Merasha is sharing the story of her 2 births and ectopic pregnancy. Her first birth was planned to be an unmedicated hospital birth, but due to complications baby was born via c-section. Merasha struggled with breastfeeding and her mental health after the birth of her daughter while juggling her last undergrad course for her Bachelor’s degree just 2 weeks after the birth of her daughter. In the winter of 2021 Merasha and her husband learned they were unexpectedly pregnant. the pregnancy came during a time Merasha had a lapse in health insurance. unfortunately the pregnancy ended due to being ectopic and needing surgery, alone, because of strict visitor rules around covid. however, Merasha recovered and soon after she and her husband became pregnant again.
Merasha and her husband expected for pregnancy and birth to be uneventful; but baby had other plans. merasha went into labor 5 weeks early at work and was placed on bed rest in hopes to get her to full term, with a 2 year old at home. baby made his entrance about two weeks later via emergency c-section. baby number two went from being a planned c section, to a possible vbac to an emergency c section but due to more prepping, having a doula, and receiving therapy for her pregnancy and birth PTSD Merasha was able to have the redemption birth she dreamt of, even when all things didn’t go to plan. Connect with Merasha at @yagirlm on instagram.
This episode was sponsored by Motif Medical. Motif designs insurance-eligible products for busy moms. With a focus on innovation and empowerment, Motif’s line of breast pumps and maternity compression garments are sophisticated, yet discreet, and made to support mothers as they navigate new motherhood. Discover why moms are reporting more milk in less time with the Luna breast pump, and see how you can get it covered through insurance at motifmedical.com/birthhour.
At 20 weeks pregnant, Sarah had to get a cervical cerclage due to an incompetent cervix which meant it had to be removed before she gave birth. At her 36 week appointment, her blood pressure became a cause of concern and they decided they would induce her around 37 weeks.
At just over 37 weeks, she was admitted to L&D – they gave her an epidural, removed the cerclage, and then induced her. They started with a low dose of pitocin and inserted a foley bulb. The next day, the foley bulb was removed, pitocin was increased and her water was broken. Dilation appeared to be moving slow and then things picked up very quickly and once she started pushed, it only took 30 mins for her son to enter the world. Sarah bio: After experiencing 3 consecutive miscarriages, Sarah was thrilled (and anxious) to finally be bringing a baby earthside.
The pregnancy had it’s ups and downs, but at the end of the day, all she cared about was him arriving safely, which he did! Sarah isn’t very active on social media personally, probably because her day job involves running social media for Fairhaven Health. You can find her behind the scenes at https://www.instagram.com/fairhaven_health/.
Fairhaven Health
This episode is sponsored by Fairhaven Health. Fairhaven Health offers a wide range of products for fertility – including fertility supplements for women and men, like FH PRO and FertilAid, ovulation prediction tools, sperm-friendly lubricants, pregnancy tests, and more. Fairhaven Health is generously offering 15% off of all products with the code BirthHour15 at www.fairhavenhealth.com
Julia has had three births and three extremely different birth experiences. The birth of her first daughter was a textbook healthy pregnancy ending with her planned birth center water birth. With the support of her lactation consultant and a local moms group she felt confident in new motherhood.With her second things seemed to be going exactly the same, right down to the time of year and sex of the baby. Their due dates were exactly 25 months apart (11/3/18 and 12/3/20). Julia and her family were able to navigate the stress of covid while also celebrating new life. When Julia started bleeding at home at 39 weeks pregnant, things shifted quickly and aggressively. A placenta abruption, stat c-section, major hemorrhage, neonatal resuscitation, NICU transfer, brain cooling. Rosalind said hello and goodbye on Thanksgiving Day 2020. Julia and her husband had to learn how to dry up her milk, how to plan a funeral, and how to talk to a two year old about death.
8 months after Rosalind’s birth and death, Julia found out she was pregnant again. Trying to navigate grief and fear, she chose a care team and hospital with MFMs and the highest level NICU. She went through high risk care, and tried to get excited that she might actually bring this baby home. She gave birth at 38 weeks via gentle cesarean to a sweet baby boy. Postpartum recovery after a c section and with a living baby was a new experience, but one she was extremely thankful to get to have.
Julia Dixon Bio
Julia and her husband Ethan live in Kentucky with their 3 year old daughter Delia and 5 month old son Clark. They are always missing Rosalind, who would be 2 in November. Julia works in bookkeeping and accounting. In her free time she enjoys crochet, reading, and exploring with her kids.
This episode is sponsored by 8 Sheep Organics. Did you know that over 78% of pregnant moms have trouble sleeping at night? If you’re lying awake in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, then you should check out the “Sleepy Lotion” from 8 Sheep. It’s a body lotion specially formulated to help pregnant moms sleep better. It also helps with common pregnancy pains like restless legs, leg cramps and back/ hip pain.
Over 116,000 moms have used this lotion and rated it 4.8 stars! It comes with a 60-day money back guarantee too! If you’re not 100% satisfied, you can return the jar for a full refund! Go to 8Sheep.com and use the code BIRTHHOUR for 10% off your purchase!
Reel Paper
Reel Paper makes a sustainable toilet paper that uses 100% bamboo with no inks, dyes, or BPAs so it’s safe for even the littlest members of your family. The great thing about Bamboo is that it’s a fast-growing grass. Some species of bamboo can grow up to 3 feet per day and because it’s a grass they’re able to harvest the same stalk over and over without disrupting the plant or soil. Reel paper is available in easy, hassle-free subscriptions or for one-time purchases on their website. All orders are conveniently delivered to your door with free shipping in 100% recyclable, plastic-free packaging. If you head to reelpaper.com/birthhour and sign up for a subscription using code BIRTHHOUR at checkout, you’ll automatically get 30% off your first order and FREE SHIPPING!
For Katie’s first birth, she had an uncomplicated pregnancy and went into labor spontaneously at 38 weeks, 3 days. She labored at home for as long as possible before delivering her baby in a hospital following a non-consensual episiotomy by an OBGYN. Although she had the unmedicated birth she had hoped for, she had a difficult time recovering both physically and emotionally from the experience.
After receiving sage advice from her doula team, Katie opted for a home birth with a midwife for her second baby. She was amazed by the difference in prenatal and postpartum care and was fortunate to have another uncomplicated pregnancy. At 41 +1, Katie had a peaceful and healing birth at home after laboring for 11 hours.
Katie’s most recent pregnancy ended in loss, after she and her husband made the devastating decision to terminate at 16 weeks following two related diagnoses: a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and Pallister-Killian mosaic syndrome. While her experience was traumatic, it only further deepened her passion for protecting reproductive rights for birthing people, for any and all reasons or circumstances.
Katie Kirk Bio
Katie lives in the New York City Metro Area with her husband and two children. Along with her career in transportation planning, she is incredibly passionate about birth and supporting new moms and birthing people as result of her experiences with birth and pregnancy loss. Feel free to connect with Katie via Instagram @kmagz.
This episode is sponsored by Ergobaby. Founded in 2003, Ergobaby has pioneered the gold standard for comfortable, ergonomic soft structured carriers. Their commitment to providing parents with the foundation to thrive has launched the company into creating a broad range of award-winning products that fit into families’ daily lives seamlessly, comfortably, and safely – where function and quality are not compromised. In 2020, they launched Everlove by Ergobaby, a first of its kind baby carrier buy back and resale program, a sustainability effort to support families and the planet. Check out Ergobaby’s Embrace in Soft Air Mesh that we discussed on the podcast!
Carrie Meghie spent nearly 10 months, all day and every day, with her firstborn son Jackson in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). During these 10 months, Carrie and her husband Terry were shocked at the cost of parking for families. They were so blessed and fortunate to have the resources to be there with him each and every day but it didn’t take long for them to see that the cost of parking was a truly an obstacle for so many families, which left many babies alone far too often. Having a parent at a baby’s bedside is something that is so easily taken for granted when you have a healthy baby at home but is truly a luxury in the NICU.
After Jackson passed away just shy of 10 months, Carrie and her husband started the Jackson Chance Foundation in their son’s honor to celebrate his life and to give other babies the same opportunity that he had – to have a loved one with them, each and every day. The Jackson Chance Foundation enriches the lives of families with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) by allowing them to spend more time with their critically ill baby.
Jackson Chance Foundation’s NICU Transportation Program provides every baby the opportunity to have a loved one beside with them 24/7. Via their program, every baby receives a monthly pass that gives any family member unlimited in/out parking privileges. This not only saves the family significant dollars but it also increases the visits and time spent with their baby which has been medically proven to improve a baby’s health.
Carrie Meghie Bio
Carrie Meghie is a seasoned entrepreneur with more than 25 years’ experience crossing multiple industries. Carrie’s newest endeavor capitalizes on her creative & entrepreneurial background, hospitality expertise, brand creation knowledge, and her design experience via her newest company Neon Fringey. Neon Fringey is a creative house exploring the outer boundaries and intersection of design, fashion & travel and includes carefully selected & designed villa properties, vintage finds, and one of a kind, limited edition bags.
In addition, Carrie and her husband founded the Jackson Chance Foundation in 2013, a non-profit that supports critically ill babies by removing the financial burden of parking fees, giving every family the opportunity to be with their child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In 2016 she was honored for her philanthropic work and was named a CNN Hero and chosen as one of Chicago Magazine’s Chicagoan’s of the Year. In 2020, the foundation will provide over 90,000 days of parking to families at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital and Rush Children’s Hospital. The nonprofit has raised over 5.4 to date.
Today’s episode is sponsored by Aeroflow Breastpumps. Aeroflow has helped millions of new and expecting parents discover the breastfeeding and postpartum essentials covered by their insurance including breast pumps, maternity compression, and lactation education & support.
They take care of everything – including all paperwork, working with your insurance company, and explaining your options to get these free essentials shipped straight to your door. Aeroflow offers all major breast pump brands including Medela, Spectra, Motif, Lansinoh, Ameda, Elvie, Willow and more.
All you have to do is go to the Aeroflow Breastpumps website and fill out their free and easy Qualify Through Insurance form. Be sure to go to aeroflowbreastpumps.com/birthhour so they will know we sent you! Bonus — use the promo code “TBH15” in their online shop for 15% off all supplies and accessories.
Amy Porter describes her fertility and pregnancy journey with her second child as “a delicate balance of luck and chaos.” From the accidental thawing of their donor sperm units before her IUI treatment to the routine ultrasound that discovered their son’s fatal heart defect amidst the global pandemic, Amy’s second journey to parenthood definitely was not what she and her wife imagined it would be.
With the help of a team of medical professionals, the Porter family was able to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally for the birth of a critically ill newborn who would require open-heart surgery within his first few days of life to survive. Listen and learn about just how common of a birth experience this is and what parents can do at their 20-week anatomy scan to advocate for the heart health of their children.
Amy Porter Bio
Amy Porter is an educator, receiving Bachelor’s degrees in Education and Music. Amy is a passionate Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) advocate and public speaker. Conventionally unconventional, she and her wife built their own family and are mothers to two young children.
Amy is a self-proclaimed “research nerd.” Her curiosity about the world, her passion for knowledge, and the lived experience of her son’s critical heart defect diagnosis have led her to educate sonographers and parents about the importance of early detection. More information and resources can be found on her website www.1in100.org and her son’s medical journey can be viewed on her Instagram @amye_porter. You can also email her at amy@1in100.org.
This episode was sponsored by Motif Medical. Motif designs insurance-eligible products for busy moms. With a focus on innovation and empowerment, Motif’s line of breast pumps and maternity compression garments are sophisticated, yet discreet, and made to support mothers as they navigate new motherhood. Discover why moms are reporting more milk in less time with the Luna breast pump, and see how you can get it covered through insurance at motifmedical.com/birthhour.
