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Yes! You read that right, 43+ weeks pregnant and, true story, a news crew capturing the whole experience for the local news!  In this episode I am joined by my husband, Matt Mccoy to share the story of our 3rd birth. This was my first birth after having become a birth professional. It was my longest pregnancy and birth process, but also the birth I consider my easiest birth (although, postpartum was a completely different story. But, that’s a story for a different day!).This story is really a journey into trust and intuition. Something I consider crucial throughout pregnancy and especially when due date arrives.Listen in as Matt and I talk through making decisions that were right for us, especially as we went weeks past our guess date. How important the “bubble of peace” was in remaining calm and confident. And, what Matt as a birth partner did to help keep both of our nervous systems from going into fight or flight mode.I discuss the ways I visualized this birth to go (I wanted it to be LONGER than the last ones! Yes you read that right.) and how it actually played out in reality. I touch on birth at 43+ weeks after becoming a birth professional. I was now teaching exercises and childbirth classes. How did this impact my experience, birth choices, etc.? Can knowing more about the ins and outs of birth make us more confident or more nervous during the whole process? Where is the fine line? Tune in and find out our take on all things pregnant and overdue! Facebook: BRM Private CommunityInstagram: @bodyreadymethodTikTok: @bodyreadymethod

In this episode we talk all about birth partner support with my husband, Matt McCoy! We often forget about how overwhelming the journey to baby can be for the partners. Pregnancy, birth and recovery are huge physiological events and it’s really easy for birth partners to feel like a deer caught in headlights and freeze or sink into a corner when things get intense. Many partners want to be involved, but just don’t know how or what to do and just need a bit of extra support and encouragement. But what if we empowered the birth partners? Prepare partners so that they could show up in the way the birther needs them to. What if working together in this way could be a catalyst for even deeper connection. What if it could be a catalyst for your partner finding their flow as a parent (if your birth partner is also your parenting partner).Yes, just like we can prepare during pregnancy for birth, partners can prepare to give the support needed! Birth support for each person looks different. There are birthers who’ll want someone near, someone holding their hand. There are birthers who’ll want their space. This is just one small example of how support can vary from person to person. Matt and I talk about our own birth experiences. We touch on ways to get the birther and the birth partner in tune to know what will be needed when the moment comes.It is not about becoming an expert about birth. Practicing a few things together not only helps you to recall it at birth it also helps you to connect. Join us as we discuss what it means to be ‘partner ready’ and what you can do, together, to make this your reality. In this episode we talk through our stories and tips to make you feel more prepared, together. I encourage you to listen!Facebook: BRM Private CommunityInstagram: @bodyreadymethodTikTok: @bodyreadymethod

On this episode Matt and I chat about our second birth and what a different birth experience it was. Have you ever had an experience that altered the course of your life so deeply and profoundly that you knew your life would not be the same without it? Our first birth wasn’t the experience we’d hoped for. And after this birth, in our own ways, we became obsessed with figuring out why and what could be done differently.Matt, as my birth partner, dived into research to learn more about how he could actively support a birth better. I really got into reading and learning more about pregnancy and birth and how I could incorporate my background in exercise science into it. This led us to make very different choices for our 2nd birth experience two and a half years later, which led to a profoundly different experience. An experience so deep and profound, an experience so autonomous and empowering, that it altered the entire course of our lives. This was the birth that led me to step fully into my power as a birth worker. I thought I was leaving exercise science and my  job as an exercise physiologist behind… little did I know that I would someday combine the two to create what is now known as the Body Ready Method®.Listen in on this episode to hear what the McCoy’s did differently and how these choices altered our lives forever! There are a few tips and tricks you can take into your next birth or your next client’s birth that may just make the difference in the type of birth you experience. Webite: www.bodyreadymethod.comFacebook Community: www.facebook.com/groups/onestrongmamaInstagram: www.instagram.com/bodyreadymethodTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bodyreadymethod.com

Join me and my amazing husband, Matt McCoy, as we recount the story of our first pregnancy and birth, from 2006/2007. Picture two young adults who thought they had it all figured out. Who figured “people have been having babies forever, I’m sure we’ll figure it out.” Who wanted a natural first birth, but didn’t really have a plan as to how to get there. At the time, I was finishing up my Exercise Science degree and was teaching almost every fitness class possible. From bootcamp to water aerobics to spinning. You name it, I was teaching it. I read all the right books and even googled “doula near me,” but found none nearby.  Needless to say, our first birth didn’t go the way we had hoped. We ended up at the hospital, tubes everywhere and I ended up getting an epidural. When this happened, being the research nerd that I am, I needed to know why. Really, this is the story of how an exercise physiologist, who said she’d never go into birth as the daughter of an L&D nurse and granddaughter of an OB/GYN, started the ball rolling to what would eventually become the realization of her life’s calling. It’s also the story of a partner learning what true support means during pregnancy, during birth, and during postpartum. Learning to become a parent.As Matt and I discuss our first birth for the first time in almost 15 years, we interweave helpful tips and tricks that you can take into your own pregnancy and birth experiences. It is often difficult  to see how far we have grown until we look back at a former version of ourselves, with love and appreciation, yet here we take a look at a former version of us and the birth that started it all.Facebook: OSM Private Community Instagram: @onestrongmamaprenatalTikTok: @bodyreadymethod

Have you ever heard of the flow state? Have you ever felt “in the zone?” That zone where you seem to have effortless momentum, where time seems to melt away and you are just flowing? Maybe you were running a race, writing, or doing artwork.  Maybe you’ve also felt what it feels like to be out of “the zone”. Where everything just feels more challenging and you just can’t seem to find your flow. This is a researched state of being known as the flow state. Research has identified how to get into the flow and stay in the flow. It has also identified what keeps us out of the flow.   Did you know that we can use the flow state and the research behind it to have a better birth? When we are able to get in and stay in our labor flow state during birth, not only do we have more access to our intuition to know what to do, we also have access to more natural pain relief. In this episode we dive into three main things that can help or hinder the birthing person’s labor flow state.  As a birth pro, there are things you can do during a birth to help your client stay in their labor flow state. Ask yourself, ‘what are some things that could be a great distraction to my client’s labor flow state?’ ‘How can I minimize these distractions?’ ‘How can I help them get back into the flow?’  My birthing friends, take some time during your pregnancy and think about some of the things that would make you feel really good in your birthing space. Make a list of these things and share it with your birth team. I’ve seen it all from adding twinkle lights around the birth room  to covering the clocks and monitors in the room with blankets. Nothing is too out of the box, we need to do what makes sense to us. Getting into the labor flow state is something that we can prepare for and should prepare for. Listen to this episode to learn how to prepare in pregnancy and what to do in birth to find and stay in the flow!   Facebook: OSM Community GroupInstagram: @onestrongmamaprenatal Website: www.bodyreadymethod.com

Have you ever thought or heard that the best way to have an easier birth is to stretch a lot? Or that flexibility = better birth? Sometimes being too flexible can actually create some problems. While yes, it is important to be mobile, there is a difference between mobility and flexibility. This episode is all about being “too flexible” during pregnancy. We are joined by Physical Therapist and creator of Train4Birth, Monika Patel. Did you know joint laxity increases by about 10% during pregnancy? In this episode, Monika talks about the lack of information on the musculoskeletal changes in pregnancy available to expectant parents especially if they are hypermobile. We chatted about what hypermobility is, how much of a culprit relaxing is, issues that can present themselves during pregnancy and birth, and what we should do about it. Monika shares with us the type of movements that are recommended for hypermobile people to prepare their bodies for birth. She also shares some great nuggets, including simple questions that she asks her clients who may be showing signs of being “too flexible”. We also discuss how the labor and birth of a hypermobile person can be different from those who aren’t hypermobile. If you work in the perinatal space you will have a client with hypermobility at some point. It’s so important that as birth pros, we understand what’s going on and what we can do about it, ensuring our clients can have the most efficient birthing experience. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Train4BirthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/train4birth/Website: www.train4birth.com

In this episode we talk about the twists and turns of becoming a parent with Nikki Johnston Beaudoin. Nikki is a Body Ready Method® pro, expecting mom, and collaborating author of the newly released The Mom Babes, An Anthology of Motherhood. Nikki gets really vulnerable as she talks through her unique journey to becoming a parent. She discusses her fertility, pregnancy, birth, and recovery journey. She sheds light on the taboo of discussing fertility issues openly and why she thought sharing her own journey will help other people. What does it look like to use holistic support alongside the need for medical intervention? And, how do we as a birth pro and/or birthing person live in that space between? Do we have to choose between one of the two paths, or is there a middle ground? Nikki is also a pre and post-natal Fitness Specialist who has dealt personally with fertility struggles, premature birth, and at the time of recording was expecting her 2nd child! She discusses her NICU journey with her first baby and talks through what she is doing differently this time and the unique struggles of being an expectant perinatal professional. She also sheds light on how being a Body Ready Method® Pro has changed her perspective towards birth. We also discuss the power of prenatal prep, and the role of doulas at birth. The presence of a well prepared doula can support the birthing person in many ways to shift the birth environment. As a birth pro, we get so obsessed with the to do's that we sometimes don't let ourselves just be. A doula in the birthing room allows us to let go while they do the observing and suggesting. This is a great episode that both birth pros and expecting folks can truly enjoy! Website: https://www.nikkijfit.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seatoskyfitness/ Show Notes:  Book: The Mom Babes, An Anthology of Motherhood

Navigating stress. Trauma. Drama… We all deal with it in one way or another. How do our lived experiences and that of our ancestors impact our bodies, our births, and even what we pass on to kids? When we are living in a prolonged state of stress it can become our baseline. Maybe we always feel rushed. Or on edge. This not only impacts our mental health, it impacts our physical health as well. And that of our children. Our brains are powerful. And learning how to hone the power of our brains can allow us to change our world (including our pregnancies, births, recoveries, and even the stress response of our kids). Yet too often we may feel like our brains are working against us. We have negative coping mechanisms that we can’t seem to take control of. We yell, freak out, or sometimes we shut down. And then we are expected to be calm during birth? It’s normal and sometimes necessary to react with fight-flight or freeze. This is our nervous system’s way to protect us from danger. What happens with trauma, however, our bodies internalize and store that. Essentially we are ‘running from danger’ internally, all the time. Causing not only mental struggles, but physical as well. In today’s episode we dig deep into the stress and trauma response including studies looking at prenatal stress and trauma’s impact on the developing fetus and go into ways to take control rather than feel controlled. Website: https://www.themindbodybirth.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/themindbodybirth

On this episode we speak to Amanda Gorman all about postpartum planning. While getting ready for a baby, oftentimes we miss one of the most important pieces of postpartum; planning for the 4th trimester. That immediate recovery time can be intense and incredibly overwhelming, especially if we aren’t ready for it. Having to care for a newborn baby within a day is a huge transition for many. We spend a good deal of time getting ready for birth, and that’s important too. However, not preparing adequately for postpartum is akin to preparing for the wedding, but not the marriage.  The wedding is very important, don’t get me wrong. But without preparing for the marriage, there is likely to be more struggle. We must take the time and the forethought to get ourselves ready for the big transition into caring for a tiny human while also recovering from the process. Postpartum planning should be what you want your postpartum period to look like, what is healthy for you, plus the reality of what your unique situation is, how much is doable and what more you need to do to achieve what you want.  Amanda and I chat about the importance of setting expectations between partners and asking for help, what postpartum planning should look like, items that we should include in our postpartum plan, hormonal changes that impact the postpartum period and get real about the ways our society fails to support new families. We talk about how postpartum planning is much more than just meal planning. Listen in and learn what postpartum planning should really look like.Website: https://www.findingyourvillage.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingyourvillageTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@findingyourvillageShow Notes: https://pregnancytopreschool.net

Let’s face it, we live in a culture that allows for fatphobia. Where mocking larger bodies is socially acceptable. A culture that glorifies a certain body type as the epitome of “health.” This has created a lot of issues in maternal health care, and healthcare as a whole. This also makes those living in larger bodies feel as if size correlates to health. This causes internalized fatphobia, thinking that all their ailments are due to their size. “Just lose weight,” they’re often told. The weight stigma in the medical system often shames larger bodied folks into not receiving the care they really need.  In this episode we are joined by Brooke Patmor to discuss how fatphobia affects not only larger people, but all of us in some way or the other. A lot of people constantly live under the stress of gaining weight and often may resort to fad diets to fit in, causing adverse health outcomes. Because let's be honest, most of those fad diets aren't about health, but about being smaller. Brooke joins us to discuss how it is never okay to discuss and police someone’s body size. Especially not while they are pregnant or postpartum, being in an already vulnerable state.  So what is really going on? And is it really just that they need to lose weight? Does “optimal” weight really equate to health? If a pregnancy is labeled as high risk only because of the birther's BMI then is it really evidence-based? And where did the BMI even come from?  Join this revealing episode with the amazing Brooke to learn more about fatphobia. We discuss the barriers faced by large bodies in the birthing world; what is really going on, how to be size inclusive in birth work and how we can support our larger bodied clients better. Website: https://www.borncollectivesf.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/borncollectivesf/ | https://www.instagram.com/thedykedoula/Show Notes:  https://www.amazon.com/Fearing-Black-Body-Racial-Origins

Join me, Lindsay McCoy as I hit “record” and jam out on all things professional birth support. There is a revolution in birth support. While holding the space and offering sips of water and a cool cloth is really important, there’s also so much more a doula can be doing!  In this episode, I talk about the role of a doula and their impact on the client’s birth experience, and what it really looks like to support birth physiology as a doula. I believe we can do more than just randomly using comfort measures. If a doula knows the biomechanics of labor and birth; the science of what to do when in labor and the “whys” of it, they can really make a difference in the client’s birth experience!  What do clients really need in a doula? Our job is to help the clients protect their space, help them find their voice and achieve the birth they want; and that not only means hands on labor support but also working with the client prenatally to prepare their body for labor so that they can have a smoother, uneventful birth.  I also talk about the essential skills in professional birth support. With over a decade of being a doula and helping pregnant families achieve the birth they desire, I have seen it all! In this episode I wanted to share why this role is not “less than” but complimentary to the provider role and should be treated as such.  Website: http://bodyreadymethod.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/onestrongmamaprenatalTik Tok: tiktok.com/@onestrongmamaprenatal

On this episode of the podcast we speak with Jacoby Ballard on LGBTQ+ healthcare and transgender pregnancy and birth. What does it mean to be transgender or non-binary? And what would it be like to go through pregnancy, birth and recovery being transgender male or non-binary? We dive into the real-lived experience of pregnancy, birth, and recovery while trans or non-binary with the incredible Jacoby. He opens up about his own experiences and also shares about his work in the perinatal space as a prenatal yoga instructor. As birth professionals, it is our job to support our clients and patients through the transformative journey of pregnancy, birth and recovery. Jacoby talks about the vocabulary of inclusivity in the perinatal space, and discusses options to self-educate about working with queer expecting parents. We also discuss how to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks in the birth work and what to do when you mistakenly do or say something offensive to a queer client. Transgendered people face a higher rate of harassment which is increased in the perinatal space because of how gender is ingrained into the social norms of pregnancy, birth and parenthood. They are also more likely to delay seeking medical help when needed due to fear of discrimination. As this group, more often than not, feels unwelcomed, excluded or unsupported in the perinatal space, it is important that we open our hearts, listen, learn, grow and learn how to do better. This discussion brings important inclusion issues to light and we touch upon how we can show up, even if imperfectly, with the love and support that every human being deserves. Website: https://jacobyballard.net Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobyballard/Show notes: http://jacobyballard.net/book/

Our understanding of diastasis recti (abdominal separation) and evidence based treatment approaches has been evolving throughout the years. The pendulum has swung from the days of wrapping a towel around the midsection and crunching to avoiding movement altogether in fear of making things worse to where we are at today: a more holistic diastasis recti treatment approach.  Munira Hudani is a game changing diastasis rehab physio that is leading the charge in this more holistic understanding of how to approach diastasis recti. Join us and hear from Munia Hudani about how treatment protocols have progressed through the years and take a look at the most up to date approach to diastasis recti treatment. Website: https://www.munirahudanipt.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/munirahudanipt/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiastasisRehabPhysioShow notes: https://www.tummytuckrehab.com | https://www.instagram.com/tummytuckrehab/  

Have you ever wondered the origin of some of your favorite prenatal and birth balancing techniques such as the forward leaning inversion and the side lying release? Join us in this informative episode as we meet the amazing Dr. Carol Phillips, a chiropractic doctor and craniosacral therapist who shares how she discovered these effective techniques that have become so well loved and used in prenatal care and birth support amongst those who understand the importance of balance for birth efficiency. Carol also educates us on what it means to have a body in balance and what it looks like when the body comes out of balance and what we can do to achieve a balanced body for overall wellness as well as a more comfortable pregnancy and more efficient birthing process. Website: https://dynamicbodybalancing.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dynamic-Body-Balancing-Dr-Carol-Phillips-169938413016664 

Being a doula is an incredible job. We witness the amazingness that is pregnancy and birth, but it’s also a job with a high burnout rate because of how demanding and unsustainable it often is. Today we bring on the amazing doula and doula trainer, Rhonda Fellows, to discuss sustainability of the profession, what we believe doulas should know, scope of practice, and how to have a collaborative relationship with providers and hospitals. If we are going to impact real change, we need sustainability and proper education. Moreover, we need to build relationships with the hospitals and providers our clients are going to. Rhonda has been leading the charge in collaborative relationships in her local birth community and we believe this is something that every birth community should strive for! Website: https://www.oilydoulamn.comInstagram: @oilydoulamn

Did you know that hypnosis is a normal state that you’ve been in before? That hypnosis for childbirth is really about honing the power of our brain to support a more comfortable birth experience? Yet there are many myths out there about what hypnosis for childbirth really is, especially amongst birth professionals. If someone is planning to use hypnosis for birth, it’s really ideal that their birth team “gets it.” Too often, an unsupportive birth professional can derail someone’s plan. Join Hypnotherapist and Hypnobirthing instructor, Erin Stertz-Follett and I as we discuss how to best support families using hypnosis for birth. From what to do if someone is having a difficult time, to what not to do during hypnobirths. Learning the power of our brains and our client’s brains can also help us support all types of birthers better. Website: www.flutterbybirth.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/flutterbybirthInstagram: @flutterbybirth

Current guidance for what to do after having a baby is abysmal. We are maybe told to “take it easy” and possibly “do some kegels” but that is really about it. Then the 6 week postnatal visit comes around and BAM! Cleared for all exercise. Is this really the best way to support a body that has just gone through the amazing and intense transformation that is pregnancy? A body that then gave birth- whether vaginally or via cesarean birth? Pelvic Physical Therapist Hayley Kava comes on to jam with me on all things the first 6 weeks postpartum and how to safely progress your body back to the things you love! Instagram: www.instagram.com/hayleykavaptFacebook:www.facebook.com/hayleykavaWebsite: www.hayleykavapt.comPodcast: The Don't Beat Around the Bush Podcast

Do you or your client have pain in their pubic bone, tailbone or SI Joint? Pelvic pain is extremely common during pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean it’s always just ‘par the course.’ In today’s episode Lauren and Lindsay explore the topic of pelvic pain during pregnancy including possible contributors and ways to prevent, minimize, or even eliminate pelvic girdle pain.Website: https://onestrongmama.com ; https://bodyreadymethod.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/onestrongmamaprenatal/

Optimal fetal positioning is the idea that there are positions that the baby can find in utero that are easier (and more difficult) for the labor process. Should you worry about your baby’s position? When should you worry? And what can you actually do?  In this episode Lindsay discusses hyper-vigilance, how to stop putting out fires at the birth, and how we can stack the cards for a boring, straightforward birth!  Website: https://onestrongmama.com ; https://bodyreadymethod.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/onestrongmamaprenatal/Other Resources: Fetal Positioning Acronyms 

What is informed consent, really? Is saying “I am going to check your cervix now” informed consent? How about “Let me know when you’re ready for me to check your cervix”? And what is a doula, birth partner, or birthing person to do when they are not receiving proper informed consent? How do we even know? The Birth Kweens are Karly, a midwife and Ali, A doula and they join us today to really delve deep into this important topic from all angles. The provider angle, the doula angle, and the birthing person angle. Everyone who plans to be in a birthing room at any time in their life should listen to this episode. Karly and Ali had so many important tidbits to share, yet they do so in a fun, upbeat and sometimes hilarious way. Website: https://www.birthkweens.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/birthkweens/