76: How to Optimize Your Pregnancy and Birth Experience with Mama Natural Genevieve Howland

Today I’m talking with Genevieve Howland, the fierce and funny lady behind the super successful “Mama Natural” YouTube channel and blog. I couldn’t be more excited! Genevieve is not only a great friend to me but to so many women she has never even met. Her funny but informational videos have inspired and empowered millions of women to embrace natural pregnancy and parenting.

And now her advice will reach more women than ever with the first ever week-to-week pregnancy book from a natural perspective. Genevieve’s new book The Mama Natural Week to Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth is the first weekly guide out there (in my opinion) to really combine today’s medical insight with the ancient wisdom of natural childbirth practices.

And with C-section rates in the U.S. being about twice as high as they should be (a whopping 30% in 2015), this book couldn’t be more timely!

The Mama Natural Way: Optimize Birth and Empower Women

So, what if you’re a C-section or epidural momma? Does that disqualify you from a natural, healthy birth? Should you forget about taking a listen to the podcast/checking out the book?

The answer is, definitely not!

I’ve had a C-section (and Mama Natural herself was a C-section baby!). As much as I can’t stop talking about what I love about natural labor (and midwives, doulas, and other birth subjects I’m passionate about) I have had hospital births, a C-section birth, and home births, and you know what? … I’m so grateful for options.

“Natural” as we’re using it here just recognizes that pregnancy and birth are a normal and wondrous biological process that’s been around since time began.

In fact, I love how Genevieve talks about optimizing birth with all the tools and knowledge available to us. She truly wants every woman to feel educated and empowered to plan the birth she wants … and have the support she needs if things turn out differently.

Here are just some of the questions Genevieve and I try to tackle in this Healthy Moms episode!

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why in a world of epidurals you might even consider an unmedicated birth
• Mama Natural’s take on which standard pregnancy procedures are medically necessary … and which are less so
• Why ultrasounds don’t really improve birth outcomes
• “Belly mapping” and ways to get baby into good position
• 7 exercises to get pelvis aligned and balanced for labor
• Pros and cons in the great home vs. hospital birth debate (yes, we go there!)
• How chiropractic can help with birth and which kind of practitioner to look for
• Simple birth plan tips (and how to increase your chances it gets read and followed)
• The purpose of vernix and why it’s great to leave it on baby!
• Why red raspberry leaf tea may or may not be all it’s cracked up to be
• Why Dad’s health matters too!

Resources We Mention

• https://www.mamanatural.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/MamaNatural
• https://www.instagram.com/MamaNatural/
• https://twitter.com/mamanatural
• https://www.youtube.com/mamanatural
• Book, The Mama Natural Week by Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth (2017)
• Free Mama Natural week to week pregnancy guide emails

Have a tip or story about what helped you most preparing for birth? Let me and Mama Natural know in the comments! We all have wisdom to share!

Special Thanks to Today’s Sponsors:

This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley. This company makes one of my favorite on-the-go snacks to give to my kids. Paleovalley beef sticks are 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef naturally fermented the old school way. In fact each beef stick contains a billion CFUs of probiotics plus high levels of omega-3s. Go to paleovalley.com/wellnessmama and use the discount code WELLNESSMAMA10 to get 10% off. Or, get up to 40% off when you purchase in bulk, which is how I order.

Paleovalley cows are never given antibiotics, hormones, or grains and their products are gut-friendly, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free (wow!). So, again, check it out paleovalley.com/wellnessmama, with the code WELLNESSMAMA10 to get the discount.

This episode is also brought to you by StudioPress Sites. This platform makes setting up and running a blog super easy, and I wish I had it when I started! Basically it’s an all-in-one solution all for one monthly price, without all the headaches that come with trying to learn it all yourself. It includes hosting, themes, plugins, and much more. Even if you have already started blogging, this tool may save you time and money and be an upgrade from what you currently have. So check it out at wellnessmama.com/studiopress.

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