Yoga Birth Babies

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...

Birth in many respects is an ordeal for your body and mind. How much thought have you put into the healing process hours and days after your baby? Often times, once the baby is introduced into the world and family, the birthing person’s needs fall by the side as the focus shifts to caring for this new life.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, we turn the attention back to the new parent and th...

The transition into pregnancy, birth, and postpartum often comes with a steep learning curve. Many people come out the other side of parenthood saying, Why did nobody tell me this?  That sentiment was the inspiration for the book, WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THIS?: THE DOULAS’ HONEST GUIDE FOR EXPECTANT PARENTS. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with birth doulas and co-authors of the book ...

Did you know, the psoas major (there are two of them, one on each side of your spine and pelvis) are the only muscles that connect your spine to your legs? These important muscles play a major role in your posture, nervous system, and even how your baby cascades into your pelvis.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, we take a deep dive into talking about one of my favorite muscles the psoas,...

It’s no surprise that with the amount of responsibilities and pressure mothers endure day after day that emotions may rise to the level of rage. However, a raging outburst can often leave a parent (particularly a mom) feeling remorseful, shameful, and guilt-ridden.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth | Babies, I speak with writer and speaker, Minna Dubin. Minna has explored (and experienced) “mom rage...

Studies have shown that hearing positive birth stories can increase one’s confidence in their own upcoming birth.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with new mother, Jenn Gross. Jenn shares her fast, primal and confident birth story. She talks about how she prepared for her birth and how she was able to find such deep confidence in her body’s ability to birth. Jenn also explains what l...

In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Cheri Grant, also known world wide as the “Peanut Ball Lady”. Cheri explains how peanut balls are incorporated into labor and how they can positively effect labor. She goes into detail about how the different positions of a peanut ball can open the pelvis to help with fetal positioning, leading to a more functional birth. For pregnant people a...

In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with board-certified OB-GYN and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Marta Perez on what we know about the science of COVID, it’s effect on pregnancy and fetal and neonatal risks. Dr. Perez helps demystify some of the data and clarifies the effects of COVID on the different systems in the pregnant body. She also explains what is curre...

Birthing people sometimes feel like they are going into a hospital setting needing to have their guard up to defend their birth preferences against the enemy- the medical institution. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with former hospital and now home birth midwife, Chloë Lubell about how to create a respectful, collaborative and balanced relationship with your care provider and hospit...

Sigh…exhaustion! As a parent, who isn’t exhausted at times? What parent struggles with not losing their cool with their kids at some point? How do parents let go of the facade of control they think that have over their kids?  In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with Clinical Psychologist and Parenting Specialist, Rachel Bailey. She gives solid and practical strategies for helping parent...

If you knew there was a way to successfully lower cesarean rates and create a family-centered birth, would you be interested in learning more about it? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Dr. Neel Shah. Dr. Shah is an obstetrician-gynecologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Me...

I have yet to meet a parent who hasn't struggled through a child’s tantrum or other challenging moments. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we knew exactly what to do to manage or even avoid tantrums?  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with the co-founders of Big Little Feelings, child therapist, Deena Margolin LMFT and parent coach, Kristin Gallant about creating a practical action plan to nav...