In this heartfelt episode, I walk you through the emotional and transformative journey of my second birth story. This baby arrived during one of the most challenging periods of my life, marked by profound grief over the recent loss of my mom and the overwhelming responsibility of parenthood. I recount the unexpected news of my pregnancy, the complexities of balancing grief and new life as a girl mom of two under two, and the emotional roller-coaster of my labor and delivery. 

What’s inside this episode:

• You'll hear about my struggle with postpartum anxiety.
• My second experience with dysphoric milk ejection reflex (D-MER).
• How the support from my husband and community made a significant difference in this phase of my life.
• Despite all the challenges, this birth story is a testament to resilience, unexpected joy, and the ultimate redemption found in bringing new life into the world.

Helpful Timestamps: 

• 01:56 Reflecting on the First Birth and Grief
• 04:45 Unexpected Pregnancy
• 08:14 Navigating Early Pregnancy Challenges
• 10:14 Preparing for Labor
• 12:19 Labor Begins
• 15:41 Rushing to the Hospital
• 19:05 Arrival and Admission
• 23:08 Active Labor and Support
• 24:13 Confidence and Trust in Labor
• 24:39 Emotional Signposts of Transition
• 27:33 My Second Birth
• 31:47 Immediate Postpartum Reflections
• 37:51 Breastfeeding and Postpartum Challenges
• 40:30 Postpartum Anxiety and Health Concerns
• 46:28 Reflections on Motherhood and Redemption

More from this episode:

Visit www.thelabormama.com/birth and use code MAMA25 at checkout for 25% off!

Read the Blog: My Second Birth STory: a precipitous, unmedicated hospital birth

Listen to episode 4: Are You Sad When You Breastfeed? You Might Have D-MER

Listen to episode 10: The Emotional Signposts of Labor (an Episode for Every Birth Partner to Hear)

About your host:

Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama.

For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her

website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here.

For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen!

A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️

Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK 

Disclaimer

Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here.

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Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services