cervical dysplasia, HPV, and cervical cancer What it means when the results of a pap smear come back abnormal The role that...
2017-12-0757 min
Birth KweensEp 9: The Gross Out EpisodeIn this week’s episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali dive into the gross parts of being a birth worker. After doing this job for a number of years, they both have PLENTY of stories about the hilarious and disgusting things that happen at births. A few of the high points include what it’s like to have someone’s water break into your shoes, how your hands smell after wearing latex gloves while being submerged in a birth tub for hours on end, and a detailed look into Ali’s post-birth sanitation routine (spoiler alert: she’s a germapho...
2017-11-3044 min
Birth KweensEp 8: Healing From a Cesarean with Ryan Lee, L.Ac.In this week's episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali talk with acupuncturist and massage therapist Ryan Lee about healing from a cesarean birth. Ryan has lots of experience with scar tissue remediation so Karly and Ali interview him about the impacts of c-section scar tissue and ways to heal from a surgical birth. Here’s an overview of the high points of this episode: What is scar tissue and why can it be harmful The abnormal lines of pull that result from cesarean scars and the impact on the rest of the body The function of fascia Th...
2017-11-231h 00
Birth KweensEp 7: Making Peace with CesareansIn this week’s episode of Birth Kweens, Karly and Ali discuss cesarean births. The Kweens explain the practical ins and outs of c-sections (how the surgery usually goes, what you can expect your partner’s role to be, etc.). They also delve into some of the emotional/mental aspect of this kind of birth. In the Kweens’ humble opinion, the natural birth community doesn’t do a very good job of preparing women for necessary, unplanned cesareans and oftentimes the result is unnecessary birth trauma and shame. The goal of this episode is to de-vilify necessary or desired cesarean...
2017-11-1652 min
Birth KweensEp 3: Prenatal Nutrition (Pt I): What Pregnant Kweens SHOULD Be Eating!In this episode, we continue our series on preparing for your birth and cover all things related to prenatal nutrition. Here’s what we talked about: Why nutrition during pregnancy is so important Exactly what supplements every pregnant woman should be taking (plus clarification on taking Folate vs. Folic Acid during pregnancy) The two probiotic strains you should be looking for to help prevent GBS infection and decrease risks to your baby Why water is so important during pregnancy and how much you should be drinking every day Are you really eating for two? How many ex...
2017-11-1048 min
Birth KweensEp 1: Welcome to the Birth Kweens PodcastHosts Ali Feroah and Karly Nuttall introduce themselves, the Birth Kweens podcast, and talk about how they became birth workers. --- The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women’s health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at birthkweens@gmail.com with your questions, suggestions, and feedback.
2017-10-1910 min