Mary Catherine’s first birth, the birth of her daughter, was a traumatic, vaginal hospital birth. It was nothing like the unmedicated, peaceful, yogic birth she’d hoped for; in the end, it felt like an ER episode as she dealt with intense back labor, an epidural that only worked on half of her body, an episiotomy, and then her doctor using a vacuum extractor to pull her baby out of the birth canal under bright lights while surrounded by medical professionals.
Her second birth was exactly what she’d hoped for and ended up being a truly healing experience. She also had her son in a hospital, but his entrance into the world was swift and intense and allowed for the unmedicated, intervention-free birth she’d so hoped for the first time around.
Mary Catherine Starr Bio
Mary Catherine Starr is a mother-of-two and a graphic designer, illustrator, yoga teacher, and the artist behind the Instagram account @momlife_comics. Mary Catherine lives on Cape Cod with her family and her son’s large collection of plastic dinosaurs. You can learn more about her on her website, www.marycatherinestarr.com, or on her Instagram accounts, @marycatherinestarr (personal account) and @momlife_comics (motherhood account).
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.
Gina had two different births with her two boys and her postpartum experiences followed suit. With Owen, in 2020, the pandemic made for a lonely start, but she was so grateful for the support she received from her Doula, lactation consultant, and close family and friends. Owen was a healthy baby but was losing a lot of weight and it was determined that the cause was poor transfer and low supply. Triple feeding became a huge source of anxiety and sleep deprivation. Eventually they found their groove and had a beautiful nursing relationship but the low supply was a giant elephant in the room, constantly causing anxiety and stress.
Physical recovery was challenging after a long 4 hour pushing phase and at her six week appointment, It was determined that she had developed granulation tissue at her 2nd degree tear site. After having it removed, she had no more discomfort and was glad she followed through. Between the isolation of the pandemic, breastfeeding struggles, and a colicky baby, those first couple of months were a lot harder than she expected. She began to feel like herself again after sleep training and felt immensely better when she ended their breast feeding journey. Finally, she was able to focus on her sweet boy without having her supply hanging over her head.
When Gina became pregnant with her 2nd baby, she wanted to do things differently and signed up for hypnobirthing. She worked thorough a lot of her fears and anxieties around back labor and low supply and had a quick, easy, and peaceful birth. However, the day after Colin was born they realized he had broken his right collar bone. His discomfort impacted his ability to latch and Gina ended up almost exclusively pumping. After baby chiropractic care and time, Colin was able to latch again. She still had low supply but made more milk than she expected and did not let it steal any of her joy this time around. Being able to be social and enjoy her family and friends made a big difference in her mental health. Sure enough though, the whole family got Covid when Colin was 8 weeks old. He got the least sick out everyone and it was proof that even a little bit of breast milk can have huge benefits. Managing expectations, support from family and friends, and an easy physical recovery made this postpartum period so much easier than the last.
Gina McCleary Bio
Gina lives with her two sons, Owen (2 years old) and Colin (5 months), and her husband Chris. Chris is an engineer and Gina is a freelance surface designer and family portrait photographer. Their two dogs and two cats help make their home a happy and furry place. They love living on Cape Cod, where they are surrounded by local artists, salt water, antiques, great ice cream, family and friends. Connect with her on Facebook: Gina McCleary or Instagram: @GinaElizabethPhotography or @Mrs_McCleary
Monumental Beginnings Doula (Massachusetts and Rhode Island)
Mama Bloom Beyond Doula & Hypnobirthing (Cape Cod)
Ergobaby
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!
The Birth Hour team has been huge fans of Kindred Bravely for several years and have loved watching the brand grow and their clothing lines get better and better. Today, we are highlighting a few of our favorite items that we consider MUST HAVES to get you through pregnancy all the way to postpartum and breastfeeding!
If you are a listener of The Birth Hour then you’ve certainly heard our host, Bryn, talk about her love of the Simply Sublime line from Kindred Bravely. We love the original Simply Sublime bra, racerback bra, sports bra, and pumping bra BUT the tank top takes the cake for us when it comes to a clothing item you will live in during pregnancy and while nursing. It is so stretchy yet slightly compressive helping you feel comfortably hugged but never restricted when your body is changing by the day. The nursing clips are easy to use and the genius of the Simply Sublime built-in bra makes it flattering (no uni-boob here!) and functional for wearing around town but also comfortable to sleep in. Last but not least, the Simply Sublime® Maternity & Nursing Tank comes in Busty sizing making it the only tank we’ve tried that has an option that is truly designed for larger cup sizes. The Simply Sublime Nursing Bra comes in sizes for 30b-46i!
Left is a Large in regular sizing and Right is a Medium-Busty sizing. The coverage and support is amazing in busty size if you are larger chested!
You may not immediately think of maternity and postpartum underwear being a necessity when it comes to your changing body (surely regular underwear will do the job right?). Well, while you may be able to make it work with your regular underwear, you will be SO MUCH more comfortable in Kindred Bravely’s Grow with Me Maternity & Postpartum Briefs. They are buttery soft and very stretchy so they will work throughout your pregnancy and postpartum phases. Although, we do recommend switching to the High-Waisted Postpartum Recovery Panties for a little more support after baby arrives.
If you’ve been pregnant before, you may have had that one maternity item that you just didn’t want to let go of even months after baby had arrived. Well, we are here to tell you that the Louisa Maternity & Postpartum Support Leggings will become that item for you! The most magically comfortable and soft leggings that offer the perfect amount of compression and have pockets (a must in our opinion!). We truly do not understand how Kindred Bravely has managed to create a legging that stretches over a 40-week belly, yet still holds its shape to provide support for a postpartum belly in the most flattering way right after baby makes their appearance. These leggings come in several colors and you will want them all once you try them! We recommend starting with the classic black and they will become a staple in your wardrobe. They also have capri, crop, and non-pocketed options—check them all out here.
Once you feel this bamboo fabric from Kindred Bravely you will want the entire collection. This is why we couldn’t choose just one item! Everyone will have the styles they prefer more whether it’s a nightgown, shorts set, tank top, joggers, or t-shirt. This fabric is buttery soft but also breathable (we all know that being hot and sweaty is a struggle while pregnant or postpartum!). Everything from this line is stretchy and almost all of the options can be worn not only as sleepwear but to run errands as well!
If you plan to do any pumping at all then this pumping and nursing bra will be your new BFF. It feels exactly like the Simply Sublime Nursing Bra when you wear it, it just has the added benefit of functioning as a pumping bra when you need it. AND IT COMES IN BUSTY SIZING!! Birth Hour host, Bryn, could never find a pumping bra that fit her larger chest with her first two babies and discovering Kindred Bravely’s Sublime® Hands-Free Pumping &Nursing Bra was a game changer for baby #3. This might not be as fun to shop for as comfy loungewear or cute leggings but it’s a functional item that you will be glad you have when the time comes!
You can see more of Bryn’s favorite items from Kindred Bravely on her Instagram highlights here. And be sure to use the coupon code BIRTHHOUR for 20% off your purchase at kindredbravely.com.
Lilly gave birth with the support of her husband, Ryan, and her doula, Kaitlyn Wozniak. She gave birth at Sibley Memorial Hospital, and her Obgyn (who she highly recommends!) is Dr. Sharon Kressel from the Liv by Advantia Health doctor’s office in the heart of Washington, DC. Lilly shares the story of her induced hospital birth done without pain medication after a complicated pregnancy of low-lying placenta, breech baby, hypertension, and gaining over 60lbs. She discusses coping with the death of a friend who passed from birth complications and the residual fear that she coped with due to her friend’s passing. Lilly also shares about being a small business owner while pregnant and how she turned to TikTok to find support in her journey.
Lilly Scott Bio
Lilly lives in Washington, DC, and her Daughter, Waverly was born on May 19th, 2022. Wavey has two puppy-sisters, mini golden doodles named Maui and Bali. Lilly was a lawyer lobbyist who left the corporate world in 2020 to pursue her passion for teaching group fitness and inspiring others. Before the pandemic, she was a top instructor at Corepower Yoga and Equinox. Now Lilly has a fitness app and business of her own called Electric Collective, where she leads challenging workouts that transform how people see themselves, one squat at a time.
Lilly is also very active on social media. Her Instagram content focuses on body acceptance and celebrating who you are; her TikTok content focuses on her pregnancy and postpartum journey. Her handle on Instagram is @lillyscott, and her TikTok handle is @thelillyscott.
Use Code BIRTHHOUR to get 75% off of access to Electric Collective’s 500+ virtual fitness classes for 3 months! Sign up here.
Aeroflow Breastpumps
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.
After a smooth hospital induction and delivery with an epidural with her first and a whirlwind 4-hour unmedicated delivery with her second, Lauren knew she wanted a hospital induction with an epidural (no car babies, thank you!) While her second delivery was medically safe, it left Lauren with trauma that took over a year to recover from and the detailed preparation for her third delivery was a way to control the aspects she knew would make for a better experience and relax into the aspects of birth that are not in anyone’s control. It turned out to go (almost) exactly as planned with a few fun surprises along the way!
Lauren Alexander Bio
Lauren has been married to her wife, Deanna, for six years and they live with their three children in Sonoma County, CA. Find her on Facebook and Instagram @rachellehecht.
This episode is brought to you by Kindred Bravely. From adorable maternity wear to comfortable nursing bras, this mom-owned company has you covered. See all of their comfy clothing at kindredbravely.com! I especially love their Simply Sublime nursing tank, their high waisted leggings (for pregnancy AND postpartum). Listen to this episode for a special coupon code and to hear about my new favorites in their summer line of clothing and loungewear!
Claire shares her experience of her unmedicated hospital birth with the support of her husband, doula – and a surprise entrance from her own mother! She also shares her postpartum experience, highlighting the impact COVID had on her journey.
Claire Manix-Cramer Bio
Claire lives just outside of NYC with her husband and daughter. She is awaiting the birth of her second child at the time of this recording. She works as a pediatric clinical specialist in an outpatient physical therapy clinic. You can find her on instagram @cm_occho_mc.
Resources
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong – and What You Really Need to Know
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!
Allison gave birth to her third baby at 42 weeks via a planned induction. This was her second VBAC and the birth was a beautiful experience. She was induced with pitocin and had a short, epidural-free labor and birth of her 9 pound 12 oz daughter, Ivy. Allison and her husband enjoyed two restful and quiet days in the hospital and arrived home to their older children two days later. Allison’s postpartum took a turn when she and her whole family developed COVID just days after her daughter was born.
Allison Lynch Bio
lives in Madison, WI with her husband Jesse and their three children. They love spending time outdoors and exploring parks around the area. Allison is passionate about VBAC education and empowerment. She overcame a traumatic birth experience and feels strongly about supporting families through these experiences. Feel free to connect with Allison via email at allisonglynch@gmail.com or via Instagram @AlliLynch14.
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!
Mary tried to conceive for almost 2 years, then became pregnant within two months of changing her diet. She wanted an unmedicated birth but went into the process uneducated and thought she could just do it. At 38 and 1 weeks, her waters broke around 10:30am. She went to the hospital where mild contractions started around 12pm. She was checked in triage and was 2cm and waters were confirmed to have broken. She was put in a room and by 2pm contractions had progressed, were one on top of another, and were very painful. Around 5:30pm she was checked and was told she was 6cm, to which she promptly asked for an epidural. They placed it quickly but before the bed was all the way lowered, she started feeling her legs convulsing and told the nurse. The nurse said she was 10cm and was ready to push. Mary pushed for about 40 minutes and Eloise was born at 6:31pm. Post-partum was hard, with a combo of postpartum depression, feeling like she failed because she got an epidural, learning how to be a mom, and her husband returning to work. But she muscled through it.
A month after Eloise’s 1st birthday, Mary knew she and her husband had slipped up and she might be pregnant but she thought it not likely because it took 2 years to conceive the first time. Sure enough, she was pregnant and this time, she was bound and determined to be educated and have an unmedicated birth, possibly her dream homebirth. Unfortunately, a homebirth was out of her budget so she was determined to have an unmedicated hospital birth and was focused on health and diet and had become totally enthralled with all things pregnancy and labor related.
About halfway through this pregnancy is when she found The Birth Hour and couldn’t get enough of it. At 39 and 5 weeks, she had her bloody show at her husband’s Christmas, work dinner. They went home to get their stuff, headed to the hospital, and she was admitted at midnight and contractions were coming steadily. At around 3:20am she asked the nurse to check her and Mary was complete. The fetal ejection reflex took over and Oliver was born at 3:30am. postpartum was hard again but this time was filled with more postpartum rage and trying to figure out how to be a mom to two, under two.
In May of 2020, Mary found out she was pregnant, with another surprise pregnancy. This time, she got to have a midwife and was planning for a homebirth, her dream. Covid was still very new so she was nervous about how it could affect her or the baby, but she managed to dodge the virus and had no close calls, up until she was 38 weeks. The friend who lived with Mary, said she had tested positive for covid. It was the scariest and most stressful part of the whole pregnancy, wondering if the home birth would happen, if her husband would get covid and not be able to attend the birth. Planning for every possible route this could go, all while trying to hold the baby in.
Quarantine ended on Mary’s guess date (Due Date) and then it was on to get the baby out. She tried everything to get the baby out and nothing worked. At 41 and 5 (42 and 1 based on her original guess date) Mary felt contractions start as she was putting her babes to bed around 7:30pm. They quickly intensified and the birth team was called. By 11:30pm, all but the second midwife were there. Mary felt pushy for about an hour and did what her body told her to do. And Primrose was born into her mama’s arms at 12:51am. It was the labor and birth experience she had dreamed of for many years, and it all worked out perfectly. Postpartum was again difficult and had more depression with a little bit of rage sprinkled in, but overall better than the two previous postpartum’s because Mary was honest about her struggles.
Mary Johnson Bio
Mary Johnson is 32 years old, married to her husband David, who is 33 years old. They have been married for 9 years (known each other for 26 years) and have three children, Eloise who is 5, Oliver (Bear) who is 3, and Primrose (Jones) who is 1 year old. She lives in Bakersfield California and is a stay-at-home mom with a side hustle of making custom cakes from her home. She homeschools Eloise and is busy chasing the other two around and trying to stay connected with her friends who help her along this mom journey. She is also currently waiting to be matched with intended parent/s to be a gestational carrier.
Mary can be found mostly on Instagram. She is only on Facebook for the birth hour patron group. Instagram handles are: private account @call_me_murry or her public cake account @cakes_by_maryelizabeth
This episode is sponsored by Caraway Home. Caraway Home has a Cookware and bakeware set that all come in the most beautiful colors and all Caraway Home sets come equipped with easy-access storage solutions so that no stacking is required. It’s a modern & chemical-free version of the traditional 16-piece set, pared down to just four essentials: A Fry Pan, Sauté Pan, SaucePan, and a Dutch Oven with lids for everything plus a pretty and functional storage setup comes included with the set! Visit Carawayhome.com/BIRTHHOUR to take advantage of a limited-time offer for 10% off your next purchase.
Betterhelp
Today’s episode is also sponsored by Betterhelp. BetterHelp is online therapy that offers video, phone, and even live chat-only therapy sessions. I love that Betterhelp is so much more affordable AND convenient than in-person therapy. For many people the barrier to getting therapy is finding a therapist but with Betterhelp, you can be matched with a therapist in under 48 hour! Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/birthhour.
Kellie’s first labor lasted 32.5 hours from labor to birth. She had a hospital birth with an epidural and had an amazing and supportive doctor who advocated for her. Baby #2 was a planned induction because baby was initially diagnosed with severe Hydronephrosis. That diagnosis was changed to Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney (MCDK) after birth. She discusses her birth and postpartum with both babies.
Kellie Brandt Bio
Kellie is married to her husband Austin. They’ve been married for 3 years and together for 9. They have a 19 month old and a 3 month old! Connect with her on Instagram @Kellieannfreels or kelliefreels@gmail.com.
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.
After an unplanned cesarean with her first baby and a successful VBAC with her twins, Kalen she describes her third birth and postpartum experience as her easiest and most rewarding. Her third induction resulted in a precipitous unplanned unmedicated birth which made for an uncomplicated recovery and a wonderful end to her pregnancies and births. She describes healing from this birth compared to her other three and things she’s learned and done differently the third time around.
Kalen Andelin Bio
Kalen lives in Wisconsin with her husband of 6 years Ian and their four children Maverick age 5, twin daughters Indy and Bowie age 3, and daugther Briggs 6 months old. She’s currently a stay at home mom and enjoys listening to podcasts, having a glass of wine, exercising on her Peloton, and the occasional date night.
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!
Clarice has had two very different births – one was a long hospital induction and one was a fast homebirth. You can listen to her first birth story on Episode 345, and on this episode she will talk about her postpartum experience following that birth as well as her second birth and postpartum. Both times she experienced postpartum mood disorders (depression and anxiety) in some pretty significant ways. She has learned many lessons about how to deal with the mood disorders and what she can do to keep things from getting out of hand in the future.
Clarice Amorim Freitas Bio
Clarice is a mom of two young boys, she is originally from Brazil but now lives in Alaska with her kids and her husband. She is currently staying at home but she dreams of being a doula once her littles are a bit older – with the goal of helping other families achieve their ideal birth and postpartum experiences. In the meantime, she is enjoying traveling and exploring nature with her boys. You can follow their adventures on Instagram under the handle @onebarefamily. You can also find out more about her at https://wanderingrootsdoula.com/
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!
Meg discusses her five hospital births and her progression from a naïve and unprepared first-time-mom, to empowering and healing unmedicated births. Meg’s episode includes the topics of PPA and miscarriage, but also the big and hard lessons she learned about advocating for herself and setting boundaries during labor and delivery. Her story includes navigating pregnancy, birth, and loss with a partner in surgical training and multiple moves for her growing family.
Meg Holt Bio
Meg is a mom to five kids 8 and under. She and her husband spent the first ten years of their marriage moving around the upper Midwest for his medical training before ultimately landing back home in Pittsburgh. She’s a devoted Pittsburgh sports fan, a women’s group leader, a enthusiastic reader, and loves nothing more than playing sports with her kids. Connect with her on Instagram: @mmhavern
Today’s episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. BetterHelp is online therapy that offers video, phone, and even live chat-only therapy sessions. I love that Betterhelp is so much more affordable AND convenient than in-person therapy. For many people the barrier to getting therapy is finding a therapist but with Betterhelp, you can be matched with a therapist in under 48 hour! Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/birthhour.
