Labor Lessons
Many women find that their first-time birth experience wasn't exactly what they wanted or hoped for. If you'd like more knowledge about how to better prepare for labor and delivery, or want to know that you're not alone on your birthing journey, this podcast is for you. Every episode shares a real-life lesson learned from a real-life labor and delivery experience. Every episode offers the chance to connect with other women, to increase our knowledge of the birthing world, and to advocate for a better birth next time.
Episodes
Jenna was induced with her first son at 41 weeks. She went into labor without having taken a birth class, and without doing any research because she believed that knowing too much about giving birth might hinder her ability to do it.
Her body didn't respond to the Pitocin, which was continually increased. When her provider broke her water, labor kicked in very fast. However, due to the increase of Pitocin, there was ...
At 36 weeks pregnant with her first child, Kimberly was concerned that her baby wasn't moving enough. Her doctor sent her for monitoring and even though she wasn't dilated, they decided to induce her. That night, she ended up going into labor naturally on her own!
The epidural didn't work at first, but her labor progressed slowly enough that there was time to fix it. She ended up with a second degree tear a...
Jen is very much a type A personality. She loves to plan way in advance of events taking place. Even with all of her planning, she still wasn't prepared for how her first birth went.
Her daughter was stuck and delivered by forceps. She had her clavicle broken in the process of being delivered. Jen ended up with a third degree episiotomy, and needed a lot of time to recover.
Jen spent a few extra days in the...
Adrianne Babbitt is a Christian author, blogger, proofreader, and mentor. She recently relauched her debut book, "The Miscarriage Project" and her launched her new children's book series, "Princess With A Purpose". In addition, she also runs her own Christian lifestyle blog, The Haven.
Adrianne's first labor did not go as she expected. Her water broke two days before labor started and she ende...
Eileen Joy is the Money Coach for Moms. She's also the woman who FIRED four doctors to have the birth she dreamed about!
When she got pregnant with her son, Eileen totally changed her life around. She ate very clean and got rid of toxic chemicals in her house. She cared deeply about what she was putting into her body, and how she was treating her unborn son.
This lifestyle carried over into her medical care....
In this episode, I share some of my struggle with postpartum anxiety. During my unplanned c-section, I was left feeling out of control, with no one explaining to me what was happening. I felt like a bystander, watching birth happen to me.
Afterwards, my anxiety was triggered when they took my daughter for her newborn screening tests. Again, no one explained to me what was happening or how long she would be gone for.
...
Liz from the Golden Hour podcast joins me in this episode to share her story! Liz has always been a planner, and spent a lot of time preparing for birth. She found a birth center attached to a hospital, and loved the welcoming atmosphere. She hired a doula, and felt confident that her birth would go well.
While Liz planned a lot for birth, she didn't plan as much for postpartum. She ended up hemorrhaging after birth...
What the heck is a TENS unit? TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. It works by sending electrical pulses through a handheld device through your body, to your spinal cord and brain.
In this episode, I talk about what a TENS unit is and why it works. I share what it feels like and where you can find them if you're interested in trying them out.
TENS Unit
Song "Christ...
How can visualization exercises help you manage pain during labor? They help keep your mind focused, and can relieve anxiety and fear that you might feel.
In this special episode, I share a few visualization exercises that I like, and explain how to do them.
Birthing From Within
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
This tool comes from the book "Birthing From Within", by Pam England and Rob Horowitz. Pam calls it a "self-hypnotic jingle". It's a rhythmic affirmation that states an outcome you want.
In this episode, I share the story behind Pam's "chocolate cake" jingle, and the one I created for myself for my second labor.
Birthing From Within
Song "Christmas" by ...
How can a comb help you manage pain during labor?
Squeezing a comb during labor activates the Gates Control Theory of Pain, which says that when the pain "gates" are closed, you feel less pain.
In this episode, I share about how a comb is a little known hack that can be used to help you feel less pain during contractions, and why this works.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY...
We've talked about counterpressure and light touch, but let's talk about something everyone loves: a good massage.
A massager can help relieve pain during contractions and can be used to help you relax in between contractions. In this episode, I talk about why a massage gun is a good tool to bring with you to the hospital.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson....
Aromatherapy works by stimulating the part of your brain responsible for emotions and memories. This includes the part responsible for anxiety and fear.
In this episode, I share how aromatherapy can help lower pain during labor, and the best types of essential oils to use.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
How can light touch massage help relieve pain during labor?
Did you know that light touch massage can release endorphins? Endorphins help us cope with pain.
In today's special episode, I share how to have your support person do a light touch massage on you during labor.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by @iksonmusic
What is counterpressure and how can it help relieve pain during contractions?
In this episode, I talk about what counterpressure is and how it can be used during labor for pain relief. I also share about the different types of counterpressure and explain how to do one.
3 Types of Counterpressure
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
Music by ...
4th Day of Christmas: Coping With Pain During Labor- Hypnobirthing, Meditation, Breathing Techniques
What is Hypnobirthing? How can it help you have a better birth? What's the difference between Hypnobirthing and meditation?
In this special episode, I share a little about how hypnobirthing, meditation, and various breathing techniques can help you cope with pain during labor. I also share some of the differences between them, and the most important thing to keep in mind when using any of them.
The Mongan M...
Have you ever heard of birth affirmations before? How do birth affirmations work? What are some good birth affirmations?
In this special episode, I share about how birth affirmations affect our mindset and our belief in our body's capabilities. I go over how affirmations helped me achieve my VBAC, and I also share some of my favorite birth affirmations.
In episode 12, Anum shared about the power of having a...
Do you take a hot shower at the end of a long day to help you relax?
Water can be a great tool to use for pain relief during labor. In this episode, I share my experience with using a shower during my second labor. I also share what might exclude you from being able to use the tub or shower at the hospital.
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
https://ikson.com/music
How can movement help you cope with pain during labor?
Welcome to the First Day of Christmas special episode! In this short episode, I share how movement can be helpful in progressing labor, and what that movement might look like. I also share how moving can help you manage pain during a natural birth.
Stick around! There's 11 more days to go!
Song "Christmas" by TELL YOUR STORY musi...
Jennifer is a certified life coach who specializes in pregnancy loss recovery coaching. She is also the creator and host of the Navigating Baby Loss podcast.
Jennifer's third pregnancy ended in the stillbirth of her twin daughters, weeks before they were to be born. She had two young sons she was caring for, and didn't process her grief until much later. She suffered from physical ailments as a result, and event...
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.
New episodes come out every Monday for free, with 1-week early access when you join Amazon Music or 1-week early and ad-free for Wondery+ subscribers "SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind.