Today we are joined by special guest Lizzie Bolliger, Doula and Birth Educator, to talk about pregnancy, unmedicated childbirth, postpartum, nutrition and fitness throughout your trimesters, and the important strategies to prepare for childbirth. Lizzie is a childbirth educator, and she helps moms prepare for an unmedicated childbirth, in the most medicalized place – the hospital.
Show Notes:
2:30 AN INTRODUCTION TO LIZZIE & HER STORY
Lizzie used to be a public school math teacher. One semester, she was asked by her school to teach about child development. So basically for a month she taught childbirth to highschoolers! After she had her second son and her maternity leave ended, she was in desperate need of change.
That’s when she decided to follow her passion for pregnancy and birth and became a doula. When she left teaching full-time she found out she was pregnant again. Although the goal is to help women in-person, her business went more virtual last year where she can focus on education and birth prep online. Although Lizzie advocates for unmedicated birth, I also want to remind you to do what’s best for you and your health. It’s about what MOM wants!
8:15 HOW TO DECIDE WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU
When you are pregnant, you need to figure out where you want to give birth and look into those options. It is hard for a first time mom to figure out what she wants, because nobody is telling you what she needs. A great book recommendation is called “The Birth Partner” and it covers more of the logistical things that your partner can help you with throughout the birthing process.
15:55 FEELING YOUR BEST THROUGH PREGNANCY & WORKING OUT
Micah felt so much better giving birth when she took care of her body through pregnancy. The healthier we are, the easier life is (mental & physical). Pregnancy can deplete your energy, so your health is vital. Listen to your body but don’t be afraid of movement all throughout your pregnancy! Beachbody on Demand and prenatal Barre is an incredible place to start if you don’t know what workouts are safe. Get a free 14 day trial of Beachbody On Demand here.
22:50 OPTIMAL POSITIONING FOR YOUR BABY
You do want your baby to be head-down during pregnancy, but it’s more than that. You want to think about posterior vs. anterior. When you have good positioning for a baby, it will help the delivery be that much easier.
32:30 NUTRITION THROUGH PREGNANCY
You don’t need to double your calories – trust me! If you look it up, they say you need around 300-500 extra calories. However, you have to listen to your intuition. Our bodies will even crave certain things based on the nutrients we need. This is a perfect example of LISTENING to your body. Your OB likely doesn’t know much about nutrition. They tend to generalize answers to your questions, so be cautious when asking questions about specific supplements like Shakeology and other products. In Lizzie’s case, she used Shakeology throughout her pregnancy and believes it’s a great product throughout.
43:00 WHAT TO EXPECT FOR LOSING BABY WEIGHT
I will say from my own personal experience that I do not feel fully myself for 8-9 months postpartum. It takes time. Don’t rush the process! There is a 4th trimester for your body to heal and recover that no one really talks about. Do not play the game with yourself seeing other moms walk out of the hospital looking skinny. Every body is so different. Embrace and honor your body during your postpartum journey. You just created a miracle!
52:25 CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR UNMEDICATED CHILDBIRTH
- Get optimal positioning in your daily habits. That is sometimes overlooked because labor might seem so far away, but this will make your labor go by quicker. The slower the labor is, the more you lose your stamina.
- What support do you need? Get into a birth course!
- Immerse yourself in some positive birth stories. Watch, listen, and read. This will help you understand what’s normal in the process (which is contrary to the media and movies).
- Decide and choose your provider as well as who is going to be with you in the hospital during birth. It is a tall order for the person who loves you to see you accomplish the most difficult thing you may ever do. Equip them with the tools to do this unmedicated.
Find Lizzie at @FierceLizzie on Instagram
Her website and free resources LizzieBolliger.com/links
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