This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Mariah, who brings her wisdom as an emotional processing yoga coach to the world of birth. From dreaming of a quiet, at-home birth to some late pregnancy hurdles that led to an unexpected, but peaceful C-section, Mariah’s journey is a crash course in the power of surrendering.

In this episode:

• The nuances of pursuing a home birth in a medically motivated state
• Staying grounded as a mom with OCD
• Cloistatsis + pre-eclampsia
• Trusting your body and your baby amid uncertainty
• Breech baby + empathetic hospital staff
• The untold difficulties of overproduction in breastfeeding + D-MER

Mariah’s story is a testament to the importance of staying true to your inner voice as you enter the unpredictable world of motherhood. Her insights have forever changed how I view birth and the beautiful balance between a mother and her baby.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday

📱 Follow along on Instagram @thelaborline

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Mariah’s Honey, Be Yoga Instagram

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Mariah

06:54 - Pregnancy: Instant Connection to Baby, Switching Doctors, & Late Term Hurdles

28:49 - Delivery: Pre-eclampsia, Breech Baby, Empowering Hospital Staff, & Positive C-Section

56:21 - Postpartum: Overproduction in Breastfeeding, Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, & Emotional Struggles

1:13:33 - To My Pre-Mom Self...

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Maddie, whose birth stories are as powerful as they are different. From a long, exhausting hospital induction with polyhydramnios to a fast, redemptive unmedicated birth at a birth center—plus the emotional experience of miscarriage in between—Maddie shares it all with honesty, insight, and so much heart.

In this episode:

• 3 DAYS of hospital labor (48+ hours unmedicated!)
• Moving across the country with a newborn
• Coping with a miscarriage
• The shock of a subchorionic hemorrhage
• Healing, unmedicated birth center experience
• A birth prep must = Disney Jeopardy!

Maddie’s story is one of strength, surrender, and showing up with love. I know y’all will be just as moved by it as I was.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday

📱 Follow along on Instagram @thelaborline

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols

New Sibling Course Pack by LoveEvery

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Maddie

08:13 - Deciding to Have Kids

11:39 - 1st Pregnancy: Exhaustion + Polyhydramnios

17:55 - 1st Labor: Induction, 3 DAYS of Labor, & Epidural

25:33 - 1st Postpartum: No Sleep + Cross-Country Move

30:18 - Miscarriage: Grief + Emotional Support

45:08 - 2nd Pregnancy: Physical Prep + Subchorionic Hemorrhage

56:25 - 2nd Labor: Birth Center + Redemptive Water Birth

1:29:00 - 2nd Postpartum: Quick Healing + Adjusting to 2 Children

1:35:00 -To My Pre-Mom Self..

This week, I’m joined by my friend from home, Annika, who is such a kind and resilient person.

After wrestling with several chronic health issues in her early twenties, Annika shares her winding road to mom-hood, including her IUI journey, her positive pregnancy experience, an induction, an epidural, 30 HOURS of labor, and the emotional decision to pivot to a C-section. She also talks about utilizing accelerated resolution therapy (or ART) to process her birth experience.

In this episode:

• Unanticipated infertility + IUI success
• Enjoying pregnancy after infertility
• Elective induction + inability to dilate
• Mental and emotional coping during a C-section
• Reflecting on the vulnerability required in motherhood

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday

📱 Follow along on Instagram @thelaborline

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Annika’s 30-Minute Nutrition Podcast

Annika’s Digital Diet Tech Page

Roku Stick to add to your hospital bag