Twin pregnancies, seem to be more common than we once thought, but some result in a vanishing twin in the first trimester. 

In this episode, we discuss the different types of twin pregnancies including mono-mono, mono-di and di-di twins. 

We discuss how these differences impact the care through the pregnancy and the mode of delivery options available!

We also discuss potential issues that could affect the pregnant person and the babies. 

Join us on the She Found Motherhood podcast to learn more about Twin Pregnancies!

A big thank you goes to Veena, a medical student working with us for putting together all the research on this topic!! 

Diastasis Recti is a separation of the rectus abdominus muscles that run up and down our abdomen. This occurs in pregnancy as the uterus grows and the connective tissue softens. 

If you want to learn more about diastasis recti, how it's diagnosed and how we can manage it have a listen to the podcast below! 

Prenatal screening in pregnancy is such a complicated topic!! There are also new technologies and tests that are coming out which adds to the confusion. 

Dawn, a prenatal genetic counsellor from Lifelabs, joins us on our podcast to discuss what options there are for pregnant people!

We review how to decide whether or not prenatal screening is right for you. 

We then review the commonly offered tests, both that are funded publicly, and that you can pay for privately. 

Finally, we discuss what are the next steps if you screened positive on one of these tests. 

A great resource to learn more about the Non-Invasive Prenatal Screen specifically can be found at www.lifelabsgenetics.com/Panorama. 

We hope you find this discussion helpful in your pregnancy journey! 

For people who've experienced infertility and pregnancy loss, many go on to experience anxiety and worry even throughout subsequent pregnancies and the effects from the grief and loss persist. 

One of the many tools that can be used to support your pregnancy after infertility and loss is mindfulness. 

For more information around how mindfulness can support this journey and opportunities available have a listen to the podcast below!  

We know from our own pregnancies, and from supporting our own maternity patients, how challenging sleep can be in pregnancy! 

Some of our top sleep tips include: 

• Create a simple but relaxing bedtime routine; this can include taking a warm bath, doing a guided meditation, reading a book, journaling, etc.
• Keep a regular sleep schedule
• Exercise regularly, preferably at least 4-5 hours before bedtime
• Avoid caffeine after lunch
• Do not go to bed hungry, a bedtime snack can be part of your routine
• Make the bedroom environment conducive to sleep and reserve the bedroom for the 3 S’s: Sleep, Sex and when you’re Sick
• Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens (TV, phone, tablet) leading up to bedtime
• Deal with your worries before bedtime; sometimes keeping a ‘worry journal’ by your bed can be helpful, if a worry pops into your head, jot it down to get it out of your head and onto paper; if it pops back into your head remind yourself you’ve...

Top 9 Things that affect fertility: Here is a quick review of the 9 causes of infertility!! Listen to our podcast for more details around each of these topics! 

Get your free preparing for pregnancy download here! 

Irregular or absent menstrual cycle: a “normal” menstrual cycle is 21-35 days.  There are many things that can affect your hormones that control both ovulation and your uterine lining.  We will discuss many of these in today's podcast!! Anything that affects ovulation or your uterine lining can affect your ability to get pregnant.  

Ovarian reserve is a very important piece of the puzzle.  Women are born with all of the eggs we will ever have, and they decrease with time, not only because they are released, but they also degrade over time.  

Age: Women in their late 30s are approximately 40 percent less fertile than women in their early 20s and this is primarily because advancing...

Diastasis Recti:

Diastasis Recti is a separation of the rectus abdominus muscles, that run up and down in our abdomen, known as the “six-pack” muscles.  It occurs during pregnancy due to stretching from a growing uterus and baby and a weakening of the connective tissue that holds them together.

Did you know that all women at term have a Diastasis recti??? Does that mean it is going to continue postpartum?…no…

Kim Vopni, The Vagina Coach, joins me on our podcast to discuss the importance of training for birth, just like any major life event, such as a marathon, and how this can improve our outcome when it comes to Diastasis.

We discuss the risk factors, how to diagnosis diastasis,  and what we can do postpartum to help improve it!

We also discuss her amazing course, Prepare to Push, and how she educates pregnant women about their anatomy, and gives exercises to help strengthen their core, pelvic floor...

Did you know that there is a difference between water immersion and water birth? 

Water immersion is spending time during active labour in a tub, whereas water birth is actually birthing your baby in the tub underwater. 

In our podcast, Heidi, a registered midwife in Victoria, BC, and Dr. Alicia review the evidence around the safety, risks and benefits of both water immersion and water birth for both the delivering person and the newborn baby!

We review what factors about the pregnant person and the neonate may come into play around deciding whether labouring or delivering in water is appropriate. 

We also review what are the safety factors that your care team has to support you with to help you have the best and safest experience for both you and your baby!

Join us in our podcast to dig into all the evidence around water immersion in labour and birthing in the water! 

So, what is anemia? 

Simply put, Anemia is a reduction in hemoglobin (red blood cells) that causes a decreased ability of your blood to carry oxygen to your cells. 

Is anemia normal in pregnancy? 

Yes! During pregnancy, a degree of anemia is actually normal! 

Now, it’s important to understand that some people may have a pretty big drop from their baseline hemoglobin without crossing these thresholds, so if your levels fall within ‘pregnancy normal’ but you’re feeling quite fatigued then it’s definitely worth pursuing further. 

How common is anemia? 

Well, we know about all reproductive-age women (pregnant and now) ~ 30% worldwide are anemic at baseline. We know that during pregnancy, this number is even higher and the WHO estimates that over 40% of pregnant people globally are anemic. 

So how do we know what anemia needs treatment and what anemia doesn’t? 

We need to figure out the cause of the anemia. Is...

For some people, pregnancy brings a glow to their skin while others can struggle with worsening acne. 

If you've got questions about skincare in pregnancy, what's safe and what's not; if you're wondering what treatments are available for common skin conditions like acne, perioral dermatitis and melasma then have a listen to our podcast all about skincare in pregnancy with Dr. Bri.