Yoga | Birth | Babies

Have you considered how your endocrine system might affect your fertility or pregnancy?  Today we dive into the topic of endocrine disruptors and how they may adversely affect your system.   Although these endocrine disruptors are everywhere in our environment, the good news is there are ways to limit your exposure.  Our guest today shares practical tips that you can use immediately to limit your exposure to these environmental factors.  She gives great advice on how to find a healthy balance that will benefit your family and the next generation.   To have this conversation, we welcome Sarah Thompson on this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies.  Sarah is a board-certified diplomat of oriental medicine, certified functional medicine practitioner, and birth doula. She is also the author of Functional Maternity – Using Functional Medicine and Nutrition to Improve Pregnancy and Childbirth Outcomes. Sarah recommends that parents should try to control what they can in their environment and let go of what they cannot contr

Have you considered using midwifery care for your birth?  Perhaps you have questions about what a midwife does or how they differ from a traditional OBGYN.  Today we are going to talk all about midwives.  I think midwives are fantastic, they hold a special place in my heart because my own births were attended by a midwife.  In this conversation we will dive deeper into the midwifery model of care.  What is a midwife?  What are some misconceptions around midwifery care?  How does midwifery differ from a more traditional OBGYN?  What is a midwife’s involvement in labor and birth?  Who’s a good candidate to work with a midwife?  We got you covered on so many topics about midwifery, if you had any doubt of what midwifery was, by the end of this conversation you will be crystal clear. Casey is full of passion and knowledge, I am really excited for you to hear her perspective and all her wonderful ideas!  To have this conversation, I have Casey Selzer joining us today on Yoga| Birth| Babies.  Casey Selzer, CNM, is

We’re back with my favorite type of podcast episode, a birth story!  We’ve been able to create an amazing community of students here at PYC.  I see many of these students twice, sometimes three time a week.  I get to know them, hear their stories, listen to their concerns and I am able to share with them what I’ve learned.  Today we have Katie Lohiya, sharing her birth story.  She has been part of our PYC community since she was 13 weeks pregnant.  She attended class 2-3 times per week, even when she wasn’t in NYC she would join online, which I absolutely adored. I was able get to know Katie well.  We have a similar background, we are both dancers and performers and I resonated with her.  When I asked her to share her birth story she said “absolutely.” Katie tells a beautiful birth story.  I am deeply honored that as she was explaining her story, her time at PYC was very much interwoven into her birth.  I am very appreciative that the time we spent together helped her throughout her labor experience.  On toda

How does the health of the pelvic floor impact birth?  It is so important to have a healthy pelvic floor in order to have a functional birth and a healthy body.  This is one of my favorite topics!  If you’ve been a listener of Yoga| Birth| Babies, you know that anytime I have an opportunity to talk about the pelvic floor, I will bring an expert on to do so.  Not only have I picked the brain of many experts on this topic, I have taken multiple certifications focused on pelvic floor health. Today we will talk about the function of the pelvic floor, how it impacts birth, how to prepare the pelvic floor for birth and ways to relax the pelvic floor.  We will also discuss Kegels and their role in pelvic floor balance. To have this conversation, I have Kara Mortifoglio joining us today on Yoga| Birth| Babies. Kara is a pelvic health specialist, and co-owns a physical therapy practice in Manhattan, Long Island and Westchester.  She specializes in treating all pelvic floor disorders including pregnancy, postpartum, bl

Should you do strength training while pregnant?  Today we will talk about strength training for pregnancy, birth and beyond.  This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart because I believe that strength training can help prepare your body for birth, help you be more comfortable during pregnancy, and help you rehab postpartum.  In this conversation we will discuss common misconceptions about strength training during pregnancy, including safe practices, warning signs and when to return to strength training postpartum.   To dive into this conversation on Yoga| Birth| Babies, we have Nicole Scheitlin.  She is the Founder of Strong Mama Wellness and mom of two. Nicole is a Certified Exercise Physiologist, Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist, and Health Coach with over 12 years of experience in the fitness industry. Nicole would like to encourage new parents to think of exercise as a way to support their bodies through their natural changes and move away from seeing exercise as a way to achieve an aesthetic goal.

Parents are you thinking about your child’s growth and development and how to help them hit their milestones?  Our guest today is an occupational therapist who focuses on sensory play for babies.  In this discussion she talks about why sensory play is important for your baby and how you can integrate it into your daily activities.  She reviews the different senses and shares that there are actually eight of them, I thought there were only five!  We also have a conversation about the importance of toys and how they have an impact on your child’s development and sensory awareness.   Little secret, when it comes to toys, less is more and without batteries is even better.   We welcome Allie Ticktin on this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies.  Allie is an occupational therapist specializing in sensory integration.  She is the founder of Play 2 Progress and the author of the book, ‘Play to Progress: Lead Your Child to Success Using the Power of Sensory Play.’Allie believes that the best way to support children is by armi

Today we have a birth story from one of our community members Sydney Pollock.  I had the privilege of watching Sydney go through her whole pregnancy at PYC.  She started taking class very early in her pregnancy and the last class that she took was the day her water broke, two days before she was supposed to be induced!  Sydney shares her birth story with me and recounts the surprises that happened during her experience.   As we were talking about the highs and lows and some of the unanticipated outcomes of her birth, she spoke about how her care provider was incredibly supportive.  The way her birth team treated her made the difference between her having a dramatic birth experience versus a traumatic one.  Sydney’s birth story is an example of how birth doesn’t have to go exactly how we envisioned for it to feel empowering.  Birth can have its unexpected turns, but you don’t have to be traumatized by it.  Despite its twists and turns, you can still feel incredibly supported and taken care of by the people aro

What is PCOS and how does it affect fertility?  Today we will discuss PCOS – Polycystic ovarian syndrome and how it impacts infertility and pregnancy.  If you have PCOS, this conversation will give you information on how to advocate for your best pregnancy.  As we dive into this topic, we will examine the role the environment plays on the endocrine system and on hormones in general.  After having this conversation, I actually went through my beauty products and cleaning supplies and got rid of many of them.  As I learned more about this subject, I realized how delicate our bodies are and how outside factors can greatly influence our health, especially when looking at PCOS.   We welcome Doreen Block and Dr. Aumatma Simmons on this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies.   Doreen Bloch is the Founder of ELLEMENT, the first personalized prenatal supplement company. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 CEO who has pioneered a patent-pending prenatal supplement solution after discovering the challenges with bioavailability and custo

We have a beautiful birth story today, that I am excited to share with you!  Perhaps you are moving through your own pregnancy or birth experience right now and wondering what it will be like.  Something to think about as this story unfolds, is the importance of a flexible mind.   A student in class shared with me that she was feeling very tight in her hips and concerned that her tension would affect how she gave birth.  I told her that birth didn’t necessarily require a flexible body, however, it did require a flexible mind.  My guest Rikke, demonstrated this ability as she worked with the twists and turns of her birth and had a beautiful experience. She discusses how even though it wasn’t the birth she envisioned, ultimately it was supportive and peaceful. Today on Yoga| Birth| Babies, I speak with Rikke Le Kirkegaard, to learn about her extraordinary birth experience.  Rikki is originally from Denmark and has lived in New York since 2019 with her Italian husband.  She has worked for UNICEF since 2015 – fir

Do you feel overwhelmed by all the parenting choices available now?  In today’s podcast we discuss feeling confident in your choices as a parent.  We have so much information at our fingertips in 2024, it can be challenging to sort it all out.  Perhaps you feel conflicted about where to find reliable information or maybe you are experiencing decision fatigue.   I’ve invited Sharon Mazel, internationally recognized pregnancy and parenting expert, to talk about how we can feel grounded and confident in our parenting choices.  In this conversation, we also discuss myths surrounding baby’s first year, navigating milestones and how to make choices that are right for you and your family.      We welcome Sharon Mazel on this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies.   Sharon is an internationally recognized parenting and pregnancy expert, author, journalist, speaker, parenting coach, and mom of four with over 25 years of experience in the field. Sharon is the author of Bite-Sized Parenting: Your Baby’s First Year and was previo

How would you like your partner to be involved during pregnancy and birth?  Today we dive into a conversation about birth partners and their role in supporting you through your birth experience.  We talk about how to prepare ahead of time by discussing the expectations and dynamics that influence both the emotional and physical aspects of birth and pregnancy.  Sometimes partners are nervous about being involved, however, in this conversation we highlight ways to help them get past that fear so they may be the best partner they can be for you.   On this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we welcome Yiska Obadia.  Yiska is a passionate teacher and healing arts practitioner, with over 25 years of experience as a massage therapist, acupuncturist and birth doula. Yiska would like to encourage expecting parents to prepare and educate themselves about birth and postpartum as much as possible.  She believes that when parents set up a support system and work as a team, they may have a more positive birth and postpartum exp

Today we have a community birth story.  I love sharing birth stories because they are inspiring and confidence building.  Listening to different scenarios and various journeys, releases the idea that birth has to happen in one way.  Today’s guest, Aly Grobeck, offers a wonderful story filled with humor and candidness.  I really appreciate Aly sharing how important it was for her to listen to her body and stand up for herself throughout her experience.  This is something we talk about in yoga, learning how to listen to your body’s cues, so that when you are in labor, you have the awareness to do what is best for you and your baby.   On this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we welcome Aly Grobeck, one of our PYC students.  She was born and raised in NYC on the upper west side.  She is now preparing to go back to her digital marketing job in the beauty industry after six months of maternity leave. Aly would like to encourage expecting parents to birth with courage and know that they are strong enough to navigate wh

What is a doula and why would you want one?  In today’s episode we will discuss what a doula is, how they play a role in birth, and their ability to enhance what a partner can offer.  I was a labor and support doula for over ten years and know first-hand the benefits of using a doula. Doulas support every family and every type of birth, not just unmedicated births.  It’s not necessary to have one type of birth in mind to receive the assistance of a doula.  During this podcast we will talk about the hard evidence that points to the benefits of having a doula in labor.  This data may help you feel more confident about your choices moving forward.  As a bonus, we also go over questions you may use when you are interviewing a doula.   To go deeper into this conversation on Yoga| Birth| Babies, we have Jeanna McNeil. She is a birth doula, birth photographer, & maternal mental health advocate. Her passion is serving women and families locally in Alabama and virtually all over the world.  Jeanna would like to share

Have you thought about how your relationship with your partner may be affected during the postpartum period?  Today’s podcast topic came from my students.  I noticed a heated conversation happening before my postnatal yoga class one day.  Several students had gathered together and were talking about how they felt anger and resentment towards their partners.  They felt like so much of the burden of being a new parent fell on their shoulders.  I observed rage, tears and deep emotions during this discussion.  After this conversation, I was inspired to create a podcast about relationships during the postpartum period. I found a speaker, Lauren Tetenbaum, to speak on the subject and why it’s so common to experience anger in the postnatal phase.  Lauren talks about practical ways to work with your partner to lessen the resentment.  She also discusses how to set boundaries and prioritize self-care.   On this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we welcome Lauren A. Tetenbaum LMSW, JD, PMH-C. She is an advocate and therapis

Have you considered why you should have a vaginal exam during pregnancy and labor?  I often say your cervix is not a crystal ball, it’s not going to tell you when labor is going to start.  It’s something I see time and time again, students will come into class excited because they are a little dilated or discouraged because they are not.  My guest today is going to talk about the information we get from vaginal exams and how that will help you make decisions in pregnancy and labor.  She poses the question, are they even necessary before the onset of labor?   On this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we welcome Kara Ffrench, certified nurse midwife. Kara has been a registered nurse since 2006 and became a midwife in 2014. She spent her midwifery career working in a private practice as well as in a large hospital system. Kara is currently in a private practice attending home and hospital births, including seeing patients for complete gynecological care.   Kara reminds parents that they are in control and make the d

 Get the most out of each episode by checking out the show notes with links, resources and other related podcasts at: prenatalyogacenter.com  Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE  If you love what you’ve been listening to, please leave a rating and review! Yoga| Birth|Babies (Apple) or on Spotify! To connect with Deb and the PYC Community:  Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you struggle with how to handle postpartum visitors and setting boundaries? Setting boundaries isn’t the easiest thing to do for some either. Personally, I was never good at this. After stumbling upon an article written by our guest, I instantly knew more folks needed to think about this ahead of time! We’ll touch upon when to have visitors meet your newborn, vaccinations, how to communicate to folks that you are or aren’t ready for guests, is the new parent the host (NO!), and even ways to politely ask folks to leave after overstaying their welcome.  To dive deep into this conversation on Yoga| Birth| Babies, we have Ruth Gordon-Martin. She’s the founder of CODDLE, an online community that supports and empowers new and expectant parents. Ruth reminds us not only to prepare for postpartum, but having this conversation with your team ahead of time is a part of the preparation too! I’ve heard many stories from our PYC community of those who didn’t set clear boundaries and were put in awkward positions to nav

Have you considered the different choices there are when feeding your baby?  Offering choices and education is something we value here at PYC.  Our job is to support your choices for birth, however you choose to birth.  When it comes to feeding baby, nevertheless, not all parents feel this support.  Many parents sense judgement from others when they opt for formula feeding or bottle feeding.  In this conversation, Jayne Freeman talks about the need to normalize formula feeding. She shares how the current breastfeeding narrative may contribute to anxiety, lack of confidence and postpartum depression.  Jayne gives some practical information on how to choose formula if that’s the path you opt to take.   On this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, we welcome Jayne Freeman to have this discussion.  Jayne Freeman is a CEA/MNY certified childbirth educator, breastfeeding counselor and postpartum doula specializing in mood disorder prevention. After the birth of her two daughters, Jayne started a public access show about b

Have you ever thought about what’s needed to prepare and recover from a cesarean birth? Whether you’re planning, have a scheduled cesarean or curious to know more, this information is valuable. We’ll discuss what to expect during a cesarean and how to create a cesarean birth plan. How to prepare the night before, what to wear to the hospital, what to do when you arrive and recovery on the other side of cesarean.  On this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, we welcome Amy Morrison to have this conversation. She is the founder of Pregnant Chicken, a popular online resource for expectant and new parents. Amy struggled to find reliable information during her own pregnancies. She wanted to offer advice that’s straight forward to other parents. Some things we desire may not go as planned, but the main focus is about having an open conversation of expectations with your care provider. Vaginal birth or cesarean, this conversion is equally important to have with your care provider to create a family centered birth. Prepar

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You have your baby and everything is going great the first few days or weeks. Suddenly your baby starts to cry and cry and cry. You try all different swaddles, ways to bounce your baby, wear your baby or soothe their tummy. During your visit to your pediatrician they tell you, “you have a colicky baby.” What does it mean to have a colicky baby? What are the misconceptions- gas, reflux, colic? Could it be affected by gut health? For those who have gone through this or currently experiencing this, what kind of emotional physiological support did you need from having a colicky baby? It can really impact you and your whole family. To dive deeper into this topic, today on Yoga| Birth| Babies we have Megan Dishman. She is an emergency room nurse in Utah. Megan was shocked in 2021 by her own postpartum experience with a colicky baby. This is such an important topic. Something I learned during this conversation is 20% of babies fit the criteria of colic. This information brin