Today, we talk about that golden hour after birth and what to expect in the first 48 hours of your hospital stay. 

The golden hour is the uninterrupted first hour of a baby's life and is filled with such great evidence base benefits for both baby and mama, that it’s becoming standard practice in more and more hospitals around the country. We’ll discuss those benefits and after we talk about what to expect from the first 48 hours after birth, because it’s a critical time of recovery for the mom and baby.

It's important to remember that while the golden hour can be beneficial, it should only be pursued if it’s safe. Safety and stability are always the top priorities, and there should be no guilt if the golden hour cannot be achieved due to medical reasons.

 

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

 

Related Episodes

EP114: C-Section vs. Vaginal Birth: What is the Better Option?

Welcome back to part 2 of my interview with the amazing Gail Tully! This is an episode we have aired before and are publishing again, because it is just that good of an episode. 

In part 2, we are talking about inductions, and how spinning babies can help support you if you're having an induction. We also talk about VBACs, special considerations regarding VBACs and Belly Mapping.

If you haven’t heard of belly mapping before, it is a concept created by Spinning Babies to figure out where your baby is positioned in your pelvis. Super interesting! If you haven’t listened to last week's episode, you might want to hold off on this one and listen to last week's episode first, as that is the first part of this interview. Otherwise, jump right in and enjoy Part 2 of ‘How to have an easier birth’

 

Want to feel in control before birth? 

Use our FREE Birth Plan Templates to take the first step towards the birth experience you desire.

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

 

Resources mentioned in this Episode

• Spinning Babies techniques and resources 

 

About Gail Tully

Gail Tully is a Midwife, renowned author and educator and creator of the Spinning Babies® approach that has contributed to a paradigm shift in childbirth care around the world.

In her home town of Minneapolis, USA, Gail has been coordinator and consultant to multiple well known Doula Programs and is a founding mother of the Childbirth Collective, one of the largest doula organizations in the USA. 

Books by Gail Tully Breech Birth Quick GuideSpinning Babies® Quick ReferenceBelly Mapping® Workbook

Videos by Gail Tully Spinning Babies® Parent ClassDaily Essentials (with Sarah Longacre of Blooma)Resolving Shoulder Dystocia

This week, I’ve got a special treat for you guys! We are traveling back in time and re-airing the most popular episode in the history of this podcast. 

I'm so excited to put this out again for you guys because I’m talking to Gail Tulley (full bio below) and she is such a wealth of knowledge! She is the founder of Spinning Babies, which talks about the physiology of your baby in the womb and the importance of creating as much space in the pelvis as possible. 

In this episode, we talked about ample fetal positioning and why it’s so important to consider which way the baby is facing and how flexed the head is. Gail makes all this really, really easy to understand. We also talked about exercises and movements, posterior babies, what to do when your baby is breech and so much more! Enjoy part one of this super informative episode on how to have an easier birth.

 

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get our FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack to gain the confidence you need - because simply wanting it might not be enough!

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

 

Related Episodes and Resources

• Spinning Babies techniques and resources 
• Optimal Fetal Positioning book by Jean Sutton and Pauline Scott 
• Ina May Gaskin's book about orgasmic birth
• Debra Pascali-Bonaro's work on orgasmic birth

 

About Gail Tully

Gail Tully is a Midwife, renowned author and educator and creator of the Spinning Babies® approach that has contributed to a paradigm shift in childbirth care around the world.

In her home town of Minneapolis, USA, Gail has been coordinator and consultant to multiple well known Doula Programs and is a founding mother of the Childbirth Collective, one of the largest doula organizations in the USA. 

Books by Gail Tully Breech Birth Quick Guide Spinning Babies® Quick Reference Belly Mapping® Workbook

Videos by Gail Tully  Spinning Babies® Parent Class Daily Essentials (with Sarah Longacre of Blooma) Resolving Shoulder Dystocia

 

In today's episode, I will dive into the critical topic of improving maternal health outcomes for black women and the promising programs that are making a difference.

Black women often face discrimination and stress during their pregnancies, birth and postpartum, leading to the highest rates of maternal mortality and health complications in the US. 

However, there is hope on the horizon and Dr. Venice Haynes and Natalie Davis are joining me today to discuss the positive changes that are happening around this topic!

Venice is the Senior Director of Research and community engagement at United States of Care and brings over 14 years of public health experience. And Natalie is the CEO and co-founder of United States of care with nearly two decades of shaping American health care policies. 

I'm so thrilled to share this interview in honor of black maternal health week as a means to help raise awareness and support wider adoptions of these crucial programs and practices. And if you want to keep listening to learn more about the realities of black maternal health, I encourage you to listen to Episode 73 after this one.

 

Resources and Related Episodes

• "Bright Spots" Report from United States of Care

• Nurse Family Partnerships - Provides resources and support for first-time moms.

• Black Mom of Glowing - Peer support group for maternal mental health.

• Family Solutions - Provides resources and support for parents and children in rural communities in South Carolina

• Maven Clinic - Provides reproductive and family healthcare for members.

• Ocean Family Center - Has a program that gives free virtual psychotherapy appointments for mothers.

• Shades of Blue Project - Offers a postpartum support group through journaling in Houston, Texas.

• Spinning Babies - Provide resources on a physiological approach to preparing for and caring for birth.

• EP73: The Realities of Black Maternal Health

In this week's episode, I’m talking to Katie who shares her powerful twin birth story with a surprise gender reveal in the end! 

She struggled to find relatable experiences during her own pregnancy, so she decided to share her birth story with us today! Katie talks about her surprising discovery that she was carrying identical twins, the medical complications she faced and a long labor that ended in a vaginal twin delivery. Katie even shares postpartum challenges and hopes her story helps other twin moms feel less alone. Tune in for this intimate look into one mother's twin birth journey.

 

Want to feel confident before your epidural birth?

Get the FREE Epidural Birth Prep Pack to gain a sense of control before the big day!

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Today we're talking all about SEX during pregnancy. It's one of those things that feels a little taboo to talk about, but it shouldn’t be!

The benefits of having sex during pregnancy are huge (which we’ll talk about in the episode!) and doctors all over the world are recommending pregnant women to continue their usual sexual activities.

But there is a lot of confusing and contradicting information out there – so I took the top pregnancy sex questions asked among pregnant mamas and compiled them here for you today!

After this episode, I recommend listening to my interview with The Down There Doctors in Episode 211 - we did a pelvic floor deep dive that totally complements everything you're going to learn in this episode! 

 

Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy info out there?

CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again!

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

 

Related Episodes

EP211: A Pelvic Floor Deep Dive with the Down There Doctors

Today we're talking about a topic every expecting mom needs to know about - Prenatal Appointments! I'm so excited, because I am going to give you 10 helpful ways to rock these visits. Of course we are going to cover all the basics to give you a good baseline and answer all the most common questions about this topic. Plus I’ll be sharing some really helpful tips to make the best of your prenatal appointments!

 

Prenatal care feeling tricky to navigate?

My FREE 45 Minute Workshop will teach you what to expect, educate you about important tests and procedures, and ensure you’re making the most of your prenatal care!

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Today, we'll be diving into a topic that's near and dear to every mom's heart: the often overwhelming expectations of motherhood and the importance of reclaiming joy and fulfillment amidst the chaos.

Joining us is Erica Djossa, a maternal mental health specialist and the founder of the Momwell community. Throughout our conversation, we'll explore Erica's journey into the maternal mental health space, the inspiration behind her book, and some key takeaways that moms everywhere can implement in their own lives.

To hear more from Erica, I encourage you to listen to my two other interviews with her! She came on the show in Episode 79 to talk about the invisible load of motherhood, and in Episode 187 we unpacked postpartum psychosis.

 

Not sure how to care for yourself down there after birth?

Access our FREE Postpartum Essentials Checklist to know you’ve got what you need to feel clean and comfortable while you’re healing from birth.

 

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

 

Related Episodes and Resources

• EP79: The Invisible Load of Motherhood

• EP187: Understanding Postpartum Psychosis with Erica Djossa

• Momwell Workshops & Courses

• Momwell Community

• Erica Djossa’s New Book: "Releasing the Mother Load"

Did you know that over 80% of pregnant women across the US hope to give birth without an epidural?? Can you take a guess on how many women end up getting an epidural - 71%! So what's with this big discrepancy?!

The truth is, many women go into their labor and delivery experience completely unprepared for what an unmedicated birth involves. So today, let's talk about tips and strategies for the mamas that do want to try to birth without an epidural. Because I believe in you and know you can do it!

And even if you are 100% set on getting an epidural, this is a good listen because you just never know how it's going to go down on the big day!

Want to birth without an epidural?

Get our FREE Natural Birth Prep Pack to gain the confidence you need - because simply wanting it might not be enough!

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Related Episodes and Resources

• EP126: Natural Labor Birth Story After a Traumatic Birth
• EP135: A Positive Natural Birth Story
• The Leapfrog Group
• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

 

In this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, we are talking about some of the weirder postpartum symptoms you might experience!

I'm sure there are some aspects of postpartum recovery that you're ready for - the bleeding, the exhaustion, the soreness. But did you know about the night sweats that may leave you soaking wet? Or the postpartum chills that will have you wearing a hoodie in the dead of summer?

If not, tune in as I review a thorough list of postpartum symptoms to be on the lookout for! I'm confident after listening, you'll feel at least a *little* more prepared for postpartum life!

Limited Time Offer!

Grab our brand new (and FREE!) Pregnancy Planner and eliminate that pregnancy and postpartum overwhelm today!

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

Related Episodes

• EP74: Seriously Why is Postpartum so Hard?
• EP113: Postpartum Nutrition and Wellness

In today's episode, we dive into Fallon's incredible journey through pregnancy, birth, and caring for her premature baby. From the minute she found out she was pregnant, to weeks after he was born - Fallon's story has a ton of ups and downs! Her story is one of resilience, intuition, and the power of advocating for yourself in the face of medical challenges. So join me for this rollercoaster of a birth story, and hear about the valuable lessons she learned along the way! 

Want to erase anxiety and actually feel excited about birth?

Get instant access to my FREE Birth Workshop to learn tons of pain-coping strategies and actionable tips today!

Have an even better birth!

CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.

And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!