The Tranquility Tribe Podcast

Your baby’s positions matters so much when it comes to your labor and delivery. A baby that is engaged in the right position can lead to a shorter labor, less painful labor, less back labor, and reduce the risk of tearing. In this episode, I am breaking down the science as to why your baby’s position is so important. I am also going to dive into the complications we sometimes see happen if babies are not in the right position when labor begins. The impacts of medical pain relief (especially epidurals) is always a big concern during this part of the birth planning process— how will we know if it’s too early? Will it slow down birth? I’m sharing what you want to consider when it comes to medical pain relief and the position of your baby during labor. I spit out some research articles in the episode and you can find those linked below!    HeHe’s Secret Sauce to Pushing: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth If you’re interested in joining The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com   Epidural has potential to

Today’s episode is diving into postpartum pelvic floor! How’s that for alliteration?! Melissa Dessaulles, Founder of Mommy Berries, is joining me to share everything you need to know after having a baby. She is a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist who is breaking it down as to what you can expect after a baby passes through there, how to restore your body post baby, and what’s the goal for postpartum pelvic floors. We also dive deep into the conversation of kegels or no kegels? Melissa shares how sometimes, in labor, we see pelvic floors not be able to “turn of” (relax) enough to allow a baby to be born. She also shares how to identify if your own pelvic floor might be too tight or too loose! This episode will force you to stop and pay attention to your body! Take a deep breath and join us for the transformative conversation!    Melissa Dessaulles: https://mommyberries.com   The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com

It irks me to pieces when someone says, "birth trauma is totally normal." No, it's not. In this episode, I am breaking down exactly why perpetuating the idea that birth trauma is normal is not only very dangerous, but also disregards mental health of new parents. I'm sharing my thoughts on a variety of traumatic birth situations and talking about nature's role in birth. Birth trauma is what you define it and everyone will define it differently. Providers and birth attendants can be traumatized by labor as well.I’m sharing about avoidable birth trauma, birth trauma caused by natural variations in labor (still something went wrong), and how to know they difference. Plus, I share helpful tips to navigating birth trauma and how to begin to move forward. Stop saying birth trauma is normal. You deserve better than that. Hugs to anyone out there who has experienced avoidable birth trauma. XO, HeHe *There is mention of maternal and infant mortality  To join The Birth Lounge click here: www.thebirthlounge.com To le

Olivia Chisolm is a dear friend of mine and joins me today to chat about inclusion (or lack there of) in women’s health. She is the Founder of To Live In Color and serves as an Inclusion Consultant that supports small businesses in being as inclusive as possible. You, as a consumer, have the same responsibility to be inclusive and Olivia shares how you can do this in your own life and with your menstrual cycle! She is also sharing about what it was like growing up in the south and experiencing several scary diagnoses so early in her life (26 years old). She is walking us through how to navigate hard emotions when it comes to your health. This conversation is going to venture into p*ssy journaling, crunchy period management, and how too listen to your body around your menstrual cycle! Don’t miss this candid convo!    Olivia: http://toliveincolor.com/about/   The Birth Lounge: TheBirthLounge.com

Coronavirus has caused some definite headaches in 2020, but I would like to highlight a few positive changes that I’ve witnessed come about in the birth world due to this global pandemic. Not everything is doom and gloom. Matter of fact, somethings have really changed for the better and can be used to keep the momentum in changing women’s health in a permanent way. In today’s episode, I’m diving into the trends and protocol changes we have seen take place, what worked + what didn’t work, and how we can use the last few months as a stepping stone to bettering how we birth! This may be THE best episode I have recorded up to this point. This is a raw inside look at the critical thinking that we do behind the scenes at Tranquility by HeHe and The Birth Lounge to ensue we are taking very calculated steps to get you to your dream birth at each stage of the process. From the very beginning of Coronavirus, I have been on the lookout for positive changes and I’m happy to share the really big ones right here!    For

HeHe is the queen of saying “Be an Educator Consumer” when it comes to your heathcare and, particularly, your birth. Today, HeHe is joined by celebrity personality and stylist, Ali Levine, to discuss how to be an informed consumer when it comes to your birth goals. Ali shares how she navigated the journey of fear-based care around birth and seeking care from a VBAC supportive provider! She also shares the power in being intentional about the way you prepare for labor plus what she is doing to prepare for her VBAC! Join us as we dive into the mindset and preparation required to have the birth of your dreams!    Ali Levine: https://alilevine.com Stript Down Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ali-levine Instagram: @alilevinedesign   The Birth Lounge: www.thebirthlounge.com   Watch my FREE MASTERCLASS to have an informed and confident birth here: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth

Did you hear there is a FDA approved IV infusion treatment for postpartum depression? 1 in 9 women suffer from postpartum depression (1). This could be a game changer for so many women. It’s called Zulresso! But what if you aren’t eligible and approved for Zulresso infusions? Recently, Motherly released an article that shared news about the SNOO from Happiest Baby possibly being covered by insurance if approved by the FDA! Word on the street is that SNOO may be approved by the FDA as a necessity for new parents. This could be a game changer for so many women.  (1) Ko JY, Rockhill KM, Tong VT, Morrow B, Farr SL. Trends in postpartum depressive symptoms – 27 states, 2004, 2008, and 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(6):153-158. (2) https://www.mother.ly/news/is-the-snoo-covered-by-health-insurance?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3 (3) https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/snoo/snoo-fda-approval   Watch my FREE MASTERCLASS here: www.thebirthlounge.com/youridealbirth To join The Birth Lounge, click here: www.th

No one expects medical manipulation to happen during birth, but what are you supposed to do if you find yourself feeling manipulated during or after birth? How can we protect ourselves against being manipulated by the medical system? Today’s guest, Olivia Friel, is a fellow doula and one of my closest birthy friend! She and I are sharing about confidently navigating conversations with your doctor. I share the biggest place I see medical manipulation happen in the labor rooms. Olivia dives into finding the right provider and exactly how to speak up for your goals.    Olivia Friel: https://healthybalancedbirth.com   Podcast: Healthy Balanced Birth & Beyond Podcast   Instagram: @healthybalancedbirth   Get $10 off your pair of Thinx Sleep Shorts!  shethinx.com/pages/leader-hehe-stewart

 A fussy baby is hard. Most of the time, you’re both crying! I’ve been there, too! A crying baby seems to escalate everything so I’m sharing the best tips to calming a fussy baby! I can’t take credit for the method, but I am sharing my take on things plus the science to why this method works! I’m breaking down why each of these steps matter and EXACTLY how to do them to calm any fussy baby! Bedtime is going to be a breeze once you master the 5 S’s to calming a fussy baby. I’m sharing this magic with you because postpartum doesn’t have to be this hard. It can be easier and simpler. There’s a village of folks ready to support you in all the things your baby throws your way right here on The Birth Lounge community!    Brought to you by: The Birth Lounge, www.TheBirthLounge.com

This episode is redefining beauty! Kimmay Caldwell is a self-love coach and Undergarment educator who supports people to say hurray inside, outside, and underneath™. She is an expert bra fitter with over 14 years of experience of getting intimate with people from cup sizes A to N. Based in NYC, she travels around the world to spread her empowering message of self-love, and how to use the everyday ritual of putting on a bra to uncover your confidence, stand in your power, and learn to love yourself. You may have seen her in one of over 100 press outlets, including The Martha Stewart Show, The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show! Join HeHe and Kimmay to learn all about fitting your bra during pregnancy and how to find the right nursing bra for you! Plus Kimmay is sharing some hot tips on how to make your bras last longer!    Guest: Kimmay Caldwell, www.HurrayKimmay.com    Resource: hurraykimmay.com/resources-underneath    http://www.morethanmynumbers.com   Brought to you by: The Birth Lounge, www.TheBirthL

Studies show that, on average, 80% of laboring people don’t eat the entire time they are in labor and 60% don’t drink during labor! YET, 95% of them would have chosen TO eat and drink during labor if they had been given the choice!Are you shocked? Honestly, I couldn’t imagine being asked to run a marathon without carb loading the night before or not being allowed to drink any water during the marathon! “Allowing” birthing people to eat and drink during labor is as controversial as it gets and some providers get really heated about this topic. The truth is, the research is clear that we should be able to have access to food and drink while birthing a child, yet so many hospital policies don’t match up with the evidence—what gives? There’s real risk associated with it like aspiration, but we know this “rule” came about in the 1940’s when most cesareans were done via general anesthesia. Now only 6% of c-sections are done using general anesthesia. Death by aspiration during labor happens in less than 1% of births

Today’s episode is so timely! At the time of recording, I had no idea that we’d be in the middle of a global pandemic when it aired, but here we are. The decision to cloth diaper is on more people’s minds than ever before with the recent coronavirus outbreak. Bailey Bowman is an expert in all things cloth diaper. She is joining me today to share everything from the types of cloth diapers, sizing, inserts, and how to choose the right brand for your goals! Bailey breaks down the cost of cloth diapering vs. traditional, disposable diapers and she talks about how to handle the poop situation! This episode is the sh*t and I mean that!    Guest: Bailey Bowman, The Cloth Diaper Podcast  www.clothdiaperpodcast.com   Brought to you by: The Birth Lounge, www.TheBirthLounge.com   FREE training: How to stay in control during labor! https://www.thebirthlounge.com/MSE-Control

Which team are you on? Would you believe me if I said I’m team middle? I am! I do’t think the power is so much in having a written out plan as there is in having already given thought to how you want your birth to unfold. IF you have no clue how birth can unfold (other than what you’ve learned on TV or social media), then you *NEED* to listen to this.  If your birth has no plan, then your birth team is just moseying along with no guidance on where they are helping you get to and “have a baby” isn’t enough. We want to make sure that you are as specific as possible so you can have as much control as possible. The more you leave up for interpretation, the higher chance there is for things to stray from your plan. I'm is teaching you how you can stay in control from start to finish!    FREE masterclass: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/MS-evergreen-birth-plan    Brought to you by: The Birth Lounge, www.TheBirthLounge.com

Help people balance their hormones to get their energy back. She loves her incredible perception to help women heal & listen to your body and then respond to that message. She helps women relearn how to tap into their gut intuition…literally their gut. She talks about how your stomach plays a huge rule in your hormones and what to do if your hormones may be out of whack! You’re even going to learn what your poop can tell you about your hormones! This is your Hormone 101 with Dr. Maggie Luther.    Contact Dr. Maggie: yourwellnessexpert.com   About Dr. Maggie Luther: Dr. Maggie Luther works with women who have hormonal imbalances such as PMS, PCOS, infertility, endometriosis, heavy bleeding and more. They often feel exhausted, moody, bloated, anxious and overwhelmed. As a holistic doctor, medical intuitive and transformational health coach, Dr. Maggie works with women beyond typical doctors visits, which don't afford the time or space for true healing. Dr. Maggie guides women in not only healing their s

In my endless scrolling on social media, I inevitably see an expecting parent jokingly say they wish they could have a glass of wine or a glass of beer. I never know if I should write in that it’s A-OK to have something to drink (says the science) or leave it be..or are they even looking for a serious answer? I have no clue, but I thought it was a conversation that needed to happen so I’m bringing it you! I’m diving into the research of having a glass of wine during pregnancy and if it will have impacts on your pregnancy or your baby’s development. Let’s go!    Resource: Expecting Better Book Brought to you by: The Birth Lounge, www.TheBirthLounge.com

In this episode, HeHe is joined by Julia Brown, MD to discuss COVID-19 and newborns/infants! Julia is a local pediatrician at one of the top 5 birthing hospitals in Massachusetts and is sharing what parents need to know in these unprecedented times. HeHe is asking about how coronavirus presents in newborns, the recommendations on separation of birthing parent and baby plus what breastfeeding parents need to know about transmission! Julia shares what parents need to know about fevers, symptoms of COVID-19 and how to begin treating it at home while you make a plan with your medical providers. The conversation also addresses what pregnant people need to know about washing their babies and what to changes to expect during labor!    About Julia: Julia Brown MD is a primary care pediatrician at Newton-Wellesley Family Pediatrics, a private practice in Newton, Massachusetts affiliated with Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Brown completed her medical training at Tufts University School of Medicine and her pediatric

 If you don’t know..you might not get to the hospital and go straight to Labor and Delivery. Sometimes you do, but sometimes you don’t. When you get to the hospital, you will most likely be asked to go to a smaller exam room and the nurse will grab a few vitals like your temperature, your blood pressure, a reading on the electronic fetal monitoring, and a cervical exam. If you need/want an IV placement, now is the time this will happen as well.  If you are going to the hospital for induction, a scheduled c-section, or during transition you will most likely not go to triage. I’m breaking it all down and what to expect upon arrival at the hospital in today’s episode!    A FREE training on HOW TO STAY IN CONTROL DURING LABOR! Brought to you by: The Birth Lounge 

  From intentionally choosing your birth place to understanding c-section rates in your area, it all plays a role in your birth experience. In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, Dr. Neel Shah dives into what we know about c-sections, why our country has such an astronomical rate of them, and what you can do to decrease your chances of “being sectioned” during labor and delivery. We dive into access (or lack there of) and how this impacts thousand of birth stories each year. Dr. Neel shares how birthing people in rural parts of our country will have different experiences than folks in the cities with better and more abundant access to healthcare. Dr. Neel says, “We know the right mortality rate is zero. We don’t know know the right amount of c-sections..and it’s not zero.” We go deep into cesarean sections being life saving surgery, but also balancing that with medical manipulation. He shares that asking question is a wonderful way to stay in control of your care. Plus, he shares a tidbit about nuchal

Today, HeHe is joined by Ann Marie Paul, a spiritual activator for divine feminine wisdom. She teaches the ancient art of Yoni Eggs which opens up a woman to her own bodies wisdom and sensuality. She is leading us today down the path of igniting your sexual self and harnessing your inner goddess. HeHe and Ann Marie are diving into what a yoni egg is, how to use it, what to expect from it, and why you need one. Ann Marie is also sharing her thoughts on how we teach and talk about sexuality with kids. Why don’t we start off by defining sensuality vs. sexuality… I’ll see you there!   Connect with Ann Marie Paul here! // Use code HEHE15 to save 15% on the Yoni Egg Initiation Online Program Join us on Facebook by searching The Tranquility Tribe

Are you a mama that wonders if your birth is "normal"? Do you look back on your birth and think "Things didn't go... like I thought they would." Maybe you know your birth was traumatic and you're trying to navigate that headspace of what to do, who to tell, and where to go. Possibly, for you, it looks like the decision between having another child or not? The question of "Do I really want to go through that again?" keep looming in your head. This episode is for you. This is THE episode if you'e been on the fence wondering if this tribe has women like you in it and the answer is right inside... Happy Friday, yal!