Hormones, Birth & Recovery {from 100 podcast episodes}

So firstly, just a huge thank you to everyone, listeners, guest speakers, and anyone who has sent me a DM, email after review, shared the podcast to a friend. And all of you listening today, a huge thank you. This podcast wouldn’t exist without all of you and your feedback. And I really do thank you for spending the time listening. I know we live in a busy world. And I do feel honoured to have the opportunity to be able to support each and every one of you through this journey. I know this is just a podcast. But if this podcast has helped even one of you feel a little bit more empowered and confident about your motherhood journey, then I am satisfied.

Secondly, to thank you all I am having a bit of a birthday giveaway. So, FitNest Mama has just ticked over two years old. Plus, our podcast has reached 100 episodes. So, there is a fun baby gift pack that I’m giving away for free with every six-monthly membership. So, if you’ve been looking for a reason to sign up to FitNest Mama to feel strong from the inside out, to be able to prioritize your health and wellness during pregnancy and postpartum, this is your chance. So, with every six-monthly membership, you will receive a free gift pack from Bella Azalea, which is a beautiful Australian based baby company. So, there is a five-day free trial for all memberships. Once your free trial ends, as long as you have an Australian postal address, you will be sent out a free baby gift pack, including a silicone scoop bib and a gorgeous tedar. Yours free with every six-monthly membership. This offer is for the next seven days only. So, if you’re listening to this live in real time this offers for you. And this offer does end on Sunday the 24th of July at midnight 2022. But even if you’re listening to this of a month down the track, still check out the link because there’s some great deals going. To find out more, click this link in the show notes or head to fitnestmama.com/birthday. Alright, let’s dive into this episode.

So, I’m discussing three main takeaways. My first main takeaway was learning about the impact of hormones on the childbirth experience. I find hormones fascinating. And it’s absolutely fascinating now being aware of these hormones and how they can help us through childbirth. But also help us even if we have an unexpected or expected intervention. So even when birth doesn’t go according to plan. Having this awareness of hormones can really help. So let me explain more. So, I’m going to give a really brief summary. But you know, I’m no childbirth educator, I’m no midwife, so please do defer to the full episodes also linked in the show notes on I’ve talked to midwife Beth Ryan, also known as Birth with Beth, episode number two on induction and childbirth. I’ve spoken to Loretta Hamilton, who does calm birthing and she’s a midwife. That’s episode 12. I’ve talked to Vanessa Bernard who discusses hypnobirthing for caesarean birth. That’s episode 30. And Rosie Perdue, who’s a pelvic floor physio who also does hypnobirthing. That’s episode 42. So, I’m going to summarize what’s been talked about like main points.

So, we have different cocktails of hormones which circulate our body during different stages of childbirth. And really briefly, a great analogy is thinking about a dog giving birth. And I’m pretty sure Loretta in Episode 12 discusses this. So, if a dog is about to give birth, it won’t do so in a noisy bright room, it will find the darkest, quietest, safest area it can find to give birth. So, if we feel safe if we feel calm, this can help to reduce the stress hormone circulating our body, and help to ripen our body for birth. So, if we’re feeling more relaxed, comfortable, calmer, this helps to reduce those stress hormones. And it’s thought to help promote the hormones which we need to help ripen the cervix and support our birth. So also, on this topic of hormones, understanding how these impacts transition, I think is super important. And I think both Loretta and Rosie and episode 42 discuss this. So, during transition, this is the stage where our body transitions to the pushing stage of labour. And it can feel pretty intense, and sometimes overwhelming. And I personally remember freaking out at this stage and thinking on my goodness, you know what is happening to me. So, in these episodes, Loretta and Rosie discuss how this is where the transition is where our body and mind becomes more alert, we have more adrenaline, and we have more hormones in our body, which helped to almost like waking us up. And it’s like our bodies gearing up the last leg of the marathon. So, our body is getting ready. Our body and mind is getting ready for getting that extra bit of energy it requires for the home stretch. So, if I understood that this transition was a natural response, from the hormones in my body preparing for the homestretch, I’m sure it would have helped me feel a bit calmer.

And then the final key learning discussing hormones with the guest speakers is that even if we have an induction, or a caesarean birth, we can still help support our body’s natural production of these hormones. So, for example, during an induction, you could still dim the lights have your favourite relaxing music on during caesarean, you could listen still to your favourite tunes, and to help you stay relaxed, and your partner might, your birth partner might gently massage your hand or stroke your forearm. So do check out the episode. But there are just a few of those small little touches that you can make, that might make a big difference to how you’re feeling. And you can still generally have that early skin to skin contact with the baby. And this can help those love hormones, the production of those breastfeeding hormones, and all those beautiful cocktails of hormones that generally arise after the baby’s born. So, I probably haven’t done it justice. As I said, I’m no childbirth educator. But I do encourage you to listen to these episodes that I have linked for more information. And I do just find the role of hormones in birth. So fascinating. So, if you’ve got any spare time up your sleeve, if you’re pregnant, I’d highly recommend you investigating that in a little bit of detail.

Okay, second big takeaway is discussing caesarean births. So, this is a big topic. And I just want to say also caesarean mammas are amazing. So, the standout episode, I have episode number 72 with Dr. Natalie Elphinstone, who discusses maternal assisted caesarean. So, I’ve spoken to many mums who have had caesarean who have felt almost powerless and a bit out of control with the situation. Perhaps it was an emergency C section, or even an elective C section. But from speaking to all the guests on this podcast, I’ve really developed a deep appreciation for how even the small things can make a huge difference in terms of how a woman feels her birth went. So, I do feel there is a lot of birth education and support around vaginal births. But perhaps this less preparation although I Do you think this is improving, and support for women who might end up having a caesarean, particularly emergency. So, if you want to listen to how Dr. Natalie Elphinstone helps women to have a maternal assisted caesarean, check out episode 72. In addition, I’ve interviewed a lot of mums who have had caesarean sections. So do check out the birth story series inside the podcast. So, every few weeks, I interview a mum who has a different type of birth story. And there’s some beautiful caesarean births that are discussed and so many tips that are provided in these birth stories podcasts.

Okay, and then the third. The third main key takeaway I wanted to talk about was recovery. So, let’s chat, postnatal recovery. I have had hundreds of women go through FitNest Mama. And I have seen so many women in the clinic, I’ve chatted to heaps on Instagram via DM. And I’m finding this one key feature for women who recover well after birth. It doesn’t boil down to what sort of birth they had. So, all women do have different starting points. So, some women might have had a traumatic experience. Other women have vaginal births, some caesarean births. Some like we all have different starting points and birth affected us all in different ways. But for women to recover successfully, and this is why I love what I do is we don’t have control, there’s an element of birth that’s out of our control. Like at the end of the day, we really don’t know how it’s going to eventuate. And this is why I love dealing with women in their recovery is because this is an element that we do have some control over. Sure, as I said, we might all be at different baselines, and we might have different challenges. But no matter where you are, you still have control over your recovery.

So, for women who recover successfully, I find they put in the work one step at a time. Sure, and might only be 5-10 minutes every few days if they’re exhausted or sleep deprived. But they keep showing up, they keep coming to FitNest Mama workouts consistently. And even if after a few bad weeks, perhaps, you know they’ve their babies been sick, or they’ve been exhausted, even after a few weeks of not showing up their beautiful face will soon show up on a live zoom class again. So, these women, I find are the women who recover confidently. These are the women I find who end up getting back into running netball, hiking, achieving their goals. I wish there was a silver bullet, but there isn’t. And I’m finding more and most successful recovery, it comes with consistency. Consistency doesn’t mean it has to be time consuming. And it doesn’t need to be exhausting. But it just means we need to keep putting one foot in front of the other in the right direction. And I always say to my mums inside FitNest Mama, you know you’re time poor, you’re tired. So, when you do it, let’s do it well, and that’s why we have quality 10-minute workouts, there’s longer workouts to 30-40 minutes, but you could even do five minutes and feel so much more alive and invigorated afterwards. You know, it’s about invigorating your body and nourishing your body. Because if you’re exhausted and sleep deprived, going for a 60-minute walk is might not be what your body needs. Whereas doing a few quality exercises in the back garden with sunshine that might not just about physical health, it’s mental health as well like this might make a world of difference to how you’re feeling in the day. So, quality over quantity sometimes. Chipping away, and you’ve got this ladies every each and every one of you it’s never too late to start to focus on your health and your recovery. Never too late so you’ve got this.

So, with that little pep talk over, I invite you once more to come and check out FitNest Mama including the free baby gift, which we have on offer until Sunday. I’ve just lost the date now it’s if you’re listening to this in real time, it’s Sunday the 24th of July and midnight that offer will end that’s 2022 so head to fitnestmama.com/podcast. That’s it, ladies. Have fabulous day everyone. And I look forward to you joining me next week for another episode of the FitNest Mama Podcast.

Thanks for listening to the FitNest Mama Podcast brought to you by the FitNest Mama Freebies found at www.fitnestmama.com/free. So please take a few seconds to leave a review, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. And be sure to take a screenshot of this podcast, upload it to your social media and tag me, @fitnestmama so I can give you a shout out too. Until next time. Remember, an active pregnancy, confident childbirth, and strong postnatal recovery is something that you deserve. Remember our disclaimer, materials and contents in this podcast are intended as general information only and shouldn’t substitute any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I’ll see you soon!