12 Days of Birth, with Adriana Lozada

This is a bonus episode! Instead of the usual interview or story, today you are going to get a minisode with my compiled list of things that I believe can set any person up for a better birth, no matter how the baby decides to enter the world. And because it’s the spirit of the season and what not, I’m calling it The 12 Days of Birth. Whatever your beliefs, I hope you have a wonderful and mindful end of the year. Enjoy!

To listen here, click the play button on the player above, or click the button below to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Play.

What I talked about (aka. my 12 Days of Birth Wishes):

#1 – That your water doesn’t break before labor starts!

#2 – That your Group B Strep test comes back negative

#3 –  That you’re well rested when labor starts

#4 – That you are free to move whenever and however you want during labor and during the pushing stage.

#5 – Minimal (or no) internal vaginal checks.

#6 – That you are free to eat and hydrate any way you want

#7 –  That you have all the time that you want and need, to birth your baby

#8  – A quiet, safe, cozy, and peaceful place where to give birth

#9 –  A beautifully aligned and untangled baby

#10 – No episiotomy, and slooooooooow crowning to protect your perineum

#11 – A care provider, birthing team, and place of birth that follow family-centered maternity care and truly support birth physiology

#12 – That you have the continuous labor support of a doula

And there you have it – my 12 wishes for a fabulous birth experience!

Mentioned links and related articles:

• Evidence on: Premature Rupture of Membranes, from Evidence Based Birth
• CDC’s guidelines for Prevention of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease
• Evidence on: Eating and Drinking During Labor, from Evidence Based Birth
• Most healthy women would benefit from light meal during labor, American Society of Anesthesiologists
• The Use of Episiotomy in Obstetrical Care: A Systematic Review
• What is Patient-Centered Maternity Care?, from Evidence Based Birth
• Patient-centered care definition and practices
• The Performance: Sex Like Birth, from Freedom for Birth, Rome Action Group (fabulous & hilarious YouTube video!)

Related Birthful episodes:

• Eating During Labor, with Rebecca Dekker (podcast episode)
• Your Birth Hormones, with Dr. Sarah Buckley (podcast episode)
• Baby’s Position and Labor Flow, with Gail Tully (podcast episode)
• Protecting Your Perineum, with Rachel Reed (podcast episode)
• Rethinking the Pushing Stage, with Whapio (podcast episode)
• Birth Doulas, with Sharon Muza (podcast episode)

Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).

Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).