The Do's and Don'ts of umbilical cord care.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret — less is more...especially when we're talking about how to care for your sweet baby's umbilical cord.

Shortly after you give birth, your baby's umbilical cord is snipped, leaving behind a small stump that will fall off within a few weeks.

Before you're ready to leave the hospital with your newborn, it's important to know how to care for the umbilical cord stump. Your doctor or nurse will likely briefly go over basic tips, but you may feel so overwhelmed with information that you find yourself unclear on how to deal with the belly button area once you get home.

And that’s why I wanted to record this episode for you. In it, I share The DO's and DON'TS for umbilical cord care. 

This is a quick listen so press play and enjoy!

As always, thank you so much for tuning in to this episode.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love the...

6 reasons why the water surrounding your baby is vitally important to their health.

Have you heard of amniotic fluid? 

During pregnancy, your baby develops inside a bag or sac called the amniotic sac. This sac contains a clear liquid called amniotic fluid. Your baby floats in it while resting in the womb. Amniotic fluid protects and nourishes your baby. 

Here’s why that’s important, mama. As with most things concerning your pregnancy, you heavily influence the amniotic ecosystem your baby lives in.

In this episode, you’ll hear where the fluid comes from and all of the functions it serves for your baby while in utero.

That's right!

Today I'm doing a deep dive on amniotic fluid, the silent hero. Cause let's face it - most of us have heard of it but don't have a clue what it actually does.

So, if you’re ready to hear the lowdown about your amniotic fluid, then grab something to take notes with and pay close...

Your willingness to prepare for your birth by starting now is crucial to finding birthing success — here’s why.

If you’re considering ways to have a positive birth experience you should start by understanding, there are somethings you simply can't control.

That's why it's important to focus on the things you CAN control.

Think of it like this, you can't control the length of your labor. However, you can control how you choose to labor. You can determine your birth preferences based on what best aligns with your personality.

So that’s why it’s so important to start preparing for your birth now. 

Now here’s the good news, sweet friend. preparing for your birth doesn't have to be some long, drawn-out affair! With time, effort, and the right strategies, your birth is sure to be a moment you won't forget (or regret).

In this episode, I’m diving into what it means to...

Why you may need to think twice BEFORE copping that expensive cream or oil that promises to prevent your pregnancy stretch marks.

We've all seen the magazine ads or better yet, store displays that promises to enhance your pregnancy glow while preventing "unsightly" stretch marks.

Who wouldn't want the perfectly round, unblemished belly shown on the airbrushed angelic model who's smiling while holding a jar of the magical cream in a jar?

Unfortunately, there's a few factors that determine your likelihood of getting stretch marks. and spoiler alert...

They don't involve a special oil or cream.

If you want to know the tea on stretch marks, then keep reading my friend because today’s episode we'll talk all about what they are and how to know if they'll be hit or miss during your pregnancy.

Grab your favorite drink (non-alcoholic of course), pop those ear buds in and enjoy this episode!

As always, thank you so much for tuning in to this...

Some are myths, some are misconceptions...they're all unrealistic!

"Don't hold your newborn too much. You're going to spoil them."

If I had a dime for every time, I heard that statement over the course of my life, I'd be a wealthy woman.

Not only is it not true, but it's also impossible to spoil a newborn. At birth, babies don't have the capacity to understand the concept of "being spoiled". And even though they DO desire to be held and close to mommy...there's another reason why.

Tune in today, to find out this and more as I offer 6 unrealistic expectations we have for newborns and specific mindset shifts you can make now so bonding with you baby will be a breeze.

Whether you're relaxing with your favorite Starbucks drink in hand, going for a walk or loading laundry - this episode is sure to delight.

Enjoy!

As always, thank you so much for tuning in to this episode.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I...

Am I Pregnant, Or Not?

Warning, this episode is juicy.

And when I say juicy, I mean jam-packed with early pregnancy symptoms that you may experience shortly after becoming pregnant. 

In fact, these are the most common pregnancy symptoms noted by modern professionals, so let me tell you, they're spot-on!

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I like to deconstruct the myths related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding - this conversation does not disappoint. 

In this episode, you’re going to get all the details on the early pregnancy symptoms  – down to the why and the how.

You’ll also learn exactly the best time of day to take a pregnancy test for the most accurate results.

What you’re about to hear will help you to know if you should spend your hard-earned moolah on a pregnancy test – Scout’s honor!

After giving birth and coaching lots of pregnant women through their birth preparation, here’s what I learned.

To call giving birth for the first time a whirlwind would be an understatement. 

My water broke at 5pm on Friday but my son wasn't born until 8:03pm on Saturday (yes, you read that right!).

It was both rewarding and exhausting…and I won’t lie, I had to "lock in" with my focus a few times throughout labor to keep my eyes on the prize - because although the contractions were heavy hitting – hearing my baby's first cry was literally a dream come true for me.

Now if you’ve been with me for a while, you probably know that there's a lot to learn about the entire experience of birth preparation, childbirth and breastfeeding.  

In true Stephanie Poole fashion, I wasn't prepared as much as I could have been, simply because it...

If you want to enjoy becoming a new mom, here’s where you should start.

When most women think of becoming a mom, they often think of what they see on the 'Gram – from their favorite influencer or brand.

And while those sources are aesthetically pleasing, the reality of becoming a mom is not so glamourous.

After having a baby, it's understandable to find yourself struggling to get back to feeling like "yourself"...not to mention the intense level of complexity when adding a newborn into the mix.

Pair that with sleep deprivation, poopy diapers, the learning curve of breastfeeding and the not-so-subtle roller coaster of emotions, also known as "baby blues."

Yeah, like I said...it's a lot.

The good news is as a certified doula, childbirth educator and birth prep coach. I promise not to leave you hangin'.

In this episode, I’m diving into the less talked about but much needed conversation about why new moms are often...

4 Things New Moms Should NOT Feel Guilty About

Let's jump right in!

As I go through this episode, I'll be answering the questions laid out at the beginning: what is mom-guilt? Is it a thing? Do all mommies have it? Does it go away?

the best way to understand it is to know that it's rooted in unrealistic expectations of yourself.

Some of the thoughts that can trigger feelings of guilt are:

thinking that everything should be perfect.

-feeling like I needed to be spot on for everything.

-not wanting to say no.

-not being okay with imperfections.

All that is unnecessary weight to bare.

Trust me as a new mom you'll have plenty of things to carry.

Mom-guilt shouldn't be it.

In This Episode you'll learn 4 key things new moms should NOT feel guilty about AND I'll also share a powerful technique that I teach my clients to make a quick pivot to purposeful positive thoughts to do motherhood joyfully!

As always, thank you so much for tuning in to my channel.

FREE MASTERCLASS
3...

After teaching lots of pregnant women how to breastfeed, here’s what I learned,

Breastfeeding is simple...NOT easy.

What do I mean by that? I'm so glad you asked.

The process of breastfeeding has been around for thousands of years...since the beginning of time!

Why is it now that women struggle so much with effectively learning how to breastfeed?

In a world of convenience, the knowledge and simplicity of breastfeeding almost seems to be a lost art.

I’m happy to report that after the shortage of baby formula, there has been a renewed surge of interest in breastfeeding and I'm here to debunk the scary myths that can be overwhelming for new moms

In this episode, you’ll hear the 3 biggest myths, DEBUNKED!, I can guarantee this episode will not disappoint if you are pregnant and want to breastfeed your sweet baby. And what’s great is you can apply the insight I share right from moment of birth. I have...