You may have heard that obstetricians don’t like birth plans. Well, as you know we love a good myth bust and this old chestnut can join the list. This episode covers: Why you may want a birth plan What goes into a birth plan Birth plans for all types of births: vaginal, assisted and caesarean How to ask the 'right' questions of your provider When to give your birth plan to your provider If you want your question answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer: ...
Jun 19, 2023•24 min
This week Dr Pat and Brigid answered a listener's question who wanted to know what to do if you are strictly breastfeeding but wanting to get pregnant. This episode will cover: Breastfeeding as a method of contraception Why breastfeeding stops ovulation How to stimulate ovulation after or while you still breastfeeding Secondary infertility If you want your question answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer: https://www.speakpipe.com/growmybaby LINKS Join ...
Jun 12, 2023•16 min
This episode will cover: What is a planned c-sections Why you might have a planned c-sections Rates of planned c-sections What happens in a planned c-sections Types of planned c-sections If you want your question answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer: https://www.speakpipe.com/growmybaby LINKS Join our pregnancy and birth course Join our getting pregnancy course Instagram @thekickpregnancypodcast Facebook @thekickpregnancypodcast Just pregnant? Downlo...
Jun 05, 2023•35 min
Join Dr Pat and Brigid in their second Q and A session as they answer questions from listeners. This Q and A session answers the following listener questions: What to do if you feel like you aren't getting pregnant fast enough. Should you remove your IUD to start monitoring your cycle. Male fertility and if there is anything the man can do to improve the quality of sperm. Getting pregnant with regular 40-44 days cycles and epilepsy Do they remove your stomach and intestines during a Caesarean? �...
May 29, 2023•24 min
In this episode of The Kick Pregnancy Podcast Dr Pat and Brigid talk all about retained placenta, this episode will cover: An uncomplicated delivery of the placenta What is a retained placenta? Signs and symptoms to look out for The methods of treatment If you want your question answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer: https://www.speakpipe.com/growmybaby LINKS Join our pregnancy and birth course Join our getting pregnancy course Instagram @thekickpregn...
May 22, 2023•24 min
This week we answered a listener's question wanting to know whether she should be concerned about being overweight in pregnancy. In this episode you will learn: What is BMI When is it measured in pregnancy? Recommended weight gain in pregnancy What complications might occur if someone has a high or low BMI Does having a BMI change pregnancy and labour management? If you want your question answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer: https://www.speakpipe.co...
May 15, 2023•30 min
One of the most frequently asked question Dr Pat gets is “I’ve just stopped the pill, why don’t I have my period?” and while the answer can vary from person to person we thought that it would be a helpful podcast topic. In today’s episode Dr Pat will be discussing everything from: How long it should take to get your period back after stopping the pill If there is anything you can do it induce your period after stopping the pill Why you period may be absent for months after stopping the pill Why ...
May 08, 2023•20 min
It is easy to be on high alert during your pregnancy to exposure to everyday life. A blast of car exhaust, a questionable food offering, a snotty, sick toddler snuggling into your shoulder for comfort. This is life yes, but you are also protecting a life and your internal panic button is flashing. Should I be worried? Then your belly grows, and you can no longer see your feet, your centre of gravity is off and smack, you have fallen over a step. Causing quite a scene but your thoughts go to your...
May 01, 2023•24 min
We were asked by Water Aid if we could spread awareness about how creating EQUITY for women in so many countries throughout the world starts with access to water, particularly in pregnancy and birth. We talked about how: Getting access to birthing centres with running water for drinking, pain relief, sterilisation of equipment, cleaning, toilet flushing and cooling, can dramatically impact the health outcomes for women and their babies. Finding a way where women, even pregnant women right up to ...
Apr 24, 2023•28 min
We have all watched many a movie where a labour goes really fast and the baby is born at home or in the taxi. This is termed Born Before Arrival or BBA. This podcast covers why a BBA may occur, what to do if your urge to push comes before you get to the hospital, any potential risks and what you and your support person can do to help manage the risks. If you want your question answered, please leave your message on speakpipe to be chosen for Dr Pat to answer: https://www.speakpipe.com/growmybaby...
Apr 17, 2023•25 min
Join Dr Pat and Brigid as they answer questions from listeners. Questions answered in this episode: After a complex first birth with ongoing pelvic health issues should I opt for Caesarean section? What is the GBS swab and should we say yes or no to this test? How common is Vasa previa and can it happen in subsequent pregnancies. How do I prepare better for newborn life? What is pregnancy and labour like when you have a history of DVTs? Resources Dr Pat and Brigid mention: https://www.jenbutler....
Apr 10, 2023•25 min
We are back! It was an unintended break and in this podcast Dr Pat and Brigid tell you where they have been and what is planned for the podcast now. LINKS Instagram @thekickpregnancypodcast_ Facebook @thekickpregnancypodcast Ask a question on the podcast: Send a voice message to GrowMyBaby See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 03, 2023•13 min
Welcome back to The Kick Pregnancy Podcast! We’ve been very busy behind the scenes and are so excited to be back in your ears. In this episode, we’re discussing everything about the menstrual cycle. We have many frequent questions from listeners about their periods and the symptoms they’re experiencing so Dr Pat is pulling back the curtain today to answer every question that impacts the cycle. We’ll delve into how the menstrual cycle works, the days of the cycle, how the cycle changes throughout...
Feb 27, 2022•35 min
When you become pregnant, endless information is thrown at you regarding what foods you can and can’t eat for the next 9 months. It can be very difficult to work out what is scientifically accurate and what has just been passed down from older relatives. In this episode, Brigid is talking about safe food in pregnancy with food and safety expert, Gary Kennedy. Gary has worked with more than 1000 companies and government departments to ensure their food handling is safe and complies with health st...
Dec 19, 2021•1 hr 3 min
This episode has a trigger warning for parents who have experienced loss. Planning your pregnancy after the loss of a baby can be a very difficult and anxious time. There are thousands of worries running through your mind and you will want to check on the health of your baby constantly. But it’s important to remember there is also life, hope and joy after loss. Our next guest will bravely share her own story to help other parents open up and support each other to heal. In this episode, Brigid is...
Dec 05, 2021•48 min
Clotting in pregnancy and during the postpartum period can be a significant concern for a new Mum. To treat clots, doctors will try to adopt a preventative approach and prescribe anticoagulants during pregnancy and the postpartum phase to reduce the risk in at risk patients. But who is an at risk patient? Will the baby be affected? In this episode, we are discussing everything you need to know about clotting. Pregnancy increases your risk of clotting by 5 to 10x and the postpartum period increas...
Nov 24, 2021•19 min
Can you choose the sex of your baby? This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions when someone becomes pregnant and has been requested from one of our listeners. It’s easy to understand why people would want to choose the sex. Perhaps you have a family of three boys already and are hoping for a girl or vice versa. In this episode, we discuss the stories floating around that promise to deliver a certain sex. Everybody has heard them - whether you have to face north at the time of con...
Nov 10, 2021•17 min
We have all heard about how important iron is during pregnancy, but did you know that it is just as important when you are pre-pregnancy and breastfeeding? In today’s episode, we are talking about all matters relating to iron. Pregnant mothers' bodies need to literally make more blood to support the growing baby, and to do this she needs adequate iron levels. Through the birthing process, women lose blood, so it is important that you are not iron deficient or anemic leading into it because you n...
Sep 13, 2021•36 min
If there was a gold standard for being a Dad, it’s sure to look like Mitch Papas, who joins us today to talk about how to be a supportive partner during pregnancy and beyond. In this episode, Mitch shares the journey he and his wife, Georgia, went on as they planned to conceive and the importance of being curious, doing research and supporting your partner as much as you can. We talk about tracking cycles, learning about your partner’s medical history, and thinking ahead so you can speak to your...
Jul 12, 2021•27 min
Nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy is pretty common, which doesn’t make it any less yucky, but most women do start feeling better around 12 weeks. Unfortunately for some women who are diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), their experience is much more severe. We have a lot of compassion for those women battling through pregnancy. Hyperemesis Gravidarum is something that has been somewhat misunderstood and these women can be seen as someone with morning sickness who...
Jul 01, 2021•24 min
We have an important bonus episode for you today to keep all our listeners up to date with the latest Australian recommendations for the Covid vaccination during pregnancy. Due to the nature of Covid, we’re learning information as we go along. In this episode, Pat gives us the run down on previous advice from the Australian government and how this advice has changed now that we have more significant data on the effects of Covid and the Covid vaccine in pregnant women. Pat explains what an mRNA v...
Jun 11, 2021•17 min
We get a lot of questions coming in through our DM’s and this episode is a response to a request from one of those lovely listeners who was diagnosed with Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) at week 15 of pregnancy. What is Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction, you ask? Apart from being a mouthful to say, it can also be referred to as pelvic girdle pain and it’s something I struggled with during my third and fourth pregnancies. And let me tell you, it’s painful. To help answer some questions surrounding pe...
May 20, 2021•45 min•Ep. 45
The phrase "your baby is in distress" can change the course of your baby's birth... and your experience of becoming mama. This topic is a request from a second time mama, ready to have her second baby but still holding the memory of her first birth. Remember, we want you to birth the first time like its your second. What does this mean? This means that we get educated! We know second time mamas will listen to this and we invite all first time mamas to do the same. We are here for support and to ...
Mar 22, 2021•27 min•Ep. 44
At your antenatal appointments, from about 20 weeks of your pregnancy you will (…should) be having some monitoring of your baby’s growth. Firstly, by the simple tape measure test, up over your tummy to the top of your uterus and then by ultrasound if needed. What we are trying to determine is if your baby is small for dates. This is known as Intrauterine Growth Restriction or IUGR. In this podcast we talk about: What is EFW or estimated fetal weight How EFW is measured and the measurement accura...
Nov 06, 2020•30 min•Ep. 43
How long between babies is a question that pops up ALOT. It is a big topic with lots of different factors in helping you make your decision. Financially able? Physically ready? Emotionally ready? Mentally ready? Even how many babies are you planning? All of these things matter when trying to decide when to have your next baby. In this episode we sneak in a little chat about our own journey and the factors we considered to help us decide when to try for another baby. +MORE Want to have Dr Pat and...
Sep 04, 2020•21 min•Ep. 42
This episode Brigid talks with early parenting consultant, Jen Butler. Jen is a midwife, maternal and child health nurse, IBCLC trained lactation consultant, sleep consultant and circle of security facilitator. Jen talks about her top tips when it comes to the common things on a new parent's mind. Namely - Feeding, Sleeping and understanding what is normal baby development. Jen is the creator of The Happy Baby Code and can be found at https://www.jenniferbutler.com.au/ In the podcast she mention...
Aug 19, 2020•31 min•Ep. 41
Today we talk to Founder and Director of @naturalgraceaustralia Libby Moloney. It is a truly beautiful and at times heartbreaking conversation about the 'next steps' that a family can take if their baby dies. We hope everyone listens if only to help support friends, family, strangers who might be going through the heartbreak of the loss of their baby. There are some incredible resources for everyone to access who may have experienced pregnancy and baby loss and for people who may need support af...
Aug 17, 2020•34 min•Ep. 40
This is the first of our two part series about baby loss. It was recorded ages ago but we've delayed publishing it again and again. We just thought there's too much heartbreak at the moment to add something else to the mix of 2020. But you have requested this topic many times and we realised that it is needed. There are parents coping with the loss of their baby every day. This is for them but it also for everyone else so we can all be better supports for our friends, family and strangers. It wi...
Aug 13, 2020•32 min•Ep. 39
In this episode we talk to Keira Rumble, founder of Krumbled foods and Beauty Bites. She candidly, and calmly, walks us through her 5 pregnancy losses as she continues on her rollercoaster journey to having a baby. She has experienced miscarriages, an ectopic pregnancy, a loss of a fallopian tube, endometriosis surgery and the possibility of IVF to help her get to her goal of starting her family. We talk about: Ectopic pregnancy diagnosis, treatment and recovery What we can do better to support ...
Jul 30, 2020•35 min•Ep. 38
The umbilical cord is an incredible structure, the connection between mother and baby. It is beautifully adapted and designed to do exactly the job it needs to do, help us grow our baby. In this episode we talk about: A little bit about the anatomy How the umbilical is protected from compression True and false knots in the umbilical cord Cord accidents and what we can do to prevent them What happens if a cord is wrapped around your baby’s neck When there is a cord prolapse Delayed cord clamping ...
Jul 23, 2020•26 min•Ep. 37
