069: April’s Hypnobirthing Birth Story
Birth Education Center
In this episode, I welcome April to share her labor denial birth story and the journey of overcoming fears related to pregnancy. April opens up about her past struggles with an eating disorder and how it impacted her initial fears of weight gain during pregnancy. This is an issue that many women face in pregnancy and isn’t talked about enough in my opinion. April emphasizes the importance of mental health, surrendering control, and trusting one's body and baby throughout the process. She put in the work to figure these things out for herself before labor began. She also talks about the...
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068: Courtney's Induction Birth Story: From Hypnobirthing to Life Skills for Parenting
Birth Education Center
I can’t wait for you to hear Courtney’s incredible birth story. From her experiences with pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, to raising her seven-year-old, Courtney's journey is filled with resilience and practical life skills. Courtney shares her initial vision of a natural birth with a midwife, through her unexpected medical diagnoses of gestational diabetes, cholestasis, and preeclampsia, and the necessity of induction. She discusses navigating the steep changes to her birth plan with the help of hypnobirthing, her husband, and her steadfast community support. Expected challenges...
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067: Hannah and Greg's Inspiring Natural Birth and NICU Journey
Birth Education Center
In this episode, we have an incredible birth story for you. This is a story where Hannah’s natural birth was quickly overshadowed by an extensive NICU stay with their son. Hannah and Greg took my Hypnobirthing class early in her pregnancy and did extensive preparation. What started as a planned birth center birth became a hospital transfer due to the baby’s early gestation. Hannah had become the “planner for the unplannable” due to her knowing her birth ideals well over a year before she became pregnant. Little did she know that all of that thinking ahead helped her establish great...
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066: Sierra's Birth Story: From Surprises to Standing Firm
Birth Education Center
I'm excited today as we have Sierra to share her incredible birth story with us. If you are watching on YouTube you can see her adorable little one. Sierra took my Hypnobirthing class from her work location and her partner joined from home. A definite advantage of attending an online childbirth series! In this episode, Sierra dives into the nitty-gritty of her unexpected pregnancy journey, her fears surrounding birth, and the real-deal experiences she faced in the hospital. We'll talk about how she stayed strong and knew exactly what she wanted for her birth and her baby, even when things got...
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065: What Goes On My Birth Plan? Creating Effective Birth Preferences
Birth Education Center
In this episode, we dive into the topic of birth plans, or as we prefer to call them, 'birth preferences.' This is a more energetic view of how to create an plan that fits your family and what's important to you. The internet is filled with templated plans - but how to you keep it specific without overwhelming yourself and the staff? We emphasize the importance of informed consent and how it allows for autonomy during childbirth. We'll cover the difference between hospital and out-of-hospital birth classes and how they can affect your birth plan. Since we don’t know what your baby is...
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064: Why Do I Need A Birth Class? Autonomy Over Decision-Making
Birth Education Center
In this latest episode in our Birth Educator series, we dive into the power of autonomy in childbirth with Maggie, a birth educator who transitioned from student to educator. We find out what the birth world is like in her area and Maggie tells us about an amazing birthing place that left me wanting! Maggie took every set of classes we offered before the birth of her first son. She studied birth education like she was attaining a college degree. She worked through her fears, physical limitations, handpicked a birth team and rocked her birth. She also shares the unexpected birth of her second...
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063: How to Push a Baby Out: Your Body's Autonomy, The Primal Process of Pushing in Labor
Birth Education Center
In this episode, Ashley and I are talking about pushing and why we encourage you to advocate for freedom of movement during the pushing phase of labor. You do not have to be on your back and you are “allowed” to move and push in any way that your body is instinctively telling you to push. In Hypnobirthing we have multiple discussions on how to communicate your needs effectively with your birth team, the benefits of moving freely, and the positions that optimize the birthing process. We want you to practice having these conversations with each other during the series and make sure...
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062: Alenna’s Hypnobirthing Birth Story: A Natural Birth Journey
Birth Education Center
In our final February love fest episode, I chat with Alenna, who shares her personal Hypnobirthing birth story. From how she and her husband accidentally found Hypnobirthing to what happened on delivery day, Alenna and her husband were on the same page about not using medication and did a lot of proactive practice ahead of time. You may hear about the peanut ball and its magic for the first time in this episode! Alenna did great with remembering to ignore early labor to save energy for the real stuff later. A tip that most of us ignore and then regret later. As a self proclaimed control freak,...
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061: Creating a Montessori Home Environment: The Key to Deep Connection & Thriving Kids
Birth Education Center
In this February episode, we welcome back Jeanne Marie Paynel, a seasoned Montessori mentor and host of 'The Art of Parenting' podcast. We are so excited for Jeanne Marie to share with you insights on how Montessori principles can transform your home into a nurturing environment for your children. You’ll also get a sneak peak into what goes on in a Montessorri classroom and how it supports your child’s natural brain development with no harsh timelines and expectations. We will learn about the critical first six years of your child's development, the importance of a 'yes' environment, and...
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060: Connecting with Your Pelvic Floor Health During Pregnancy
Birth Education Center
In our February love fest we are focusing today on your “nether regions” as we dive into the importance of maintaining a connection with your body during pregnancy. Our guest, Dr. Lauren from Thrive Physical Therapy, shares her experience and expertise on pelvic floor health, from understanding its role and how to keep it flexible and functional, to discussing prenatal pelvic floor therapy. The visuals will best be seen on our YouTube channel. You will see the full scope of the pelvic floor model and see what is done in your first appointment. This is a great baseline for helping you...
info_outline**Trigger Warning** This is an episode for doulas and covers parts of our job that involves loss and birth trauma. If you are a pregnant parent and are not in the headspace for that, please take care of yourself and skip this episode. We will see you next week!
This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration and a heartfelt reminder of the beauty and significance of this work. Today we have Jelina Sonnenberg back to talk about her journey into birth photography.
Jelena takes us through her career, offering nuggets of wisdom and practical tips for those looking to thrive in the birth photography field.
Jelena never stops learning and it has helped her thrive in a career that most leave behind or never attempt. She gives you the low down on the magic of diligent research, the power of continuous education, and the transformative experiences that come with hands-on practice.
We also talk about the crossover part about being a doula and a birth photographer. She dives into prenatal preparation, advocating for a step-by-step approach—master one skill before layering on the next, ensuring a strong foundation for success. She has been able to move states and keep her business going. She has now moved into Boudoir photography and is loving it.
We also cover the financial savvy needed for birth photography, the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the territory, and the pressing need to address disparities in maternity care. Jelena's infectious belief in the power of community, the necessity of self-care is the only way for sustainability and in the doula and birth photography world.
You can find Jelina in Illinois at Jelinasonnenberg.com
Let’s connect: Have questions or comments for this episode?
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