Hailey McHone’s first birth was what her OB called "a textbook hospital delivery," which came with an epidural-Pitocin combo, and, frankly, little consent. She talks with Adriana about getting more intentional with her wishes and choices for her second birth and ending up with a confidence-boosting, self-affirming, physiological experience that included a concoction of grape juice and papaya nectar, some much-wanted chicken nuggets, and waiting for her sister to arrive. Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  MOMMY MAKEUP - Get 20% off your first order at mommymakeup.com/birthful with promo co ..read more

We try to make birth practical by measuring, overseeing, and monitoring it… when really, it’s an experience that flows seamlessly from one stage to another, taking the birthing person deep into their physiology and intuitive altered states. Whapio Diane Bartlett shares with Adriana how to better describe what the laboring person goes through, by explaining the Holistic Stages of Birth. In this second episode of a two-part series, we go deeper into the Quietude, to then finally emerge into immediate postpartum and the life-long weaving of the story. Make sure you listen to Part One, if you have ..read more

Adriana Aleman Crane’s first birth involved several days of prodromal labor— and if you don’t know what that is, you really want to listen to this episode! But her second birth? Her husband almost missed it! She shares with Adriana Lozada that sleep is glorious, acupuncture is worth it, and how releasing control (and her bag of waters!) gets her labors to flow.  Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  JENNI KAYNE - Get 15% off at jennikayne.com/birthful with promo code BIRTHFUL HONEYLOVE - Get 20% OFF + Free Shipping at honeylove.com/birthful with promo code BIRTHFUL DOCKATOT - Get 15% of ..read more

It’s estimated that about 80% of pregnant people experience insomnia by their third trimester, and newer research is showing how melatonin and circadian rhythms may impact fertility, implantation, miscarriage, risk of preeclampsia and postpartum depression.  Mar De Carlo shares with Adriana how small and mindful changes to your sleep habits can help you tap into more rest and improve your family’s sleep before and after the baby arrives.  Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  HONEYLOVE - Get 20% OFF + Free Shipping at honeylove.com/birthful with promo code BIRTHFUL DOCKATOT - Get ..read more

You’ve probably been told to do prenatal yoga, but is it really for you? Trauma-informed yoga teacher Abigail Lauren Geller says not if it’s another overwhelming thing on your to-do list!  But if you are curious about the benefits of prenatal yoga for your body, your mind, your pregnancy, and your labor, and want to create a space of self-reflection to better connect with your body and protect your energy, then prenatal yoga may be just what you need.  Abigail also shares with Adriana how lying on your back while pregnant may not be as problematic as we’ve been led to believe. Sponso ..read more

For weeks, Julia Cooper had been nervous that her baby would arrive while her husband and mom were away, and sure enough contractions started merely hours after she dropped her husband off at the airport. What follows is a testament to how hard it can be to shut off your thinking brain while in labor and how in spite of that, you can still support your physiology and get things to flow (even if you have a prolonged labor and an epidural!). Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  OTHERWORLD - Get 25% off at eatotherworld.com/birthful with promo code BIRTHFUL OMGYES.COM - Get a special disc ..read more

Adriana Lozada shares eight great questions for sussing out your provider’s protocols and practices as your pregnancy advances, in order to help you figure out how much shared decision-making and agency you will truly have in your birth experience. Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  STORYWORTH - Get $10 off at storyworth.com/birthful MOSSA - Get an extra 30-days on your free trial at mossaondemand.com with the code BIRTHFUL30 NUTRAFOL - Get $15 off + free shipping at nutrafol.com with promo code BIRTHFUL HAPPY HEALTHY HIPPIE - Get 50% off + free shipping at happyhealthyhippie.com/birthful ..read more

Chances are your pregnancy and birth will flow, and you’ll never need to see any of the care providers that deal with more complicated situations. But what if you do?  Dr. Loralei Thornburg helps demystify what it can be like working with a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist. She shares with Adriana why so much of it has to do with experience, risk tolerance, and resources, plus why–regardless of medical complications–you can still humanize your experience.  Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  STORYWORTH - Get $10 off at storyworth.com/birthful MOSSA - Get an extra 30-days on you ..read more

Margot Strauhull brought her self-described “rule-following” attitude to her first hospital induction with an OB and had what she considered was a fine birth… until she was overcome by sadness in postpartum. This started her on a journey of peeling back the layers, to finally come to a deep trust in her own wisdom and instincts. Margot tells Adriana how the fear radiating from her providers around her “history of macrosomal infants” further activated her intuition to switch to a freestanding birth center at the beginning of her 3rd trimester, and finally have the undisturbed physiological birt ..read more

The mounting evidence is clear: having a doula can help decrease the risk of having a cesarean birth and significantly improve birth experiences. In fact, doulas have even been called a form of pain relief themselves, as people tend to want fewer pain medications and epidurals when supported by a doula. But what makes what doulas do so special and different from the care you receive from your other care providers? Sabia Wade talks to Adriana about what a doula is, how to find one that will be a good fit for you, the difficulties in accessing a doula (and how that’s evolving), and why a doula’s ..read more