Yoga Birth Babies

“Beautiful things may be on the other side of fear and discomfort.” This is Mirror trainer, birth doula and prenatal yoga teacher Rachel Nicks' life philosophy. And it certainly served her well as she quickly had to rework her whole birth team and plans as she recently became a second time mother.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies I speak with Rachel Nicks about her work, pregnancies and b...

Parenting has been a very humbling experience. My children are incredible teachers showing me where I lack patience and need to adjust my behavior in order to help them self regulate and defuse tense moments. I’ve found myself being more REactive to their behavior rather than PROactive which often elevates tantrums, defiance, and frustration. If you can relate to any of this, today’s podcast episo...

There are so many resources to gather information about pregnancy, labor and birth. How do you know what's accurate and what's misleading? In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with double board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist, Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS, FACOG about the myths and realities of many pregnancy and birth debated topics. Shannon c...

Sixty percent of new parents don't breastfeed for as long as they intended, according to the CDC. The top reason being issues with lactation or latch. It's easy to understand why people would discontinue without support or solutions for breastfeeding issues. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist...

The birth of a child not only represents the start of a new life for the baby, but a new life for the parent as well. While this “birth” may not be recognizable to others and on the surface the new parent looks the same, they emerge a different person on the inside. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with new parent and actor, Melissa Macleod about her transformation as a new mother...

It was a year ago this week, that the US shuttered by the force of COVID-19, leaving in it’s wake thousands of mothers who feel crushed by an unequal share of the pandemic burden. However, many mothers already felt massive burn out from daily life, the pandemic just highlighted the unrealistic expectations and pressures put on mothers. “I’ll go to my grave fighting for mothers.” are the words of M...

Watching one’s body change dramatically over a matter of months can feel disconcerting. Combine that with a history of disordered eating and body image challenges, and navigating pregnancy and postpartum may feel overwhelming and out of control. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with licensed social worker, Catie Lynch, who specializes in eating disorders, body image, and the postpartu...

Sharing community birth stories offers an intimate connection between one parent and another. Sharing birth stories can be a form of childbirth education, as it helps to remove fear of the unknown and bring confidence, power and courage to those awaiting the transition from pregnancy to parenthood.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth |Babies, we hear the birth story of community member, yoga teacher,...

As parents, we aim to raise our children to be good people. Inclusive, respectful people that help move humanity forward. To do this, we have to have open, honest and sometimes difficult conversations about issues that our country and society faces. Simply stating “Do onto others as you would have them do onto you” is not enough. In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, I speak with clinical psycho...

The term “core” is thrown around a lot in the fitness and yoga world. But what does it really mean? What muscles are involved and how does someone prepare for pregnancy and postpartum?  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with licensed physical therapist and author, Patricia Ladis. Patricia explains what we mean when we say “core” and how the breath plays an intricate role in the core op...

The reality of birth inequities in the US is not merely an opinion; it is a fact. Women of color are dying at higher rates than their white counterparts, and in some parts of the country that rate is up to 12 times higher. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Rhea Williams, Certified Nurse Midwife and Director of Professional Education and Programing for Spinning Babies® about birth...

Birth defects, defined by the March of Dimes, are structural changes that affect one or more parts of the body (e.g. heart, brain, foot). While some birth defects are completely unavoidable and unpreventable, certain behaviors and social and environmental factors can impact the risk for birth defects.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, Chief Medical and Health Officer at March of Dimes and Sen...

Many pregnant people envision the early days of parenthood snuggled close with their new cooing baby. But, what happens when the dream-like vision collides with brutal reality of a constantly crying baby? One in four babies suffer from a condition called, colic. The baby cries for long stretches of time with little break and no obvious reason as to what is wrong. You can imagine the stress, frustr...

Community has always been a central part of the PYC methodology. We come together as a community to support one another through pregnancy and parenthood. Hearing the stories from friends, family, and community members can help dispel fears, normalize the variation of birth experiences, and create confidence in the process of childbirth.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with yoga tea...

If you haven't spent a lot of time around a newborn some of their behaviors and habits may seem bizarre or even scary to you as a new parent.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, board-certified Pediatrician and IBCLC, Dr. Tracey Agnese demystifies the behavior of your newborn baby. She talks about everything from baby poop to irregular breathing patterns to signs that something is really wr...

Frequently students return to class and express how blindsided they felt by the demands of the first few weeks of life with a newborn baby. Much time had been spent preparing for labor and birth but many felt unprepared for the reality of this transition. In this episode of Yoga|Birth| Babies, we pull back the curtain and dig into the nitty-gritty of what to expect in the first week as a new paren...

Birth has so many unknowns including not fully knowing the scenario and care provider you will be encountering upon entering a hospital or birth center. Common situations are bound to arise that may derail the laboring person’s birth flow/physiology. It is important to have tools to help combat this predicament. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with certified Advanced Birth Doula...

Due dates, that looming day etched in your mind when your journey through pregnancy will come to an abrupt ending. But how accurate are these given dates and what happens if that day comes and goes?  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies I speak with board-certified, practicing OB/GYN, Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins. Nicole shares an open and honest discussion on the pros and cons of waiting for l...

In a world that often categorizes people and events in a binary manner, those who fall beyond the binary often face unseen challenges. Family planning, reproductive care, and birth are no exceptions. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with doula, childbirth educator and board-certified music therapist, Beth Hardy about supporting Queer, Trans, Non-Binary Folks in Pregnancy, Birth an...

Cesarean sections rank among the top surgical procedures given in the US. Currently, one third of American babies are born in this manner. Because it’s such a common procedure, it can be easy to forget that a cesarean is major abdominal surgery. New parents are sent home with the daunting task of caring for a newborn and healing from surgery often with little support.  In this episode of Yoga | Bi...

In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies we dive into the topics I love most, yoga, birth and babies! Renowned yoga teacher, podcast host and yoga business strategist, Mado Hesselink shares her journey from her early 20s having her first child and to her late 30’s when having her second child. Mado also discusses how she balances being a yoga practitioner, teacher, and a parent. This powerful epis...

Why do so many mothers suffer from mom guilt, martyr-mode, and perfectionism? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Gemma ((the first digital education platform dedicated exclusively to women's mental health) Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, MD, about the pressure many mothers feel to fulfill unrealistic expectations put on them by themselves and soc...

Did you know there are 90,000 chemicals that we are surrounded by, on a daily basis, that may impact your health, pregnancy and baby? Many of these chemicals are commonly used in beauty products, house cleaning items, and even the clothes we wear.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with board certified rheumatologist, integrative medicine specialist, and environmental health expert Dr....

When Catalina reached out to share her birth story, I was struck by the powerful words she used to describe her birth, “I was able to make empowered decisions without shame.” Immediately, I knew there was a story to explore and wanted her as a guest on the podcast. With no time wasted, Catalina responded that as a woman of color and in a same-sex relationship, she loves sharing her story of both h...

How much time have you put into learning about a cesarean birth? What are factors that play a role in having a cesarean birth or way to decrease the chances of a cesarean birth?  With the national average for cesarean rates hovers around 30%, time spent on understanding cesareans births may serve to be very valuable.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with board-certified OB-GYN and As...