Becoming Parents - Birth Stories and Birthwork Wisdom

- became mom in 2016 and again in 2018- was worried about suffering from postpartum depression given my history of mental health struggles (anxiety and depression) but put team in place prior to pregnancy including repro psychiatrist who put me on SSRIs that were life changing- now I am a psychotherapist specializing in women's mental health during life transitions, I am certified in perinatal mental health and also work with women in perimenopause- wrote the book MILLENNIAL MENOPAUSE: PREPARING FOR PERIMENOPAUSE, MENOPAUSE, AND LIFE'S NEXT PERIOD and realized how much peri/menopause can affect women's mental health, especially if they've had prior episodes of anxiety/depression or a PMAD- really want women/moms to know they do NOT need to suffer! <3 support is availableLauren A. Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C is an advocate and therapist who supports millennial and young women through life transitions. She specializes in professional and personal identity shifts, including the perinatal period and perimenopause. Lauren is the go-to resource for women seeking counsel, empowerment, and connection.FIND HER HERE:www.thecounselaur.cominstagram: @thecounselaurlinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenatetenbaum/Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1646048105/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Sue Donnellan is a military wife, mom of four (including triplets), entrepreneur, author, and reformed yeller turned parenting pioneer. With over 20 years of experience, Sue has helped countless families worldwide break free from generational cycles of challenging parenting through her leadership-driven parenting methods.She is the author of Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck and the creator of the Fight-Free Parenting™ course, which teaches her signature Parenting in Advance™ method. Through this approach, parents go beyond simply improving behavior—they also create accountability and develop skills to foster genuine, lasting relationships with their children.Sue’s method emphasizes unlearning outdated parenting patterns and building trust through respectful, cycle-breaking strategies. She believes true parenting success lies in raising children who not only feel valued but enjoy being around their parents for life. With her no-nonsense, compassionate guidance, Sue inspires parents to transform their relationships and raise confident, happy kids.She’s a manufacturer's rep working with inventors and selling their products to catalogs, She also has her own skincare brand BodyVerde.com as well as being an author of the parenting book Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck and a 20+ year parent coachFIND HER HERE:https://askmomparenting.com/https://www.instagram.com/askmomparenting/https://www.facebook.com/AskMomParenting/

1. diagnosed with MS at 202. with a TSH of 156 I somehow conceived my son.3. had both of my kids at home with the same midwife (amazing exp even though my son was born with sepsis).4. I was one of the first board certified reproductive acupuncturists in N. America and attended hundreds of births as an acupuncturist, induced thousands, and trained even more acupuncturists on acupuncture for labor and delivery.Im building the first operating system for women's health called ConceivableFIND HER HERE:conceivable.comhttps://www.facebook.com/conceivablefertilityTiktok @yourfertilityexpert#IStandWithHer

I am a musician who had a 14-year career in Europe, and author of 12 books (10 baby and toddler books, and a fantasy novel for teens and self-help book for adults) , have had several businesses, a publishing house “Conscious Fiction,” a Vegan Company, a business serving Empaths etc.Socials:https://www.instagram.com/minimaestros_ondemandhttps://www.facebook.com/MiniMaestrosOnDemand/**https://minimaestros.teachable.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMu6DBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEyT0tYSktEcm0yZ0YxbHRzAR5Nb34ZbtIUFdYK5JJFuhcyt8Z69O2Mq0watVxWawl-PBTiFEY8MtRJBMAL8w_aem_E0Z79LaWRqFU7-c5WUz_bwhttps://estherbertram.com/#creations

My parenting journey starts with my birth when my own mother was screaming at the sight of me.Helping others to parent has been an integral part of my professional life.Using the latest and best therapy techniques marks my current work to help others heal from injuries delivered by their parents.Writing about parenting and personal growth is my passion.I am a psychologist in private practice and a writer. My recent book: Read, Reflect, Respond: the 3 R's of Growth and Change is a guide to personal growth.  I am currently completing a book for fathers to help them do a better job of raising emotionally intelligent boys.FIND HER HERE:www.drvanderhorst.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gloria-vanderhorst-ph-d-730826b/https://www.facebook.com/gloria.vanderhorst.7

Alexandra is a mom to 3 children, and the founder of Just the Inserts, a platform dedicated to empowering individuals with accessible, transparent information about medical choices. With a solid research background and a passion for informed consent, she guides people through the complexities of pharmaceutical products and decisions. Her commitment to clear, reliable information has earned her recognition as a trusted voice in the community, helping countless individuals make more informed, confident healthcare decisionWebsite: www.justtheinserts.comSocials:Instagram: @Justtheinserts @Justthealternatives X: @Justtheinserts

I started with saying NO to having babies (with the guy I was married to). This took me down the fertility rabbit hole trying to figure out if I was going to be able to have a child one day, with the right person. Eventually, I met the right person, and worked to prep my body for a year before saying yes to getting pregnant - and we got pregnant on the first try. Pregnancy was easy & birth was not! From induction to flailing epidurals, it was 36 hours of labor before meeting our baby boy. He's now 7, and parenting is... fun, challenging, and exhausting -- especially while being a serial entrepreneur.I'm the CEO of Holistic Fertility Institute- training doctors who want to specialize in fertility, and supporting couples who want to conceive. I'm also the co-founder of Madre Fertility, the first Smart Fertility Analyzer that uses AI to help couples understand the root causes of their fertility struggles. FIND HER HERE:Instagram.com/holisticfertilitydoctorholisticfertilityinstitute.com madrefertility.com

I’ve spent 20+ years leading remote teams—first as an EVP at DreamWorks and a VP at 20th Century Fox and then as a 3x tech CEO.  Along the way I learned that what actually makes remote work successful isn’t what most people focus on…and I picked up some amusing stories that illustrate these learnings.I run a community of 34K productivity-minded people in The Sukha and I've heard your name from some of them. I’d love to join you on Becoming Parents - Birth Stories and Birthwork Wisdom to share the unexpected lessons from Hollywood and tech—things that remote workers and leaders rarely hear but need to know. I run a remote working community and I've studied the last 6 years about Flow States, tips and tricks to maintain focus while working from home. Sukha is the focus app for remote work.I'm having my first child (son/IVF) in November and this summer I am sharing lessons I've learned along the way.www.thesukha.co/media has fun content about my journey, things I can speak to with intelligence and humor, etc. etc.I run a remote working community and app.FIND HIM HERE:www.TheSukha.coSteven@TheSukha.cohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/

I was a stepmom before I was a mom. So my first child was my husband's third child. I have two kids and two stepkids with a pretty fair age-gap between them and bringing everybody together as a family was harder than expected. I was surprised at how isolating motherhood was ... I was never alone and also felt alone. I did not have depression. The second birth was much faster than expected and without pain relief which was not at all my plan ...but it is how it went. :-)Amy Stone is an author, coach, and creator of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, where she champions adults navigating life's rich complexities. Through her engaging interview-style podcast and vibrant online community, she empowers individuals to embrace non-linear life journeys and continuous personal growth. She’s a mom, a stepmom and a seven-time Ironman finisher who bakes sourdough bread. Amy combines lived experience with practical guidance to foster authentic personal development.FIND HER HERE:Website: https://imperfectadulting.com/Facebook IA: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564917968308 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartof_imperfect_adulting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imperfectadulting 

Going from a potential career in pharmacy to chiropractic. Experience as a chiropractic patient with college athletic performance. Chiropractic chose me. Inspired to help kids and women during their pregnancy. 7 years in practice, miracles, running my own business and creating community.Grew up in Hawaii, but stayed in the mainland for opportunitiesI am a holistic family chiropractor. My practice is called The Village Chiropractic and Family WellnessFIND HER HERE:@dr.kaitlynshikada @thevillage.chiro

* I discovered that I was pregnant at age 29 a month after opening my own solo legal practice in a suburb of Cleveland, OH* My partner and I grew up in Louisville, KY. Our families were there, so we had no day-to-day support from them* My law school colleagues were practicing law 5 to 6 hours' drive away from where I was living.* I had to build my own tribe as a working mother.  My partner was working 70 or more hours a week.  So, although he was providing food and shelter, I was on my own as a parent and business woman.* I suffered a bad miscarriage when my son was 2 years old, and was hospitalized for a week because of heavy bleeding and passing lots of blood clots.  My mother flew in and took care of my son and brought him to the hospital to visit me. It was years later that I finally felt the grief of this loss and allowed myself to heal from this trauma.* I divorced when my son was almost 3 years old and he developed ADHD. I went on a healing journey to help him, and in the process began healing myself. I studied all kinds of healing modalities in an effort to keep him off drugs for his condition.* I have been a working mother - married, divorced, remarried and single since my son was born* He is now a successful entrepreneur with a son of his own.For years, I was an attorney.  I am still licensed to practice law in Colorado.  I owned a sold a solo practice that I started in Lakewood, OH, a suburb of ClevelandI used the proceeds of the sale to buy into a firm in Longmont, CO, near Denver, and became a partner in the firm. We sold the firm several years agoI opened Jewel Consultancy, and am the CEO of the company offering Work-Life Harmony and Balance Coaching, Transformational Mentoring and Soul Readings.FIND HER HERE:https://jewelconsultancy.comhttps://www.facebook.com/arlene.jewel/https://www.linkedin.com/in/arlene-cohen-miller-54435b59/https://x.com/JewelCoachPCChttps://www.instagram.com/jewelcoach2/https://www.tiktok.com/@jewelcoach2?lang=enhttps://www.youtube.com/@arlenecmiller

- 3 birth experiences- 1) intended home birth with midwife, ended as cesarean due to cholestasis- 2) heartbreak of a 24-week fatal diagnosis, termination, vaginal delivery to a stillborn baby (my son Wilde) - 3) rainbow baby through a VBAC after induced labor with repeat cholestasis- career shifted to being a postpartum doula at 39- work to shift the narrative around postpartum care, rest, recovery- left my marriage after 17 years together, became a "part time single mom" - most challenging and brave decision I had to makeI'm a postpartum doula and poet/author. FIND HER HERE:www.fosterwilson.comwww.instagram.com/thefosterwilson

I was adopted in the 1960s, at birth. Became a parent in the 1990s. My life journey led to self discovery and searching for birth mother. I discovered things about her and her life that answered the fundamental questions - where did I come from? What does 'home' mean?I am a co-founder of a healthcare start upFIND HIM HERE:https://www.mark-jamilkowski-author.com/https://x.com/RoadtoMoresco

- I had my dream home birth in December 2022- Discuss motherhood while managing a small business, the pros and challenges that come with this- 2 years + journey breastfeeding- motherhood has only further my mission, and calling for the work that I do and very much inspired the launch of my podcast - the legacy of loveSara Ecklein is dedicated to bringing healing and peace to individuals during end-of-life transitions. As the founder of Trust & Honor, a mindful fiduciary agency, she serves as a trusted partner and compassionate advocate for clients in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Sara also hosts The Legacy of Love podcast, where she redefines what it means to plan for the future with intention and heart.Sara’s mission was shaped by her profound experience witnessing a loved one’s final days. Since 2014, she has worked in the private professional fiduciary field, specializing in issues affecting senior and disabled populations. Sara is a CA Licensed Professional Fiduciary and a Certified National Guardian. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and toddler and works every day to build her legacy of love.FIND HER HERE:https://www.trustandhonor.co/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067625615341https://www.instagram.com/themindfulfiduciary/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-ecklein/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-legacy-of-love/id1756395177

- As a teenager I was taught - as many are - that slip up once in the bed and you are pregnant- Always figured kids would simply happen but they weren't my one big dream that would make me satisfied in life. I have always been spontaneous and loved adventure and travel and possibility. - Decided to get married. Decided to have kids. 3 years later, not pregnant. - lucked out to be living in Cambridgeshire England (we're Canadian) at that exact time, as IVF was covered by public health for 3 rounds. - felt grateful and lucky- One fresh round, pregnant. Twins. Early miscarriage. - frozen round, 2 put in, one baby created on Canada day, ironically, and brought me my first child. - gestational diabetes, frequent monitoring, super healthy, early induction 37 weeks and 4 days. - emergency c section, with plenty of trauma, blood loss, full general anesthetic, baby with group b strep, 9 days in the hospital,husband not allowed overnight. - baby sick with snotty cold full 2nd month- then I felt like I was born to be a mother for 3 years. Brought my baby with me on adventures, Built a community of other spontaneous folk. - Got pregnant with second with no IVF, somewhat without trying- took control of birth, doula, different hospital, the full deal. - 2nd child 3 years apart. Very hard. Couldn't meet everyone's needs. Isolated in England. - Moved back to Canada March 2020 in height of pandemic - a dark year of feeling no purpose- then started an applied positive psychology course, then the coaching course, and found my community of people who want to learn similar things to me and found myself again. - now, I coach, I learn, I take small courageous steps and I'm building The Courage Club, where women meet, play, laugh, and try new things together to build our courage muscles...so that when we want to go for that big, audacious dream, our bodies and brains remember that we can do scary things. Mel Findlater is a passionate Possibility Coach, nature lover, and mother of two, dedicated to helping women embrace their big, audacious dreams with courage and playfulness. As the founder of Permission to Be Human and Courage Club, she empowers women to connect with their purpose, stretch their comfort zones, and take bold steps toward meaningful impact. With certifications in applied positive psychology coaching, forest school education, and laughter yoga, Mel blends her love of play, nature, and connection into all of her work. Known for her warm, authentic nature, Mel creates safe spaces for women to grow, connect, and thrive - together.FIND HER HERE:Website: https://www.permissiontobehuman.ca/Podcast: https://www.permissiontobehuman.ca/podcasts/permission-to-be-human-the-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/permissiontobehumancoInsta: https://www.instagram.com/permissiontobehumancoaching/

Depression, Anxiety, Parenting, NLP & Hypnotherapy Practice with Craig Meriwether - S7 E58Starting when I was a teenager I struggled for many years with depression and anxiety. It was with the birth of my son that I found the resolve to heal. My mother struggled with depression as did I and whether it was nurture or nature I want to make sure I would be able to help my son if he fell into the dark hole of depression.  I found healing by learning to take back control of my subconscious mind and nervous system through hypnotherapy and NLP techniques. After learning so much I trained to become a clinical hypnotherapist myself. I am a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Medical Hypnosis Specialist, Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) specialist, and Founder of Arizona Integrative Hypnotherapy helping people eliminate the negative emotions and limiting beliefs that may be keeping them from reaching their full potential. For over 12 years I've been helping people heal from early childhood trauma, helping cancer patients with pain control, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, students with test anxiety, children with nightmares, entrepreneurs with confidence, athletes with peak performance, and anyone who may be dealing with overwhelm, fear and anxiety. I have also created Ace Any Test, the most comprehensive course for test anxiety relief so people can eliminate anxiety around exams, auditions, job interviews and public speaking, as well as increase confidence and self-esteem. Possible Topics to Discuss: •  Overcoming fear and anxiety •  Program yourself for confidence •  What is hypnosis and how it can help you heal (talk about the research behind it)•  Eliminate test anxiety (as well as anxiety around auditions, job interviews, public speaking) •  Getting "in state" at the start of your day •  Using hypnotherapy for confidence, growth and success FIND HIM HERE:Arizona Integrative Hypnotherapyhttps://arizonaintegrativehypnotherapy.com/Ace Any Testhttps://aceanytest.com/Program Yourself For Confidence – Download 5 Free Recordings Today!https://aceanytest.com/boost-your-confidence/Social media - mostly linked to Ace Any Testhttps://www.youtube.com/@aceanytesthttps://www.facebook.com/AceAnyTesthttps://www.instagram.com/ace_any_test/https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-meriwether-44286718b/If this interests you, I wanted to let you know that I have an affiliate program for my Ace Any Test course. When you sign up you get a custom affiliate link which you can put in the show notes, use in social media and use in an email newsletter. You’ll earn a 25% commission when someone using your affiliate link buys the course. That’s $36.75 every time someone with your affiliate link purchases Ace Any Test.You can find out more about the course at information more about the affiliate program and the course at https://aceanytest.com/affiliate-program/

Father to 24 yr Irish daughterFather to 10 yr Polish sonEnsuring your child is heart centeredI’m a Podcaster / Podcast coach / partner is VA World providing Virtual Assistants / Partner with brain gym fitnessFIND ROY HERE:https://roycoughlan.com/https://va.world/https://braingym.fitness/https://bio.link/podcaster

-Mother of two. Both born in a hospital using anesthesia and post care medications.-I was never taught about how important pre- and post-natal care is during my parenting journey (aside from "walk as much as you can" and "take prenatal pills every day") and thought that physical activity was the most important aspect. -I've since learned that nutrition should be a fundamental aspect to everyone's journey whether they're a parent or not and to also be made aware that hospitals and doctors might not properly inform you on vital information that could save some women from a lot of negative side effects both long-term and short-term.-I also want to give hope to moms with older children that it's never too late to take you and your children's health into your own hands and give simple solutions to very busy people to be able to live healthier, more fulfilled lives.I've owned my own personal training gym as well as a small spa and now I do marketing for Vital Earth Minerals while still doing fitness consulting on the side. FIND HER HERE:https://www.instagram.com/vital_earth_minerals/www.vitalearthminerals.com

-  I am not a parent, but  I am a DONA International certified Birth Doula working in North Carolina - I did not learn about what a doula was until the age of 26 years old in graduate school. Once I learned about the field, it instantly clicked for me. I've always been fascinated with birth but never wanted to be a nurse or doctor. - I had some fears around becoming a labor support doula and not having gone through childbirth but my training reassured me that I was able to do the job - I learned of the Alliance of Black Doulas for Black Mamas (which was rebranded to LEADDoula) through an email listserv that a friend sent me, because she knew I wanted to be doula - ABDBM or LEAD was strictly for Black women who wanted to become doulas, and was focused on serving black birthing people and their families - It was a 6 week program with culturally tailored education, included all required DONA International training to become certified, and afterwards, we were required to serve as doula for at least 3 births to be eligible for DONA certification  - Between the program and my own clients, I've had 13 births - Fun fact: My first birth was a cesarean section  - I love serving as a birth doula because of the relationships I have built with the moms and families I've served. Being with a woman at her most intimate and vulnerable time of childbirth is such a special gift FIND HER HERE:linkedin.com/in/jnmclean3

Mother to Isaac: 11 year old boy Gentle Parenting Advocate: Practicing a compassionate, respectful approach to parenting while promoting mental health and calm family dynamics. Experienced Counselor & Educator: Leveraging my background in education, counseling, and family systems to foster a thriving home environment. Committed to helping families find balance, reduce overwhelm, and nurture joy in their relationships. World Traveler with Isaac: and our family. Our family loves to travel and has done many adventures together.  Heart-Led Parent: Grounded in faith and an open-hearted approach to nurturing Isaac's unique gifts and potential. I am a family coach FIND HER HERE: Website:www.anastasiaarauz.com](https://www.anastasiaarauz.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastasia.arauz/   TikTok: [@anastasia.arauz4]https://www.tiktok.com/@anastasia.arauz4 LinkedIn: [Anastasia Arauz]https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-arauz-322b4598/ YouTube: [Anastasia Arauz Coaching] https://www.youtube.com/@anastasiaarauzcoaching