Arden Cartrette is a grief and bereavement doula who found her calling to help others through pregnancy loss after a long fertility journey to her son, Cameron. With two miscarriages leaving her with trauma and needed the assistance of her reproductive endocrinologist to get pregnant – she opens up about pregnancy and live childbirth after infertility and loss. Arden founded The Miscarriage Doula Co which is an online service and resource for women who are going through a miscarriage and navigating life afterward.
This episode is sponsored by Fairhaven Health, creators of Milkies and their new Vaginal Care & Comfort line. Milkies is a line of thoughtfully designed products for moms, by moms, to support you throughout your breastfeeding journey. Products include breast milk collection and storage, supplements, teas, nursing pads and much more!
Their Vaginal Care & Comfort line contains isotonic, paraben-free, glycerol-free, and oil-free products to support vaginal health. Their vaginal care line currently includes 5 products:
BabyIt, the only product specifically designed to be used with perineal massage during pregnancy.
IsoFresh, a vaginal balancing gel that supports a healthy vaginal ecosystem
IsoFresh Probiotic to help replenish bacteria and balance yeast
BabyDance Fertility Lubricant which is pH-matched to fertile cervical mucus and tested to ensure it’s safe for sperm and eggs
And Sage Personal Moisturizer and Lubricant to help provide relief from vaginal dryness.
Fairhaven Health is generously offering 15% of all of their products with the code BIRTHHOUR at www.fairhavenhealth.com. In today’s episode, our guest Arden shares a bit about her experience with products from Fairhaven Health.”
After experiencing a miscarriage due to a partial molar pregnancy Meghan & Ryan knew they wanted to try again once they were given the ok by their doctor. Five months after experiencing the loss, Meghan was pregnant. Over the course of the pregnancy she prepared for an unmedicated birth but was open to going with the flow. After three sleepless nights filled with contractions, Meghan’s contractions finally picked up. After days of no sleep, labor stalling at 8-9 cms, a fever, and her body trying to push starting at 6 cm Meghan decided on getting an epidural for rest. A few hours after the epidural, Isla Rose was born into her dad’s hands.
Once Isla turned one, Meghan found out she was pregnant with baby #2. The pregnancy was smooth and the plan for an unmedicated birth was the same. This time Meghan’s water broke but labor was not picking up. Meghan was positive for group b strep this pregnancy and had to go to the hospital earlier than intended. Despite wanting no interventions and intravenous monitoring, Meghan ended up with pitocin and being hooked up to a monitor. Luckily, the hospital provided a wireless monitor so she could still move around working through contractions. After another long labor, Tatum Robert was born and Meghan had the epidural free birth she desired.
Meghan Hubbard Bio
Meghan lives in Seacoast New Hampshire with her husband Ryan and their two kids. Isla is 2.5 and Tatum will be one in March. Meghan teaches first grade but is also hoping to work with mothers in some capacity at some point soon. She can be found on instagram at: Meg.hubbard6.
Local Resource- baby led sleep & wellbeing specialist: Instagram: chelsea.macphail
Local (and virtual) Resource – Beth Janelle, Prenatal and postpartum workout plans and personal training. Instagram: Beth.janelle
Expectful
This episode is sponsored by Expectful – the #1 guided meditation & sleep app for your fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood journey. Just like you probably take a prenatal vitamin for your body, Expectful’s meditations are like a prenatal vitamin for your mind and can help you have a happier, healthier journey to parenthood. Whether you are TTC, pregnant, or postpartum, everything in the Expectful app was made just for this special moment in your life and created based on interviews with hopeful, expecting, and new parents just like you. Ready to reduce stress, improve sleep, and connect with your little one? Go to expectful.com/birthhour or download Expectful in the App Store to get started with a free trial today.
Following an ectopic pregnancy that ruptured one of Shana’s fallopian tubes, she unexpectedly got pregnant almost immediately after her first loss. At the time, she was living in London, England and preparing for her husband, Doug, to move in early 2020. During the first half of Shana’s pregnancy she dealt with heavy bleeding from a subchorionic hematoma, untreated prenatal depression and anxiety, and was working towards submitting her PhD dissertation all whilst living on her own. As she and her husband were preparing for his transatlantic relocation, COVID-19 began shutting down borders, which prompted Shana to move back home to the DC area instead.
With the help of Shana’s long-time therapist in Maryland, she was introduced to both a psychiatrist specializing in perinatal mental health as well as Ursula, a doula and founder of Birth You Desire. With all three of their support and a special shout out to modern technology allowing for virtual services, Shana was able to do all she could to get her mind, body, and spirit prepared for the second half of pregnancy and everything ahead. At the start of her third trimester, Shana and Doug learned their baby was intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) and was breech, which required weekly visits to the midwife and OB for fetal monitoring as well as countless hours spent practicing Spinning Babies exercises, yoga, and receiving repeated chiropractic care. Whilst the conversations around the necessity of an early emergency cesarean section intensified as the weeks went on, their daughter had a miraculous growth spurt at 36 weeks, allowing her to reach full term (but was still stubbornly breech). An external cephalic version (ECV) was scheduled at 39 weeks.
Leading up to the ECV, it was uncertain whether their doula would be able to be physically present during the birth because of quickly changing COVID-19 restrictions. In a rare situation, Ursula’s virtual presence was a blessing because after 3 attempts of trying to get the baby to turn, Shana was taken into the operating room to deliver their daughter, Poppy, by cesarean section, whilst Ursula was on the phone with headphones shared between Shana and Doug offering support and guidance the entire time (even without COVID-19, it was unlikely she could be present for the ECV and certainly not in the OR).
Aside from being more mucousy than what’s considered normal, Shana, Doug, and Poppy had a blissful first 24 hours together in the hospital. After that, however, an incredibly astute nurse noticed that Poppy would turn slightly blue when feeding and took her to the NICU for a quick peek. There everyone learned that Poppy was born with a fairly common congenital abnormality called tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) and esophageal atresia (EA), an abnormal connection between the esophagus and trachea and between the esophagus and stomach. She was immediately transferred an hour away to the NICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital with Doug, whilst Shana waited to be discharged the following day. Poppy had a successful primary repair of her esophagus and trachea at 3 days old and then proceeded to be in the hospital for the better part of 4 months. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, only one parent could be present in the hospital with Poppy at a time, so with the support of their families, Shana and Doug relocated to Baltimore to live in a nearby hotel. They encountered various complications including a blood infection, repeated narrowing of her esophagus, trouble feeding, terrible reflux, and very poor weight gain, which all required prolonged hospitalizations and several procedures. After 4 months, it was discovered that Poppy had a hiatal hernia caused from her initial surgery. She received a final surgery to address the hernia and had a gastric-tube put directly into her belly to help with feeding, which, so far, has made a tremendous difference in everyone’s quality of life.
Poppy is now nearly 6 months old and her parents are very much enjoying settling into their home as a family of 3 at long last. Shana is currently working through the cumulative trauma and complicated emotions around Poppy’s journey. Despite the challenges, Poppy wakes up every morning with the biggest smile on her face and is a stunning example of resilience and strength.
Shana Silverstein Bio
Shana lives just outside Washington, DC with her husband, Doug, their six month old daughter, Poppy Chaya, and their first baby, Marcel the Poodle. She is on the precipice of receiving her doctorate in neuroscience from University College London and the National Institutes of Health. Her research focuses on social learning and memory around empathy related behaviors. Shana is also a certified yoga teacher. Connect with her by email at shana.silverstein@gmail.com.
Motif Medical
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 experiencing several early miscarriages, Danielle was excited to finally have a sticky pregnancy and was planning a home birth. At 33 weeks, Danielle noticed excessive swelling and asked her midwife to check her blood pressure. It was uncharacteristically high and she unfortunately developed preeclampsia. She quickly had to switch her plans from a home birth to a hospital induction.
After a nearly 3 day induction, including 24 hours of Pitocin and back labor the whole time, she was able to birth her daughter vaginally. Her daughter was born just in time, because her placenta showed clear signs of deterioration and was no longer providing sufficient nutrients to her baby. Danielle discusses her daughter’s subsequent NICU stay and dealing with postpartum anxiety. She also discusses the depression and anxiety she experienced during her miscarriages and trying to conceive journey as well as issues she faced as a black pregnant woman in New York City.
Danielle Thompson Bio
Danielle is an attorney, doula, and childbirth educator. After a 7-year stint in Manhattan, she currently lives back in her hometown of Berkeley, California with her husband, Brian, 2 year old daughter, Gemma, and dog, Azula. Danielle, a biracial, black woman, has also published in the area of black maternal health and justice (link to her work below) and hopes to continue that work in the future. Connect with her on Instagram: @danielleohello or via Email: Danielle.thompson512@gmail.com
Instagram accounts: @Healthy.highriskpregnancy, @Manhattanbirth, @Smallthingsgrowhomebirth, @birthingjustice, and @badassmotherbirther
Peanut
Peanut is an app that helps you make meaningful connections throughout all stages of motherhood. Peanut provides a safe space for mothers, expectant mothers and those trying to conceive to build friendships, ask questions and find support by introducing you to others nearby who are at a similar stage in life, Peanut provides access to a community who is there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice: Whether it’s understanding IVF, adoption, pregnancy, baby’s first years or beyond, Peanut is a place to connect with other moms in the thick of it.
Having her first baby at 25 years old as a single mom, Michelle Johnson thought she was done having children until she got married and gave birth to her second child at 41 and her third child at 43 years old. Delivering her daughter naturally in a hospital by a midwife, Michelle knew that she absolutely wanted an epidural when she became pregnant again at 40. However, an impromptu induction, as a result of her son having IUGR, her second labor was longer and more painful than the first.
Michelle had a planned induction for her 3rd son as well as a very clear birth plan – making it as pain-free as possible. Her last labor was perfect until the last hour when she had too much of an epidural to the point that she couldn’t push because she couldn’t feel anything. Tune in to hear all of Michelle’s very different birth stories and her experiences of miscarrying, having a subchorionic hemorrhage, acid reflux, gestational diabetes, swelling, fetal growth restriction (IUGR), being induced and the experience of having multiple babies in her 40’s.
Michelle Johnson Bio
When Michelle, an attorney in Atlanta, became pregnant at the age of 40, she immediately scoured the internet for pregnancy information for women her age, only to be inundated with daunting statistics and risks from medical professionals, individuals and articles.
Not succumbing to all of the negative information, Michelle began a private Facebook Group to both give and receive encouragement to other women in the same situation. The “Pregnancy After Forty Private Group” now has over 5,000 members and has been the catalyst to creating a website and the “Pregnancy After 40” Podcast, which she now hosts.
Michelle is also a Speaker who shares her “Pregnancy After 40” story and journey and encourages other women that it’s possible to have a healthy baby or babies after 40 years despite having pregnancy issues. Connect with her at http://www.PregnancyAfterForty.com or via her Private Facebook Group: @PregnancyAfterFortyPrivateGroup She also hosts a Facebook Page: @PregnancyAfterForty and Instagram: @PregnancyAfterForty. Finally check out her Podcast!
Peanut
Peanut is an app that helps you make meaningful connections throughout all stages of motherhood. Peanut provides a safe space for mothers, expectant mothers and those trying to conceive to build friendships, ask questions and find support by introducing you to others nearby who are at a similar stage in life, Peanut provides access to a community who is there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice: Whether it’s understanding IVF, adoption, pregnancy, baby’s first years or beyond, Peanut is a place to connect with other moms in the thick of it.
Devastated by a 21 week loss due to multiple congenital anomalies, followed by a miscarriage at 8 weeks, blessed by two, unmedicated births (one at a hospital and one at home during the pandemic).
Jana walks through their complicated and heartbreaking decision to terminate a 21-week baby boy with multiple, congenital abnormalities. She highlights *some* of their decision-making process and the incredible medical care they received along the way. Shortly after that loss, Jana and her husband were then hit with a miscarriage at 8 weeks. As healthcare providers, they struggled with what this meant for future pregnancies, how this impacted their marriage and professional life.
After fertility consults that said, “everything is fine,” and several months of trying, they were successful with another pregnancy. While this pregnancy seemed to outsiders as “routine,” it was riddled with stress and anxiety, fearful they would loose this baby too. Specialists assured them, that this was a healthy pregnancy. Friends and family were an irreplaceable support system, constantly reminding them to take in one day at a time. Jana remembers, “our family and friends were so kind, listening to our worries and helping to share in some of our burden.”
In early November 2018, after 10 hours of laboring at home (in denial) with her husband and doula, Jana admitted she was in labor and agreed to go to the hospital. Jana delivered a healthy, baby boy, 10 minutes after arriving to the hospital. While that delivery was “quick,” it was also not the birth experience she had hoped for. Jana knew if there was another pregnancy, the delivery would be different; she wanted a more positive, natural childbirth experience.
Their fourth pregnancy came in fall of 2019— they never expected to be making the decision about this pregnancy/delivery in the middle of a pandemic. As the pandemic worsened, they decided to hire a homebirth midwife and deliver the baby at home. Jana labored again with her doula, husband and midwife birth team. Start to finish, this process was just over 4 hours. In June 2020, Jana and her husband celebrated a successful homebirth and welcomed another baby boy; so much joy amidst the pandemic sorrow and previous losses. The homebirth was the best choice for their family and 100% supported the natural child birthing experience.
Jana Parrish Bio
Jana and her husband live in Michigan with their two boys. When she’s not working as a nurse, she can be found doing projects with her husband, baking, amateur strawbale gardening and trying to keep two, tiny humans alive. Instagram: @jfrenchie
Resources
Expecting and Empowered- all things pelvic PT
Safe in the Seat- Newborn carseat safety
Taking Cara Babies- sleep training, but really all things newborn/baby
Building Blocks Family- family dynamics, bringing home baby #2, all things toddler
Aeroflow Breastpumps has helped thousands of new and expecting moms find the perfect pump for her lifestyle. They offer all major pump brands including Medela, Spectra, Motif, Lansinoh, Ameda and more. And the best part, they take care of everything – including getting all required paperwork, dealing with your insurance company, and explaining your options in order to get your free pump shipped straight to your door.
Bonus — you may also qualify for free maternity compression garments like compression socks, maternity support band, and a postpartum recovery garment PLUS breast pump resupply products ranging from new bottles, tubing, and flanges to duck valves and pump membranes.
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 I sent you!
