Natural Induction Methods: What the Evidence Really Says (with Dr. Dekker)
Mommy Labor Nurse
This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, we’re welcoming a very special guest – the amazing Dr. Rebecca Dekker from Evidence Based Birth®! Rebecca is a PhD nurse, researcher, educator, and fierce advocate for evidence-based maternity care. She’s also the author of Babies Are Not Pizzas and host of the Evidence Based Birth® podcast, which has over 4.5 million downloads 👏 In this episode, we’re digging into the topic of natural labor induction – what works, what doesn’t, and how to tell the difference. Inside the episode: Evidence behind common natural induction techniques ...
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8 Totally Weird Things That Might Happen Right Before Labor Starts
Mommy Labor Nurse
This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, we’re chatting about labor signs – but not the obvious ones like contractions or water breaking. We’re talking about the weird, lesser-known signs that your body might be getting ready for labor 👀 Because if you’ve ever found yourself googling, “Is ___ a sign of labor?”...you’re so not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing: The most common (but surprising!) symptoms I see before labor begins Why it’s totally normal to feel hyper-aware of every body change in the final weeks What to actually pay attention to as you approach...
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Labor Pain Relief Options (Besides the Epidural!) You Should Know About
Mommy Labor Nurse
IV Narcotics, Nitrous Oxide, and More One of the most common questions I get during hospital shifts? “What other pain meds can I get if I don’t want (or can’t have) an epidural?” While epidurals are the go-to for many, they’re definitely not the only option! In this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I’m diving into: IV narcotics: what they are, how they work, and what to expect Nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas!): how it’s used for labor pain relief Pros and cons of each option Plus a few non-medical pain relief ideas to consider too! Whether you're planning for...
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10 Weird-but-Normal Newborn Habits That Totally Freak Parents Out
Mommy Labor Nurse
This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I’m joined by my friend and fellow podcaster Dr. Mona Amin to chat about those quirky, confusing, and totally normal things newborns do in the early days. Dr. Mona is a board-certified pediatrician and parenting expert who’s all about helping new parents feel calm, confident, and informed. Inside this episode, we’re unpacking: Why your baby’s hiccups are nothing to worry about What’s going on with day/night confusion How much (or little!) your baby really needs to eat in those early days And 7 more newborn behaviors that might...
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Kick Counting 101: The Simple Habit That Could Save Your Baby’s Life
Mommy Labor Nurse
Welcome back to The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast! Today we’re talking about one of the most powerful tools you can use to monitor your baby’s well-being in the third trimester: kick counting. I’m joined by Kimberly Isburg from Count the Kicks, an incredible organization that’s helping parents all over the country improve birth outcomes and reduce stillbirth through awareness and education. Kimberly is a mama of two and a passionate advocate for maternal health – and I’m so excited for you to hear her wisdom and warmth. Inside the episode, we’re covering: Why tracking baby’s...
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Curious About Epidurals? Here’s Exactly What to Expect Before You Say Yes
Mommy Labor Nurse
When it comes to birth, epidurals are a big part of the conversation – whether you’re planning on getting one or just want to be informed. Most people know that an epidural can take away labor pain…but beyond that? There’s still a lot of mystery around how it all actually works! In this episode of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I’m diving into: How an epidural is placed (step-by-step!) Whether it hurts to get one What the needle looks like (spoiler: not as scary as you think) Common epidural side effects And yes – we’re talking about walking epidurals, too! These are...
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Hospital Bag Must-Haves + What to Eat (and Avoid!) During Labor
Mommy Labor Nurse
This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, we’re talking all about what to pack (and not pack!) in your hospital bag for birth – plus we’re covering snacks and eating during labor too 🍿 Let me tell you, for my first birth? Total slacker. I didn’t get serious about packing my bag until wayyy late in the game – and it could’ve backfired big time. For baby #2? Totally prepared! In this episode, I’m breaking it all down: What to pack in four separate bags: labor, recovery, partner, and baby What to leave at home (because clutter = chaos) My go-to list of snacks for labor...
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Hollywood vs. Reality: Liesel + Jenna React to Birth on the Big Screen
Mommy Labor Nurse
*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on the podcast, I had my sister Jenna come on the show for a fun and light hearted episode that I’m really excited to share with you guys. Jenna and I watched some birth videos – but not the kind of birth videos that you’re thinking of! – and...
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The 'Too Shy to Ask' Birth Questions: Liesel's Unfiltered Answers (Part 2)
Mommy Labor Nurse
*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week I am back to answer your most embarrassing birth questions, part 2! I had so much fun with last week’s episode, I just had to come back and answer more of your questions because we got so many good ones! Not only are these “Ask Me Anything”...
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The 'Too Shy to Ask' Birth Questions: Liesel's Unfiltered Answers (Part 1)
Mommy Labor Nurse
Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** Happy New Year podcast fam! If you are listening to this in real time, then you know that this is the very first episode of 2023, and we’re kicking off the year with a super fun “Ask Me Anything” style episode. This time, I asked our community over on...
info_outline*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift!
In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!*
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Caitlin Karl, a fellow mom who’s actually currently pregnant, came on to share all about her journey to adopting her son AJ. Caitlin shares that she and her husband always knew they wanted to grow their family through adoption and biologically, and was never really quite sure in what order it would happen.
Ultimately, they decided to pursue adoption first because they knew there was a lot of time, resources, and energy required to go through the process of adopting a baby. So in the summer of 2019, they started the whole process and by July they brought their sweet baby boy home.
Caitlyn Karl’s Bio:
Caitlyn Karl is a working mom who lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband Jake, son AJ, and soon daughter (due at the beginning of June). Caitlyn and Jake started their family through the adoption of their son this past year.
You can find Caitlyn Karl on social media here:
Instagram: @k.adoption.journey
Resources from the episode:
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The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family Book by David R. Cross, Karyn B. Purvis, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine
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Angela Tucker: Transracial adoptee and Public Speaker. @angieadoptee on Instagram, “The Adoptee Next Door” Podcast, “Closure” documentary
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Brandi Ebersole: Adoptee and Adoptive Mom. @brandi_ebersole on Instagram
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Wreckage and Wonder: Torie is an adoptee who shares her perspective on adoption
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Cam Lee Small: Adoptee and adoption informed therapist. @therapyredeemed on Instagram,
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Ashley Mitchell: Birth mother, adoption reform advocate, founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation. @bigtoughgirl on Instagram, “Twisted Sisterhood” Podcast
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Adoption Education Keys: Adoption education from the perspective of a birth mother. @adoptioneducationkeys on Instagram
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Adopt Well: Two adoptive moms who educate about adoption. “Adopt Well Podcast”, @adoptwell on Instagram
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Kindredand.Co: Adoption community, blog, profile books, run by adoptive mom Hannah Eloge. @kindredand.co on Instagram
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Susan VanSyckle: This is the adoption consultant Caitlin and her husband worked with
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