#180 | September Q&A: Family Boundaries; Induction; Cesarean Predisposition; PROM; Marriage After Baby; Lotus Birth; Nausea; Amnio-Infusion

I'm Cynthia Overgard, owner of HypnoBirthing of Connecticut, childbirth advocate and postpartum support specialist. And I'm Trisha Ludwig, certified nurse midwife and international board certified lactation consultant. And this is the Down To Birth Podcast. Childbirth is something we're made to do. But how do we have our safest and most satisfying experience in today's medical culture? Let's dispel the myths and get down to birth.

I know that we often hear about when inductions are not medically necessary, but I'm wondering if you can discuss when they actually are 100% medically necessary.

I would never recommend that you do an ultrasound in late pregnancy without a very specific, intentional, purposeful reason for doing it. It's a very easy thing for providers to get away with doing routinely. Because who doesn't want to see their baby, but it is linked to much higher interventions and worse outcomes are all breached positions safe to naturally birth? No, no, right.

So I said you literally have free rein of every other grandmother name that you want, except the name that my baby's gonna call me. She got very upset, very, very defensive. I think it's pretty straightforward. You just say if she's not gonna call you, Mama, and she can call you whatever you prefer, we prefer it not to be Glenda.

Okay. Hey, everyone. Hello, it's Wednesday.

Welcome to the September q&a. Did you hear about that article in The New York Times? By Chelsea cannibal? Oh,

that one? Yeah, who's saying like maternal instinct is just a notion fabricated by men. I saw that I hack. I think I think her intention is good. But I don't want to even want to say that because I don't I don't think I should assume things in the first place. But I don't think she should have an intention with things like this. I don't think you should dangle potential research or question research based on someone's personal intentions. And it seems like she's trying to come from a good angle of saying, I mean, in the end, her final point has to do with paternity leave. So that's great. But I don't think the argument for paternity leave is that there's no difference between men and women that are that mothers don't have a maternal instinct. They actually done studies for decades and shown that mothers and their brains completely change with having a baby.

Just take a look at nature for a minute. I mean, look at what happens in nature, you don't see Father Bears attacking people who approach them because the cubs are around. That's only the mother. That's why right? Mother, mother, mammals will die for their babies. I mean, they don't. They're not human mothers can have the strength to lift a car off a child when a child is in danger that doesn't. We don't just walk around being able to do that. Normally, there is certainly some something to it. You know, I just feel like our instinct is the best thing we can say to mothers is trust your instinct here, everyone, trust yourself, hear everyone listen to yourself. What what do we ultimately have that stronger than our instinct? And to say that, Oh, it's not really there? Like you think it is? And was she just trying to say that fathers have it too? I mean, I, I, there's a bit of articles coming out that are discrediting any difference between men and women. And that's just something I couldn't that's where it's coming from. That's we wonder, we don't know. But it's following a really big trend right now of saying there are no differences and there there are, and that's okay. And that has to be okay. There are physical differences. There are mental and emotional differences between men and women. That's there's nothing wrong with that fact. And she in the animal kingdom, it's biologically factual that after a woman gives birth, there's a hormonal shift that heightens her instincts and awareness that exists. How do you deny that?

Yeah, yeah. And this has been written about Ashley for hundreds of years and it's I don't think it's something men are pushing to. I love it can be manipulated to suppress women that happens to women are accused of being emotional or making decisions emotionally and yeah, things can be twisted to manipulate irrational, there's right are to be irrational and none of that is okay. The word hysterical Mets I could derived in right, hysteria. Right? hysteria is illness. Right? What does the history mean? Yeah. History means womb or uterus. So hysterical. It's like that's not out of the womb. Okay, that they're like, Oh, you're being so you're being so womanly, like that's not okay. They were hysterical out of something that inherently means woman but But I don't think the way to get better equity for women is to create an argument that we're not different or we're not wired to be connected to our babies and have an instinct related to the survival of our babies. That is not a theory. I agree with their support. And I think there is enough research out there to show to the contrary, but we know better. We know that it's not the case. It's absolutely bizarre that things are that these kinds of articles are coming out right now. So even if researchers were mostly men throughout the past few 100 years, that doesn't mean the concept of maternal instinct was created by men, we like you said, we see it everywhere. And we know it right. Once we have a baby, we know it. Anyway. So I think it's time to jump into all the good questions we received. Are you ready?

I'm ready. I'm looking forward to hearing them. All right, let's jump in here.

How do we know this is Ariel from Australia? Regarding the question box, you've heard about boundaries, and this was about my mother in law, who wants to be known as mama. So she has told me that that's what she wants to be known as I said, No, that me I am Mama. And she said, she got very defensive. She said, No, this is what I want to be known as. And I said, I'm trying to get her to understand that. That's my pie. So I said, she can have any other name because my mom is butcher because she's polish. So I said, you literally have free rein of every other grandmother name that you want, except the name that my baby's gonna call me. She got very upset, very, very defensive, and then then ended up saying Fine, the kid can just call me Glenda, which is her name. And I thought cheese. So yeah, boundaries regarding this have been very difficult. My husband, fortunately, is very much on my side. He is very defensive of me. But I really, I don't want to separate family. I'd love her to be involved in our child's life, but I can't this is a big red flag for me. So any help any, any information would just be great.

Well, that's about one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

I think it's so funny and somehow endearing, that she speaks so directly to her mother in law. I don't think we've ever heard anyone who does that. She's like, you can literally pick any name. They're outwardly talking about it. So this and she said -

Fine, she can call me Glenda. First name, I mean, any other any other name but what the mother's going to be called I mean, it's just normal all babies call their mother mama in the beginning, pretty much. That's the standard. I mean, that's just dad die, Mama. That's what comes out. So I think it's pretty straightforward. You just say if she's not going to call you mama, and she can call you whatever you prefer. We prefer it not to be Glenda. Pick something else and we'll move on.

Hey, this is Kat I know that we often hear about when inductions are not medically necessary, but I'm wondering if you can discuss when they actually are 100% medically necessary.

Well, isn't that the million dollar question? It is. First thing that comes to my mind would be preeclampsia. So I mean, that's just too dangerous to the mother and baby don't mess around with that. True when it's a true diagnosis of preeclampsia, so that's even become a little gray. Other reasons, um, placental abruption. That would be another one. I mean, that can life threatening but that's not even induction. That's gonna strike.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, a partial, you could maybe have maybe, if you had a very mild AB induction would be entertained.

What about Group B strep waters releasing scenarios with fever or without? Well, there you go. Well, let's get into it without getting deep, deep deep into it. So if your membranes release, and your group B strep, positive, the longer you're in labor, or the longer that you go without labor, having begun does increase that risk factor of the baby potentially contracting Group B strep. Now, they could administer antibiotics without induction, right? Yes. So does that basically take care of that risk? And then they don't need to induce still?

Yes. But again, you're going to be hard pressed to find a provider who's going to do that you're going to need antibiotics at the hospital, right?

And if there's a fever, that's another risk factor. So that does become more pressing.

Yes. So again, there's there's very few situations where induction is 100% necessary, it's usually then you're going straight to C section if it's that severe. And this is why induction is such a touchy issue because there are so many. There are so many situations where induction is recommended. But I guess to Take it high level, you really just have to look at any situation where the risk to staying pregnant longer is more harmful to the mother or baby induction is better. Yeah, maternal infection could be another one. I mean, there's there are probably there are certainly other more complicated scenarios. But yeah, I mean, I can I can name a specific one as well, there certainly are other things. I think we're looking at the basic, common things that come up in pregnancy, there's no question that other things can come up. I mean, one thing I didn't mean, that one of my clients experienced several years ago, in her first pregnancy, they found she had oral cancer, they made a decision with her and her husband when to induce because they wanted to remove it and get treatment going. So they made the decision I think to induce at I don't remember, it was just shy of full term, it was like 35 or 36 weeks. So of course, I we have to always trust our listeners have the common sense to take in any information that we're not presuming, and to make their own decisions. But I one thing I believe, and I've always taught to my clients is, when there's a medical indication, it will be clear.

Well, again, it comes back to when the risk of staying pregnant is more harmful to yourself or the baby than induction should be considered or, or your induction is necessary. And you can always go back to the brain acronym. We've talked about this on the podcast, but you got to look at it, you gotta weigh it out benefits, risk, intuition, alternatives, and what happens if I do nothing? And then you make your decision based on those answers.

I had a question about whether it's possible for a predisposition to meeting C section deliveries could be inherited by female relatives, and a family because somebody I know says that she is worried about pregnancy and childbirth because her family has a hereditary condition that causes them to need to have C sections in their deliveries. And I was I was wondering whether that was something that, you know, maybe all her family members happened to get unlikely with hospitals or obese or just the way that centers were attached? Rather than you know, actually there being some kind of condition that causes them to need C sections. So I was wondering if you could talk about that. Thanks, bye.

Well, I know what you're gonna say to this, you know what I'm going to say to this? Yes, I do. Go for it. When you want to tell me what I'm going to say. I'm sure you're right.

To Be careful about the beliefs that you absolutely, we are going to just say no, there's no way let's just go with that. There's absolutely no way. Let's just say there's no way. I'll give you one. Go ahead far fetched scenario, just because, you know, we can't it's hard to always say there's no way never ever, ever, I know that I'm right. I'm I'm intentionally going extreme on it. Because one little sliver is going to form the belief and that is not going to serve anyone but go ahead, I'm sure you're gonna have a really good clear, very obvious example. So what is it?

I mean, the only time that a baby truly, you know, has Cephalo pelvic disproportion really can't fit is if you have a contracted pelvis as a result of rickets, right or a pelvis that is developmentally, not normal. And that does happen. And most of the time rickets is not genetically inherited. Anyway, it's related to calcium and vitamin D deficiencies. And so this is the thing. This is the analogy that popped into my head when I heard this question. Because we're always looking to make sense of things. And it's very handy to make sense of genetics. Now, I've always said if your mother had a good birth, or your grandmother had good births or anything, you form that belief be like form and affirmation around it, say we give birth easily in my family, go ahead and run with it because your brain is going to drive this process far more than we can appreciate. But the analogy that came to my mind is most of us grew up hearing that cancer is genetic. And now we know that more than 90% of cancer is stemming from environmental factors. But what's deceptive about it? Is we are we're exposed to the same environmental factors as our family members. In this case, do you hire midwives? Do you hire doctors? Are you typically a family that stands up to and questions doctors or feels empowered to make your own decisions? If you look back more than three generations, everyone in your family had a vaginal birth probably that like probably since the beginning of time, the odds would be very low. If 150 years ago, you had a relative who had a C section so they were all having vaginal births. So now we're forgetting how long this timeline is of history. And we're saying, oh gosh, I'm this I was born by C section. My mother was born by Success section. Well, sure, because any generation that was born after 1980, that's going to be a very common scenario. So that genetics, they probably all have the same OB. Look, I had a very close friend when I worked at MasterCard, and I was pregnant, and she and her sister both had C sections. Their mother didn't it was just she and her sister. And I remember she stood in front of me, and she held her hips to put her hands on her hips and looked down. And she said, I guess there's just something wrong with my sisters and my hips. And I just felt like, I felt compassion for her. I mean, I hadn't given birth yet. So I was trying to combat the misinformation in front of my own eyes at the same time, but I thought, What a thing to believe because they each have daughters, and now that's gonna get out to their daughters. Let's just assume the opposite. That's gonna serve you more.

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Hi, you guys. I'm so excited to be able to ask a question on hand. This is so cool. But my question is, how long can you go with your Waterbrook my sister in law's water started leaking one day and they told her that she needed Towson and to be induced the next day. So I just want the answer. So I if I ever encountered this, I know what to do. Thank you.

We get this one a lot. How long can you go? How long do you want to go? How long can you go before you and your baby are showing signs of distress? That's different for different people? That depends on what you do. It depends on if you have a lot of vaginal exams, it depends on if you go to the hospital depends on who your provider is. I mean, we know women who have gone days, many days, five days, most women will spontaneously go into labor within 24 hours about 90% 50% within 12 hours. Even up to that recently, but in the same breath are also saying waiting is also fine. And that's something that very few obese are going to get on board with so you have to make that decision and tell them that's your choice. But even a cog is saying waiting is absolutely fine. There's a lot of pressure on women to get right down to the hospital either immediately or within 12 hours according to some obese or within 24 hours according to most obese and that simply doesn't have to be the case especially if your group B strep negative.

And for the small percentage of women that are going to go past that 24 hour mark. You just keep things out of the vagina to decrease any risk of infection, you can monitor your temperature and as long as your baby is moving well and you're feeling well, you know, if you want to go be checked on daily, you can do that. And you can just wait till wait for it to happen.

Hi, Cindy and Trisha, it's their calling, and I am calling in for some relationship advice. I am constantly getting into it with my husband, and it's just vicious cycle. Let me explain. I'm a stay at home mom, taking care of my almost nine month old baby. And by the time my husband gets home, I've been on duty for about 11 hours. Now after having my hair pulled by the baby and chasing the baby around all day, I'm exhausted. And I'm sure that's why was the my patients are getting a little short. It seems like there's a judgmental or resentful comment that pops up on either end. And at least at least one of us. I do feel guilty that my baby has depleted all of my energy, and I have been blessed with an exhausted me. Is there any way to prevent this from happening, I really cannot be the only one who experiences often. Love you guys so much. And thanks for taking my call.

Well, she's certainly not the only one who is experiencing this.

Yes, there any way to prevent this only preconception by opting not to have a baby, such as life when you have a baby. And when you're a stay at home mom, it is 24/7 of having your hair pulled and having the noise and having your hands full. And that's that is the experience. So it takes a major toll on relationships, you do have to both recognize that neither of your needs are being met. I don't mean sexual needs. I mean, most basic needs for the mom. And this is the in this case with Sarah, she's home full time with the mom, almost none of her needs are being met like none of her social needs, she might not be remembering to feed herself breakfast, she's might not be getting enough sleep, it's very difficult to expect anything at all from this woman. And the husband is not getting his needs met either. Maybe he's not getting the same attention from her as usual or she's not able to laugh at his jokes, the way she used to, or whatever is going on the house is probably a mess. This is just a time couples have to be very, very gentle with each other because everyone is getting very little met. But especially the mom. So I just don't want women feeling guilty that they don't have more to give at the end of the day.

Whenever questions like this come up, it always brings me back to episode, our episode we did with Maggie on marriage, I think it was love and marriage episode number 60. And how she talked about establishing the new contracts. And I don't know why that hit me so hard it because it's a simple, but it's like before you have a baby or shortly after or when these things start to really bubble up, you must sit down. And you must redesign the contract between you to have who does what and what the expectations are. So it's not just like, Okay, let's just have a talk. And you know, let me tell you how I feel. And you tell me how you feel and want to kind of discuss this and then you go back to your same old habits, because that's what happens. We're such habitual creatures, we just, it's really hard to change habits and dynamics. But if you literally consider them contracts, and you write it out, and it's literally like a contract. I mean, that's gonna help. That's gotta make things better.

Well, it's such an important point, because if you don't come we talk about this on our fourth trimester workshop, which our listeners can take with us. We offer that about three or four times a year. And one thing we talk about is if you don't have these conversations, before having a baby, you will fall into patterns and usually right into the default. So whoever is doing most of the housework, or most of the laundry, or most of the cooking or grocery shopping or cleaning up the dishes, before you have a baby, it will usually be presumed by both of you that that same person is going to do it after you have a baby and if that's the woman and now she's home with a baby in her arms. It's it's not possible you can't you just can't do it. Because you have a baby in your arms all the time, like a good day for her is when she can get a shower in half the time I did an episode on postpartum rage. And this is off topic from the question we got but it's a cycle of a trigger, an outburst and then the guilt. So from my perspective, how do you remove the mom feeling guilty when she's having an off day? Well, there's a trigger. So for Sarah who called in what is happening, when you are feeling at your worst and you're snapping and bickering with your husband? Is it because you walk by the kitchen and it looks like a wreck? Is it because there are piles of laundry? Is it because you didn't get sleep? Is it because you didn't get a chance to eat all day, find the thing that drives your emotions the most and get that thing taken care of. So sometimes your partner can make you breakfast and leave it on the kitchen table before they go to work in the morning. It doesn't matter if they make you a smoothie or overnight oats or put out a pitcher of water with lemon in it for you. But that if that's your trigger, then they can play a role in making sure that you're eating. Maybe they take on doing the laundry, say every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, put the load of laundry on when you wake up. You have to form new habits and patterns, it's too much for one person to take so of course they're bickering, it'd be hard not to might not be a bad idea to to tell your husband to take a day off work and spend the day with the baby. And you go out and have a day and just kind of help him to understand what a full day of mourning tonight looks like with the baby because he may, he may just not see it. He may just not understand how taxing it is.

Yeah, I was just calling to ask if, if being sick in your third trimester can affect the baby. I'm currently having the flu, sore throat and ear aches. And I just wasn't sure if this would make the baby weaker, or just whatever that thank you for your answers and they can't wait to find out to the contrary, right?

It does change the baby it makes the baby stronger.

Right. So anything that your body is fighting, your body is building antibodies to those antibodies are helpful to the baby, your baby receives some of those antibodies. And that is just a good thing. I mean, there are, of course some illnesses in pregnancy that are harmful but a common cold, common flu, not at all.

When you get a cold and flu, your baby gets antibodies only you have a cold only you have a flu, short of a very high fever, they're going to be that much healthier. Once they're born. We've really been taught to be terrified of all illnesses. But there is no age way nature has goofed or nature has expected all of us to go through nine plus months of pregnancy without ever getting sick. Nature is completely prepared to keep your baby safe in those instances. So it's all okay. All good.

She just needs to take care of herself, make sure she's getting enough rest and hydration and helping herself get back on track.

Hi, Cynthia Trisha. I recently heard the term Lotus Earth for the first time and was curious if you can speak to it. I heard someone on Tik Tok, who was slamming an influencer for recently having a load of birth and calling it unhygenic. I don't know who the influencer is. So I've never heard the term before. So from what I read, it seems very spiritual and ritualistic, much like birth itself and was curious if you can be to Lotus birth. Thanks so much.

I would love to know how many of our listeners have had a lotus birth, I, to my knowledge have had just one client in more than 2000 Since 2007, who had a lotus birth. So let's tell everyone what a lotus birth is.

So I've seen it a couple times. And so a lotus birth is when you give birth to the placenta and you keep the placenta attached to the baby until it naturally falls off. Which can take sometimes a week or more. The it is a spiritual practice people do it for that reason it's a it is more of like a spiritual way of not severing the ties between the baby and the life giving placenta. And it keeps sort of this connection alive. It is dead tissue right when the placenta comes out it is in Oregon. And it is no longer live. So it can get infected.

So what people do I think is they had they put the placenta like in a bag like a drawstring kind of bag, and then the cord is coming out of it. And the other end of the cord is attached to the baby I have to ask because I was I always remember. I remember like, I think when my my firstborn my son was I think he was two days old. And I was like, Oh my gosh, I I didn't know how to change a diaper two days ago. Now I've changed 30 of them in the first two days. I just picture like you're walking around carrying not only a baby but a placenta and it's extra few pounds. It's a lot to manage, you know. So you have to keep it close so that the placenta the weight of the placenta doesn't pull the cord.

Pull on the cord too much. You have to Yeah, like anything. You have to do it responsibly and learn what you're doing. And then ask yourself, what you're going to do with it after it falls apart, falls off. I remember reading mothering magazine. And we had Peggy o'mara on the podcast in 2020, which was a great honor for us both because we love her and respect her so much. And I remember and that's the first magazine I was published in so it was always a special magazine to me as well. Anyone who read that magazine read it from cover to cover we all savor it it. And there was an article written by a woman who did a lotus birth. And I remember starting the article with a very inquisitive and slightly judgmental mind like, whoa, like one of these thoughts like, oh my gosh, like, I have to hear what you're thinking this is really out there. By the end of the article, I was actually shedding tears. This article was just so moving to me with a reverence of the placenta for the first time in my life. I really appreciated the placenta in a new way because of how beautifully this woman told the story. Anyway, I don't know if that article is still available out there. But it was published in mothering magazine or maybe it's on Peggy Omar's website, but it was really interesting to read, and a nice scope into something that most of us never experienced or never choose to do.

Well, we'd love to hear more from anyone out there who has had a lotus birth on why they chose to do it and if they had any adverse effects from it for the baby or infection, anything like that, or if they decided it wasn't worth it in the end or if you know, we'd love to hear what you got out of it emotionally and spiritually what you did with the placenta afterwards, yeah, call our phone line 802-438-3696 And tell us about it and we'll play it in our next q&a If we get any stories.

That was the last one. We're ready for quickies. Okay, quickie. Let's go. Alright, first one. Are there any tests? You recommend taking preconception other than STD tests?

So other than the early prenatal tests, the standard prenatal panel? No, I generally don't think there's a lot you need to do preconception? Not really know if you have to do if you want to do some type of genetic screening because you have a family history of some genetic issue. You can do that. But otherwise, I don't think there's anything you must do. I am in the UK. And when I would like to leave a voice message any chance of a whatsapp contact? Do you have WhatsApp? Yeah, people have been leaving messages on WhatsApp, but they have to send it to me personally. Okay, 203-952-7299. Don't all call at once.

Okay, do you have any helpful pregnancy birth information for a first time mom over 40?

Wait, what was that question? Do you have any?

Do you have any helpful pregnancy or birth information for a first time mom over 40? Well, to keep this quick, yes. I mean, we have a lot of information. But I would say the Quickie response to that is that you are not geriatric. Get that right out of your head. Forget about your age. That's the best advice I could give you. Next one. Will my boobs be destroyed after breastfeeding? They will be changed at my ice where my breasts haven't changed at all. And I extended breastfeeding for both. Really? Yes. Wow. But I've heard they can change any way they can get bigger, smaller change in shape. And I believe all of that. And even I am surprised. But they might not change.

When I think mine personally, I think mine got better after breastfeeding. So did that like that?

How do breasts get better? Is that me?

Well, prior to having children, my breasts were quite large and sometimes that was annoying to me. It was hard to wear certain clothes. I fit clothes better now and I even feel like I can go braless at times which I love.

So some women get smaller so you did oh yeah, definitely. That's some women get bigger. You can yes but destroy No, they're not going to be destroyed, they're going to be potentially transformed and maybe even enhanced. What are your thoughts on routinely giving Pitocin to prevent hemorrhage while birthing the placenta?

Refer to Episode 134? Our Pitocin episode, big, big conversation. We got deep on it in that episode.

My quick comment is just that you know how we feel about things that are routine. So if it's routine, we generally don't agree with it. Are there benefits to having no visitors during the first week after birth?

I know what you're gonna say, Yes, that's a meal.

You would say. That's the That's the intention. We think that's the best course of action. Absolutely. We're minimal. I mean, maybe No, I never had I always had some family come.

Yeah, your bit. Your main thing is stay in the bedroom with your baby for two weeks. Sure. Have people come but don't have people in your space and grabbing your baby and just bond and bond and let everyone take care of the house and you and older children if you ask them.

Exactly. Next one, are fevers a side effect of epidurals? You The short answer would be yes. The long answer would be that they it's complicated. There is a strong correlation with epidurals and fevers, that Oh, fevers are seen more often in Labor's with epidurals, but that could be because Labor's were that portrayals are more prolonged, or there's more vaginal exams. But there does seem to be a correlation with just the epidural. Let's call it an epidural fever. And it's related to the inflammatory response that goes off in the body simply because of the penetration of the epidural into the epidural space. So yes.

So is it the kind of fever that is not associated with infection?

Yes, potentially, but then it can also become infectious. Right? That would be more of a labor fever, not an epidural fever. So that's why I said it's a little complicated. Next one. What ultrasounds are the most important to do if you choose to do any at all?

This is a really personal decision for people. So I mean, I think most families who want to do No, ultrasounds are only one, I think the anatomy scan is probably the one they would do. I would agree. The ones that you don't need are trans vaginal ultrasounds and the beginning of pregnancy and any routine ultrasound in the third trimester is linked to significantly higher induction and severe infection rates. So I would never recommend that you do an ultrasound in late pregnancy without a very specific, intentional, purposeful reason for doing it. It's a very easy thing for providers to get away with doing routinely, because who doesn't want to see their baby, but it is linked to much higher interventions and worse outcomes. Big meta analysis was done on that topic. Really good research was done on that. And it's a very clear correlation. So good question for looking to minimize ultrasound in pregnancy.

Are all breech positions safe to naturally birth?

No, no, correct. I mean that we did a deep dive on this with Dr. Stu Fishbein, the homebirth obstetrician in fall of 2021. And he went through all the types of breech, but they're not all the same, and they do require a skilled provider but a frank breech is statistically safer than a footling breech. And there are various things to know about each position of breech baby when it comes to supporting that birth. So, no, but for more information, refer to that episode. Episode 128.

Is postpartum hair loss normal? I heard it was an imbalance and then it shouldn't be checked out. postpartum hair loss is normal.

We talked about that in a previous q&a in some detail. It's really hard for the women who experience it. It could be a hormonal imbalance, don't you think? I mean, everything is hormones?

Well, postpartum hair that postpartum hair loss is related to hormones. But it's not it's not a an imbalance. Well, it's not a problem. It's a normal shift in physiology from pregnancy to post pregnancy. And it has to do with the stages that hair growth goes into its growth phase, it's resting phase, it's shedding phase. And it's pretty it's normal because we grow a lot of extra hair in pregnancy, this so there's excessive shedding several months postpartum. If your hair loss is really severe, like it's beyond, you know, you're having bald patches or things like that could be abnormal or if it persists beyond a year postpartum, then maybe it is related to some sort of imbalance, but it's normal between like, three and six months to have pretty significant hair. OS shedding of hair not hair loss. Okay, next, why does lactational amenorrhea not work for all women who are exclusively breastfeeding? Well select originally amenorrhea is the absence of menses related to the hormones of breastfeeding, particularly prolactin. And in order to have occupational amenorrhea you have to have higher levels of prolactin persistently around the clock to suppress ovulation. And that requires exclusive breastfeeding, meaning not exclusive breast milk feeding, exclusive feeding at the breast. So that's probably the biggest reason is that women who are still giving pumped breast milk are expecting lactational amenorrhea and it just does not work the same. So if you're going to count on lactational amenorrhea, your longest stretch between feedings can't be more than six hours, one time and 24 hours and no pacifiers in the bottles.

Interesting. I didn't know that.

Last one. Today's story mentioned an option to work with you to process our birth stories. Can you share how to go about this? Hmm. Can you reach out to us our phone numbers are in the episode show notes. Just text us tell us you'd like to work with us privately. We together with you over zoom will sit with you as you tell your birth story. You're allowed to process the emotional and mental sides of it. You're allowed to ask questions about the decisions you made with your providers or any of the things your providers did during your birth. You can really ask us anything. And we'll listen and we'll comment and we'll share our thoughts on anything you want to ask us to share. So we are happy to book those sessions with anyone who's interested. Just reach out and we'll we'll tell you how to how to go about how to go about booking that with us.

Well, that's a wrap on our quickies. And our September q&a.

So we have another recording today Trisha with Dr. Rachel Reed from Australia. Of course, we're doing it in the evening because she's in Australia, but she's currently She's asleep. Yeah, that she is. She's outstanding. She recorded episode 150. With us the plus said that she's the world expert in placentas, which I just think is awesome. And we're doing another episode with her latest. That's very exciting. So you and I need each other again, we'll need to eat and get our stuff done some kids around the meeting that in five hours, hop back on a busy day. Thank you everyone. For the great questions, please call us at 802-438-3696 That's 802 Get down call us 24/7. The voicemail will pick up, leave your question about anything. And don't forget that if you subscribe on Apple podcasts, you can get the extended version of this q&a with lots more questions and lots more answers, plus some exclusive content specific episodes that we will be releasing just for our subscribers. If you are an Android user, we are working on a solution. We do have a little workaround for now. But we'll have a better solution going forward for you.

And for that workaround to get the extended version of our q&a Again, just contact us on Instagram or do our phone numbers or email and we will tell you the workaround you can get all the extended q&a and exclusive episodes. Thank you everyone. And we'll see you next week. Bye bye Thanks for joining us at the down to burst show. You can reach us at downriver show on Instagram or email us at contact at downriver show.com. All of Cynthia's classes and churches breastfeeding services are held live online serving women and couples everywhere.

Please remember this information is made available to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is in no way a substitute for medical advice. For our full disclaimer visit down to birth show.com/disclaimer. Thanks for tuning in. And as always hear everyone and listen to yourself.

I've had this this funny thought process since we've been doing these audio questions that it seems over half the women are called Kate, Megan, or Sarah. I think there's another Yes. It's like multiple like every episode, you'd have a cat a couple of mags? Yeah. And this one was like, and we always have Kate's and she's like, Hi, I'm Kate. And my sister in law is also Kate and I'm like of course because you were all born around the same time. I think they were the most popular names back then. But So interesting.

All right ladies, we need some really unique names calling it now you guys have to keep me to my word you move your named Kate. Jessica. Sarah think there's another one I forgot which one Kristen maybe. And remember, you got to call in. We've got to make it a thing. We're going to be like today we're going to focus only on questions from women named Megan. That was another one. Or only if you have a super exotic, never heard of name then your question gets priority, right? I've set those always have to rise to the top.

Thank you for joining us at the Down To Birth Show. You can reach us @downtobirthshow on Instagram or email us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com. All of Cynthia’s classes and Trisha’s breastfeeding services are offered live online, serving women and couples everywhere. Please remember this information is made available to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is in no way a substitute for medical advice. For our full disclaimer visit downtobirthshow.com/disclaimer. Thanks for tuning in, and as always, hear everyone and listen to yourself.