Vanessa’s first pregnancy occurred in 2020 during the peak of COVID. She experienced neuromuscular symptoms very early on that lasted up until birth with no diagnosis. She had prodromal labor for a week before going into active labor at 39 and 1. She showed up to the hospital 6-7 cm dilated and with an unexpected breech baby. Her first daughter was delivered soon after by csec. Postpartum, she struggled with healing, having an oversupply, and a colicky baby with a soy/milk protein allergy and bottle refusal.
She got pregnant again in 2022. Her neuromuscular symptoms returned, but overall, she found her second pregnancy to be much less anxiety-ridden (probably thanks to her active 2-year-old and all of those Know Your Options Zoom calls). She experienced 3 weeks of prodromal labor before finally going into active labor and having a redemptive VBAC on her due date. She is currently 4 months postpartum and figuring out the new “normal” with two kids and working full-time.
Vanessa Thorn Bio
Vanessa is 30 years old and lives in North Central West Virginia with her husband and two daughters. She has a degree in chemical engineering from West Virginia University and has worked for a local polymer manufacturing company for the past six years. She enjoys eating out at locally-owned restaurants, mom talk, and playing video games. She can be found on Instagram at @lochnessv.
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.
Jada had fairly uneventful births with her first two sons aside from suffering from hyperemesis for the entirety of those pregnancies. She then had a surprise third pregnancy which ended in a missed miscarriage. Shortly after, she had another surprise pregnancy which resulted in her third son. Jada and her husband thought they were done having kids, but soon realized that their family didn’t feel quite complete.
The path to four children was not easy. Despite becoming pregnant fairly easily, Jada suffered 3 miscarriages in a row. After going through a bout of secondary infertility, they finally became pregnant with their fourth boy. At this point, she was considered advanced maternal age and was later diagnosed with gestational diabetes for the first time, all of which required additional monitoring. She eventually gave birth to a 9lb, 3 oz boy to complete their family.
Jada Walker Bio
Jada Walker is a wife to Brandon, and mom to 4 boys aged 15, 6, 4 and 5 months. She is an attorney in the greater Seattle area. Her instagram handle is JaLeCa.
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!
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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.
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Eve is sharing 2 quick and unmedicated hospital birth stories. Her first birth began with her water breaking and immediate rapid contractions. She labored in a tub and focused on birth affirmations. This birth was 5 hours from water break to delivery, and her daughter Ada was born. Her second birth was 18 months after the first and was very different, with a new care team due to finding her heart arrhythmia at 14 weeks. She switched from midwife to OB and MFM care and ultimately was induced due to hypertension. The induction was intimidating but resulted in another speedy unmedicated delivery of her son, Harvey
Eve Kath Bio
Eve is a 5th grade teacher turned stay at home mom. She lives in Bismarck, ND, with her husband Jamison, daughter Ada (21 months), and son Harvey (3 months). Eve enjoys playing piano, reading, traveling, and spending time with family. Eve can be contacted on Instagram at @eveekath, just send a message request.
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.
Laura and Jayson got pregnant in October 2022 and found out just 2 weeks before Jayson deployed for 7 months. Laura was 39 weeks when they went out for pizza on the night of June 30th. They enjoyed what they didn’t know what their last night as just the two of them. They went to bed that night not knowing that their worlds would change the next morning. Laura woke up to very intense contractions at 1:30am. She tried to go back to sleep but the pain was too severe. She tried to get in the shower but the contractions were getting more intense and were coming back to back with no break in between. She finally woke up Jayson and they were on the way to the hospital at 3am.
Laura was 5 cm dilated and 90% effaced when they got there. She immediately asked for an epidural and within 30 minutes she could finally relax. The contractions were still really intense though and back to back so she had to get medicine to slow them down so that the baby would not become distressed. By 8am it was time to start pushing. Baby girl Peyton was born at 9:28am at exactly 9 lbs. Everything was going smoothly until this point. The placenta was not coming out and after about 20-30 minutes the doctor said they would have to intervene because Laura was losing too much blood. Jayson took the baby because Laura started to get really lightheaded and nauseous. They finally got the placenta out but Laura lost 2 liters of blood.
They were monitored for a while in the labor and delivery room until being moved to postpartum. Breastfeeding had a learning curve but they eventually got the hang of it and 2 days later they were both healthy and able to go home. Connect with Laura on Instagram @lajohnson21.
Resources
Prenatal yoga @pregnancyandpostpartumTV on YouTube
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.
At 26 weeks pregnant Amanda was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and faced an uphill battle to keep her birth aligned with evidenced based interventions. GDM was managed with strict diet but came with added anxiety and increasing distrust of providers. At 36 weeks prodromal labor started with contractions taking place nightly 10-6 minutes apart. Early labor lasted for days starting at 39 weeks with active labor kicking off immediately following Amandas water breaking. Amanda’s daughter Lily was born only 3 hours after her water breaking at 39+3 in the hospital with the support of her husband, Doula, and staff. Birth was followed by an emotional and painful postpartum recovery that included her dad’s lung transplant 7 days postpartum.
Amanda Barker Bio
Amanda Barker lives in Texarkana, Texas with her husband, Cary, and daughter, Lily (1). They also have two cats and a dog that are deeply loved by the family esp Lily. Connect with her on Facebook or Instagram @AEW7633
Resources
Fertility Friend app for cycle tracking
The Birth Hour
Expectful app for hypnobirthing, lactation help, and meditation.
Kelly Mom
The miles circuit
Fit4mom
Karrie_locher on Instagram for pumping and breastfeeding content.
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.
