019: Behind the Scenes of a Natural Childbirth with Mada Lavey

Have you ever considered natural childbirth but are curious to know all it entails? Mada Lavey went through two natural births at a birthing center and can’t imagine doing it any other way. Mada Lavey is a health and wellness blogger and mama of two who actively pursues a holistic and natural lifestyle. She is truly a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to have an unmedicated and holistic birthing experience. In this episode, Mada shares all about her two conception journeys and pregnancies, why she chose to give birth at a birthing center, as well as her postpartum and breastfeeding experiences. She also gets incredibly honest about the things no one talks about giving birth. Enjoy!  Episode Highlights:  2:32 Mada’s background in the holistic world 4:53 How Mada prepared for conception and natural childbirth 9:24 Three important things women who want to conceive need to know 11:57 Experiencing miscarriage and what your HCG levels can tell you 14:25 Getting pregnant for the first time 18:23 Why Mada chose a birthing center instead of a hospital birth 25:45 Mada’s experience going into labor with her first child 28:40 The 4-1-1 rule about contractions 30:06 What it’s like to give birth at a birthing center 35:03 Experiencing a rite of passage through childbirth 38:30 The biggest differences between Mada’s first and second birth 43:46 Giving birth one week before COVID-19 quarantines  46:42 Mada's mild complication that resulted in needing stitches 49:23 What postpartum, placenta pills and breastfeeding is like 53:15 Mada’s recommended resources for pregnancy 55:37 What no one talks about post-childbirth 58:58 How you can get in touch with Mada Links and Resources:  Mada’s Website Mada's Instagram Garden of Life Prenatals  Thorne Basic Prenatal The Business of Being Born Origins Birth Center Cheryl Abrams, Newborn Child Care Specialist and Doula Mountain Rose Herbs Calendula Oil Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland The First 40 Days by Heng Ou Article: 9 Prenatal Vitamins I Trust and Recommend Podcast: EP 002: Why I Choose Home Birth, with Allison Evans of Branch Basics Guest Bio Mada Lavey is a Dallas-based mama with a passion for all things health-related. She's a social media influencer and a personal trainer. Her Instagram page is devoted to healthy living through fitness, nontoxic beauty, motherhood, recipes, and living an all-around holistic lifestyle. Did you enjoy this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on iTunes to let me know! I love hearing what you think and it helps others who want to Do It Different find the podcast as well.