Chick Chat: The Baby Chick Podcast

Healing Mothers After Pregnancy and Infant Loss

You may not know this but October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month and October 15th is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. There are so many families that have experienced these heartbreaking losses. In fact, today I'm chatting with one of my former doula clients, now turned friend, Megan McAlister, who is one of those families. Megan is a mother of four surviving children, ages 8, 6, 3 and 1. She is passionate about her personal experience with neonatal loss and her three subsequent VBACs (vaginal births after cesarean). Originally from Texas, her family now lives in Portland, Oregon.

I am so honored that Megan is on today's episode of Chick Chat. She shares her story of infant loss and what families can do to heal after experiencing such a devastating loss. I hope that today's episode gives hope and comfort to any families who have experienced or are experiencing these tragic journeys of pregnancy and infant loss.

What is Lying-in? A Plan for Postpartum Recovery and Support

Expecting moms prepare so much for pregnancy and childbirth, but what happens after the baby is born? The postpartum period, traditionally referred to as “lying-in” is a time to bond with your newborn and establish a connection to build upon for a lifetime. It's also a time to rest and allow your body to heal.
On today's episode, we’re diving into how to create a plan for lying-in and tips for making the most out of your postpartum period.
We’ve partnered with our friends at Earth Mama Organics where they harness nature’s herbal remedies to effectively support the miraculous wonders and common indignities of the entire journey of pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, and baby care. Their helpful FREE Postpartum Lying-In Plan was created to help guide expectant mamas through thinking about their own healing, and to make the most of the postpartum rest time they have. With our tips and their guide new parents can plan for better healing and better bonding with their new baby.

Lyin-In: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjpTMRGUpQY
Earth Mama FREE Postpartum Lying-In Plan: http://blog.earthmama.com/earth-mama-free-lying-postpartum-plan/

Parenting with the Other Woman After Infidelity

Having to deal with infidelity in a relationship is hard enough. When you add kids to the equation, it makes it even tougher. We've had the pleasure of talking with Melissa Davis before, the founder of After the Affair, about dealing with adultery as a new mom. But what next? Now that you have dealt with the big blow of finding out about your partner's affair, how do navigate parenting with your now ex-partner and the other woman? That is if she is sticking around. We're talking all about it with Melissa and she is giving us some amazing tips on how to manage this new and very difficult chapter.

10 Things You Can Do to Ensure Safe Sleep

Safe sleep is a hot topic with all parents, especially new parents. We all worry about scary things like SIDS and suffocation hazards and want to do everything we can to be sure that our babies are safe as they sleep during the night and day! Luckily there are things that we can do as parents to ensure safe sleep for our babies.

Today’s episode we are sharing 10 things you can do to ensure safe sleep for your little ones and this episode is sponsored by our friends at Boppy (https://www.boppy.com). The Boppy Company revolutionized comfortable infant feeding and support with its iconic Boppy Feeding and Infant Support Pillow. They are beloved by parents worldwide and they have quickly become a must-have staple for all nurseries. Boppy has stayed true to its humble roots and maintains its solution-driven mindset. With comfort in mind, they’ve expanded their portfolio to include more award-winning products like baby carriers, pregnancy support pillows, breastfeeding and travel accessories, baby loungers and more. They are offering 20% off to our listeners with code ‘babychick20’ - it is good through the end of the year! We’re partnering with The Boppy Company to educate parents on the importance of safe sleeping practices for infants and we applaud Boppy for their efforts to ensure that every parent understands the importance of protecting their babies while they sleep.

Dealing with Adultery as a New Mom

Becoming a new mother is wonderful and challenging on its own, but when you find out your partner is having an affair, this time that is supposed to be the happiest chapter in your life can turn completely upside-down. What is real anymore? How do you navigate through all of this while taking care of your baby? Melissa Davis, the Founder of After the Affair (www.aftertheaffair.co) knows exactly what this is like because she lived it. Melissa is here on today's episode to ensure that never again will a betrayed person attempt to navigate the affair recovery process alone. No matter someone’s finances, availability, or circumstances, help is available. Be sure to check out her Facebook page @aftertheaffair where she has an incredible support group that you can join for free for support. Today she's sharing her advice and recommendations on how to deal with adultery as a new mom and how to heal from it.

Postpartum: How to Normalize and Minimize Scary Thoughts

During the postpartum period women can think and feel a lot of things: love, exhaustion, excitement, loneliness, joy and sometimes even scary thoughts. All of them are normal, but when the not so good thoughts and emotions come it can be hard to know how to handle them. I'm discussing those scary thoughts new mothers think with Dr. Jane Shomof, a licensed marriage family therapist who specializes in postpartum support and owner and founder of Bloome (https://www.letsbloome.com). We're talking about common scary thoughts new moms think to themselves but never share, thoughts we had after we had our babies, and how to control, normalize and minimize them.
Dr. Jane recommends checking out the book "White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts" by Daniel Wegner (https://rstyle.me/+8NRczFjRDf0bBsA7b64mbA)
And to see other mothers breaking the stigma and sharing their scary thoughts, check out the hashtag #speakthesecret

Gender Swaying: How to Conceive a Certain Gender

If you are planning on expanding your family maybe you are really wanting a certain gender. Maybe you really want a baby boy to carry on the family name. Maybe you have three boys and are really hoping that fourth times a charm and crossing your fingers for a baby girl. Surprisingly there is actually a little bit of science behind gender swaying and there are some things that you can do to improve your odds for having the gender that you are wanting. While we all ultimately hope for happy and healthy children, this just may be the episode that you are looking for to sway your chances of conceiving a certain gender in your favor.

How to Induce Labor Naturally

If you're approaching your due date and ready to meet your baby, you may be looking for ways to naturally induce labor. We get it! We're talking all about natural inductions: why you may want to naturally induce labor, when to do it, and how to do it! We mentioned several products in this episode that can help, and you can find those products on our shop page at www.baby-chick.com/shop

How to Write a Birth Plan

We’re discussing birth plans: what is a birth plan and how do you go about writing one? What do you even put on a birth plan? Do you need a birth plan even if you’re having a scheduled induction or a cesarean section? Are birth plans just for hippy natural births? We’re answering all of these questions and more.
Download our birth plan template and we’ll walk you through it!

What to Look for When Choosing Baby Formula

Choosing the best baby formula for your little one can be complicated and confusing. We know that every parent tries to do the best for their family, but there's so little information on what parents should look for when choosing their baby formula. I got to chat with Dr. Annie Salsberg from KABRITA USA about everything baby formula and what parents need to know when purchasing baby formula. Listen to today's episode to learn about essential baby formula ingredients to look for, what the difference is between cow milk and goat milk formula, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by KABRITA USA.
Click here to try KABRITA's FREE Trial Offer! You'll receive a 14 oz. tin of formula + a $5 coupon (total $25 value!) – and only pay shipping & handling ($8.99)!