The Ovary Action

Christina is a micro-premie survivor who was 1 lb. 8 oz at birth, at 25 weeks with a 14% chance of living. After defying all the odds, here she is as an adult and she wants to tell her story. Connect with Christina: Instagram: https://instagram.com/clgagnon30?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Michelle Mayefske is a certified birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, fat activist and author. She has made it her mission to change the way people approach plus pregnancy and birth. Through her teaching and social media networks, she seeks to empower and educate plus size expecting parents-and their birth partners-so they may seek the positive birth they want and deserve. Her ongoing trainings for birth professionals are paving the way in increasing truly size inclusive care across the globe. Connect with Michelle: Website:https://www.fatandpregnant.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fat.and.pregnant/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatandpregnant Offers with our partners! Needed: https://thisisneeded.com/?rfsn=4608703.549df3&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=4608703.549df3 Use code OVARYACTIONPOD for 20% off one time purchase orders or first three months of our one month subscribe and save subscription option.

We love a home birth story and this week, we get three!! Stephanie joined me this week to tell us about how she prepped her home for home birth, the unique aspects of each of birth, including the fact that one of them was unassisted, and the fact that she is starting her own doula journey. Thank you so so much Stephanie for being so vulnerable and allowing us to experience the magic of these stories. Offers with our partners! Needed: https://thisisneeded.com/?rfsn=4608703.549df3&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=4608703.549df3 Use code OVARYACTIONPOD for 20% off one time purchase orders or first three months of our one month subscribe and save subscription option.

Today's topic: Surrogacy! Krystle Gard joined me this week to tell us the ins and outs of becoming a surrogate. She shares the process of matching with a family, what communication looks like throughout pregnancy, as well as her experiences in birth and postpartum. As a mom of 3, she also touches on the excitement of seeing her own kids experience her third journey as a surrogate. Thank you so much, Krystle, for sharing such an intimate and incredible experience with us. Connect with Krystle! Instagram: https://instagram.com/familiesbuildingfamiliesafs?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= All Families Surrogacy  (AFS) SEEDS- Society of Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy Bridgetown Baby Doula & Lactation Birth First Education Center Offers with our partners! Needed: https://thisisneeded.com/?rfsn=4608703.549df3&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=4608703.549df3 Use code OVARYACTIONPOD for 20% off one time purchase orders or first three months of our one month subscribe and save subscription option.

What an honor it was to have Jenn Scott Pickett as my guest this week! Jenn and I are family and I am forever grateful to have her as such big part of my story and journey. Today, we hear a bit of her story. Jenn shares the pregnancy and birth story of her third child who was diagnosed with gastroschisis - a defect that caused his intestines to grow on the outside of his body. It goes without saying that this made her experience much more nuanced than any others she had had before. She shares the scary parts, the sad parts, the incredible parts, the magical parts, and everything in between. Connect with Jenn! Website: jennscottpickett.com Medium: https://medium.com/@jennscottpickett Jenn's Instagram: https://instagram.com/jennscottpickett?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Salty Mermaid's IG: https://instagram.com/saltymermaident?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

CW: stillbirth This week, I had the lovely Allie Page on to share her story. She talks about her experiences through her first pregnancy and birth that left her so excited to do it all again. Next, she talks through her second pregnancy. This pregnancy, with her daughter, resulted in a stillbirth. Allie talks through the intense emotions that she and her family went through at this news so gracefully. Mercy was her name and Mercy Season is what they call that season of their lives. She describes this season as hard, but beautiful. She rounds out the episode with the story of her next pregnancy and of the many synchronicities between the two. Allie had found her place in the birth world - starting as a birth doula and now teaching childbirth education and working on some incredible projects!! Connect with Allie! Website: https://www.birthofamothersummit.com/?fbclid=PAAaYh-xUM4M6CPY8whwhT6-61oXIaK2HBEEDxg1Rr4pfvsQsb8tmuWpE3bNs Instagram: https://instagram.com/alliepage?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

This week’s guest is Petra Cruz of Birthing Come True. Petra joined me for this episode to share the story of her vaginal birth after three cesareans. She walks us through her journey to this specific delivery, including details of her previous deliveries. She even talks about how she dreamt of this delivery months and months before and actually got to see that dream come true. Now, not only is she a mother, she is a birth doula, placenta, encapsulation, specialist, and podcaster! Connect with Petra! Website: https://birthingcometrue.com/ The Birth Junkie: https://thebirthjunkiepodcast.buzzsprout.com/2130166 Instagram: https://instagram.com/birthing_come_true?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DoulaPetra/?mibextid=LQQJ4d The Fearless VBAC Workbook: https://birthingcometrue.com/fearless-vbac-freebie

Happy Tuesday! This week's guest is Maris Feeley. She is a co-owner of Carolina Birth & Wellness, birth doula, childbirth educator, reproductive rights advocate, bad ass, and so much more. Maris talks us through her journey as a birthworker - starting as an abortion doula and transforming over time as a supporter of families in so many avenues. She is such a delight to work with and I am grateful to call her a friend and mentor. Important note before diving into this episode:  CW: obstetric violence  Connect with Maris!  Body Reclaimed Website: http://bodyreclaimed.com/?fbclid=PAAaZKC96q_tomtyfZrEa9swR0_fPDPD5B__aKK7ZskscO4aYojL5gBApotLQ Instagram: https://instagram.com/body.reclaimed?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Carolina Birth and Wellness Website: https://www.carolinabirthandwellness.com/instagram?fbclid=PAAaZ33p8AvChUpEdjQqAR-DuYC1WV8UOX-SDeSO8Fw6PGWEyCfv1MhChc5cM Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolinabirthandwellness?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Connect with us! We are taking submissions to share your story via DMs on Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.ovaryaction?igshid=MDM4ZDc5MmU= Send us a message to set up an interview!

Fathers need support too. I had such a powerful conversation with Baaba Khesu SaAb about exactly that. He is a father, husband, spiritual life coach, daddy doula, medicine man, Ra Sekhi healing artist, and so much more. He speaks on the way that his work is meant to create waves across generations to find the nurturer within and then teach the next generation to lead with that same love. He talks about the support that the non-birthing parent can provide on such a deep level starting even before conception and what that support looked like within his family as be supported his wife during their unassisted home births. There are so many rich, soul grabbing pieces of this conversation and I am so grateful to share it here. Connect with Baaba Khesu: Website: https://www.baabakhesusaab.com/?fbclid=PAAabNrZJY2eZgBkvn6-dSuiaNUZ5jI42tNDKr69slACJtVBmGMjuVnf5fs_o Daddy Doula IG: https://instagram.com/babadaddydoula?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Sacred Sons IG: https://instagram.com/sacredsons?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

This week's episode features my friend Emily Chaffee. She is the founder and co-owner of Carolina Birth and Wellness, a birth doula, massage therapist, placenta encapsulation specialist, and even more! Emily takes us to and through her IVF journey. She talks about the ups, downs, waiting periods, and deciding to not put life on hold. Connect with Emily:  Website: https://www.carolinabirthandwellness.com/  Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolinabirthandwellness?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolinabirthandwellness?mibextid=LQQJ4d  Connect with us! We are taking submissions to share your story via DMs on Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.ovaryaction?igshid=MDM4ZDc5MmU= Send us a message to set up an interview!