The Birth Lounge Podcast

Its ironic because Nubain isn't a pill at all--it's an IV narcotic! Do you know your pain relief options during labor? Like, really know them? There are so many more options than just unmedicated birth and epidural birth. Depending on where you choose to give birth, you will have a variety of pain relief options, both natural and medical. There is always a forgotten option that is truly magical and that is Nubain/Staidol. We are going to dive into this option so you can feel confident to have a discussion with your provider about it's availability and any rules you need to know about its use at your particular place of birth! If you are on the fence about what pain relief option is best for you or you are still exploring your pain relief options, this episode is a must-listen!

The Birth Lounge:https://www.thebirthlounge.com

Free Birth Prep: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

Resources:

https://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/narcotics-for-pain-during-labor-849

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/effects-of-iv-opioids-during-labor/

One of the best ways to empower yourself is to dive in head first. Go searching for various birth stories, for various birth approaches, for various pain relief options. Do your research and, in that, you will find your power. In this episode, HeHe is breaking down why you need to allow people to challenge you on your ideas of birth and what your ideal birth looks like. When someone challenges you, be open to thinking, "what if?" This simple question will allow you to find a deeper comfort in your choices or will allow you to explore other options you have and may not have been aware of. Birth can look and transpire in a million different ways and you deserve to know the options.

Join The Birth Lounge: www.TheBirthLounge.com/join

I have a FREE MASTERCLASS for you! Less than 1 hour and jam packed with helpful tips to having an informed and confident birth experience: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

Today on The Birth Lounge Podcast, I am joined by Rebekkah Tran, mom of twins, to share about one of her twins’ journey with Plagiocephaly! Rebekkah is sharing the first signs that she noticed, what her first action steps were, and what she has learned along the way of advocating for her child for a “silent” and “cosmetic” condition. There is ZERO education around this for parents before their baby is born and if you do find yourself needing support on the subject, Rebekkah explains how challenging that can be! It’s intentionally designed by nature that your baby’s head is not fused at birth! But, some babies can have variations of Plagiocephaly that causes their skull to fuse before birth which can lead to complications. At their pediatrician appointment, Rebekkah voiced her concerns and was essentially told to do some minimal impact exercises at home (stretching, being intentional with what side she placed toys, etc) and “wait it out.” After months of discussion with the pediatrician but to no avail and feeling unheard, Rebekkah jumped into research on her own. She was HORRIFIED and realized that time was of the essence. Rebekkah knew that if she was going to get her baby physical support for the growth and development of her head, she needed to act quick! This is an episode for EVERY expecting parent to be knowledgable about a preventable condition and how to properly support your child's physical development in the early months of life. 

Connect with Rebekkah: @trantwinjas

Resources:

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002320.htm

https://familydoctor.org/condition/plagiocephaly/

Www.TheBirthLounge.com

Watch my FREE MASTERCLASS to have an informed and confident birth here: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

Your baby’s positions matters so much when it comes to your labor and delivery. A baby that is engaged in the right position can lead to a shorter labor, less painful labor, less back labor, and reduce the risk of tearing. In this episode, I am breaking down the science as to why your baby’s position is so important. I am also going to dive into the complications we sometimes see happen if babies are not in the right position when labor begins. The impacts of medical pain relief (especially epidurals) is always a big concern during this part of the birth planning process— how will we know if it’s too early? Will it slow down birth? I’m sharing what you want to consider when it comes to medical pain relief and the position of your baby during labor. I spit out some research articles in the episode and you can find those linked below! 

HeHe’s Secret Sauce to Pushing: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

If you’re interested in joining The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com

Epidural has potential to interfere: https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/fulltext/2005/05000/changes_in_fetal_position_during_labor_and_their.10.aspx

Midwifery approach/ Restitution: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/birt.12267

Position + Tearing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S026661389780006X

Today’s episode is diving into postpartum pelvic floor! How’s that for alliteration?! Melissa Dessaulles, Founder of Mommy Berries, is joining me to share everything you need to know after having a baby. She is a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist who is breaking it down as to what you can expect after a baby passes through there, how to restore your body post baby, and what’s the goal for postpartum pelvic floors. We also dive deep into the conversation of kegels or no kegels? Melissa shares how sometimes, in labor, we see pelvic floors not be able to “turn of” (relax) enough to allow a baby to be born. She also shares how to identify if your own pelvic floor might be too tight or too loose! This episode will force you to stop and pay attention to your body! Take a deep breath and join us for the transformative conversation! 

Melissa Dessaulles: https://mommyberries.com

The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com

It irks me to pieces when someone says, "birth trauma is totally normal." No, it's not. In this episode, I am breaking down exactly why perpetuating the idea that birth trauma is normal is not only very dangerous, but also disregards mental health of new parents. I'm sharing my thoughts on a variety of traumatic birth situations and talking about nature's role in birth. Birth trauma is what you define it and everyone will define it differently. Providers and birth attendants can be traumatized by labor as well.I’m sharing about avoidable birth trauma, birth trauma caused by natural variations in labor (still something went wrong), and how to know they difference. Plus, I share helpful tips to navigating birth trauma and how to begin to move forward. Stop saying birth trauma is normal. You deserve better than that. Hugs to anyone out there who has experienced avoidable birth trauma. XO, HeHe

*There is mention of maternal and infant mortality 

To join The Birth Lounge click here: www.thebirthlounge.com

To learn more about The CONTROL Method click here: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

Olivia Chisolm is a dear friend of mine and joins me today to chat about inclusion (or lack there of) in women’s health. She is the Founder of To Live In Color and serves as an Inclusion Consultant that supports small businesses in being as inclusive as possible. You, as a consumer, have the same responsibility to be inclusive and Olivia shares how you can do this in your own life and with your menstrual cycle! She is also sharing about what it was like growing up in the south and experiencing several scary diagnoses so early in her life (26 years old). She is walking us through how to navigate hard emotions when it comes to your health. This conversation is going to venture into p*ssy journaling, crunchy period management, and how too listen to your body around your menstrual cycle! Don’t miss this candid convo! 

Olivia: http://toliveincolor.com/about/

The Birth Lounge: TheBirthLounge.com

Coronavirus has caused some definite headaches in 2020, but I would like to highlight a few positive changes that I’ve witnessed come about in the birth world due to this global pandemic. Not everything is doom and gloom. Matter of fact, somethings have really changed for the better and can be used to keep the momentum in changing women’s health in a permanent way. In today’s episode, I’m diving into the trends and protocol changes we have seen take place, what worked + what didn’t work, and how we can use the last few months as a stepping stone to bettering how we birth! This may be THE best episode I have recorded up to this point. This is a raw inside look at the critical thinking that we do behind the scenes at Tranquility by HeHe and The Birth Lounge to ensue we are taking very calculated steps to get you to your dream birth at each stage of the process. From the very beginning of Coronavirus, I have been on the lookout for positive changes and I’m happy to share the really big ones right here! 

For more information on The CONTROL Method, this FREE MASTERCLASS breaks it all down: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

To join The Birth Lounge, click here: www.thebirthlounge.com

For more information about Homebirth or Midwifery care, check out Episodes 30, 51, and 53! 

HeHe is the queen of saying “Be an Educator Consumer” when it comes to your heathcare and, particularly, your birth. Today, HeHe is joined by celebrity personality and stylist, Ali Levine, to discuss how to be an informed consumer when it comes to your birth goals. Ali shares how she navigated the journey of fear-based care around birth and seeking care from a VBAC supportive provider! She also shares the power in being intentional about the way you prepare for labor plus what she is doing to prepare for her VBAC! Join us as we dive into the mindset and preparation required to have the birth of your dreams! 

Ali Levine: https://alilevine.com

Stript Down Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ali-levine

Instagram: @alilevinedesign

The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com

Watch my FREE MASTERCLASS to have an informed and confident birth here: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

Did you hear there is a FDA approved IV infusion treatment for postpartum depression? 1 in 9 women suffer from postpartum depression (1). This could be a game changer for so many women. It’s called Zulresso! But what if you aren’t eligible and approved for Zulresso infusions? Recently, Motherly released an article that shared news about the SNOO from Happiest Baby possibly being covered by insurance if approved by the FDA! Word on the street is that SNOO may be approved by the FDA as a necessity for new parents. This could be a game changer for so many women. 

(1) Ko JY, Rockhill KM, Tong VT, Morrow B, Farr SL. Trends in postpartum depressive symptoms – 27 states, 2004, 2008, and 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(6):153-158.

(2) https://www.mother.ly/news/is-the-snoo-covered-by-health-insurance?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3

(3) https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/snoo/snoo-fda-approval

Watch my FREE MASTERCLASS here: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

To join The Birth Lounge, click here: www.thebirthlounge.com