All Birthful Episodes

Pregnant people get bombarded with all sorts of advice: a lot of it unsolicited, outdated, or just plain wrong. In Birthful, working doula and former journalist Adriana Lozada talks pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with top experts and new parents.

Every episode distills the overload of pregnancy information down to the most relevant and useful stuff.

[Birth Story] So Was It a Waterbirth?

[Birth Story] So Was It a Waterbirth?

Hailey McHone’s first birth was what her OB called "a textbook hospital delivery," which came with an epidural-Pitocin combo, and, frankly, little consent. She talks with Adriana about getting more intentional with her wishes and choices for her second birth and...

Transformation Through the Holistic Stages of Birth (Part Two)

Transformation Through the Holistic Stages of Birth (Part Two)

We try to make birth practical by measuring, overseeing, and monitoring it… when really, it’s an experience that flows seamlessly from one stage to another, taking the birthing person deep into their physiology and intuitive altered states. Whapio Diane Bartlett...

Transformation Through the Holistic Stages of Birth (Part One)

Transformation Through the Holistic Stages of Birth (Part One)

We try to make birth practical by measuring, overseeing, and monitoring it… when really, it’s an experience that flows seamlessly from one stage to another, taking the birthing person deep into their physiology and intuitive altered states. Whapio Diane Bartlett...

[Postpartum Story] Coming to Terms With the Baby She Got

[Postpartum Story] Coming to Terms With the Baby She Got

After giving birth twice before, Victoria Wilson thought she had “life with a newborn” pretty much figured out. But when her third daughter was born fussy, frustrated, and just wouldn’t settle, Victoria was thrown for a loop. Was this just who her baby was? Or was...

How to Sleep Better While Pregnant

How to Sleep Better While Pregnant

It’s estimated that about 80% of pregnant people experience insomnia by their third trimester, and newer research is showing how melatonin and circadian rhythms may impact fertility, implantation, miscarriage, risk of preeclampsia and postpartum depression. Mar De...

[Birth Stories] Can You Wait to Push Until the Doctor Arrives?

[Birth Stories] Can You Wait to Push Until the Doctor Arrives?

After a difficult first labor with interventions she was unsure about, Alyssa Jennings was determined that her next birth would be on her terms. Little did she know that she’d be having to contain the fetal ejection reflex until her doctor arrived! Alyssa shares with...

Have an Easier Pregnancy (and Birth!) with Chiropractic Care

Have an Easier Pregnancy (and Birth!) with Chiropractic Care

You know how as pregnancy progresses, your whole body becomes more uncomfortable? It turns out that chiropractic care can help you feel much better and even help you have an easier birth. Dr. Elliot Berlin shares with Adriana why chiropractic care is a superb...

[Best of Birthful] How an Anxious Mind Impacts You During Pregnancy

[Best of Birthful] How an Anxious Mind Impacts You During Pregnancy

Welcome to the Best of Birthful. Creator and host Adriana Lozada curated and edited each selection in this playlist of the show’s most popular episodes. It's a tailored introduction to the expansive catalog she amassed over the first five years of Birthful's 300+...

Can Exercise During Pregnancy Make Labor Harder?

Can Exercise During Pregnancy Make Labor Harder?

It’s common knowledge that walking, swimming, and doing prenatal yoga can all be super helpful during pregnancy, but what about running, barre, CrossFit, or weightlifting? Deb Flashenberg shares with Adriana how strength-focused exercising can lead to a too-tight core...

[Birth Story] No Matter How You Birth, You’re a Badass

[Birth Story] No Matter How You Birth, You’re a Badass

Lauren Horton has always been physically active, and during pregnancy, she continued to do a mix of CrossFit, swimming, yoga, and tons of dog walking. She shares with Adriana her surprise when she found herself hunkering down on the bed during labor instead of moving,...

Addressing Pregnancy Discomforts Through Movement and Alignment

Addressing Pregnancy Discomforts Through Movement and Alignment

Being pregnant means having relaxin loosening up all your tissues, while your core stretches and your center of gravity shifts, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with the associated discomforts. Restorative body educator extraordinaire Molly Deutschbein shares...

Why Your Team Isn’t Complete Without a Doula

Why Your Team Isn’t Complete Without a Doula

The mounting evidence is clear: having a doula can help decrease the risk of having a cesarean birth and significantly improve birth experiences. In fact, doulas have even been called a form of pain relief themselves, as people tend to want fewer pain medications and...

Why a Midwife Might Be Just What You Need

Why a Midwife Might Be Just What You Need

There is ample evidence of the benefits of midwifery care for uncomplicated pregnancies, including lower rates of inductions, episiotomies, and cesareans. So why aren’t midwives more widely used in the U.S. (like they are in the rest of the world!)?  Dr. Melissa...

[Birth Story] Why Having an Audience Stalled Her Birth

[Birth Story] Why Having an Audience Stalled Her Birth

Heather Lauf was so clear on the importance of choosing the right care provider for her birth that she switched practices, twice! Even with her ample preparation, labor still threw her for a loop when she found out her water hadn’t broken (it really seemed it had!),...

Get Your FREE Postpartum Plan!

Sign up to get access to my NEW Postpartum Prep. Plan to help you prepare for life with a newborn! You'll also get updates from me from time to time.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit