The Labor Mama

The Labor Mama Online birth courses and insight from an L + D and Postpartum RN and mama of 3. Join me on IG too!

What’d we miss or what would you add?! I love these ask the crowd type questions, because while we all walk away with di...
12/03/2025

What’d we miss or what would you add?!

I love these ask the crowd type questions, because while we all walk away with different things, there are certainly some things that seem to be true for so many of us!

Annnnd, I basically agree about every single one of them. Even though I was a nurse and had seen them all happened to someone else, it is wild to experience it for yourself!

12/03/2025

Who lost their mucus plug and went into labor?

Who lost theirs and baby came later?

Who never even had theirs come out before labor? 🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️

12/03/2025

Interrupting my birth content for some Advent ideas for the bigs!

Advent is both my favorite thing and it takes some work! Anyone who tells you it doesn’t? That’s a little Christmas white lie.

But, here’s some ideas! The 24 we’re doing are all on here! Any sort of meal/sleep switch up is always a treat and they love it and those things are so easy.

Oh, and we just write the experience onto those pieces of paper, roll them up like little scrolls, and then they “open” the scroll each day.

LMK what I’m missing that you do?

*Also, my mama didn’t do advent or elf on the shelf and we had no matching PJs and she was the best mom and I miss holidays with her every single year - so just don’t forget that if this is 100% not your thing. ♥️

More ideas! ⬇️

Set up a Christmas bedroom (twinkle lights, tree, etc.)
Canned good shopping
Shop for toys for a child in need
Drive around and see lights
Salt dough ornaments
Christmas craft
Holiday Rice Krispies
Gingerbread houses
Shoes out for Sinterklaas (12/5)
Write/mail Santa letters
Library visit for holiday books
Holiday movie night
Check out a lights festival/tree lighting
Meet Santa
Make holiday colored playdoh
Make/hang snowflakes in their bedroom
Floor picnic for dinner (by the tree)

12/02/2025

Image from .expert.doula She has such great pictures of labor stuff!!

Sterile water injections for labor pain — such an interesting little option, right?

They’re a really simple pain management technique (done in the hospital) that can be especially helpful for back labor.
It’s just a few tiny blebs (like little blobs) of sterile water placed right under the skin in those four spots.
�And yes… they definitely can sting going in (everyone says that part is no joke!), so sometimes, 2 RNs do them at the same time to get them done faster. For a lot of moms the relief comes on quickly and feels totally worth it. You can repeat them too, which is really nice.

Not every hospital offers them, so it’s worth asking your provider ahead of time.
�If yours does? It might be a great tool to try to keep you mobile and hold off on the epidural a bit — or even to help you avoid one altogether if that’s the goal!

Have you tried them? Would you? I always love hearing whether the sting felt worth the relief.”

12/01/2025

Is having oversupply a blessing? I think in theory, so many of us would rather have this problem than low-supply, but it is so good to understand supply in general AND how to mange the highs and lows of it.

Episode 28 of the is with Bethany - the and she’s talking all things supply, oversupply, rhythms and routines, and bit of neurodivergent parenting in the midst of it all too.

Breastfeeding, in my experience anyway, has been one of the coolest and hardest things I’ve ever done - and there has been a ton of learning and listening and trying again in my 9 years of doing it!

Comment POD to get the latest episode to you!

Oversupply, Exclusive Pumping & Neurodivergent Lactation with The Oversupply Mama

12/01/2025

The average newborn head (think 50th percentile) is approximately 11 cm across. Not 10 cm.

And for those with bigger than average babies? Those heads can be 12-13 cm across.

Wondering what the heck is going on? High school algebra - let’s go! ⤵️

To find the diameter:

d = C/pi

Average newborn head circumference (C)? About 13.5 inches, which equals approximately 34.3 cm.

So… d=34.3/3.14 ➡️ That average head is approximately 11 cm across - 1 cm MORE than complete dilation. Excuse me, but what?!

Real answer?

10 cm dilation - and wanting to push - is really related to the presenting part of the baby. Most of the time, when that head hits the outlet of a fully dilated cervix, it’s about 10 cm across. When babies are OP (sunnyside up), face, or brow presenting, this can make that presenting part wider (and thus harder) to push out and through. Can it still be done? Yes of course! But this is part of why it may be tougher or take longer.

The other thing we’ve got going for us is the movable bones of the baby’s skull - yep, that is totally needed to fit those heads through this space. And lastly? Our tissues continue to stretch and give space AFTER 10 cm has been reached and the cervix has reached 10 cm.

Big takeaway? Many baby have a head BIGGER than 10 cm across. And, because of the craziness of your body (and their little baby heads), they can still fit. And also? Somebody give you a push present. 🎁

You don’t have to know your algebra, but you do need to know how to help these babies fit and all the things you two can do and try and I can help you with that! My birth course is on 52% off sale until tonight! Comment BF25 and I’ll send you the details.

It is freakin crazy but it also works so good when you show up ready.

So how big was your baby’s head? Mine always had smaller than average heads, thank you!

11/29/2025

Both the simplest thing AND it takes practice and work.

Learn how to breathe. Make those lungs work for you. Regardless of how you want your birth to go, ALL OF US can and will benefit from knowing how to breathe.

It can calm you down.
It can decrease your pain.
It can take away anxiety.
It can make your contractions easier.
It can center you.
It can help you achieve unmedicated birth (if that’s what you want or it’s going fast and that’s what is happening).
It can help you make it to the point where you can get that epidural.
It can help you not tear/tear less.
It can help the cervix open.
It can relax your pelvic floor.
It can make your fear manageable.

I could keep going - but I think you get it. Whatever type of birth you want or are planning - there are countless times where knowing how to breathe will help you.

My birth course, Your Body, Your Birth is on sale right now (comment BF25 for details) and I can teach you this - different patterns, how to practice, when to consider using what patterns or what feels good to you.

There is no perfect breathing pattern (like that “hee hee hoo” we all know about 😉) - this is about doing what feels right for YOU in your moment.

Whatcha think? Did you notice how breathing changed your birth?

11/26/2025

Love this from do you agree?

That hand IV - not fun. That one should def be up there IMO.

Want to know more about all of these? My Black Friday sale is live and I will teach you and your birth partner about every single one of these things - do you need them, do you want them, what are the risks and benefits, other options, and or how to get through them too! Comment BF25 for details!

What would be your top? Do you agree with the ⭕️ of 🔥?!!

11/25/2025

Hi, sorry I’m in my feels.

What a ride this whole thing has been.

From those desperate, please work first latches to the “this is your last one, okay?” while I cry like a baby.

We’ve weaned slowly, gently - nights first, then the mid morning feed, then the late afternoon feed, then the bedtime feed, and now the wake up feed.

And she doesn’t even care we’re done - which is great for my heart and I’m so grateful it’s been so simple.

But it all makes you feel ten thousand things as a mom, doesn’t it?

11/25/2025

With birth partners, I’ve always found that it’s really helpful to get really literal. Give them practical tools. Give them lists. Give them actionable things where they can actually say I know exactly what to do.

This kind of stuff is exactly that!!

‼️comment BF25 and I will send you my black Friday sale details!!

Included in the 52% off sale? A mini class and birth guide specifically for partners, plus the full birth class too!

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