Stephanie’s first birth was a planned home birth with a long labor. After exhaustion set in, she decided to transfer to the hospital, but ended up having the baby in the back of the midwife’s car.
Stephanie’s second birth was another planned home birth that was much more manageable than the first. During delivery, the baby had double shoulder dystocia but her midwives took action and delivered the baby safely.
Stephanie Adney Bio
Stephanie lives outside Memphis, TN with her wife and 2 kids and is a real estate agent turned postpartum doula. She’s passionate about all things birth and postpartum and enjoys serving the families in her community. Instagram name is the.kitchen.doula
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.
Realizing how underprepared she was during her first child’s birth, Magdalena decided to take matters into her own hands and do some serious birth-prep work prior to her second delivery. She spent nine months listening to podcasts, working with midwives, reading all the books and practicing different laboring techniques to prepare herself for a completely physiological birth.
After 12 hours of what felt like harmonious labor at home, her baby was born accidentally on the bathroom floor while her husband loaded the car for the hospital. Magdalena describes it as the most empowering experience of her life and adds, “the whole story still in some ways feels unreal when I share it.” She adds that “if my story can help just one person or inspire someone to be their own birthing advocate I would be thrilled.”
Magdalena Berger
Magdalena is 35 and has two kids, Olive (2) Sunny (4 months). She lives in south Jersey on the coast with her husband who is a pilot in the US Coast Guard.
Magdalena has a swimwear line and business – MAGDAKINEDESIGNS.co founded in 2016 and manages an Airbnb in South Jersey while staying home with their kids. Her husband’s current position in the military requires him to be deployed 1/3 of the year and also that they relocate every four years. Both of these aspects of his work keep their family very busy…and always on the move!
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 “BIRTHHOUR15” in their online shop for 15% off all supplies and accessories.
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”
Adina got pregnant with her first baby in 2017, and her daughter was born after a long hospital birth that included an epidural and other interventions to help labor move along. Shortly after birth she developed postpartum anxiety and depression, amid breastfeeding issues and challenges with insomnia. Her second baby was born in May 2020, shortly after the pandemic began. She planned another hospital birth, however her son’s labor progressed much faster than her first and he was unexpectedly born at home with assistance from her doula. She struggled again with postpartum anxiety and depression, but was able to push through breastfeeding challenges and establish a successful nursing relationship.
Adina Olsen Bio
Adina lives in the Bay Area, California with her husband of 10 years and her two children Adriana (5) and Atlin (3). She is currently pregnant with her third baby. Connect with her on Facebook at Adina Olsen.
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.
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.
