The physical environment around you can make a HUGE impact on your labor and birth! There are 4 things you can influence in your hospital room to help create a positive, supportive energy around your birth (lights, smells, sounds, things). Take my FREE birth plan class drnicolerankins.com/birth-plan Join The Birth Preparation Course - drnicolerankins.com/enroll

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You're paying for that hospital room....make it yours!

You&#39;re not alone in your uncertainty about this monumental life stage of pregnancy and birth. If you’re ready to replace the overwhelm of late-night Googling with expert conversations and stories of strength and positivity from women just like you — join us on the top-rated All About Pregnancy &amp; Birth podcast. The All About Pregnancy &amp; Birth podcast is your place for supportive, evidence-based information from Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins, an OB/GYN physician who’s been in practice for nearly 15 years and has helped over 1000 babies into this world. You’ll also learn from innovative experts and hear stories of strength and resilience from parents and moms-to-be experiencing the same overwhelm and excitement as you.

Kids & Family

Parenting

It’s a miracle that today’s guest, Kayleigh Summers, is even alive. She is an amniotic fluid embolism survivor and went into cardiac arrest twice during labor. When you hear her story, you’re going to be blown away. This lived-experience led her to center her career around perinatal trauma. As a licensed clinical social worker, she is supporting families experiencing perinatal trauma and has created a thriving community where survivors can feel less alone.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What birth trauma is and what causes itWhat the symptoms areHow to determine whether or not an experience qualifies as “trauma”How to work through traumatic experiencesWhat EMDR stands for and how it worksWhat role medication plays in treatmentHow a postpartum plan can help prevent birth trauma
-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode262 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

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Ep 262: Birth Trauma With Licensed Clinical Social Work and Birth Trauma Survivor Kayleigh Summers

Sometimes a “beautiful” birth doesn’t mean getting what you wanted - it means making the right decisions for yourself along the way. After being stuck at 5 cm for TWELVE HOURS, Nicole decided that it was time to change course. I’ll give away that she did have a vaginal birth, but it was nothing like she planned or anticipated.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:Why Nicole eventually agreed to a low dose of pitocinWhat happened when the pitocin was increasedWhether or not her water brokeHow her partner supported the decision to get an epiduralWhat made her so happy with the anesthesiologistHow quickly she progressed after the epiduralWhy doctors were concerned about her baby’s heart rateHow a lactation consultant helped with breastfeeding issues
-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode261 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

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Ep 261: Nicole’s Birth Story - The Line Between Pain and Suffering

Group B strep, or GBS, is a relatively common bacterial infection found in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Most people can be carriers and not have any symptoms. However, GBS can present problems for newborns and during pregnancy. I’m doing this episode because some changes have been made since I first covered this topic back in 2019. In 2022 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) updated guidelines for testing and treating GBS. Staying informed and up-to-date is the best way to keep yourself and your baby safe. 
In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What group B strep–GBS–is and why it mattersHow common it is and what the chances are that you may be a carrierWhich risk factors increase the likelihood of GBS colonizationHow it can affect pregnancy and newbornsWhat methods are used to screen for and treat GBSWhat the long-term implications can beWhether probiotics have been proven to be effective
-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode260 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

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Ep 260: Pregnancy & GBS (Group B Strep) - Updated!

So many parents feel like they have to choose between sleep and breastfeeding and today’s guest, Hillary Sadler, says that's not the case - and she knows what she’s talking about! A registered nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and mom of four, Hilary is a true expert in the art of balancing feeding and sleep. Getting enough sleep is going to be vital for your mental health. I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it again: To have a healthy baby, you’ve gotta have a healthy parent. Do future-you a favor and understand the link between feeding and sleep before baby comes home.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:How “quality, effective, efficient” feeds can impact sleepWhat the biological link is between feeding and sleepWhy you should think about your sleep goalsHow to maximize your newborn’s wake time What makes an efficient feeding patternWhat the five S’s areWhy you should approach day feeding and night feeding differently
-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode259 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

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* Head to byheart.com/podcast my code DRNICOLE for a great deal!
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Ep 259: Understanding the Link Between Feeding & Sleep with Hillary Sadler of Baby Settler

For many parents, selecting where they’re going to give birth is an important part of the planning process. However, Jodi lives on a small island with only one hospital and didn’t have a choice in the matter. Though she and her baby are healthy, the birth was intensely challenging. Jodi’s pain went under-treated and many procedures were done without adequate communication. While I want to acknowledge that rural and remote medicine is complex, the pain Jodi suffered is unacceptable.In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:How long it took to get from Jodi’s home to the hospitalHow her “advanced maternal age” affected the care she receivedWhy she was unable to leave the bed during deliveryWhy doctors were in a hurry to get the baby outHow doctors could’ve done a better job of communicatingWhether forceps are still commonly usedWhat it was like for Jodi to experience an episiotomy & forceps delivery without adequate pain managementWhat steps were taken to deliver/remove the placenta
-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode258 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way

Our Sponsors:
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You're paying for that hospital room....make it yours!

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