So many parents feel like they have to choose between sleep and breastfeeding and today’s guest, Hillary Sadler, says that's not the case - and she knows what she’s talking about! A registered nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and mom of four, Hilary is a true expert in the art of balancing feeding and sleep.

Getting enough sleep is going to be vital for your mental health. I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it again: To have a healthy baby, you’ve gotta have a healthy parent. Do future-you a favor and understand the link between feeding and sleep before baby comes home.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

• How “quality, effective, efficient” feeds can impact sleep
• What the biological link is between feeding and sleep
• Why you should think about your sleep goals
• How to maximize your newborn’s wake time 
• What makes an efficient feeding pattern
• What the five S’s are
• Why you should approach day feeding and night feeding differently

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Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode259

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For many parents, selecting where they’re going to give birth is an important part of the planning process. However, Jodi lives on a small island with only one hospital and didn’t have a choice in the matter.

Though she and her baby are healthy, the birth was intensely challenging. Jodi’s pain went under-treated and many procedures were done without adequate communication. While I want to acknowledge that rural and remote medicine is complex, the pain Jodi suffered is unacceptable.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

• How long it took to get from Jodi’s home to the hospital
• How her “advanced maternal age” affected the care she received
• Why she was unable to leave the bed during delivery
• Why doctors were in a hurry to get the baby out
• How doctors could’ve done a better job of communicating
• Whether forceps are still commonly used
• What it was like for Jodi to experience an episiotomy & forceps delivery without adequate pain management
• What steps were taken to deliver/remove the placenta

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Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode258

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

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Normally the umbilical cord has 3 vessels - 2 arteries and one vein. What does it mean when your baby's umbilical cord has 2 vessels instead of 3? How do you know if this is a concern for your baby? I answer this listener question from Jessica in this episode!

If you have a question you'd like me to answer, shoot me a DM on Instagram @drnicolerankins.

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In this episode, you'll learn all the tests that are recommended during pregnancy. I’ll break things down by trimester and talk about why the tests are done and what the results of the tests mean. You can use this information to prepare for upcoming tests or go back and ask questions about ones that were done in the past.

The bulk of testing is done in the first trimester. Early screening is vital for the health of you and your baby. Healthcare doesn’t often focus on preventative care so use this opportunity to be proactive and plan ahead.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

• Which tests are recommended and done during pregnancy
• Why you should register for access to your electronic medical records
• Why we don’t want you to go into birth having low platelets
• What happens in the case of an RH negative parent and an RH positive baby
• Which conditions can be passed on from parent to baby
• Why we screen for several STIs
• What we can learn from analyzing a urine sample
• Why genetic testing is done
• What an anatomy scan looks for
• Why it’s important to check for and address gestational diabetes

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Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode257

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

Our Sponsors:
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The term high risks gets used a lot and can mean very different things depending on your unique circumstances. Learn what "high risk" actually means as well as questions you need to ask if you've been told you're "high risk".

Join me in my free LIVE class Make A Birth Plan The Right Way! Grab your seat at drnicolerankins.com/birthplan

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Mallory Whitmore knows her stuff about formula! She’s a certified infant feeding tech, leader of education at Bobbie–the only mom-founded and mom-run U.S. formula brand–and she’s the face behind The Formula Mom, an online platform for infant feeding info and support.

To be clear, she’s not against breastfeeding, quite the opposite in fact! Her mission is to help parents make informed, confident, and supported infant feeding decisions–without guilt or shame. If that means all breastmilk, all formula, or someplace in between, all that matters is that your baby gets the nutrition they need!

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

• How formula compares to breast milk
• Which “bioactive components” are found in breast milk
• What parents should look for in a formula - ignore the marketing hype!
• What types of formula are available
• How to figure out which formula is right for you
• What signs can indicate a formula is not working for your baby
• How long you should give it before you switch to a different formula
• How to feed a combination of breastmilk and formula
• What actually makes DIY formula risky
• Why it’s so important to destigmatize formula feeding
• What the difference is between absolute risk and relative risk

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Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode256

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

Our Sponsors:
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Making a birth plan is a really important part of helping you have the birth you want. A birth plan helps you think through the things that you want for your birth and communicate your wishes with your birth team. To make the most of your birth plan, be sure to ask your doctor the 4 key questions you'll learn in this short episode!

And to learn 4 more questions to ask as well as how to approach the process, tips to get your doctor and nurses to pay attention and what to include, join me in my FREE LIVE class Make A Birth Plan The RIGHT Way. Register at drnicolerankins.com/birthplan

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Amy had what she calls an "easy pregnancy". The birth was the difficult part. Her labor came on quickly and then stalled. While hospital staff nudged her along by breaking her water and administering Pitocin, it became clear that something was wrong.

Amy was sick - she was showing symptoms of infection. As she faded in and out of consciousness, her family and care team discussed the options. Eventually it was decided that a C-section was the best choice.

After birth, Amy didn't get her “TV moment" with her baby. Her son was taken to the NICU and she had to spend a week in the hospital. Once they were reunited, it was still difficult to feel connected. She wanted to share her story to help others feel less alone. I guarantee you, you are going to be on the edge of your seat and really learn a lot from Amy's birth story.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

• How long Amy and her partner worked to get pregnant
• What a “push prep” class is and why Amy recommends it
• Why she describes the attending physician as “not friendly”
• How infection symptoms can affect a pregnancy
• Why she considers her breastfeeding experience “a miracle”
• How therapy helped Amy cope with difficult postpartum feelings

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Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode255

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Dr. Mom Butt Balm: drmombuttbalm.com
* Check out Informed Pregnancy Media: www.informedpregnancy.tv
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Dysmorphic milk ejection reflex, also known as D-MER, is a condition experienced by lactating women and individuals where you feel a sudden, brief, and very intense negative emotional response just before milk letdown or release.

Learn about this important and underrecognized condition in this short episode.

Join me LIVE on April 30th for my FREE class - Make A Birth Plan The RIGHT Way! Grab your spot at drnicolerankins.com/birthplan

Our Sponsors:
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This episode is being released during Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17). Black Maternal Health Week was created by The Black Mamas Matter Alliance, a national coalition created to ensure all Black Mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy. 

In this episode you’re going to learn about pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality. Specifically, you’ll learn about the racial disparities in obstetric care as well as causes and solutions. You'll also learn how to keep yourself safe and how to help other pregnant people, too.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:

• How maternal morbidity and mortality are defined
• How many people die from pregnancy-related causes each year
• How morbidity and mortality rates vary by race
• Why focusing on Black Mamas is essential
• How to interpret maternal data correctly
• What the most common causes are of pregnancy-related death
• What you can do to help

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Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode254

Check out The Birth Preparation Course

Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Dr. Mom Butt Balm: drmombuttbalm.com
* Check out Informed Pregnancy Media: www.informedpregnancy.tv
* Head to byheart.com/podcast my code DRNICOLE for a great deal!


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Black Maternal Health week is April 11-17th!

In this short episode I'm sharing some facts about Black Maternal Health.

As I've done before, during Black Maternal Health week I'm collecting donations to giveaway spots in my online childbirth education class, The Birth Preparation Course. I'd love for my community to come together and donate enough to give away 10 spots! Please donate whatever you can at drnicolerankins.com/help.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Dr. Mom Butt Balm: drmombuttbalm.com
* Check out Informed Pregnancy Media: www.informedpregnancy.tv
* Head to byheart.com/podcast my code DRNICOLE for a great deal!


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