From Darkness to Light: A Mom's Brave Journey Through Postpartum Depression

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I am sharing a twin birth story, but not the kind of twin birth story you are thinking of…no this mom, or should I say moms were not pregnant with twins! I had Sierra and Hailey on the podcast this week, and THEY are twins! About Sierra: Sierra O’Toole is a mom to 18-month-old daughter, Kora, and lives in Ventura, CA with her husband Sean O’Toole. She works as a Marketing Manager for Primal Kitchen and in her free time enjoys surfing, family beach days, reading, cooking, and listening to birth story podcasts. Connect with Sierra and birth resources she loved: Instagram: @sierrapartridge  Precipitous Labor Facebook Group Doula: Anastasia Stone IG: @my_lovestones OBGYN: Dr Melissa Drake IG: @dr_melissa_drake  About Hailey: Hailey O’Rourke is mom to 18-month-old son, Patrick, and is currently pregnant with her second baby boy, due in July 2022. She lives in a suburb of Denver, CO with her husband, Eamonn O’Rourke, and works as a flight attendant for a major US Airline. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, skiing, surfing, and walking her French Bulldog, Finnegan. Connect with Hailey and birth resources she loved: Instagram: haileyjorourke Doula: Anissa Cornelius Dr. Sterling & Dr. Cassidy’s Prepared Postpartum Course: https://thesterlinglife.com/courses/ ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE for our FREE mini birth class. You will discover my top tips for a more positive birth in this 45-minute class. CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!  

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I’m on solo for you guys! In this episode, I’m answering LOTS of third trimester FAQs. I remember what it was like being in my third trimester (both times) – and that last one really wasn’t that long ago, and gosh I gotta say it can come with quite a few discomforts!  As that due date gets closer and closer it inevitably seems like more questions come up!Some of the topics I cover are: nausea in the third trimester, traveling during pregnancy, baby movements, itchy feet, labial swelling, hip pain, what to do if your water breaks unexpectedly, and more! Resources from the episode: This episode was actually inspired by two blog articles we have on the site, so in lieu of detailing out the show content, I’m going to leave the links here for your browsing: Third Trimester FAQs and Tips with an L&D Nurse All About Water Breaking During Pregnancy ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get your FREE Third Trimester Prep Pack and feel completely confident with your birth plan and hospital bag and know you’re not forgetting to do a thing. CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver.And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast, I had the opportunity to chat with the lovely Dr. Natalie Crawford all about infertility and more specifically secondary infertility. Dr. Crawford’s Bio: Dr. Natalie Crawford is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and is Director of Patient Experience and Education and co-founder of Fora Fertility, a boutique fertility practice in Austin, Texas. Dr. Crawford values developing close connections with her patients throughout their fertility journeys. She is passionate about education and promotes fertility awareness through social media and community outreach.  Connect with Dr. Crawford: Website: https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/ Instagram: @nataliecrawfordmd YouTube: Natalie Crawford, MD TikTok: @nataliecrawfordmd Twitter: @ncrawfordmd Podcast: As a Woman ******  

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** Caitlin Karl, a fellow mom who’s actually currently pregnant, came on to share all about her journey to adopting her son AJ. Caitlin shares that she and her husband always knew they wanted to grow their family through adoption and biologically, and was never really quite sure in what order it would happen. Ultimately, they decided to pursue adoption first because they knew there was a lot of time, resources, and energy required to go through the process of adopting a baby. So in the summer of 2019, they started the whole process and by July they brought their sweet baby boy home. Caitlyn Karl’s Bio: Caitlyn Karl is a working mom who lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband Jake, son AJ, and soon daughter (due at the beginning of June). Caitlyn and Jake started their family through the adoption of their son this past year.  You can find Caitlyn Karl on social media here: Instagram: @k.adoption.journey Resources from the episode: Be the Bridge Transracial Adoption Guide The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family Book by David R. Cross, Karyn B. Purvis, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine Angela Tucker: Transracial adoptee and Public Speaker. @angieadoptee on Instagram, “The Adoptee Next Door” Podcast, “Closure” documentary Brandi Ebersole: Adoptee and Adoptive Mom. @brandi_ebersole on Instagram Wreckage and Wonder: Torie is an adoptee who shares her perspective on adoption Cam Lee Small: Adoptee and adoption informed therapist. @therapyredeemed on Instagram,  Ashley Mitchell: Birth mother, adoption reform advocate, founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation. @bigtoughgirl on Instagram, “Twisted Sisterhood” Podcast Adoption Education Keys: Adoption education from the perspective of a birth mother. @adoptioneducationkeys on Instagram Adopt Well: Two adoptive moms who educate about adoption.  “Adopt Well Podcast”, @adoptwell on Instagram  Kindredand.Co: Adoption community, blog, profile books, run by adoptive mom Hannah Eloge. @kindredand.co on Instagram Susan VanSyckle: This is the adoption consultant Caitlin and her husband worked with ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** Labor induction – this is a topic that comes up a LOT in my DMs over on Instagram and in the MLN community in general! So, today on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast I’m doing a Q&A-style episode all about planned inductions. Your most burning labor induction FAQs, answered! I see it all the time, women are nearing the end of their pregnancy, and not planning on an induction, and then all of a sudden, they need one! When this happens, there’s not always a ton of time to research, prepare and sort through all the info that’s out there. So, I thought I’d put together this episode with some of the most common questions I get about inductions. Let’s go! ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get free birth plan templates straight from the brain of an L&D nurse - that’s me! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, Malori shares her hotel birth story with us via c-section, and talks about her fertility struggles. Malori’s Bio: Malori Mayor is a registered nurse, military wife to Mark, and new mom to Max!  After an almost 2-year struggle with infertility, holistic treatments, and surgery for endometriosis, Malori and Mark were finally able to conceive their first child.  Aside from being a wife and mom, Malori is passionate about helping other women also going through infertility who want to treat it holistically.  While going through infertility herself, she began helping others share their stories of infertility and miscarriage on her blog, and also started a podcast, Restoring Fertility Naturally.  Malori spent most of her pregnancy in Germany, where her husband was stationed with the Army, and then gave birth to Max after moving to California.  In whatever little free time she has, she enjoys reading a good book, baking, and going on neighborhood walks with her little family and their German Shepherd, Zoey. Malori’s Birth Story: Other than moving from Germany to California in my third trimester, I had a pretty easy and normal pregnancy and planned on an unmedicated birth.  We lived in a hotel for most of my third trimester while waiting on military housing, so I was fully prepared to bring home our new baby to a hotel room.  But otherwise I expected all to go smoothly.  I got the biggest surprise of my pregnancy when I went to my 40 week appointment and it was found that baby boy was breech!  He had been head down just the week prior.  My doctor reviewed all the options with me and I opted for a version the next morning and then would wait it out for natural labor to start.  However, baby boy had other plans!  I went into labor that evening, as we were moving items into the house we had just gotten the keys to.  I was totally in denial that it was labor but finally realized that the contractions weren’t Braxton Hicks anymore!  My doctor had me come to the hospital to get checked around 12:30am, and Maximilian John was born via c-section at 1:54am on January 8, 2020!  He was born healthy, pink, and screaming, and him being laid on my chest with my husband by my side was incredibly glorious.  Even though a c-section was my last choice, that moment was priceless and a beautiful culmination of all our fertility struggles.  Max is now 8 months old and is such a happy and active boy! You can find Malori on social media here: IG: @warriorlifewellness Blog: https://www.warriorlifewellness.com YouTube: http://bit.ly/maloriyoutube Resources from the episode: Malori’s podcast where she goes into further details about infertility: http://bit.ly/podcastrfn This is the model of treatment that Malori used for infertility:  http://www.naprotechnology.com/ ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive C-section tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, my friend Marley talks all about how maternity care differs in the UK! Marley’s Bio: Marley is registered midwife from Surrey, UK and is also a mother to 5 children including a set of twins. She has practiced midwifery in various settings over the past 11 years working in hospitals, birth centers and in women’s homes. She cares for women from conception up until 2 weeks postpartum. Marley is also a widely recognized prenatal education instructor who shares lots of useful information on instagram through her cartoon drawings. Having delivered over 600 babies, Marley is an expert in childbirth and is passionate about helping women to have a positive birth experience no matter what type of birth they may have! You can find Marley on social media here: Website: www.midwifemarley.com Instagram: @midwifemarley  ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to learn what to expect, find out about important tests and procedures, and ensure you’re making the most of your prenatal care! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!  

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, my friend Cierra shares her traumatic birth experience with her first, and her amazing, empowered birth experience with her second after taking Birth it Up! Cierra’s Birth Story: After having a traumatic 1st birth of her son, Cierra wanted to have a different experience with the birth of her daughter. Switching providers and educating herself lead to the unmedicated water birth she dreamed of. She had some hurdles breastfeeding at first, but was able to go on to exclusively breast feed for 4 months and counting. Cierra’s Bio: Cierra is from Dayton Ohio. She’s married to her husband, Nathan, and a stay at home mom to her two children, Ezekiel and Hannah. You can find Cierra on social media here: Instagram: www.instagram.com/cierraivey ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, my friend Mallory shares her experience with postpartum depression and later I do a Q&A answering your questions about it. Here are the questions I go over in the Q&A! What should I do if I need help? What are some of the common treatment methods? Are there certain risk factors? What should I say to people if they think I’m fine, because I don’t look sick? How long will it take for me to feel better? Mallory’s Bio: Mallory is a mom to two sweet kids, ages 3.5 and 8 months who fill her heart with joy and her home with mess and never-ending laundry! She and her husband live in Nashville, TN and Mallory spends her time outside the home helping parents and school personnel provide the best services for their kids with special needs. She is a contributing writer for Scary Mommy, the Mighty, and Wallet Path and can be found online at www.iepguru.com, or by email at [email protected]. Resources from the episode: www.ppdjourney.com Changes that Heal, by Henry Cloud When Changing Nothing Changes Everything, by Laurie Short Unseen, by Sara Hagerty postpartum.net ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

*Hi guys! Liesel here. I wanted to let you know that the Mommy Labor Nurse podcast as you know it is currently getting a HUGE facelift! In the meantime, please enjoy this re-air of a fan favorite episode!! And stay tuned to my instagram for updates on when the new and improved Mommy Labor Nurse podcast will be back with all new episodes!* ****** In this episode, we dive into all things mental health! I sat down with Dr. Ashurina Ream, a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced training in perinatal mental health! We talk about a range of topics including: Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Anxiety, Prenatal Mood Disorders, Coping Skills, & more! Dr. Ream’s Bio: Dr. Ashurina Ream, PMH-C is a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced training in perinatal mental health. Her passion to help pregnant and postpartum families arose after becoming a mother herself. She recognized the limited support and education in the community regarding the care for women. This resulted in her pursuing additional education as well as creating resources for those impacted by perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to this specialty, Dr. Ream has trained in various disciplines as it pertains to the field of psychology. She has worked with those struggling with body image, eating disorders, parenting, health-related mood impairment, cognitive functioning, and general mental health. You can find Dr. Ream on social media here: Instagram: @psychedmommy Website: psychedmommy.com Resources from the episode: postpartum.net pregnancyafterlosssupport.org Her postpartum support group on FB can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2432150633740181/ ****** Overwhelmed by the amount of pregnancy & birth info out there? I got ya covered! CLICK HERE to get helpful and supportive tips, info, and resources from an L&D nurse sent straight to your inbox every week, and never sort through search results again! CLICK HERE to learn more about our online birth classes that will help you feel prepared and in control - no matter how you deliver. And be sure to follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over half a million for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!