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A resource to support expecting moms (and partners, too!) with evidence-based information to navigate the awesome adventure of pregnancy, birth, and being a new parent. Vanessa Merten provides evidence based info that goes way beyond the typical “pregnancy instruction manual”. Every episode is designed to give you all of the evidence, research, pros, cons, risks, and benefits – all so you decide what the best option is for YOU and feel confident about your decisions during your pregnancy and ...
Want to know exactly what is going on with your baby and your body this week? Whether you are in week 6 or week 36 of pregnancy, this show will give you just that in about five minutes. Learn how big your baby is, what new developments are going on, how your pregnant body is changing, how you can find relief from some of the changes going on with you like morning sickness and back pain, what to expect at doctor or midwife appointments, how to plan ahead for breastfeeding, how to plan for the ...
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Vaginal Tears and Episiotomy: Prevention and Healing
36:58
36:58
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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 t…
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Evidence on Methods to Turn a Breech Baby
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39:01
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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…
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Your Baby’s Position During Labor and Birth
31:06
31:06
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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…
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…
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Navigating Gestational Diabetes from Testing to Treatment
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35:21
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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. Y…
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Pregnancy Over Age 35 (Advanced Maternal Age)
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35:38
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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 …
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Advocating for Yourself with Your Doctor or Midwife
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38:52
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In the past, you went to the doctor and whatever they told you was the correct answer. They were the experts and the gatekeepers of information. Today, doctors are still experts, but access to information is widely available to patients. There has been a major shift in patients being informed, especially concerning pregnancy and birth. Ideally, you…
You can expect at least one, and likely multiple, ultrasounds during your pregnancy. This technology does more than give you a sonogram picture for your baby book. The information from an ultrasound can confirm that your baby is healthy and diagnose potential issues. While these exams can be helpful when medically indicated, many expecting mothers …
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Guide to Self-Care for Pregnancy and Beyond
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31:17
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Self-care is taking action to preserve or improve your physical and mental health. If there is any time during your life when self-care is crucial, it is during your pregnancy. Your body is working incredibly hard right now, and you are going through a significant transformation in your life. Now is the perfect time in your life to make self-care a…
There are a lot of administrative tasks associated with being a parent. The Pregnancy Podcast has separate episodes covering big projects like planning maternity leave and finding the right childcare. There are many smaller miscellaneous tasks you are responsible for once your baby is born, from keeping track of pediatrician appointments to updatin…
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Pregnancy Podcast
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Finding the Right Childcare (Daycare and Other Options)
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32:35
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On top of all the planning during pregnancy, you need to plan for who will take care of your baby. This is an easy decision for some parents, and you may have the resources to have one parent stay home or a grandparent available. For other families, you need to find someone outside your family to watch your baby, like a nanny or daycare. I encourag…
Maternity leave is a leave of absence from work before and after the birth of your baby. This is a period for birth recovery, bonding, breastfeeding, and adjusting to the learning curve that comes with having a newborn. The terms of your maternity leave depend mainly on the time you can take away from your job and whether your employer pays you dur…
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Pregnancy Podcast
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What Your Birth Will Cost, Health Insurance, and Tax Savings
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39:41
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In the United States, the average cost of vaginal birth is nearly $10,000, and the average price for a cesarean section is close to $14,000. There are tools and strategies you can use to save money on your medical bills. Insurance can help cover the cost of prenatal care and birth. Tax-advantaged accounts like flexible spending or health savings ac…
A lot of things need to come together for you to have the birth experience you want. Your birth room environment should feel safe and calm. You need methods to keep you focused and relaxed, so you are not mentally depleted. You also need techniques to relieve physical symptoms during labor, like nausea, exhaustion, and pain. Labor is an intense exp…
If you went into labor and showed up at the birth center or a hospital with nothing, it would not be the end of the world. You would probably have to send your partner out to buy a car seat so you could take your baby home, but otherwise, you would indeed survive. You can pack some things in a bag that will make your labor, birth, and postpartum ex…
Review your pregnancy timeline from conception until your baby is born. This episode overviews how your baby develops, what changes your body goes through, and what you should do each month of your pregnancy. Learn when to expect significant milestones like feeling your baby move and critical points to know about in your prenatal care. Thank you to…
Welcome to the 40 Weeks Pregnancy Podcast! Find out how your baby is growing each week and learn 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. Get each week delivered to your inbox according to your due date. For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregna…
Welcome to weeks 1-2 of your pregnancy. Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. Read the transcript, and access the additional resources for weeks 1-2. Get each week delivered to your inbox according to…
Welcome to week 3 of your pregnancy. This is the week of ovulation and fertilization. Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. See a picture of what your baby looks like this week, read the transcript, a…
Welcome to week 4 of your pregnancy. 36 weeks to go! Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. See a picture of what your baby looks like this week, read the transcript, and access the additional resource…
Welcome to week 5 of your pregnancy. 35 weeks to go! Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. See a picture of what your baby looks like this week, read the transcript, and access the additional resource…
How you experience labor and birth will be unique for you. While each labor is different, there is a typical path that all labor follows. This article overviews labor and birth and will walk you through the start of labor until you are on your own at home with your newborn. Plus, tips for what you should do to navigate each stage of the labor proce…
Welcome to week 6 of your pregnancy. 34 weeks to go! Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. See a picture of what your baby looks like this week, read the transcript, and access the additional resource…
Welcome to week 7 of your pregnancy. 33 weeks to go! Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. See a picture of what your baby looks like this week, read the transcript, and access the additional resource…
Welcome to week 8 of your pregnancy. You are 20% of the way there! Find out how your baby is growing this week and learn 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. See a picture of what your baby looks like this week, read the transcript, and access the addit…
