The MamasteFit Podcast

In the premiere episode of 'Moments with MamasteFit,' hosts Gina and Roxanne share professional birth worker experiences with cervical scar tissue, a frequently overlooked but significant factor in labor progress. They delve into causes such as previous cervical procedures, symptoms, and various ways to address and manage scar tissue during labor. Techniques like manual massage, use of evening pri...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne sit down with Dr. Puja Shah again, this time to discuss mental strategies for navigating the postpartum period. They delve into hormonal shifts, common emotions, and effective coping mechanisms. Dr. Shah shares her personal journey with postpartum mental health, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and breathing exercises. T...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast Birth Story Friday, Roxanne welcomes Sam, who shares her personal journey of her two birth experiences. Sam's first birth was a challenging C-section following an induction due to high blood pressure, which led her to seek a different path for her second pregnancy. Determined to have a VBAC, Sam finds a supportive provider and prepares extensively through...

In this New Year's episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, shares the journey of creating MamasteFit—a global company offering both online and in-person pre/postnatal fitness programs, and childbirth education courses. Gina discusses the steps she and her sister Roxanne have taken to build their business, challenges faced, the importance of community,...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina and Roxanne discuss their personal journeys of transitioning from having no children to four. They talk about the challenges, support systems, and mental health struggles they faced at each stage, from 0 to 1, 1 to 2, 2 to 3, and finally, 3 to 4 kids. They also share how they reached the point of knowing their families are complete. Gina discusses he...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast Birth Story Friday, Kayla shares her challenging but ultimately empowering hospital birth story. She discusses how she prepared for birth, and how her intentions and plans changed throughout the course of labor after stalling at 7 centimeters for several hours, and the difficult decision to ask her doula to leave. Despite these hurdles, Kayla managed to ha...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina addresses common questions about core training during pregnancy and postpartum. She explains what core exercises are “safe” and effective, how to prevent and heal diastasis recti, and the importance of understanding the different layers of core muscles. Gina also discuss common myths, breathing techniques, and the role of posture in managing pressure...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, discuss the essential steps in choosing your birth team. The episode covers how to find and select the right doula, the roles and specialties of different doulas, and questions to ask during interviews. Additionally, they explore how to pi...

In this Birth Story Friday episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Alyssa shares her unmedicated hospital induction and the unexpected complications she faced during her postpartum journey. Gina and Roxanne discuss Alyssa's detailed preparation for birth, the intense labor process, and Alyssa's significant postpartum challenges, including hemorrhaging and developing a vaginal hematoma. The episode also...

Gina and Roxanne discuss Gina's postpartum healing and return to fitness journey so far. They emphasize the importance of prioritizing functional recovery over aesthetic goals, and Gina shares about focusing on training for longterm health while being able to comfortably meet the demands of motherhood along the way. Gina shares her accomplishments in her 12 weeks postpartum, as well as how she is...

Gina sits down with Tiffany Belanger, founder of CoSleepy, to discuss how parents can safely bed share with their babies. They cover what bed sharing is and the stigmas surrounding it. Key safety tips are shared, including ensuring a sober and non-smoking environment, maintaining a firm and clutter-free mattress, and using the cuddle curl position. The episode also explores the benefits of bed sha...

In this Birth Story Friday, Jess shares her empowering experience deciding on and undergoing a scheduled C-section for her second baby. Jess's shares her journey of choosing a C-section over a VBAC, feeling empowered to make an informed choice based on her own personal risks. The episode explores Jess's preparation during pregnancy, including taking the MamasteFit strength course and selecting a s...

Gina (first born) and Roxanne (second born) speak with Dr. Bob Hurst about the impact our birth order and the birth orders of our children have on our lives. Dr. Hurst, an orthodontist with over 50 years of experience, shares his insights on how birth order influences individual behavior, sibling relationships, and how parents can better understand and support their children. The episode also delv...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina and Roxanne explore the topic of pain relief during labor, focusing on epidurals. They explain what an epidural is, its benefits, potential concerns, and debunks a few myths. They discuss the steps involved before, during, and after the epidural procedure, how to prepare for it, and how to manage labor and pushing with an epidural. The episode provid...

In this episode of Birth Story Friday, Roxanne is joined by Melissa, who shares her transformative and intense home birth experience. After discovering a previous procedure left considerable cervical scar tissue that was delaying her labor at 41 weeks, Melissa and her midwives devise a plan to break up the scar tissue. Despite initial delays, Melissa's active labor starts rapidly once her water br...

Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, discuss the essentials of an unmedicated birth, including what it is, why someone might choose it, and how to prepare for it. They delve into mental and physical preparation, emphasize the importance of continuous labor support, and share their personal experiences and professional exper...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne welcome Megan Aucutt, Program Director of Healthy Birthday, Inc. and creator of Count the Kicks, to discuss the critical role of fetal kick counts in reducing preventable stillbirths. Megan explains why starting kick counts at 28 weeks is essential, debunks common myths about fetal movements, and highlights the benefits of using the...

Roxanne welcomes Erica, who shares her hospital water birth story and postpartum experience. Erica discusses her intentional preconception health changes, commitment to prenatal fitness, and the time she took to get educated on what to expect and how to prepare for birth. She recounts her labor journey, starting at home, transitioning to the hospital, and finding relief in a birthing pool. Erica t...

Gina and Roxanne sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist Hayley Kava to tackle the often-taboo subjects of hemorrhoids, constipation, anal fissures, incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse associated with pregnancy and postpartum life. They provide valuable insights into the physiological changes that contribute to these conditions, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue and practical s...

In this heartfelt episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne share deeply personal stories of pregnancy loss in honor of Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month. Gina recounts her emotional experiences with multiple miscarriages, discussing the healing process that comes from sharing her story and breaking the stigma around pregnancy loss. Roxanne provides professional insights on...

This episode of the MamasteFit Podcast features American mom Elena, who shares her unique birth experiences in Italy, transitioning from an Italian hospital delivery after her first to a more empowering home birth with Italian midwives for her second. Elena details her preparation for birth, the unexpected challenges faced during her hospital birth, and the transformative journey to a community bi...

In this episode Gina and Roxanne discuss Gina's personal postpartum recovery journey four weeks after giving birth. They outline the postpartum healing timeline, emphasizing the importance of rest during the first ten days to prevent overexertion. Gina shares her personal experiences, challenges, and the supportive measures she took to ensure a smooth recovery, including listening to her body's si...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Roxanne is joined by Chelsea Bodie from Mama Psychologist to discuss perinatal mood disorders. They explore what perinatal mood disorders are, how to identify them in oneself, and effective coping strategies. Chelsea delves into the distinctions between various mood disorders such as postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. The conversation also inc...

In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast Birth Story Friday, Gina and Roxanne are joined by Meagan, co-founder of VBAC Link. Meagan shares her inspiring journey through three births: two C-sections followed by a successful VBAC at home. She discusses the challenges, doubts, and ultimate triumph that led her to become a doula and co-found VBAC Link, a resource to educate other moms around the worl...

n this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina shares an in-depth recount of her fourth birth story with baby Zoe. Joined by Roxanne, Gina discusses her experiences leading up to labor, including psychic predictions, a star chart reading, and the prodromal labor she faced for the first time ever. The episode covers the emotional and physical journey through Zoe’s birth, highlighting moments of joy...