You asked - we answered all of your burning questions about Cesarean Sections! Our discussion includes optimal time between pregnancies after a C-section, factors affecting type of wound closure post-C-section, and reasons why some people might choose an elective C-section even when not medically necessary.  Consider downloading our Birth Preferences Guide or signing up for our free Birth Preferences Mini Course! For a deeper dive into all things pregnancy, birth & labor, postpartum and...

Today’s birth story comes from Heather in Victoria, British Columbia and long-time She Found Motherhood Podcast listener! Heather’s birth story starts off with a bit of a rocky pregnancy which lead to the preterm birth of her daughter and a rather long stay in the NICU. She describes the many challenges, and the small pieces of joy, she discovered on that journey.  Part of the challenges she experienced included a significant amount of nausea in pregnancy. If you or anyone you know is...

Today’s topic might be something that many of us haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about - what kind of changes can occur within our eyes during pregnancy? If you have a pre-existing condition, either physical or specifically ocular, are the eyes particularly susceptible to damage during pregnancy and should specific precautions be taken? Could your eyesight worsen? Or can it improve? What effects does breastfeeding have? Ophthalmologist Dr. Amaka Eneh joins Dr. Alicia to answer the above...

Sometimes it might seem like restricting certain foods in pregnancy is overkill, but once you listen to this episode, you’ll understand why! Keep in mind these two diseases are quite rare in pregnancy, but if you do contract them and pass them onto your baby, they can have dire consequences. There is no need to overly worry, but we think it’s important to be aware and just exercise a little bit more caution - as always, knowledge is power! As always, we’d love to hear from you if you have...

Today Kelsey shares with us her birth story with an admirable openness and generosity of spirit, despite having to navigate a pregnancy and birth with more than one unexpected twist and turn. She speaks to Dr. Sarah about how her Birth Plan and birth education equipped her to anticipate various decisions she might encounter - and how she also had to embrace the unpredictable nature of childbirth when the “right” path became unclear.  Tune in to hear her full story, including how therapy...

In this episode of the She Found Motherhood podcast, Drs. Sarah and Alicia dive into a topic that resonates with up to 80% of pregnant individuals – nausea and vomiting! Between simple lifestyle adjustments and lesser-known tricks, our top 10 tips to help manage these challenging symptoms cover everything from staying hydrated, to how modifying your vitamin intake, and even your dental routine, might help! Don't let nausea overshadow your pregnancy journey – empower yourself with these...

Jen shares with us her two birth stories, the first a planned Cesarean section and the second, a very empowering Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). Though Jen is a labor and delivery nurse professionally, going through childbirth herself has given her a multitude of valuable insights on both the process and the systems in place that support birthing people. Despite being intimately familiar with labor and delivery, she was surprised about what worked and what didn’t for her, and we’re so...

Let’s face it - kids can be expensive, and having a family brings on a whole new set of financial obligations that can catch some of us off guard. But taking a few simple steps early on can really help put your family on the right track in the long run, even without a lot of capital up front. This is why we are excited to have Aimee Burton on today’s episode! She is a licensed financial broker and agency owner,  based on Vancouver Island. Her and her team of licensed advisors focus on...

On today’s episode, Dr. Alicia Power speaks to Kristen Yarker, a registered dietician in Victoria, BC and founder of The Kristen Yarker Nutrition Agency, with a combined 30 years of training and experience guiding people through the perimenopause and menopause period. While this time of transition presents certain challenges, not unlike puberty it should be considered in a comprehensive way from how our diet, exercise, sleep, stress and mental health can impact the transition - and vice...

On today’s episode, Drs. Sarah and Alicia break down varicose veins in pregnancy - what they are, why they occur, common symptoms, the importance of monitoring them, treatments, and why they can appear in unexpected places during pregnancy! Tune in for their expert insights and practical tips on navigating this common yet often unexpected aspect of pregnancy. With the holidays coming up, we have the perfect gift for you or the pregnant person in your life! The Nesting Box is a trimester...

You probably know about postpartum depression, but did you know that postpartum anxiety and postpartum rage are just as common - and much less talked about? Sadly, many mothers struggling with mental health issues don’t reach out for help with the fear that medication (in conjunction with very costly therapy) is the only solution. But this is not the only solution, nor necessarily the most effective one. Andrea Niles, founder of Prospera Mental Health and Wellness, is a clinical psychologist...

On today’s episode, Drs. Sarah and Alicia get down to brass-tacks on one topic you may not know is a routine part of newborn care - the Vitamin K shot. What is Vitamin K and why do newborn babies need it? Drs. Sarah and Alicia address this and so much more in this quick yet informative episode, including dispelling common myths that you’ll want to know more about. If you’d like to learn more about this and many other essential parts of routine pregnancy, postpartum and newborn care, be sure...

“It’s mommy’s turn to wine! It’s cheaper than therapy!” Why is alcohol the only drug we need to explain not using? It's the cheapest, most popular, and widely available drug for adults in North America, and moreover using it is normalized over declining it, and is often wrapped up in a culture of necessity and as a healthy coping m echanism for moms. But what if we have more to gain than to lose by numbing out the hard parts of parenting? Celeste Yvonne, Recovery Coach, author, mom, and...

This episode is a re-release which first aired on April 14, 2022. We welcome our new listeners and hope you find it informative! We are huge proponents of empowerment through education, and often advise our patients and listeners to take a prenatal course to help them along their pregnancy to parenthood journey. But how do you even begin to find a course that’s right for you!? We’ve put together this quick guide with our top three things to think about when you're choosing your childbirth...

This episode is a re-release which first aired on March 30, 2022. We welcome our new listeners and hope you find it informative! Today we are providing you with an overview of what routine pregnancy care looks like, after the first prenatal visit we discussed last week! After the initial visit where we do a deep dive into your and your family’s medical history and a long survey of health related questions, we'll ask you to come back in about two to three weeks later for a complete physical...

This episode is a re-release which first aired on March 16, 2022. We welcome our new listeners and hope you find it informative! On today’s episode, Drs. Alicia and Sarah address a question they get asked a lot: how to choose a pregnancy care provider! It’s one of the first major decisions you make in pregnancy, and often an overwhelming one as you try to navigate the different options and which one is best for you. Join Drs. Alicia and Sarah as they review the different options and how to...

“Omg! I think I might be pregnant!?” This is often the first thought that crosses our mind in early pregnancy, before we have the chance to take a test or see our provider! So what are some early pregnancy symptoms to look out for?  Drs. Sarah and Alicia outline them all for you in this quick and handy episode! But moreover, here are links to episodes on each of the symptoms, discussed in greater detail: Morning Sickness: The low down on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy Constipation...

This just in! The guidelines around the treatment of mastitis, a common complication of breastfeeding, have largely changed! On today’s episode, Drs. Sarah and Alicia provide an overview of the updated clinical protocol from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine - and let us (possibly) be the first to tell you that the new guidelines are almost the exact opposite of what was previously recommended. A must listen! For clarification, the probiotics we were referring to are called...

Did you know that men experience hormonal shifts during their partner’s pregnancy and into the postpartum period? While this biological change likely occurs to stimulate child / parent bonding, it can also cause postpartum depression in partners and is experienced by about 8%-10% of them - and is all too rarely talked about.  But Drs. Sarah and Alicia are here to spark the conversation! And encourage both partners and birthing people to talk about it with each other, with your greater...

Should I be getting dental work while pregnant? Is it okay to get x-rays? What about filling cavities? Today’s episode is a must listen, as Dr. Sarah Lea interviews dentists Dr. Brin MacMillan and Dr. Sabrina Ma, co-owners of South Island Dental, on the do's and don'ts of dental work in pregnancy! They discuss if and when to get dental care, which procedures you might want to avoid, how the changes brought on by pregnancy may affect your dental health, and share some facts about radiation...

Movement is medicine! What do we mean? Tune in to today’s episode featuring Nikki Johnson, mom, certified personal trainer, and pregnancy to postpartum fitness coach, where she discusses her thought out approach to pre and post natal fitness.  For more info on Nikki, check out her website at www.nikkijfit.com and give her a follow on Instagram @nikkijfitness and tune into the upcoming Nikki J Fitness Podcast! Taking you from anxious and overwhelmed to confident during your childbirth...

Nicole’s birth story is chock full of experiences, from pre-fertility and an unexpected diagnosis, IVF, gestational diabetes in pregnancy, and a labour and delivery with unforeseen complications. But she managed to navigate it all successfully in large part due to the education she underwent in the process, allowing her to make informed decisions and take efforts to prepare herself for delivery and postpartum - such as regularly performing perineal massage. But don’t take our word for it -...

Birth is a complex event - both physically and emotionally for us and our partners. A good way to navigate those complexities is to discuss and note down your birth preferences to help manage expectations and create informed decisions, but what happens when birth goes differently than planned? Dr. Pip Houghton, family doctor with a passion for supporting new mamas and a special interest in perinatal mental health care, shares with us her personal and professional experiences in dealing with...

Today we are talking about all things fetal movement! What does fetal movement feel like? When should you begin counting it? Is there such a thing as too much movement? And what about hiccups!? In addition to today’s episode, be sure to download our Fetal Movement Hand-Out and Tracker, describing all you need to know about how to monitor your baby's health through fetal movement counting, including a handy tracking sheet you can print and use at home! Taking you from anxious and overwhelmed...