Yoga Birth Babies

No matter which way you may be leaning in terms of pain meds during labor, it’s important to know all your options so that you can make an informed decision. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Rachel Salem, about all your options for pain medicine during labor. Rachel shares the difference between a “walking” epidural and a standard epidural,...

For those who have sweat through your child having a full on meltdown in the middle of Target. For those who have felt judged by others or responsible for your child’s behavior. For those who have felt shame as a parent, this podcast episode is for you.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with licensed psychotherapist, parent coach, speaker, and bestselling author, Mercedes Samudio. Mer...

In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, Meredith Raucher Sisson, shares her story of two very different births; neither one “better” than the other just different. Meredith takes us on a journey of what she learned from the birth of her first child and how she reexamined certain choices for her second. She was equally satisfied with both birth experiences. Meredith also shares how she felt about hav...

Throughout pregnancy, your hormones are surging. Your estrogen is up 1000 fold, progesterone has increased 10 fold and relaxin is now present. Then you have your baby, the placenta is delivered and your hormones plummet like you are free falling off a mountain top. This major hormonal shift can create havoc for the new parent’s body and mind. It’s often the missing piece to better understanding th...

Nobody likes when their child has a melt down. Wouldn’t you like to have a better understanding of what triggers tantrums and how to help your child self regulate instead of self implode?  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with neuroscientist and founder of Curious Neuron, Dr. Cindy Hovington, Ph. D. who shares ways to manage tantrums according to science! She explains what is happenin...

Imagine teaching prenatal yoga for years and envisioning how your birth will unfold. Then learning that your baby is breech and despite many attempts to turn baby head down, you will need a cesarean birth. This is what happened to Christa.  In episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with founder of KITH & KIN, yoga teacher, and new mother Christa Nader. Christa shares how she wrapped her mind around...

Diastasis recti and the pelvic floor have fortunately become part of the conversation in prenatal and postpartum wellness. With knowledge comes power, confidence and choices. Pregnant folks and new parents are no longer in the dark about what is happening to their body and can take an active role in helping to restore and heal postpartum.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, it is my great pleas...

Have you ever looked at an old picture of yourself before kids and thought about how much your life has changed?  Crossing the threshold into parenthood isn’t about simply adjusting to life with a child. It’s a remarkable transformation to one’s personal identity and how you relate to the world around you and within relationships.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with the director an...

I recently returned the Spinnig Babies Parent Educator Training and have been so inspired by the work that I wanted to re-release this wonderful and insightful conversation with Spinning Babies®  founder, Gail Tully.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, Gail Tully (CPM) explains Spinning Babies® methodology and shares how the baby’s position and the pregnant body impacts the birth flow. She also...

As a childbirth educator, I am thrilled that I see so many people putting thoughtful effort into learning about their options for birth and thinking about their birth values. Unfortunately, the same rigor is not often put into postpartum education. Not just how to change a diaper or feed your newborn, but the emotional rollercoaster of postpartum, and the messiness of parenthood. In this episode o...

Did you know that the memory of your birth and your satisfaction with it directly correspond to how you perceive being treated during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum? This is a big reason why it’s important to make sure you’re getting the support and respect you need throughout your whole journey of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.  In this week’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with mater...

How much have you thought about preparing your body for conception?  Did you know that you can boost your fertility and balance your hormones to support your chances of conceiving through the practice of yoga and nutrition? In this week’s episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies, I speak with  award-winning registered dietitian nutritionist, registered yoga teacher Kendra Tolbert MS, about ways you can help...

Back in July, at 37 weeks pregnant, Elisa, attended my prenatal yoga class in which we spoke of the importance of keeping an open mind about one’s birth plan. Little did she know that the next day she would be in labor.   Several weeks later, Elisa wrote to me saying “I can still hear your words in my head about 1 out of 3 people have their baby by caesarean section. And the story of your other st...

It is a privilege to have quality perinatal health care and assistance in conceiving. Unfortunately, due to a myriad of factors included a broken healthcare system, many people are not able to access the support they need. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Expectful’s Co-Founder and CEO, Nathalie Walton about the biggest obstacles in improving access to maternal health care. She s...

For many years, before formalized childbirth education class, knowledge of birth was transferred to expectant parents through birth stories from members of their community and families.  Birth stories can continue to contribute to the preparation and confidence for one’s upcoming birth and offer personal stories and real human interactions rather than a medical account of the experience.   In this...

More than half of adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lives. Up to 45% of new parents report their birth was traumatic. Given the prevalence of trauma in our population and specifically the perinatal community, it's important that one’s yoga practice supports healing not further trigger trauma.  For yoga teachers it's necessary to understand how to support students with knowled...

There’s a lot of fear surrounding age and pregnancy. It’s as if awakening on your 35th birthday renders you conceptionally challenged. But why has that pressure been put on people? What does it really mean to have a baby after 35? And, what can we do to increase fertility at 35 and beyond? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS, FACOG, double board certified O...

Pregnancy and new parenthood are often isolating and people are feeling it now more than ever. This is one of the reasons why we put such a heavy emphasis on community building at PYC and share birth stories.  In this episode of Yoga |Birth |Babies, I have the honor of listening to the birth story and pregnancy journey of one of our community members, Kate Meredith.  Kate joined the PYC community...

Can you have a child and a life?  That question is answered by this week’s guest, Ericka Sóuter, journalist and author of the book, How to Have a Kid and Life: A Survival Guide. In this week’s episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, Ericka lays out what it means to continue to escalate in one’s career while still being present as a parent. She also gives solid advice on the importance of boundaries and how...

Newborn babies have some peculiar quirks, habits, and bodily functions. If you’re entering parenthood unfamiliar with what’s normal and what isn’t you might be scared or deeply concerned by things that are pretty routine for new babies.  In this episode of Yoga |Birth|Babies, board-certified Pediatrician and IBCLC, Dr. Tracey Agnese demystifies the behavior of newborn babies. She goes over many th...

VBAC’s are a birth option that one comes to with a great deal of preparation and planning. If this is your envisioned birth option, likely you desire the chance to experience a vaginal birth.  To help see that vision come true, it’s important to stack the cards in your favor and one of the best ways to do that is by aligning yourself with a supportive team.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I...

Have you ever thought about how lack of sleep affects you? Brain fog? Irritability? Now think about how that lack of solid sleep is affecting your child.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies, I speak with founder and creator of Little Z’s® Sleep Consulting, Becca Campbell. We discuss how poor sleep can impact your child’s health and how to set up a realistic bedtime routine (and actually stick t...

1 in 3 new parents report their birth as traumatic. This leaves a tremendous amount of new parents adjusting to new parenthood while also overcoming an emotionally traumatizing event. Sometimes the healing is never resolved and subsequent pregnancies and births can bring up past traumatic feelings.  This week’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies was inspired by conversations within our community. Studen...

At PYC we discuss the pelvic floor in every prenatal yoga. We talk about the importance of balance, the need for both support and release in the pelvic floor muscles. But the idea of knowing where exactly one’s own pelvic floor lies in that spectrum of not too engaged and not too relaxed is often a mystery.   In this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies, doctor of physical therapy, Rachel Parrotta, DPT,...

There is power in sharing and hearing birth stories from people in your community. It can bring confidence to those soon arriving at their own birth and connection for those who have recently given birth. In this week’s episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we have the delight of hearing the recent birth story from community member and prenatal yoga teacher, Julia Motyka. Julia’s raw honesty about embraci...