Alise got a not so mysterious text telling her how brilliant her idea was. For that moment, she felt amazing, heard, supported and down right badass. That's when she realized that every birthing person needs to have all of these things in birth to. So this week, Jen and Alise to the recipe for becoming a badass and are ready to tell you how to apply it to your birth. Being a badass isn't always about being tough and looking strong. It's often feeling like your people have your back and you you'v...
Jul 01, 2019•47 min•Ep. 47
Jen and Alise have you covered if you're in need of a baby eviction, aka induction. If only babies would just do what we told them! We are covering everything from what to pack to what to ask your provider when the topic comes up. This week, pull out your pad of paper and take some notes. You may need these tips! Jen and Alise don't have the magic trick to make labor instantly start but they sure have loads of tips to help you have a better experience during an induction.
Jun 17, 2019•49 min•Ep. 46
This week's powerful episode features our guest, Aly Thayer. Aly shares her powerful story of how she suffered from postpartum depression after her daughter was born. In her interview, Aly openly shares about the struggles she faced and ultimately overcame. Her experience was the root of her website, www.ppdjourney.com. The website features personal stories for women who are also experience similar challenges postpartum. With such a wide variety of stories, each person looking for support is sur...
Jun 11, 2019•48 min•Ep. 45
Jen is feeling extra sleepy this week and it looks like she forgot to care for herself. Learn to no t put yourself last on the list of people to care for. We know that not everyday can be a spa day. Learn new ways to learn self care, from tea on porch or going to bed early, we've got ideas to fit every budget, every schedule and every need. Get great ideas, like making a list of your go-to self care ideas so that you never forget yourself. You deserve this! Check out these resources! Head Space-...
Jun 03, 2019•36 min•Ep. 44
Sometimes the things that makes babies so amazing are also the things that makes babies so weird. Alise and Jen have a list of the top 10 weirdest baby features. Everything from, how they get their cone heads to how the figure out how to nurse, is on the list. You're sure to be amazed and a little weirded out too. Don't miss helpful tip too. You'll learn how to avoid fighting with the evil meconium and how to feel reassured as your baby's hands and feet begin to get oxygenated blood. Who knew ba...
May 27, 2019•40 min•Ep. 43
Jamie Otis is more than a celebrity that lives a life we all want to live. She's a real life, kick-ass woman who we should all want to have as our BFF. She's on a mission to normalize the conversation around life after baby, searching for balance, fertility and even opening up about hemorrhoids. This week, find out how meeting her newborn was similar to meeting her husband on "Married At First Sight", how Jamie strives to juggle all of her roles, seeks balance, as well as some great postpartum t...
May 20, 2019•51 min•Ep. 42
Jen is certain that it okay to be a minimalist and offers up her list of the bare essentials for your hospital bag. Alise prefers to always pack as though she's going to travel internationally for a few weeks. After all, you never know when you're going to need twinkle lights, an essential oil diffuser, a second set of pajamas, a board game and a cozy pillow and blanket from home. There are a few things the two can agree on this week. Get your pen and paper ready, or better yet, grab your bag. T...
May 14, 2019•47 min•Ep. 41
Alise and Jen are breaking birth modesty down into three tiers, or rather, three clubs. 3 tiers of modesty Staying dressed and with a lap cover Staying dressed but not giving a damn once we start pushing The naked stage of labor begins in early labor Everyone has their own comfort zone when it comes to modesty but labor and parenthood is a time when your comfort with baring all to the world, or at least a room full of medical professionals becomes the norm. For some that feels fine and what’s to...
May 06, 2019•42 min•Ep. 40
Have you wanted to know if you were really going to poop in labor and how that would all go down? We bet you did but you never wanted to ask. That certainly isn't at the top of the list in your short prenatal visit. But back, far back in your mind, you might be wondering. Wonder no more our listeners! We are going to answer that question! We've got the answer to your most embarrassing questions, including questions like "can I have sex in the third trimester" and "someone told me to prep my nipp...
Apr 29, 2019•34 min•Ep. 39
Jen and Alise are feeling rebellious. They've decided they are sick and tired of everyone handing out advice. This week, they stayed up past their bedtime, drank caffeine after 3 pm, gave the side eye to annoying people who drive with attitude and decided to bring that rebellious streak to podcasting. Watch out, listeners! Jen and Alise are hoping you’ll join them in some serious rule breaking by just saying NO to 10 common mistakes in labor. It's okay, you can be rebellious too.
Apr 22, 2019•39 min•Ep. 39
Jen and Alise are feeling rebellious. They've decided they are sick and tired of everyone handing out advice. This week, they stayed up past their bedtime, drank caffeine after 3pm, gave the side eye to annoying people who drive with attitude and decided to bring that rebellious streak to podcasting. Watch out listeners! Jen and Alise are hoping you’ll join them in some serious rule breaking by just saying NO to 10 common mistakes in labor. It's okay, you can e rebellious too.
Apr 22, 2019•39 min•Ep. 38
At the first signs of pregnancy, many parents are quickly gathering the newest research on car seats, finding the best pediatricians and perfecting their birth plans. Few pause to ask if what we've told year after year about pregnancy nutrition is really the best. This week we have author Real Food for Pregnancy, Lily Nichols talking about taking the science and applying it to your real life. We know that not everyone has access to organic avocados or that the first trimester can be so rough. Li...
Apr 15, 2019•58 min•Ep. 36
A quick anatomy lesson went haywire when Jen and Alise realized that most women don't have down their basic anatomy before they give birth. There are far too many women walking the streets believing that we pee out of the vagina. To stop that rumor here, the ladies do a simple and humorous anatomy lesson in the style of the Magic School Bus. What would it be like if Miss Frizzle took the kids up the vagina and bumped into a closed posterior cervix that was just waiting to prepare for labor? This...
Apr 08, 2019•50 min•Ep. 37
Partners, this episode is for you. We see you and we know your job is big here. It can be hard t find balance between your own sleep, recovery from your experience with the birth and meeting your needs. We know the your new role also means taking care of the birth mom, the baby and the household. This week are going to help you figure out how to juggle all of these things. We have useful tips on asking for help and for preparing ahead.
Apr 01, 2019•43 min•Ep. 35
The first rule of being a kick ass birth partner is, be yourself! Don’t try to be someone else. Show up as your yourself. No superhero capes! Just your best self. Compassion and empathy goes a long way. Just like she had no idea what this would feel like, you can’t imagine it either. Labor can feel a lot harder than it looks on the outside. You’ll be working hard too. Lunging together, holding her in a squat and the double hip squeeze is hard work. It’s okay to go to the bathroom. Be sure that s...
Mar 25, 2019•56 min•Ep. 34
Fast, loud, out of control and always an emergency. If you’ve left your knowledge of birth up to television and film, these are the things you’ll believe are true about birth. Real birth just doesn’t work for a sitcom or a rom-com. It’s long, uneventful often and typically doesn’t involve a whole lot of drama. There’s so much about television birth that leaves us uniformed about the realities of birth. Jen and Alise pick apart TV birth and discuss the hazards of relying on the messages we receiv...
Mar 20, 2019•41 min•Ep. 33
You didn't try to make your baby to grow, you simply trusted that all of their organs would develop week by week. While there's much we can do to prepare, we discuss whether it's necessary to banish all fear in reagard to birth.
Mar 11, 2019•42 min•Ep. 32
We think your BFF is just the best too. Alise might even agree that your that your BFF is better than most cupcakes. We want your BFF to be your BFF and your partner to be your partner at your birth and not have the pressure having to tell you to sit on the toilet so that baby can move down. Chances are, you'll have some not so kind language if that's suggested by some who isn't a professional. Doulas bring the knowledge of birth so that your team can focus on being there for you in the way the ...
Mar 04, 2019•46 min•Ep. 31
The "WTF just happened to my body" stage is your mom friends' best kept secret. It's the stuff nobody tells you about, celebrities don't seem to experience and everyone else has to go through after bringing a tiny person out o their body. This week's episode is the top 10 WTFs you can expect. From the itchy, swollen, falling (say what?!) vagina, to overnight boobs, Jen and Alise will tell you everything those pregnancy magazines and your girlfriends are too embarrassed to share. So, as you recov...
Feb 25, 2019•44 min•Ep. 30
Becoming a mom doesn't mean that you will live a lifetime of mom pants, unflattering nursing bras and only hang out in mommy and me groups. Today's episode is a remind that this is a time of shifting and change. Your body and identity is changing quickly and you maybe begin to wonder who you are. You may even begin to feel like the real you has gotten a bit lost in the shuffle. Jen and Alise offer some pro tips on how to sink into the change, even embrace it, knowing that you will find you again...
Feb 18, 2019•50 min•Ep. 29
This week we're talking all about BIrth Plans or as we like to affectionately call them... Birth Preferences or Birth Wish Lists. We know these are all just words used to define the same basic idea. But we're also aware that as we put lots of energy into an idea, it becomes more challenging to process a plan that doesn't go exactly as we'd imagined. So tune in to hear more about what to include, ideal length, important information to gather so you feel empowered in your decisions, The F word… Fl...
Feb 11, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 28
There's no avoiding mommy guilt! It starts when we see the double pink lines and never ends. This week we are normalizing mom guilt and how every mom feels it. From our choices around work, food and how we raise our kids, mom guilt is all around us. How do we stop the guilt train and feel confident in our parenting choices? Jen and Alise have a good laugh at how far down the rabbit hole we can go with the feelings of guilt and even shame around parenting. They discuss their favorite, hilarious e...
Feb 05, 2019•38 min•Ep. 27
It’s the new year so of course there’s all kinds of attention put on New Year’s resolutions and a huge focus on dieting.. What does this look like for you in pregnancy? How does all this talk about diet and weight loss land when your pregnant and you’re using calories to grow a human being? This week we are discussing diet culture and how that plays a role in pregnancy, disordered eating, body image, expectations and loss of control. Pregnancy is tough on us Type A folks who always want to know,...
Jan 28, 2019•51 min•Ep. 26
So what does this AF term actually mean?!? Jen researches and gives you insight. We’ve done the work for you! Hint… it’s not a polite word. In fact the acronym should not be used in a Professional situation. 😊 We’ll give you examples of what it’s like to be Pregnant AF. In fact it’s “discomfortable!” You’re in the final countdown. These are the last days, How do you survive when its hard to move, you have to pee all the time, there’s no room for food and you cramp every night? So Pregnant AF is...
Jan 21, 2019•39 min•Ep. 25
Sometimes it looks like getting your head in the game, or back in the game if you feel like you're loosing it a little. It's like being a boxer before a fight, sweat dripping, bouncing up and down, gloves knocking together as they anticipate getting through just one round. You may not know how the hell you got to this place in labor or how you'll get to the next but you pull your sh*t together and dig deep. Jen and Alise are talking all about those moments in labor when you need to find a streng...
Jan 14, 2019•45 min•Ep. 24
Jen and Alise get to chat with Amanda in the cutest nursery in the world. Amanda shares her story of how she navigated her labor so that she could have the birth she had always wanted, despite things starting off different from the plan. When she woke to her water breaking, she was prepared to advocate and ask for what she wanted for her birth. She tells how she chose what mattered the most to her and what she was prepared to let go of if she needed to. Hear how she went within and found her rhy...
Jan 07, 2019•53 min•Ep. 23
Revisit one of our first but favorite episodes of season 1 where Jen and Alise discuss the taboo topic of pooping in labor. Everyone wants to know but nobody wants to ask. What's the deal with it? Does everyone really poop in labor? Jen and Alise share their own personal stories of their births. Jen gave birth before ever attending births professionally and ever knowing about poop in labor and Alise had been to 100 births before having her own. How did these experiences influence their own views...
Dec 31, 2018•18 min•Ep. 22
This is birth porn. This is the birth version of only showing the world large breasts with large nipples and “perfect” bodies. This is a realistic view but only a snapshot. This isn’t a big picture view. This is another form of mom guilt. You get 40 weeks to do “it all”. How do you live in the moment and stay authentic to who you are and what you want? This doesn’t only apply to birth. This also applies to pregnancy. In early pregnancy when you are feeling sluggish and it feels hard to get out o...
Dec 17, 2018•45 min•Ep. 21
How to survive the holidays while pregnant Find comfortable clothes for holiday parties. - can rewear in labor! Fun mocktails (especially if you aren’t sharing your pregnancy yet) https://coleycooks.com/cran-clem/ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/152066924904030011/feedback/?invite_code=93125df76bc445d0bfe9291eecfef857&sender_id=2880898448 Comfortable shoes Call it an early night Pick and choose your events Skip soft cheeses and deli meats especially when eating out Have some great excuses on h...
Dec 10, 2018•44 min•Ep. 20
There's a lot to know when it comes to getting a baby out! This week we are discussing hormones and how to find your rhythm. Labor isn't the time to freak out and scream with adrenaline. How do you know what to do instead? Don't panic now or in labor. Jen and Alise have lots of tips to get you through. Make your labor hormones work for you. There are three major players when it comes to labor hormones. First up is oxytocin. Oxytocin is the love hormone! It's primary role in labor is to bring on ...
Dec 03, 2018•53 min•Ep. 19
