Yoga Birth Babies

Did you know that mobility and flexibility increase in the pregnant body? And that this “borrowed flexibility” lingers in the postpartum body? Thanks to the hormones of pregnancy, primarily relaxin our ligaments relax to allow space in our pelvis to deliver a baby. Unfortunately relaxin doesn’t just go straight to our hips, it loosens the ligaments in our entire body. This hypermobility can easily...

Do you know how long you’ll be allowed to push at your upcoming birth experience? Or what position(s) you can birth in? How about how long you’ll be allowed to be pregnant without having an induction? There are many things you might butt up against during pregnancy and birth that you didn’t plan on, and hearing that care you expect is “… against our policy” in the middle of labor doesn’t put you i...

Today we have a community birth story. I love getting to know our community members better. Oftentimes they’re people I’ve had in class, so it’s nice to dive a little bit deeper. I also really appreciate that while the stories are unique there’s still a relatable foundation that we hear birth after birth after birth.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, I speak with Maya Kaough, a professional...

Did you know that early caregiving experiences can boost mental wellness and diminish depression, anxiety, and addiction in adulthood? From 0-3 our little ones have extremely pliable brains. Not only are their sensory and motor systems developing but their emotional brain and stress systems are developing too! The best part, we can help shape baby’s brain through simple experiences in pregnancy, b...

Inductions occur for a variety of reasons, sometimes they’re wanted and medically necessary but sometimes expectant parents feel like they’re being pressured into one. So why would or should someone be induced? And if your care provider is suggesting one, how do you navigate that conversation?  In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies I speak with midwife, author, and mother of 5 Marley Hall. (Many...

Close your eyes and think about what you hope the first moments after your baby is born will be. You might be imagining cuddles, skin to skin contact, or little one crawling up you for their first feed. However in addition to the cuddles, there are a number of routine procedures your little one will need to go through to ensure their health. From eye drops and a PKU screening to your little one’s...

I love community birth stories. I think it’s fantastic to hear about a variety of different birth experiences, maybe something different than you’ve imagined or you had. It’s also a wonderful way for me to reconnect with our students and the community at PYC. In this week’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with new Mom, Hannah Weaver. There are a few things I love about Hannah’s story. First o...

Having a baby is expensive, but how much does it really cost? Even with insurance supporting you, there can be a number of surprising costs. So how can parents to be plan for the bill?  In today’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak to naturopathic doctor Dr. Ashley Burkman whose personal experiences navigating health care costs have led her to speak on the topic of health care costs. Dr. Burkman...

Welcome back for part 2 of our Mother’s Day Special! Over the years I have had the honor of speaking to some truly incredible professionals in the perinatal field. Choosing my favorite episodes was a difficult task so we decided to release a second episode as our gift to you! In this best of episode we talk about feeling sexy as a mother, overcoming shame, the value of postpartum education, mom gu...

Sunday is Mother’s Day and we have a very special 2 part episode this week in celebration! In honor and gratitude to all of the mothers and mother figures in our community we put together an episode filled with insight and advice from some of my favorite episodes about motherhood.  In this best of episode we talk about self care as a mother, finding community and friendship, avoiding burnout, and...

I’m so happy that the pelvic floor is finally getting its moment to shine. This incredibly important set of muscles impacts our breath, continence, helps keep our organs in place, and affects our day to day comfort. It certainly deserves our attention! However not all of the information people are sharing about it is factual and some of these myths can lead to real physical issues over time.  Toda...

April is Cesarean Awareness month, and since roughly one third of American Babies are born this way I thought this episode was incredibly important to re-release!  Cesarean sections rank among the top surgical procedures given in the US. Since it’s such a common procedure, it can be easy to forget that it’s major abdominal surgery. New parents are sent home with the daunting task of caring for a n...

As expectant parents we spend so much time preparing for birth and life with a baby, often we forget about the recovery our bodies and minds need after labor. Between our culture and our medical system healing from birth is greatly overlooked and under discussed.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies we turn the attention back to the birth parent. I speak with Morgan Michalowski, a certified nurse...

If you could choose between a short, fast labor or a long, slow labor, I’m guessing you would choose short and fast. But a precipitous labor can come with some unexpected complications for both the new parents and baby.  In today’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with Alisone Bonafos who joined our community during her pregnancy as a part of our yoga classes and teacher training.  In addition...

The vaccination schedule for your baby can feel daunting. It also may seem a little strange, you might wonder why a newborn needs to be protected against Hepatitis B? Between frequent visits to the pediatrician and fears you might have over adverse reactions to the vaccines, many parents wonder how they can best support their child.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with holistic pedia...

Parenting. Let’s talk about it. Whether your child is 6 days or 6 years old parenting can lead to a mix of feelings from love and joy, to judgement, expectation, and frustration. Sometimes this can leave you feeling not so great about being a parent.  In this week’s episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies I speak with Rachel Bailey, a parenting specialist, mother of 2, and therapist. We dive into what it r...

Having a baby is expensive! So, how can we prepare for the expected and unexpected costs that come with having a child?  In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies I speak with financial educator and founder of Smart Money Mamas Chelsea Brennan. From getting a clear picture of your current financial state, to understanding how to prioritize and prepare for baby expenses, Chelsea gives simple exercises...

You may have heard it’s easier to repair a straight and even cut as opposed to a jagged tear from vaginal births. But is this something that’s actually supported by medical evidence or merely a falsehood passed down about birth? In today’s episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies I talk to Dr. Heather Jeffcoat DPT all about tears and episiotomies. If you experienced either of these in your birth, how you can...

Meeting your baby for the first time is love at first sight right? For many of us, this isn’t the case. Personally, meeting my son for the first time left me wondering what I was supposed to be feeling.  Whether this idea of instant love and connection is something you’ve learned from movies and tv shows or the stories shared by family and friends, it’s ok if that’s not your experience. In today’s...

Community birth stories are incredibly special. Not only is it an honor to be a part of your journey in pregnancy, but I love hearing what happened at the birth you were preparing for, as well as how you’re doing postpartum! In today’s episode of  Yoga| Birth|Babies I speak to PYC regular and mother of two,Erin Amato. While Erin’s first birth was at a hospital, her second birth was at home. We dis...

Did you know that 1 in 4 pregnant people carry Group B Strep (GBS)? You might be wondering why we don’t hear about it until we’re pregnant? You may also be wondering if it’s dangerous, if there’s anything you can do to prevent it, and if you have it, how does it affect your and your baby’s care. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak to professor and neonatologist Dr. Tara M. Randis all abo...

If speaking in front of a group of people, taking an exam, or being in a new place ever left you urgently finding the nearest bathroom, you’ve had first hand experience of how stress can impact your pelvic floor.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I speak with Hayley Kava PT, MPT about the role stress plays in pelvic floor health. Hayley explains how our nervous system interacts with the pelvic...

I don’t know about you, but as a parent I’m busy! It seems there’s never enough time in the day to get through family, work, and personal to do lists. So how can parents accomplish what needs to get done without burning out?  As today’s guest Rachel Nielson points out, “time isn’t a naughty child that needs to be managed, it’s something to make peace with.” In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies I t...

Birth stories can be an incredibly powerful tool to prepare for your upcoming birth experience. As we learn in today’s episode, a twin parent may feel like just a foot note in birth books. Through our community birth stories we aim to help illuminate a multitude of experiences. In today’s episode of Yoga |Birth |Babies we hear from community member and prenatal yoga teacher Jenny Campbell.  Jenny,...

There is so much information about supporting breastfeeding right now, particularly on social media. With its current popularity as something “good moms” do formula or bottle feeding parents are left in the dark.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with doctor of perinatal and pediatric nutrition, Dr. Bridget Young about the stigma around formula feeding and how to choose what is best f...