Birth With Power

It’s another birth story episode today and this one is a lot. And by a lot I mean that Kelsey experienced quite a range of different things during her pregnancies and birth. Kelsey joins us to talk about the stress around her first pregnancy, a very wanted pregnancy that she ended because of a fatal genetic condition. She explores how she got pregnant again pretty quickly after that and what that...

David Arrell is an Author, Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Men's Coach. He is passionate about coaching men on how to more fully embrace and embody healthy masculinity, especially through the powerful modalities of partnership and parenting. His most recent work in this area is the book Welcome To Fatherhood: The Modern Man's Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Fatherhood, better known as WT...

For this special 100th episode, I wanted to share my unique Beautiful Birth Prep Process with all of you. This is the framework that guides all of my work, especially my new and improved version of The Birth Preparation Course. There are five steps to having a beautiful birth and I will walk through each of them today. I will talk about getting in the right mindset for your pregnancy & birth,...

In this birth story episode, Kara shares her experience going through a 40+ hour labor. She talks about physical discomfort during prenatal exams, laboring at home, realizing how strong contractions can be and the moment she met me during her labor. This is a great story packed with valuable information about every stage of pregnancy & birth! Find full show notes at  drnicolerankins.com/episod...

Dr. Keisha Reddick is back on the podcast to share what you should know about hepatitis during pregnancy & birth. We talk about what hepatitis is, how common it is, how it's transmitted and much more. We also talk about how having hepatitis might change your prenatal care & delivery and why it is always good to get tested & have a fuller picture of your health.  Find full show note...

Today I'm updating one of my very first episodes, 9 Things You Need to Know Before Giving Birth, with six new bits of advice and guidance. We'll talk about why I think childbirth education is more important than ever, preparing yourself mentally & emotionally for becoming a parent, and everything else you need to know before your baby arrives. Find full show notes at  drnicolerankins.c...

We've made it to the end of a challenging year, so I wanted to end things on a lighter note and look back at the top 10 episodes of the podcast so far. In this episode, I'll share some commentary for each episode that didn't make it into the final cut, talk a bit about what's coming up in 2021, and thank all of my amazing listeners for joining me on this incredible journey. Find fu...

Today Caroline O'Neill joins me to tell us all about HypnoBirthing: what it is, how it works, and how it can help you even beyond labor. We talk about why all birthing people need to practice managing pain, how your support partner can utilize HypnoBirthing techniques, and what you might want to know about this practice before you get started.  Find full show notes at  drnicolerankins.com/epis...

In this episode I'm providing you with some updated information (as of December 2020) about COVID-19, vaccination and pregnancy. I'll talk about the development of COVID vaccines, what we know about vaccines & pregnancy, and what you might consider when deciding whether to get vaccinated while pregnant. I'll also cover what you can expect treatment-wise if you have COVID-19 during...

Today I'm joined by the wonderful Deb Flashenberg, founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in New York City. We talk all about the benefits of prenatal yoga, why learning how to align your body & baby are so helpful for birth, and how yoga can help you practice autonomy over your own body & birth experience. Find full show notes at  drnicolerankins.com/episode94  and check out...

We have another lovely birth story episode for you this week, this time with Brooke! She tells us all about her completely unmedicated hospital birth and what it was like being pregnant & delivering her baby during the COVID-19 pandemic. We talk about why seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist was a great idea for her, how she prepared mentally, physically and spiritually for her birth, and...

Being pregnant with twins is a bit different than having just one baby. In this episode I'm going over what you need to know about carrying & delivering twins, some of the complications you should watch out for, and what your provider will keep an eye on throughout your pregnancy and birth with twins. Find full show notes at  drnicolerankins.com/episode92  and check out all the free pregna...

I wanted to revisit this episode about pre-eclampsia because of the recent, tragic loss of Dr. Chaniece Wallace MD, who was a Pediatric Chief Resident at Indiana University School of Medicine. She passed away on October 24 after giving birth to her baby Charlotte via emergency c-section. She experienced severe preeclampsia, so I wanted to bring back this conversation with Dr. Cecily Clark Ganhart...

I'm really excited to have the second dad on the podcast to share his perspective on pregnancy, labor and birth! Rick Mulready is an online business owner and dad to an 18-month old girl with his wife Amy.  Rick shares his experience of supporting his wife as she carried and delivered their baby. He talks about his anxiety in the early days of pregnancy, why he resisted reading other people&#3...

I get lots of questions about perineal tears - how they happen, how to prevent them, and how to heal them - so I want to answer as many of those as I can for you today. In this episode you'll learn how common perineal lacerations are, risk factors that can increase your chances, strategies to prevent them, and how they can affect current and future pregnancies. Find full show notes at  drnicol...

If you're bringing home a new baby and you have a dog (or want one), then you need a plan that keeps everyone safe & happy. Michelle Stern of Pooch Parenting joins us on this episode to talk about introducing your newest family member to your pup and how you can prepare beforehand. We also chat about dog breeds and what to think about when adding a new dog to your family. Find full show no...

In this lovely birth story episode, Ashlyn shares what it was like having her first baby during COVID-19 via a scheduled induction. She had a great experience with prenatal care and her birth, which included an epidural and episiotomy. We talk about how her care changed in light of the coronavirus pandemic and how she and her husband have navigated family expectations after their baby girl arrived...

If you're listening to this episode the day it comes out, then it is my 46th birthday! This is an interesting milestone for me, so this week's episode is a little different to reflect that.  My older sister died of cancer the day before her 46th birthday, so naturally I've been thinking a lot about her, reflecting on her life, and thinking about my own. I wanted to share what these ref...

I was inspired to cover this episode's topic because I recently attended several births that ended up being operative vaginal deliveries. Also known as an assisted birth, an operative vaginal delivery means that the medical provider uses tools - either forceps or a vacuum cup - to help deliver the baby vaginally. In this episode you'll learn a lot more about what operative vaginal delivery...

We have a really interesting story this week about fertility, perseverance, and creative thinking. Our guest is a great example of someone who took control of their fertility journey and advocated for herself through a long and difficult process.  Jasmine Katatikarn shares the ups and downs of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and what she and her husband went through...

We have another special birth story episode this week, but this time you're getting three birth stories in one! Jennifer is an international board certified lactation consultant, wife and mom of three. She had all three of her babies at the same hospital and had a C-section with each of them - but as you'll hear, her birth experiences were different every single time.  Jennifer and I talk...

Today I'm diving deep on fetal growth restriction (AKA intrauterine growth restriction), how we screen for it, how it affects baby, and more. This doesn't happen too often, but as with most things I talk about it's great for you to be prepared and knowledgeable in case it does. We'll also talk about what happens if your baby is just naturally small and what can happen later on in l...

Julie Francom & Meagan Heaton of VBAC Link join us to talk about vaginal birth after a Cesarean (VBAC) and what you need to know about VBACs. They share what you should ask your provider if you're interested in having a vaginal birth, why they highly recommend having a doula, and common myths about VBACs that you should be aware of.  Check out  ncrcoaching.com/episode82  for complete show...

I talk a lot about the experience of the birthing person on this podcast, which often means that I don't talk as much about what it feels like to be the supporting partner. In that spirit, someone recently suggested that I share the perspective of dads on the podcast. So, in this special episode my husband Falcon is joining me to talk about his feelings and experiences during my pregnancies an...

Things have been a little busy lately, so I'm rebroadcasting this episode about feeling your  baby move while working on a new episode for next week. I also wanted to re-share this episode because of new research coming out about a rise in stillbirths during the COVID-19 pandemic. It may be the case that there have been more stillbirths during the pandemic because moms-to-be are too worried ab...