Send us a text Wisdom from three perinatal practitioners -- a physical therapist, a chiropractor and Alexander Technique practitioner -- on caring for your postpartum body. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook or Instagram. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You can see the full disclaimer here.

Send us a text Most women experience some degree of digestive upset during pregnancy, and an unfortunate few suffer from the serious condition, hyperemesis gravidarum. Our guests today -- two certified nurse midwives and two acupuncturists with expertise in Chinese medicine -- offer advice on how to manage morning sickness, and strategies for recognizing, managing and treating hyperemesis. Learn more on The BirthGuide Podcast page. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook...

Send us a text Wisdom from three midwives who have collectively attended nearly 3500 births at home. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook or Instagram. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You can see the full disclaimer here.

Send us a text Alicia Fishbein and Meredith Nelson, from Intentional Birth, are doulas, doula-trainers, and childbirth educators. They explain how self-advocacy -- which includes knowing your values, surrounding yourself with a team that is aligned with them, and ultimately being prepared to stand up for those values -- is key to an empowered and empowering childbirth experience. Understanding the hospital as a foreign countryWhy self-advocacy is an antidote to birth traumaThe advocacy ...

Send us a text If you’re feeling anxious in pregnancy, you’re not alone . . . and you don’t have to gut it out. Featuring insights from a panel of experts — including a licensed clinical social worker, acupuncturist, and two doulas — this episode covers common sources of anxiety, the impact of information overload, therapeutic approaches, the importance of support systems, and strategies for recognizing and managing anxiety effectively. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on fac...

Send us a text This episode is for families whose newborn requires a stay in the NICU. Whether anticipated or unexpected, a NICU stay is challenging. If this is your first baby, you're becoming a parent but are reliant on others to care for your newborn. If you have other children, you're balancing their needs and those of your infant. There can be feelings of anxiety, frustration, anger and loss -- not to mention significant logistical challenges. Our guests are three perinatal providers who...

Send us a text By the time you take childbirth classes and make a birth plan, it's typically pretty late to switch providers. That means there are things you need to know now, in your first or second trimester, BEFORE you make a final decision about where to have your baby. In this episode, host Anne Nicholson Weber outlines six of the most important protocols and policies that can vary widely from one birth setting to another. It's important to learn about these early in your pregnanc...

Send us a text Host Anne Nicholson Weber shares her thoughts on how to have a "no-regrets birth". Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook or Instagram. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You can see the full disclaimer here.

Send us a text Chiropractic care for your newborn may not be something you've considered. In this episode, two pediatric chiropractors explain what treatment for a newborn looks like, how gentle adjustments can impact the functioning of your baby's vagus nerve to help regulate the newborn nervous system, and some of the myriad conditions that treatment can help address -- including sleep issues, constipation and reflux, colic, mobility and latching challenges. Please visit us at BirthGu...

Send us a text A couple needs to make many decisions in pregnancy, and patterns of decisionmaking established now can impact your family’s life for decades. In this episode, two couples counselors and two doulas explore some of the common areas for conflict in pregnancy, and offer advice on how a couple can find their way through conflict to alignment. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook or Instagram. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a...

Send us a text Chidlbirth can be traumatic. In this episode, two psychotherapists and a doula talk about what trauma is, how preparing for birth may help, and how to heal from a traumatic birth. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook or Instagram. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You can see the full disclaimer here.

Send us a text It can be hard to think past childbirth, but the postpartum period will be a more satisfying time if you’ve made the connections you’ll need ahead of time. Four Chicago-area providers who support postpartum mothers and their families share their expertise on planning for the 4th trimester. YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT Thinking ahead of time what will be your needs and who might help youConfronting your specific fears and anxietiesChildbirth education classes are about more than informa...

Send us a text Imagine a pediatrician who seems to have all the time in the world to answer your questions. Imagine being able to text her directly any time, day or night. Imagine not having to pack your baby up for a newborn visit because your doctor is coming to you! This week we talk to three Chicago-area pediatricians who have left the managed care system in order to buck the trend towards rushed appointments, impersonal care and long wait times. Join us to learn more about alternat...

Send us a text Whether you already have a regular yoga practice or have never tried yoga at all, prenatal yoga may help you deal with anxiety and depression, prepare your body for labor and ease some of the discomforts of pregnancy -- not to mention provide a support group of other mothers who are navigating their pregnancies right along with you. Our guests on this episode are three yoga teachers who specialize in prenatal yoga: Jenny Barron Fishman, with Sweet Pea's Studio; Kristen Simons, ...

Send us a text If you’re pregnant again after a prior c-section, you may be considering whether to try for a vaginal birth this time around. There are some common misconceptions about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and lots to know about how to prepare if that’s the course you choose. Our guests on this episode are three doulas with deep experience supporting VBAC families: Rebekkah Carney from Supported Serenity Doula Care; Heather McCullough from 312 Doulas, and Lexi Zuo from The...

Send us a text Women often assume that minor impairments and annoyances following pregnancy are an unavoidable cost of motherhood. But common doesn't mean normal, as our four guests stress. Learn what pelvic floor therapy actually looks like, what it can do, and why every postpartum mother can benefit from a pelvic floor assessment after birth. Jessica Kerr with Allied Therapy Partners, Suzanne Badillo with Link PT, Kate Utech with New Journey Physical Therapy, and Sapna Patel with Pe...

Send us a text Dr. Elizabeth Pearce is a licensed clinical psychologist, DONA-certified birth doula, and Lamaze-Certified Childbirth Educator. She is the creator of the Birth Profile Assessment and the The Beyond the Birth Plan course, a childbirth preparation system that is the first and only one of its kind to customize labor preparation to the expectant parent’s unique personality and lifestyle factors. She joins host Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about tailoring your birth preparation to y...

Send us a text Five Chicago-area fathers share their experiences working with a birth doula. These generous and candid conversations cover attitudes towards doulas and the decision to hire a doula; what it's like to support labor in partnership with a doula; how doulas support couples as they navigate decision making in labor; the doula's role in birth; and advice for other families. Join host Anne Nicholson Weber for this exploration of doula care from the partner's perspective. ...

Send us a text Kaitlin McGreyes is the founder of BeHerVillage, a new kind of baby registry that allows friends and family to help you fund your circle of support. She joins Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the cultural trends that drive her vision for BeHerVillage, how the registry works, and why "support, not stuff" is their mantra. Listen in to learn how your baby registry can help you fund doula care, physical therapy, childbirth education, postpartum care and any other support that wil...

Send us a text Dr. Stephanie Maj is a chiropractor with 26 years of experience caring for pregnant women and their babies. She joins us to explain how chiropractic care in pregnancy can help prepare your body for a more effective labor and easier childbirth. Please visit us at BirthGuideChicago.com or on facebook or Instagram. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You can see the full disclaimer here.