The Birth Experience with Labor Nurse Mama

What if tearing isn't inevitable? There is so much more you can do than "hope for the best," and it starts with a part of your body nobody ever taught you about: your pelvic floor.My friend Sarah Almodovar is a mom of three, a prenatal yoga teacher, and a pelvic floor expert. She started by teaching yoga on a rooftop in NYC, and now she helps moms all over the world show up to birth prepared, confident, and far less afraid.We're talking about the thing you've all told me you're most scared of - vaginal tearing - and how to take the fear out of it with practical tips to lessen your chance of tearing.What We Cover:Why vaginal tearing is such a hot topic (and why it's only a tiny part of your birth experience)Why the pelvic floor's real job is to release and open, not tense and pushSarah's 3 tips for moms worried about tearingWhy "one, two, three, push" doesn't make sense, and what the research says about spontaneous pushingWhy your birth team matters for your pelvic floor, tooRed flags your body may be sending you now, like leaking when you sneeze, painful sex, or tailbone painHow learning to relax your pelvic floor can influence labor length, risk of tearing, and even C-section riskWhy seeing a pelvic floor specialist and a Webster-certified chiropractor during pregnancy is worth itMore from Sarah AlmodovarBirth-Ready Pelvic Floor MasterclassFirst 6 Weeks - use coupon code ‘TRISH’www.sarahjoalmo.comFollow her on Instagram & YouTube: @sarahjoalmoMentioned in this episode:Listen to: Vaginal Tearing during Birth: Real & Gritty Helpful Timestamps:00:00 Is Tearing Inevitable?01:30 Sarah’s No Tear Story03:38 Mindset Over Outcomes08:22 Three Tips To Prevent Tearing15:33 Pelvic Floor Basics Explained17:56 Advocacy And Red Flags23:49 Masterclass And Programs28:00 Where To Find SarahJoin The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love 🤍⭐ Download immediately ⭐App available ⭐Life-time access⭐Connect w/ Trish: On InstagramOn YouTubeFor more pregnancy & birth education, subscribe to The Birth Experience on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services

This episode is sponsored by HaakaaProdromal labor is one of the most frustrating things you can go through at the end of pregnancy, and hardly anyone prepares you for it. I'm walking you through what it is, what your body may be doing, how to tell it apart from active labor, and what to do when you're up night after night. You'll leave with a plan and a lot less panic.In This Episode:What prodromal labor is, and how it differs from Braxton HicksWhy it can be your body's rehearsal for the real thingHow to tell prodromal contractions from real, active labor contractionsThe Miles Circuit, a 90-minute positioning sequence to tryWhether an Epsom salt bath helps (honest answer inside)Why rest is your best strategy, and why ignoring prodromal labor as long as you can is a skillMore from this episode:Read the Blog: The Miles Circuit: Here's How To Induce Labor and Birth at the End of PregnancyListen to this FREE Mini Audio Birth Class: Birth InsiderThanks to our Sponsor Haakaa: Grab the Haakaa Petal Soft Silicone Milk Collector and use code ‘LOVELNM10’ for 10% off!Helpful Timestamps:00:00 Prodromal Labor02:32 What Prodromal Labor Is03:31 What Your Body Is Doing04:23 Prodromal Vs Active Labor06:26 Mile Circuit Positions08:20 Baths Walking And RestJoin The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love 🤍⭐ Download immediately ⭐App available ⭐Life-time access⭐Connect w/ Trish: On InstagramOn YouTubeFor more pregnancy & birth education, subscribe to The Birth Experience on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services

This episode is sponsored by SnugghugHave you ever been told your iron levels are "fine" and still felt exhausted, anxious, and completely off during pregnancy? I'm sitting down with Samantha Chandler of Wellness & Womb, a women's wellness coach who has completely changed the way I think about iron, minerals, and what our blood work is actually - and isn't - telling us.Samantha's own journey started with a simple question during her second pregnancy: why were so many women around her low in iron? What she uncovered led her down a path most OBs never talk about - the difference between low iron in the blood and iron that's dysregulated in the body. And as someone who has stood at the bedside for a lot of hemorrhages, this conversation hit close to home for me.We're getting into: Why "your iron is fine" doesn't tell the whole story - and what copper has to do with itThe symptoms doctors write off as "just pregnancy" that may actually point to a mineral imbalance What the placenta can reveal about what was really happening in mom's bodyWhy prenatal vitamins might not be doing what you think they're doingPractical, whole-food ways to support iron regulation - without supplements or infusionsThe "five minute rule" that helped Samantha decline an unnecessary inductionSamantha has worked with hundreds of women (and even coaches health providers) on this exact topic, and the results she's seen - including drastically reduced blood loss at birth - are the reason I wanted her on the show.This one might change how you look at your next lab work.More from Samantha Chandler:Visit wellnessandwomb.com Connect on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @wellnessandwombThanks to our Sponsor Snugghug: Grab the Snugghug Nursing Cover and Nursing Shirt and use code 'LNMAMA10' for 10% off! Helpful Timestamps:00:00 Low Iron in Pregnancy02:19 Samantha’s Health Journey04:44 Iron Dysregulation Explained06:34 Pregnancy Labs Misread10:13 Testing Beyond Basics17:45 Prenatals and Whole Foods20:38 Labor and Birth SupportJoin The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love 🤍⭐ Download immediately ⭐App available ⭐Life-time access⭐Connect w/ Trish: On InstagramOn YouTubeFor more pregnancy & birth education, subscribe to The Birth Experience on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services

Just found out you're pregnant and wondering "now what?" Trish is breaking down the first trimester essentials - the stuff nobody tells you until you're six weeks in and suddenly flattened by exhaustion. From what's really happening in your baby's development to the food rules, spotting fears, and when (or if) to tell people your news, this episode is the guide Trish wishes every mama had the moment she saw two pink lines.In this episode:Why folate (not folic acid) matters for your prenatal vitamin - and how the MTHFR gene variant plays a roleThe truth about first trimester fatigue and how to actually cope with itWhat to do if you experience spotting (and why it's more common than you think)How prenatal care is shifting toward telehealth in 2026Morning sickness vs. hyperemesis gravidarum - when to ask for helpWhat genetic screening (NIPT) can tell you, and when it's offeredNavigating the noise around pregnancy vaccinesFood safety musts: what to skip and what's actually fineWhen to share your pregnancy news - and why it's nobody's call but yoursTrish's own experience with nine pregnancies, six live births, and three lossesMentioned in this episode:Grab our Free Third Trimester Prep PackHelpful Timestamps:00:00 First Trimester Tips02:10 Prenatal Folate Basics02:53 Fatigue03:48 Spotting and When to Call04:23 Appointments and Telehealth05:45 Morning Sickness Help06:25 Genetic Screening NIPT06:59 Vaccines and Food Safety08:07 Sharing Pregnancy NewsJoin The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love 🤍⭐ Download immediately ⭐App available ⭐Life-time access⭐Connect w/ Trish: On InstagramOn YouTubeFor more pregnancy & birth education, subscribe to The Birth Experience on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services

This Episode is Sponsored by SnugghugDid you know 80% of your immune system lives in your gut - and your baby gets theirs from you? Whether you had a vaginal birth or a C-section, breastfed or formula fed, this episode is going to change the way you think about your baby's health from day one.Trish sits down with Cheryl Hoy, CEO and founder of Tiny Health, the first at-home microbiome testing company for moms and babies. Cheryl's journey started with her own breech C-section birth and a mission to understand what that meant for her daughter's long-term health. What she found led her to build a company backed by scientists from Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and UCSF - and to become one of the loudest voices reminding moms that their birth mode isn't the end of the story. Trish and Cheryl dig into the science of the vaginal, gut, and skin microbiomes, why laboring (even before a C-section) still matters, and how the first 1,000 days of life set the stage for your child's immune system for years to come. This one is equal parts science lesson and permission slip - you are not powerless, no matter how your baby arrived earthside.What You'll Learn Inside This Episode:Why babies born vaginally have a different gut microbiome than babies born via C-section - and how that connects to the "atopic march" (eczema → food allergies → asthma → hay fever)Why laboring - even if it ends in a C-section - still seeds your baby's microbiome with beneficial bacteriaHow vaginal exams during labor can introduce antibiotic-resistant hospital bacteria to your babyWhy dads contribute up to 20% of a baby's microbiome in the first year (and even more with a C-section birth )What actually happens when you order a Tiny Health test, and how simple the process really isWhy "failure to progress" might have less to do with your body and more to do with how supported you felt in the roomHow feeding mode (breast vs. formula) is the #1 most impactful lever for course-correcting gut health after a C-sectionWhy the first 1,000 days - conception through age 2-3 - is the critical window for immune training, and what you can actually do about itMore from Tiny Health:Go to TinyHealth.com and use code LNM!Follow on Instagram: @[email protected] to our Sponsor Snugghug: Grab the Snugghug Nursing Cover and Nursing Shirt and use code 'LNMAMA10' for 10% off! Mentioned in this episode:The VBAC Lab - Trish's course for vaginal birth after C-sectionHelpful Timestamps:00:00 Meet Cheryl from Tiny Health07:04 What Is The Microbiome12:46 Course Correcting In Early Life19:07 Results, Support, And Dad’s Role20:26 Microbiome Roles at Birth23:07 Fighting for Breech Birth33:30 Tiny Health Mission and Testing36:09 Research Results and Future Care37:26 Where to Find Tiny HealthJoin The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love 🤍⭐ Download immediately ⭐App available ⭐Life-time access⭐Connect w/ Trish: On InstagramOn YouTubeFor more pregnancy & birth education, subscribe to The Birth Experience on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services