Jen is obsessed with pregnancy and birth. She is passionate about sharing her birth stories, and discussing all things birth, so more women can have empowering, beautiful, powerful, and transformative birth experiences.
Jen and her husband got pregnant on their honeymoon in Bora Bora about 3-4 months after they started trying to conceive. They were living in Australia at the time, and when Jen was 23 weeks pregnant they came back to the US to give birth and be near Jen’s family. Jen had transitioned from midwife in Australia to a midwife in the US. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy in Sunriver, Oregon in her parents’ house after 24 hours of early labor and about 5-7 hours of active labor. She was adamant about breastfeeding but nervous on how it would go because she had a breast reduction when she was 21. Surprisingly, all went better than expected and she was able to exclusively breastfeed. She weaned her son when he turned two.
They knew they wanted more children, so when Jen’s cycle returned at 17 months postpartum, they started trying again. Jen got pregnant with her second child and planned another home birth with the same birth team. Her first birth went so well that she was nervous that her next birth wouldn’t be as good. At 39 weeks and two days, to her surprise, she had a precipitous labor and birth and experienced the Fetal Ejection Reflex. Her mom, midwife, and birth photographer all missed the birth! Jen and her husband hope to expand their family further in the future.
Jennifer Burzic Bio
Jen has been with her husband, Jasin, for 12 years. They fell in love while she was studying abroad in Australia. They have two incredible children, Walker who is 4, and Summer, who is 21 months. Jen has known she wanted to be a mother since she was 3 years old. An OG listener of the birth hour, she decided years before she was pregnant that as long as she was low risk, she wanted to pursue a home birth. Prior to becoming a mom, she worked as a nurse, and then on research at The University of Queensland in the School of Public Health. She loves good vegan food, warm tropical vacations, and spending time with her family and friends. Reach out to her with any questions or to connect at jenburzic@gmail.com or on Instagram @jenburzic.
Today’s episode is sponsored by SNP Therapeutics, makers of the Genate Test. Based on over 16 million dollars in NIH grants, and more than 30 years of nutrition and genetic research, SNP Therapeutics is leading the charge in the field of prenatal, precision-nutrition genetic testing.
SNP Therapeutics is committed to providing accurate and usable information to help mothers provide the best possible nutrition to their babies through The Genate Test: a prenatal, precision-nutrition, genetic test that offers personalized dietary adjustments and supplement recommendations based on your DNA.
You can rest easy knowing that your prenatal nutrition has been optimized by tailoring it to your genetic code. Find peace of mind about your prenatal nutrition with the Genate Test by SNP Therapeutics. Learn more at genate.com and Use code BIRTHHOUR15 for 15% off your order.
Kelly’s first pregnancy in 2017 sadly ended in a missed miscarriage at 8 weeks. Her second pregnancy almost 8 months later was also a missed miscarriage, ending in a blighted ovum at 7 weeks in early 2018. After a round of genetic testing that came back completely normal, her OB determined the back to back miscarriages to be a fluke, and 6 weeks later she became pregnant with their first daughter. At 26 weeks pregnant, Kelly was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, but through diet and exercise was able to stay low risk and to have the unmedicated hospital delivery she’d hoped for following a membrane sweep at 39 weeks.
Her second baby was also born at 39 weeks, 2 and a half years later at the same hospital during the height of covid restrictions and only 56 minutes after arriving at her hospital room. For her third pregnancy, she decided to switch to a home birth hybrid model of care where she saw both her home birth midwife team and a hospital based midwife practice during her pregnancy. Besides an ER visit to treat acute urinary retention at 15 weeks, she enjoyed a textbook pregnancy. And after weeks of prodromal labor and even a full false alarm, she welcomed their third daughter earth side by way of a dreamy water birth at almost 41 weeks pregnant, 2 years and 1 week exactly after their second baby was born.
Kelly Martin Bio
Kelly and her husband Chad live outside of Atlanta, GA with their 3 daughters Charlotte (almost 5), Claire (2 and a half), and Mabel (almost 7 months old). Kelly is a full time mom to their 3 girls and also works remotely as director of business operations for a boutique marketing agency in Atlanta. She also professionally plans Disney vacations for nearly 100 families each year. In her spare time, she loves baking cookies, singing, yoga and pilates, reading, and girls nights. She and her husband are huge Atlanta Braves fans and love going out for tacos. You can find her on instagram @martinmagicmaker and can message with her on facebook as well.
Today’s episode is sponsored by SNP Therapeutics, makers of the Genate Test. Based on over 16 million dollars in NIH grants, and more than 30 years of nutrition and genetic research, SNP Therapeutics is leading the charge in the field of prenatal, precision-nutrition genetic testing.
SNP Therapeutics is committed to providing accurate and usable information to help mothers provide the best possible nutrition to their babies through The Genate Test: a prenatal, precision-nutrition, genetic test that offers personalized dietary adjustments and supplement recommendations based on your DNA.
You can rest easy knowing that your prenatal nutrition has been optimized by tailoring it to your genetic code. Find peace of mind about your prenatal nutrition with the Genate Test by SNP Therapeutics. Learn more at genate.com and Use code BIRTHHOUR15 for 15% off your order.
Alicia’s first baby was born at a free-standing birth center with midwives and all was going well until, during pushing, thick meconium was present in her amniotic fluid which added to the urgency when the 11lb 1oz baby’s shoulders got stuck and needed help from her midwife to get out. After resuscitation, her daughter went straight to the NICU and stayed there for a week. Her second birth was wildly opposite when her water broke just before midnight and her baby was accidentally born in the bathroom just after 2am. That FER kicked in but she was able to keep from pushing until her midwife arrived and the baby flew out in 3 pushes. Her third birth was not quite as fast, but smooth and straightforward at home after driving herself to her midwife appointment only to have her cervix checked (she was 8cm dilated!) and told “Go home! You’re having a baby today!!” Sure enough, her third baby was born just over an hour after arriving back at home.
Alicia’s blood shot eyes after “purple pushing” with her first baby.
Alicia Brose Bio
Alicia is a 28 year old wife and mother of three who lives 30 minutes south of Seattle. She and her husband owned a small home inspection business for 8 years and recently sold that so her husband could pursue a firefighting career. After doing all the research she has for her pregnancies, birth and postpartum, she has become a self-proclaimed “birth nerd”. Alicia does part-time photography, loves gardening, plans to homeschool her children and enjoys baking and riding her peloton bike. Her secret dream is to own a flower farm someday. You can connect her on instagram at @aliciawithtoniechristine
Resources
The Birth Hour Podcast
Christian Hypnobirthing App
Spinning Babies- Parents Class and Daily Essentials
The Freya App for contraction tracking
The Miles Circuit
Virtual HAES Dietitian- specializing in pregnant moms with GD & a history of eating disorders
My favorite Gestational Diabetes instagram account: @gestational.diabetes.nutrition
MommaStrong- workout program that focuses on functional movements and the pelvic floor with quick but effective workouts.
Cozy Earth
Today’s episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. I first learned about Cozy Earth when their sheets were named one of Oprah’s favorite things in 2018 and I was having a baby in the Fall of 2018 and treated myself to the softest sheets I’ve ever slept on! I’ve been sleeping on Cozy Earth’s best-selling bamboo sheet sets (and their pillow too) ever since. Cozy Earth sheets are temperature-regulating and incredibly soft which is so perfect for all of the life stages we talk about on The Birth Hour. Seriously, if you are a hot sleeper these are a game changer and worth the investment! They’d also make a great baby registry item. Cozy Earth provided an exclusive offer for our listener’s today. Up to 40% off site wide when you use the code “BIRTHHOUR”
Kelli Ingram is a wife and mother to eight children by birth and adoption. She lives on a little farm in the upstate of South Carolina, enjoys being a homemaker, homesteader and instagram influencer, but her true love is for her husband and babies. She gave birth in a hospital five times in a hospital with epidurals each time but because of Covid restrictions while pregnant for the sixth time she knew she wouldn’t be allowed to have her family around for the birth. After years of thinking that birthing at home was crazy, she finally faced her fear of the pain and did it! Find her on instagram @kelliingram
Needed
Today’s episode is sponsored by Needed. Needed is the leading women’s health supplement brand recommended by nutritionally-trained practitioners. While most perinatal supplements include the bare minimum of the nutrients needed during pregnancy, Needed’s products are based on the latest clinical research and in-practice experience of nearly 4000 practitioners. Needed has all your needs covered, from your prenatal vitamin to pregnancy-specific Pre/ and Probiotics, to egg quality support, sleep, stress, immune and hydration support, as well as your protein needs for blood sugar balance and postpartum healing. Needed’s Complete Plan delivers unparalleled nourishment for every phase — whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or postpartum! Instead of having to pair 6 different products together to meet your needs, I love that Needed has simplified things by bundling together four core products you need, in an easy and flexible monthly plan. Save 20% off your first order of Needed’s Complete Plan or any of their other perinatal nutrition products at thisisneeded.com with code BIRTHHOUR.
In 2017, Chanice established well-woman care at a birth center and women’s care facility just two months before she and her husband were surprised by the news of expecting their first child. All was well until she developed Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) and was hospitalized at 11 weeks. She practiced prenatal yoga her entire pregnancy. After laboring for 12 hours, she gave birth at 40 weeks + 4 days at a birth center on Christmas Day.
After two months of trying to conceive their second child, Chanice and her husband became pregnant in the summer of 2019. Similar to the first pregnancy, Chanice battled HG, required IV fluids during early pregnancy, and was prescribed medication for extreme vomiting. She practiced prenatal yoga 1-2 times weekly. She went into labor while napping at 39 weeks + 6 days. While she prepared her space for laboring for an unknown number of hours, her body had other plans… a precipitous (rapid) labor and birth!
After two birth center births, Chanice and her husband made the decision to have their third child at home. Her third pregnancy mirrored her first and second pregnancies but with two energetic toddlers and continuing to work full time. Multiple false alarms led up to the real event on baby’s due date on a rainy day in February 2022. Her labor was eerily calm. She birthed baby #3 in a birthing tub in her bedroom.
Chanice Reid Bio
Chanice is a wife and mother of three. Chanice was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a proud Howard University graduate. She is a speech-language pathologist on the path to becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is passionate about serving all families but especially families of color in the Phoenix area. She can be found spending time with family and friends, eating a delicious meal, planning a community event, binge-watching her favorite shows, traveling, and avoiding doing laundry at all costs. Connect with her on Instagram @thejoyfulslp and @joyfulcommunication.
This episode is sponsored by Baby Tula. Baby Tula creates unique and expressive carriers that help parents keep doing what they love while connecting with their little ones. Baby carriers are so much more than a parenting tool! When you wear your baby, you support the emotional, social, and physical well-being of your baby as well as your own! With a variety of unique prints, small batch and handwoven fabrics, inclusive sizing, and carriers for older babies too, you can find a carrier that’s distinctly you! You can use the code BIRTHHOUR at BabyTula.com and BabyTula.Co.UK.
This birth story includes a lot of first. Sarah shares her first homebirth which was also her first unmedicated birth all while in a lockdown. Sarah experienced irregular contractions, following 1.5 days of prodromal labour into only about 2.45 hours of active labor. This homebirth birth was a healing experience for Sarah, especially after experiencing prenatal depression and complications and it being nearly 11 years since her last birth.
Sarah Landry Bio
Sarah is a mom of 4 kids aged 1-16, divorced and remarried and now blended perfectly together. After getting exhausted by social media and body perfecting habits along the way, Sarah decided to change the way she showed up in the world. Healing through her perfectionism, disordered eating, body shame and so much more, she now loves having powerful social media conversations around life and our experiences in it. Sarah is a body confidence advocate, speaker, writer, occasional model, and weekly podcast host and an ongoing student of life. Connect with her via her website,Instagram, or The Papaya Podcast.
Today’s episode is sponsored by Needed. Needed is the leading women’s health supplement brand recommended by nutritionally-trained practitioners. While most perinatal supplements include the bare minimum of the nutrients needed during pregnancy, Needed’s products are based on the latest clinical research and in-practice experience of nearly 4000 practitioners. Needed has all your needs covered, from your prenatal vitamin to pregnancy-specific Pre/ and Probiotics, to egg quality support, sleep, stress, immune and hydration support, as well as your protein needs for blood sugar balance and postpartum healing. Needed’s Complete Plan delivers unparalleled nourishment for every phase — whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or postpartum! Instead of having to pair 6 different products together to meet your needs, I love that Needed has simplified things by bundling together four core products you need, in an easy and flexible monthly plan.
Needed’s 4-part Complete Plan includes their Prenatal Multi, their vegan Omega-3, their pregnancy-specific Pre and Probiotic with targeted strains to support you and your baby’s microbiome, and their ethically and sustainably-sourced Collagen Protein that mixes easily into just about everything. Needed’s Complete Plan truly meets all of your micronutrient, microbiome, and protein needs. Save 20% off your first order of Needed’s Complete Plan or any of their other perinatal nutrition products at thisisneeded.com with code BIRTHHOUR.
