The Birth Lounge Podcast

Baby hit four months and sleep went sideways? HeHe's Baby Sleep Solutions Guide covers exactly that, grab it here: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/babysleep   Part three of the tongue tie series, and this one goes somewhere completely different. HeHe sits down with Michelle Emmanuel, a baby-specialized occupational therapist with 30 years in the field, to answer a question that never even crossed h...

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth, makers of luxuriously soft bamboo sheets, blankets, and sleep essentials. Because your rest matters, mamas. Cozy Earth makes it easier to get the cozy, breathable sleep your body (and your little one) deserve. Use code HEHE at https://cozyearth.com/ for 20% off your order and treat yourself to the sleep you've been dreaming of.   If you caught last wee...

Story time, and it's a personal one. HeHe is kicking off a brand new series today, and it starts with the very real, very messy saga of her own baby's tongue tie release. If a midwife or chiro has ever casually dropped "possible tongue tie" into conversation and sent your brain into a full spiral, welcome, you are exactly who this episode is for. Here's how it actually went down for HeHe: both her...

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth, makers of luxuriously soft bamboo sheets, blankets, and sleep essentials. Because your rest matters, mamas. Cozy Earth makes it easier to get the cozy, breathable sleep your body (and your little one) deserve. Use code HEHE at https://cozyearth.com/ for 20% off your order and treat yourself to the sleep you’ve been dreaming of... Here's a wild thought:...

Be the first to know when the Baby Sleep Solution for ages 4-24 months is available here: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/sleepwaitlist Get the Newborn Sleep Solution Guide here: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/newbornsleep Let's just say it. Co-sleeping is not illegal, it is not something you have to whisper about at your pediatrician's office, and it is definitely not something that only happens t...

Her bottom line, and it's a good one to tattoo somewhere: routine doesn't mean required. You're allowed to ask "cool, but do I need this?" even when the answer everyone gives you is "we just do this for everybody." Ready to walk into your birth already knowing exactly what's negotiable? Grab your spot in the free class: thebirthlounge.com/csection Okay, real talk. Have you ever had a pregnancy dre...

"That's just our policy" is not the same thing as "that's medically necessary for you." Y'all asked for a "what would HeHe do" episode, so here it is: HeHe is climbing on her soapbox for a full opinion piece (data-backed, but let's be honest, also just HeHe having thoughts) about five things hospitals treat as automatic that she does not think should be automatic for everybody. The routine IV. Uni...

You can Google every symptom, join every group chat, and still feel like you have no idea who's actually going to show up when the baby comes. That's the tension HeHe digs into with Nina Spears, Founder of Baby Chick, in this one.   Building your registry while you're at it? Grab HeHe's free guide before you add another item to your cart: thebirthlounge.com/registry   Here's the thing: we have mor...

Ep. 482: 4 myths I keep hearing at Baby Showers You know those baby shower conversations where everyone suddenly becomes a pregnancy expert? 😂 In this episode, HeHe breaks down some of the most common pregnancy and birth myths you’re likely to hear, from “you can’t eat sushi” to “your baby is going to be huge if you go past your due date” to the completely false idea that you can’t breastfeed aft...

What if secure attachment isn't about doing everything perfectly? In this episode, HeHe sits down with licensed therapist and attachment expert Eli Harwood, aka Attachment Nerd, to break down what secure attachment actually looks like, how co-regulation and attunement shape our relationships with our kids, and why being “regulated enough” matters way more than being a perfect parent. HeHe and Eli...

Labor Live is your chance to practice navigating labor before you’re actually in it. This interactive birth simulation delivers real-life labor scenarios straight to your phone, letting you make decisions, explore your options, and learn what questions to ask your provider along the way. Labor Live starts September 1. Head to https://joinlaborlive.com/ to save your spot! Your water breaks... now w...

Labor Live is your chance to practice navigating labor before you’re actually in it. This interactive birth simulation delivers real-life labor scenarios straight to your phone, letting you make decisions, explore your options, and learn what questions to ask your provider along the way. Labor Live starts September 1. Head to https://joinlaborlive.com/  to save your spot! Low amniotic fluid can be...

Ready to prepare for labor like nobody has before? Head to https://www.thebirthlounge.com/laborlive   "How will I know if I'm in labor?" If you've asked yourself this question fifty times already, you're not alone, and I promise it's not because you're missing something obvious. There's no single "poof" moment. No one clear sign that says this is it. Losing your mucus plug, bloody show, even being...

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe gets real about one of the most uncomfortable and misunderstood parts of postpartum life: intrusive thoughts. If you've ever had a scary, unwanted thought pop into your head after having a baby and immediately wondered, “What is wrong with me?!”, you are absolutely not alone. HeHe sits down with Špela Grašič, a registered clinical counselor and new...

Free Class: How to Avoid an Unnecessarean  HeHe is bringing back an updated version of her most-requested birth class with a fresh update of her best strategies for reducing your risk of an unnecessary C-section, plus how to confidently navigate interventions and decisions in the hospital. Join her live August 19 at 1:30 PM ET at thebirthlounge.com/freecall. In this solo episode of The Birth Loung...

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with veteran midwife, doula trainer, and author Shafia Monroe, aka Mama Shafia, to talk about something we don’t talk about nearly enough: who is taking care of the mother after she has the baby? After a decade of supporting more than 2,000 families, HeHe knows firsthand that birth doesn’t end when the baby arrives. And Mama Shafia has sp...

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with registered nurse, birth advocate, and Girls Who Know founder Laurisa Paul for a powerful conversation about changing birth culture long before pregnancy ever begins. After experiencing two intervention-heavy hospital births, Laurisa's perspective on birth completely shifted through an unmedicated birth and later home births that show...

  In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe dives into a conversation that's been weighing heavily on her heart since becoming a mom herself: how do we raise boys who grow into emotionally healthy, respectful, and compassionate men? After reflecting on the rise of "boy mom culture" and the messages it often sends about sons, relationships, and masculinity, HeHe sits down with perinatal men...

Building your baby registry? Grab HeHe's free Low-Tox Baby Registry Guide before you add another item to your cart. After spending more than 60 hours researching everything from car seats and strollers to bottles, bedding, and baby gear, HeHe created a registry focused on reducing toxic load, avoiding unnecessary purchases, and choosing products that are actually worth the investment. Download the...

Today's episode is brought to you by Two Pages Curtains. As a new mom, HeHe quickly realized how much her home environment impacted her postpartum recovery. Two Pages' beautiful cotton and linen curtains helped transform her home into a calmer, cozier space without sacrificing healthier materials. Visit twopagescurtains.com and use code HEHE to save on your favorite styles. In this episode of The...

We're bringing back one of our most-loved conversations because the truth is... every parent deserves to know all of their options before labor begins. Whether you're hoping for an unmedicated birth, planning an epidural, or simply want to feel prepared for whatever your birth unfolds, this episode is packed with evidence-based information to help you make informed decisions with confidence. In th...

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with pelvic floor physical therapist Hayley Kava, founder of UMA Pelvic Health, to tackle one of the most common pregnancy complaints that doesn't get nearly enough attention: SI joint pain. If you've been told pregnancy pain is "just part of it," this conversation is your reminder that you don't have to simply suffer through it. Hayley e...

Ep. 468: The Know Your Rights Map: Obstetrical Violence, Birth Trauma, and Patient Rights in the Hospital Birth Room with Cristen Pascucci [Re-Air of Ep. 203] In this Birth Lounge Podcast episode, host HeHe interviews Kristen Pascucci, founder of Birth Monopoly, about birth trauma and obstetric violence in hospital birth. They discuss trauma as a self-defined response that overwhelms the system, c...

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe welcomes back perinatal therapist Ashley Mariani for a conversation that isn't happening nearly enough: the relationship between sexuality, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. So often, our culture either completely ignores sexuality in motherhood or hypersexualizes birth in ways that don't actually serve women. HeHe and Ashley explore what it looks...

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe continues her series on one of the most requested and emotionally charged topics in parenting: vaccines. She's joined by pediatrician and The Vaccine Book author, Dr. Bob Sears, for a thoughtful conversation about vaccine schedules, informed consent, and why so many parents feel caught between asking questions and feeling heard. Together, they expl...