When your skin is stretching during birth, it can tear. It is common for first-time mothers to have some tearing during vaginal birth, and there is also the possibility that you could have an episiotomy, which is a surgical incision. The good news is that you can do some things to prevent this leading up to and during your labor and birth. I know this can sound scary, but it shouldn't be. The benefits of a vaginal delivery far outweigh the downside of a tear or an episiotomy. Remember that some women make it through a vaginal birth without tearing, so it is not unavoidable. If you do end up with a tear or incision, there is a lot you can do to make yourself more comfortable, give yourself some relief, and help your body heal afterward.

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15% off DockATot with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST. DockAtot is a lifestyle brand made for the modern parent and creates functional solutions for feeding, playing, resting, sleeping, lounging, and beyond. DockATot’s Kind Bassinet is Your 4th-trimester solution for keeping your baby safe while sleeping or resting. DockATot is the best brand you can buy for the precious baby and mom you love most.

FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of AG1. With one delicious scoop of AG1, you’re absorbing 75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced superfoods, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. This special blend of ingredients supports your gut health, nervous system, immune system, energy, recovery, focus, and aging. As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Ideally, towards the end of your pregnancy, your baby is in a cephalic presentation, positioned head-down, facing your back, with their chin tucked to their chest and the back of their head ready to enter your pelvis. Although humans are designed to be born head first, some babies will be breech, meaning they are bottom first rather than head first. In recent decades there has been a growing trend of doctors recommending an elective cesarean for a breech baby at term. This is intended to avoid the risks of some complications possible with a vaginal breech birth. To turn your baby head down for a vaginal birth, there are several techniques you or your doctor can utilize before you go into labor. This episode examines the evidence on the risks and efficacy of methods to turn a breech baby, including acupuncture, optimal fetal positioning, spinning babies, and an external cephalic version. 

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10% off Epic Will with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST. Epic Will is an inexpensive and easy way to ensure your family is protected. Get the building blocks of an early estate plan, including a last will and testament, healthcare power of attorney, an advance directive, and a financial power of attorney. I know we don't want to think about not being there for our kids. Secure your future in as little as five minutes and have peace of mind that your family's future is safe with legally binding documents built by an attorney.

15% off DockATot with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST. DockAtot is a lifestyle brand made for the modern parent and creates functional solutions for feeding, playing, resting, sleeping, lounging, and beyond. DockATot’s Kind Bassinet is Your 4th-trimester solution for keeping your baby safe while sleeping or resting. DockATot is the best brand you can buy for the precious baby and mom you love most.

30% off your first Hungryroot delivery and free veggies for life. Pregnancy is the perfect time to clean up your diet. Eating healthy whole foods can take a lot of planning, shopping, and preparation, and Hungryroot makes this so easy. Everything that Hungryroot offers follows a simple standard: it has to taste good, be quick to make, and contain whole, trusted ingredients. Hungryroot is the easiest way to get fresh, high-quality food delivered to your door. They’ve got healthy groceries and simple recipes, all in one place.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Most expecting parents are aware that babies are ideally head down. As you get closer to your due date, your baby’s position can significantly impact your labor and birth. Few doctors and midwives have training and experience in vaginal breech birth. As a result, most mothers with a breech baby will require a cesarean delivery. Your baby’s position is much more nuanced than being head down or breech. For a vaginal birth, it isn’t a straight shot for your baby to maneuver through the birth canal. The direction they face, whether their head is extended, and other details of their position can lead to a shorter, easier, or less painful birth.

As you get closer to your due date, your doctor or midwife will monitor your baby's position. You can also use easy methods at home to determine your baby's position in your belly. Doctors and midwives have specific language to describe where your baby is, and it can get very confusing. When your care provider says your baby is LOP, after listening to this episode, you will know precisely what that means regarding how your baby is positioned and how it may influence your labor and birth.

Thank you to our sponsors 

10% off Epic Will with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST. Epic Will is an inexpensive and easy way to ensure your family is protected. Get the building blocks of an early estate plan, including a last will and testament, healthcare power of attorney, an advance directive, and a financial power of attorney. I know we don't want to think about not being there for our kids. Secure your future in as little as five minutes and have peace of mind that your family's future is safe with legally binding documents built by an attorney.

FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of AG1. With one delicious scoop of AG1, you’re absorbing 75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced superfoods, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. This special blend of ingredients supports your gut health, nervous system, immune system, energy, recovery, focus, and aging. As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.

30% off your first Hungryroot delivery and free veggies for life. Pregnancy is the perfect time to clean up your diet. Eating healthy whole foods can take a lot of planning, shopping, and preparation, and Hungryroot makes this so easy. Everything that Hungryroot offers follows a simple standard: it has to taste good, be quick to make, and contain whole, trusted ingredients. Hungryroot is the easiest way to get fresh, high-quality food delivered to your door. They’ve got healthy groceries and simple recipes, all in one place.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

There are over 100 herpes viruses. HSV-1 and HSV-2 are common skin conditions and affect a considerable portion of the population. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 3.7 billion people under age 50 have HSV-1, and 491 million people under 50 have HSV-2. In the United States, approximately 22% of pregnant women have HSV-2. Most of these mothers have the virus before getting pregnant, and 2% of expecting mothers will acquire HSV-1 or HSV-2 during their pregnancy. Other than an occasional outbreak, no long-term adverse health outcomes exist in adults with HSV. Only about 5–15% of infected individuals report symptoms. An HSV infection in a newborn can be a severe condition with detrimental effects. The good news is that transmission rates during pregnancy and birth are low. Learn how the herpes simplex virus can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, what medications are safe to use, and how to prevent transmission to your baby.

Thank you to our sponsors

FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of AG1. With one delicious scoop of AG1, you’re absorbing 75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced superfoods, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. This special blend of ingredients supports your gut health, nervous system, immune system, energy, recovery, focus, and aging. As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Gestational diabetes is one of the most common conditions during pregnancy. In the United States, it is standard to test all pregnant women for gestational diabetes, even if they do not have any risk factors. During pregnancy, your body naturally becomes more resistant to insulin. That means you absorb less glucose and more remains in your blood. You can imagine that a growing baby needs a lot of energy, so this adaptation makes sense and allows more glucose to reach your baby. For most moms, this works just like it is supposed to. Your pancreas reacts to higher blood glucose by producing more insulin. For some expecting mothers, their pancreas can’t keep up with the increased demand for additional insulin, and more glucose builds up in their blood. This episode breaks down gestational diabetes, testing, treatment, risks, and how this affects your pregnancy, birth, and baby.

Thank you to our sponsors

10% off Epic Will with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST. Epic Will is an inexpensive and easy way to ensure your family is protected. Get the building blocks of an early estate plan, including a last will and testament, healthcare power of attorney, an advance directive, and a financial power of attorney. I know we don't want to think about not being there for our kids. Secure your future in as little as five minutes and have peace of mind that your family's future is safe with legally binding documents built by an attorney.

30% off your first Hungryroot delivery and free veggies for life. Pregnancy is the perfect time to clean up your diet. Eating healthy whole foods can take a lot of planning, shopping, and preparation, and Hungryroot makes this so easy. Everything that Hungryroot offers follows a simple standard: it has to taste good, be quick to make, and contain whole, trusted ingredients. Hungryroot is the easiest way to get fresh, high-quality food delivered to your door. They’ve got healthy groceries and simple recipes, all in one place.

FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of AG1. With one delicious scoop of AG1, you’re absorbing 75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced superfoods, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. This special blend of ingredients supports your gut health, nervous system, immune system, energy, recovery, focus, and aging. As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more. 

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

From a biological standpoint, there is a limited window for getting pregnant from reproductive age until menopause. While there is a big window of opportunity, there is never a perfect time to have a baby. You may end up expecting much sooner than you imagined, or life may work out that you end up pregnant much later. Due to the higher risk stigma of pregnancy after age 35 or social norms and expectations, many women feel pressure to have children before age 35. The technical term for having a baby over 35 is advanced maternal age. There is a classification for pregnant women over age 35 because many risks increase in this age group. Labeling an expecting mother who is 35 as a higher risk from the start can come along with anxiety and stress. There are also benefits to being a parent in your mid-thirties or older. This episode examines the evidence behind the risks associated with advanced maternal age and what pregnancy over 35 means for you and your baby.

Thank you to our sponsors

10% off Epic Will with the code PREGNANCYPODCAST. Epic Will is an inexpensive and easy way to ensure your family is protected. Get the building blocks of an early estate plan, including a last will and testament, healthcare power of attorney, an advance directive, and a financial power of attorney. I know we don't want to think about not being there for our kids. Secure your future in as little as five minutes and have peace of mind that your family's future is safe with legally binding documents built by an attorney.

FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase of AG1. With one delicious scoop of AG1, you’re absorbing 75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced superfoods, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. This special blend of ingredients supports your gut health, nervous system, immune system, energy, recovery, focus, and aging. As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.

Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.