During my pregnancy, I was obsessed with listening to positive birth stories and imagining what my own would be like and I'm so excited to share it all with you today. I recap all the nitty gritty details from the highs and lows of pregnancy to the unexpected twists and turns of my labor and delivery!

In this episode you'll hear:

• How I decided between birthing at-home, in a birth center or at the hospital
• What resources, courses, and classes *we* took to prepare
• What expectations I had of my husband
• The really important conversations we had before getting pregnant
• How long it took for me to get pregnant
• Tips for morning sickness
• How we did our gender reveal
• Why we chose to hire a doula
• What my birth wishes were
• My attempt to go unmedicated
• All my desperate attempts to induce labor
• How hypnobirthing helped me
• The challenges I faced with my baby's position
• What contractions / back labor felt like
• What I used for pain management during labor
• How I advocated for myself
• And what happened immediately after delivery

I delve into the various stages of my pregnancy, the preparations my husband and I made, and the intense emotions that accompanied the journey. Despite the unexpected twists, the birth of my son was a profound and empowering experience.

This episode is not just a recount of my birth story but also a tribute to the incredible support from my husband, my doula, and my medical team. Whether you're a soon-to-be mom, a new mom, or someone who loves birth stories, I hope my journey brings you insight, hope, and maybe even some excitement for your own path to motherhood.

Links to things mentioned in the show:

• Use Code 'JESSIJEAN' for 10% OFF >> The Birth Class For Couples - by Balanced Families. This course was a GAME-CHANGER for my husband and I and helped us understand our options for various ways of birthing, how to prepare for birth during pregnancy, labor 101, knowing our options / how to advocate for ourselves, pain management techniques, what to expect immediately after baby is born, and how your partner can best show up for YOU. It was AMAZZZZZING!
• Expectful App - I loved the pregnancy and birth focused meditations, visualizations, and the hypnobirthing audio course inside this app.
• Super Soft 'Lila' Labor Gown - I wanted to be as comfy as possible during labor and this gown was incredibly soft. I loved it!

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Email: info@foodfreedomonlineprogram.com

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Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Excitement and preparation

[00:02:48] Beginning the journey motherhood

[00:03:45] Conversations we had before getting pregnant

[00:07:14] Tips for morning sickness

[00:12:19] Finding the @balanced.birth.couple on Instagram

[00:16:10] Seeking support: hiring a doula

[00:17:10] Navigating pregnancy challenges

[00:20:40] Our private gender reveal

[00:22:56] Addressing gender preferences

[00:23:37] Pregnancy anxiety

[00:27:29] Exploring birthing options

[00:31:29] Creating my birth wishes sheet

[00:39:42] Induction attempts and expectations

[00:43:07] Onset of labor (back labor…ouffff)

[00:53:07] Decision for epidural relief

[00:56:00] Challenges with baby’s position

[00:59:47] Joyful arrival of baby Marcus Andy

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This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.