Not Another Wellness Podcast

E. 59 The First 6 Weeks Postpartum

E.58 Bridger's first hours & days of life

WHO AM I NOW? I am still figuring out who I am on the other side of motherhood nearly five years later. It can feel lonely to suddenly not recognize yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally post-baby. I know how this feels and am finding my way through every day. I wanted to share some more thoughts and little tips that have helped me understand myself more in the process.

Drive with me. This is a 15 minute meditation for mindfulness while driving. Breathe in. Breathe out.

E. 82 Is this thing still on? Weaning, life updates, etc.I am back, baby! This episode talks about babies, breastfeeding, weaning, and feeling ALIVE when you've been feeling LOST.

E. 78 Meditation for transitThis is a quick meditation to reset while you are on the go

E. 80 Postpartum Preparation vs. RealityThis is an episode on my postpartum healing journey and what preparations we set up ahead of time for support. The most important piece of advice I've heard and followed is the 5-5-5 rule. Once you have a baby, your body needs to rest and recover. A great way to support your healing is to spend 5-6 days completely resting in bed. Then the next 5 days on the bed or close to the bed with rest at the forefront. Finally the last 5 days you should still be resting "close" to the bed. This is the bare minimum for allowing your body to recover. I share more tips in this episode!

Preparing for Baby, againHere is another nap-time podcast recording on Not Another Wellness Podcast. In this episode I share the ways I prepared myself physically, mentally, and emotionally for our second baby.

Pt. 2 Teagan's Birth Story ...How she made her grand entrance into the world and what the postpartum period felt like with a toddler at home this time.

Teagan's Birth Story Pt. 1

Dr. Stephanie Dueger is a psychotherapist, parent coach, and educator, who works with expectant and new parents and their little ones. Her first book, Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families, is the book she wishes she'd had for herself when first becoming a parent. She facilitates parent workshops, and was the Editor-in-Chief of the academic Journal of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health for 3 years. Dr. Dueger lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband and two daughters. preparedforparenthood.com

“You can both be grateful, & have trauma” after your birthBirth TraumaThe difference between a difficult and traumatic birthWhat is happening in the brain during labor, primal brainAbout “1 in 10 people feel their birth was traumatic”About “1 in 6 people can be diagnoses with postpartum PTSD”What are the common threads between a persons birth and their likelihood for experiencing trauma in birthPreparing for BirthManaging past traumas before you give birth “Letting the nervous system know that it is safe, and seen, and soothed”Doulas/Birth WorkersThe language of “doula” is shifting to “birth worker”What is the role of the doulaBirth preferences vs. a birth planHelping birthing people feel empoweredThe difference between a birth worker and a partnerMinimize the unexpected with education and preparationBirth is safe in lots of difference placesThe top 3 things that seem to help people have the most satisfying birth experiences (and make the whole birthing team more successful)1. A team with whom they feel supported2. Use the strengths you already have3. Have flexibilityWhy wanting to “control” birth doesn’t always workPostpartum workers/doulas and what that can look like What is postnatal depletion?Post Trauma GROWTH!Jenevieve Russell: Jenevieve has been in the pregnancy/parenting world for the past 20 years as a doula, psychotherapist, support group host. She has witnessed 450 births in that time as a birth worker. She is a psychotherapist through her Nurturing Strategies, LLC [psychotherapy, trauma/birth processing and perinatal adjustment] and motherhood support group, and a doula/birthworker through Doulas of Boulder. She delights in exploring her own journey of motherhood with her family and is ecstatic about supporting expecting families. She draws on her vast, eclectic experiences (more below) when supporting families before, during and after birthing, specifically she has attended/supported births since 1996.Get in touch with Jenevieve:www.NurturingStrategies.comJenevieve is also an experienced doula:Doulas of BoulderOther links from the show!Doula Database:https://www.dona.org/what-is-a-doula/find-a-doula/https://referral.dancyperinatal.com/https://psidirectory.com/Soul 2 Soul Sisters: out of Coloradohttps://soul2soulsisters.org/sacred-seeds-black-birthworker-collective-of-colorado/

Natalie and Kate sit down (in person!) to chat about maternal health and the importance of the postpartum period for new moms.Kate is the Founding Director, & Senior Supervising Psychotherapist at the Postpartum Wellness Center in Boulder. She’s been helping individuals and families in periods of transition for the past 20 years.In this episode, we talk about the following topics: Defining the postpartum period What happens in the brain after a baby is born Common Stressors on the mother in the 2-3 weeks after childbirth How to prepare yourself for the postpartum period Perinatal Mood Disorders What you can do if you need helpKate Kripke, LCSW, PMH-C, (She, Her)https://www.katekripke.com/https://pwcboulder.com/kate-kripke-lcswPodcast: Motherhood Uncut PodcastInstagram: @pwcboulder @motherhooduncutpodcast

What is the pelvic floor & why does it matter? You came to the right place to learn more. Natalie sits down remotely with Amanda Fisher to talk all things pelvic floor. Amanda is a mom to three boys, wife, Physical Therapist (DPT) and founder/owner of Empower Your Pelvis Clinic and Empower Your Pelvis online.Topics covered on this episode: Pelvic floor 101 Issues faced when pelvic floor is "imbalanced" Pregnancy protocol for taking care of your pelvic floor Postpartum protocol - vaginal birth Postpartum protocol- Cesarean  Pelvic floor for men AND SO MUCH MORE!Here is Amanda's full bio from her website :)Hey there, I’m Amanda Fisher, Doctor of Physical Therapy at Empower Your Pelvis.Most days you can find me in the morning at the gym with a water in one hand and coffee in the other, followed by taking my boys to school and then at the clinic with my favorite, pelvic patients. I am wife to my hunky, husband-Brett, and a mother to my wild-n-crazy three boys (yes, my hands are full!).  I am mostly known for my passion for pelvic floor dysfunction and teaching women how to find vaginal healthy products at Target (yes, I have a video on YouTube on this).  I love serving the world by helping women realize there is hope with pelvic floor issues like peeing your pants, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain and pain with intercourse.The things I am most passionate about in life are my family, spending time with my husband and kids, pelvic health, health and fitness, 90s/2000s hip hop, baking cookies, gardening herbs, bike riding, personal growth journeys and mojitos.I am a true believer that life happens for us, not to us.  In 2008, I started leaking urine while training for half marathons.  Then in 2009 I developed pelvic pain (specifically, pain with sex…so not fun) which led me down this wonderful path of pelvic health.  I have been scared and ashamed of my symptoms and learned how to overcome them.  Then in 2013, 2015 and 2017, after the births of each of my children, I had pelvic organ prolapse.  I began feeling pressure in my vaginal canal with prolonged standing or right before I had a bowel movement.  I worked really hard to improve my pelvic floor muscle strength and coordination to continue to work out and stay healthy for myself and my family.  After many different paths of pelvic floor dysfunction, I feel I can relate to my patients and love being their accountability partner.  I am lucky to provide my patients tools to improve their pelvic health so they can improve their health, fitness and sometimes, even their marriage/ relationship.Email: Amanda@empoweryourpelvis.comInstagram: @empower.your.pelvisWebsite: www.EmpowerYourPelvis.com

I've stopped shaving my body.I've had enough.You can't tell me what to do.You can't tell me if and when I can have a medical abortion, or any abortion, for that matter.We all deserve the right to choose what we do with our bodies. They belong to us.They are are ours.We choose what makes us feel good.WE get the choice.Not some man at the top of the beauty or fashion industry, not the the patriarchal society, not anyone.You. Grow. Girl.

WE ARE LOVE Meditation - 12 minutes

I am a woman who has given birth and felt the *burden* of pregnancy and childbirth and raising a child. There are plenty of valid reasons, health, personal, economical, etc., that are all all up to the mother and her support network and doctors, for why a child might not be best brought into the world. Each of these should be respected. 

Natalie sits down with Melanie Bearne of Better Birth Stories to talk all about Hypnosis and Hypnobirthing, her remote hypnobirthing course called Better Birth Stories, the birthing system, and how birth is a “mammalistic” event.This podcast covers: - Hypnosis, what is it and what it isn’t-Birthing using hypnobirthing practices as a method of preparation for birth and life-The medicalization of birth in today's society-Birth as a rite of passage in a woman's life-The history of birth, the “gossips”-How we can support women in birth-Where the safest place for a women to birth is-The different types of care providers and which are most appropriate for each type of birth situation-More about the Better Birth Stories Course-How Melanie stays groundedResources discussed in this episode:-Better Birth Stories online coursehttps://www.betterbirthstories.com/-Reclaiming Childbirth As A Rite Of Passage- Rachel ReidLink on GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57191579-reclaiming-childbirth-as-a-rite-of-passageMelanie’s Biography:Melanie is the founder of Better Birth Stories - Hypnobirthing & Positive Birth. She is a Senior Clinical Hypnotherapist, an Accredited Certified EFT Practitioner and a hugely experienced Hypnobirthing teacher. She lives in Wandsworth, London with her partner, 3 awesome kids and their rescue chihuahua.Melanie regularly takes courses with Dr Sara Wickham and Evidence Based Birth and CPDs in various subjects from depression to counselling.She is a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register, the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council, Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (AIMS), the Association of Radical Midwives, the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council, EFT International and The Hypnobirthing Association. Melanie is also an Evidence Based Birth Professional Member.You can connect with Melanie via her Instagram or Facebook page or visit the related therapies page to find out more about her other hypnotherapy services, including previous traumatic births, anxiety, depression, phobias and fertility support.

Have you ever tried to meditate while driving? Eyes open, of course.. You can be mindful in everything you do. Come drive and meditate with me! This is a 10 minute mindfulness practice.

Need some body love today? Come meditate with me. This is a 15 minute meditation on loving your body and all that it does for you every second of every day.