In this short episode I address this really thoughtful comment from a listener - "I've noticed that Dr. Rankins' position statements have gotten stronger on the negatives of a hospital birth over time (in the year+ that I've been listening). For instance her opening introduction now frames hospitals as a system that "too often takes away power from women over what happens in their own bodies." When she first started I think this was phrased more as "it can undermine women" or something a little ...
Nov 07, 2024•16 min
Dealing with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is no fun. You’ve probably heard of “morning sickness” but that’s a misnomer - queasiness can happen at any time of day (and during any stage of pregnancy too). The good news is, for most people, it’s nothing to worry about. Even though it’s uncomfortable (and sometimes downright miserable), it’s generally not harmful to you or your baby. In this episode, you’ll learn about triggers, warning signs, and relief options for nausea and vomiting in pr...
Nov 05, 2024•36 min
How did a birth described as “a series of traumatic events” end up being the best experience of Jenna’s life? Despite all of the unexpected challenges, getting through the 65 hour labor and birth helped her find peace and confidence in her intuition. Jenna’s story reminds us that it’s okay to feel both grateful to a medical team and to feel upset about how certain aspects of care were handled. It’s well beyond time to stop saying that “all that matters is a healthy baby”—the full experience matt...
Oct 29, 2024•54 min
In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month this October, in this episode we have secondary infertility and baby loss survivor Bernice Quesenberry (and quick note I inadvertently mispronounced her last name in the episode, my apologies!). She has repurposed her pain into something positive by starting a national nonprofit called Chasing the Rainbows, which offers FREE, trauma-informed support for those facing infertility, miscarriage, and infant loss. If you’ve experienced pregnancy or...
Oct 22, 2024•42 min
I just turned 50 - yes, 50! I know people - and women especially - can feel some kind of way about sharing their age. But I have no problem with sharing my age because every day is truly a gift. To mark this milestone, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect, express my gratitude, share some thoughts on what helped me get here, and what’s next. This episode is also a bit different, as I want to take time to honor two people very dear to me - my late father, who passed away just last month, and...
Oct 15, 2024•28 min
This episode may be about the NICU but it’s for any and every person who’s having a baby. The reason I say that is because it’s actually way more common than you think that a baby needs to receive intensive care. Nearly 40% of babies who go to the NICU are full-term. As a mom of two NICU babies, let me tell you: it’s the NICU nurses who are at your side. NICU nurses are angels and today’s guest is one! Mary Farrelly, a certified NICU nurse and trained doula, is leading the way in helping parents...
Oct 08, 2024•56 min
Martha hoped and prepared for a low intervention birth and ended up getting just about every intervention! She tried everything to get labor to start on its own but she ultimately was induced at 41 weeks. After 40 hours of labor with no pain medication other than nitrous oxide, she opted for an epidural. Soon after she was advised to get a non-emergency C-section because unfortunately things had plateaued. The C-section was fortunately not traumatic but it was the opposite of what she wanted. He...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 6 min
This episode was inspired by a message from long-time listener Sierra. She has experienced multiple miscarriages and, though she appreciated the episodes I have done discussing pregnancy loss, there are some issues specific to recurrent miscarriage that I haven’t gotten into yet. Sierra says “You've had some women who gave birth stories that had elements of miscarriage or infertility, but most of the discussions with them focus on the living children they had afterwards.” A successful pregnancy ...
Sep 24, 2024•37 min
Medical recommendations surrounding eating and drinking in labor are evolving, but not quite where they should be. In this episode learn the rationale for restricting eating and drinking in labor, why it's outdated, what our current guidelines are, and my evidence based recommendations for eating and drinking in labor. Join my next FREE LIVE birth plan class! - drnicolerankins.com/birthplan Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com * Check out ...
Sep 12, 2024•16 min
Nicole (yes, another Nicole!) is here to share her empowering story of a successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) followed by a challenging postpartum. Because she was intentional about her care team, she set herself up for success in the ways that she was able to control. However, nobody could control the liver issues her daughter would experience after birth. It took four hospital transfers and a five-week stay in the NICU before her baby was stable enough to come home. While Nicole’s bi...
Sep 10, 2024•49 min
In this short episode I'm answering this listener question from Cat! "Hi Dr. Nicole! Long time listener & love your podcast!!. Question for you - a friend of mine recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl but unfortunately her birth didn't go as planned. She got to the hospital at 7.5cm, got an epidural, and then they told her she was "having too many contractions, 5 in 10 mins, and the limit is 6" so they gave her Terbutaline/Brethine to slow down her labor. I have listened to hundreds o...
Sep 05, 2024•16 min
In this episode I’m chatting with Rachel Somerstein about her traumatic experience having a C-section without adequate anesthesia. Already a professional journalist, this experience led Rachel to write her first book, Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section. In Invisible Labor Rachel weaves her personal narrative and investigative journalism with medical, social, and cultural history to reveal the surprising evolution of the cesarean section: from its days being practiced on en...
Sep 03, 2024•55 min
Lauren DMed me on Instagram and asked me to talk about CMV and pregnancy so here it is! In this short episode you'll learn What is CMV How it’s transmitted How it can impact pregnancy How it’s diagnosed How it can be prevented or treated If you have a question you want me to answer in an upcoming episode, shoot me a DM on Instagram @drnicolerankins ! Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com * Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! ...
Aug 29, 2024•12 min
Ginny had an elective labor induction that went so smoothly she calls it a “dream.” But that doesn’t mean that everything about her pregnancy experience was easy. Multiple people in her personal life experienced birth-related complications while Ginny was pregnant including stillbirth. This caused Ginny a lot of anxiety. Also, she struggled with depression - both during pregnancy and postpartum. Learn how Ginny was able to successfully navigate these challenges in this great episode! In this Epi...
Aug 27, 2024•42 min
Epidurals provide excellent pain relief during labor but there are risks and side effects. Learn how epidurals work and things you need to know before you get one. And no need to take notes, you can grab my comprehensive guide to managing pain in labor here ! Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com * Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE * Give Armoire a try and get up to 50% off your first month, th...
Aug 22, 2024•19 min
In today's episode, you’re going to learn about vaccines and pregnancy. Vaccines -also called immunizations- are important in order to help prevent moms and babies from getting certain potentially serious infections. I know there’s a lot of concern about vaccines. But let me assure you, although vaccines are not risk free, they are very safe. There are 2 vaccines that are recommended to be up to date prior to pregnancy - MMR and Varicella, as well as 4 vaccines that are recommended during pregna...
Aug 20, 2024•38 min
In this short episode you'll learn about medications to manage pain in labor that are not an epidural, specifically opioid medications and nitrous oxide. You'll learn how they work, the side effects, risks, pros and cons of each. Grab the free guide to managing pain in labor - drnicolerankins.com/pain Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com * Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE * Give Armoire a try...
Aug 15, 2024•15 min
David Arrell is a coach, consultant, and returning guest! About three years ago David joined us for a conversation about the WTF moments of fatherhood. Since then, his empire of dad advice has grown and he’s back with more helpful tips. Welcome to Fatherhood (or WTF as it’s appropriately called at times) is his fatherhood brand. What began with a book is now a podcast, blog, and even a course! As a partner, it’s not always easy to know how to show up in the most supportive and helpful way. If on...
Aug 13, 2024•51 min
In this short episode you'll learn why it's really important to think about labor pain differently, tips to approach a medication free birth, and techniques to manage pain. Grab my free labor pain management guide here ! Join The Birth Preparation Course here (use code DRNICOLE for an additional 10% off!). Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress and get 10% off! https://avocadomattress.com * Check out Ritual and get 25% off your first month! - https://ritual.com/DRNICOLE * Give Armoire ...
Aug 08, 2024•17 min
Katie calls her second birth an amazing experience - night and day from her first. The standard hospital birth she had for her first baby was fine, but this time she wanted a more holistic prenatal experience. This led her to a private birth center with a group of amazing midwives. I don't usually share birth center birth stories because I’m not familiar with that setting. For the podcast, I tend to ‘stay in my lane’, which is the hospital setting. However if I want to improve our maternal healt...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 7 min
In this shorty episode I answer this question from Keri. "Hi Dr. Nicole! I love the podcast and have a question for the Q&A. I have a 2 year old daughter. Easy pregnancy and delivery at 40w6d and healthy baby! At the hospital, it is routine to send the placenta to pathology. The report stated that I had “patchy chorangiosis” with a note that it is associated with tobacco or drug use during pregnancy and a bunch of other medical issues. This was alarming to me, but Google did not provide much...
Aug 01, 2024•12 min
This episode is one I originally did back in 2020. Since it comes up from time to time and can be a contentious topic, I decided to rebroadcast it today. In this episode, I’ll walk you through what circumcision is, its benefits and risks, and why some families choose to have this elective procedure. There are also some ethical questions you may want to consider before choosing to have your baby circumcised, so I talk about those too. My own thinking around this procedure has changed over time an...
Jul 30, 2024•33 min
If you like the way I approach pregnancy and birth then you’re going to love this conversation with pediatrician Dr. Joel Warsh. He has a really balanced, common-sense approach to pediatrics that blends modern medicine with non-Western elements. In addition to pregnancy and parenting advice, he recommends small changes you can make today that will impact your health in the future. We have a great conversation about wellness and I know you’re going to learn a lot of practical tips! In this Episod...
Jul 23, 2024•56 min
In this birth story episode, you’re going to hear what a true emergency cesarean is like. Lillie was induced due to gestational diabetes and preeclampsia at 37 weeks. After 36 hours in labor, just as she was transitioning to push, her baby went into distress and she was rushed to the operating room for an emergency cesarean birth. Now Lillie felt like this was a pretty scary and traumatic birth but one of the things that really helped her was that she had learned about all possible birthing situ...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 11 min
July is Fibroid Awareness Month, so today I’m re-airing an episode on what happens when you have fibroids during pregnancy. I’ve actually gotten quite a few questions about this, more than I expected, and the questions indicate that there’s a lot of uncertainty and misunderstandings about this topic. In this rebroadcast episode, you’ll learn what fibroids are, the risk factors and symptoms associated with fibroids, how fibroids are managed during pregnancy, how fibroids affect mom and baby durin...
Jul 09, 2024•44 min
Dr. Ream describes first-time parenthood as an experience that rocked her world. When she found herself crying and screaming because her baby wouldn’t fall asleep, she knew she needed to seek help. Of course, she had heard of postpartum anxiety and depression but postpartum rage was something she hadn’t been prepared for. When she went looking for support and didn’t turn up much, she decided to solve the problem herself. She is a licensed clinical psychologist who completed additional training t...
Jul 02, 2024•45 min
Erica experienced two miscarriages prior to the birth story we're going to hear today. After over a year and a half of heartbreaking loss, this pregnancy was completely normal - no nausea, no sickness, no pain. Now at 38 weeks, some symptoms developed that caused her doctor to recommend induction. Erica wanted an unmedicated birth and you’re going to learn all about how she used movement for pain management in this great episode. I felt so inspired by her strength and I know you will too! In thi...
Jun 25, 2024•43 min
Real talk: things have been a little crazy for me these past couple weeks and I didn’t have an opportunity to record a new episode. So, I decided to pick one of my favorites to replay: physiologic birth. The reason I chose this is because it’s a term that gets mentioned a lot on social media but doesn’t get defined. It’s also a term that -quite honestly- I didn’t fully understand before I made this episode. I learned a lot when I researched and wrote this episode and I know you will too. In this...
Jun 18, 2024•54 min
It’s a miracle that today’s guest, Kayleigh Summers, is even alive. She is an amniotic fluid embolism survivor and went into cardiac arrest twice during labor. When you hear her story, you’re going to be blown away. This lived-experience led her to center her career around perinatal trauma. As a licensed clinical social worker, she is supporting families experiencing perinatal trauma and has created a thriving community where survivors can feel less alone. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About: Wh...
Jun 11, 2024•55 min
Sometimes a “beautiful” birth doesn’t mean getting what you wanted - it means making the right decisions for yourself along the way. After being stuck at 5 cm for TWELVE HOURS, Nicole decided that it was time to change course. I’ll give away that she did have a vaginal birth, but it was nothing like she planned or anticipated. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About: Why Nicole eventually agreed to a low dose of pitocin What happened when the pitocin was increased Whether or not her water broke How ...
Jun 04, 2024•58 min
