Yoga Birth Babies

Sharing birth stories matters. It's an opportunity to support and inspire one another during a transformative time. Each new parent carries their own powerful narrative of their birth that shapes the beginning of a new stage of life.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Prenatal Yoga Center community member and proud new mother, Lina Lum. Lina shares her beautiful and compelling...

During these unusual times, we are asking so much more of ourselves, our partners and our children. How much constant togetherness can people handle before resentment sets in and everyone gets itchy for alone time? How does one parent under what feels like “house arrest” ? What can you do when you feel lonely and isolated? How can you still get your personal needs met?  In this episode of Yoga|Bir...

Have you ever wondered what the appropriate milestones are for your baby? What is there to do if your child is not meeting these benchmarks? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with pediatric occupational therapist, Nekole Eaton. Nekole specializes in child development and shares her deep knowledge about expectations and variations in reaching developmental milestones. She also explains...

Part of parenting is learning through mistakes. Personally, I could write a book on the missteps I’ve taken despite thinking I’m doing the right thing in the moment.  Jenny Best, founder, and CEO of Solid Starts, and mom of three explains how her errors and anxiety about feeding her first child opened the door to understanding and emerging as an expert in baby-led weaning. In this episode of Yoga|...

Adjusting back to work has always been a concern for new parents. Today, in a time of a pandemic where childcare may have adjusted, finding flexible, creative ways to meet the demands of your job may require some creativity and negotiations.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with author and founder of The Fifth Trimester movement, Lauren Smith Brody. Lauren offers practical tips for n...

A magic alarm does not go off and cripple your eggs the morning you turn 35 years old. But why does society put that pressure on people? What does it really mean to have a baby after 35 and what can we do to increase fertility? 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, F...

This week on Yoga|Birth|Babies we’re taking a break from our expert lead interviews and focusing on a birth story from the community.  Eliana Balk reached out to me to share her story and ideas about how to talk about birth trauma from the birthing person’s perspective. Most conversations around birth trauma are from leaders and experts on the topic, but the voice of the new parent who has been th...

For the past few months, I've been gravitating towards the subject of motherhood devouring podcasts, books, and articles on the subject. Possibly because I am knee-deep in early childhood as the mother of two young children or because the subject is so deep and vast and I like many parents thirst for some guidance and support. My interest in the topic might also be due to the amplification of my r...

“There is a significant amount of evidence that shows that healthcare providers hold stereotypes based on a patient’s race, class, sex, and other characteristics. This influences their interpretation of behaviors and symptoms, and even their overall clinical decisions.”states this week’s podcast guest, Alexandra Samuel-Sturgess The CDC reports that black mothers in the US are 3 to 4 times more at...

Why does society accept the deeply embedded belief that mothers can’t be sexy? Saturday Night Live just re-aired their “Mom Jeans” skit poking fun at “moms”. Emphasizing that once someone because a mother they trade in the sexy body, cute clothes, and sense of self for a frumpy bodied person with poor fashion sense who is fully family focused. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with awa...

Pregnancy, birth and early parenthood, are often a time of family gatherings and celebrations. But now during this unprecedented time, these milestones are being experienced in isolation. This massive departure from how one may have originally envisioned the transition into parenthood can lead to feelings of loss and grief. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Licensed Social Worker...

Telehealth has become the norm while social distancing is being respected. This can leave some new and expectant parents anxious about the care they will receive as leading up to their birth and recovering during postpartum.  In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with Certified Nurse Midwife, Eugenia Montesenos about telehealth care. Eugenia explains what to expect in prenatal and postnat...

Did you know there is a correlation between breastfeeding issues and epidurals? The continuous IV fluid given to birthing people during labor may render the breasts more swollen. The nipples become harder, flat, and more shallow. This can cause problems for the baby to latch successfully. “If mothers realize the swelling and difficulty latching is just from the epidural, not forever, they just hav...

Can you imagine giving birth and entering postpartum in the middle of a pandemic? Candice Baehr faced this exact scenario.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with co-founder of Parenthood Together and Feeding Heroes and mother of two, Candice Baehr about her recent birth experience and the challenges she faced birthing in a busy NYC hospital during the Covid 19 pandemic. Candice sh...

The hormonal blue print needed to move labor forward has a few requirements. For the body to function well in labor, we need to remove pressure, stress, shame and anxiety and help the laboring person find deep relaxation.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with HypnoBirthing® childbirth educator, certified holistic health coach, and author of the book, Pure Nurture—A Holistic Guide to...

Everyone who gives birth shall forever carry their story imprinted deep within. For some, the memories brings joy, others unresolved feelings and for many, they are somewhere in between. Time will take someone further from the experience but what happens when your birth goes unprocessed? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with co-director of Birthing From Within International and author...

Bringing home a baby during a pandemic has unique challenges. New parents can no longer rely on the help and support of family, friends, or a doula to share the workload and take the pressure off of learning how to care for a newborn.  For those expecting a baby during COVID-19, this special episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies may help ease your anxiety. My guest, New York City based childbirth educator...

Have you ever wondered why some births are fast and furious while others slowly putter along? Many times it has to do with the delicate dance between the baby’s position and the balance and room made in the pregnant person’s pelvis and soft tissue.  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with the creator of the Spinning Babies® approach, Gail Tully (CPM). Gail explains Spinning Babies metho...

Pregnancy and being a brand new parent inherently carries a fair amount of anxiety and uncertainty. Add in an unprecedented pandemic, and that anxiety is likely to increase. One of the best ways to combat these feelings are solid and supportive answers to best prepare for what lies ahead. In this very special and timely episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with NYC veteran doula and childbirt...

What if your birth fell well beyond any preconceived vision of possibility?  What if it took so many twists and turns that even a prolific author would struggle to paint such a surprising story?  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with prenatal yoga teacher, childbirth educator, and labor support doula, Hess Kim. Hess humorously shares the story of her epic birth. As an endurance athlet...

Birth. Rarely does it unravel as planned or expected. The uncertainty and loss of control can be very challenging for many pregnant people. It can bring up fear, make some hold tighter to a preconceived plan, or throw themselves into the hands of science and relinquish any autonomy.  How does one approach such a transformation with the willingness to accept the unknown path that lies ahead? In thi...

Have you ever wondered why postpartum people wake up with night sweats? Or find their hair falling out? Did you know there is a huge hormonal disruption once the placenta is delivered and that leads to hormonal levels plummeting?  This major hormonal shift can create havoc for the new parent’s body and mind. It's often the missing piece to better understanding the full picture of postpartum recove...

Approximately 60% of pregnant people will receive an epidural. With those receiving epidural analgesia, up to 10% of those people will not receive full pain relief- there may be a spot where discomfort is still felt or pain relief is not delivered. Or you may find yourself waiting for pain medication or choose not to receive an epidural at all.  So what other comfort techniques can people employ?...

Is it a fair assumption for pregnant yoga students to assume “If you had a yoga practice prior to pregnancy, you will know how and when to modify.”?  Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety of the student and offer modifications.  What potential harm can really happen to the baby and the pregnant person from inappropriate yoga poses?  In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with my c...

An epidural is a very familiar term for most, but how much knowledge do people have about it?  With an average of 60% of birthing people choosing epidural anesthesia, it is important to make informed decisions about what serves you best.  In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with anesthesiologist and yoga teacher, Claire Sandberg. Claire breaks down common myths and misconceptions abo...