Birth Education Center Podcast

In our February love fest we are focusing today on your "nether regions" as we dive into the importance of maintaining a connection with your body during pregnancy. Our guest, Dr. Lauren from Thrive Physical Therapy, shares her experience and expertise on pelvic floor health, from understanding its role and how to keep it flexible and functional, to discussing prenatal pelvic floor therapy. The vi...

We are starting season 3! In this episode, we kick off February with Haize Hawke.  As doulas and educators we see a lot of relationship dynamics between couples. Today we are focusing on a similarity that happens with most of our hetero couples. Understanding where men are coming from BEFORE they come into our birth space is a critical piece of information. Our expectations of who and how they sho...

In this episode especially for doulas, we are covering the new TriWest transition for serving military families. January of 2025 brings new TRICARE provider agreements and hopefully a more streamlined way for billing and receiving timely payments. Be sure to subscribe to our channel on YouTube to see the slides and visuals. A billing video will be coming as the new system rolls out in January that...

In October, we hosted Traci for her 2 day workshop attended by both Doulas and Childbirth Educators. In this episode, Traci Doula returns to our podcast to hear feedback about her impactful workshop 'Keeping Your Power™ for Doulas.' I invited Lydia and Jenna to come on as special guests to tell some of the ways the workshop is shifting their birthwork for the better. Our conversation delves into t...

In this episode, Dr. Morgan MacDermott joins me to discuss holistic approaches to breastfeeding, and to address common misconceptions and myths. Breastfeeding definitely has a learning curve and needs to be researched well ahead of a baby being in your arms. We somehow miss the memo that there is a whole other world AFTER the labor and birth we have prepared for. Your feeding journey with your bab...

In today's show I welcome Dr. Jay Warren, a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor deeply passionate about families and especially new dads. I was double lucky to be his Hypnobirthing childbirth educator, and the doula for the birth of his son. Dr. Jay runs local dad groups, has created several courses, from prenatal bonding to what new dads need to know through the first year of parenting. Dr. Jay a...

https://www.birtheducationcenter.com/podcast/katies-vbac-a-transformative-journey-from-hospital-to-home-birth/In this episode, Katie contrasts her two births. Her first birth led to a cesarean that was unplanned and unwanted. Katie's hope is that her lessons can serve as teaching tools and warnings for new parents to get educated early, find the best support and be aware that you have intuition wh...

Episode three of our VBAC series delves into the "journey" of preparing for a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). We cannot emphasize enough the importance of emotional and physical readiness. We want you to look at your stuff- the challenging stuff and the parts that have hurt or disappointment around them. We have found that parents who can be really honest with themselves, possibly look at the...

In this episode of the VBAC series, Ashley and I discuss the challenges of finding a supportive provider for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). In part two of this series, we discuss the importance of choosing a provider who genuinely supports VBAC, rather than one who is merely tolerant or unsupportive. It is SO IMPORTANT that you find this provider early, as in before you are pregnant again,...

Overcoming Fear and Preparing for VBAC Success This is the first in a series on VBAC. In this episode, Ashley and I focus on the complexities and considerations surrounding Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). We are talking about the importance of self-forgiveness for what you "think" you may have taken on form your previous birth experience and how to resolve that. We go over the current high ce...

In this episode, Dr. Leah Gordon, a naturopathic doctor specializing in fertility, is here to discuss the importance of addressing the root causes of health issues rather than just symptoms. This episode should be shared with future parents before trying to conceive! There are some important points you will want to share with your friends and family. Dr. Gordon has a unique approach because she ha...

In this episode, Midwife Nikki Helms is here! Nikki is the owner of the San Diego Community Birth Center which is the only black owned birth center in San Diego. Nikki's birth center offers a lot of co care which means people see an OB and also come to the birth center for more education and understanding of the birth process. Some of these families will be birthing at the hospital but want balanc...

In this episode, we welcome Amanda Dodson, a seasoned doula, CAPPA doula trainer and co-founder of the Military Birth Resource Network. Amanda is a military spouse herself and has birthed in the military system. San Diego is a military home to several bases and we need to discuss the unique challenges faced by military families and how we can serve them better. We also need military families to ge...

Today we have a Hypnobirthing birth story. Taylor and Jack recount their unmedicated birth experience supported by their doula, Heather. New parents that are looking into Hypnobirthing always want to know how the tools work in labor and birth. And the cool part about birth – is the unknown – which is always the most intimidating! This show explores their journey through pregnancy, labor, and early...

In this one-year anniversary episode, Ashley and I go back to the essential role of childbirth education in reducing fear and improving birth experiences for both parents and babies. Pretty much every episode this year has come back to education, education, education! If you haven't chosen a class yet, there may be some ideas in here to choose a class fit you a bit better. If you have already take...

In this episode, we are extending the last episode on weight gain to dive deeper into nutrition, focusing on pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Drawing on her 30 years of experience, Jenny revisits the 'Four Pillars' of nutrition—protein, water, salt, and good fats—that should be present in every meal or snack. Our conversation also covers practical advice on consulting nutritionists, dealing with...

What if I Gain More Than 25lbs During Pregnancy?:   A Midwife's Perspective In this episode, midwife Jenny West joins the discussion to demystify the concerns surrounding weight gain during pregnancy. The conversation delves into historical and current views on pregnancy weight, the importance of overall health beyond weight, and the necessity of maintaining balanced nutrition. The episode highlig...

Today's episode features a twin home birth! Kelly and Kevin came through my Hypnobirthing classes in 2020 and had a home birth for their first child(Kevin's 2 nd child )and assumed they would have their second baby at home too. But finding out they were having twins opened a few more hoops to jump through. As with so many couples who find out they are expecting two or more babies, parents begin to...

Today's episode we have midwife Jenny West back to talk about breathing techniques for labor and birth. Sometimes as educators there are challenges with teaching breathing because it's simpler than people think. Hypnobirthing breathing(or any method of breathing you are using) just takes practice ahead of time so you can stay focused when your body is feeling intense sensations. The more you pract...

In this doula episode, Ashley and I are opening up a conversation with doulas on autonomy and it may get spicey. If you listen as parents – it will open up some questions for your doula as to what type of advocacy they are offering you for the birth room. Be open to having a straightforward conversation with your doula and practice the skills you will need for parenting. This episode contains many...

**Trigger Warning** This is an episode for doulas and covers parts of our job that involves loss and birth trauma. If you are a pregnant parent and are not in the headspace for that, please take care of yourself and skip this episode. We will see you next week! This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration and a heartfelt reminder of the beauty and significance of this work. Today we have Jelina...

Dr. Shani and How She Prepared For The Unexpected Today's show is a deeply personal and insightful episode of our podcast. Ashley and I interview Dr. Shani, a former Hypnobirthing student and local acupuncturist as she recounts her unexpected, urgent c section and stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Dr. Shani candidly discusses the critical role her doula played in navigating the turb...

This episode is a must-listen for pregnant parents or grandparents eager to support their loved ones in the most respectful and helpful way. Kimberly Beppler is my guest today. Kimberly has been a Postpartum Doula for over 25 years. She is a Lactation Consultant and also owns her own doula agency. She has also worked with an astounding 750 sets of twins and 20 sets of triplets. To say that she has...

The importance of self-advocacy in a business-oriented healthcare system cannot be stressed enough. Our discussion today aims to help parents understand they are empowered already as expectant families to choose a supportive care provider and navigate the healthcare system confidently. I feel like so many childbirth educators talk ad nauseum about the critical task of carefully selecting a care pr...

https://www.birtheducationcenter.com/podcast/how-to-calm-birth-fear/ Today's show introduces midwife Jenny West as we explore the topic of fear in pregnancy and childbirth.   Jenny has been a midwife for over 30 years, an author, childbirth educator, hypnotherapist and craino sacral therapist. Her extensive training in Hypnotherapy has allowed her to help families release the hold that fear has on...