The Dungaree Doula

The Doula's Guide to... Preparing For Your Birth

Kids EN ↓ 79 episodes

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... preparing for your birth ! With me Meg, AKA The Dungaree Doula. I'm a doula, hypnobirthing teacher, and Hull gal - trust me, you'll get used to the accent. I'm a self confessed birth and parenting nerd, here to support you throughout pregnancy, birth and way beyond. In this podcast we'll delve deep into the nitty gritty topics you're desperate to know more about, I'll answer your burning questions and give you the unbiased facts on all things pregnancy, birth and parenting. Along the way we'll have guest speakers, interviews and a few positive birth stories t...

Author

The Dungaree Doula

Episodes

S2 EP22: Navigating other peoples birth stories 31.05.2024 28:23

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 22. In this episode I'm talking about navigating other peoples birth stories - the good and the bad, where to find the good, how to deal with people giving you sh*t for wanting something better, what we can learn from the bad and more. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Links mentioned in this episod...

S2 EP21: Things I loved during my pregnancy that you might enjoy too 24.05.2024 35:46

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 21. In this episode I'm talking about some of the different things I used and enjoyed during my pregnancies to relax and to prepare for birth and parenthood. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Links mentioned in this episode: Well With Hels yoga - click here Harmonics - click here My fave books - cli...

S2 EP20: Train to be a hypnobirthing teacher with me! 18.05.2024 17:49

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 20. In this episode I'm telling you all about a brand new offering I've just launched, a chance to train to be a hypnobirthing teacher with me! I'm so excited to be running such an incredible programme, a chance to completely change up or revamp your career culminating in a nourishing holistic retreat style training weekend. Learn, share...

S2 EP19: Stretch and Sweep - Do you need one? Will it bring on labour? Is it a form of induction? 17.05.2024 40:42

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 19. In this episode I'm talking about stretch and sweeps, otherwise known as a membrane sweep, a procedure done at the end of pregnancy to bring on labour. We'll discuss if they work, the benefits and risks, what the research suggests and more. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Click here to find ou...

S2 EP18: Doulas - what do we actually do and why might you want to hire one? 28.04.2024 53:13

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 18. In this episode I'm finally chatting about what the hell a doula actually does, why you might want to hire one, how to find one. and why you might NOT want one! *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Resources mentioned in the episode: The Effect of Doulas on Maternal and Birth Outcomes: A Scoping Re...

S2 EP17: The importance of prioritising skin to skin contact on your birth plan 18.04.2024 34:40

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 17. In this episode I'm talking a topic I absolutely LOVE - skin to skin contact and the importance of prioritising this in that magical golden hour after birth and throughout the newborn period and beyond. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Resources mentioned in the episode: Click here to find out...

S2 EP16: Questions to ask if you're offered an induction of labour 16.02.2024 33:04

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 16. In this episode I'm talking about induction, such a monumental topic, I wanted to hone in on the questions to be asking if you're offered and induction and some things to consider. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Resources mentioned in the episode: Click here to find out more about my brand ne...

S2 EP15: A big chat about newborn baby sleep 10.02.2024 39:31

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 15. In this episode I'm talking about newborn baby sleep and how to meet your babies needs through the night, attachment parenting, and how to best support yourself as a new, sleep deprived mum. Also a lot about why I don't personally agree with sleep training and cry it out. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions...

S2 EP14: Discussing my postpartum mental health 02.02.2024 48:33

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 14, ok strap yourself in cause this is a very personal episode talking about how I journeyed through the f*ckery of some very bad postpartum mental health. This isn't medical advice or information about things to look out, it's very much just a chat about what I went through and how I navigated it and how it feels to be out of the other...

S2 EP13: Navigating high risk pregnancy 26.01.2024 39:33

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 13. In this episode I'm talking about high risk labels in pregnancy and how they might affect your pregnancy and birth, navigating the different tests and procedures recommended and my top tips for decision making when faced with big decisions. *Please note this podcast is not medical advice, all opinions are my own Resources mentioned i...

S2 EP12: What do babies actually need? Your absolute ESSENTIALS list 12.01.2024 41:17

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 21. In this episode I'm talking you through my list of baby essentials, the absolute bare minimum of what you really need and how to avoid the clutter of what people tell you to buy. I also give some top tips for sourcing everything and avoiding unnecessary gifts! Resources mentioned in the episode: Click here to find out more about my b...

S2 EP11: Breaking down the NHS maternity statistics for 2022-23 (use this to get a better birth!) 05.01.2024 43:54

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 11. In this episode I'm discussing the recently released NHS maternity statistics 2022-23 and whilst they seem pretty bleak on the surface, this is crucial information if you're planing on giving birth within the system. I discuss my top tips for navigating this and end with a pep talk! *Please note, there will be a part 2 podcast talkin...

S2 EP10: Happy New Year! Answering your questions and how we can work together in 2024 31.12.2023 53:50

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 10. HAPPY NEW YEAR, eeee very exciting episode reflecting on 2023 and looking forward to 2024, I answer you questions about induction, freebirthing, becoming a birthworker and my interests. I also chat about how we can work together in 2024 if you're preparing to meet your babe in the new year. Links mentioned in the episode: Click here...

S2 EP9: The first few days of breastfeeding w/ Bea from BeasBirthandBoobs 15.12.2023 1:03:39

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 9. In this episode I'm chatting with Bea of Beas Birth and Boobs all about those very first few days of breastfeeding a newborn, what to expect, normal infant behaviour, signs things are going well and where we can seek help if things aren’t going so great. Bea gives her top tips for getting breastfeeding off to the best start, how not t...

S2 EP8: All about estimated due dates 08.12.2023 27:58

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 7. In this episode we’re going to talk about due dates, the origins of them, if they mean anything at all, and why I think we should instead focus on a due period! Resources mentioned in the episode: Estimated Date of Delivery article - click here 44 week birth story - click here Click here to find out more about my brand new prerecorded...

S2 EP7: Vitamin K for newborns - everything you need to know 01.12.2023 43:45

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 7. In this episode I'm talking about vitamin K, what it is, why it's a routine part of maternity care, vitamin k deficiency bleeding, is it safe, why people accept and why people decline. Resources mentioned in the episode: Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding in Infancy - click here Patient Information Leaflet - click here Vitamin K informatio...

S2 EP6: Vaginal exams during labour - why, how, alternatives & more 06.10.2023 43:59

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 5. In this episode I'm talking about vaginal exams, why they are offered, what are the risks and benefits, what are the alternatives and do you really need them? Links mentioned in the episode: Cochrane review: Routine vaginal examinations in labour - click here Reliability of ultrasound versus digital vaginal examination in detecting ce...

S2 EP5: Should you do these things for an easier labour? Raspberry leaf, dates, sex, spicy food & more! 29.09.2023 34:18

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 5. In this episode I'm talking about all of those things people tell you to do at the end of pregnancy, from drinking raspberry leaf tea, to having sex to eating spicy food. I'm demystifying why we do these things, if there is any evidence that they can help and how/when. Links mentioned in the episode: Raspberry leaf-should it be recomm...

S2 EP4: Joys positive HBA2C story (home birth after 2 cesareans) @birth2beyond 22.09.2023 59:25

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 3. In this episode I'm chatting to the wonderful Joy AKA @birth2beyond who kindly shared her redemptive second home birth after 2 previous cesareans birth story. It's an incredible listen with lot's to take in, Joy gives background to her first 3 births before sharing how she prepared differently for her fourth birth and how it set her u...

S2 EP3: Waterbirth - who can have one, why you might want one, how to have one! 15.09.2023 36:40

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 3. In this episode I'm chatting all about waterbirth! I wanted to get stuck straight back in to the birth prep episodes and thought I'd share some love for the humble waterbirth. Catch me discussing why you might want to birth in water and the heap of benefits that come with it, what to do if you're told you're not allowed one and contin...

S2 EP1: The most important attributes of a boss birth partner (in my humble opinion) 01.09.2023 35:01

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 2 episode 1 - we're back babes! In this episode I'm chatting all about what I think makes an incredible birth partner, none of the practical stuff (but don't worry, there's an episode on that coming in a few weeks) but more so what I reckon are the key things a birth partner needs to do/feel/think so that they can best support you. Give it a liste...

S1 EP 31: Reframing how we think about contractions, pain and the sensations of labour 30.06.2023 31:35

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 1 episode 31 all about reframing how we think about contractions, pain and the sensations of labour. So many of us enter pregnancy and birth feeling absolutely terrified of what labour will feel like, and I get it - complete fear of the unknown, so let's chat about how we can lessen that fear by understanding what is happening and how we can make...

S1 EP 30: The Doula's Guide To... Preparing For Your Birth (exciting announcement!) 28.06.2023 18:58

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 1 episode 30 all about my brand new prerecorded online course! I hope you absolutely love it, this is a full antenatal education covering all bases, to ensure you head in to birth feeling confident, well supported and prepared for your dream birth. A mixture of video content, audios, downloadable fact sheets, journalling prompts and visual imagery...

S1 EP 29: Packing your birth bag - what to pack and how if you're heading into hospital/MLU 16.06.2023 34:10

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 1 episode 29 all about packing your birth bag. This is another solo episode I thought might be a handy little reminder of everything you need to take with you if you're choosing to birth in the hospital or the midwife led unit, I give you some handy tips for packing and then talk you through what I recommend taking and why. Love the podcast? suppo...

S1 EP 28: Placentas - how to birth your placenta & what to do with it 09.06.2023 36:51

Welcome to The Doula's Guide To... Podcast, season 1 episode 28 all about placentas - another one of my fave topics. This is another solo episode so enjoy me blabbering on about how to give birth to your placenta, your options, how to help it along and then what to do with it once it's out! Love the podcast? support me by leaving a tip via buy me a ko-fi: click here Sign up for my FREE hypnobirthi...