Blair’s first pregnancy was textbook: some nausea and aches and pains, but overall beautiful and easy. When it came time to give birth, she expected a difficult but straightforward experience as well. Instead, she faced a long labor, a dangerous velamentous cord insertion, a nuchal arm, a retained placenta, a third degree tear, and a severe postpartum hemorrhage. Unfortunately, her postpartum recovery came with its own set of challenges, which resulted in profound depression and anxiety, stitches that wouldn’t heal properly, and three follow-up vaginal surgeries/procedures. It took close to 8 months before she felt “normal” again!
Getting pregnant a second time was a test of faith. Blair went through intensive EMDR therapy to process and heal from the trauma of her first birth and postpartum. Her second pregnancy was harder, but her very quick precipitous labor, smooth water birth, and quick postpartum recovery were incredibly redemptive.
Blair is passionate about women advocating for their health throughout their pregnancies, births, and postpartum journeys and has a special heart for women who are deeply struggling in their postpartum recoveries.
Blair Lamb Bio
Blair is a devoted wife and mother of two. She lives in Texas and runs an online shop, BlairLambDesign.com, shares her life journey with over 74k subscribers on YouTube (youtube.com/c/blairlamb), and has written hundreds of blog posts on her blog, BlairBlogs.com. She’s also on Instagram at @BlairBlogs!
Resources
Pre-Seed Fertility Lubricant (for getting pregnant–helped Blair both times!)
Today’s episode is sponsored by FamilyAlbum. I’ve been using The FamilyAlbum app for the last year ever since my brother and sister-in-law adopted my baby nephew! My whole family became obsessed with the usability of this app and it brought our entire extended family closer together as we could each leave comments on the photos and give our accounts fun nicknames. I might have teared up when I created that “Aunt Bryn” name for the first time!! The FamilyAlbum app is totally secure and I love that there’s no third-party ads or unwanted eyes, unlimited storage, and it’s totally free!
A few of the cool features I’ve discovered using the app are that it automatically sorts photos and videos by month, allowing you to swipe back in time and see how your child has grown. Another neat feature is you can order 8 free photo prints every month to be delivered to your home. Level up your family photo game with a free photo sharing app with unlimited storage. Head over to the app store today, search “FamilyAlbum” (one word), download the app and start creating and sharing in the day-to-day joys of those precious early years!
Sarah’s first labor was over 24 hours long with extreme nausea, an early urge to push, a transfer from birth center to L&D during transition, long pushing stage, and delivery with nuchal hand. After experiencing PPD and PPA, Sarah found help
and connection within her community. A miscarriage at the end of the first trimester while alone out-of-town and poor hospital care followed. After conceiving again, Sarah worked to prepare for another long labor and challenging postpartum. Surprisingly, Sarah’s second labor was a fast and furious precipitous labor, where she ultimately delivered her baby by herself while her husband pulled up to the birth center entrance.
Sarah McGuirk Bio
Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO, with her husband, two daughters, and rescue pit mix dog. Sarah is back in school working to become a board certified music therapist after a decade working as a freelance collaborative pianist and music educator.
Today’s episode is sponsored by Redd Remedies. Redd Remedies has strong roots in the natural product industry and crafts Master Herbalist formulated supplements from premium ingredients, ensuring natural and effective solutions for life’s physical and emotional challenges. Peaceful Mama, one of their star products, provides stress support to all moms, including pregnant and nursing women!
To learn more about Peaceful Mama, Rhythm and Flo, and Redd Remedies and to view testimonials, head to www.reddremedies.com and use code BIRTHHOUR at checkout to get 20% off any 2 or more items.
After several years of infertility, Alexandria and her husband had become pregnant abroad in Okinawa, Japan. Her first birth was a planned induction due health complications. But when intervention takes place, she is left to navigate Postpartum Depression at the start of the Covid lockdown abroad in Japan in 2020.
Her experience leads her on a search to understand what had happened and sparks an interest in birth work. As a result, she and her husband seek support for a second pregnancy on island. However, navigating the military and local landscape is difficult at its best and something else entirely when international relations are experiencing a sudden healthcare crisis.
Her second birth starts as a home birth on base through a local clinic and culminates in a voluntary transfer during the push phase to a local clinic against her team’s advice. An action that ultimately saves her and her child’s life.
Alexandria Parks Bio
Alexandria currently lives in New Mexico with her husband and two daughters. She is an english teacher by trade but currently a stay at home mom to their one and three year old girls. They are a military family and were stationed in Okinawa, Japan when Alexandria gave birth. If you’d like to connect, you can leave a comment for Alexandria here and we will make sure she sees it.
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.
Amanda overcame a deep fear of childbirth by working to become as educated about labour and birth as possible. Once pregnant, she planned for an unmedicated birth at an independent birth centre.
Amanda went into labor on her due date and progressed quickly. Her midwife, initially evaluating the situation over the phone, did not feel Amanda was far enough along to warrant leaving for the birth center. When the midwife finally arrived at Amanda’s home to assess her in person, she was already 8 cm dilated. Given that the birth center was at least an hour away, Amanda and her husband felt it was safest to transition to a home birth. Amanda’s baby boy was born after 3 hours of pushing, about 11 hours after labor began. She describes the day as being incredibly positive, empowering, and the best day of her life.
Amanda Fonesca Bio
Amanda lives outside of Toronto with her husband, son, and loyal dog. She is a certified clinical research professional (CCRP) and has focused her work in the area of oncology. Her efforts to overcome an initial fear of childbirth has led to a great passion for all things related to pregnancy, labour, and birth. Amanda enjoys cooking, literature, and music. You can connect with her via email at amandafonzie@gmail.com .
Today’s episode is brought to you by the Sleepybelly Pregnancy Pillow which is guaranteed to give you better sleep in 30-nights or they will give you a full refund! Sleepybelly is a three piece, adjustable pregnancy pillow designed to prevent back sleeping, whilst giving you support for your growing bump and helps align your hips to reduce hip and back pain. Being an adjustable set, it grows with you on your pregnancy journey and can be used in 5 different configurations – it is even used as a breastfeeding pillow postpartum.
Sleepybelly has offered listeners of The Birth Hour an exclusive promo, use the code THEBIRTHHOUR10 for 10% off your order, at sleepybelly.co for a more comfortable night’s sleep! With free shipping and a 30-night money back guarantee, try the Sleepybelly today!
Amy had a 24 hour labor that ended in a waterbirth at a birth center that was inside a hospital.
Thanks to this podcast and the Birth Hour’s Know Your Options’s course and a local Bradley method class, Amy and her husband Daniel felt very prepared, but inevitably they had some hiccups along the way.
From 2 weeks of prodromal labor, to 12 great hours of real labor at home to walking the hospital for three hours trying to get admitted to finally getting admitted but not being allowed the tub and having no birth center nurse, it was quite a journey! After 6 hours in the shower, Amy finally had help at shift change and was allowed in the tub.
Within one hour of getting in the tub she was in transition and after 30 minutes of pushing, Amy brought baby Laura into the world! Amy’s water never broke so Laura was almost born en caul! Unfortnately, meconium in the water lead to a short NICU stay. Though Amy wishes they had had a golden hour post birth, their experience was overall positive and they are enamored with their healthy baby girl!
Amy Straiton Bio
Amy is a mom of 1 living in Dayton Ohio with her husband Daniel. She is a stay at home mom by day and by night she makes journals and paper crafts for her Etsy shop!
You can find her on Facebook as Amy Straiton and send a private message or leave a comment here.
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.
Haley Peryer lives in Missouri with her partner, dog, and now 5 month old little girl. She enjoys rock climbing and exercise, yoga, art, and candlemaking. Today she wanted to share with you the birth of her little girl, Apoya. When Haley got pregnant she had been working in the Arizona heat and spending time in beautiful Costa Rica. Her partner, Eli, was only a little surprised by the pregnancy. It was not specifically planned but both of them knew it was possible based upon the previous cycle.
From the start of her pregnancy she knew she wanted a very low intervention birth. However, a home birth was out of question since Haley and Eli live in a non-conventional living space: a 30 foot camper. This is why they turned to a birth center where their daughter was born after 33 hours of labor on July 4, 2023. Connect with her on instagram @trippyxturtlexfawn
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”
