The Birth Ease Podcast: Recent Episodes
Michelle Smith
How do you filter through all of the uninvited opinions that suddenly come your way when you decide to have a child? How do you know what's trustworthy information and what's a myth or just plain outdated? Join Michelle Smith, CHt -- founder of The Birth Ease Method childbirth program -- and her guests as they share valuable tips, tools, and proven methods to cut through the noise and fear. For 20 years as a birth professional, Michelle has personally helped hundreds of families understand their options in maternity care, transform their fears and stress, and connect with their inner calm as they navigate the sacred journey that is pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.
This time of year can bring a sense of magic and joy and at the same time, the holidays can also bring feelings of overwhelm and stress. Michelle airs this special holiday relaxation each year session which is designed to help release the stress and strain you may be feeling and gain a sense of clarity regarding what you value in your life as you prepare to enter the New Year.
As a gentle reminder: this guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Natasha Solovieff and Michelle discuss Natasha’s signature strategy which helps parents to stay engaged with their children and each other. Her L.O.V.V.E. Way invites families to begin Listening, Om-ing (centering yourself), Voicing, Visioning, and Exploring in order to unwind any difficult feelings, emotions, and situations and determine what is of value to them as a family. The L.O.V.V.E. Way creates a solid path in this time of uncertainty and provides relationship and self-reflection tools that are extremely vital, and yet, rarely taught. {replay of episode 38}
"What I wanted to give parents is a default way of moving out of our snappy moments and those things that come up in parenting that are really heightened right now that cause us to disengage with our children and to disengage with ourselves, and our partner. Relationships are this dance being engaged, being disengaged, and bringing ourselves back into engagement and that’s a skill." — Natasha Solovieff
About Natasha:
With a BSN and M.Ed., she has 25+ years as a Maternal Child Health clinical and public health nurse. She is the author of “The Dance of Parenting: Finding Your Inner Choreographer” a book that invites you to energize and strengthen your parenting dance by using your parenting L.O.V.V.E. skills. And she also writes heartfelt and intriguing science-for-parents blogs at OMGparenting.com.
Connect with Natasha:
OMG Parenting FB link - https://www.facebook.com/OMGParenting/?ref=bookmarks
OMG Parenting Twitter handle - @OParenting
Website - OMGparenting.com = https://omgparenting.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thanks for listening!
Natasha Solovieff and Michelle explore the ways that parenting can be compared to an ongoing dance with your child and the importance of acknowledging the needs of both parent and child. Natasha explains the ways you can decrease your stress, filter through all the information and opinions, and connect more fully with your children, your partner, and your own inner wisdom. Natasha shares her L.O.V.V.E. process: Listening, Om-ing (centering yourself), Voicing, Visualizing, and Exploring. Her tools are invaluable when planning a pregnancy, during pregnancy, while communicating with medical providers, throughout your parenting years, and even once your children are adults. {replay of episode 14} You can hear more of Natasha's wisdom in episode 38.
“The challenge of all of this is we don’t live in a listening culture and we haven’t been taught how to listen, let alone, what it is to be listened to. But we have to listen to ourselves and ask to be listened to. ... I can say for certain about that process [of listening to and voicing your thoughts and feelings] is when it's coming up in you & you hear anything judgy or critical, you know that is not the voice you want to listen to. Because our voice around of all this is the loving voice that we want to be hearing."—Natasha Solovieff
About Natasha:
Natasha is a mom, now to a beautiful twenty something. With a BSN and M.Ed., she has 25+ years as a Maternal Child Health clinical and public health nurse. She is the author of The Dance of Parenting - Finding Your Inner Choreographer, a book that invites you to energize and strengthen your parenting dance by using your parenting L.O.V.V.E. skills. And she also writes heartfelt and intriguing science-for-parents blogs at OMGparenting.com. She gets tickled by her dogs wagging tail, a good hike, deep conversations, a hearty glass of wine, and the so many wonders of life.
Connect with Natasha:
OMG Parenting FB link - https://www.facebook.com/OMGParenting/?ref=bookmarks
OMG Parenting Twitter handle - @OParenting
Website - OMGparenting.com = https://omgparenting.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
If and when your water might break in labor is often confusing and stressful for expecting parents. Michelle explains when this can happen, what to expect, what to look for, and a helpful acronym to remember- MTACOS, Movement of baby, Time, Amount, Color, Odor, and Status of Group B Strep.
Michelle recommends also listening to episode 132 featuring Heidi Snyderburn of Birth Story podcast regarding some recent research on rupture of membranes and labor.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Each October, Michelle honors Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month on the podcast. This year she shares an episode from her Birth Ease Loss Support Podcast featuring samples of the Calm Birth meditations for perinatal loss.
"The loss of a pregnancy or infant is an incredibly common heartbreak. Yet, we are given so few opportunities to grieve a loss that is often invisible to those around us. Calm Birth for Pregnancy and Infant Loss presents an opportunity to move through emotions and to send life on its way with love. If someone you know has lost a pregnancy or infant, this can be a beautiful way of supporting them through this journey. If you lost a pregnancy or infant recently, or in the past, please use these audioguides for healing and moving about life changed but still whole."—Calm Birth
Resources:
To Purchase the Calm Birth Meditations for Pregnancy Loss https://www.calmbirth.org/audioguides
Progressive Relaxation for Grief: https://www.futurity.org/grief-progressive-muscle-relaxation-2617232
TONGLEN MEDITATION by Pema Chödrön: https://youtu.be/QwqlurCvXuM
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com /loss-support
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheaselossssupport
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Podcast: Birth Ease Loss Support
Thank you for listening!
Each October, Michelle honors Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month on the podcast. This year she shares an episode from her Birth Ease Loss Support Podcast featuring samples of the Calm Birth meditations for perinatal loss.
"The loss of a pregnancy or infant is an incredibly common heartbreak. Yet, we are given so few opportunities to grieve a loss that is often invisible to those around us. Calm Birth for Pregnancy and Infant Loss presents an opportunity to move through emotions and to send life on its way with love. If someone you know has lost a pregnancy or infant, this can be a beautiful way of supporting them through this journey. If you lost a pregnancy or infant recently, or in the past, please use these audioguides for healing and moving about life changed but still whole."—Calm Birth
Resources:
To Purchase the Calm Birth Meditations for Pregnancy Loss https://www.calmbirth.org/audioguides
Progressive Relaxation for Grief: https://www.futurity.org/grief-progressive-muscle-relaxation-2617232
TONGLEN MEDITATION by Pema Chödrön: https://youtu.be/QwqlurCvXuM
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com /loss-support
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheaselossssupport
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Podcast: Birth Ease Loss Support
Thank you for listening!
The Calm Birth prenatal meditation program now has an app for easier access to the meditations. Michelle shares samples of the meditations for listeners to experience. You can learn more about Calm Birth and the practices in episodes 76-80 and about the similarities and differences between Hypnobirthing and Calm Birth in episode 86.
Michelle includes the introduction for each meditation beginning with this 7-minute version of Womb Breathing or Breather as it is named on the App. She also provides a sample of Rest based on the Practice of Opening and Healing based on the practice of compassionate breathing. The app also includes affirmations for pregnancy and birth which parents find extremely valuable. You can listen to the full audio for the Calm Parents meditation breath feeding for nursing in episode 140. The app includes versions of this meditation for parents that are bottle feeding, pumping, and chestfeeding. Michelle also includes the Calm Parents meditation Bond which can be helpful when caring for a crying baby. Please note that there are versions of the Calm Birth meditations for parents planning a cesarean birth, as well.
Please find a safe and comfortable spot to relax and enjoy these samples of the Calm Birth Meditations.
GO to the App Store for the Calm Birth App. Reach out at Michelle@birtheaseservices.com for Calm Birth childbirth classes or the meditations for parents planning a cesarean birth or at www.calmbirth.org.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thank You for Listening!!
The Calm Birth prenatal meditation program now has an app for easier access to the meditations. Michelle shares samples of the meditations for listeners to experience. You can learn more about Calm Birth and the practices in episodes 76-80 and about the similarities and differences between Hypnobirthing and Calm Birth in episode 86.
Michelle includes the introduction for each meditation beginning with this 7-minute version of Womb Breathing or Breather as it is named on the App. She also provides a sample of Rest based on the Practice of Opening and Healing based on the practice of compassionate breathing. The app also includes affirmations for pregnancy and birth which parents find extremely valuable. You can listen to the full audio for the Calm Parents meditation breath feeding for nursing in episode 140. The app includes versions of this meditation for parents that are bottle feeding, pumping, and chestfeeding. Michelle also includes the Calm Parents meditation Bond which can be helpful when caring for a crying baby. Please note that there are versions of the Calm Birth meditations for parents planning a cesarean birth, as well.
Please find a safe and comfortable spot to relax and enjoy these samples of the Calm Birth Meditations.
GO to the App Store for the Calm Birth App. Reach out at Michelle@birtheaseservices.com for Calm Birth childbirth classes or the meditations for parents planning a cesarean birth or at www.calmbirth.org.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thank You for Listening!!
Michelle and Keshia Lockett are celebrating the release of Keshia's book, Birth Undisturbed: How to Have an Undisturbed Unmedicated Hospital Birth, on Amazon and the success of her Black Doula Tour as well the release of Calm Birth's new meditation app for pregnancy, birth, and parenting which features Michelle's voice in the audios. Keshia shares all about The Black Doula Tour and her book. Together, they discuss the sacredness and sanctity of birth and why knowledge, education, and choosing a provider that reflects your values for your pregnancy and birth are vital.
"And that's what The Black Doula Tour is really, really all about. It's about connecting with people. It's about finding your soul drive. It's about getting education that you need during pregnancy. It's just about so, so much. Every tour we aim to have different speakers that can come and share their knowledge. So every tour will be absolutely different with different faces. You won't get the same thing out of each tour." —Keshia Lockett
Grab a copy of Keshia's book on Amazon: Birth Undisturbed: How to Have an Undisturbed Unmedicated Hospital Birth
Get your tickets for The Black Doula Tour
About Keshia:
Keshia Lockett is a certified birth and postpartum doula, certified breastfeeding counselor, childbirth educator, author, and podcaster. She has a passion for childbirth, empowering birthing people, and fighting racial disparities in the medical field that started from a very young age. She realized black women giving birth are at a major disadvantage, and so she made it her mission to change that!
Connect with Keshia:
Website: https://www.embraceyourbirthdoula.com/
Instagram: @empoweredblackdoula, @embraceyourbirthdoula_
Facebook: @Empowered Black Doula, @Embrace YourBirth Doula
Podcast: Empowered Black Doula
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle and Keshia Lockett are celebrating the release of Keshia's book, Birth Undisturbed: How to Have an Undisturbed Unmedicated Hospital Birth, on Amazon and the success of her Black Doula Tour as well the release of Calm Birth's new meditation app for pregnancy, birth, and parenting which features Michelle's voice in the audios. Keshia shares all about The Black Doula Tour and her book. Together, they discuss the sacredness and sanctity of birth and why knowledge, education, and choosing a provider that reflects your values for your pregnancy and birth are vital.
"And that's what The Black Doula Tour is really, really all about. It's about connecting with people. It's about finding your soul drive. It's about getting education that you need during pregnancy. It's just about so, so much. Every tour we aim to have different speakers that can come and share their knowledge. So every tour will be absolutely different with different faces. You won't get the same thing out of each tour." —Keshia Lockett
Grab a copy of Keshia's book on Amazon: Birth Undisturbed: How to Have an Undisturbed Unmedicated Hospital Birth
Get your tickets for The Black Doula Tour
About Keshia:
Keshia Lockett is a certified birth and postpartum doula, certified breastfeeding counselor, childbirth educator, author, and podcaster. She has a passion for childbirth, empowering birthing people, and fighting racial disparities in the medical field that started from a very young age. She realized black women giving birth are at a major disadvantage, and so she made it her mission to change that!
Connect with Keshia:
Website: https://www.embraceyourbirthdoula.com/
Instagram: @empoweredblackdoula, @embraceyourbirthdoula_
Facebook: @Empowered Black Doula, @Embrace YourBirth Doula
Podcast: Empowered Black Doula
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle is incredibly honored to have midwife Jennie Joesph share what is in her heart and on her mind- holding space for families following the birth of their baby. Jennie explains why the United States is dismal in regard to postpartum care practices and support. Jennie stresses that we must listen and hold space for families and each other as birth professionals. We must learn and understand how to do it well so that we are helping and not adding to any potential pain and trauma to what they are already carrying. Jennie clarifies that holding space is simply that. Just be quiet and encourage them to feel comfortable, to feel like they can trust you. And show that trust by listening with respect, maintaining that dignity, and not centering yourself in the sharing.
Jennie shares why we must bring into conversations racism, classism, gender discrimination, injustice, and the historically institutional way of being because those are the actual causes of the disparity. Everyone is impacted when we are not supported to be in our humanity. Commonsense Childbirth Inc.'s guiding statement is "We are building a movement to birth a more just and loving world."
"So when we really want to get to the bottom line, it is hard to go there because we don’t want to face what we really have, but what we have is capitalism, classism, sexism, racism. We are wicked-mean to marginalized people on purpose. We have no capacity on a large level of addressing everybody's needs- recognizing those needs and having the respect and dignity to address them. We do not like to work from the perspective of justice. But that is what this is about. This is about justice."—Jennie Joseph, Midwife
About Jennie Joseph:
Jennie Joseph is a British-trained midwife who fights to ensure every person has their healthiest possible pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience with dignity and support.
Jennie created The JJ Way® which is an evidence-based, maternity care model delivering readily-accessible, patient-centered, culturally-congruent care to women in areas that she terms 'materno-toxic zones'. Her focus and drive is to ensure that Black women and other marginalized people remain safe and empowered inside broken and inequitable maternity health systems that have become dangerous and all too often, lethal.
She is the Executive Director of her own non-profit corporation Commonsense Childbirth Inc. which operates a training institute, health clinics and a birthing center in Orlando, Florida, and is also the founder of the National Perinatal Task Force, a grassroots organization whose mission is the elimination of racial disparities in maternal child health in the USA. In July 2020 her school, Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery became the first and only privately-owned, nationally accredited midwifery school owned by a Black woman in the United States.
Jennie is the founder and a proud member of The Council of Midwifery Elders, she serves on the Advisory Council for the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus, is a Fellow of The Aspen Institute, and has been recognized as a TIME Woman of The Year 2022 for her work in promoting perinatal equity.
Time Magazine Women of the Year Jennie Joseph
Connect with Jennie Joseph:
To make a donation visit: https://www.commonsensechildbirth.org
Instagram: @iamjenniejoseph
Facebook: Jennie Joseph - Midwife
Twitter: @JennieJoseph
The Birth Place: www.TheBirthPlace.org
Easy Access Women’s Clinic: www.EasyAccessClinic.com
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle provides an overview of the 4 stages of labor. She shares that the first stage of labor involves contractions that get longer, stronger, and closer together and that it is divided into 3 phases: early labor, active labor, and transition. Michelle also explains Braxton-Hicks contractions and labor contractions and the different ways in which laboring moms may experience their contractions or surges, especially if they are using hypnobirthing. Michelle also shares the story of how she explained the parallels between natural birth and getting a large tattoo to her client that said, "So get real, what is labor really like?"
"Like with labor, it's a mind game just like with the tattoo. You have to dig deep. Go within. 'I can finish this. I can do this work.'"—Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
World Breastfeeding Week 2022 is August 1-7 and to celebrate Michelle shares the Calm Birth prenatal meditation childbirth program's Calm Parents Meditation for breastfeeding. This meditation is a part of the Calm Parent's collection of postpartum meditations which includes versions of this Breath Feeding meditation- whether that is breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, or chestfeeding. Feeding a new baby can have its joys and its challenges. Breath Feeding helps parents appreciate that they have everything they need to nourish their child. Even if things aren't going by the book, this meditation reminds parents that they have so much more than food to sustain their baby: you have limitless, life-giving energy, and a warm, nurturing body that their baby needs. Focusing on your breath relaxes you and relaxes your baby.
The Calm Parent's collection of meditations also includes Energy Breathing- to help center and restore energy; Calm Parent- a progressive relaxation for rest, sleep, and restoration; Calm with Baby- to bond with your baby, especially useful after a stressful time such as when your baby has been crying relentlessly; and Practice of Healing- compassionate breathing for postpartum healing.
You can find out more about Calm Parents in Episode 80 of this podcast.
You can purchase the Calm Birth and Calm Parents Meditations at www.calmbirth.org
Connect with Calm Birth:
Facebook: @CalmBirthMethod
Instagram: @calm.birth (Calm Birth Meditation)
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Thank you for listening!
Michelle and Sunni VonMutius continue their conversation from S2 E1 The Grief and Loss of Placing a Child for Adoption on the Birth Ease Loss podcast. Sunni courageously shares how the circumstances, trauma, fear, and shame from her first child's birth impacted the birth of her second child 20 years later and her experience of postpartum depression. Together they discuss the importance of trauma-informed care, exploring unconscious biases, the mind-body connection, informed consent, understanding trauma triggers, creating a postpartum care plan, self-care versus soul-care, and why the cultural conversation around adoption and placing a child for adoption must change.
"On the outside, I look like a pretty decent human being and on the inside, I feel like a total piece of poop when I talk about the fact that I gave my child up for adoption. And that is because of the way that society treats birth moms after the fact. … there's all sorts of judgments that come with it. I am so proud of the choice I made and when I talk about it, there's a part of me that feels like scum. That is not a viable solution in our society. If we are going to make that the only option for women, we have got to change the way we talk about adoption. We have got to change the way we treat birth moms…. There's a lot of conversation about adoption being this super easy solution and I just want to make it really clear, it is NOT simple. It is NOT easy. … Do not put it on the table like it is some sort of easy solution to a pregnancy. Because it, just like a lot of other solutions, will live with us for the rest of our lives. And, I think that's important to acknowledge" — Sunni VonMutius
Notes: Michelle's episode with Sunni's Midwife Elena Rosa is 118 Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy. Sunni mentioned The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Romm.
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Michelle chats with Barbara Decker, one of the pioneers in the childbirth education movement. With a half-century of experience, Barbara shares her journey, including being one of the firsts to certify as a Lamaze instructor (before it was even called Lamaze) and certify as a doula with Penny Simpkin. Barbara is a long-time HypnoBirthing® Instructor and expert in prenatal & perinatal psychology. She provides a simple breathing technique to help calm and settle our nervous system. Something we, and our babies, can all use during these stressful times. Barbara explains that babies are looking for a trusting relationship with their parent. A parent's job is to respond to their baby. Babies need a healthy attachment figure to be able to build a healthy psychological and emotional journey. Barbara shares that almost half of all pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted. Yet, parents can repair the relationship with their baby at any point in pregnancy. Barbara shares fascinating information regarding babies' awareness and consciousness in the womb. (This episode is a replay of episodes 49 & 50)
"This [early nurture period] is critically, critically important for society as a whole and the health and the humanity that we are trying to bring into the world. When parenting in the womb becomes a normal phase, a part of, having a baby, we can change society as a whole."—Barbara Decker
"When the mother is included in the decision making, the end result is not traumatization after the birth. It can prevent having an effect on the mother as long as she's part of that decision making. ...It's vital. And then our mothers are not going to have the challenges. We don't want mothers going to the birth, to the labor room, in fear that they are gonna have to do battle. We want them to know that they are going to be treated with respect."—Barbara Decker
About Barbara Decker:
Barbara has been a childbirth educator for 50 years. She’s a doula, a HypnoBirthing ®Practitioner, PALS supporter and Mentor, PALS Northwest Hospital Ambassador, and an avid supporter of APPPAH as membership and Mentor for the PPNE course.
What brought Barbara to the field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology was the knowledge she received after reading The Secret Life of the Unborn Child by Thomas Verny. That was almost 11 years ago and since that time has received certificates as a Prenatal Bonding Facilitator with B.O.N.D. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever.com program, trained for two and a half years, with Dr. Gerhard Schroth in the Prenatal Bonding (BA) Program (Only 12 trained to facilitate in the US.), and was one of the first graduates of the APPPAH PPNE Program. Her passion for educating parents on the importance of the preconception/gestational period led her to write a new paradigm in childbirth education - EmpoweringPregnancy.com. She has lectured throughout the United States, in India, and in Mexico on the need to teach these classes. It is imperative that we educate our birthing families on the intelligence of the baby growing in the womb. Our babies need to feel loved during the pregnancy, mothers need to manage their stressors in a safe way, and this program offers the tools to build a healthy relationship for the whole family.
Parents that have attended the program feel that they are better prepared for their pregnancy, more bonded and attuned to the baby inside, plan for more natural births, an improved relationship with their partners, and feel more prepared for the postpartum experience. When you parent a baby in the womb, you know how to parent when the baby arrives. Attachment improves with a more conscious awareness of the needs of our babies for healthy minds and bodies. Pregnancy complications are lessened and parents make more informed choices in birthing facilities, practitioners, and interventions. It is time to empower our families with the knowledge that Emotional Intelligence is formed from conception through the nine months after the birth. Let’s put the brakes on the violence in this country and “Build Babies, Not Jails”. (Article written by Dr. Thomas Verny, JOPPPAH 2011)
Connect With Barbara Decker:
douladecker@gmail.com
www.soulofbirthing.com
www.empoweringpregnancy.com
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Often there is so much focus on the pregnancy and the birth, families may find themselves woefully unprepared for the realities that having a new baby can bring to their lives. Having a new baby can feel overwhelming and isolating for many families and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the stress families may feel. Michelle explains helpful self-care tips for new parents and provides an overview of what the postpartum experience can be like. She distinguishes between baby blues and postpartum depression, gives an overview of maternal mood disorders, and provides resources for families here in the show notes. Michelle ends this information-packed episode with a brief guided meditation. (replay of episode 36)
Resources:
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
Postpartum Support International
The Blue Dot Project
And Baby Makes 3: The Gottman Institute
The Conversation: Managing postpartum depression: New Moms isolated by coronavirus pandemic
Motherly: Eight Ways to Reduce Anxiety for Mothers
Baby Care Resources:
Dunstan Baby Language
Happiest Baby on the Block
All Babies Cry
No Cry Solution
Resources in Central Florida:
Orlando Health Winnie Palmer: Mothers Matter Support Group
Life Counseling Solutions
Perinatal Wellness & Psychological Services
Total Life Counseling
Florida Chapter of Postpartum Support International
Motherhood Support Group
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Adam Angel, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, explains the importance of inclusion and recognition for fathers as the baby's parent, as the support person for their partner or spouse, as well as a separate individual by medical professionals and birth professionals. Adam and Michelle discuss that 10% of men can experience perinatal mood disorders such as depression and anxiety and how that can manifest in fathers. Adam also shares the online parenting workshops that he founded and co-facilitates for fathers. His Dads With Wisdom workshop groups seek to build on men's knowledge, skills, and instincts of fatherhood by placing men into teams of potential or current fathers where they can connect, share and receive support from each other and Dad's With Wisdom staff with the goal of becoming wiser dads. The group workshops are structured with 1 or 2 topics per workshop. The workshops are interactive and promote discussion between members so everyone is able to share their experience and wisdom. There are workshops for soon-to-be dads, first-time dads (newborn - 1 year), and dads with toddlers ages 1-3.
"I think that a lot of the experience that men have is that unfortunately, and this was my experience too, a lot of our medical professionals aren't supporting the partner in the room with the intention of supporting the birthing partner, which they should in giving them focused attention at those prenatal appointments, they end up pretty clearly ignoring the dad. It's just an experience that feels very shared across many men."— Adam Angel
About Adam Angel, LCSW-C, LICSW:
Adam is a clinical social worker with 15 years of experience working with youth, adults, and families. Adam is a licensed social worker and his specializations include postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and developmental trauma. Adam completed his undergraduate at the University of MD and obtained his MSW at Howard University before working in the nonprofit world where he facilitated a number of groups including groups for men. Adam lives in Silver Spring with his wife, two kids, and their dog.
Connect with Adam:
Website: https://www.adamangeltherapy.com/
Dad With Wisdom:
Website: https://www.dadswithwisdom
Instagram: @dadswithwisdom
Facebook: Dads With Wisdom
Connect with Michelle
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education,
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thanks for listening!
Kinsey Phifer, doula and the author of Variations of Normal: The Labors of Love, and Michelle explore the complex feelings and emotions that having a breech baby can bring. They discuss the barriers to breech birth access, the difficulties that come with finding a VBAC friendly hospital- especially when the baby is breech, the unhelpful things people say and how damaging they can be, and why it isn’t as simple as doing “all the right things to turn a breech baby" or “just give birth at home”.
“Yes, exactly. And I can tell you I've heard that, so often. [Healthy mom. Healthy baby. That is all that matters.] And it's really invalidating. It makes people not want to share their experiences, which is unfortunate because so many of us feel very similarly. And, I think in order to process these experiences and start our journey to healing, we have to start by talking about it.”—Kinsey Phifer
About Kinsey:
Kinsey Phifer is the author of Variations of Normal-The Labors of Love. She is a certified birth and bereavement doula and has a passion for VBAC, breech babies, and parents' rights during childbirth. Kinsey lives in a small town in Iowa with her husband and two children.
Connect with Kinsey:
Breech Baby Stories
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breechbabystories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breechbabystories/
The Hygge Doula
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehyggedoula
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehyggedoula/
Website: www.thehyggedoula.com
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
A birth plan is a way for you to communicate your wishes to your health care team during your labor and after the birth of your baby. Each birth is a unique experience. Creating a birth plan empowers you to become informed of all your options during labor and Michelle provides helpful tips to consider when writing a birth plan.
Connect with Michelle:
For birth plan examples, please email me: Michelle@birtheaseservices.com
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Beth Sandlin, NCPT explains the Pilates method and its benefits during pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood. She emphasizes maintaining a flexible routine and restorative movements and exercises, especially when recovering after birth and caring for a new baby and small children. Beth also explains the similarities and differences between pilates and yoga. Michelle and Beth discuss her Trauma Informed Pilates Approach (TIPA) program for Pilates teachers worldwide who want to use a Trauma Informed Care framework when teaching the Pilates method. Together, they stress the importance of taking time to heal and recover after giving birth and letting go of external pressures to bounce back immediately.
"The first few years, our sleep pattern is disrupted as well. We have more stress. We may be nursing as well. … Our sleep can affect if our body is willing to change and adapt. Our stress levels are also impacted by sleep. There's all these different circumstances. It took us 9 months to prepare for the birth, and just allowing our bodies the time to heal and recover."—Beth Sandlin
About Beth:
Beth Sandlin, NCPT has been teaching Pilates since 2004 with a background in health education, yoga, mind-body fitness and trauma. As a mom of two and a cancer survivor, her mission is to provide uplifting, effective and accessible Pilates classes and education. She’s the founder of Trifecta Pilates offering online Pilates mat classes on YouTube and through her online studio (aka Membership Program). Beth is also the founder and educator of the Trauma Informed Pilates Approach (TIPA), working with Pilates teachers worldwide who want to use a Trauma Informed Care framework when teaching the Pilates method. Off the mat, she enjoys hiking, reading, and baking.
Connect with Beth Sandlin:
Website: https://trifectapilates.com/
YouTube: Trifecta Pilates
Instagram: @trifectapilates
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Michelle shares one of her favorite episodes of the Doula Diaries podcast hosted by Heidi Snyderburn. In her episode, Heidi digs into expectant management (aka doing nothing) and induction when you experience PROM-Premature Rupture Of the Membranes (water breaking). Heidi shares her doula advice partnered with the Hanah et al TERM PROM trial and the data. So, want to know what Heidi would tell you do if she was your doula and you experienced PROM? Take a listen. There are also some scripts you could use if this happens to you and how to navigate pressure at the hospital for an induction before 24 hours post-rupture.
About Heidi Snyderburn:
Heidi Snyderburn is the host of the Birth Story podcast, Certified Birth Doula (DONA), a Certified HypnoBabies™ Doula, the entrepreneurial guru behind Birth Story Media™, a former pharmaceutical and medical device consultant, a mom with a passion for writing and storytelling, and the author of Birth Story: Pregnancy Guidebook and Journal. She felt “called” to her practice as a doula early on in life—in fact at age 12, Heidi supported a mom through her birth. Since then, Heidi has attended hundreds of births throughout her 17-year doula career and is currently on-call. She is actively practicing today with up close and personal doula services in Charlotte, NC and virtual doula services around the world with her company MyDoulaHeidi.
Heidi differentiates her services by offering holistic, evidenced-based care for her clients and their partners. She absolutely believes in partnering with the medical team and empowering moms to navigate the journey of pregnancy and childbirth with as much information as possible.
Connect with Heidi:
Instagram: @birthstorypodcast
Looking for a Virtual Doula to create a custom birthing experience and guide you through your journey to parenthood in the United States? Contact Heidi at www.mydoulaheidi.com
For additional free birth education resources and to purchase Heidi’s book, Birth Story: Pregnancy Guidebook + Journal, visit www.birthstory.com
Heidi would love to be your virtual doula at Birth Story Academy. Join for comprehensive childbirth education about hospital birthing and navigating the hospital policies and procedures. Self-paced. Easy, fun, and entertaining modules. BirthStory.com and use code BIRTHSTORYFRIEND for $20 OFF.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
With 60 years of combined experience between them, Michelle and Kathy Bradley, IBCLC discuss the key things for parents to consider when hiring a doula. Doulas provide non-medical educational and emotional support to birthing families. Doulas can help navigate information overload and differing opinions that expectant parents often face.
Kathy and Michelle suggest exploring:
What do I want for my birth experience and who is going to help me to get that? How do I want to give birth? Are there any fears (mine or others) that are influencing my decisions for my pregnancy and birth?
What a doula is and isn't? (check out episode 117 with Kathy) What are my expectations for my birth when hiring a doula? What am I hoping a doula will do for us? How will hiring a doula impact my birth experience? Do I need more prenatal or postpartum visits or care? Are these expectations realistic or unrealistic?
List out ten things that are important to you for your baby’s birth. Narrow it down to your top 5.
Some questions to ask when interviewing a doula:
What's your philosophy of birth?
What motivated you to get into this field?
How long have you been practicing and where do you see yourself now?
Do you feel comfortable in the location I will be giving birth in?
Are you a solo practitioner or do you work as a team with another doula? What can I expect as far as the call schedule if you have a doula partner?
Who is your back up? May I meet them beforehand? How often have you needed back up?
What is your specialty, if any?
What is your style of advocating for clients?
Ask yourself when interviewing:
Is the doula addressing them my top 5 important things?
Do I resonate with them? Do I feel peace of mind in their presence?
About Kathy Bradley:
Spanning a 30+ year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations, and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community-based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated to eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improving birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley:
Website: http://childbirthconcierge.com/
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: childbirthconcierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes, Sessions, and Doula Services with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
March is birth psychology month. Michelle and Sarah Dickey, Pre & Perinatal Psychology Educator and fellow Calm Birth Teacher, discuss the consciousness of babies. Together they explore the importance of prenatal bonding to help babies in the womb feel welcome, loved, and safe, especially when as a parent you may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
"It can just be as simple as if you have had a day that is overwhelming, that you just pause and maybe place your hand on your abdomen. Connect to your womb and just say, "Baby, I feel you. And I just want you to know today has been really overwhelming. I have felt really overwhelmed. But I want you to know that you are safe and I've got you. And, you don't need to worry about a thing. You're welcome. I love you." Like, that dialogue. How powerful that seemingly simple connection can be, but really helps prevent that stress response from being activated." —Sarah Dickey
Learn more about APPPAH and Birth Psychology: https://birthpsychology.com/
Sign up for APPPAH's Birth Psychology Summit FILM FESTIVAL March 2022: https://birthpsychologymonth.com/
About Sarah Dickey:
Hi friends, it's Sarah. I seek to create sacred, intuitive space for other women to embrace the evolution that life is. My hope is, the breakthroughs you experience are missing stepping stones to guide you gently through life’s unique journey.
My specialties have been developed over the last 10 years working with those looking to heal and grow. The variety of specialties I have pursued allows me a vast selection of resources I can pull from to provide the guidance women need to heal and grow, no matter what stage of life they are in.
My Specialties: Pre & Perinatal Support, Birth Psychology, SSP Practitioner, IVF & Pregnancy Loss, Personal Transformation Sessions, Grief, Birth Imprints, Personal Birth Empowerment Sessions, Calm Birth Meditation for Pregnancy & Childbirth Support, Advanced Heart Centered Hypnosis, SSP Practitioner, Educational Seminars, and Workshops.
Feedback from women who have been in a session with me seems to always include that they were offered a chance to experience something new about themselves—a deeper sense of connection to their knowledge, of slowing down enough to feel what needs to be felt, and discernment to inhabit their lives in new and empowered ways. This feedback guides my practice and encourages growth in myself continuously. I love supporting the evolving woman at every stage of her journey. From birthing a new life to birthing a baby, it is a joy to be on this journey! Big Love- Sarah
Connect with Sarah:
Email: Sarah@sarahldickey.com
Website: www.sarahldickey.com
Instagram: @sarahsouldoula
Sarah’s Books: Ode to Love, Sweetly Seeking, Seasons: 31 Heart Offerings, Holding: The Conscious Art of Embracing
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Becoming quiet, going within, eliciting the relaxation response, and accessing inner peace is even more crucial during these stressful times we are in. Multiple studies have the benefits of meditation and the relaxation response. This response reduces the impacts of stress and inflammation within the body, and reducing stress is one of the recommended actions to take to help strengthen your immune system.
In this special replay episode, Michelle has created this guided imagery meditation to help you mitigate the stress and fatigue that most all of us are under, reconnect with your own inner wisdom, and return to love. This meditation is more spiritual than religious in nature. In order to help each person listening find space for their own belief structure as it relates to their personal relationship with their higher power, Michelle refers to the Divine as God, as Creator of All That Is, as Source… What is comforting to one, may not be for another. Michelle encourages you to please use the name for God or Creator that resonates for you while listening to the meditation.
“There is a part of you that is your inner knowing, your own inner wisdom. This wisdom comes from the Creator and has been within you always. Often we forget to listen to it, or even how to listen to it. The beauty is you can remember how to listen. You can learn to trust yourself once again. One way to do that is to go within… relaxing the body… quieting the mind…. The mind doesn’t have to be perfectly still, it is simply listening for the voice that speaks to you with compassion, with love instead of fear or consternation or judgment… You can find that compassionate voice, you can remember the love that is there for you, and you can return to who you really are.” —Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder, this guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided meditation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided meditation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Having a student doula that is completing their required number of births for certification can be a great option for families looking for additional education and support that doulas bring to expecting families. However, Michelle cautions parents against paying a student doula for their certifying births—especially if they have little to no experience attending births or caring for postpartum families—at the same rate as a seasoned certified doula.
"A certifying doula has much to learn about birth itself; supporting families; advocating; attending births in different settings: hospitals, birth center, or home; navigating horizontal violence; disparities and inequities in birth; secondary posttraumatic stress; pregnancy and infant loss; postpartum mood disorders; and doing their own self-work. It just isn't as easy as, 'Hey, I did my doula training, and even though I have attended 0, 1, 2, 3 births'... They can't bring the same value as someone that has been in this profession consistently and actively attending births or supporting families postpartum for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years. It just isn't possible."—Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Michelle chats with Gina Alemán about being a doula, providing postpartum support and education to new families, and the Dancing For Birth program. Together, they discuss the benefits of movement and dance for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, babies, and healing trauma. Gina shares how Dancing For Birth helps birth partners to feel better equipped for labor, as well.
"A big part of the time that I spend with the participants and my clients in these classes, the Dancing For Birth classes, is 'How can you reconnect to your instincts and how can you awaken your instincts?'... You start to be more connected to your body. You start to understand what feels good and what does not. And, you start to understand that you can trust your body."— Gina Alemán
About Gina:
Gina Alemán is the heart and hands behind perinatal care company New Blossom Maternity Services. Gina is a former K to Adult educator of more than 14 years and shares relevant and evidence-based information with her clients through childbirth education, Dancing For Birth classes, birth support, lactation counseling, and postpartum coaching care. She is most motivated by watching her clients flourish in the postpartum period-- feeling supported, equipped, and strong. Her own flourishing family includes her artistic and witty husband of ten years and their two bright young children. Her favorite activities outside of her work with families are dancing, yoga, water activities, eating yummy food, and being social.
Connect with Gina:
Website: https://www.newblossommaternity.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newblossommaternity/
Instagram: @newblossommaternity
Dancing For Birth: https://www.dancingforbirth.com
Connect with Michelle:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle discusses how she has observed that the hormonal surges in pregnancy can impact a pregnant person’s emotional state at pivotal points in pregnancy, especially at 35-36 weeks.
"And part of this phenomenon too, instead of it being a physical nesting, it is a more mental-emotional nesting. And so, part of that overwhelm can also be how am I going to balance going back to work and having a new baby? How am I going to balance caring for 2 children or 3 children? And it's like everything hits." —Michelle
Helpful Links:
https://www.livescience.com/51043-pregnancy-emotions.html
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle shares encouraging positive affirmations for parenthood that begin with focusing upon your breath and connecting heart to heart with your child. To learn more about affirmations and how to best work with them, please listen to episode 106 Birth Affirmations.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com , birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Juliet Michaels shares insights with Michelle into the multiple advantages that chiropractic care brings to babies and their mothers during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum year. Juliet explains how gentle the chiropractic adjustments are for expecting mothers, babies, and children and how this care differs from that a non-pregnant adult would receive. Juliet provides guidance regarding signs to look for in your newborn that signal that your baby, and you, would benefit from chiropractic care. {This episode is a replay of episode 020.}
“Statistically, women who [receive chiropractic care and] get adjusted throughout pregnancy and during labor have faster and, what they report as easier, labors than those who don't." — Juliet Michaels
About Juliet Michaels:
Juliet is a Chiropractic Physician. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University and her Doctorate of Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic. She has published research on the benefits of chiropractic care and its efficacy in many pediatric and pregnancy-related issues. Juliet very is passionate about helping Central Florida families achieve their pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and neonatal goals.
Connect with Juliet Michaels, DC:
Facebook: Juliet Michaels, DC
Website: Integrated Chiropractic
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Amy Gendron. AP shares with Michelle the ways in which Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture support families during postpartum recovery. Amy explains the vital importance of nutrition to nourish, support, and rebuild the body after birth and the role placenta encapsulation can play in that. Together they stress cultivating community and putting a plan in place to receive non-judgemental help and support after the baby is born. {This episode originally aired as episode 64.}
"There's a few different mechanisms that they can demonstrate with western research what acupuncture does and it releases endorphins, it boosts the immune system, and it regulates inflammation. … In particular postpartum, what mother doesn't want immune system supported, what mother doesn't want her inflammation, you know, her healing mechanisms to be working, and what mother does not want feel-good hormones floating through her? It's really great at regulating everything."—Amy Gendron
About Amy Gendron:
Amy began her journey in holistic health as a personal trainer, mentored by a black belt martial artist. Amy specializes in sports medicine, cosmetic acupuncture, and women’s health. She has trained as a doula, and in 2013 she traveled to China to complete an externship which included herbal medicine for women’s health with nationally renowned Dr. Shui. Last year, Amy was one of the few American physicians invited to attend a Physiological Regulating Medicine program in Milan, Italy. Amy’s approach to healing empowers her patients to live with vitality, by integrating the best wellness and medical practices. She works as a specialty physician in Winter Park and Tampa, Florida.
Connect with Amy Gendron:
Website: www.amygendron.com
Instagram: @acu_amy_g
Facebook: Amy Gendron, AP
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle talks with Amy Gendron about the incredible advantages Oriental medicine can provide throughout a woman's lifetime. Oriental medicine's very tenet it seeks to maintain health and treat the whole person versus focusing on just a set of symptoms. Michelle and Amy discuss the ways that Oriental medicine is a powerful adjunct to a woman and her partner when they are ready to conceive a child, throughout each trimester of pregnancy, during labor, postpartum, and beyond. Amy explains how acupuncture can help bring a woman into balance by addressing blood quality, stress levels, and stimulating the immune system. Stress is a major contributor to pregnancy complications. Oriental medicine helps mitigate pregnancy symptoms and ease the transition into motherhood. It supports the recovery and replenishment of a woman in all aspects from the many depleting factors of pregnancy and birth. {This episode originally aired as episode 10.}
"Most women have a strange relationship with their menstrual cycle, and that is the foundation, the backbone... If you can tell me what your menstrual cycle is like, I know everything about you because it is a very transparent window that can give us a lot of information about a woman's mind and body." — Amy Gendron
About Amy Gendron:
Amy began her journey in holistic health as a personal trainer, mentored by a black belt martial artist. Amy specializes in sports medicine, cosmetic acupuncture, and women’s health. She has trained as a doula, and in 2013 she traveled to China to complete an externship which included herbal medicine for women’s health with nationally renowned Dr. Shui. Last year, Amy was one of the few American physicians invited to attend a Physiological Regulating Medicine program in Milan, Italy. Amy’s approach to healing empowers her patients to live with vitality, by integrating the best wellness and medical practices. She works as a specialty physician in Winter Park and Tampa, Florida.
Connect with Amy Gendron:
Website: www.amygendron.com
Instagram: @acu_amy_g
Facebook: Amy Gendron, AP
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for Listening!
April Dawn shares with Michelle the benefits of bodywork: massage, reflexology, acupressure, healing touch for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Their conversation explores the ways that our body stores memory and emotion within our very cells and how trauma can be released through bodywork. April also shares the powerful stories that brought her to birthwork. Together they discuss the selfless gift that adoption brings to families. {This episode originally aired as episode 15}
“That experience [of giving birth for the first time] left me feeling like I never want another human being to experience this level of terror, this level of pain. Because bringing a baby earthside should be a beautiful thing. It should be an act of love.”—April Dawn
About April Dawn:
April has been attending pregnant, laboring, and newly born families for over 30 years. Having attended her first birth while still in high school, she felt ignited by the calling to support families as they bring their babies Earthside. In this spirit, she has dedicated her life to the study of all things health —nutrition, healing-touch modalities, and the human microbiome — working actively in the naturopathic, chiropractic, and nutritional health arenas. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Food-Healing Instructor, and Master of Culinary Arts. April is a true birth guardian, having worked as both a midwifery birth Assistant, as well as a doula in the home, hospital, and birthing center setting.
Connect with April Dawn:
Website: https://www.themotheredmomma.com
Facebook: The Mothered Momma
Instagram: @themotheredmomma
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Thank you for listening.
Michelle has a conversation with Stephanie Smith, E-RYT, PRYT regarding the benefits of yoga for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond in this special replay episode. Stephanie explains how yoga not only prepares the physical body for the stress and rigors of birth but the emotional body as well. She explains the connection between our breath and the reduction of the flight/flight stress response. Stephanie shares how her yoga practice helped her to set healthy boundaries with others during her pregnancy and keep a sense of ease and calm when her plans for her daughter’s birth did not go as she had envisioned. Together, they discuss how yoga can prepare, protect, and enhance the healing of our pelvic floor during the childbearing year. She also shares the benefits of a Yoga Nidra practice, which is especially vital after the baby’s birth as it invokes the relaxation response and turns on the parasympathetic nervous system—the rest and restore part of our nervous system.
“That is what the beauty of that yoga practice is, that deeper connection within, where you can just feel the experience, there’s no thinking at all that is required.” — Stephanie Smith
If you enjoyed this interview, and want to hear more from Stephanie please go to episode 86 and learn more about breath and meditation, please go to my series on Calm Birth episodes 76- 80. Stephanie's and my episode is number 86. Also, I am also so excited to share that the pelvic health specialist that I refer to in this episode as we discuss the connection between our voice and our pelvic floor is Susan Clinton. I was honored to have Susan as a guest on the podcast. Our episode is number 69 and it is a part of my series on pelvic floor health. If you haven't listened to this series, 68- 75 I highly encourage you to check out episodes. This information is invaluable. So much of what we are told is a normal part of pregnancy and postpartum is not normal. It is simply common and there is help for leaking urine, low back pain, painful sex, a weakened core, and a too tight or too weak pelvic floor. Stephanie offers private virtual yoga classes, so please find her information here in the show notes to work with her no matter where you are listening to this podcast from in the world.
About Stephanie Smith, E-RYT, PRYT:
Stephanie is an Orlando based Yoga Instructor specializing in Pre and Postnatal Yoga. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Central Florida and is an E-RYT, PRYT Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Her love of Yoga and travel has taken her to Thailand numerous times where she has had the privilege of studying Yoga extensively at Centered Yoga. As a mother herself, Stephanie has an understanding of how the Yoga practice evolves both during pregnancy and postpartum. She strives to create an environment of support for fellow Mothers to know that they are not alone on the beautiful, yet sometimes rocky, journey that is Motherhood.
Connect with Stephanie Smith:
Instagram: @thetravelingyogini
Facebook: Stephanie Smith https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003339931011
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
This time of year can bring a sense of magic and joy and at the same time, the holidays can also bring feelings of overwhelm and stress. 2020 was such an intense year, and this prompted Michelle to begin an annual tradition of re-airing her guided relaxation session for the holidays. This session is designed to help release the stress and strain you may be feeling and gain a sense of clarity regarding what you value in your life as you prepare to enter the New Year.
As a gentle reminder: This guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Midwife Elena Rosa shares with Michelle the history and benefits of Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy in this special replay episode. Together they discuss how each person's reproductive journey is their own, how the state of fight or flight affects the body, the connection between the heart and the uterus, deep healing, and following the lead of your heart.
"And just thinking about the grief and what we're told how we're supposed to be as women, what we're supposed to accept, what we're supposed to receive, what we're not allowed to stand up for, what we're not allowed to make boundaries for. You know, what we allow to happen to us because we feel like we're powerless. … But just processing what boundaries we're encouraged to have, but we're not encouraged to have. Like we're not allowed to speak up for ourselves. Like what we allow into our space, what is forced into our space. What is what we're allowed to grieve over. You know, there's so many things that we hold onto in our bodies."—Elena Rosa
About Elena Rosa:
Elena is a practicing licensed midwife, an Advanced Arvigo Practitioner, and a retired licensed massage therapist based in Central Florida. As a woman of Puerto Rican descent who has lived throughout the Northeast and Southern regions of the US, Elena sees herself as a US citizen by birth, but a global citizen by responsibility.
Elena feels there is no more profound challenge than the mastery of self. The pursuit of the limitless is one of personal growth and spirituality…cultivating self-care, self-awareness, and self-love. Elena had an interest in indigenous medicine since childhood. Elena has sought out personal mentors from North and South American traditions and Tibetan Buddhism. Having participated in countless prayer and meditation ceremonies and her own deep work has provided humility, depth, space for healing herself and others, and an ongoing practice of peacemaking.
Most of all, she is the proud mother of a sweet girl who has taught her more about what her body and her heart are capable of than anyone she has ever met. Pregnancy, labor, and motherhood have brought no shortage of lessons in accepting all expected and unexpected challenges. What these experiences taught her is that she is an informed woman who knows her body, and she has all the information she needs to make the right decision for her and her child. This affirming gift is Elena’s wish for every family she serves.
Connect with Elena Rosa:
Website: https://mykindredmidwife.com/
Tree Of Life Birth Center: https://www.tolbirth.com/
Facebook: Elena Rosa
Resources:
https://arvigotherapy.com/
In this replay episode, Michelle is incredibly honored to feature one of her mentors in the birth field, Kathy Bradley. With 50 years of combined experience between them, Michelle and Kathy discuss the ways that a doula can reduce stress and fear during the childbearing year. Kathy explains what a doula is, the history of the profession, and the continuity of care doulas provide. She stresses the importance of taking into consideration a doula’s birth philosophy as it compares to your desires for your birth, as well as the value her years of experience can bring to you. Kathy shares a powerful technique to help release any negative and limiting beliefs someone may have regarding their ability to give birth.
“There is so much fear and so much unrest. And I believe we are in process of women recognizing that through the ages somewhere our voice has been diminished. Our ability to believe in ourselves has been stolen. And so we are working to reclaim that we are powerful human beings. That we can choose powerfully. That we know what our body needs... Because our ability to believe in ourselves and our ability to give birth has been stolen from us. We are in the process of reclaiming that back.” —Kathy Bradley
About Kathy Bradley:
Spanning a 30 year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community-based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated to eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improving birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley, IBCLC:
Website: http://childbirthconcierge.com/
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: childbirthconcierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com , birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
In this special replay episode, Michelle and Lyndsey Sutherland, DNP, ARNP discuss the beauty of integrating both Eastern and Western medical practices when caring for our children, and how this holistic approach looks for the root of the problem versus simply treating the systems. In this proactive practice model, the provider is treating the whole child and supporting the whole family. Lyndsey shares what to look for when choosing a pediatric provider for your child. Together they stress the importance of finding a caregiver that creates an environment that promotes mutual communication, safety, and trust.
"If you don't feel safe [with your provider] and if you don't feel comfortable, it is important to keep looking. It's a long journey. And to not feel safe and comfortable with someone, that's way too long to be holding hands with someone. And we are talking about your precious family, and so to me, it only makes sense to find the right person who will come along side you in this journey." —Lyndsey Sutherland
About Dr. Lyndsey Sutherland, DNP, ARNP:
Lyndsey is a passionate mother and advocate for healthy families. She is both a professor at the University of Central Florida and an entrepreneur working hard to empower families on their journey to live happy and full lives. Lyndsey is a Family Nurse Practitioner who received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Central Florida with honors. In her practice, she focuses on prevention and education, which are the building blocks to maintain and establish health. She works closely with a network of medical professionals to find the root cause of illness for her patients and not just treat their symptoms. Lyndsey believes in you. She believes in your children. She knows you were made for this and that together we will not just survive parenthood, but thrive as mothers and fathers of the children we love so much.
Connect with Dr. Lyndsey Sutherland, DNP, ARNP:
Website: http://www.lyndseysutherland.com/
Facebook: @LyndseySutherlandDNP
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Michelle shares her guest spot on Susan Danscenzi’s podcast, Kick Your Buts. In this foundational interview for expecting parents, Susan and Michelle touch on what trauma is, explain how stress during pregnancy and birth can have an impact on the child, define trauma within birth, the importance of finding tools to mitigate stress, and practices to help support a new family.
"There is a sad statistic 35-50% of women experience birth trauma, 2.5%-9% will experience birth-related PTSD, and many pre and perinatal psychologists feel that the birth trauma for babies is epidemic right now. That sets the stage. How are you treated the very moment that you take your [first] breath?" — Michelle Smith
To learn more about trauma in childbirth, please listen to episodes 116, 025, and 026.
Susan L. Dascenzi is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Life and Business Coach, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, and the Health and Fitness Category Director for Podcast Magazine. She has invested the last 29 years in guiding her clients in recognizing how their past negative conditioning creates their present and future and stops them from stepping into their infinite possibilities. As a highly regarded human behavior and emotions expert, also known as “The Possibilities Curator,” she co-authored an Amazon Ranked #1 International Best-Selling book alongside Neale Donald Walsch and Marci Shimoff, with her own book set to release in 2022.
Connect with Susan:
Shows: Kick Your Buts podcast, The Spiritually Expressed Human
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdascenzi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susandascenzi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdascenzi1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandascenzi/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Nazli Tezcur openly shares her story of motherhood, the trauma she endured from her cesareans with the medicalized births of her boys, and the grief of her miscarriages. As a linguist, Nazli reflects with Michelle upon how the language and culture around women's bodies strip women of their power creating guilt, shame, self-blame, silencing, and the accompanying loneliness that so many women experience. Together they discuss transformative power and the personal nature of birth, loss, motherhood, and the exploration of our emotions as women.
"It is very existential, and it lives and breathes through our own daily experiences because we are reproducing what is exerted over us. If we take all this power exerted over us as women, we keep on re-experiencing everything. We are reproducing what has been exerted over us. So if we want to break that cycle, I think we can switch the game. Maybe take ourselves out of that frame or take our own being out of that circle that we have been put into. … Experiencing something else, something that can make us feel liberated and free. And, which will allow us to talk a different language in a sense, instead of the language that was exerted over us. That was imposed on us and we keep on saying the same thing, "I failed. I am a failure.' "— Nazli Tezcur
About Nazli:
Nazli Tezcur is a TESOL professional and language tutor with a special interest in identity, race, and translanguaging. As a polyglot, she likes to utilize languaging as a remedial way to express and interpret her experiences beyond categories and across borders.
Connect with Michelle:
Classes or Sessions with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
Cristen Pascucci and Michelle continue their conversation regarding human rights in childbirth in part two of this replay episode. They delve into the fact that everyone brings their own background, biases, and trauma with them to the birth room. Cristen sagely points out that it is irrelevant whether or not birth is safe. If anything, the riskier it is, the more imperative that is that a person's autonomy is retained. Cristen shares why the environment in which someone decides to give birth is a huge determining factor in how the birth actually unfolds.
"Your rights are only as good as you make them. … You own your body and you are the legal authority. ... You don't have to point to any law. ... Don't assume someone has rights over you. Just don't make that assumption ever. Make the assumption that you own your body and act as if you do. And, it will really change the orientation of how you approach everything including your communication with the people that are there to support you, and how you select those people, and the decisions that you make." —Cristen Pascucci
About Cristen Pascucci:
A former communications strategist at a top public affairs firm in Baltimore, Maryland, Cristen Pascucci is the founder of Birth Monopoly and Birth Monopoly's Doula Power group, co-creator of the Exposing the Silence Project, and, from 2012 to 2016, vice president of national advocacy organization Improving Birth. She has run an emergency hotline for women facing threats to their legal rights in childbirth, created a viral consumer campaign to “Break the Silence” on trauma and abuse in childbirth, and helped put obstetric violence and the maternity care crisis in national media. Today, she is a leading voice for women giving birth, speaking around the country, and consulting privately for consumers and professionals on issues related to birth rights and options. Cristen is also the host of Birth Allowed Radio as well as executive producer of a documentary film planned for release in 2020 to start a national conversation on obstetric violence, birth trauma, and women's rights in birth.
Connect with Cristen Pascucci:
Website: https://birthmonopoly.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/birthmonopoly
Instagram:instagram.com/birthmonopoly
Please, if the nature of this conversation is triggering for you, stop the podcast. You can return to it later if you feel led to. Take some deep breaths, move and walk around, wash your hands and your face, take a shower, and call a trusted friend or caregiver. The meditation in episode 108 can be very helpful if your baby and you had a difficult or traumatic birth.
For additional support you can connect with Cristin, Susan, or myself:
Susan Dascenzi:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdascenzi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susandascenzi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdascenzi1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandascenzi/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Have you ever wondered what your rights are during pregnancy and birth? Listen in to part one of this replay episode as Cristen Pascucci, founder of Birth Monopoly shares with Michelle how the experience of her son's birth provided the impetus that led her to become a leading voice for human rights in childbirth.
“There is that perception that in some situations, your consent doesn’t matter. As a woman, when it comes to sex and reproduction there are some situations where you no longer own your body. Someone else has the authority over your body. That is really powerful. And that is what continually surprises me that people don’t get more upset about it in the realm of childbirth. That really that people aren’t taking to the streets to say, “My basic civil rights are not only violated as an individual but widely disrespected in policy and practice all across the country in hundreds of facilities.” —Cristen Pascucci
About Cristen Pascucci:
A former communications strategist at a top public affairs firm in Baltimore, Maryland, Cristen Pascucci is the founder of Birth Monopoly and Birth Monopoly's Doula Power group, co-creator of the Exposing the Silence Project, and, from 2012 to 2016, vice president of national advocacy organization Improving Birth. She has run an emergency hotline for women facing threats to their legal rights in childbirth, created a viral consumer campaign to “Break the Silence” on trauma and abuse in childbirth, and helped put obstetric violence and the maternity care crisis in national media. Today, she is a leading voice for women giving birth, speaking around the country, and consulting privately for consumers and professionals on issues related to birth rights and options. Cristen is also the host of Birth Allowed Radio as well as executive producer of a documentary film planned for release in 2020 to start a national conversation on obstetric violence, birth trauma, and women's rights in birth.
Connect with Cristen Pascucci:
Website: https://birthmonopoly.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/birthmonopoly
Instagram:instagram.com/birthmonopoly
Please, if the nature of this conversation is triggering for you, stop the podcast. You can return to it later if you feel led to. Take some deep breaths, move and walk around, wash your hands and your face, take a shower, and call a trusted friend or caregiver. The meditation in episode 108 can be very helpful if your baby and you had a difficult or traumatic birth.
For Additional Support you can connect with Cristin, Susan, or myself:
Susan Dascenzi:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdascenzi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susandascenzi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdascenzi1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandascenzi/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Virtual classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
In this very special replay episode, Michelle has a candid and vital conversation with Meg Folsom, a fellow birth guardian, about the importance of choosing your caregiver and place of birth as an expectant family. Meg shares her personal birth stories and how those experiences shaped her journey as a birth professional. Together, they want women to understand they have options in their maternity care, as well as rights and autonomy over their bodies and their babies. Meg stresses the importance of asking questions and requesting the pros and cons of a protocol or medical procedure. She counsels women to stop frightening and judging one another. People need to respect everyone’s right to choose what is best for their own family, regardless of their own preferences. The journey into motherhood forever changes a woman. Meg and Michelle advise women to learn to listen to and trust their babies, their bodies, and themselves.
"It is all about being informed. But there are so many other things to take into consideration with birth. Women that have had sexual trauma. Women who have experienced sexual abuse, rape. It is a whole different ball game for them. And, for those women, they need that extra level of care and understanding. Unless you've been in that position, you can't know how that woman is feeling. And if you can't empathize with her, then you owe to that woman to at least listen." — Meg Folsom
About Meg Folsom:
Meg has been protecting the sanctity of birth as a doula, midwifery birth assistant, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, and placenta encapsulation specialist for over 20 years. The depth of Meg’s knowledge, insight, and her compassionate heart has touched the lives of hundreds of families in Central Florida.
Connect with Meg Folsom:
Facebook: mommeg
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
In this special episode, Michelle honors Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month and October 15th: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. She has created a guided relaxation recording geared towards parents grieving the loss of a baby or a child. However, it can be helpful for anyone walking through the journey of grief especially since so many have lost someone they know due to the COVID pandemic. The intention is to help release some of the heaviness of our grief and to provide an opportunity to feel the love and connection that we have with our beloved child or loved one. If you would like a copy of this guided relaxation session or a version geared towards the loss of any loved one, please simply contact us through the website. We would be honored to send it to you.
“In these times of COVID with so many people losing their loved ones, my heart just wants to share this meditation once again. It is my sincerest wish that you find this guided relaxation soothing and healing.” — Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder, this guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during bereavement or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation recording while engaged in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are a passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Thank you for listening. Remember, you are not alone in your grief.
Listen in as Michelle chats with Toni Harman award-winning documentary filmmaker, author, and digital course creator. Her documentary film, MICROBIRTH has helped parents and professionals around the world understand the infant microbiome. Toni explains what the microbiome is, how it relates to the immune system, and what can be done to protect a baby's microbiome during pregnancy, birth, and early infancy. Together they discuss such things as how a cesarean birth, water birth, a baby born en caul (without the water breaking), breastfeeding, and formula feeding impact the baby's microbiome. Toni also shares how breastmilk is designed to seed and feed the baby's gut microbiome.
"So it's this beautiful, fantastic processes, so like a seed and feed process. So birth provides the seeding of the infant microbiome and then breastmilk provides feeding of the infant microbiome. So the feeding with these special sugars. So seed and feed, and that sets up the immune system and that helps protect a baby's health for life."—Toni Harman
About Toni Harman:
Toni Harman is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, author, and digital course creator. Her documentary MICROBIRTH has been broadcast around the world and her books have been translated into multiple languages. To help childbirth educators better understand the infant microbiome, Toni has created an online school called MICROBIOME COURSES, now with over 35,000 health professionals enrolled as students. Toni has also created MICROBIOME BABY, a new ready-to-use toolkit of evidence-based resources childbirth educators can use to explain the infant microbiome to parents.
Connect with Toni Harman:
Microbiome Courses: Microbiomecourses.com
To teach the science to parents: Microbiomebaby.com
Social media links: @microbiomecourses
FACEBOOK (please join us!): https://www.facebook.com/groups/473121803401844/
INSTAGRAM (please show some love!): https://www.instagram.com/microbiomecourses/
PINTEREST (please save the pin!): https://www.pinterest.co.uk/MicrobiomeCourses/
LINKEDIN (please connect with me): https://www.linkedin.com/in/toniharman/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
In this replay of episode 03, Michelle discusses ways to mitigate stress such as creating a strong support network of friends and family, counseling, journaling, and meditation. She also explains what the relaxation response is and the benefits it provides. This episode includes a bonus guided relaxation session (with updated background music) that helps to create a healing relational field between a parent and their child(ren) that enhances connection and bonding—no matter the age of their baby and/or child(ren).
“If parents counteract the effects of stress by utilizing the relaxation response daily, their babies receive the benefit as well, especially babies in the womb. The baby’s experience of conception through the first year of life forms a template for life. Pre and perinatal psychologists recommend connecting and bonding with your baby while in the womb as a vital way to help protect babies from stress and the rigors of birth.” — Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder: This guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
Michelle is celebrating the 2 year anniversary of the Birth Ease Podcast! With all of the stress the Coronavirus pandemic is bringing, she reairs episode 2 to once again set the foundation of what she means by "noise" in the podcast introduction, as well as exactly what stress is and the impacts it has. Michelle shares how stress can affect our ability to conceive a child, as well as cause pregnancy complications and preterm birth. If a mother is experiencing chronic or intense acute stress, then it will actually interfere with the wiring of the unborn baby's brain. During birth, stress and fear can cause labor to slow or stall. Michelle shares measures to help make the transition from the womb into the world less stressful for the baby. Stressful life events can be a factor in developing postpartum depression, as well.
Michelle reassures listeners that women undergoing acute or chronic stress can have healthy pregnancies and give birth to healthy babies, but it is vital to reduce our stress as much as possible and find coping skills and techniques to help. Please check out the next episode. Michelle will replay episode 3, in which she shares ways to mitigate stress and elicit the relaxation response. It will include a bonus guided relaxation session that is valuable for anyone that has a child or children in their life, no matter the age of the child.
“Stress can impact us, our relationships, and our bodies. There is help in the form of resources, techniques, and coping skills.” — Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Websites: BirthEaseServices.com, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Episode References:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170529090530 University of Zurich. "Too much stress for the mother affects the baby through amniotic fluid." ScienceDaily, 29 May 2017
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/stress-and-pregnancy.aspx
https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/stress-marks#1
https://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/womens-health/articles/2010/08/27/cant-get-pregnant-how-stress-may-be-causing-your-infertility
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016043/ The relationship between stress and fertility
http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/stress-and-pregnancy-prenatal-and-perinatal/according-experts/effects-prenatal-stress-child
https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body#2
Interview with Thomas Verny, MD on the 2019 Better Birth 360 Summit hosted by Nicholas Olow
Newsweek Special Edition: Your Baby's Brain 2015 "Keep Calm and Carry On"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5290058/ “The Effect of Stressful Life Events on Postpartum Depression: Findings from the 2009–2011 Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System”
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-depression.aspx
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/postpartum-depression-facts/index.shtml
Michelle shares the benefits of birth affirmations and provides tips on how to use them during pregnancy. She also discusses the possibility of certain birth affirmations unintentionally creating trauma for someone if the birth doesn't go as planned. Michelle then concludes the episode with recorded birth affirmations that can be used during pregnancy to prepare for birth and parenthood.
"There is a part of us that does hold wisdom. Our body has a wisdom. And unfortunately, we have been taught through our culture essentially not to trust ourself, not to listen to our body. That there is an outside authority that knows more than you. … But there is a wisdom within our body, within ourselves that we can return to."—Michelle Smith
Resources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/toxic-positivity#risks
https://positivepsychology.com/daily-affirmations/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Heidi Snyderburn, host of Birth Story Podcast, shares with Michelle the incredible story of the birth of Birth Story Media™ and her book, Birth Story: Pregnancy Guidebook + Journal, which provides education through storytelling. Week-by-week, this pregnancy book guides future parents through pregnancy with engaging educational material designed to empower and prepare them for this journey. Journaling prompts invite the reader to document and memorialize their birth stories. Each week begins with a “Postcard from the Womb.” Finally, Heidi shares some of her favorite real-life birth stories, filled with educational tidbits and explanations of important medical terms.
"I wrote that book! I wrote that dang book in 3 months. Through grief! And I wrote it for...every person on a journey to parenthood, I wrote it with them in mind. And, it was very much God-led. God gave me every word in that book. So, I took the collection of birth stories that I had from all of my clients, and I made a book about education through storytelling."— Heidi Snyderburn
About Heidi Snyderburn:
Heidi Snyderburn is the host of the Birth Story podcast, Certified Birth Doula (DONA), a Certified HypnoBabies™ Doula, the entrepreneurial guru behind Birth Story Media™, a former pharmaceutical and medical device consultant, a mom with a passion for writing and storytelling, and the author of Birth Story: Pregnancy Guidebook and Journal. She felt “called” to her practice as a doula early on in life—in fact at age 12, Heidi supported a mom through her birth. Since then, Heidi has attended hundreds of births throughout her 17-year doula career and is currently on-call. She is actively practicing today with up close and personal doula services in Charlotte, NC and virtual doula services around the world with her company MyDoulaHeidi.
Heidi differentiates her services by offering holistic, evidenced-based care for her clients and their partners. She absolutely believes in partnering with the medical team and empowering moms to navigate the journey of pregnancy and childbirth with as much information as possible.
Connect with Heidi:
Looking for a Virtual Doula to create a custom birthing experience and guide you through your journey to parenthood in the United States? Contact Heidi at www.mydoulaheidi.com
For additional free birth education resources and to purchase Heidi’s book, Birth Story: Pregnancy Guidebook + Journal, visit www.birthstory.com
Instagram: @birthstorypodcast
Resources:
https://www.med.unc.edu/obgyn/horizons/directory/john-thorp-jr-md/
https://www.med.unc.edu/obgyn/horizons/
https://kidronvalleyministries.wordpress.com/
Thanks, It’s the Trauma Podcast:
Website: https://thanksitsthetrauma.wordpress.com/
Facebook: @ThanksItsTheTrauma
Instagram: @thanksitsthetraumapodcast
Podcast: Thanks It’s the Trauma
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank You For Listening!
Michelle and Donna Seegers Abler, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Pregnancy & Newborn Consultant, and Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology Educator, discuss the awareness and consciousness of babies. Donna shares amazing stories from her experience with babies in NICU. Together they explore how birth can impact babies and the implications of some of the protocols and practices within the medical system. Donna provides suggestions for parents to help support their baby in the NICU. Donna also shares about her new book, "Love me In: A Sacred Pregnancy Journal" which reflects leading-edge principles from the field of prenatal and perinatal psychology. It is a beautifully written and illustrated journal that guides expecting parents inward on a conscious journey through reflection, meditation, and heart-based practices. It is intended to empower self-connection to grow and nurture a healthy womb environment, giving babies their best start.
"As expecting parents, we have the power to go back to our innate spiritual selves and be a part of this bringing babies in, in a more complete way." —Donna Seegers Abler
Notes:
"In a different paper published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (or RCOG, the United Kingdom’s equivalent of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG), they stated that it is possible induction may decrease the risk of stillbirth in older women. Using data from the United Kingdom, the authors estimated that if all pregnant people in the U.K. age 40 and older were induced at 39 weeks instead of 41 weeks, it would prevent 17 stillbirths per year. It would take 9,350 inductions at 39 weeks to prevent one stillbirth, and 4,750 inductions at 40 weeks to prevent seven stillbirths. (RCOG, 2013)." Evidence Based Birth
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/advanced-maternal-age/
About Donna Seegers Abler:
Donna Seegers Abler, OTR/L, PPNE, earned a BS in occupational therapy from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, WI in 1984. She graduated from APPPAH Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology Certification Program in June 2019. She is a prenatal and perinatal psychology educator and is a trained instructor in Calm Birth Childbirth Program.
She has a background in preterm neonatal intensive care unit experience and infant development and combines years of researched-based medical background in sensory integration, reflex integration, neurodevelopment, infant massage, and Healing Touch for Babies with leading-edge prenatal and perinatal psychology, heart rhythm meditation, and healing practices.
Donna has been shaped through her own in utero experience and birth story; through consciously conceiving, carrying and miscarrying a baby; through raising three beautiful and thriving young adult daughters; through an expansive professional career; and through a rich life journey as a daughter, sister, aunt, mother, wife, soul sister, guide, teacher and friend to many.
Connect with Donna Seegers Abler:
Website: https://www.donnaseegersabler.com/
Facebook: @Donna Seegers Abler
Instagram: @donnaseegersabler
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
In this replay for Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Annette Leary, IBCLC, RN, BSN shares with Michelle the multitude of ways that craniosacral therapy benefits people of all ages and stages in life; especially as it relates to fertility, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and infant feeding. CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. It was pioneered and developed by Osteopathic Physician John E. Upledger after years of clinical testing and research at Michigan State University.
"For newborns, those are the kinda things we look at: digestion, feeding, being able to self-soothe, being able to sleep- really disruptive sleep patterns with the babies. I'll also see situations where you know maybe the baby is a week or two old and I'll hear, "Oh, he is so strong. He is standing up." Hmm… babies aren't supposed to stand up at two weeks or arch their head back." —Annette Leary
About Annette Leary, IBCLC, RN, BSN:
Annette has been working with families for over 30 years as a pediatric/postpartum nurse, childbirth educator, and international board-certified lactation consultant. She enjoys working with the whole family to improve their state of wellness and to educate them on how to seek knowledge on managing their health. This commitment to families led Annette to become Upledger trained in Craniosacral Therapy.
Connect with Annette Leary:
Website: https://www.iahp.com/Annette-Leary/
Facebook: @Annette Leary, @Annette's Natural Approach to Health and Wellness
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!!!
In this replay for Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Michelle asks Kathy Bradley, IBCLC to discuss an increasing concern for parents: tongue and lip ties in newborns. Kathy explains what a tongue or lip-tie is, the different types of ties, the potential signs of a tongue-tie, and when a surgical revision may be necessary. Kathy also shares what parents may want to look for in a provider if a tongue-tie revision is advised, as well as concerns regarding the MTHFR gene mutation and the formation of tongue-ties.
"So, the rule of thumb is just because we see that something looks like it might be tight, it doesn't mean it's an automatic revision. ... I really look at functionality. l look at mom's pain level [during breastfeeding], how much [milk] baby's transferring, what's going on."—Kathy Bradley
Resources:
Oral Motor Therapy: https://www.beckmanoralmotor.com/
Tongue Tie Revision: Dr. Bertot: https://www.ibrushteeth.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TongueTieBabies/
https://mthfrgenesupport.com
About Kathy Bradley. IBCLC:
Spanning a 30 year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations, and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improve birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley, IBCLC:
Website: http://childbirthconcierge.com/
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: childbirthconcierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, Michelle re-airs her conversation with Kathy Bradley, IBCLC in which they explore the sources of fear and stress that can create doubts surrounding the ability to breastfeed our babies and trust ourselves as parents.
“We are getting the messages in our culture that breastfeeding is best, but it’s not being modeled. So in an unconscious, non-verbal way we are getting two different messages that we are diabolically opposed.” — Kathy Bradley
About Kathy Bradley, IBCLC:
Spanning a 30-year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations, and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community-based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated to eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improve birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley, IBCLC:
Website: http://childbirthconcierge.com/
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: childbirthconcierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
In celebration of the 100th episode of the podcast, Michelle and Isa Gucciardi discuss her new book, The New Return to the Great Mother: Birth, Initiation and the Sacred Feminine. Isa shares about her experience of meeting the Great Mother while giving birth to her child and how she became an early advocate for birthing women.
Isa's passion is to help women understand that birth is one of many biological initiations that she goes through over the course of her life. These initiations include our own birth, puberty, menses, the first sexual experience with another person, giving birth, menopause, and death. Birth is the movement of the seen and the unseen and the Great Mother mediates all creative processes. Isa explains how everyone can connect with and perceive the Great Mother as this source of wisdom, creative intelligence, nurturing, and healing and bring this awareness into everyday life.
An excerpt from the book: “Open. Open. Open. This is the clarion call of the midwife to the birthing mother as she is encouraged to surrender to the new life moving through her. Childbirth is a sacred initiation that requires our full participation—mind, body, and spirit. We will meet ourselves completely—the parts we like and those we try to hide away in the shadows. But we are far from powerless to this process. In fact, there is a deep and unbroken source of power we can align to for support: the power of the Great Mother.”—Isa Gucciardi
About Isa Gucciardi, PhD:
Isa Gucciardi is the Founding Director and lead teacher of the Foundation of the Sacred Stream. The workshops and training programs of the Foundation are part of her larger vision for helping people who are interested in stepping into greater consciousness and leading happier lives. Her primary focus is on teaching, writing, and curriculum development. Isa is also the creator of the groundbreaking therapeutic model Depth Hypnosis, and the author of Coming to Peace and The New Return to the Great Mother: Birth, Initiation and the Sacred Feminine.
GET YOUR FREE COPY OF THE GREAT MOTHER MEDITATION:
The code for the downloadable meditation is "BIRTHEASE".
Connect with Dr. Isa Gucciardi:
Website: https://www.sacredstream.org/
Email: info@sacredstream.org
Facebook: @sacredstream
Instagram: @sacredstream
Purchase the book: https://www.sacredstream.org/product/the-new-return-to-the-great-mother-pre-order/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Michelle shares her guest appearance on the Empowered Black Doula Podcast with host Keshia Locket. In the episode, Michelle shares her 20+ year journey as a birth professional, how her work has evolved over the years, and some of the insights she has received along the way. Together they discuss the nature of birth work, the impacts of stress and trauma, and the experience of being a doula. Michelle also shares the events that lead her to become a bereavement doula and Certified Grief Counseling Specialist in order to more fully support families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.
"Find a caregiver that reflects what your values and wishes are for your baby’s birth. ... Because you only get one birth with this baby, and it's yours and it's precious. And you deserve to be listened to and heard and honored. And if you have a caregiver that is bullying you, shaming you, being condescending: run. Run and muster the courage to switch [providers].”—Michelle Smith
As mentioned in the episode introduction, for those wishing to listen to the conversation yet need to skip over the discussion of perinatal loss, those time markers are: 6:30-12:00, 36:27-36:51, 40:01-40:23, and 44:16-45:21.
Thank you for listening to the 100th episode of The Birth Ease Podcast!
Connect with Keshia Lockett:
Website: https://www.embraceyourbirthdoula.com/
Instagram: @empoweredblackdoula, @embraceyourbirthdoula_
Facebook: @Empowered Black Doula, @Embrace YourBirth Doula
Podcast: Empowered Black Doula
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Michelle and Kathy Bradley, owner of Childbirth Concierge, discuss Kathy's upcoming book, "Creating a Positive Experience". Together they explore what the concept of a positive birth experience can mean, what shapes it, and how the process can begin even before the baby is conceived.
"I really am hoping that people that read this book can feel empowered enough to trust their innate wisdom and what they need to do to process through and be able to just let go of anything that is shameful, whatever those cases may be. That they can feel good about the decisions that they're making for their birth."—Kathy Bradley
About Kathy Bradley, IBCLC:
Spanning a 30-year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated to eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improving birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley:
Website: http://childbirthconcierge.com/
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: childbirthconcierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Keshia Lockett shares what brought her to her doula work and inspired her to write her book, "Birth Undisturbed: How to have an unmedicated Hospital Birth". Together Keshia and Michelle discuss the joys and frustrations of being a doula in Central Florida and the importance of doing your own inner work as a doula.
"I want all women to know that your birth is yours. And I want women to be truly empowered by saying, 'NO.' No is a complete answer. You don't need to explain anything…. It is fully your decision. And just truly be empowered by your voice, 'cause you have one and you can use it." —Keshia Lockett
About Keshia:
Keshia Lockett is a certified birth and postpartum doula, certified breastfeeding counselor, childbirth educator, author, and podcaster.
She has a passion for childbirth, empowering birthing people, and fighting racial disparities in the medical field that started from a very young age. She realized black women giving birth are at a major disadvantage, and so she made it her mission to change that!
Connect with Keshia:
Website: https://www.embraceyourbirthdoula.com/
Instagram: @empoweredblackdoula, @embraceyourbirthdoula_
Facebook: @Empowered Black Doula, @Embrace YourBirth Doula
Podcast: Empowered Black Doula
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
Midwife Brooke Schmoe shares with Michelle the incredible and inspirational story of her journey to becoming a midwife and her calling to provide high-caliber health care to women in all stages of life. Brooke believes that every woman deserves to be heard, helped, and supported by competent providers who care about her. Thus, The Midwife Bus was born! No one is turned away, regardless of their health history, socioeconomic status, or inability to pay.
The Midwife Bus is a retired Bloodbank bus that has been renovated into an ultramodern midwifery clinic on wheels. It was first purchased by Charlie Rae Young, a Tampa midwife, who pioneered the idea of a mobile midwifery clinic to provide care to underserved populations. Brooke was inspired by Charlie’s work (and by a serendipitously timed NPR interview with Dr. James O’Connell, a doctor for the homeless in Boston). After working at a high-volume birth center in Orlando, Florida, she was determined to do something with her midwifery training that would bring quality women’s health care to the most vulnerable women in her hometown of Osceola County, Florida.
When Brooke reached out to her, Charlie happened to be looking for a new home for the bus, as her philanthropic efforts had taken her in a different direction. She willingly gifted the bus to her to continue spreading the important work she had begun.
Starting with a lot of passion but very few resources to help make this dream a reality, Brooke came across a grant opportunity offered by a local hospital chain, Orlando Health. The Midwife bus was blessed to be chosen out of dozens of applicants to receive their top Community Benefit Grant award in 2019. These resources allowed Brooke to complete phase two of the bus renovation and to get the bus back out on the road again!
Brooke also serves as a homebirth midwife for Central Florida Families.
"I am driving a bus. Like, just little ol' me, driving a bus. It's so random. But it's working, and really God is using me to touch so many people. And, just to help where people wouldn't normally have any options or any resources. Just being able to help them, it's been amazing."—Brooke Schmoe
About Brooke:
Brooke Schmoe is a native of Kissimmee, Florida. She grew up amongst the medical journals and birth stories of her OBGYN father, which sparked an interest in women’s health from an early age. Birthing her first daughter under the care of a midwife inspired her to pursue midwifery as a profession. She went on to have three more home births (all girls!) under the care of amazing midwives. She graduated in 2015 from The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in Gainesville, Florida. She began dreaming about The Midwife Bus concept after working at a high volume practice and seeing the blatant disparities in education, pregnancy health, emotional health, birth outcomes, and quality of life between the wealthy and indigent families. Wanting to bring gentle, respectful care into all neighborhoods, she founded The Midwife Bus in 2018. Brooke cares sincerely about educating women, giving them autonomy over their own healthcare, and connecting families with resources that will help them establish self-reliance. She currently resides in South-East Orlando with her husband Nathan and their four daughters.
Connect with Brooke:
Donate: The Midwife Bus
Website: https://themidwifebus.org/
Facebook: @themidwifebus
Instagram: @themidwifebus
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com birtheasehypnobirth.com
In this final episode in Michelle’s 5 Love Languages series Sarah Engwall, The Doula OT, returns to explain how parents can apply the 5 Love Languages while caring for babies and toddlers. Sarah also shares how the 5 Love Languages can be applied to Tummy Time, the development of language in babies, and the states of alertness in newborns. Michelle shares a few specific tips using the 5 Love Languages for toddlers.
“Their milestones are changing. Their growth is changing. And with that, we can just be open to the fact that their love languages can be changing. So be easy on yourself if there comes a time for you to adjust and switch love languages for them for a time being or maybe permanently. They're little people and they're growing and changing.”—Sarah Engwall
About Sarah:
Sarah Engwall received her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia 10 years ago. After practicing in a variety of settings, her private practice now focuses on pregnancy through 5 years old. Sarah is a believer that the birth story and 4th trimester play a critical role in the early years of development. After training as a DONA Doula, she has now blended her passion for pediatric occupational therapy and doula services to provide comprehensive care for her private clients. Sarah’s private practice The Doula OT, focuses on intentional connections with the client and provides birth doula, postpartum doula, breastfeeding support, newborn care/milestones, pediatric occupational therapy, and parenting support. Sarah is passionate about parent education related to sensory integration from birth, the 5 Love Languages, the 4th trimester, and all things related to tummy time!
“Occupational therapy maximizes health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living" - American Occupational Therapy Association (2017)
Connect With Sarah Engwall, OT:
Email: thedoulaot@gmail.com
Facebook: TheDoulaOT
Doula Match: Sarah Engwall, OT
Resources:
The 5 Love Languages of Children
States of Consciousness in Newborns - HealthyChildren.org
Cuddle and Hug Your Way to Better Health
The Baby Whisper
Thank You for Listening!
Connect With Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com, birtheasehypnobirth.com
In this third episode in Michelle's series on the 5 Love Languages, she shares the suggestions that Dr. Gary Chapman provides the reader in his book to help to learn to speak your partner’s or spouse’s Love Language more fluently. Michelle provides specific additional information for each of Dr. Chapman's suggestions from the lens of perinatal health. This episode is filled with ways to lovingly care for and support your partner during pregnancy, labor, and life with a new baby and small children.
"When we are fluent in or at least familiar with each other's love language it makes a huge difference in all our relationships. And, if our partner’s love language is our weakest, it can be like learning a new language. It takes intention and practice. We may need to create new habits to help our partner feel supported and loved.
My hope is that it invites some thought, introspection, communication, and emotional preparation between your partner and you to help you feel loved and supported. I believe an understanding of these Love Languages can help explain why we might feel let down by our partner or spouse as well as family members if our relationships are otherwise healthy. We may be speaking completely different languages. An understanding of the 5LL can help new families define what support they may want and need from their friends and loved ones before and after the baby arrives, as well."—Michelle Smith
Resources:
https://www.5lovelanguages.com/
https://www.5lovelanguages.com/book/the-5-love-languages-military-edition/
https://www.5lovelanguages.com/podcasts/
https://www.dunstanbaby.com/
https://www.happiestbaby.com/products/the-happiest-baby-book-paperback
https://www.babymoonguide.com/florida-babymoon.html
https://www.scarymommy.com/golden-hour-after-birth/
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/7-benefits-undisturbed-first-hour-after-birth/
Articles on The 5 Love Languages and the Perinatal Period:
https://www.ajogmfm.org/article/S2589-9333(20)30075-6/fulltext
https://www.lamaze.org/Giving-Birth-with-Confidence/GBWC-Post/love-languages-for-labor
https://www.storkhelpers.com/blog/5-love-languages-of-postpartum/
https://www.baby-chick.com/the-5-love-languages-of-labor-and-delivery/
https://www.baby-chick.com/the-5-love-languages-of-postpartum/
https://www.babymoonguide.com/florida-babymoon.html
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com/hypnobirthing-classes-orlando-michelle
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com , birtheasehypnobirth.com
Thank you for listening!
In this second episode in The 5 Love Languages series, Michelle and Sarah Engwall, The Doula OT, have a casual conversation regarding the application of the 5 Love Languages to pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood. Through examples and personal anecdotes, they explore how an understanding of your partner’s and your own Love Languages prevents miscommunication and hurt feelings, as well as makes for a smoother transition into new parenthood.
Check out episode 36 for more helpful tips for navigating postpartum with your partner or spouse.
“I feel like that is where the preparation comes in. We prepare for labor. Some of us like to prepare a birth plan. Some of us like to prepare meals before a baby comes. Some of us like to prepare our home, and I think it is just as important to prepare our relationship. ... Love is really the language of birth.”—Sarah Engwall
"Because you are so raw. It could just prevent those moments where you're snapping at each other or you feel hurt and you don't know why. You just know you feel hurt."—Michelle Smith
About Sarah:
Sarah Engwall received her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia 10 years ago. After practicing in a variety of settings, her private practice now focuses on pregnancy through 5 years old. Sarah is a believer that the birth story and 4th trimester play a critical role in the early years of development. After training as a DONA Doula, she has now blended her passion for pediatric occupational therapy and doula services to provide comprehensive care for her private clients. Sarah’s private practice The Doula OT, focuses on intentional connections with the client and provides birth doula, postpartum doula, breastfeeding support, newborn care/milestones, pediatric occupational therapy, and parenting support. Sarah is passionate about parent education related to sensory integration from birth, the 5 Love Languages, the 4th trimester, and all things related to tummy time!
“Occupational therapy maximizes health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living" - American Occupational Therapy Association (2017)
Connect With Sarah Engwall, OT:
Email: thedoulaot@gmail.com
Facebook: TheDoulaOT
Doula Match: Sarah Engwall, OT
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this first episode regarding The 5 Love Languages and how they can apply to pregnancy, birth, and life with a new baby; Michelle gives an overview of Dr. Gary Chapman’s revolutionary concept that has improved millions of relationships across the globe. The premise is simple: different people with different personalities express love in different ways. Dr. Chapman called these ways of expressing and receiving love the “5 Love Languages.” They are Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Each individual has at least one language that they prefer above the other. Understanding your own love language, as well as that of your partner, can help to soften some of the potential misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and miscommunication that life with a new baby can bring.
Dr. Gary Chapman suggests three ways to discover your own primary love language:
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What does your spouse or partner do or fail to do that hurts you most deeply? The opposite of what hurts you most is probably your love language.
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What have you most often requested of your spouse or partner? The thing you have most often requested is likely the thing that would make you feel most loved.
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In what way do you regularly express love to your partner or spouse? Your method of expressing love may be an indication that that would also make you feel loved.
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Michelle also celebrates over 10K downloads for The BIrth Ease Podcast. Thank you so much for listening! You are appreciated!
Sources:
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman
https://www.5lovelanguages.com/
https://cratedwithlove.com/blogs/general/5-love-languages-and-what-they-mean
https://www.verywellmind.com/can-the-five-love-languages-help-your-relationship-4783538
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Michelle shares with birth partners how incorporating our five senses and an understanding of the learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Tactile-Kinesthetic, and Olfactory-Gustatory can help them to better provide comfort measures and support to their partner during labor and birth. The beauty of this is that the expecting mom and her birth partner can explore what both their learning and processing styles are before labor begins and consider what she thinks would be the most helpful to her at the time of birth. If the pregnant person's strongest learning style is the birth partner’s weakest, he or she can begin to think of ways to support her that may not naturally occur to them. This basic understanding of learning and processing styles enhances communication. It also explains why a birthing person can be so sensitive to certain things in labor: such as the feel of monitors on their skin, the sound of the voices at the nurses' station, the lighting in the room, or the smell of the hamburger someone ate for lunch. These suggestions for addressing all 5 senses while providing comfort measures during labor and birth are helpful no matter someone's predominant learning and processing style.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Jenny Pritchett (alias Jenny True) shares her new book: You Look Tired: An Excruciatingly Honest Guide to New Parenthood with Michelle. Together they discuss the realities of birth and parenting, Jenny's birth story, and her motivations for writing this frank, spit-out-your-coffee funny guide filled with swear words for new parents. Jenny also explains why it was important to her to make certain that readers could see themselves reflected within the pages.
"It's not your typical new baby book. The idea is that there are a lot of great books out there. I read them all, and they can be fantastic. Because this incredible thing is happening right under our skin. We wanna do what's right. We are hungry for the information, but that also can be part of the problem. There is so much to know and so many options that we're sorta barraged by all of these things, and so many people feel strongly that one particular way is the right way to do things. One particular product is the one we should buy. And, it just leads to this incredible anxiety around something that anxiety doesn't really help."—Jenny Pritchett
About Jenny:
Jenny Pritchett (alias Jenny True) is a nationally recognized columnist for Romper, where she publishes advice on pregnancy and parenting, as well as on her popular blog Jenny True: An Excruciatingly Personal Mommy Blog, which was a finalist for the Mom 2.0 2019 People's Choice Awards. Jenny has been called the "postpartum feelings doula," as she doles out her unique mix of humor, rage, and encouragement (with a smidge of practical advice). Her columns have been featured in Elle, Scary Mommy, and the Longest Shortest Time podcast. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Connect with Jenny True:
Website: https://www.jennytrue.com/
Instagram: @_jenny_true_
Facebook: @jennytrueblog
Resources:
https://www.happiestbaby.com/
https://www.dunstanbaby.com/
What Babies Say Before They Can Talk: The Nine Signals Infants Use to Express Their Feelings by Paul Hollinger, MD, MPH
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
May is Better Hearing Month and Michelle has a conversation with Dr. Blair Handy, a clinical audiologist. She shares the importance of hearing and screenings, and the impacts that hearing can have on communication, lifestyle, and overall quality of life. Dr. Blair explains why newborn hearings are necessary, what is involved, and what happens next if a baby doesn't pass the newborn hearing screening. She also shares signs to look for in your child that may signal a possible hearing loss.
"It can cause so many things like isolation, depression, and it affects relationships. When someone has a hearing loss, it doesn't just affect them, it affects the whole family. And their family includes their actual blood relatives, their friends, their work. It affects all aspects of their life.”—Dr. Blair Handy
About Dr. Blair Handy:
Dr. Handy is an audiologist. She received her Doctor of Audiology and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida. Currently, she practices as a clinical audiologist at a local otolaryngology office in Orlando and an instructor at Valdosta State University.
Dr. Handy's passion for audiology stems from wanting to improve the quality of life of those with a hearing impairment, reduce the barriers caused by communication breakdowns that can occur due to a hearing loss, and educate individuals about the impact hearing loss can have on those with a hearing disability. In addition, she understands firsthand the pressures which occur when having a newborn.
As a native Floridian, Dr. Handy loves to spend time with her family and friends during her free time. Furthermore, she enjoys traveling, outdoor activities (walking, jogging, and rollerblading), arts & crafts, reading, and having new experiences.
Connect with Dr. Blair Handy:
Website: http://www.jbnewborns.com/
Email: jbnewborns@gmail.com
Facebook: @jbnewborns
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this episode, Michelle completes her series exploring the different childbirth methods that she teaches: Calm Birth - meditation based childbirth; Hypnobirth - hypnosis assisted childbirth, and The Birth Ease Method - guided relaxation focused childbirth. Over the years parents have shared how much their children have enjoyed listening to the audio recordings as they fall asleep. With this in mind, Michelle shares a special nighttime sleep story for children that she wrote and recorded for a little girl named Ava.
As a gentle reminder, please avoid listening to this nighttime sleep story while engaging in an activity that requires your or your child’s full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when your child is safely tucked into bed and ready for sleep. Unless your child, or you as the passenger, are listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never play it while riding in or driving a vehicle.
This bedtime sleep story is copyright of Michelle Smith and Birth Ease. The background music 'Nature Angels' is used with permission of Eitan Epstein Music and Melody Loops and its licensees.
If you would like a copy of this sleep story, please reach out to Michelle via her website. Thank you for listening!
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
In this series on the different childbirth methods she teaches, Michelle airs her guest appearance on “Off My Duff- The Entrepreneur Podcast” with host Duff Gardner.
In their conversation, Michelle shares her story from witnessing her first birth to becoming a certified HypnoBirthing Practitioner and an Hypnobabies Instructor. Craving the freedom to grow and evolve, she is no longer affiliated with either institution. She has used her own voice to bring light to guided relaxation in childbirth. Duff shares his insights and personal story.
Don’t miss these Highlights:
• Evolving The Birth Ease Method to allow the freedom to follow different techniques
• We all know do reduce stress but listen as Michelle discusses the implications of stress from pregnancy on onwards
• Grief spearheaded a shift into including bereavement doula
• Duff shares his insights and personal story.
• The true importance of families discovering their own inner wisdom
• Michelle’s biggest insight in her business and life
About Duff Gardner :
Duff is an award-winning 7-figure marketer, startup founder, and digital producer. Today, he leverages his 30+ years in a diverse range of businesses and his journey overcoming a series of out-of-the-blue panic attacks to help impact-driven entrepreneurs leverage the power of what he calls “startup thinking” to start, scale and serve in a big way. He is the host of the podcast Off My Duff - The Entrepreneur Podcast and Founder of the training company Offers that Sell. Duff holds an MSc. in Learning Sciences and Information Technology from Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley, is a fierce advocate of LGBT+ rights and animal rescue, and lives in beautiful Victoria BC. His mantra is: “teach what you love, live from your truth”.
Connect with Duff Gardner:
Websites: https://duffgardner.com/, www.offmyduff.com
Linked in: @Duff Gardner
Facebook: @offmyduff
Instagram: @duffgardner
Twitter: @offmyduff
Youtube: DUFFGARDNER
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Thanks for listening!
In this episode of Michelle’s series on Hypnobirth, Michelle invites Stephanie Smith back to the podcast. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience as an E-RYT, PRYT Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, and as a student of meditation. Together they have a casual conversation regarding the benefits, similarities, and differences of hypnobirthing/hypnosis and the Calm Birth Meditation practices.
What to hear more from Stephanie? She shares her expertise on perinatal yoga in episode 4 of the podcast.
“I like to look at the meditation practice as one that is kinda helping to heal at the cellular level, whereas the hypnosis or the hypnobirthing practice is working to heal at that subconscious and that unconscious level. And, there's benefits to both. And you know, it's really, too, about finding what's gonna connect for you in that moment.”—Stephanie Smith
About Stephanie Smith, E-RYT, PRYT:
Stephanie is an Orlando based Yoga Instructor specializing in Pre and Postnatal Yoga. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Central Florida and is an E-RYT, PRYT Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Her love of Yoga and travel has taken her to Thailand numerous times where she has had the privilege of studying Yoga extensively at Centered Yoga. As a mother herself, Stephanie has an understanding of how the Yoga practice evolves both during pregnancy and postpartum. She strives to create an environment of support for fellow Mothers to know that they are not alone on the beautiful, yet sometimes rocky, journey that is Motherhood.
Connect with Stephanie Smith:
Instagram: @thetravelingyogini
Facebook: Stephanie Smith
Recommended Resource:
The Dance of Parenting by Natasha Solovieff
Episodes 14 & 38 of the podcast
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
HypoBirthing or Hypnobabies? In this next episode Michelle's series on Hypnobirth, she shares what led her to become a birth hypnosis specialist and a bit of history regarding hypnobirth. Michelle has previously certified in and taught both the HypnoBirthing and Hypnobabies childbirth programs. She thoughtfully shares her observations regarding the two methods to help expecting families to decide which method might be best for them.
"I believe that the relaxation techniques that I teach provide a birthing woman a focus and control not realized by the average birthing person. Women report a feeling of empowerment, that they have learned skills they can use the rest of their lives." —Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Resources:
Orlando Sentinel Article: Hypnosis Helps Ease Labor Pains
HypnoBirthing Institute
Hypnobabies Network
The LeClaire Method
The Calm Birth School
In this next episode Michelle's series on Hypnobirth, she shares some of the realities of birth and being a hypnodoula. She expresses her gratitude for hypnosis and hypnobirth, for what she teaches, as well as her gratitude for the families she has worked with over these 20 years. She ends the episode with the fun birth story of her April Fool's Day hypnobaby prankster.
"[Hypnosis], it's an incredible tool for healing, and for returning to our center and connecting with our own inner wisdom."— Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this third episode in the birth hypnosis series, Michelle and Rene Brent, Clinical and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist, dispel the myths and misconceptions surrounding hypnosis and hypnotherapy. They discuss the power of the subconscious mind works and how it works. Rene explains the imprinting that can happen within the subconscious mind, especially when we are children. Together Michelle and Rene share the transform that hypnotherapy can create.
"Thoughts create chemistry, and chemistry, we feel that in our physical body. If it's fear then we have another thought because we feel it in our stomach or our gut. And that's called the felt sense… When you are in worry and fear because worry is all about fear. Nobody worries about things being amazing." —Rene Brent
About Rene Brent:
Rene has been an RN for 30 years and has worked in ICU, Trauma/ER, and the Recovery Room. In her experience, she was inspired by the powerful mind/body connection and how self-awareness and reframing negative thoughts help us heal emotionally and physically.
It was a natural transition for Rene Brent to go from being a healer of the body to a healer of the mind. She is passionate about helping her clients use the power of the mind and move forward in their lives and reach personal and professional goals.
Rene attended The Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy (IIH in Tampa, Fl.) IIH is the only state-licensed school of Hypnotherapy in Florida. Rene has trained over 1000 hours.
Rene Brent’s solo practice is located in Maitland, Florida. She is certified as a Clinical and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She is highly trained and uses a variety of modalities including Hypnotherapy, NLP, EMT and EFT. She finds these protocols help her clients change negative habits and behaviors. When her clients release false beliefs and let go of past hurts and events, then true healing can occur.
Rene Brent is an international speaker and a #1 International Best Selling Author of “How Big Is Your BUT?”. On March 16th, 2021 Rene released her latest book “Breaking the Worry Agreement” and has already reached International Best Seller status on Amazon.
Rene Brent is a registered member of The American Council of Hypnotherapist (ACHE) and the International Association of Interpersonal Hypnotherapist (IAIH)
Rene's Books:
"How Big Is Your BUT?”
“Breaking the Worry Agreement”
Connect with Rene:
Websites: https://www.practicehappynow.com/, https://renebrenthypnosis.com/
Facebook: @ReneBrentHypnosis, @PracticeHappyNow
Instagram: @ReneHypnosis
LinkedIn: Rene Brent, RN-CCHT
You Tube: ReneBrentHypnosis
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this second episode in Michelle’s series on birth hypnosis, midwife Laura Nathan shares her passion for homebirth and the difference that hypnobirth makes within pregnancy, labor and birth, postpartum, and beyond in this replay of episode 44.
"Because it doesn't have to be that way. That's what we see in the movies and the sitcom sketches. It doesn't have to be that way of the screaming, painful birth that is just awful and gotta get through it and suffer through to get to the end, to the good thing at the end, which is the baby. The process can also be really uplifting. It can be a really beautiful process that… the mom can feel really empowered by it."— Laura Nathan
About Laura Nathan, LM CPM:
Laura is a Florida Licensed Midwife serving families in Orlando and surrounding communities since 2014 that is currently on sabbatical. She is the owner of Modern Orlando Midwifery, a home birth practice for her midwifery clients. After working in a busy birth center, Laura now loves the ability to get to know her clients well through long home visits. The focus is on building a strong relationship where both the parents and midwife can trust and understand one another. Her love of client education ranges from detailed explanations of pregnancy and the normal changes women experience to diastasis prevention and repair to newborn care and breastfeeding success. Additionally, Laura has studied the use of hypnosis for pregnancy and birth. She utilized Birth Ease Hypnobirth for her own babies’ births and is certified as a Hypno-Doula with HypnoBabies. Laura believes that with comprehensive education, parents can make the best choices for the mother-baby dyad.
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this first episode of Michelle's series on hypnobirth, she shares her guest appearance on the Birth Story Podcast with Heidi Snyderburn. Michelle explains the ins-and-outs of Hypnobirthing, Hypnobabies, and guided relaxation. Michelle addresses the misconceptions surrounding these practices, as well as provides guidance on preparing for the birth plan of your dreams, no matter what it looks like. Heidi shares her insights on birth hypnosis as a Certified HypnoBabies™ Doula. Heidi and Michelle end the episode with Michelle giving a brief hypnobirthing relaxation session.
About Heidi Snyderburn:
Heidi is the host of the Birth Story podcast, Certified Birth Doula (DONA), a Certified HypnoBabies™ Doula, the entrepreneurial guru behind Birth Story Media™, a former pharmaceutical and medical device consultant, and a mom with a passion for writing and storytelling. She felt “called” to her practice as a doula early on in life—in fact at age 12, Heidi supported a mom through her birth. Since then, Heidi has attended hundreds of births throughout her 15-year doula career and is currently on-call. She is actively practicing today with up close and personal doula services in Charlotte, NC and virtual doula services around the world with her company MyDoulaHeidi.
Heidi differentiates her services by offering holistic, evidenced-based care for her clients and their partners. She absolutely believes in partnering with the medical team and empowering moms to navigate the journey of pregnancy and childbirth with as much information as possible.
Connect with Heidi:
Looking for a Virtual Doula to create a custom birthing experience and guide you through your journey to parenthood in the United States? Contact Heidi at www.mydoulaheidi.com
For additional free birth education resources and to purchase Heidi’s book, Birth Story: Pregnancy Guidebook + Journal, visit www.birthstory.com
Instagram: @birthstorypodcast
Connect with Michelle:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this last episode of Michelle's series on the Calm Birth meditation program, Naima Bond shares with Michelle what brought her to Calm Birth and her journey to becoming a Calm Birth Teacher Trainer. Together they discuss the extreme value and flexibility of Calm Birth's Calm Parents meditations for postpartum and beyond. These meditations consist of Calm Parent, Calm with Baby, Breathfeeding, Energy Breathing, and Practice of Healing. Naima also stresses the importance of parents creating a plan for the postpartum period after the birth.
*As a note, the breathfeeding meditation will soon be available in four different audio guides depending upon a parent's needs &/or preferences: breastfeeding, pumping milk, bottle feeding, and chestfeeding.
"If you saw benefits while you were pregnant of using the Calm Birth meditations and through labor, then let's make this a part of how you are raising children. Like how beneficial do you think that will be as the children get older to understand and be able to utilize this practice? Especially again, you know, post COVID we have no idea what that world's gonna look like.”—Naima Bond
About Naima Bond:
Naima Bond, M.Ed. has been serving children and families for over 25 years in the area of early childhood and disabilities. She has recently shifted her focus to supporting mothers through the birthing process. She is a certified Birth Doula with the Matron and is also going through her DONA certification. She has been associated with Calm Birth and completed the program in 2017 and then became a Calm Birth teacher trainer in 2019. Naima was brought up with meditation as a child. She learned about Calm Birth through APPPAH and knew it was a practice she wanted to include in her birth business. She supports families in her private practice and is assisting Calm Birth in teaching Calm Birth to other birth and wellness practitioners. She resides in Atlanta Ga. with her sons Mashante and LaParish.
Resource:
https://www.buildyournestworkbook.com/
Connect with Naima Bond:
Website: http://www.oyabirthandwellnesss.com/
Instagram: @naimadanita
Connect with Calm Birth:
Website: http://www.calmbirth.org/
Instagram: @calm.birth
Facebook: Calm Birth
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this next episode in Michelle's series on the Calm Birth meditation program, Adrienne Bergthold returns to explain the foundational practice of Calm Birth: Womb Breathing. She shares her serendipitous journey of how Calm Birth found her. Adrienne elaborates on the history of Womb Breathing and what distinguishes Calm Birth from other birth meditation practices. She clarifies the benefits of meditation and the ways in which Womb Breathing can assist us to recognize fear when it shows up without identifying with it. She stresses the importance of differentiating mind from awareness. Together they discuss why the practice of Womb Breathing is invaluable for parent and child, and how the practice embodies true self-care.
"Our children are looking to us for calm. And so, if we don't know how to bring ourselves to calm in this age of anxiety, how will our children know?" —Adrienne Bergthold
About Adrienne Bergthold:
Adrienne Adrienne Bergthold is a married 53 year old mother of two children, ages 32 and 16 years old. A California native now living in Baltimore, Maryland who has been practicing as a medical massage therapist, yoga teacher, and doula for almost 30 years as well as a Calm Birth teacher-instructor. Adrienne says, "Teaching about the breath and meditation is the heart and foundation of all I teach, which is why Calm Birth was the perfect fit for me when I found it almost 16 years ago. My love for Calm Birth has only grown more deeply. It is my heart's work to help others live in their bodies and to give birth in loving awareness, in peace, in calm."
Connect with Adrienne Bergthold:
Email: adriennebergthold@verizon.net
Website: http://www.baltimorebirthandmassage.com/
Connect with Calm Birth:
Website: http://www.calmbirth.org/
Instagram: @calm.birth
Facebook: Calm Birth
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In this next episode in Michelle's series on the Calm Birth meditation program, Anna Humphreys shares her journey to becoming the director of Calm Birth and the altruistic vision behind it. Calm Birth is based in advanced meditation traditions of the Tibetan Nyingma lineage. The Calm Birth practices are evidence-based, non-religious, and rooted in ancient wisdom. These practices are grounded in time-tested techniques perfect for these modern times. Together, these practices teach parents to breathe completely, rest deeply, deepen their bond with their baby, and heal themselves and the world. Anna explains two of these foundational Calm Birth practices: Practice of Opening and Giving & Receiving.
"Because when everything else is in doubt, when you don't know what your birth is going to look like, when you don't know what your support is going to look like during that experience, you'll be able to carry this empowering technique that based in breath, that's embodied into any situation, into any unknown. And that's… the power of Calm Birth in the face of crisis."—Anna Humphreys
About Anna Humphreys:
Inspired by her mother's birth photography, Anna became a birth doula in 2012, and started teaching Calm Birth around the same time. She worked with private clients as well as on-call as a volunteer in hospitals in Southern Oregon. There, she saw Calm Birth help birth-givers stay connected with their bodies and their babies before, during, and after birth.
She attended the University of Washington in Seattle for a dual Masters in Social Work and Public Health to focus on learning about systemic racism, the impacts of poverty and inequality on health, and how the climate crisis impacts us now and in the future. At the same time, she was facilitating Calm Birth Teacher trainings, recording new meditations, helping her husband build the app, and running the administrative side of things.
At the end of graduate school, she accepted the position of Director of Calm Birth. She committed to applying what she learned about inequities in the healthcare system to my work in this program. This includes working towards being an anti-racist organization, guaranteeing access to classes, materials, and teacher trainings, and working with other birth-related organizations to approach anti-racism from a systems-level perspective.
As the child of meditators, she has the felt experience of being connected to her parents during her early days of development. She considers it a high honor to share this experience with tomorrow's children.
Connect with Anna Humphreys:
Website: http://www.calmbirth.org/
Instagram: @calm.birth
Facebook: Calm Birth
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
In Michelle's series on the Calm Birth meditation program, Michelle chats again with Calm Birth Teacher-Trainer Adrienne Bergthold from last week's episode on breath, Naima Bond Teacher-Trainer, and Anna Humphreys the Director of Calm Birth. Together they share the long-established history of Calm Birth, the medical science behind it, and what the practice has brought to each of them and the families they serve.
"Meditation is just a practice of being able to recognize when our minds are wandering away, when they're not serving us, when they're not being productive, and to return to this space of awareness where we are connected and centered and where we can see our inner truth and our intuition, if you will."—Anna Humphreys
"I feel like people, especially if you are birthing, are trying to seek something that will restore that calm, will help them focus on their breath, help them keep themselves together, for lack of a better word, just because things are so different. ...People are seeking those tools now more than ever. And I'm just so grateful that I can offer something that can assist them and support them in that way."—Naima Bond
"That's the whole point, right? Is to let our children know we see them. 'Cause we all, at some level, wanna be seen. We wanna be heard, and this is bringing awareness. Every time we breathe into the womb. Every time we have a moment of awareness, our kids are energetically synced into that."—Adrienne Bergthold
Connect with Calm Birth:
Website: http://www.calmbirth.org/
Instagram: @calm.birth
Facebook: Calm Birth
Connect with Anna Humphries:
Website: http://www.calmbirth.org/the-calm-birth-team-1
LinkedIn: Anna Humphreys
Connect with Naima Bond:
Website: http://www.oyabirthandwellnesss.com/
Instagram: @Naimadanita
Connect with Adrienne Bergthold:
Email: adriennebergthold@verizon.net
Website: http://www.baltimorebirthandmassage.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Adrienne Bergthold shares with Michelle ways in which to have a better relationship with breathing and improve the quality of our breath. She explains the ways in which our breath can become interrupted or restricted, why softening the tension and rigidity within the body is so vital for breath, and why focusing strictly on belly breathing can cause issues.
She reminds us that our nervous system, our brain, and our cells all remember how to breathe, and that ease of breath can begin to come back. Our lungs and our bodies can return to what they know. We can receive the breath and then gently let it go. Adrienne also provides beautiful tips for pregnant people to breathe with their baby in the womb.
“[With] most people, first of all, there's no movement in the abdominal area. If people are belly breathing they're either hyper-focusing on that to the detriment of any movement at all above, locking down the ribs and the neck, or there's no movement at all in the lower and there's tension, stress, and anxiety which forced the thoracic up, and all that tension up. And, people's breathing is shallow and just superficial chest breathing.” —Adrienne Bergthold
About Adrienne Bergthold:
Adrienne is a married 53 year old mother of two children, ages 32 and 16 years old. A California native now living in Baltimore, Maryland who has been practicing as a medical massage therapist, yoga teacher, and doula for almost 30 years as well as a Calm Birth teacher-instructor. Adrienne says, "Teaching about the breath and meditation is the heart and foundation of all I teach, which is why Calm Birth was the perfect fit for me when I found it almost 16 years ago. My love for Calm Birth has only grown more deeply. It is my heart's work to help others live in their bodies and to give birth in loving awareness, in peace, in calm."
Connect with Adrienne Bergthold:
Adrienne's Breath Workshop: How to Breath 101
Email: adriennebergthold@verizon.net
Website: http://www.baltimorebirthandmassage.com/
Calm Birth Website: http://www.calmbirth.org/
Resources:
Books:
“Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art ” by James Nestor
"The Posture of Meditation" by Will Johnson
Andrea Olson:
http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/es/faculty/node/149681
TEDxMonterey - Andrea Olsen - From Fear to the Sublime: Art Making & the Environment
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen:
Website: https://bonniebainbridgecohen.com/
Bonnie’s YouTube Channel
Aisa Yamaguchi- Japanese Acupuncture:
Website: http://www.aisayamaguchi.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Websites: BirthEaseServices.com, BirthEaseHypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
In the final episode on pelvic health, Michelle talks with Midwife Robyn Mattox and Pelvic Physical Therapist Melissa Schubert about pelvic floor health and our deep core system in pregnancy. Together they discuss how the pelvis floor can impact bowel function in pregnancy, pubic symphysis dysfunction, and the importance of a trusting relationship with one's care providers, especially when there is a history of trauma. Robyn explains the role of the deep core system in keeping babies tucked, flexed, and in the right position for labor and birth. Proper muscle tone in the pelvic floor muscles guides babies as to the direction to turn and the right maneuvers to do to come out of the pelvis easily. Melissa shares how having a pelvic PT assess and care for a cesarean scar postpartum can prevent painful adhesions.
"My biggest complaint as a midwife will, and always will, be abdominal diastasis and weak abdominal recti. And when I put compression [garments] on those moms, like real compression on those moms, through their last couple of weeks of pregnancy, I stop seeing breech babies. I stop seeing malpresentations. I start seeing babies engage. And I stop having as many issues with my labors."—Robyn Mattox
"But I'm meeting more women that are not having these regular [vaginal] exams for different reasons. And many times it was because of a traumatic first experience. And then, it's carrying over with the pregnancy now. And it kinda hurt my heart, cause I just felt like you’re just so scared about this whole process, and this shouldn't be so scary."—Melissa Schubert
“I get frustrated sometimes because doctors will say, “Oh, you can try to give birth without an epidural, but you’re not going to be able to do it or I don't feel you you’re going to be able to do it.” And I stop and I think, ”It didn't have anything to do with a woman and her capabilities. It has to do with the environment and how well she's treated, how well she's listened to, and if she can form trust. And whether or not she's going to be induced or not." There's so many factors."—Michelle Smith
About Robyn Mattox, LM CPM:
Robyn is a Florida Licensed Midwife and a certified EMT. She spent years as an EMT, volunteering for the Fire Department in the early 90′s. After becoming pregnant with her first baby, she was hooked on pregnancy and birth. She began her career as a birth professional in 1995 by becoming a Certified Doula and Childbirth Educator. Later she began teaching others the nuts and bolts of being a doula while attending mothers and families in labor. Robyn's love of birth grew quickly and she became licensed as a midwife over 16 years ago. In her career as a birth professional, Robyn is honored to have attended thousands of births and has delivered over 1300 of those beautiful babies as a midwife.
Robyn's philosophy of midwifery is that birth is normal, natural, and should be surrounded by family and friends in a calm and peaceful environment. Robyn strives to create a birth plan that is tailored to her client's needs as a laboring mom. As a midwife, she can be as hands-off or as hands-on as her clients are comfortable with. She is quick to step in should an emergency arise and prides herself on the safety of her clients. Robyn has 4 children and a new grandson. Since her youngest two children were born at home in the water, she has a unique understanding of the intensity and beauty of birth, and the need for a secure, knowledgeable voice to guide the journey.
Connect with Robyn Mattox, LM, CPM:
Website: https://laboroflovetampa.com/
About Melissa Schubert, PT:
Melissa has been a physical therapist in the Orlando area for over 20 years and has specialized as a pelvic physical therapist for the past 10 years and is the owner of The Balanced Pelvis. She believes that ALL women deserve special care during their pregnancy and after.
As a pelvic physical therapist, she provided relief from pelvic joint or sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and pain with the use of Hesch Method Manual Therapy. Many times the cause of pain or dysfunction is not the location of pain and only treating the location of pain will quite often only give temporary relief.
More recently, her approach to care for moms during pregnancy and after has changed to a much more holistic approach. She is a certified specialist with the Birth Healing Institute. This approach works to alleviate pain and dysfunction that may be holding a person back by addressing the concerns from a body, mind, and spirit approach. This approach looks first at past trauma or injury for the cause of pain or dysfunction held in the tissues. By addressing trauma held in the tissues first, quite often will determine the root cause of pain or dysfunction. Once this is addressed, then treatment may progress with a graded exposure. By addressing past trauma held in the tissues first, the number of graded exposure sessions is reduced.
Connect with Melissa Schubert:
Website: https://www.thebalancedpelvis.com/
Facebook: @MelissaSchubertPT
Instagram: @melissaschubertpt
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com , BirthEaseHypnobirth.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
In this episode of Michelle's series on pelvic health Lindsey Kaupp, Occupational Therapist explains what painful sex is, what can be done to alleviate or change that, and what is normal versus common and what that difference really is. Together they stress why creating psychological safety is the very first step of addressing painful sex. Lindsey shares red flags to look for that alert someone when to seek out the help of a pelvic floor therapist.
"So my very first step, it doesn't matter what client I'm working with, any of the conditions or if it is just a single or a couple of isolated incidents of painful sex, we talk about psychological safety. Until we have psychological safety, we do not have the opportunity to go further. Because our brain is going to still perceive a threat."—Lindsey Kaupp
Medical Terms:
Dyspareunia is the term for recurring pain in the genital area or within the pelvis during sexual intercourse. The pain can be sharp or intense. It can occur before, during, or after sexual intercourse.
Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus — the endometrium — grows outside the uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis.
Adenomyosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue exists within and grows into the uterine wall. It occurs most often late in the childbearing years and typically disappears after menopause. Sometimes, adenomyosis may cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, severe cramping, pain during intercourse, or blood clots that pass during a period.
Vulvodynia is chronic, unexplained pain in the area around the opening of the vagina. It can be so uncomfortable that some activities can feel unbearable, such as sitting for long periods of time or having sex.
Vestibulodynia refers to pain in the entrance of the vagina, known as the vestibule. This is the area where the outside portion of a woman's genitals (the vulva) meets the internal portion (the vagina). The vestibule contains glands that provide vaginal lubrication during sexual arousal. For a woman with generalized vestibulodynia, the pain is constant. A woman with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) has pain when the area is touched. This may occur when she inserts a tampon, has a pelvic exam with her gynecologist, or engages in sexual activity. Pain intensity and type can vary from woman to woman. The area may be sore or tender when touched. There might be a sharp or burning pain. Some women are able to have intercourse. For others, the pain is too severe.
Vaginismus is a condition involving a muscle spasm in the pelvic floor muscles. It can make it painful, difficult, or impossible to have sexual intercourse, to undergo a gynecological exam, and to insert a tampon.
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain, and sometimes pelvic pain. The pain ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain. The condition is a part of a spectrum of diseases known as painful bladder syndrome.
Resources:
https://www.nva.org/what-is-vulvodynia/
Books:
"Better Sex through Mindfulness" by Lori Brotto
"Come as You Are" by Emily Nagoski, PhD
"Reviving Your Sex Life After Childbirth" by Kathe Wallace
Products:
YES
Olive & Bee
Good Clean Love
OHNUT
About Lindsey Kaupp:
Lindsey Kaupp is a registered occupational therapist residing in Alberta, Canada. As an Occupational Therapist, she can address the vast majority of the factors that impact a person's pelvic health and daily life, such as physical function, psychological factors, and environmental influences, which enables a truly holistic and individual approach.
Lindsey's journey in women's health has come about in a non-conventional way, through her lived experience with pelvic health dysfunction, and her unexpected career in mental health. She is an anatomy and movement geek at heart, so employment in mental health was never a goal of hers, until it happened. Her years working in mental health has been the most rewarding time of her career thus far and has prepared her to work with women from all walks of life, with all different issues and solutions.
E-Motion Therapy was created out of her recognition of a gap, not only regarding women's health services in rural Alberta, but within women's health services themselves. As an occupational therapist, she can address the vast majority of the factors that impact a woman's pelvic health and daily life, such as physical function, psychological factors and environmental influences, which enables a truly holistic and individual approach. Lindsey is comfortable asking the hard questions around topics that we are working hard to de-stigmatize such as sexual function or maternal mental health.
Connect with Lindsey Kaupp:
Website: https://e-motiontherapy.com/
Email: lindsey@e-motiontherapy.com
Facebook: E-Motion Therapy
Instagram: @motherfunction.ca, @emotiontherapy
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
In this episode of Michelle's series on pelvic health, Lindsey Kaupp, OT shares the whole person approach that a pelvic health occupational therapist takes. Together they discuss stigmas that surround mental health, pain, sex, and pelvic health, as well as the documented correlation between depression &/or anxiety and pelvic floor function. Lindsey explains the five functions of the pelvic floor, how the pelvic floor is a factor in lower back pain, and the impacts of chronic pelvic pain, especially as it impacts our ability to function as a mother. They stress the importance of making certain to replenish and nourish yourself as a parent.
"In my opinion, if your menstrual cramps are enough that you're taking more than 1 Tylenol or a small piece of medication, even that, we need to look at ‘why is that?’. That is not normal, it's common. So some cramping is okay, but past that, we want to really look at this is really impacting your life."—Lindsey Kaupp
About Lindsey Kaupp:
Lindsey Kaupp is a registered occupational therapist residing in Alberta, Canada. As an Occupational Therapist, she can address the vast majority of the factors that impact a person's pelvic health and daily life, such as physical function, psychological factors, and environmental influences, which enables a truly holistic and individual approach.
Lindsey's journey in women's health has come about in a non-conventional way, through her lived experience with pelvic health dysfunction, and her unexpected career in mental health. She is an anatomy and movement geek at heart, so employment in mental health was never a goal of hers, until it happened. Her years working in mental health has been the most rewarding time of her career thus far and has prepared her to work with women from all walks of life, with all different issues and solutions.
E-Motion Therapy was created out of her recognition of a gap, not only regarding women's health services in rural Alberta, but within women's health services themselves. Lindsey is comfortable asking the hard questions around topics that we are working hard to de-stigmatize such as sexual function or maternal mental health.
Connect with Lindsey Kaupp:
Website: https://e-motiontherapy.com/
Email: lindsey@e-motiontherapy.com
Facebook: E-Motion Therapy
Instagram: @motherfunction.ca, @emotiontherapy
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
In this next episode in the pelvic floor health series, Melissa Schubert, PT shares with Michelle the wisdom and energy of our pelvic bowl. Melissa explains how emotions, traumas, and limiting beliefs get stored in our tissues, as well as the mapping system within our pelvic bowl that allows for the release of the energy and emotions held there. She explains that when the flow of birth is interrupted it can create a disrupted birthing pattern that the tissues can be holding onto. Melissa stresses the importance of connecting with our bodies once again because our pelvic space is the root of our creativity, love, and connection which allows us to flourish.
"As I listen, if I am not getting the response in the tissues, then I know that we're not getting to the root of what is emotionally stuck in that tissue."—Melissa Schubert
Resources:
Tami Lynn Kent, MSPT
https://www.wildfeminine.com/
Connect with Melissa Schubert:
Be sure to visit Melissa's website to gain access to her 5-minute Pelvic bowl meditation to start your journey to realizing the creative, loving, and the connected person you are meant to be.
Website: https://www.thebalancedpelvis.com/
Facebook: @MelissaSchubertPT
Instagram: @melissaschubertpt
About Melissa Schubert, PT:
Melissa has been a physical therapist in the Orlando area for over 20 years and has specialized as a pelvic physical therapist for the past 10 years and is the owner of The Balanced Pelvis. She believes that ALL women deserve special care during their pregnancy and after.
As a pelvic physical therapist, she provided relief from pelvic joint or sacro-iliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and pain with the use of Hesch Method Manual Therapy. Many times the cause of pain or dysfunction is not the location of pain and only treating the location of pain will quite often only give temporary relief.
More recently, her approach to care for moms during pregnancy and after has changed to a much more holistic approach. She is working to become a certified specialist from the Birth Healing Institute. This approach works to alleviate pain and dysfunction that may be holding a person back by addressing the concerns from a body, mind, and spirit approach. This approach looks first at past trauma or injury for the cause of pain or dysfunction held in the tissues. By addressing trauma held in the tissues first, it quite often will determine the root cause of pain or dysfunction. Once this is addressed, then treatment may progress with a graded exposure. By addressing past trauma held in the tissues first, the number of graded exposure sessions is reduced.
Melissa Schubert, PT further explains our deep core system, especially as it relates to the pelvic floor and our breath. She also answers all of Michelle's many long-time questions regarding kegel exercises and the pelvic floor. Melissa shares why it can be difficult to teach kegel exercises in a generic versus individualized manner and why learning to relax the pelvic floor is just as important, if not more so, than building strength. They also discuss why belly binding can cause more harm than good if not done properly.
"Relaxing the muscles are, I'll say, equaling if not more important than contracting them for many of us. We find a lot of holding pattern in the pelvic floor and it's for different reasons. … And then trying to get a muscle group that is able to fully relax and fully contract, that's the ideal for a good functioning pelvic floor. So many times we really are working on what I consider the reverse kegel, is being able to get the pelvic floor to relax."—Melissa Schubert
About Melissa Schubert, PT:
Melissa has been a physical therapist in the Orlando area for over 20 years and has specialized as a pelvic physical therapist for the past 10 years and is the owner of The Balanced Pelvis. She believes that ALL women deserve special care during their pregnancy and after.
As a pelvic physical therapist, she provided relief from pelvic joint or sacro-iliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and pain with the use of Hesch Method Manual Therapy. Many times the cause of pain or dysfunction is not the location of pain and only treating the location of pain will quite often only give temporary relief.
More recently, her approach to care for moms during pregnancy and after has changed to a much more holistic approach. She is working to become a certified specialist from the Birth Healing Institute. This approach works to alleviate pain and dysfunction that may be holding a person back by addressing the concerns from a body, mind, and spirit approach. This approach looks first at past trauma or injury for the cause of pain or dysfunction held in the tissues. By addressing trauma held in the tissues first, it quite often will determine the root cause of pain or dysfunction. Once this is addressed, then treatment may progress with a graded exposure. By addressing past trauma held in the tissues first, the number of graded exposure sessions is reduced.
Connect with Melissa Schubert:
Website: https://www.thebalancedpelvis.com/
Facebook: @MelissaSchubertPT
Instagram: @melissaschubertpt
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
In this next episode in Michelle’s series on pelvic floor health, Melissa Schubert, physical therapist, shares the evolution of pelvic floor physical therapy for women's health and the ways in which it can be of benefit after giving birth. She explains how our posture, our deep core system, our breath, and our emotions affect our pelvic floor. Together they also discuss how trauma can be held within the tissues and cells of the body. Melissa explains what the experience of receiving pelvic floor therapy can involve, as well as symptoms that new moms may be experiencing that indicate that they would benefit from seeing a pelvic floor therapist.
“I am there to listen to their bodies and let their bodies start to speak for them. I have always in the beginning of my practice have said, “At any point, if you want me to stop, you say, “Stop” and I stop. If your body asks me to stop, I stop.” Because I can’t. I can’t become another threat to your body. I can’t be another person that is imparting something on your body when your body clearly does not want something imparted on them.”—Melissa Schubert
About Melissa Schubert, PT:
Melissa has been a physical therapist in the Orlando area for over 20 years and has specialized as a pelvic physical therapist for the past 10 years and is the owner of The Balanced Pelvis. She believes that ALL women deserve special care during their pregnancy and after.
As a pelvic physical therapist, she provided relief from pelvic joint or sacro-iliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and pain with the use of Hesch Method Manual Therapy. Many times the cause of pain or dysfunction is not the location of pain and only treating the location of pain will quite often only give temporary relief.
More recently, her approach to care for moms during pregnancy and after has changed to a much more holistic approach. She is working to become a certified specialist from the Birth Healing Institute. This approach works to alleviate pain and dysfunction that may be holding a person back by addressing the concerns from a body, mind, and spirit approach. This approach looks first at past trauma or injury for the cause of pain or dysfunction held in the tissues. By addressing trauma held in the tissues first, it quite often will determine the root cause of pain or dysfunction. Once this is addressed, then treatment may progress with a graded exposure. By addressing past trauma held in the tissues first, the number of graded exposure sessions is reduced.
Connect with Melissa Schubert:
Website: https://www.thebalancedpelvis.com/
Facebook: @MelissaSchubertPT
Instagram: @melissaschubertpt
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
In her series on the pelvic floor, Michelle re-airs her fun and educational conversation with physical therapist, Susan Clinton, and Michelle discuss the profound connection between our pelvic floor and our voice. Susan explains how our pelvic floor functions, ways to become more aware of our pelvic floor muscles, and what a ‘kegel’ exercise or pelvic floor lift is and isn’t. (So many women are taught to do this exercise incorrectly.) And, no, leaking urine is not just a normal part of pregnancy and birth!
"A lot of mothers will come in and see me as a PT and say, "You know, I've been doing my pelvic floor exercises or kegels for a long time, and it's not helping." And sure enough they can actually lift their pelvic floor very nicely. But I notice that when they cough, that pelvic floor muscle isn't responding and coming up, or [if] they sneeze. You know, so it's not working when they need it. They can make it work, but what we want to do is make it work when we need it. We've got [to have] that pelvic floor coming up and reacting so that we don't leak [urine]."—Susan Clinton
About Susan:
Susan C. Clinton PT, DScPT, OCS, WCS, FAAOMPT, WHNC is an award-winning Physical Therapist in professional achievement and co-owner of Embody Physiotherapy and Wellness. She is an international instructor of post-professional education in women’s health (including GI issues in Women), orthopedic manual therapy, and business psychology. She is on Faculty at Andrews University in the Doctor of Science in PT program. She serves as a Master Coach for the Integrative Women’s Health Institute and is an active professional/clinical mentor. She is the co-founder and board member for the Global Women’s Health Initiative (GWHI) and is the Co-host of the podcast, “Tough to Treat” guide to treating complex patients and “The Genius Project” bridging pain science to clinical practice.
Connect with Susan:
Website: www.embody-pt.com
Email: susan@embody-pt.com
Facebook: Susan Coel Clinton
Twitter: @SClintonPT
Instagram: @sclintonpt
Linked In: @susancclinton
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
To begin her series on the pelvic floor, Michelle re-airs this information packed conversation with Lynn Schulte, founder of The Institute for Birth Healing, regarding the ways pelvic health can enhance our body’s ability to give birth and heal postpartum. Lynn explains the physical mechanics of the pelvic joints, the pelvic bones, and pelvic floor muscles and how they are meant to work together for birth. Lynn shares why she doesn’t recommend doing lots of kegel exercises during pregnancy to prepare for birth, why coached “purple pushing” during birth is really counterintuitive to releasing the baby, and how the vocalizations in birth help relax the pelvic floor. She explains why the issues are in our tissues and how healing can occur swiftly when we listen to the patterns held within the pelvis. Lynn also shares about her yearly Birth Healing Summit which is a free online event for birth professionals.
“...A lot of what we bring in our body to the pregnancy and to the birth can influence that birth. So there’s pre-existing things that a person might be carrying in their body that can influence whether or not that birth is going to go really smoothly or it’s gonna be more challenging.”—Lynn Schulte
About Lynn Schulte:
Lynn Schulte, BSPT, is a Women’s Health Physical Therapist with over 30 years’ experience and is the founder of the Institute for Birth Healing. She has been helping moms heal from all the multitude of issues women experience after birth and is now teaching courses to bodyworkers to help them do the same. She found a common birth pattern that shows up in the pelvis after birth and knows how to effectively release these patterns.She offers a certification process to help birth professionals to become Birth Healing Specialists.
Connect with Lynne Schulte:
Website: https://www.instituteforbirthhealing.com
Facebook: @InstituteforBirthHealing
YouTube: Institute for Birth Healing - Lynn Schulte, PT
Instagram: @Instituteforbirthhealing
Central Florida Birth Healing Specialist:
https://www.thebalancedpelvis.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
This time of year can bring a sense of magic and joy and at the same time, the holidays can also bring feelings of overwhelm and stress. 2020 has been such an intense year, and this prompted Michelle to begin an annual tradition of re-airing her guided relaxation session for the holidays. This session is designed to help release the stress and strain you may be feeling and to gain a sense of clarity regarding what you value in your life. Especially during this season, as we get ready to enter the New Year.
As a gentle reminder: This guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in to the second part of Michelle’s conversation with Sabia Wade. Together, they explore the ways in which the current medical system is failing us from patient to physician and the reality that many birth professionals carry secondary trauma due to the hierarchical system and the very nature of birth itself. They discuss why self-care is a vital responsibility for all birth workers. Sabia encourages expecting families to demand and require curiosity from the providers and caregivers that are assisting them with their care.
"For me, it is always important for anyone that I interact with to know that they are the expert of themselves. And that I am here to assist in whatever ways that I can. That's my job. That's who I am. I am never going to be the person who is the all-mighty knowing. But I can assist you in what you know about yourself. And I can assist you in learning new things about yourself, and you can assist me in learning more. That's the kind of energy that needs to be brought to birth work and just to people to people interactions."—Sabia Wade
About Sabia C. Wade:
Sabia is a radical doula, educator, doula business coach, reproductive justice advocate, and somatic practitioner in training that is elevating the voices and experiences of marginalized communities. Sabia embraces the role as a liberator of self by equity, autonomy, and justice for every body!
In 2015, Sabia's doula journey began as a volunteer doula with The Prison Birth Project. In the role as a volunteer doula, Sabia assisted incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents, as well as parents in recovery for two years. In these two years, Sabia gained knowledge not only about birth but also about topics such as obstetric violence, the Black maternal crisis, and reproductive justice. That experience has been the foundation of who Sabia is, all that Sabia does, and who Sabia is becoming.
In 2018, Sabia founded the nonprofit organization, For The Village, a community doula program that provides free and low-cost doula services to underrepresented communities. They are currently partnered with Project Concern International and Birth Roots Birth Center to better outcomes for Black birthing people in San Diego, CA.
Sabia's experience and knowledge inspired the creation of the Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings (BADT) in 2019. The goals of BADT are bringing necessary education to birth workers seeking to go beyond the standard doula role and into advocacy for the underrepresented and increase accessibility to BADT by creating an online platform, as well as providing affordable options to participating birth workers.
In 2020, Sabia officially started the training to become a Somatic Experience Practitioner with the Somatic Experience Trauma Institute (SETI) after embodying the practice into her own life for about two years, and is now a proud member of the board of directors for SETI.
Connect with Sabia Wade:
Websites: https://theblackdoula.com/, https://www.badoulatrainings.org/
Facebook: @doulasabia, @birthingadvocacy
Instagram: @theblackdoula, @birthingadvocacy
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in to part 1 of this 2 part conversation as Sabia Wade shares how the mix of birth, trauma, anti-racism, and advocacy has brought purpose and drives Sabia's mission for equity, autonomy, and justice for every body and the revolutionary projects she is up to. Together Michelle and Sabia discuss the importance of being your full self as a birth worker and remembering to openly focus on the spaces that fill you with joy. They explore the shifts that are happening within the birth community, why it is a disservice to those we serve if we avoid harder conversations, the reality that everyone deserves to be seen, and why trusting relationships are paramount to affecting change.
"Really what I like is birthing new aspects of people. Really what I like is holding space for people. Really what I like is celebrating and being present for the good and bad. ... I try to put it out there to be my full self so that people can come to me as their full selves and know that I can hold that space because I, too, am a full person."—Sabia Wade
About Sabia C. Wade:
Sabia is a radical doula, educator, doula business coach, reproductive justice advocate, and somatic practitioner in training that is elevating the voices and experiences of marginalized communities. Sabia embraces the role as a liberator of self by equity, autonomy, and justice for every body!
In 2015, Sabia's doula journey began as a volunteer doula with The Prison Birth Project. In the role as a volunteer doula, Sabia assisted incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents, as well as parents in recovery for two years. In these two years, Sabia gained knowledge not only about birth but also about topics such as obstetric violence, the Black maternal crisis, and reproductive justice. That experience has been the foundation of who Sabia is, all that Sabia does, and who Sabia is becoming.
In 2018, Sabia founded the nonprofit organization, For The Village, a community doula program that provides free and low-cost doula services to underrepresented communities. They are currently partnered with Project Concern International and Birth Roots Birth Center to better outcomes for Black birthing people in San Diego, CA.
Sabia's experience and knowledge inspired the creation of the Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings (BADT) in 2019. The goals of BADT are bringing necessary education to birth workers seeking to go beyond the standard doula role and into advocacy for the underrepresented and increase accessibility to BADT by creating an online platform, as well as providing affordable options to participating birth workers.
In 2020, Sabia officially started the training to become a Somatic Experience Practitioner with the Somatic Experience Trauma Institute (SETI) after embodying the practice into her own life for about two years, and is now a proud member of the board of directors for SETI.
Connect with Sabia C. Wade:
Websites: https://theblackdoula.com/, https://www.badoulatrainings.org/
Facebook: @doulasabia, @birthingadvocacy
Instagram: @theblackdoula, @birthingadvocacy
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Amy Gendron shares with Michelle the ways in which Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture support families when they want to conceive a child and during postpartum recovery. Amy explains the vital importance of nutrition to nourish, support, and rebuild the body after birth and the role placenta encapsulation can play in that. Together they stress the cultivating of community and putting a plan in place to receive non-judgemental help and support after the baby is born.
"There's a few different mechanisms that they can demonstrate with western research what acupuncture does and it releases endorphins, it boosts the immune system, and it regulates inflammation. … In particular postpartum, what mother doesn't want immune system supported, what mother doesn't want her inflammation, you know, her healing mechanisms to be working, and what mother does not want feel-good hormones floating through her? It's really great at regulating everything."—Amy Gendron
About Amy Gendron:
Amy began her journey in holistic health as a personal trainer, mentored by a black belt martial artist. Amy specializes in sports medicine, cosmetic acupuncture, and women’s health. She has trained as a doula, and in 2013 she traveled to China completed an externship which included herbal medicine for women’s health with nationally renowned Dr. Shui. Last year, Amy was one of the few American physicians invited to attend a Physiological Regulating Medicine program in Milan, Italy. Amy’s approach to healing empowers her patients to live with vitality, by integrating the best wellness and medical practices. She works as a specialty physician in several clinics in Central Florida area.
Connect with Amy Gendron:
Website: www.amygendron.com
Instagram: @acu_amy_g
Facebook: Amy Gendron, AP
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Placenta Services
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Jasmine Katatikarn shares her almost 6-year long fertility journey with Michelle. Together they discuss how difficult and lonely infertility can be for so many, the importance of advocating for yourself, as well as finding someone to talk to or a way to process and release the feelings and emotions such as grief, loss, guilt, and shame that often accompany infertility. Jasmine also explains when she was at the lowest point in her fertility journey, she decided to apply the creative and strategic mindset that she uses in her career as an artist. From this mindset, she created The FREEdom Method Fertility Training which assists other women on their fertility journey by helping them to Find their core values, Reframe their challenge, Exploring creative solutions, and Execute their plan.
"That's also like another part of the fertility journey. It's this roller coaster. It's this emotional roller coaster of like ups and downs where you get completely deflated after, you know, a failed cycle. Because you have your hopes up, and then, the big thing about fertility is, and that is why people often say fertility warriors, is cause we have to pump ourselves back up. It is like, not only are you alone in your journey, but like you go through these huge devastions. You can't wallow in it…because you have to keep up hope. And, it's hard."—Jasmine Katatikarn
About Jasmine Katatikarn:
Jasmine is a computer animation artist and certified life coach living in New York City. After nearly six years of trying to conceive, she was given the crippling news that she would have less than a 1% chance of having a biological child. At one of the lowest points in her life, Jasmine realized that she could begin to approach her fertility journey from the mindset she uses as an artist. A mindset that combines creative reframing, problem-solving, and action always to ensure forward movement.
Now a mom to two miracle children, Jasmine now teaches this same artist's mindset to help others find control in their fertility journey. She is the founder of The FREEdom Method fertility training which helps women release the emotions, stress, and pure exhaustion of their fertility journey easily by approaching it with a mindset of an artist so they can live a life where no obstacle will ever get in their way of being “happy.” Jasmine has been featured on various fertility organizations like @wearerobyn, and @resolveorg during Infertility Awareness Week 2020.
About Jasmine Katatikarn:
Book a Free 30-minute Strategy Call (limited availability): https://jazzkatat.com/call/
FREE Fertility Training: https://bit.ly/FertilityTraining
Instagram: https://bit.ly/jazzkatat_Instagram
YouTube: https://bit.ly/jazzkatatYouTube
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
As we move into November, Michelle finishes up her series honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness with this tender conversation with Heidi Faith, president and CEO of Stillbirthday. Heidi shares her very personal journey that led her to found Stillbirthday Global Network, which is an internationally trusted benevolent organization whose philanthropic mission is simply to doula: to nurture sources of perinatal bereavement, strengthen skills of healthcare professionals and increase healthy engagement of perinatal related needs among communities. Together Heidi and Michelle discuss the depth of the resource that Stillbirthday is for families experiencing baby loss and for professionals alike, suggestions for supporting a bereaved mother, the ways in which grief is like a tapestry, and a reminder that it is okay to be vulnerable and go slowly when navigating grief.
“A woman experiences a miscarriage literally every minute. Every minute in just the US alone.”—Heidi Faith
About Heidi Faith:
Heidi is an international speaker and the founder, president, and CEO of Stillbirthday, which is the legacy of her fourth child, who died and was born in the first trimester on April 19, 2011. The vision for Stillbirthday is not only deeply personal, intimate and closely special, but is here to spread our paradigm globally of truly understanding the importance and sacredness of the places where birth and bereavement meet. With a background in social work and counseling of abused and at-risk youth, when Heidi became pregnant with her first child she felt her calling shift to clinical perinatal psycho-spiritual therapy and birth support work.
As an Emergency Services Chaplain and certified Grief & Loss Coach, Heidi completed her studies through the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and is a member of the American Academy of Christian Counselor’s (AACC) Grief, Crisis and Disaster division.
Heidi holds certificates through Cascade Christian Childbirth Association in birth education and labor support and is a member of the International Christian Childbirth Coalition. As a double certified crisis pregnancy counselor in pre- and post-abortive counseling, she began the Newborn Adoption Doula Network, which provides birth support to families experiencing the transition of fostering or adoption. Heidi has received additional training through Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, and Hospice Foundation of America’s Hospice Clergy End-of-Life Education Project. Her long term goal is to open Stillbirthday Palliative Birth Center.
Contact Heidi:
Website: stillbirthday.com
Facebook: stillbirthday.com
Instagram: @stillbirthday
Contact Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle continues her conversation with Gary Vogel, LMHC perinatal grief expert and founder of HEAL, a Central Florida support group for bereaved parents. Gary shares the beautiful story of The Angel of Hope and how we here in Central Florida acquired our own statue. Together they discuss the vital role of the validation of our grief experience, feelings, and emotions plays; the impacts of the word “should” and the shame it can create; how grief is transformational; and how our US culture no longer has outward signs of bereavement and the value that can bring.
"I think as a culture, we've gotten much, much better at recognizing that this is something that does take place. The reality is that every year in the United States approximately one million families will experience a pregnancy loss."—Gary Vogel
About Gary Vogel, LMHC:
Gary is Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has been in private practice since 1980 in the Central Florida area. His specialties include dealing with anxiety and depression, addictions, grief & loss (especially the loss of a child), post-traumatic stress, and general "life adjustment".
As a Clinical Psychotherapist and through his own personal experience of losing his daughter, Chelsea, to stillbirth, Gary has helped thousands of parents struggling with the loss of a child.
Gary has been facilitating the support group HEAL (Helping Endure InfAnt Loss) for couples who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss since 1991. He has written three books on the subject of perinatal and neonatal loss. Gary has testified to House and Senate Subcommittees concerning legal issues surrounding these losses. He has lobbied in the state legislature for the passage of a bill to allow parents of a stillborn to receive a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth. The bill was unanimously passed into law in 2006. Gary has appeared on national and local television, and has traveled across the country speaking on the unique issues experienced by parents who have incurred the loss of a child. Gary is proud to be a member of the Board of Directors for the SIDS Alliance of Florida.
Gary feels his greatest achievement is bringing the Angel of Hope to Central Florida, which hosts two ceremonies a year at our site, one on October 15th, a National Day of Remembrance for Pregnancy & Infant Loss, and December 6th, a day of remembrance at all Angel of Hope sites for parents who have lost a child.
Resources:
HEAL: Helping Endure infAnt Loss Support Group
Link: Helping Endure Infant Loss (HEAL)
Angel of Hope Central Florida:
Facebook: @AngelofHopeCFL
Website: https://angelofhopecfl.wordpress.com/
Grief Resources:
https://www.birtheaseservices.com/baby-loss-grief-resources
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle has a two part conversion with Gary Vogel, LMHC perinatal grief expert and founder of HEAL, a Central Florida support group for bereaved parents. Together they discuss how the loss of a child disrupts our perception of the natural order of things, what grief is and isn't, and the 3 tasks of grieving. Gary shares that the trauma associated with the sudden loss of a child qualifies many bereaved parents for the diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a part of their journey of dealing with their loss is working through that PTSD component. Because of the enormous impact perinatal loss has on a relationship, the divorce rate after the loss of a child is twice the national average. Gary explains that everyone’s journey through grief is unique to them, and couples can and do grieve differently. Understanding these differences helps prevent miscommunication and misunderstandings that can happen when one partner imposes their grieving style on the other partner. The experience of losing a child has the capacity to either tear the relationship apart or make it stronger.
"And I think one of the biggest components of that [what grief is and what grief isn't] is that most people have the thought that grieving is about death, and it is not. That is actually a fallacy. That is actually a myth. Grieving is not about death, it is about loss. ...The intensity of our grief is directly proportional to the value to us of who we lost."—Gary Vogel
About Gary Vogel, LMHC:
Gary is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has been in private practice since 1980 in the Central Florida area. His specialties include dealing with anxiety and depression, addictions, grief & loss (especially the loss of a child), post-traumatic stress, and general "life adjustment".
As a Clinical Psychotherapist and through his own personal experience of losing his daughter, Chelsea, to stillbirth, Gary has helped thousands of parents struggling with the loss of a child.
Gary has been facilitating the support group HEAL (Helping Endure InfAnt Loss) for couples who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss since 1991. He has written three books on the subject of perinatal and neonatal loss. Gary has testified to House and Senate Subcommittees concerning legal issues surrounding these losses. He has lobbied in the state legislature for the passage of a bill to allow parents of a stillborn to receive a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth. The bill was unanimously passed into law in 2006. He has appeared on national and local television, and have traveled across the country speaking on the unique issues experienced by parents who have incurred the loss of a child. Gary is proud to be a member of the Board of Directors for the SIDS Alliance of Florida.
Gary feels his greatest achievement is bringing the Angel of Hope to Central Florida, which hosts two ceremonies a year at our site, one on October 15th, a National Day of Remembrance for Pregnancy & Infant Loss, and December 6th, a day of remembrance at all Angel of Hope sites for parents who have lost a child.
Resources:
HEAL: Helping Endure infAnt Loss Support Group
Link: Helping Endure Infant Loss (HEAL)
Central Florida and Online Baby Loss Support Resources:
https://www.birtheaseservices.com/baby-loss-grief-resources
Angel of Hope Central Florida:
Facebook: @AngelofHopeCFL
Website: https://angelofhopecfl.wordpress.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special replay episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle and two student filmmakers, Taylour Marks and Candace Williamson, discuss their debut documentary film, a deeply flawed system, the disparities facing black mothers, and perinatal loss. Black women are twice as likely to experience a miscarriage than other races. African Americans infants are 3.8 times as likely to die from complications related to low birthweight, have 2.3 times the infant mortality rate, and in 2017 had over twice the sudden infant death syndrome mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites.
Their film, In Between US is an intimate portrait of black motherhood, a deeply flawed system and the complicated beauty of life. The story was born from the alarming statistic that black women are three to four times more likely to experience pregnancy related mortality than white women in America. If it’s not about money, education, or pre-existing conditions, then why are black mothers and their babies still dying at higher rates?
"There is so much power in your voice, and you have the right to speak to up. You have the right to share your story. And when you do, it really brings people together."—Candace Williamson
"I think that it is really important that we start prioritizing mothers. The first steps are to validate the feelings and the stories of these mothers by showing them that they aren't alone. There are so many other mothers that are going through the exact same thing. ...And we should trust black women and what they have to say and their feelings and their pain. So I think it is a three-step process of listen, share, and trust and then make change off of what you have represented."—Taylour Marks
{This episode originally aired in June 2020 as episode 040.}
Resources:
https://inbetweenusdoc.wixsite.com/mysite
https://blackmamasmatter.org/
https://4kira4moms.com/
https://sistersinloss.com/
https://rtzhope.org/grieving-black-parents
https://www.birtheaseservices.com/loss-support
About Candance Williamson & Taylour Marks:
Candace Williamson is a Broadcast Journalism Student at the University of South Florida. Ever since the age of 6, Candace knew she had a passion for being anywhere near a camera. She has written and directed a number of broadcast stories and documentaries all with a message of hope and love. Her work has been shown across the globe from the Cannes Film Festival in France to the Geelong International Festival in Australia. Candace hopes to continue her journey as a documentary filmmaker to tell stories that become catalysts for change.
Taylour Marks is an honors Telecommunication Student at the University of Florida. As a writer, photographer, and multimedia journalist, she takes joy in telling the stories of others and empowering the public with information. Taylour has experience working with photo, print, and broadcast journalism. She has been recognized by BBC World News and the Aisthesis Undergraduate Honors Journal for accomplishments in photojournalism. Taylour aspires to one day work as a local news reporter or a documentary storyteller.
Connect with Candace:
Twitter: @heycandacemae
Instagram: @heycandacemae
LinkedIn: Candace Williamson
Website: https://heycandacemae.wixsite.com/mysite
Connect with Taylour:
Twitter: @taylourmarks
Instagram: @taylourmarks
Facebook: @TaylourMarksNews
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support, Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport, @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle has the privilege to have a conversation with Diana Kelley, the director of Infants Remembered In Silence © (IRIS) a 501(c)3 Nonprofit organization that she founded in 1987, following the full-term stillbirth of her son. Together they discuss how the care parents experiencing baby loss receive has become more compassionate throughout the years and the extreme value having someone to sit with us in our grief and give space for the power of silence. Diana shares sage advice for bereaved families, how IRIS's services have grown and evolved over the last 33 years, and IRIS's project to invite cities across the nation to light up buildings, statues, and monuments on October 15th in honor Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day. Thank you cities of St. Cloud and Orlando, Florida for your support!
We invite you to share photos of your cities remembering our babies gone too soon. We would be honored to have you tag is on Facebook and Instagram @birtheaselosssuport and @Infants Remembered in Silence
"Well, it used to be that people thought that you're not going to remember if you don't get to see, hold, and touch. We discovered that wasn't real. Then we discovered that people forget, and even if they can't communicate with you very well, their body still remembers. They still know themselves that this is when my child died passed away. And I think that is something that is really hard to comprehend. But at a certain point, your thinking changes from being, "I am never going to be able to forget this. This is a huge impact on my life." to things changing to where you're afraid you're going to forget it and then it becomes your mission to make sure others don't forget."—Diana Kelley
{This episode is dedicated to the Smith babies. You are forever safe and loved within our hearts.}
About Diana Kelley:
Diana Kelley uses her personal and career experiences to help grieving parents through their birth process and in the years of grieving that follow the death of a child. Diana provides grieving parents with the support they need when their life seems unfair and more than they can handle. As a bereaved parent herself, she knows how grief can affect every aspect of one’s life, as well as the lives of their loved ones and friends.
Diana became involved in Childbirth Education following the birth of her first child in 1981. By 1984 she was a Certified Childbirth Educator working in her local hospital with hundreds of families each year and training/certifying new instructors. In 2012, after 31 years, she left the organization to expand her teaching and certifying instruction with Infants Remembered In Silence © (IRIS) a 501(c)3 Nonprofit organization that she founded in 1987, following the full term stillbirth of her son.
Today IRIS services include: Bereavement Support Materials and Burial Clothing Sets designed by Diana and several other IRIS volunteers. (These Clothing Sets fit infants from 10 - 42 Gestational weeks and include matching blanket and hat, along with everything needed to work directly with the child in the hospital and funeral home settings). IRIS offers Support Group Gatherings, Special Events including the October 15th Memorial Service at the IRIS Office - in front of an Angel weeping over an empty cradle – a bronze, life-sized statue, arranges for countless buildings, monuments, bridges, etc. to be lit for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, Holiday Service of Remembrance and more. These supplies and countless other resources, including the book, Sharing the Tears by Diana Kelley, are available on the IRIS website.
Diana services as the executive director of IRIS. She lives in Faribault MN along with her four surviving children and one grandchild.
Connect with Diana Kelly:
Email: diana@irisRemembers.com
Website: www.irisRemembers.com
FB Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/InfantsRememberedinSilence
FB Infants Remembered In Silence Private Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/163068716993
Angel of Hope Central Florida:
Facebook: @AngelofHopeCFL
Website: https://angelofhopecfl.wordpress.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this very personal episode, Michelle and Susan Dascenzi have a conversation regarding the multitude of losses the pandemic has brought us. They discuss how the strong emotions and overwhelm people are experiencing globally are due to grief. Susan shares what can happen if we push our feelings aside as we work to get back some normalcy. Together they dig deep into the places that we may not even realize that what we are experiencing is grief, where we may be in grief overload, the differences between emotions and feelings, Michelle’s own grief, why we can have a difficult time supporting one another as we mourn, and tips to walk with the grief. {This episode is dedicated to Sherry Kramer. }
“It’s so many little pieces that we give insignificance to, but they all are a part of it.”—Susan Dascenzi
About Susan Dascenzi:
As a Licensed Psychotherapist and Spiritual and Emotional Resiliency Coach, Susan L. Dascenzi bridges the gap between the East and West, Heaven, and Earth. She is an author, Speaker, Podcast Host, and the Health and Fitness Category Director for Podcast Magazine. Susan has invested the last 27 years guiding her clients in recognizing how their past negative conditioning creates their present and future and stops them from stepping into their infinite possibilities. As a highly regarded human behavior and emotions expert, she has become known as “The Possibilities Curator,” and co-authored an Amazon Ranked #1 International Best-Selling book alongside Neale Donald Walsch and Marci Shimoff.
Connect with Susan Dascenzi:
Website: https://www.susandascenzi.com/
Facebook: Susan Dascenzi
Twitter: susandascenzi
Instagram: @sdascenzi1
LinkedIn: Susan Dascenzi
Podcasts: The Spiritually Expressed Human Kick Your Buts
Resources:
https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief?
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as midwife Elena Rosa shares with Michelle the history and benefits of Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy. Together they discuss how each person's reproductive journey is their own, how the state of fight or flight affects the body, the connection between the heart and the uterus, deep healing, and following the lead of your heart.
"And just thinking about the grief and what we're told how we're supposed to be as women, what we're supposed to accept, what we're supposed to receive, what we're not allowed to stand up for, what we're not allowed to make boundaries for. You know, what we allow to happen to us because we feel like we're powerless. … But just processing what boundaries we're encouraged to have, but we're not encouraged to have. Like we're not allowed to speak up for ourselves. Like what we allow into our space, what is forced into our space. What is what we are allowed to grieve over. You know, there's so many things that we hold onto in our bodies."—Elena Rosa
About Elena Rosa, LM:
Elena is a practicing licensed midwife, an Advanced Arvigo Practitioner, and a retired licensed massage therapist based in Central Florida. As a woman of Puerto Rican descent who has lived throughout the Northeast and Southern regions of the US, Elena sees herself as a US citizen by birth, but a global citizen by responsibility.
Elena feels there is no more profound challenge than the mastery of self. The pursuit of the limitless is one of personal growth and spirituality…cultivating self-care, self-awareness, and self-love. Elena had an interest in indigenous medicine since childhood. Elena has sought out personal mentors from North and South American traditions and Tibetan Buddhism. Having participated in countless prayer and meditation ceremonies and her own deep work has provided humility, depth, space for healing herself and others, and an ongoing practice of peacemaking.
Most of all, she is the proud mother of a sweet girl who has taught her more about what her body and her heart are capable of than anyone she has ever met. Pregnancy, labor, and motherhood have brought no shortage of lessons in accepting all expected and unexpected challenges. What these experiences taught her is that she is an informed woman who knows her body, and she has all the information she needs to make the right decision for her and her child. This affirming gift is Elena’s wish for every family she serves.
Connect with Elena Rosa:
Website: https://mykindredmidwife.com/
Facebook: Elena Rosa
Resources:
https://arvigotherapy.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Join Michelle as she celebrates the one year anniversary of The Birth Ease Podcast. She reflects upon her podcasting journey, what motivates her to produce the show, and the consistent pearl of wisdom that her guests have shared. Michelle explores how that simple pearl often gets taught of us and how to begin to find it again.
"The podcast has traveled into some really difficult places such as pregnancy and infant loss, grief, human rights in childbirth, birth trauma, and the disparities birthing families face. It hasn't exactly been the most light and fluffy podcast. But these are experiences that beg to be heard, honored, and held within a healing space. All of which I feel is even more vital in these that we're in."—Michelle Smith
Resource:
https://omgparenting.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle asks Kathy Bradley, IBCLC to discuss an increasing concern for parents: tongue and lip ties in newborns. Kathy explains what a tongue or lip tie is, the different types of ties, the potential signs of a tongue tie, and when a surgical revision may be necessary. Kathy also shares what parents may want to look for in a provider if a tongue tie revision is advised, as well as concerns regarding the MTHFR gene mutation and the formation of tongue ties.
"So, the rule of thumb is just because we see that something looks like it might be tight, doesn't mean it's an automatic revision. ... I really look at functionality. l look at mom's pain level [during breastfeeding], how much [milk] baby's transferring, what's going on."—Kathy Bradley
About Kathy Bradley. IBCLC:
Spanning a 30 year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated to eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improve birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley:
Website: childbirthconcierge.com
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: Childbirth Concierge
Resources:
Oral Motor Therapy: https://www.beckmanoralmotor.com/
Tongue Tie Revision: Dr. Bertot https://www.ibrushteeth.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TongueTieBabies/
Listen to episode 20 to learn more about chiropractic care for babies with Juliet Micheals.
Listen to episode 027 to learn more about the benefits of craniosacral therapy with Annette Leary. IBCLC
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle and Jen dig deep into the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic, the dynamics of blended families, her homebirth, bonding, and breastfeeding. They discuss the importance of finding good lactation support, oral motor issues in babies and children, thrush, the sexualization of breasts in our culture, and why it is vital for each family to find what works best for them regarding the feeding and care of their children.
"There's so many factors and layers that are out of our control that at a certain point you have to learn to let go — not stress about it. And that's the biggest take away I've had. [...] And I realized that whatever will be, will be. You know, obviously there are certain precautionary measures I take. But I am not going to sit and worry myself to death, because that isn't going to help anyone."—Jen Torres
Connect with Jen Torres
Website: jentorresgroup.com
Facebook: JenTorres Group
LinkedIn: Jen Torres
Instagram: @jentorresgroup
Resources:
https://thenursingnurseibclc.com/
https://www.beckmanoralmotor.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Byuanni and James recount their experience of giving birth at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. They explain the ways that the unknowns of COVID-19 brought additional stress to their first pregnancy and birth, as well as how they navigated an unexpected induction of labor, an epidural headache that was discounted as normal by hospital staff, and a strong bout of baby blues once their baby was born. Together, they share with Michelle the different factors that were positive game-changers in their experience.
"It was terrifying. Especially because at the time that I was approaching labor, we weren't even sure if they were going to allow our partners into the hospital. That to me was my biggest fear, just to imagine going through something so, in a way, traumatic. It's a big thing in your life. And not to have someone who you can just hold their hand or just feel some type of comfort, and you will be surrounded by strangers, that was my absolute biggest fear of all was to be by myself." —Byuanni
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Jenn Fong, IG @preggotoparent, shares with Michelle her experience of giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together they discuss how this pregnancy differed from her first due to Coronavirus, her birth story and what helped her to create a peaceful birthing experience despite the pandemic and an unforeseen event impacting her birth, and what has helped her manage her postpartum with a new baby and a two year old. Jenn shares tips for expecting families and how placenta encapsulation made a difference for her postpartum.
“It's just a reminder, that we all need to give ourselves grace during this weird, unique period. I think, you know, a lot of people are grieving their missed vacations or their postponed weddings, or unfortunately, not being able to attend a funeral. It has just been so crazy. I read this amazing quote that said, 'We are all in the same storm. We may not be in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm.' " —Jenn Fong
Connect with Jenn Fong:
Instagram: @preggotoparent
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in to the second half of Michelle's conversation with Barbara Decker, one of the pioneers in the childbirth education movement. With a half-century of experience, Barbara explains that babies are looking for a trusting relationship with their parent. A parent's job is to respond to their baby. Babies need a healthy attachment figure to be able to build a healthy psychological and emotional journey. Barbara shares that almost half of all pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted. Yet, parents can repair the relationship with their baby at any point in pregnancy. Barbara shares fascinating information regarding babies' awareness and consciousness in the womb.
"This [early nurture period] is critically, critically important for society as a whole and the health and the humanity that we are trying to bring into the world. When parenting in the womb becomes a normal phase, a part of, having a baby, we can change society as a whole."—Barbara Decker
About Barbara Decker:
Barbara has been a childbirth educator for over 48 years. She’s a doula, a HypnoBirthing ®Practitioner, PALS supporter and Mentor, PALS Northwest Hospital Ambassador, and an avid supporter of APPPAH (Association of Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health) as membership and Mentor for the PPNE (Prenatal and Perinatal Educator Certification Program) course.
What brought Barbara to the field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology was the knowledge she received after reading The Secret Life of the Unborn Child by Thomas Verny. That was almost 11 years ago and since that time has received certificates as a Prenatal Bonding Facilitator with B.O.N.D. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever.com program, trained for two and a half years, with Dr. Gerhard Schroth in the Prenatal Bonding (BA) Program (Only 12 trained to facilitate in the US.), and was one of the first graduates of the APPPAH PPNE Program. Her passion for educating parents on the importance of the preconception/gestational period led her to write a new paradigm in childbirth education - EmpoweringPregnancy.com. She has lectured throughout the United States, in India, and in Mexico on the need to teach these classes. It is imperative that we educate our birthing families on the intelligence of the baby growing in the womb. Our babies need to feel loved during the pregnancy, mothers need to manage their stressors in a safe way, and this program offers the tools to build a healthy relationship for the whole family.
Parents that have attended the program feel that they are better prepared for their pregnancy, more bonded and attuned to the baby inside, plan for more natural births, an improved relationship with their partners, and feel more prepared for the postpartum experience. When you parent a baby in the womb, you know how to parent when the baby arrives. Attachment improves with a more conscious awareness of the needs of our babies for healthy minds and bodies. Pregnancy complications are lessened and parents make more informed choices in birthing facilities, practitioners, and interventions. It is time to empower our families with the knowledge that Emotional Intelligence is formed from conception through the nine months after the birth. Let’s put the brakes on the violence in this country and “Build Babies, Not Jails”. (Article written by Dr. Thomas Verny, JOPPPAH 2011)
Connect With Barbara Decker:
Website: www.soulofbirthing.com
Website: www.empoweringpregnancy.com
Email: douladecker@gmail.com
Resources:
APPPAH
Dr. David B. Chamberlain
Dr. Thomas R.Verny
The Primal Wound
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle gets to chat with Barbara Decker, one of the pioneers in the childbirth education movement. With a half-century of experience, Barbara shares her journey, including being one of the firsts to certify as a Lamaze instructor (before it was even called Lamaze) and certify as a doula with Penny Simpkin. Barbara is a long time HypnoBirthing® Instructor and expert in prenatal bonding. In this first half of their 2-part conversation, she provides a simple breathing technique to help calm and settle our nervous system. Something we, and our babies, can all use during these stressful times.
"When the mother is included in the decision making, the end result is not traumatization after the birth. It can prevent having an effect on the mother as long as she's part of that decision making. ...It's vital. And then our mothers are not going to have the challenges. We don't want mothers going to the birth, to the labor room, in fear that they are gonna have to do battle. We want them to know that they are going to be treated with respect."—Barbara Decker
About Barbara Decker:
Barbara has been a childbirth educator for over 48 years. She’s a doula, a HypnoBirthing ®Practitioner, PALS supporter and Mentor, PALS Northwest Hospital Ambassador, and an avid supporter of APPPAH (Association of Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health) as membership and Mentor for the PPNE (Prenatal and Perinatal Educator Certification Program) course.
What brought Barbara to the field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology was the knowledge she received after reading The Secret Life of the Unborn Child by Thomas Verny. That was almost 11 years ago and since that time has received certificates as a Prenatal Bonding Facilitator with B.O.N.D. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever.com program, trained for two and a half years, with Dr. Gerhard Schroth in the Prenatal Bonding (BA) Program (Only 12 trained to facilitate in the US.), and was one of the first graduates of the APPPAH PPNE Program. Her passion for educating parents on the importance of the preconception/gestational period led her to write a new paradigm in childbirth education - EmpoweringPregnancy.com. She has lectured throughout the United States, in India, and in Mexico on the need to teach these classes. It is imperative that we educate our birthing families on the intelligence of the baby growing in the womb. Our babies need to feel loved during the pregnancy, mothers need to manage their stressors in a safe way, and this program offers the tools to build a healthy relationship for the whole family.
Parents that have attended the program feel that they are better prepared for their pregnancy, more bonded and attuned to the baby inside, plan for more natural births, an improved relationship with their partners, and feel more prepared for the postpartum experience. When you parent a baby in the womb, you know how to parent when the baby arrives. Attachment improves with a more conscious awareness of the needs of our babies for healthy minds and bodies. Pregnancy complications are lessened and parents make more informed choices in birthing facilities, practitioners, and interventions. It is time to empower our families with the knowledge that Emotional Intelligence is formed from conception through the nine months after the birth. Let’s put the brakes on the violence in this country and “Build Babies, Not Jails”. (Article written by Dr. Thomas Verny, JOPPPAH 2011)
Connect With Barbara Decker:
Website: www.soulofbirthing.com
Website: www.empoweringpregnancy.com
Email: douladecker@gmail.com
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Aelis Rivera explains what drives her to be a voice for the voiceless. Aelis openly shares with Michelle what brought her to her work as a Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and LGBTQIA+ Advocate and her passion to certify as a Full Spectrum Doula. Together they explore domestic violence, the inequalities that birthing persons and families face, black maternal mortality, and the need for greater sensitivity and domestic abuse education for birth professionals.
"I've said this a million times, and I will say this a million and one times. In birth, there’s NO room for ego. There's just no space for it. We should all be in community to help one another."—Aelis Rivera
About Aelis Rivera:
Aelis is a very proud Queer Birth Doula, Birth Assistant, Childbirth Educator, and owner of Caridad Birth Doula Services. As a survivor of both child abuse, rape and domestic violence, she has been a Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and LGBTQIA+ Advocate for over 16 years. Aelis believes that it is extremely important to use your voice for those who are fearful or apprehensive to speak their truth. Therefore she is excited to combine her advocacy work with her love of birth by certifying as a Full Spectrum Doula with Birthing Advocacy Doula 1Trainings under Sabia Wade. She is also collaborating with a local expert to create much-needed workshops for birth professionals regarding domestic abuse.
Contact Aelis Rivera:
Facebook:Caridad Birth Doula Services
Instagram: @caridadbirthdoula
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this second of half of their 2-part candid conversation, Donna G. Ivery, MD shares with Michelle the types of experiences that stay with you as an OB/GYN. She explains what the baby’s heart rate alerts providers to during labor. Together, they discuss VBAC and the barriers to access, obstetrical abuse and patient autonomy, and communication in regards to informed consent. Dr. Ivery stresses the importance of communication, connection, and trust between care provider and patient, especially in emergent situations.
"Opening the lines of communication. Being able to generate conversations that are enlightening and educating to everyone is how we are going to start resolving these types of issues. This is how we smooth over the rough parts of understanding when to intervene, especially when physicians have patients they don't have a prior history with. This is how we approach that in a way that honors what's happening. And we get the same great outcomes that we want and we have happy customers. And, that makes all the difference in the world."— Donna G. Ivery, MD
About Donna G. Ivery, MD:
Now retired, Dr. Donna G. Ivery is a native of Cocoa, Florida. A Johns Hopkins University-trained biomedical engineer, she started her career at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, NJ. The call to medical practice came and she moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University School of Medicine. She completed her medical and gynecologic training at Emory in 1996 and is Board-Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She embarked on many years of travel, practicing obstetrics and gynecology in Georgia, Hawaii, Oregon, and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands before returning to North Brevard county 2005 where she offered a full range of gynecologic services. Dr. Ivery has delivered over 4000 babies, performed over 2000 surgeries, and provided over 50,000 women's health visits.
Connect with Dr. Ivery:
Facebook: @DonnaGIveryMD
YouTube: Donna G Ivery, MD
Email: Contact@femalematters.com
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In part 1 of this 2 part conversation, Dr. Donna G. Ivery candidly shares with Michelle her experiences as an OB/GYN, and the fact that the majority of people haven't seen the life-threatening circumstances that can happen within obstetrics. She explains how factors with the healthcare system such as logistics, hospital staffing, and experience play a part in the physician’s decision process regarding patient care. She stresses the importance of communication, connection, and trust between care provider and patient, especially in emergent situations.
"There are a lot of changes [within the healthcare system] and that certainly fuels this disconnect with the patient and the OB/GYN with regard to trust. Because nobody really wants to be in a situation where they are being cared for by people they don't trust and at the same time, physicians don't want to have to take care of patients who innately don't trust them. That's one of the bedrocks of the physician-patient relationship, is trust, and the system doesn't foster that. And to the best of one's ability as a physician, I have to overcome that. I think the notion of a disconnect and a breakdown in trust really kinda fuels a lot of our- all of our- dissatisfaction with how the system is going." —Donna G. Ivery, MD
About Donna G Ivery, MD:
Now retired, Dr. Donna G. Ivery is a native of Cocoa, Florida. A Johns Hopkins University-trained biomedical engineer, she started her career at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, NJ. The call to medical practice came and she moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University School of Medicine. She completed her medical and gynecologic training at Emory in 1996 and is Board-Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She embarked on many years of travel, practicing obstetrics and gynecology in Georgia, Hawaii, Oregon, and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands before returning to North Brevard county 2005 where she offered a full range of gynecologic services. Dr. Ivery has delivered over 4000 babies, performed over 2000 surgeries, and provided over 50,000 women's health visits.
Connect with Dr. Ivery:
Facebook: @DonnaGIveryMD
YouTube: Donna G Ivery, MD
Email: Contact@femalematters.com
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as physical therapist, Susan Clinton, and Michelle discuss the profound connection between our pelvic floor and our voice. Susan explains how our pelvic floor functions, ways to become more aware of our pelvic floor muscles, and what a ‘kegel’ exercise or pelvic floor lift is and isn’t. (So many women are taught to do this exercise incorrectly.) And, no, leaking urine is not just a normal part of pregnancy and birth!
"A lot of mothers will come in and see me as a PT and say, "You know, I've been doing my pelvic floor exercises or kegels for a long time, and it's not helping." And sure enough they can actually lift their pelvic floor very nicely. But I notice that when they cough, that pelvic floor muscle isn't responding and coming up, or [if] they sneeze. You know, so it's not working when they need it. They can make it work, but what we want to do is make it work when we need it.... We've got [to have] that pelvic floor coming up and reacting so that we don't leak [urine]."—Susan Clinton
About Susan C. Clinton PT, DScPT, OCS, WCS, FAAOMPT, WHNC:
Susan is an award winning Physical Therapist in professional achievement and co-owner of Embody Physiotherapy and Wellness. She is an international instructor of post-professional education in women’s health (including GI issues in Women), orthopedic manual therapy and business psychology. She is on Faculty at Andrews University in the Doctor of Science in PT program. She serves as a Master Coach for the Integrative Women’s Health Institute and is an active professional/clinical mentor. She is the co-founder and board member for the Global Women’s Health Initiative (GWHI) and is the Co-host of the podcast, “Tough to Treat” guide to treating complex patients and “The Genius Project” bridging pain science to clinical practice.
Connect with Susan Clinton:
Website: www.embody-pt.com
Email: susan@embody-pt.com
Facebook: @Susan Coal Clinton
Twitter: @SClintonPT
Instagram: @sclintonpt
Linked In: Susan Clinton
Podcast: Tough To Treat - A Physio's guide to treating the complex patient Vlog: The Genius Project - Reframing the treatment of persistent musculoskeletal pain.
Foundation: Global Women's Health Initiative
*Connect with Michelle Smith:*
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle and midwife Laura Nathan have a conversation about Laura's passion for homebirth and the difference that hypnobirth makes within pregnancy, labor & birth, postpartum, and beyond.
"Because it doesn't have to be that way. That's what we see in the movies and the sitcom sketches. It doesn't have to be that way of the screaming, painful birth that is just awful and you gotta get through it and suffer through to get to the end, to the good thing at the end, which is the baby. The process can also be really uplifting. It can be a really beautiful process that… the mom can feel really empowered by it."— Laura Nathan
About Laura Nathan, LM CPM:
Laura is a Florida Licensed Midwife serving families in Orlando and surrounding communities since 2014. She is the owner of Modern Orlando Midwifery, a home birth practice for her midwifery clients. After working in a busy birth center, Laura now loves the ability to get to know her clients well through long home visits. The focus is on building a strong relationship where both the parents and midwife can trust and understand one another. Her love of client education ranges from detailed explanations of pregnancy and the normal changes women experience to diastasis prevention and repair to newborn care and breastfeeding success. Additionally, Laura has studied the use of hypnosis for pregnancy and birth. She utilized Birth Ease Hypnobirth for her own babies’ births and is certified as a Hypno-Doula with HypnoBabies. Laura believes that with comprehensive education, parents can make the best choices for the mother-baby dyad.
Connect with Laura Nathan:
Website: https://modernorlandomidwifery.com/
Facebook: Modern Orlando Midwifery
*Connect with Michelle Smith:*
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle has a conversation with Jen Larsen regarding the benefits of trauma-informed yoga, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research studies prove through this practice, yoga can help minimize those symptoms of post-traumatic response. The goal is to restore a sense of choice, personal power, self-efficacy; power and control that were lost during the experience of the trauma and these benefits translate off the mat and into the rest of the world. Together they discuss trauma, the importance of listening to the body and honoring our feelings, creating healthy boundaries, choice and permission to change our minds, positive affirmations, and self-acceptance and self-compassion.
"Meet yourself where you are. Know that whatever it is your feeling isn't lasting forever. You are perfectly imperfect, exactly as you are. And, every day you exist is a new opportunity to learn more about yourself and accept whatever that may be." —Jen Larsen
About Jen Larsen:
Jen is the founder and owner of Innerglow Wellness, LLC. Through holistic life coaching and trauma-informed yoga instruction, she is dedicated to helping individuals unveil their “inner glow” and embody their greatest potential in body, mind, and spirit. Her education includes graduate work in the psychology of consciousness and psycholinguistics, and she is a 16+ year certified yoga and meditation teacher, registered with Yoga Alliance. In addition to coaching and teaching yoga, she is a public speaker and radio personality on the topics of health and wellness, particularly the power of the mind and the effects of gratitude, and positive thinking on physical health. In her downtime, you’ll find her creating delicious, healthy concoctions in the kitchen and spending quality time with her kids.
Connect with Jen Larsen:
Website: lightyourinnerglow.com
Instagram: @lightyourinnerglow
Facebook: Innerglow Wellness
YouTube: Innerglow Wellness
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle and Beatriz Rodriquez discuss her birth experience and motherhood as an Afro-Latino woman. Together they discuss myths black mothers face, systemic racism, parenting multiracial daughters, working on our own biases, and the importance of compassionate listening.
“Everyone’s experience as a black woman is very different. But there are a few things that I feel that all black women, right now in this moment, feel and are in solidarity, especially when it comes to being mothers. One of things that I can say is that a lot of us, no matter how used to we are of being through trials and tribulations, I would say, ‘We’re scared and we’re disappointed. And, we wonder what the future holds for our children.’”—Beatriz Rodrigues
Connect with Beatriz Rodrigues:
Facebook: @I.love.my.cookies.101
Instagram: @docilesystematicbee
*Connect with Michelle Smith:*
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this personal episode, Michelle shares her experience of supporting her most recent doula families through the births of their babies during the COVID-19 pandemic. She candidly explores the emotions coming up for her during these last few weeks as the mother of a multi-racial child. Michelle explores how she is navigating it all through the lens of grief support.
“It hit me, and I am still working through it. If I am this exhausted as a white woman with a black family how depleted our black communities must be?And as I listen, they are exhausted. And, tired of trying to get people to listen and fighting a system that isn’t broken that is actually working exactly as it was designed to do.”—Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support, Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport, @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle and two student filmmakers, Taylour Marks and Candace Williamson, discuss the disparities facing black mothers, perinatal loss (black women are twice as likely to experience a miscarriage than other races), and their debut documentary film, In Between US. Their film is an intimate portrait of black motherhood, a deeply flawed system and the complicated beauty of life. The story was born from the alarming statistic that black women are three to four times more likely to experience pregnancy related mortality than white women in America. If it’s not about money, education, or pre-existing conditions, then why are black mothers still dying at higher rates?
"There is so much power in your voice, and you have the right to speak to up. You have the right to share your story. And when you do, it really brings people together."—Candace Williamson
"I think that it is really important that we start prioritizing mothers. The first steps are to validate the feelings and the stories of these mothers by showing them that they aren't alone. There are so many other mothers that are going through the exact same thing. ...And we should trust black women and what they have to say and their feelings and their pain. So I think it is a three step process of listen, share, and trust and then make change off of what you have represented."—Taylour Marks
About Candace Williamson:
Candace is a Broadcast Journalism Student at the University of South Florida. Ever since the age of 6, Candace knew she had a passion for being anywhere near a camera. She has written and directed a number of broadcast stories and documentaries all with a message of hope and love. Her work has been shown across the globe from the Cannes Film Festival in France to the Geelong International Festival in Australia. Candace hopes to continue her journey as a documentary filmmaker to tell stories that become catalysts for change.
Connect with Candace:
Twitter: @heycandacemae
Instagram: @heycandacemae
LinkedIn: Candace Williamson
Website: https://heycandacemae.wixsite.com/mysite
About Taylour Marks:
Taylour is an honors Telecommunication Student at the University of Florida. As a writer, photographer, and multimedia journalist, she takes joy in telling the stories of others and empowering the public with information. Taylour has experience working with photo, print, and broadcast journalism. She has been recognized by BBC World News and the Aisthesis Undergraduate Honors Journal for accomplishments in photojournalism. Taylour aspires to one day work as a local news reporter or a documentary storyteller.
Connect with Taylour:
Twitter: @taylourmarks
Instagram: @taylourmarks
Facebook: @TaylourMarksNews
Resources:
https://inbetweenusdoc.wixsite.com/mysite
https://blackmamasmatter.org/
https://4kira4moms.com/
https://sistersinloss.com/
https://www.birtheaseservices.com/loss-support
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support, Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport, @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this latest episode of the Listening to Midwives series, Michelle has a conversation with Jae Rowan and Rhione Zeixchel, owners of Sanctuary Birthing. If you are a fellow birth worker, get ready to hear some of the names of some of the icons in our birth world being mentioned as they share their 60+ years of combined experience as midwives. Rhione and Jae remind pregnant women that their birth can be in their hands if they receive respect, consideration, and informed choice. Women can take back birth. Yet, they caution not to be naive and think you will be handed it, because you will not… not with this current medical system. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle back to soak up the wisdom of these sage birth keepers and the brilliant project they are up to now.
“Your body talks to you. I think that in our really, really fast paced media oriented, screen oriented culture we stop listening or maybe we never learned to listen. And yet, every pregnant woman, her body will start to talk to her almost from the beginning. ... It's an important thing. Start listening to your body. Your body is talking to you.”— Jae Rowan
“I would hope that each woman before, during pregnancy would take some time. Take some time to be still, sink in, connect with a deeper layer underneath all the mind chatter. Just even 5 minutes. Begin making time. Start listening. Because I believe that that inner knowing can inform us in the BEST possible way from this day on. And your baby is counting on it. It can change your baby’s life. And it can change the world, one baby at a time in that way.”— Rhione Zeixchel
About Jae Rowan:
Jae, Certified Professional Midwife, and Oregon Licensed Midwife began her study of midwifery in 1985. She has attended 100’s of births over the last 31 years. Her path as a woman and mother has been intertwined with her study of yoga, midwifery, parenting, and communication, skills that she brings to the care she provides to families. Jae learned that pregnancy and birth are normal and natural processes from her grandmother, who birthed 13 children at home. Jae believes that the way we bond to our baby during pregnancy and the way we birth set a foundation for the life of our child, and for our life as a mother. She offers Arvigo Mayan Abdominal Massage sessions along with personalized prenatal, birth preparation and early parenting coaching.
About Rhione Zeixchel:
Rhione, Oregon licensed midwife, has attended hundreds of births since 1981. As an apprentice-trained midwife, she has been privileged to learn from many teachers in the wise-woman tradition. Rhione utilizes the benefits of homeopathic medicine and intuition-based practices she describes as “deep listening” to the unborn. Certain key tenets guide Rhione’s love of this work: knowing that the natural birth process is innately healing; understanding newborn babies as fully conscious beings in little bodies; and believing that a woman’s way to natural birth is paved with her own listening and trusting. Mothers’ own ecstatic birthing stories inspired her to become certified in HypnoBirthing in 2001. With midwife friend Jae Rowan, she co-created Three Sisters Midwifery in 2012.
Connect with Jae & Rhione:
Website: sanctuarybirthing.com
Facebook: Sanctuary Birthing
Instagram: @sanctuarybirthing
Free Resource: Sanctuary Birthing Workbook
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
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Show: Birth Ease
Are you finding yourself feeling overwhelmed or irritable with those you love due to the stress of the Coronavirus pandemic? Listen in as Natasha Solovieff and Michelle discuss Natasha’s signature strategy which helps parents to stay engaged with their children and each other. Her L.O.V.V.E. Way invites families to begin Listening, Om-ing (centering yourself), Voicing, Visioning, and Exploring in order to unwind any difficult feelings, emotions, and situations and determine what is of value to them as a family. The L.O.V.V.E. Way creates a solid path in this time of uncertainty and provides relationship and self-reflection tools that are extremely vital, and yet, rarely taught.
"What I wanted to give parents is a default way of moving out of our snappy moments and those things that come up in parenting that are really heightened right now that cause us to disengage with our children and to disengage with ourselves, and our partner. Relationships are this dance between being engaged, being disengaged, and bringing ourselves back into engagement. And, that’s a skill." — Natasha Solovieff
About Natasha Solovieff:
With a BSN and M.Ed., Natasha has 25+ years as a Maternal Child Health clinical and public health nurse. She is the author of “The Dance of Parenting: Finding Your Inner Choreographer” a book that invites you to energize and strengthen your parenting dance by using your parenting L.O.V.V.E. skills. She also writes heartfelt and intriguing science-for-parents blogs.
Connect with Natasha Solovieff:
Website: OMGparenting.com
Twitter: @OParenting
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen as Tanya Alvarado, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, shares with Michelle some helpful coping skills for families during COVID-19. Together they discuss using "I" statements to communicate more effectively, the purpose of forgiveness, what healthy boundaries are, and tips for supporting children during the pandemic.
"I think one of the biggest challenges right now is that we are wearing many different hats, roles, and responsibilities that are new or overwhelming. And sometimes, we don't have the space to process our own feelings, let alone share them with our partner and ask for what we need." — Tanya Alvarado
About Tanya Alvarado, MA, LMHC:
Tanya is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and owner of A New Path Counseling in East Orlando where she works with tweens, teens and adults in private practice. Areas of specialty include mood disturbances (such as anxiety & depression), trauma, and working with Tourette/Tic disorders. She is CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics) certified and EMDR certified therapist. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Tanya is also a Qualified Supervisor for Mental Health Interns. She has a passion for supporting the individuals and families to make positive changes toward health, healing, and creating a new path of life for future generations.
Connect with Tanya Alvarado, MA, LMHC
Website: anewpathcounsel.com/
Email: tanya.alvarado.ma@gmail.com
Instagram: @anewpathcounseling
Facebook: A New Path Counseling
Resource for Setting Healthy Boundaries: Dr. Henry Cloud
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
May 6, 2020, is Maternal Mental Health Awareness day, and Michelle has dedicated this episode to providing an overview of what the postpartum experience can be like for new families. Often there is so much focus on the pregnancy and the birth, families may find themselves woefully unprepared for the realities that having a new baby can bring to their lives. Having a new baby can feel overwhelming and isolating for many families and the quarantine and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic are exacerbating stress families may feel. Michelle explains helpful self- care tips for moms and their partners. She distinguishes between baby blues and postpartum depression, gives an overview of maternal mood disorders, and provides resources for families here in the show notes. Michelle ends this information-packed episode with a brief guided relaxation.
Resources:
And Baby Makes 3: The Gottman Institute
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
Postpartum Support International
The Blue Dot Project
The Conversation: Managing postpartum depression: New Moms isolated by coronavirus pandemic
Motherly: Eight Ways to Reduce Anxiety for Mothers
Baby Care Resources:
Dunstan Baby Language
Happiest Baby on the Block
All Babies Cry
No Cry Solution
Resources in Central Florida:
Orlando Health Winnie Palmer: Mothers Matter Support Group
Life Counseling Solutions
Perinatal Wellness & Psychological Services
Total Life Counseling
Florida Chapter of Postpartum Support International
Motherhood Support Group
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Heather Barson shares with Michelle the journey that brought her to her vocation as a doula, midwife, and advocate for birthing families. She confides to Michelle the goosebump moment that inspired her to create the Coalition for Ethical Maternity Care during COVID-19. Heather has dedicated herself to assisting families to understand their options in maternity care and helping them to preserve their autonomy in the process.
"[As a birthing person]... use your voice. You matter. Your needs matter. And your needs matter more than anyone else's in the room. And if your care providers aren't willing to acknowledge that, then you need to either find other care providers or find some sort of tool to help communicate that better. You have a lot more power than you think you do and now is the perfect opportunity for you to step up and use it. Even if it is terrifying. I promise you, that it will be a far more valuable experience if you do step up and push through that fear and have your needs met. Because you're worth it" —Heather Barson
About Heather Barson:
Heather is an independent midwife and doula practicing in Northeast Utah. She also provides various placenta services, including at-home placenta stem cell consulting. Seeing her rural community was in need of more doulas, and the local hospitals were somewhat hostile to the few professional doulas in the area, she co-founded the Uintah Basin Doula Association. With this organization, she and her colleagues befriended the hospitals so their clients would get better care, advertised heavily on behalf of doulas in general so professional doulas could charge what they were worth, and began training and supporting professional doulas locally. Seeing another need during the COVID-19 pandemic, she recently founded the Coalition for Ethical Maternity Care, a national organization open to all problem-solving members of the maternity care team. With it she hopes to see more facilities model their COVID-19 maternity care policies after facilities that choose reasonable and respectful precautions over ones that are harmful to mothers and babies.
Connect with the Coalition for Ethical Maternity Care:
Website: ethicalbirth.org
Facebook: Coalition for Ethical Maternity Care
Email: ethicalbirth@gmail.com
Connect with Heather Barson:
Facebook: Sacred Space Midwifery- Uintah Basin
Email: heatherbarson@usa.com
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle has a potentially life changing conversation with Lynn Schulte, founder of the Institute for Birth Healing, regarding the ways in which healing and understanding our pelvic health can enhance our body’s ability to give birth and health postpartum. Lynn explains the physical mechanics of the pelvic joints, the pelvic bones, and pelvic floor muscles and how they are meant to work together for birth. Lynn shares why she doesn’t recommend doing lots of kegel exercises during pregnancy to prepare for birth, why coached “purple pushing” during birth is really counter-intuitive to releasing the baby, and how the vocalizations in birth help relax the pelvic floor. She explains why the issues are in our tissues and how healing can occur swiftly when we listen to the patterns held within the pelvis. Please join the Birth Healing Summit 2020 which is a free online event that begins April 20th.
“...A lot of what we bring in our body to the pregnancy and to the birth can influence that birth. So there’s preexisting things that a person might be carrying in their body that can influence whether or not that birth is going to go really smoothly or it’s gonna be more challenging.”—Lynn Schulte
Lynn Schulte, BSPT, is a Women’s Health Physical Therapist with over 30 years’ experience and is the founder of the Institute for Birth Healing. She has been helping moms heal from all the multitude of issues women experience after birth and is now teaching courses to bodyworkers to help them do the same. She found a common birth pattern that shows up in the pelvis after birth and knows how to effectively release these patterns. She offers a certification process to help birth professionals to become Birth Healing Specialists.
Birth Healing Resources:
Birth Healing Summit
Central Florida Birth Healing Specialist Melissa Schubert
Birth Healing for Parents Course
Birth Healing Doula Course
Connect with Lynne Schulte:
Website: Institute for Birth Healing
Facebook: Institute for Birth Healing
YouTube: Institute for Birth Healing
Instagram: Institute for Birth Healing
Linked In: Lynn Schulte
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Cristen Pascucci and Michelle continue their conversation regarding human rights in childbirth. They delve into the fact that everyone brings their own background, biases, and trauma with them to the birth room. Cristen sagely points out that it is irrelevant whether or not birth is safe. If anything, the riskier it is, the more imperative that is that a person's autonomy is retained. Cristen shares why the environment in which someone decides to give birth is a huge determining factor in how the birth actually unfolds.
"Your rights are only as good as you make them. … You own your body and you are the legal authority. ... You don't have to point to any law. ... Don't assume someone has rights over you. Just don't make that assumption ever. Make the assumption that you own your body and act as if you do. And, it will really change the orientation of how you approach everything." —Cristen Pascucci
About Cristen Pascucci :
A former communications strategist at a top public affairs firm in Baltimore, Maryland, Cristen Pascucci is the founder of Birth Monopoly and Birth Monopoly's Doula Power group, co-creator of the Exposing the Silence Project, and, from 2012 to 2016, vice president of national advocacy organization Improving Birth. She has run an emergency hotline for women facing threats to their legal rights in childbirth, created a viral consumer campaign to “Break the Silence” on trauma and abuse in childbirth, and helped put obstetric violence and the maternity care crisis in national media. Today, she is a leading voice for women giving birth, speaking around the country and consulting privately for consumers and professionals on issues related to birth rights and options. Cristen is also the host of Birth Allowed Radio as well as executive producer of a documentary film planned for release in 2020 to start a national conversation on obstetric violence, birth trauma, and women's rights in birth.
Connect with Cristen Pascucci:
Website: birthmonopoly.com
Facebook: Birth Monopoly
Instagram: @birthmonopoly
Movie Trailer: Mother May I?
COVID-19 and Pregnancy Resources:
BIRTH MONOPOLY: COVID-19 AND DOULA SUPPORT: HOW TO RESPOND TO CHANGING HOSPITAL POLICIES
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Coronavirus COVID-19 | Evidence Based Birth® Resource Page
VBAC Facts: Offering Labor After Cesarean During COVID-19
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
Have you ever wondered what your rights are during childbirth? Listen in to part one of this much needed conversation as Cristen Pascucci, founder of Birth Monopoly shares with Michelle how the experience of her son's birth provided the impetus that led her to become a leading voice for women giving birth.
“There is that perception that in some situations, your consent doesn’t matter. As a woman, when it comes to sex and reproduction there are some situations where you no longer own your body. Someone else has the authority over your body. That is really powerful. And that is what continually surprises me that people don’t get more upset about it in the realm of childbirth. That really that people aren’t taking to the streets to say, 'My basic civil rights are not only violated as an individual, but widely disrespected in policy and practice all across the country in hundreds of facilities.'"—Cristen Pascucci
About Cristen Pascucci:
A former communications strategist at a top public affairs firm in Baltimore, Maryland, Cristen Pascucci is the founder of Birth Monopoly and Birth Monopoly's Doula Power group, co-creator of the Exposing the Silence Project, and, from 2012 to 2016, vice president of national advocacy organization Improving Birth. She has run an emergency hotline for women facing threats to their legal rights in childbirth, created a viral consumer campaign to “Break the Silence” on trauma and abuse in childbirth, and helped put obstetric violence and the maternity care crisis in national media. Today, she is a leading voice for women giving birth, speaking around the country and consulting privately for consumers and professionals on issues related to birth rights and options. Cristen is also the host of Birth Allowed Radio as well as executive producer of a documentary film planned for release in 2020 to start a national conversation on obstetric violence, birth trauma, and women's rights in birth.
Connect with Cristen Pascucci:
Website: birthmonopoly.com
Facebook: Birth Monopoly
Instagram: @birthmonopoly
COVID-19 and Pregnancy Resources:
BIRTH MONOPOLY: COVID-19 AND DOULA SUPPORT: HOW TO RESPOND TO CHANGING HOSPITAL POLICIES
Coronavirus COVID-19 | Evidence Based Birth® Resource Page
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
VBAC Facts: Offering Labor After Cesarean During COVID-19
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Show: Birth Ease
In these uncertain times that we are facing in this pandemic of the COVID-1, especially as a pregnant person, many expecting families are considering transferring from a hospital birth setting to a home or birth center setting. Listen in as Michelle and Mary Surprenant, Licensed Midwife, discuss the different types of midwifery training and licensing, the legalities of home birth in different states, insurance, and what home birth and birth center birth entails. Mary explains the safety considerations of out of hospital birth and when a transfer from home or birth center would be warranted. Together they recommend getting quiet and going within to discover where you would feel safest.
"Birth can't be done out of fear. … Where is it that you feel the safest? When you find that, that is the way to have your safe, peaceful birth when you're in the surroundings of chaos."—Mary Surprenant
About Mary Surprenant, LM, CPM:
Mary attended the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2012. She was licensed in 2013, and began her vocation as a midwife providing care to families in a birth center and home birth setting for over 5 years. Mary established her own home birth practice, Blessings in Abundance, in order to focus more on home birth and reconnecting with the client and her family as a whole. Her passion is helping more central Florida families bring their child into a peaceful world in the most loving way.
Connect with Mary Surprenant:
Website: biamidwifery.com
Facebook: @BIAMidwifery
Instagram: @surprenantlmcpm
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In these uncertain times that we are facing in this pandemic of the COVID-19, it is even more valuable to elicit the relaxation response and deepen the bonds of connection with our children and those we love. This episode includes an adapted version of Michelle's foundational Birth Ease relaxation session which assists parents in creating an Inner Sanctuary for themselves and their baby. If parents counteract the effects of stress by utilizing the relaxation response daily, their babies receive the benefit as well; especially babies in the womb. Pre & perinatal psychologists recommend connecting and bonding with your baby while in the womb as a vital way to help protect babies from stress and the rigors of birth.
The relaxation response is essentially the opposite reaction to the “fight or flight” response. It is a physical state of deep relaxation which engages the other part of your nervous system—the parasympathetic nervous system. Once engaged, it turns off the fight or flight response and brings the body back to pre-stress levels counteracting the physiological effects of stress and the fight or flight response. Episode 03 of this podcast lists ways to help reduce the impacts of stress and also contains a guided relaxation session for parents of all ages to help elicit the relaxation response and strengthen the parent-child bond.
"Finding ways to elicit the relaxation response is something everyone can use right now and the beneficial effects will trickle down to our children. We can be more present for them when we take time to get out of flight, fight, or freeze." —Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder: This guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
COVID-19 and Pregnancy Resources:
Coronavirus COVID-19 | Evidence Based Birth® Resource Page
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
BIRTH MONOPOLY: COVID-19 AND DOULA SUPPORT: HOW TO RESPOND TO CHANGING HOSPITAL POLICIES
VBAC Facts: Offering Labor After Cesarean During COVID-19
Aviva Romm, MD: COVID-19, and Pregnancy Breastfeeding: What We Know is Reassuring
World Health Organization: Q&A on COVID-19, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding
CDC: Information on COVID-19 and Pregnant Women and Children
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: Coronavirus infection and pregnancy
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Coronavirus-2019
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
As the few last weeks have unfolded in regards to the pandemic of the Coronavirus COVID-19 and the uncertainty we are facing; becoming quiet, going within, and eliciting the relaxation response is even more crucial. Multiple studies have the benefits of meditation and the relaxation response. This response reduces the impacts of stress and inflammation within the body, and reducing stress is one of the recommended actions to take to help strengthen your immune system.
In this special episode, Michelle created this guided imagery meditation to assist whomever is interested in listening to help mitigate the stress that most all of us are under, to reconnect with your own inner wisdom, and return to love. This meditation is more spiritual than religious in nature. In order to help each person listening find space for their own belief structure as it relates to their personal relationship with their higher power, Michelle refers to the Divine as God, as Creator of All That Is, as Source… What is comforting to one, may not be for another. Michelle encourages you to please use the name for God or Creator that resonates for you while listening to the meditation.
“There is a part of you that is your inner knowing, your own inner wisdom. This wisdom comes from the Creator and has been within you always. Often we forget to listen to it, or even how to listen to it. The beauty is you can remember how to listen. You can learn to trust yourself once again. One way to do that is to go within… relaxing the body… quieting the mind…. The mind doesn’t have to be perfectly still, it is simply listening for the voice that speaks to you with compassion, with love instead of fear or consternation or judgement… You can find that compassionate voice, you can remember the love that is there for you, and you can return to who you really are.” —Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder, this guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided meditation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided meditation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
About Michelle Smith:
Known for the soothing sound of her voice and calming presence, Michelle serves as an educator and advocate for families as they navigate our challenging medical system which often strips women of their autonomy and their right to be heard.
Michelle is the founder of the Birth Ease Method—an online and in person childbirth education program which teaches parents how to connect with their inner wisdom, release their fears, and create a deep and profound relaxation habit. Vital skills that serve families not only throughout their pregnancy and birth, but ultimately for the rest of their lives.
With first-hand experience regarding the deep and far-reaching impacts of stress, birth trauma, and perinatal loss; Michelle has developed a specialization that includes stress reduction, natural childbirth, parenting, grief, trauma, and birth-related post-traumatic stress. An expert in the field, Michelle possesses twenty years of experience as an educator, birth and bereavement doula, ordained interfaith minister, energy healing practitioner, and in the field of clinical hypnosis. She is creating transformation in the lives of families one birth at a time.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this insightful interview, Kathy Tagudin shares with Michelle her remarkable recovery from debilitating, chronic illness that doctors deemed incurable. Together Kathy and Michelle explore why connecting with your inner knowing, listening fully to the wisdom of your body, and finding compassion for self is imperative.
“Disconnection from self is the danger of all. ...And we are searching and searching for someone to give us our worth and our power, and someone to blame for why we don’t have those things. And meanwhile, you’re just here- waiting for you.” —Kathy Tagudin
About Kathy Tagudin:
Kathy is a mind-body connection specialist who helps women listen to their bodies and live authentic lives. Kathy believes disconnection from self is the root of all pain and suffering and that mindful awareness holds the key to our health, happiness, and future. Kathy's birth as a master coach and mindfulness teacher stems from her life-altering nine-year journey surviving disabling, chronic illness. Struggling to walk, talk, eat, or maintain essential bodily functions, doctors labeled her incurable. But by discovering her body's inner wisdom, she reclaimed her life…one milestone at a time. Her mission in life is to remind everyone what you need is already within.
Connect Kathy Tagudin:
Facebook: Kathy Tagadin, Mind-Body Specialist
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Annette Leary shares with Michelle the multitude of ways that CranioSacral Therapy benefits people of all ages and stages in life. CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. It was pioneered and developed by Osteopathic Physician John E. Upledger after years of clinical testing and research at Michigan State University.
"For newborns, those are the kinda things we look at: digestion, feeding, being able to self-soothe, being able to sleep- really disruptive sleep patterns with the babies. I'll also see situations where you know maybe the baby is a week or two old and I'll hear, "Oh, he is so strong. He is standing up." Hmm… babies aren't supposed to stand up at two weeks or arch their head back." —Annette Leary
About Annette Leary:
Annette has been working with families for over 30 years as a pediatric/postpartum nurse, childbirth educator, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She enjoys working with the whole family to improve their state of wellness and to educate them on how to seek knowledge on managing their health. This commitment to families led Annette to become Upledger Institute trained in Craniosacral Therapy.
Connect with Annette Leary:
Website: https://www.iahp.com/Annette-Leary/
Facebook: Annette Leary, Annette's Natural Approach to Heath and Wellness
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this second half of this two part interview, listen in as Michelle and Susan Dascenzi continue their conversation regarding trauma. They discuss the secondary post traumatic stress that can impact birth workers, hospital staff, and care providers. They touch upon the ways conditioning, past painful learning, and/or trauma constrict a person's ability to give voice to their wants, concerns, and needs— particularly during their pregnancy and birth. Susan explains why having tools and a road map are essential to creating post traumatic growth. She shares valuable tips to begin working through something traumatic and how to navigate those times when a situation is triggering strong sensations of past trauma.
"One of the big things that I think is super important in understanding first about triggers is that triggers can happen in a whole host of ways. You have emotional triggers. You have spiritual triggers. You have physiological triggers. You have mental triggers. … Feelings and emotions are not the same thing. Feelings are physical sensations in the physical body only." —Susan Dascenzi
Susan L. Dascenzi is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Life and Business Coach, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, and the Health and Fitness Category Director for Podcast Magazine. She has invested the last 27 years in guiding her clients in recognizing how their past negative conditioning creates their present and future and stops them from stepping into their infinite possibilities. As a highly regarded human behavior and emotions expert, also known as “The Possibilities Curator,” she co-authored an Amazon Ranked #1 International Best-Selling book alongside Neale Donald Walsch and Marci Shimoff, with her own book set to release late 2020.
Connect with Susan:
Show: Kick Your Buts podcast
Facebook: @Susan Dascenzi, @kickyourbuts
Twitter: @susandascenzi
Instagram: @sdascenzi1
LinkedIn: @susandascenzi/
Website: kickyourbuts.com
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this two part interview, listen in as Michelle and Susan Dascenzi delve deeper into what trauma is and the concept of Big ‘T’ and Little ‘t’ trauma as it relates to pregnancy and birth.
"Trauma is anything that is shocking to our system and that we then have a difficult time either making sense of, understanding, or receiving the experience as something that we can manage and handle. So it becomes kinda this loop that happens in our mind where we pick apart every piece of it and we often insert self-blame into it." —Susan Dascenzi
Susan L. Dascenzi is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Life and Business Coach, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, and the Health and Fitness Category Director for Podcast Magazine. She has invested the last 27 years guiding her clients in recognizing how their past negative conditioning creates their present and future and stops them from stepping into their infinite possibilities. As a highly regarded human behavior and emotions expert, also known as “The Possibilities Curator,” she co-authored an Amazon Ranked #1 International Best-Selling book alongside Neale Donald Walsch and Marci Shimoff, with her own book set to release late 2020.
Connect with Susan:
Show: Kick Your Buts podcast
Facebook: @Susan Dascenzi, @kickyourbuts
Twitter: @susandascenzi
Instagram: @sdascenzi1
LinkedIn: @susandascenzi/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
What was it like to give birth 25, 30, 40 years ago? Listen in as Meg Folsom and Michelle share with humor, anger, and sorrow about their experiences of giving birth decades earlier. Together they recall the loss of autonomy women endured with forced routine episiotomies, enemas, forcep deliveries, the husband stitch, and the separation of the mother-baby dyad. They reflect on the trauma that these barbaric hospital practices and protocols created for families.
“I’m trying to do the breathing that they teach you. The ‘HE-HE, HO-HO’ and you know that’s a joke. … And then they tell me they're gonna cut me and do an episiotomy. And I am like, “WHAT?” I have my baby. They take him away. My parents had gotten to the hospital, and I didn’t even get to name my own baby. They asked my mother what his name was… Then they wheeled me out and left me in the hallway on a gurney. … So I laid in the hallway by myself not knowing if my son was okay or not.” —Meg Folsom
About Meg Folsom:
Meg has been protecting the sanctity of birth as a doula, midwifery birth assistant, birth center manager, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, and placenta encapsulation specialist for over 20 years. The depth of Meg’s knowledge, insight, and her compassionate heart has touched the lives of hundreds of families in Central Florida. Meg is continuing to serve families at Tree of Life Birth and Gynecology in Orlando, Florida.
Connect with Meg Folsom:
Facebook: Meg Folsom , Tree of Life Birth and Gynecology
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In last week’s episode, Michelle and Dr. Lyndsey Sutherland touched upon the stress and trauma that her pediatric families are experiencing within their pregnancies, during the birth of their babies, and the implications this is having on her tiny patients. That conversation prompted Michelle to share her guest spot on Susan Dascenzi’s podcast, Kick Your Buts. In this foundation interview, together Susan and Michelle touch on what trauma is, explain how stress during pregnancy and birth can have an impact on the child, define trauma within birth, the importance of finding tools to mitigate stress, and practices to help support a new family.
"There is a sad statistic 35-50% of women experience birth trauma, 2.5%-9% will experience birth related PTSD, and many pre and perinatal psychologists feel that the birth trauma for babies is epidemic right now. That sets the stage. How are you treated the very moment that you take your [first] breath?" — Michelle Smith
Susan L. Dascenzi is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Life and Business Coach, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, and the Health and Fitness Category Director for Podcast Magazine. She has invested the last 27 years guiding her clients in recognizing how their past negative conditioning creates their present and future and stops them from stepping into their infinite possibilities. As a highly regarded human behavior and emotions expert, also known as “The Possibilities Curator,” she co-authored an Amazon Ranked #1 International Best-Selling book alongside Neale Donald Walsch and Marci Shimoff, with her own book set to release late 2020.
Connect with Susan:
Show: Kick Your Buts podcast
Facebook: @Susan Dascenzi, @kickyourbuts
Twitter: @susandascenzi
Instagram: @sdascenzi1
LinkedIn: @susandascenzi/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle and Dr. Lyndsey Sutherland, DNP, ARNP discuss the beauty of integrating both Eastern and Western medical practices when caring for our children, and how this holistic approach looks for the root of the problem versus simply treating the systems. In this proactive practice model, the provider is treating the whole child and supporting the whole family. Lyndsey shares what to look for when choosing a pediatric provider for your child. Together they stress the importance of finding a caregiver that creates an environment that promotes mutual communication, safety, and trust.
Dr. Lyndsey Sutherland, DNP, ARNP is a passionate mother and advocate for healthy families. She is both a professor at the University of Central Florida and an entrepreneur working hard to empower families on their journey to live happy and full lives. Lyndsey is a Family Nurse Practitioner who received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Central Florida with honors. In her practice she focuses on prevention and education, which are the building blocks to maintain and establish health. She works closely with a network of medical professionals to find the root cause of illness for her patients and not just treat their symptoms. Lyndsey believes in you. She believes in your children. She knows you were made for this and that together we will not just survive parenthood, but thrive as mothers and fathers of the children we love so much.
"If you don't feel safe [with your provider] and if you don't feel comfortable, it is important to keep looking. It's a long journey. And to not feel safe and comfortable with someone, that's way too long to be holding hands with someone. And we are talking about your precious family, and so to me, it only makes sense to find the right person who will come along side you in this journey." —Lyndsey Sutherland
Connect with Dr. Lyndsey Sutherland, DNP, ARNP:
Website: http://www.lyndseysutherland.com
Facebook: @LyndseySutherlandDNP
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
We all need a guide to help us stay in a more positive and peaceful space for ourselves and our babies. Dr. Ankita Marjadi’s book, "Knock, Knock, Let's Talk" is just that. This beautiful resource is for all expecting mothers. It is designed to reduce the fear and anxiety a mother may be experiencing during her pregnancy and to enhance bonding with the baby in her womb. It acts as an uplifting guide for mom during each week of her pregnancy and provides a passage to be read to the baby that teaches a virtue such as kindness, happiness and honesty. It also includes a space for journaling and sharing a mother’s own thoughts and dreams with her baby. In this episode, Dr. Marjadi graciously shares with Michelle how the book was born during her second pregnancy as she searched for a way to lessen the fear and stress that threatened to consume her after losing her first child to a stillbirth. This sweet book, which can be used at any time to receive a dose of motivation and positivity, is the achievement closest to her heart.
"Babies are very, very conscious. They're having an environment in the womb. They can feel what you are giving emotionally. And they are learning and listening to everything that you have to offer. So if you are saying and if you are talking to your baby something positive, it has a very beautiful positive reaction unto the baby because the baby feels wanted. The baby feels loved with the words you are sharing." —Dr. Ankita Marjadi
About Dr.Ankita Sapan Marjadi
Dr. Marjadi is a psychotherapist, homeopath, and the co- founder of Arogyada Online Homeopathy Clinic. She is also an entrepreneur, blogger, social activist and a doting mother of two beautiful girls. She is a popular name amongst bloggers wherein she blogs about health, relationships, life and its mysteries, and happiness. She has been the pioneer of 'Need to Talk Initiative', 'Starting a Smile Mile, Will You Join Me?' and 'I Choose to Happy and Healthy through Homeopathy'. She is an eminent speaker on topics such as positive parenting, how to cope up with stress, health and hygiene for kids, menstrual hygiene, good touch bad touch for children, how to keep our mental health good, and life after 40 for women. Dr. Marjadi is the author of the book, “ Knock Knock Let's Talk” which is on positive thinking during pregnancy which has been the achievement which is very close to her heart.
Connect with Dr. Ankita Sapan Marjadi:
Book: Knock Knock Let's Talk
Websites: www.ankitasmetanoia.in www.arogyadaclinic.com
Facebook: Author Dr. Ankita Sapan Marjadi
Instagram: ankita_sapan
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram:@birtheaselosssupport, @ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Juliet Michaels shares insights with Michelle into the multiple advantages that chiropractic care brings to babies and their mothers during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum year. Juliet explains how gentle the chiropractic adjustments are for expecting mothers, babies, and children and how this care differs from that a non-pregnant adult would receive. Juliet provides guidance regarding signs to look for in your newborn that signal that your baby, and you, would benefit from chiropractic care.
“Statistically, women who [receive chiropractic care and] get adjusted throughout pregnancy and during labor have faster and, what they report as easier, labors than those who don't." — Juliet Michaels
About Juliet Michaels:
Juliet is a Chiropractic Physician. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University and her Doctorate of Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic. She has published research on the benefits of chiropractic care and its efficacy of many pediatric and pregnancy related issues. Juliet very is passionate about helping Central Florida families achieve their pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and neonatal goals.
Connect with Juliet Michaels, DC:
Facebook: Juliet Michaels, DC , Family Tree Chiropractic
Website: Integrated Chiropractic
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle shares with birth partners how an understanding of the learning styles Visual, Auditory, Tactile-Kinesthetic,and Olfactory-Gustatory can help them to better provide comfort measures and support their partner during labor and birth. The beauty of this is that the expecting mom and her birth partner can explore what both their learning and processing styles are before labor begins and consider what she thinks would be the most helpful to her at the time of birth. If the mom’s strongest learning style is the birth partner’s weakest, he or she can begin to think of ways to support her that may not naturally occur to them. This basic understanding of learning and processing styles can explain why a laboring mom is so sensitive to certain things in labor such as the feel of monitors on her skin, the sound of the voices at the nurses station, or the smell of that hamburger someone ate for lunch. These suggestions for comfort measures during labor and birth are helpful no matter a birthing mom’s predominant learning and processing style.
Resources:
Studying Style
Help Your Student Find Their Learning Style and Succeed
4 Types of Learning Styles
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as Michelle and Kathy Bradley explore the sources of fear and stress that can create doubts surrounding the ability to breastfeed our babies and trust ourselves as parents. They also discuss the importance of reducing the shame present in our culture regarding breastfeeding and the guilt a mother can feel if she needs to supplement, is unable to breastfeed, or decides to bottle and/or formula feed her baby.
“We are getting the messages in our culture that breastfeeding is best, but it’s not being modeled. So in an unconscious, non-verbal way we are getting two different messages that we are diabolically opposed.” —Kathy Bradley
About Kathy Bradley:
Spanning a 30 year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations, and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improve birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley:
Website: childbirthconcierge.com
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: Childbirth Concierge
YouTube: Childbirth Concierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: The Birth Ease Podcast
Listen in as Michelle and Mitchell Jarrell discuss the ways our senses impact our learning and processing styles. Mitchell explains how gaining an understanding of the different styles can help you to support your child’s learning. This understanding can also improve communication within your relationships. Together Mitchell and Michelle stress the importance of doing the work of self-growth and cultivating our own self-acceptance. Because we cannot instill self-esteem in our children, if we do not have it to give.
“Take time to understand someone else. And if you care about them, figure out how they learn. That way you can better communicate." —Mitchell Jarrell
Resources:
Studying Style
Help Your Student Find Their Learning Style and Succeed
4 Types of Learning Styles
Mitchell Jarrell is a former teacher and gifted artist.
Connect with Mitchell Jarrell (Smith) and learn more about his art:
Instagram: @handspuntattoos
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Feeling Stressed this Holiday Season? This time of year can be magical and joyous, and it can also bring a lot of stress and overwhelm. For some of us, we are facing the holiday season without someone we love. The grief can be daunting at times. For others, the holidays are haunted with painful memories that can bring with them anxiety.
With this in mind, Michelle has created a guided relaxation session geared towards anyone wanting to release the stress and overwhelm this season can bring. The purpose is to help you return to your center to find clarity and peace.
“It is my sincerest wish [for you] that this holiday season be filled with peace and moments of magic and love.” —Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder: This guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Listen in as April Dawn shares with Michelle the powerful stories that shaped April’s desire to serve families during the childbearing year. Their conversation explores the benefits of bodywork: massage, reflexology, acupressure, healing touch, as well as the ways that our body stores memory and emotion within our very cells. Together they share insights into the selfless gift that adoption brings to families.
“Sometimes it takes the power of that [healing] touch to release what you're holding. Bringing it up to the surface so that you can recognize it. See it. Sometimes that is all that emotion wants. It just wants you to see it and recognize it; and love it and let it go." — April Dawn
About April Dawn:
April has been attending pregnant, laboring, and newly born families for over 30 years. Having attended her first birth while still in high school, she felt ignited by the calling to support families as they bring their babies Earthside. In this spirit, she has dedicated her life to the study of all things health —nutrition, healing-touch modalities, and the human microbiome — working actively in the naturopathic, chiropractic, and nutritional health arenas. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Food-Healing Instructor, and Master of Culinary Arts. April is a true birth guardian, having worked as both a midwifery birth Assistant, as well as a doula in the home, hospital, and birthing center setting.
Connect with April Dawn:
Facebook: The Mothered Momma
Instagram: @themotheredmomma
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Michelle is excited to interview Natasha Solovieff. Together they explore the ways that parenting can be compared to an ongoing dance with your child and the importance of acknowledging the needs of both parent and child. Natasha explains the ways your can decrease your stress, filter through all the information and opinions, and connect more fully with your children, your partner, and your own inner wisdom. Natasha shares her L.O.V.V.E. process: Listening, Om-ing (centering yourself), Voicing, Visioning, and Exploring. Her tools are invaluable when planning a pregnancy, during pregnancy and birth, while communicating with medical providers, throughout your parenting years, and even once your children are adults.
“The challenge of all of this is we don’t live in a listening culture and we, ourselves, haven’t been taught how to listen, let alone, what it is to be listened to. But we have to listen to ourselves and ask to be listened to.” —Natasha Solovieff
About Natasha Solovieff:
Natasha is a mom, now to a beautiful twenty something. With a BSN and M.Ed., she has 25+ years as a Maternal Child Health clinical and public health nurse. She is the author of The Dance of Parenting - Finding Your Inner Choreographer, a book that invites you to energize and strengthen your parenting dance by using your parenting L.O.V.V.E. skills. She also writes heartfelt and intriguing science-for-parents blogs.
Connect with Natasha Solovieff:
Website: OMGparenting.com
Twitter: @OParenting
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: fb.me/birtheasemethod
Instagram:@ birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, this time of year can be magical, and at the same time there are the images and expectations of happy family get-togethers and the pressure to keep up with the parties, gift giving, and years of tradition. Michelle has created this special episode for those of us facing the holidays after experiencing a loss. The experience of grief may take the form of the death of a loved one, it may be the loss of a relationship through a break up, divorce or separation, it may be a move that now has you far from family and friends, or a major life transition. The grief may be from the wounding we experienced from past painful holidays. This episode is meant to create a space to simply relax into and honor what is there for you. Michelle shares 7 tips for facing the holidays when grieving or facing the challenges of stressful family dynamics. There will be a meditation at the end of this episode to help create a safe haven in a time of loss, grief and/or transition.
“The holidays feel incredibly daunting... When you are grieving any sort of loss, now more than ever, be kind to yourself. Be patient and compassionate with yourself. You need only do what you feel capable of. Nothing more. It really is okay to put yourself first. I would suggest surrounding yourself when possible with those that can honor your grief and allow you the freedom and vulnerability to cry, laugh, be sad, leave early if you need to. Someone that allows you to be authentic.” — Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com//loss-support
Facebook: fb.me/thebirtheasepodcast
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Episode references:
http://www.legacy.com/news/advice-and-support/article/david-kesslers-top-4-tips-for-dealing-with-holiday-grief
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-tips-for-those-dealing-with-grief-during-the-holidays_b_13688346
https://mindfulnessandgrief.com/7-tips-to-support-grieving-children-during-the-holidays/
https://www.grief.com
Michelle is incredibly honored to feature another one of her mentors in the birth field, Kathy Bradley. With 50 years of combined experience between them, Michelle and Kathy discuss the ways that a doula can reduce stress and fear during the childbearing year. Kathy explains what a doula is, the history of the profession, and the continuity of care doulas provide. She stresses the importance of taking into consideration a doula’s birth philosophy as it compares to your desires for your birth, as well as the value her years of experience can bring to you. Kathy shares a powerful technique to help release any negative and limiting beliefs someone may have regarding their ability to give birth.
“There is so much fear and so much unrest. And I believe we are in process of women recognizing that through the ages somewhere our voice has been diminished. Our ability to believe in ourselves has been stolen. And so we are working to reclaim that we are powerful human beings. That we can chose powerfully. That we know what our body needs... Because our ability to believe in ourselves and our ability to give birth has been stolen from us. We are in the process of reclaiming that back.”— Kathy Bradley
About Kathy Bradley:
Spanning a 30 year career in the maternal health field, Kathy is the visionary behind Childbirth Concierge. She holds a degree in Communication and Public Relations, and is a Certified Childbirth Consultant as well as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Kathy’s focus over the years has been providing education and support to women of all income levels. She worked for 14 years in Maternal Health at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. As the founder and executive director of the former Childbirth Enhancement Foundation, she developed partnerships and training programs for community based doula programs with 14 hospitals. Kathy developed the Community Outreach Perinatal Educator Program for Commonsense Childbirth, Inc.- a nonprofit institution dedicated eliminating racial and class disparities in perinatal health and improve birth outcomes for all.
She is strongly motivated to support women no matter how they choose to birth or feed their babies. As a mother of 5, she truly understands the challenges families face preparing for birth and caring for their newborns. A born educator, she is in her element teaching new parents and health professionals.
Connect with Kathy Bradley:
Website: childbirthconcierge.com
Instagram: @childbirthconcierge
Facebook: Childbirth Concierge
YouTube: Childbirth Concierge
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: The Birth Ease Podcast
Michelle has a candid conversation with Meg Folsom, a fellow birth guardian, about the importance of choosing your caregiver and place of birth as an expectant family. Meg shares her personal birth stories and how that shaped her journey as a birth professional. Together, they want women to understand they have options in their maternity care, as well as rights and autonomy over their bodies and their babies. Meg stresses the importance of asking questions and requesting the pros and cons of a protocol or medical procedure. She counsels women to stop frightening and judging one another. People need to respect everyone’s right to chose what is best for their own family, regardless of their own preferences. The journey into motherhood forever changes a woman. Meg and Michelle advise women to learn to listen to and trust their babies, their bodies, and themselves.
"It is all about being informed. But there are so many other things to take into consideration with birth. Women that have had sexual trauma. Women who have experienced sexual abuse, rape. It is a whole different ball game for them. And, for those women, they need that extra level of care and understanding. Unless you've been in that position, you can't know how that woman is feeling. And if you can't empathize with her, then you owe to that woman to at least listen." — Meg Folsom
About Meg Folsom:
Meg has been protecting the sanctity of birth as a doula, midwifery birth assistant, birth center manager, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, and placenta encapsulation specialist for over 20 years. The depth of Meg’s knowledge, insight, and her compassionate heart have touched the lives of hundreds of families in Central Florida.
Connect with Meg Folsom:
Facebook: mommeg
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Michelle talks with Amy Gendron about the incredible advantages Oriental medicine can provide throughout a woman's lifetime. Oriental medicine's very tenet it seeks to maintain health and treat the whole person versus focusing on just a set of symptoms. Michelle and Amy discuss the the ways that Oriental medicine is a powerful adjunct to a woman and her partner when they are ready to conceive a child, throughout each trimester of pregnancy, during labor, postpartum, and beyond. Amy explains how acupuncture can help bring a woman into balance by addressing blood quality, stress levels, and stimulating the immune system. Stress is a major contributor to pregnancy complications. Oriental medicine helps mitigate pregnancy symptoms and ease the transition into motherhood. It supports the recovery and replenishment of a women in all aspects from the many depleting factors of pregnancy and birth.
"Most women have a strange relationship with their menstrual cycle, and that is the foundation, the backbone... If you can tell me what your menstrual cycle is like, I know everything about you because it is a very transparent window that can give us a lot of information about a woman's mind and body." — Amy Gendron
About Amy Gendron:
Amy began her journey in holistic health as a personal trainer, mentored by a black belt martial artist. Amy specializes in sports medicine, cosmetic acupuncture, and women’s health. She has trained as a doula, and in 2013 she traveled to China completed an externship which included herbal medicine for women’s health with nationally renowned Dr. Shui. Last year, Amy was one of the few American physicians invited to attend a Physiological Regulating Medicine program in Milan, Italy. Amy’s approach to healing empowers her patients to live with vitality, by integrating the best wellness and medical practices. She works as a specialty physician in several clinics in Central Florida area.
Connect with Amy Gendron:
Instagram: acu_amy_g/
Facebook: AmyGendronAP
Website: amygendron.com/
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special episode for the month of October honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle has a profound conversation with her mentor, Amy Wright Glenn. Because birth and death are intertwined, their conversation not only benefits bereaved parents, but provides powerful insights to birth professionals as well.
Amy reflects upon what healing means as it relates to loss and how the managed medical care model can do a disservice to the bereaved. Healing does not mean a return to what was, a fixing, or making it look like it never happened. Healing is an ongoing journey of keeping our heart open, and being compassionate and present to what is. It is an approach to learning how to walk in a world where we do reconcile with things we didn't want to occur. And yet, these things happened.
Mourning is our personal expression of grief. Our inner experience of loss is the grief. That grief needs to be expressed through mourning. That can be public, it can be private, it can be a combination of both. That expression is unique to each person. Ritual can be a powerful tool at anytime after a loss. It is never too late to utilize ritual to create meaning and process the loss.
Amy and Michelle touch upon the importance of planning and preparing for the death of a loved one when circumstances allow so that decisions are made when the brain isn't in emergency mode and feeling rushed and overwhelmed. And at the same time, the emotional pain of the loss is difficult, intense, and raw; no matter how prepared we may be. Creating space to slow down and be gentle with ourselves is vital.
"Loss is a deep, deep [life] transition to integrate… We, over time, learn to reconcile with the losses we have known. But this may take many, many years." – Amy Wright Glenn
About Amy Wright Glenn:
As the author of Birth, Breath, and Death– Meditations on Motherhood, Chaplaincy, and Life as a Doula and Holding Space– On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go, Amy Wright Glenn weaves together scholarly research with the heartfelt telling of stories in her work. She founded the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death in 2015 drawing upon her interest in exploring pregnancy loss, the work of facing fear, cultural attitudes about birthing, and what it means to be a doula for the birthing and dying. Amy offers innovative and inspiring professional development opportunities focusing on the self-care of teachers, doulas, midwives, chaplains, and all drawn to holding space for mindful birthing, living, and dying.
Contact Amy Wright Glenn:
Website: www.birthbreathanddeath.com
Instagram: @amywrightglenn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyWrightGlenn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birthbreathanddeath
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: @birtheaselosssupport Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport @birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special episode for the month of October honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle has a beautiful and healing conversation with The Radical Rabbi, Elisheva (Emily) Brenner. Emily shares her own journey of perinatal loss, which she describes as the tsunami of her soul. She retells the sacred wisdom story that helped her create a Divine Reframe and quiet the storm within her own heart. Emily explains the foundational five step program she teaches, based on the journey of the Israelites in the desert, which can assist anyone in weathering the most difficult of circumstances. As a divorce lawyer, a psychologist, and a rabbi, Emily shares insights that can help couples to traverse the extreme grief of losing a child and support any other children they may have that are also grieving as well. Michelle and Emily discuss how even in our deepest sorrow, in our deepest pain, we can still find peace. We can still find moments of joy.
“You are living in this world for a reason and your journey as a parent has a reason.”— Rabbi Elisheva
About Rabbi Elisheva:
What do you get when you combine a veteran divorce lawyer, a psychologist and a rabbi?...The Radical Rabbi!!! Rabbi Elisheva (Emily) Brenner is known for the rich multidisciplinary perspective she brings to dealing with life’s problems. As the host of The Radical Rabbi podcast and creator of the Radical Rabbi Online Academy, Emily encourages every person to embrace the unique psycho-spiritual journey that is his or her life so they can find meaning, purpose, freedom, self-empowerment and authenticity.
Connect with Rabbi Elisheva:
website: theradicalrabbi.com
Twitter: @myradicalrabbi
Linked In: radicalrabbi
Instagram: @radicalrabbi
Facebook: @radicalrabbi
Show: The Radical Rabbi
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com//loss-support
Facebook: fb.me/BirthEaseLossSupport
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle has an open and raw conversation with Matt who lost his daughter, Rowan, to a stillbirth. Matt candidly shares the journey of baby loss from the perspective of a bereaved father. He describes how grief and loss, through no fault of your own, can create a sense of being ostracized by those around you. Because of the unique nature of perinatal loss, Matt explains how grieving parents inadvertently often end up comforting those around them. Michelle and Matt discuss how the loss of a child can shake the foundation of your belief system, how you understand the universe, and even your place in the world. Matt also points out that sharing unsolicited religious beliefs in an attempt to comfort someone mourning can often inadvertently have a profound effect on their grief — it can cause anger, sadness, increase their sorrow or compound the burden that they are already carrying.
"Because to be honest, a loss of a child isn't fair. No matter how it happens, it just isn't fair. And that is something to be angry about." — Matt
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram:@birtheaselosssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this special bonus episode, Michelle honors October 15th: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. She has created a guided relaxation recording geared towards parents grieving the loss of a baby or a child. However, it can be helpful for anyone walking through the journey of grief. The intention is to help release some of the heaviness of our grief and to provide an opportunity to feel the love and connection that we have with our beloved child or loved one. If you would like a version of this guided relaxation session geared towards the loss of any loved one, please simply contact us through the website. We would be honored to send it to you.
“I, too, am walking through this journey of grief at this present time in my life. It is my sincerest wish that you find this guided relaxation soothing and healing.” — Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder, this guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation recording while engaged in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are a passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com/loss-support
Facebook: fb.me/BirthEaseLossSupport
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Episode 006: In this special episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle has a beautiful and inspirational conversation with Nydia, mother to Santiago and Mateo. Her insights will benefit anyone traversing the pain of losing a child, a loved one, or some sort of tragedy. During Nydia's eighth month of pregnancy, she lost her beloved older sister to cancer. Approximately a month later, Nydia experienced the stillbirth of her son which almost cost her her own life as well. Nydia sagely shares what she found instrumental in her ability to move forward from such intense grief.
"Because suffering happens, I think, when you are in one place and wanting to be somewhere else." — Nydia
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com/loss-support
Facebook: fb.me/BirthEaseLossSupport
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Episode 005: In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle shares that 1 in 4 women have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. Because of the silence surrounding loss of a child, it can cause the necessary grieving to to be a lonely and isolating experience. Even if you, as the listener, were blessed to have never personally experienced perinatal loss, the chances are quite high that you know someone that has. The silence surrounding this type of loss can leave us unsure of how to really support grieving families, which can sometimes lead to well-meaning comments inadvertently cutting a grieving parent to the core. Michelle shares best practices and helpful ways to support families experiencing the devastation that perinatal loss brings.
“It is time to break the silence surrounding pregnancy and infant loss so that families are no longer grieving alone.” — Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com//loss-support
Facebook: fb.me/BirthEaseLossSupport
Instagram: @birtheaselosssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Episode references:
Handouts and materials from Gary Vogel, LMT and Bereavement Services: Resolve through Sharing
In this fourth episode, Michelle has a conversation with Stephanie Smith, E-RYT, PRYT regarding the benefits of yoga for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond. Stephanie explains how yoga not only prepares the physical body for the stress and rigors of birth, but the emotional body as well. She explains the connection between our breath and reduction of the flight/flight stress response. Stephanie shares how her yoga practice helped her to set healthy boundaries with others during her pregnancy and keep a sense of ease and calm when her plans for daughter’s birth did not go as she had envisioned. We discuss how yoga can prepare, protect, and enhance the healing of our pelvic floor during the childbearing year. She also shares the benefits of a yoga nidra practice, which is especially vital after the baby’s birth as it invokes the relaxation response and turns on the parasympathetic nervous system—the rest and restore part of our nervous system.
“That is what the beauty of that yoga practice is, that deeper connection within, where you can just feel the experience, there’s no thinking at all that is required.” — Stephanie Smith
About Stephanie Smith, E-RYT, PRYT:
Stephanie is an Orlando based Yoga Instructor specializing in Pre and Postnatal Yoga. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Central Florida and is an E-RYT, PRYT Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Her love of Yoga and travel has taken her to Thailand numerous times where she has had the privilege of studying Yoga extensively at Centered Yoga. As a mother herself, Stephanie has an understanding of how the Yoga practice evolves both during pregnancy and postpartum. She strives to create an environment of support for fellow Mothers to know that they are not alone on the beautiful, yet sometimes rocky, journey that is motherhood.
Connect with Stephanie Smith:
Website: stephaniesmithyoga.com
Instagram: @thetravelingyogini
Facebook: Stephanie Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
YouTube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
In this third episode, Michelle discusses ways to mitigate stress such as creating a strong support network of friends and family, counseling, journaling, and meditation. She also explains what the relaxation response is and the benefits it provides. This episode includes a bonus guided relaxation session that helps to create a healing relational field between a parent and their child(ren) that enhances connection and bonding—no matter the age of their baby and/or child(ren).
“If parents counteract the effects of stress by utilizing the relaxation response daily, their babies receive the benefit as well, especially babies in the womb. The baby’s experience of conception through the first year of life forms a template for life. Pre and perinatal psychologists recommend connecting and bonding with your baby while in the womb as a vital way to help protect babies from stress and the rigors of birth.” — Michelle Smith
As a gentle reminder: This guided relaxation recording audio is for just that, relaxation purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice or treatment, nor does it imply a specific outcome during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or beyond. Please avoid listening to this guided relaxation while engaging in an activity that requires your full attention. Please stop the podcast and return to it when you can be safely seated or reclining in a supported position. Unless you are the passenger listening to this guided relaxation with headphones on, for everyone’s safety never listen to it while driving or riding in a vehicle.
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Episode resources:
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/stress-and-pregnancy.aspx
https://www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/heart-and-soul-healing/201303/dr-herbert-benson-s-relaxation-response?
https://www.bensonhenryinstitute.org/about-us-dr-herbert-benson/
https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/stress-marks#1
Newsweek Special Edition: Your Baby's Brain 2015 "Keep Calm and Carry On"
APPPAH interview with William Emerson, MD
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016043/ The relationship between stress and fertility
https://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/womens-health/articles/2010/08/27/cant-get-pregnant-how-stress-may-be-causing-your-infertility
In this second episode, Michelle sets the foundation; she explains what she means by "noise" in the podcast introduction and exactly what stress is and the impacts it has. Michelle shares how stress can affect our ability to conceive a child, as well as cause pregnancy complications and preterm birth. If a mother is experiencing chronic or intense acute stress, then it will actually interfere with the wiring of the unborn baby's brain. During the birth, stress and fear can cause labor to slow or stall. Michelle shares measures to help make the transition from the womb into the world less stressful for the baby. Stressful life events can be a factor in developing postpartum depression as well.
Michelle reassures listeners that women undergoing acute or chronic stress can have healthy pregnancies and give birth to healthy babies, but it is vital to reduce our stress as much as possible and find coping skills and techniques to help. Please check out the next episode. We will be discussing ways to mitigate stress and elicit the relaxation response. It will include a bonus guided relaxation session that is valuable for anyone that has a child or children in their life, no matter the age of the child.
“Stress can impact us, our relationships, and our bodies. There is help in the form of resources, techniques, and coping skills.” — Michelle Smith
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith
Youtube: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
Episode References:
“Too much stress for the mother affects the baby through amniotic fluid”
Stress & Pregnancy
Can your stress affect your fetus?
Can’t get pregnant? How stress may be causing your infertility
The relationship between stress and infertility
The Effects of Prenatal Stress on Child Behavioural and Cognitive Outcomes Starts at the Beginning
Stress Symptoms: Effects of Stress on the Body
The Effect of Stressful Life Events on Postpartum Depression: Findings from the 2009-2011 Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum Depression Facts
Interview with Thomas Verny, MD on the 2019 Better Birth 360 Summit hosted by Nicholas Olow
Newsweek Special Edition: Your Baby's Brain 2015 "Keep Calm and Carry On"
How do you filter through all of the uninvited opinions that suddenly come your way when you decide to have a child? How do you know what's trustworthy information and what's a myth or just plain outdated? Join Michelle Smith, CHt -- founder of The Birth Ease Method childbirth program -- and her guests as they share valuable tips, tools, and proven methods to cut through the noise and fear. For 20 years as a birth professional, Michelle has personally helped hundreds of families understand their options in maternity care, transform their fears and stress, and connect with their inner calm as they navigate the sacred journey that is pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.