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

After a difficult first labor with interventions she was unsure about, Alyssa Jennings was determined that her next birth would be on her terms. Little did she know that she’d be having to contain the fetal ejection reflex until her doctor arrived! Alyssa shares with Adriana the magic words her husband used to help her wait (no, they didn’t have anything to do with the doctor), along with a great solution to when you don’t want to labor in the hospital but you want to be close by (even though you live half an hour away).  Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  HONEYLOVE - Get 20% OFF ..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

Anya Cutler had originally planned to give birth at a birth center with midwives, then at nearly 37 weeks (and after trying practically everything possible to encourage her baby to flip) she ended up transferring care to an OB/GYN experienced in vaginal breech delivery. Anya shares with Adriana how even though this challenged her need for control, having an OB that was comfortable with breech and confident in her ability to give birth made all the difference. Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  DOCKATOT - Get 15% off at dockatot.com/birthful with promo code BIRTHFUL MOSSA - Get an extra 30 ..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

Lauren Horton has always been physically active, and during pregnancy, she continued to do a mix of CrossFit, swimming, yoga, and tons of dog walking. She shares with Adriana her surprise when she found herself hunkering down on the bed during labor instead of moving, and why she went with it (although she could have done without the hemorrhoids). Lauren also opens up about the impossibility of trying to live up to the expectations of doing it all, how sometimes the win is as small as having been able to pump at work, and why she concludes that “everyone is a badass.” Sponsor offers - TIME SEN ..read more

Being pregnant means having relaxin loosening up all your tissues, while your core stretches and your center of gravity shifts, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with the associated discomforts. Restorative body educator extraordinaire Molly Deutschbein shares with Adriana ways you can move, support, and align your body for a happier pregnancy and a more flowing birth as well as how to navigate the postpartum return to a non-pregnant body.  Sponsor offers - TIME SENSITIVE!  DOCKATOT - Get $15 off at dockatot.com/birthful with promo code BIRTHFUL OTHERWORLD - Get 25% off at ea ..read more