In this Birth Story Friday, Jess shares her empowering experience deciding on and undergoing a scheduled C-section for her second baby. Jess's shares her journey of choosing a C-section over a VBAC, feeling empowered to make an informed choice based on her own personal risks. The episode explores Jess's preparation during pregnancy, including taking the MamasteFit strength course and selecting a supportive OB in her new city. Jess shares insights on listening to one's gut, navigating external pr...
Nov 22, 2024•38 min
Gina (first born) and Roxanne (second born) speak with Dr. Bob Hurst about the impact our birth order and the birth orders of our children have on our lives. Dr. Hurst, an orthodontist with over 50 years of experience, shares his insights on how birth order influences individual behavior, sibling relationships, and how parents can better understand and support their children. The episode also delves into 'double birth orders' and their significance, as well as practical advice for preparing chil...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina and Roxanne explore the topic of pain relief during labor, focusing on epidurals. They explain what an epidural is, its benefits, potential concerns, and debunks a few myths. They discuss the steps involved before, during, and after the epidural procedure, how to prepare for it, and how to manage labor and pushing with an epidural. The episode provides practical tips on positioning, movement, and pushing techniques for a more effective and comforta...
Nov 13, 2024•56 min
In this episode of Birth Story Friday, Roxanne is joined by Melissa, who shares her transformative and intense home birth experience. After discovering a previous procedure left considerable cervical scar tissue that was delaying her labor at 41 weeks, Melissa and her midwives devise a plan to break up the scar tissue. Despite initial delays, Melissa's active labor starts rapidly once her water breaks, leading to a surprisingly swift progression. With supportive midwives, a dedicated doula, and ...
Nov 08, 2024•32 min
Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, discuss the essentials of an unmedicated birth, including what it is, why someone might choose it, and how to prepare for it. They delve into mental and physical preparation, emphasize the importance of continuous labor support, and share their personal experiences and professional expertise. The episode also covers the significance of choosing the right birth location and medical team...
Nov 06, 2024•41 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne welcome Megan Aucutt, Program Director of Healthy Birthday, Inc. and creator of Count the Kicks, to discuss the critical role of fetal kick counts in reducing preventable stillbirths. Megan explains why starting kick counts at 28 weeks is essential, debunks common myths about fetal movements, and highlights the benefits of using the free Count the Kicks app for tracking movements. The conversation also covers how kick counts can a...
Oct 30, 2024•38 min
Roxanne welcomes Erica, who shares her hospital water birth story and postpartum experience. Erica discusses her intentional preconception health changes, commitment to prenatal fitness, and the time she took to get educated on what to expect and how to prepare for birth. She recounts her labor journey, starting at home, transitioning to the hospital, and finding relief in a birthing pool. Erica then shares the intense emotional and physical challenges of the postpartum period, emphasizing the i...
Oct 25, 2024•33 min
Gina and Roxanne sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist Hayley Kava to tackle the often-taboo subjects of hemorrhoids, constipation, anal fissures, incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse associated with pregnancy and postpartum life. They provide valuable insights into the physiological changes that contribute to these conditions, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue and practical strategies for relief. The episode covers all you need to know about the root issues behind these dis...
Oct 23, 2024•57 min
In this heartfelt episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne share deeply personal stories of pregnancy loss in honor of Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month. Gina recounts her emotional experiences with multiple miscarriages, discussing the healing process that comes from sharing her story and breaking the stigma around pregnancy loss. Roxanne provides professional insights on early pregnancy complications and the challenges faced in emergency rooms. The episode highlights t...
Oct 16, 2024•41 min
This episode of the MamasteFit Podcast features American mom Elena, who shares her unique birth experiences in Italy, transitioning from an Italian hospital delivery after her first to a more empowering home birth with Italian midwives for her second. Elena details her preparation for birth, the unexpected challenges faced during her hospital birth, and the transformative journey to a community birth setting for her second child. The episode emphasizes the importance of choosing a birth provider...
Oct 11, 2024•37 min
In this episode Gina and Roxanne discuss Gina's personal postpartum recovery journey four weeks after giving birth. They outline the postpartum healing timeline, emphasizing the importance of rest during the first ten days to prevent overexertion. Gina shares her personal experiences, challenges, and the supportive measures she took to ensure a smooth recovery, including listening to her body's signals to avoid pushing herself too soon. The episode also covers managing postpartum emotions, menta...
Oct 09, 2024•53 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Roxanne is joined by Chelsea Bodie from Mama Psychologist to discuss perinatal mood disorders. They explore what perinatal mood disorders are, how to identify them in oneself, and effective coping strategies. Chelsea delves into the distinctions between various mood disorders such as postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. The conversation also includes practical advice for being proactive, recognizing signs in oneself and others, and the importa...
Oct 02, 2024•48 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast Birth Story Friday, Gina and Roxanne are joined by Meagan, co-founder of VBAC Link. Meagan shares her inspiring journey through three births: two C-sections followed by a successful VBAC at home. She discusses the challenges, doubts, and ultimate triumph that led her to become a doula and co-found VBAC Link, a resource to educate other moms around the world. The episode delves into the importance of education, provider support, and community for parents ...
Sep 27, 2024•42 min
n this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina shares an in-depth recount of her fourth birth story with baby Zoe. Joined by Roxanne, Gina discusses her experiences leading up to labor, including psychic predictions, a star chart reading, and the prodromal labor she faced for the first time ever. The episode covers the emotional and physical journey through Zoe’s birth, highlighting moments of joy and challenges, while advocating for a supportive childbirth experience. Postpartum reflections and...
Sep 25, 2024•55 min
In this episode hosts Gina and Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, interview Leah Levitan. Leah is a licensed massage therapist and certified lymphatic therapist specializing in lymphatic drainage. The discussion centers on how lymphatic massage can alleviate common pregnancy symptoms like swelling and sinus congestion and support postpartum recovery, particularly for breast health during breastfeeding. The episode also includes practical tips for lymphatic drainage techniqu...
Sep 18, 2024•47 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Birth Story Fridays, Roxanne welcomes Dr. Abha Chopra, prenatal chiropractor, to share her second birth story. She shares her empowering story of having a hospital VBAC with an epidural at 41 weeks, following a switch to a more supportive provider at 28 weeks. Abha discusses her preparation for pregnancy and birth, including prenatal fitness and VBAC courses. She recounts her labor, the importance of choosing the right birth team, and the empowerment of...
Sep 13, 2024•40 min
Gina and Roxanne discuss the importance and functionality of the pelvic floor during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. They explain what the pelvic floor is, common misconceptions around it, and exercises to support it. The episode covers breathing techniques for managing intra-abdominal pressure, movements for preparing the pelvic floor for birth, and postpartum recovery tips. The sisters also share insights on pushing positions and techniques to protect the pelvic floor during labor, ...
Sep 11, 2024•44 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina and Roxanne interview Dr. Morgan MacDermott, a naturopathic doctor specializing in women's and perinatal health. The discussion focuses on strategies for successful breastfeeding during the early postpartum weeks, addressing common issues such as clogged ducts, engorgement, mastitis, and identifying a bad latch. Dr. MacDermott offers practical tips, resources, and shares her personal experiences to guide new mothers through the breastfeeding journe...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min
In this episode of MamasteFit Podcast's Birth Story Fridays, Kilpy shares her compelling journey of overcoming medical doubts about her ability to conceive due to a septate uterus. She delves into her hospital induction and 30-hour labor, followed by an in-depth discussion on navigating postpartum anxiety and tough nursing journey due to DMER. 00:00 Introduction 00:02 Meet Kilpy: A Journey from Preconception to Birth 00:26 Podcast Overview 01:38 Kilpy's Preconception Challenges and Surgery 02:27...
Aug 30, 2024•34 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne welcome Lexie Kite, co-author of 'More Than a Body,' to discuss the challenges of body image during pregnancy and postpartum. Lexie, who holds a PhD in body image and objectification, shares her insights on how women can develop body image resilience amid societal pressures. The conversation covers the importance of viewing the body as an instrument rather than an ornament, the problematic nature of BMI in assessing individual hea...
Aug 28, 2024•42 min
Welcome to the MamasteFit Podcast! In this episode, professional wrestler Leah Van Dale, also known as Carmella from WWE, shares her personal journey through pregnancy, birth, and the creation of her newsletter, Snatch. Leah discusses the challenges she faced as a professional athlete, her struggles with fertility including chemical and ectopic pregnancies, and the emotional aspects of pregnancy after loss. She also delves deep into her labor and birth story, highlighting the unexpected events a...
Aug 21, 2024•40 min
In this Birth Story Friday episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne chat with Deirdra, co-founder of EasyJug, a postpartum hydration tool. Deirdra shares her birth story and the journey of developing EasyJug with her husband. She talks about her late pregnancy, dealing with Bell's palsy and sciatica, and her decision between a home birth and hospital delivery due to her husband's past family trauma. Deirdra describes the challenges of postpartum recovery, including difficulties ...
Aug 16, 2024•47 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, hosts Gina and Roxanne are joined by Dr. Courtney Johnson, a pelvic floor physical therapist known as the Female Athlete Doc on the internet. Dr. Johnson discusses navigating exercise with pelvic organ prolapse during pregnancy and postpartum, addressing common fears and misconceptions. The conversation covers topics like defining prolapse, appropriate exercises, the use of pessaries, and the importance of mindset and symptom tracking in managing prolap...
Aug 14, 2024•50 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, shares her personal journey and preparation strategies for her third unmedicated home birth. Roxanne, a labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, joins her to provide additional insights and support. Gina discusses her experiences with previous births, the mental and physical techniques she's employing to prepare for labor, and the importance of having a supportive birth team. The episode highlights...
Aug 07, 2024•39 min
In this MamasteFit Podcast episode, Kodi shares her journey toward an emergency C-section, after an induction at the hospital for elevated blood pressure concerns. Kodi labors for hours, making it all the way to 9cm, only to find Baby made a last minute move during labor to be in a surprise frank breech position. Kodi describes how she felt supported and informed throughout her pregnancy and labor by her medical team and the MamasteFit preparation courses. Despite the unexpected turn of events, ...
Aug 02, 2024•46 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 various labor positions and movements to support your baby's navigation through the pelvis. They emphasize that there is no one single best labor position or best position for your baby, and forcing your baby into a specific position during pregnancy is unnecessary. The episode delves into the different pelvic levels, the bab...
Jul 31, 2024•44 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, Gina and Roxanne sit down with Jane Austin, a prenatal yoga expert from San Francisco, joins to discuss common misconceptions about movement during pregnancy. The conversation touches on the benefits of prenatal yoga for the entire perinatal time frame, the importance of building confidence through movement, and preparing for birth and postpartum recovery. Jane shares her extensive experience as a doula, midwife, and yoga instructor, and provides insigh...
Jul 24, 2024•54 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast Birth Story Friday, Ashley shares her experiences during her pregnancy and birth. She discovered her baby was breech at the end of her pregnancy and successfully opted for an External Cephalic Version (ECV) to rotate the baby head down. Ashley then went on to have a vaginal birth. Hosts Gina, perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, and Roxanne, labor and delivery nurse and student midwife, discuss Ashley's journey while also sharing insights on prenat...
Jul 19, 2024•28 min
In this episode of the MamasteFit Podcast, co-hosts Gina and Roxanne share detailed strategies for preparing for Gina's fourth postpartum period. Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula, outlines practical tips on securing support, meal planning, and essential postpartum products. The episode also offers insights into mental preparation and handling emotions during postpartum, alongside professional guidance on early postpartum recovery exercises. Additionally, the episode highlights t...
Jul 17, 2024•50 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 concept of community birth. They elaborate on why some choose to give birth outside of a hospital setting, sharing their personal experiences with home and birth center deliveries. The episode addresses common barriers to community birth such as financial constraints and finding a provider, while also discussing ways to overc...
Jul 10, 2024•53 min
