All About Pregnancy & Birth

Stay in the know by joining my email list!I know you want to exercise during pregnancy, but what are you supposed to do and how do you do it safely? Amy Keifer from Expecting and Empowered is here to answer that question and more!After starting her personal training career working with pregnant clients, she realized there were a ton of misconceptions still floating around about exercising during pregnancy. That’s why she and her sister created their thriving maternal fitness community. As a registered nurse, doula, personal trainer, and having gone through three unmedicated births, Amy offers invaluable firsthand insight.  This is a great conversation and I know you’re going to find it incredibly valuable.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:Whether you should start strength training during pregnancyHow you can start exercising during pregnancyWhat the benefits are of exercise during pregnancyWhat coping techniques Amy recommends for managing pain during laborHow can movement and labor rituals help you manage contractionsHow water, like a tub or shower, can help alleviate labor painWhy it’s important to understand the stages of labor and what to expect during eachWhy you should take time to familiarize yourself with your birthing optionsWho should be on your support team and what roles they can play during laborWhat are the benefits of practicing breathwork and mindfulness for labor prep--Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode286Check out The Birth Preparation CourseRegister for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right WayAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happens when you’re a physician and you experience a childbirth-related injury? Are you treated any differently? Today’s guest experienced exactly that and you’re going to hear her unique perspective. Gina is an ophthalmology resident who had a birth complication that left her paralyzed in one leg. She has regained her mobility but this very rare injury still has lasting effects.Despite being a physician herself, Gina faced dismissiveness from her medical team. In fact, one nurse even told her people with more medical backing actually get worse care because they have “more knowledge.” You don’t always know ahead of time when you’ll need to advocate for yourself. It is an absolute must that you are ready to do so.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What caused Dr. Gina Yu’s rare postpartum nerve injuryWhat her team initially thought caused the injury versus what tests revealedHow positional adjustments during labor could prevent nerve damageWhat steps she took to regain mobility after paralysisHow she balanced recovery with caring for her newbornHow support systems played a critical role in her recoveryHow gratitude helped her cope with trauma and uncertaintyWhy postpartum challenges often go overlooked in healthcareHow her injury changed her perspective on patient care--Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode285Check out The Birth Preparation CourseRegister for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right WayAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When exploring ‘alternative’ therapies, it’s crucial to understand the training and qualifications of practitioners. Although licensure and certification aren’t guarantees, they certainly help give you some assurance that the person is trained and capable. This week’s guest, Meaghan Beames, is a Registered Massage Therapist and Craniosacral Therapist who teaches perinatal professionals how to incorporate CST into their practices.Now, I will be honest, I was a little hesitant about this episode. While craniosacral therapy is offered at many mainstream big institutions like the Cleveland Clinic, Duke, or Harvard, some folks say that craniosacral therapy is pseudoscience and it's relatively new in pregnancy and infants. But I ultimately decided that this is important information to share. I learned a lot and you will too.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What craniosacral therapy is and how it worksWhich pregnancy and infant conditions craniosacral therapy can help withHow craniosacral therapy works and which areas of the body it targetsHow many sessions are typically recommendedWhat to look for in a craniosacral therapist What research says about the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy--Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode284Check out The Birth Preparation CourseRegister for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right WayAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I’ve said it many times: the only predictable thing about birth is that it’s unpredictable. But you can absolutely navigate that unpredictability by being prepared - which is exactly what Alexa did. After what she calls a “smooth pregnancy,” things took some surprising twists and turns which ended in a cesarean birth.At 35 weeks, her husband noticed she was unusually swollen and urged her to visit the doctor. What was supposed to be a checkup turned into delivery day! It was determined that she actually did have preeclampsia and, though at first she hoped she would be able to spend a couple more weeks on bed rest waiting, her baby had different plans.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:Why being pregnant alongside friends made a difference for AlexaWhen she decided to start looking for a doula and how she made her decisionHow Alexa and her family initially reacted to her swelling /// What signs of swelling Alexa experienced before her diagnosisWhat steps her husband took after noticing her swellingWhy Alexa was hospitalized after her checkupWhen Alexa learned her baby was breech and how it changed the birth planWhat factors led to Alexa’s C-sectionWhat it was like giving birth where her husband worksWhat challenges Alexa faced during recoveryWhich support systems helped Alexa through postpartum depression--Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode283Check out The Birth Preparation CourseRegister for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right WayAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy