This week, I’m joined by my friend from home, Annika, who is such a kind and resilient person.

After wrestling with several chronic health issues in her early twenties, Annika shares her winding road to mom-hood, including her IUI journey, her positive pregnancy experience, an induction, an epidural, 30 HOURS of labor, and the emotional decision to pivot to a C-section. She also talks about utilizing accelerated resolution therapy (or ART) to process her birth experience.

In this episode:

• Unanticipated infertility + IUI success
• Enjoying pregnancy after infertility
• Elective induction + inability to dilate
• Mental and emotional coping during a C-section
• Reflecting on the vulnerability required in motherhood
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🎧 New episodes every Tuesday

📱 Follow along on Instagram @thelaborline

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Annika’s 30-Minute Nutrition Podcast

Annika’s Digital Diet Tech Page

Roku Stick to add to your hospital bag

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my college friend, Anahi, who’s a true girl’s girl and all-around gem.

She shares what it was like emotionally adjusting to pregnancy, how she and her husband tackled labor as a team, and her empowering (mostly unmedicated!) birth story with an epidural at the 12-hour mark. We also dive into the raw postpartum haze, and the tough emotions that came with returning to work just three months after giving birth.

Anahi’s story is full of love, honesty, and community, highlighting the people who showed up for her in big and small ways. This episode feels like a warm hug for any new or expecting parent.

In this episode:

• The emotional adjustment of pregnancy
• Prepping mentally for a positive birth
• A mostly unmedicated labor with an epidural assist
• Supportive nurses + birth team wins
• The guilt and growth of returning to work postpartum

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday

📱 Follow along on Instagram @thelaborline

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Anahi

06:19 - Pregnancy: Adjusting to "New Normal" Mentally & Emotionally

19:32 - Labor: Late Stage Epidural + Supportive Husband, Mom, & Medical Staff

36:29 - Postpartum: Raw Emotions + Relying on Others for Support

41:59 - Returning to Work: Mom Guilt & Putting Your Child First

49:23 - To My Pre-Mom Self...

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my sister-friend Becca, the kind of mom who brings light, laughter, and a roll-with-the-punches attitude to everything life (and birth) throws at her.

She walks us through her 10-year journey into motherhood, which BEGAN with a 10+ pound baby (yes, really) and has since included:

• Gestational diabetes
• Jaundice
• A rare genetic diagnosis
• Three C-sections
• Four cross-country moves
• Oh yeah– and three graduate degrees between her and her husband in their "spare" time!

Today, she shares her insights into juggling the raw emotions of motherhood, including life after pregnancy loss, staying optimistic amidst the chaos, and relishing in the little everyday joys. Her story is an example of the adaptability required to be a modern mom that gives hope to anyone wondering, “How can I do this?”

Fair warning, today’s episode comes with a lot of laughter and stories from the OR that will leave your jaw on the floor!

• Long labor that led to 3 planned C-sections
• Managing gestational diabetes like a champ
• Navigating pregnancy loss while raising toddlers
• What not to say to someone while tying their tubes
• A rare ZTTK syndrome diagnosis that transformed their family.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday

📱 Follow along on Instagram @thelaborline

00:00 - Meet Becca

07:11 - Were We Truly Ready to be Parents?

08:40 - 1st Pregnancy: Intense Nausea in the Texas Heat

13:49 - 1st Delivery: 29 Hours & An Epidural Into a C-Section

27:26 - 1st Postpartum: A Positive Transition Into Parenthood

31:05 - 2nd Pregnancy: Learning to Manage Gestational Diabetes

38:00 - 2nd Delivery: Positive Planned C-Section + Skin-to-Skin

40:57 - 2nd Postpartum: Jaundice, Sleep Struggles, &Community Support with 2 Under 2

46:30 - Processing Pregnancy Loss

48:22 - 3rd Pregnancy: Minor Gestational Diabetes & Enlarged Brain Ventricles

52:32 - 3rd Delivery: Planned C-Section + NICU Stay

57:34 - 3rd Postpartum: Unique Developmental Struggles + COVID

1:01:41 - Journey to a ZTTK Diagnosis