Birthful

Welcome to the Best of Birthful. Creator and host Adriana Lozada curated and edited each selection in this playlist of the show’s most popular episodes. It's a tailored introduction to the expansive catalog she amassed over the first five years of Birthful's 300+ shows (which is now in its 9th year!). Midwife Gail Tully, founder of the Spinning Babies approach, explains how a baby’s positi...

Erin Patterson’s birth was in many ways, the reverse of what she expected: It started strong from the get-go when she was expecting it to be slow and sporadic, she loved the car ride even though she had been dreading it, and when it came to pushing, she never imagined she’d be on her back. She shares with Adriana how the most unexpected thing was ending up with pelvic floor muscular trauma that ma...

It’s estimated that 1 in 5 pregnant people will experience urinary incontinence during their first year postpartum! Exercise physiologist and perinatal educator Lindsay McCoy talks with Adriana about how noticing your habitual body movements and establishing easy, daily-life habits to increase your body’s responsiveness can lead to a healthier and happier pelvic floor. They also highlight the mind...

Adriana Aleman Crane’s first birth involved several days of prodromal labor— and if you don’t know what that is, you really want to listen to this episode! But her second birth? Her husband almost missed it! She shares with Adriana Lozada that sleep is glorious, acupuncture is worth it, and how releasing control (and her bag of waters!) gets her labors to flow.  Get the most out of this episode by...

Acupuncture can help alleviate nausea, constipation, and back pain. It can encourage breech babies to flip and labor to start. But how does it work, and what does it feel like?  Acupuncturist, massage therapist, and birth doula Dr. Patrick Boswell talks with Adriana about how acupuncture gets to the root of the issue, with the happy result of improving more than the symptoms you came in for! Get t...

After giving birth twice before, Victoria Wilson thought she had “life with a newborn” pretty much figured out. But when her third daughter was born fussy, frustrated, and just wouldn’t settle, Victoria was thrown for a loop. Was this just who her baby was? Or was something wrong? Victoria shares with Adriana how making her own wellness a priority during pregnancy allowed her the strength to navig...

It’s estimated that about 80% of pregnant people experience insomnia by their third trimester, and newer research is showing how melatonin and circadian rhythms may impact fertility, implantation, miscarriage, risk of preeclampsia and postpartum depression.  Mar De Carlo shares with Adriana how small and mindful changes to your sleep habits can help you tap into more rest and improve your family’s...

After a difficult first labor with interventions she was unsure about, Alyssa Jennings was determined that her next birth would be on her terms. Little did she know that she’d be having to contain the fetal ejection reflex until her doctor arrived! Alyssa shares with Adriana the magic words her husband used to help her wait (no, they didn’t have anything to do with the doctor), along with a great...

You’ve probably been told to do prenatal yoga, but is it really for you? Trauma-informed yoga teacher Abigail Lauren Geller says not if it’s another overwhelming thing on your to-do list!  But if you are curious about the benefits of prenatal yoga for your body, your mind, your pregnancy, and your labor, and want to create a space of self-reflection to better connect with your body and protect you...

Anya Cutler had originally planned to give birth at a birth center with midwives, then at nearly 37 weeks (and after trying practically everything possible to encourage her baby to flip) she ended up transferring care to an OB/GYN experienced in vaginal breech delivery. Anya shares with Adriana how even though this challenged her need for control, having an OB who was comfortable with breech and c...

You know how as pregnancy progresses, your whole body becomes more uncomfortable? It turns out that chiropractic care can help you feel much better and even help you have an easier birth. Dr. Elliot Berlin shares with Adriana why chiropractic care is a superb pregnancy tool for anyone, but especially if you have an “athletic pelvis” or want to aid a breech baby turn head down. Get the most out of...

For weeks, Julia Cooper had been nervous that her baby would arrive while her husband and mom were away, and sure enough, contractions started merely hours after she dropped her husband off at the airport. What follows is a testament to how hard it can be to shut off your thinking brain while in labor and how despite that, you can still support your physiology and get things to flow (even if you h...

It’s common knowledge that walking, swimming, and doing prenatal yoga can all be super helpful during pregnancy, but what about running, barre, CrossFit, or weightlifting? Deb Flashenberg shares with Adriana how strength-focused exercising can lead to a too-tight core and pelvic floor that make for more difficult labors and harder postpartum recoveries. They explore how you can figure out if your...

Lauren Horton has always been physically active, and during pregnancy, she continued to do a mix of CrossFit, swimming, yoga, and tons of dog walking. She shares with Adriana her surprise when she found herself hunkering down on the bed during labor instead of moving, and why she went with it (although she could have done without the hemorrhoids). Lauren also opens up about the impossibility of tr...

Being pregnant means having relaxin loosening up all your tissues, while your core stretches and your center of gravity shifts, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with the associated aches and discomforts. Restorative body educator extraordinaire Molly Deutschbein shares with Adriana ways you can move, support, and align your body for a happier pregnancy and a more flowing birth as well as h...

Adriana Lozada shares eight great questions for sussing out your provider’s protocols and practices as your pregnancy advances, in order to help you figure out how much shared decision-making and agency you will truly have in your birth experience. Get the most out of this episode by checking out the resources and links listed on its show notes page. If you liked this episode, listen to our interv...

Chances are your pregnancy and birth will flow, and you’ll never need to see any of the care providers that deal with more complicated situations. But what if you do?  Dr. Loralei Thornburg helps demystify what it can be like working with a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist. She shares with Adriana why so much of it has to do with experience, risk tolerance, and resources, and why – regardless of...

Margot Strauhull brought her self-described “rule-following” attitude to her first hospital induction with an OB and had what she considered was a fine birth… until she was overcome by sadness in postpartum. This started her on a journey of peeling back the layers, to finally come to a deep trust in her own wisdom and instincts. Margot tells Adriana how the fear radiating from her providers around...

The mounting evidence is clear: having a doula can help decrease the risk of having a cesarean birth and significantly improve birth experiences. In fact, doulas have even been called a form of pain relief themselves, as people tend to want fewer pain medications and epidurals when supported by a doula. But what makes what doulas do so special and different from the care you receive from your othe...

Laurel Gourrier, co-host of the podcast “Birth Stories in Color,” reflects on how her hospital birth experience— even though it was long and hard— often felt like a big party, thanks to the support of her partner, parents, and in-laws. She tells Adriana Lozada how their care and the constant communication of her wishes created a safe and joyful space in which she could birth, even leading her pare...

There is ample evidence of the benefits of midwifery care for uncomplicated pregnancies, including lower rates of inductions, episiotomies, and cesareans. So why aren’t midwives more widely used in the U.S. (like they are in the rest of the world!)?  Dr. Melissa Cheyney talks with Adriana all about midwifery care including the different types of midwives, their certifications, where they practice,...

Heather Lauf was so clear on the importance of choosing the right care provider for her birth that she switched practices, twice! Even with her ample preparation, labor still threw her for a loop when she found out her water hadn’t broken (it really seemed it had!), and then again when she couldn’t quiet her thinking brain after realizing she had too many eyes watching her. Nevertheless, Heather w...

Obstetricians are the go-to care providers when giving birth in the US, but not all OBs are created equal. How does your obstetrician's background and training impact the care you get, and is that aligned with the care you deserve? Dr. Stuart Fischbein shares his insights, the hard lessons he’s gained over his career, as well as why he still does breech deliveries, VBACs, and home births. Get...

Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo, co-founder of the socially impactful Fourth Phase aftercare boxes, shares how her expectations of when and how she should bond with her baby tarnished her otherwise wonderfully supported and respected birth experience. She tells Adriana how this hyperfocus on bonding impacted her postpartum, and how her mom helped her shift things with lots of wisdom and laughter.  If you like...

Dr. Brad Bootstaylor talks with Adriana Lozada about how vital it is to establish shared decision-making with your care provider and the problem with the prevailing fear-based approach in perinatal care. Plus: why no one should ever roll their eyes at your birth plan! If you liked this episode, listen to our interview titled Know What You're Up Against When Giving Birth at a Hospital , and our...