94: When Prep & Advocacy Pay Off

Birth Matters

Millennials & die-hard Queens natives Suzanne & Edgar share the many smart things they did to prepare for the journey into parenthood and in hopes of having a healthy pregnancy & unmedicated birth: pre-conception couples therapy, going back on mental health meds in the journey to conceive, physical prep with exercise including yoga, nutritional support, chiropractic, acupuncture, meditation & mindfulness practices, hiring a doula, carefully choosing care provider, taking birth class, attending lactation support meetings during pregnancy, books, and more. Their birth story starts with being told they need an immediate induction due to low fluid. They decide to buy a bit of time by going to Suzanne’s “lucky diner” for a good meal beforehand, and her labor starts spontaneously. Suzanne experiences a faster-than-average 1st stage of labor but longer-than-average pushing stage. When the doctor says a cesarean might be needed after 3 hours of pushing, Suzanne is determined to give birth vaginally. Going into parenthood, she experiences some breastfeeding challenges that hit her mental health and shares about the hard decisions she had to make along the way. This story powerfully demonstrates how strong self-advocacy is often a gamechanger in many hospitals to have a physiologic birth and avoid unnecessary interventions. It also highlights how important supporting our mental health is in the journey into parenthood - directly from a parent who works in the mental health field.

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