In today's episode I interview a woman who was in graduate school studying nutrition during her first sustained pregnancy; she experiences a lot of lapses in care, both for the miscarriage that precedes her first pregnancy, for the first trimester, and more during her first labor; but she learns a great deal about herself and the process.

She shares:
* What she thinks first trimester care should look like
*The concept of "Trimester Zero" and the panatal period
* What she wishes she'd done differently

You Can find Brandy's company, Pivotal Origins, here
Evidence Based Reasons for Never Ending Symptoms

Today I finish my conversation with Charlotte. We talk about her next two births, one which involved an issue with the placenta, the second of which was a precipitous labor--contractions and birth within an hour--and how those experiences taught her to accept the help on offer from her community.

In this episode my guest talks about a host of challenges she managed during her pregnancy including PCOS, miscarriage, an unexpected appendicitis that leads to a preterm birth.

Through it all, she perseveres, learning something from each challenge:
* the benefits of preparation
* the benefits of hospital care
* the limits of her own control over pregnancy

and takes these ideas into her reproductive future.
I also include the insights of a fantastic OB. What follows is the first part of our conversation.