In this Birth Story Friday episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Monica shares her exhilarating experience of a precipitous VBAC that culminated in an unexpected car birth. Monica discusses her preparation for birth, the challenges she faced with unsupportive doctors, and the techniques she used to remain calm and confident. Despite a chaotic night marked by a storm, a stopped train, and a mad dash to the hospital, Monica's story ends with the safe and quick arrival of her baby in the parking lot o...
Jul 05, 2024•34 min
Gina and Roxanne discuss how to prepare for an unmedicated birth. They explore the benefits of avoiding an epidural, why some might choose this path, and share tips for achieving an unmedicated birth. The hosts emphasize the importance of mental and physical preparation, selecting a supportive birthing team, understanding labor, and employing effective comfort measures. They also share personal stories and experiences including Gina’s own personal choice to get an epidural with her first birth, ...
Jul 03, 2024•51 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast Birth Story Fridays, Allegra shares her empowering journey of having an unmedicated vaginal birth with twins after an induction in a hospital setting. With detailed insights into her prenatal nutrition, including the emphasis on electrolytes, and the physical preparation involving yoga and chiropractic care, Allegra describes how she managed to avoid medical interventions as well as physical discomforts typically associated with twin births. Despite the ...
Jun 28, 2024•36 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina and Roxanne are joined by Daphne Delvaux, known as The Mama Attorney, to discuss employment rights during pregnancy and postpartum. Daphne shares crucial information about when and how to announce your pregnancy to your employer, rights related to pregnancy loss, and the importance of early notification for accommodations. They also dive into mothers' postpartum return rights, including job reinstatement, pumping accommodations, and extensions for ...
Jun 26, 2024•51 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina, and Roxanne discuss essential information about childbirth. Topics include understanding contractions, the role of labor hormones like oxytocin and prostaglandins, and the different stages of labor: early labor, active labor, transition, and pushing. They also delve into the birth of the placenta and provide tips on preparing for birth. Of course, there is SO much more that can be unpacked here, so please check out our Childbirth Ed courses on our...
Jun 19, 2024•32 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, co-hosts Gina and Roxanne chat with Julie, co-founder of Needed, a perinatal nutrition company. Julie shares her personal home birth stories, her journey in creating Needed, and the importance of optimal nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum. Both Gina and Roxanne have used Needed products and highly recommend them! Julie discusses the inspirations behind Needed, her own nutritional journey, and how her pregnancies and births transformed her underst...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 1 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne welcome Dr. Lejla Streets, a general dentist from Smiles in the Pines, of Southern Pines, NC, to discuss the critical topic of prenatal oral health. The conversation delves into the importance of dental care during pregnancy, explaining why pregnant women need more frequent dental visits, the reasons behind bleeding gums, and the impact of insufficient calcium intake. Dr. Streets also shares valuable advice on managing acid reflux...
Jun 05, 2024•45 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne welcome Dr. Brittany Henderson, a dual board-certified specialist in internal medicine and endocrinology, to discuss the crucial role of thyroid health in fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. Dr. Henderson, who operates the Charleston Thyroid Center, delves into the significance of thyroid function, common issues like hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's disease, and their impact on women's reproductive health. The episode covers preco...
May 29, 2024•51 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast's Birth Story Fridays, Allegra shares her journey through two vastly different birth experiences. Her first, an unplanned C-section at 34 weeks for her twins, left her feeling unsupported and led to a traumatic postpartum recovery complicated by COVID-19 protocols and a retained placenta. Determined for a different outcome with her second pregnancy, Allegra prepared extensively for a vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC). From switching providers, engaging...
May 24, 2024•43 min
In this episode Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, delve into the importance of tailored prenatal workouts beyond pregnancy-safe exercises. They emphasize movements that strengthen the body, relieve pain, and physically prepare expectant mothers for the birthing process. The duo cover the benefits of exercise during pregnancy for both mother and baby, debunking myths about its safety, and provide professional recommenda...
May 22, 2024•42 min
Are you feeling anxious about the potential use of Pitocin during your birth? Listen to this episode! Gina and Roxanne delve into the topic of Pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin used to induce labor. They discuss what Pitocin is, why it may be administered, its effects compared to natural oxytocin, common concerns and misconceptions, and strategies for managing anxiety around its use. The hosts emphasize that Pitocin is a tool in the toolbox of labor interventions, designed to stimulate uteri...
May 15, 2024•47 min
In this episode of MamasteFit Podcast's Birth Story Friday, Megan shares her experiences with two hospital births with epidurals. Megan shares about the challenges of having a short pregnancy interval (finding out she was pregnant again at 5 months postpartum with her first), and how it impacted her birth preparation for her second child. Megan recalls how prenatal workouts and a childbirth education course helped prepare her for motherhood. She details her labor and delivery stories, including ...
May 10, 2024•42 min
In this episode Gina and Roxanne delve into the subject of Group Beta Strep (GBS) testing in pregnancy, discussing what GBS is, why pregnant women are tested for it around weeks 36 to 38, the treatment options available for those who test positive, and the general anxieties surrounding the test. They offer insights into the risks of GBS for baby, and the importance of understanding the statistics behind those risks, as well as the pros and cons of receiving antibiotics as a preventative measure....
May 08, 2024•48 min
This week, Gina and Roxanne sit down with ObGyn, Dr. Sterling, to discuss what it REALLY means to be advanced maternal age. What are the qualifications, what are the risks, and what are the often unsung benefits of giving birth past the age of 35? Equally importantly, the ladies discuss how you can navigate these conversations with your provider, and what you should be wary of when consuming social media content during pregnancy. Dr. Christine Noa Sterling is a board-certified ObGyn, mom-of-thre...
May 01, 2024•56 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne, along with C section mom x2 and physical therapist Casey, delve into the crucial topic of scar mobilization after a Cesarean birth. The discussion covers why scar mobilization is essential for recovery, signs you need to start mobilizing, and the anatomy of a C-section to understand the layers involved and their impact on postpartum recovery. They also explore the physical and psychological aspects of recovery, including exercise...
Apr 24, 2024•59 min
In this Birth Story Friday, Carmen shares her comprehensive birth journey across 11 pregnancies, including her decision-making process between a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) and a scheduled C-section for her most recent birth. Having experienced a range of outcomes from missed miscarriages and early losses to live vaginal birth and emergency C-sections, Carmen sheds light on her evolving perspective on childbirth. Gina and Roxanne delve into how empowerment can look different for every bi...
Apr 19, 2024•44 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, discuss the polarizing views on birth. They emphasize the importance of understanding and balancing the extremes of both highly medicalized births and no-intervention births. Sharing insights from their professional experiences and their personal birth stories, they advocate for educating expectant parents about the risks and benefits of...
Apr 17, 2024•48 min
Gina and Roxanne delve into the 'magic moves' during labor, explaining how different positions can significantly progress labor or address stalls. The discussion covers the importance of utilizing specific movements based on the baby's position within the pelvis, including moves that can create more space at the pelvis's top (inlet), middle (mid pelvis), and bottom (outlet) to facilitate labor progression. They also discuss alternatives for when certain moves might not be suitable or comfortable...
Apr 10, 2024•25 min
This episode of the MamasteFit Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Leslie, who shares her experiences with three different home births and her postpartum journeys. Leslie discusses the decision-making process for choosing home birth, particularly for her first child, which was influenced by her desire to avoid interventions and her comfort in her own home. She details each birth story, highlighting the importance of surrendering to the birth process, the role of her support team, and ...
Apr 05, 2024•52 min
Welcome to part two of a two part, in-depth conversation with Hayley Kava, a pelvic floor physical therapist, focusing on perineal lacerations or tears related to childbirth. The focus shifts to the effects of operative vaginal delivery methods like episiotomies, forceps, or vacuums, and their potential impacts on perineal health after birth. The hosts cover recovery strategies after a vaginal birth, including the initial steps one can take to enhance healing within the first few weeks postpartu...
Apr 03, 2024•51 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Lakeesha Murphy Spencer, a mom with a background in both nursing and midwifery, shares her unique experiences of giving birth to her second and third babies. During her second pregnancy, Lakeesha was a nurse determined to have a birth experience different from her first birth with an epidural, and is surprised by a precipitous labor, barely making it to the hospital in time to deliver! With her third child, Lakeesha navigates the unknowns of a brand new...
Mar 29, 2024•33 min
This episode of the MamasteFit Podcast is part one of a two part, in-depth conversation with Hayley Kava, a pelvic floor physical therapist, focusing on perineal lacerations or tears related to childbirth. The discussion covers what to expect if you experience a tear during childbirth, preventative measures, and recovery strategies. It is part of a two-episode series, with the subsequent episode aiming to explore instrument-assisted deliveries' impact on perineal health and further recovery tips...
Mar 27, 2024•34 min
Alesha, mom of 4, shares her 4 different birth stories, including her two VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) stories following two C-sections! As someone who experienced both C-sections and VBACs, Alesha delves into the preparation, challenges, and recovery processes of each birth, highlighting the importance of a supportive medical provider and team. Her first two pregnancies ended in C-sections due to medical complications. However, with enhanced preparation including finding new providers an...
Mar 22, 2024•38 min
Gina and Roxanne delve into the purpose of and steps for creating a birth plan. They emphasize that while you can't control every aspect of labor, understanding your options and preferences at different stages can empower you through your birth to ultimately have a more positive experience. They cover various birth scenarios, including unmedicated and medicated births, C-sections, and inductions, articulating how each option doesn't necessarily define the positivity of the birth experience. They...
Mar 20, 2024•36 min
Cailyn, a pelvic floor physical therapist and owner of Lotus Pelvic Health shares her birth story involving a difficult labor that ended with an empowering unmedicated home birth. She switched from a hospital birth with midwives to a home birth after discovering her hospital didn’t accept her insurance nearly 30 weeks in! After a long labor and pushing phase, she finally met her baby at home! Unfortunately, her baby had some difficulty breathing and they opted for a non emergent transfer to the ...
Mar 15, 2024•48 min
In this episode Gina and Roxanne delve into the topic of labor stalls associated with power- including both the effectiveness of contractions as well as your mental/emotional state, as part of their labor stalls series. They discuss signs of labor stalls due to insufficient contraction strength and offer various solutions. They give advice on how to maintain adequate contraction strength through rest, nutrition, hydration, and emotional wellness. This episode explains oxytocin's role in labor, t...
Mar 13, 2024•45 min
Kerri shares her journey through two unmedicated births, including her experiences with miscarriage, induction, her dream birth center experience, and her postpartum recovery. Kerri's first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, her second involved an induced unmedicated hospital birth due to low amniotic fluid, and her third was an unmedicated birth at a free-standing birth center, which ended with a postpartum hemorrhage and hospital transfer. Kerri discusses how she prepared for her births through...
Mar 08, 2024•29 min
Gina and Roxanne discuss labor stalls related to a baby's position within the pelvis. They cover some of the most common reasons for the different types of labor stalls, with a focus on the importance of understanding specific movements that open each pelvic level to facilitate labor. They explain the interplay between a baby's position, the space within the mother's pelvis, and the contraction patterns during labor, and they offer tips on different exercises and positions to create more space i...
Mar 06, 2024•42 min
In this episode Wanda shares her unique experience of transferring care from Germany to the United States at 32 weeks pregnant, finding new providers, translating all her existing paperwork from German to English and ultimately pivoting a bit on her original birth plan to have hospital birth with an epidural. Although the birth did not occur as she had anticipated, she emphasizes how positive the experience still was thanks to feeling educated and in control throughout. After Wanda shares her st...
Mar 01, 2024•36 min
Gina and Roxanne sit down with registered dietitian nutritionist and author, Lily Nichols, for a comprehensive discussion on gestational diabetes and prenatal nutrition. Nichols shares her insights on preconception planning, gestational diabetes testing, and management methods during pregnancy. She highlights the long-term effects of gestational diabetes on both mother and child, and explains the difference between recommended daily nutrient intake versus optimal nourishment based on up-to-date ...
Feb 28, 2024•46 min
