The NaturalBirth Talk

Herbs are all around us and can be SO beneficial for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  They provide vitamins, minerals, and taste great! In this episode, Demetria Clark, founder of Heart of Herbs Herbal School, talks with me about herb safety and a few examples of herbs that are really helpful in pregnancy. Always be safe and get your information from smart places Herbs can easily be incorporated...

Nutrition and proper diet are often a second thought for most people when it comes to health, including pregnant women. But Dr. Jeanne and I discuss the importance of healthy food intake, specifically addressing carbohydrates, proteins, fats, enzymes, AND the role stress plays in absorbing and using these nutrients. Don't be afraid of good Carbs or Fats, and eat LOTS of protein! Stress affect...

The placenta is the organ that protects, feeds, & nourishes your baby before they are born. After the birth of the baby, the placenta is born and usually examined, then discarded. BUT many moms are choosing to keep their placenta & encapsulate it (or hire someone to put it in pill-form) so they can consume it in the postpartum period. Today, I talk with Lisa VanDyne, the St. Louis Placenta...

Webster-certified chiropractic care during pregnancy is incredibly beneficial! Some chiropractors have attended a special training in the Webster Technique that teaches them how to analyze the pregnant person's pelvis and adjust it in a way that makes more space for baby and helps ease common pregnancy complaints. Today, Dr. Casey Brooks tells us all about this special technique! All chiropra...

Many moms are starting to question **epidural use** in labor. Are they safe? Are they necessary? What is in it and what are ALL the side effects? In this episode, doula Britni Sisco and I discuss ALL those questions and also talk about some PERSONAL EXPERIENCES with epidurals with our doula clients. (Sorry about the few glitches in the sound; the internet wasn't cooperating the day we recorde...

Essential oils are becoming more and more popular, including for birth! However, many women do not know the specific uses and safety rules that apply to essential oil use in birth. Today, Stephanie Lind (co-founder of Brilliant Birth Academy) and I chat about these powerful tools, including how they work, a few we like best, safety rules, and more. Stephanie shares her scary yet wonderful birth st...

Postpartum Doulas do amazing work! They are part of the "village" that is often missing for parents in America, are a wonderful support, & a huge help. On this episode, I talk with Kathleen Robbins (a postpartum doula and certified lactation counselor) about what postpartum doulas do and her favorite parts of the job. Postpartum doulas help care for Mom and Baby after birth, usually...

Having a birth doula can make a world of difference in a birth! In fact, it has been shown that they decrease cesarean births, decrease labor times, decrease interventions, and increase maternal satisfaction. Today, we talk with St. Louis-based birth doula Rebecca Pupillo about what a doula is, how they can help, and what our biggest tips are for expectant parents. A birth doula is an educated sup...

Certified Nurse Midwife Maggie Petry joins us on The Natural Birth Talk today to talk about the basics of midwifery care. Maggie has worked in all 3 major birth settings (hospital, birth center, and home) and she gives us some insight into each. We also talk about the different types of midwives, their different roles in the entire perinatal period, and the differences between an OBGYN or other do...

Physiological Birth is becoming more and more desirable as time goes on because people are realizing that medical intervention is unnecessary and has undesired side effects. Until the turn of the century, almost all birth was physiological. But what is physiological birth? In this podcast, we talk with Tiffany Muniz, doula, about the definition, history, and benefits of physiological birth. Physio...

Vaginal (or Yoni) steaming is a time-honored tradition for postpartum women in many cultures. It sounds weird, but I promise it is great! Today, we chat with Tina Bilodeau, a certified doula, vaginal steaming facilitator, and mom of 2, to talk more about what vaginal steaming is, how to do it, and the many benefits of it. Vaginal Steaming is a practice rooted in the wisdom of our ancestors and tra...

Body Balancing includes different exercises and techniques that help your bones, ligaments, muscles, and fascia to be nicely aligned and balanced so your body and baby can be in the best shape and position for birth. When the body and the baby are nicely aligned, birth is often easier and faster than it would've been without proper balancing. Today, doula Steffanie Thomas and I talk about 6 t...