Lo & Behold | Pregnancy, Birth, Motherhood

Lo Mansfield RN, CLC

What if your best motherhood choices aren’t my best motherhood choices? Each week on Lo & Behold, we’re leaning into that real, messy, necessary question as we navigate all the choices you’ll find yourself making in pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and modern motherhood. Hosted by Lo Mansfield — former labor and postpartum nurse, certified lactation counselor, mom and RN behind The Labor Mama, and real life mama of four — this show is your judgment-free space to explore all the options in front of you. Whether you’re navigating a birth plan, wondering about labor induction methods, worried about breastfeeding challenges, or figuring out how to advocate for yourself or your littles, you’re not alone here. On Lo & Behold, we’re cutting through the noise of the motherhood space and ditching the black-and-white takes. Each episode, Lo brings her years of experience in maternity care, lactation support, and real-life motherhood straight to your earbuds — through candid insights from her own successes and mistakes, expert interviews, and other real mom and dad story shares you’ll actually relate to. Each week, you’ll find relatable, honest stories and reflections that help you make intuition-led, evidence-informed decisions in your own birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and motherhood stories — with zero shame and zero slant. Because your best story is the one that feels right to you — and no one else gets to tell you what that is. If you’re craving confidence, clarity, friendship, and a space that says “you get to choose” and “I trust you,” this podcast is for you. Whether you’re pregnant with your first baby, planning a hospital birth, or knee-deep in the chaos of raising toddlers and raising babies, grab your coffee, your electrolytes, or your raspberry leaf tea, hit play, and let’s chase down your best story — together.

  1. 1h ago

    Are Pitocin Contractions More Painful than “Normal” Ones? | Episode 69

    This is part two of our Pitocin deep dive (if you haven't listened to episode 68 yet, hit pause and go do that first - it lays the foundation for everything we talk about here). In this episode we're tackling the question I get asked about more than almost anything else on social media: are Pitocin contractions more painful than spontaneous ones? I walk you through the real differences between Pitocin and oxytocin - how they act on your uterus in similar ways but flow through your body completely differently, why Pitocin tends to be more rhythmic and relentless compared to the natural ebb and flow of spontaneous labor, and why the fact that Pitocin doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier (so you miss out on some of that natural endorphin flood) matters so much for how contractions feel. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% But here's the thing - I'm not going to give you a flat yes or no on this one, and I explain exactly why. I share two totally opposite experiences with Pitocin to show you just how much nuance is actually at play here, and then I walk you through the questions I think you should actually be asking yourself before you're ever in an induction situation - things like your environment, your care team, your relationship with your nurse, and your own mindset going in. My hope is that you leave this episode not with a scary verdict about Pitocin, but with a roadmap: real understanding, real questions to ask, and genuine empowerment for whatever your induction story ends up looking like. More from this episode: Listen to episode 68: Yes or No to Pitocin? 8 Things You Need to Know Before Your Birth Listen to episode 60: Induction Part 2: Induction Methods - Foley Bulbs, Pitocin, AROM, & More Listen to episode 59: Induction Part 1: What You Need to Know Before We Talk About How it's Done Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Pitocin Changes Things01:41 The Big Question03:16 Pitocin vs Oxytocin05:41 How Labor Flows10:55 Real Stories and Nuance12:54 Questions to Ask15:24 Hopeful Takeaways About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  2. Sep 7

    Yes or No to Pitocin? 8 Things You Need to Know Before Your Birth | Episode 68

    Pitocin is one of those topics that comes up in almost every birth conversation, and it can feel so spicy - like you have to pick a side before you even understand what it is. So in this episode, I'm pulling the spice out of it and just giving you the practical, foundational stuff: what Pitocin actually is (hint: it's synthetic oxytocin, not the real thing, even though the bag says otherwise), how it's different from the oxytocin your body naturally makes, and why the fact that it doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier actually matters for how your labor might feel. I'm walking you through eight things I think every person giving birth should know - from how it's dosed and titrated, to what your nurse is actually watching for on that monitor, to the difference between Pitocin during labor versus that standard dose you get afterward to help prevent hemorrhage. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% My goal here was never to tell you whether to say yes or no to Pitocin - that's not my job, and it never will be. What I want is for you to walk away understanding it well enough that when it comes up in your own labor, you feel educated instead of overwhelmed, and you know exactly what questions to ask. Because at the end of the day, you don't have to be pro-Pitocin or anti-Pitocin. You just deserve to understand what it is so you can be part of that conversation when the time comes. Mentioned in this episode: Listen to episode 60: Induction Part 2: Induction Methods - Foley Bulbs, Pitocin, AROM, & More Listen to episode 59: Induction Part 1: What You Need to Know Before We Talk About How it's Done Listen to episode 20: Active Management or Hands Off? Your Third Stage of Labor Options with Miri Halliday, BS, CPM, LM Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Pitocin04:05 What Pitocin Is06:15 Risks And Tradeoffs09:08 Pitocin Vs Oxytocin11:24 Blood Brain Barrier13:18 Dosing And Bishop Score18:25 Nurse Monitoring And Titration22:12 Contraction Goals And IUPC23:49 Third Stage Pitocin Choice About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  3. Aug 31

    First Hospital Birth with Cook’s Catheter, Epidural & Postpartum Vaginal Hematoma with Labor Lauren | Episode 67

    There's something so special about hearing a labor nurse tell her own birth story, and today's guest, Lauren, delivers exactly that. Lauren's been a labor and delivery nurse for over 10 years, mom to a three year old, is an IBCLC, and runs Labor Lauren - a faith-based birth education platform. She brings us into her journey from years of trying to conceive, through a peaceful unmedicated labor at home with her midwife, all the way to a hospital birth that went about as smoothly as she could have hoped. But what happened after birth is the part of this story that changes everything - a rare, fast-escalating complication that neither Lauren nor her coworkers saw coming, even with all of her clinical experience in the room. I loved getting to sit with Lauren in this one, not just because her story is wild (it truly is), but because of how honestly she talks about being both the nurse and the patient - and what it taught her about advocacy, humility, and trusting her care team even when things don't go according to plan. We talk about hypnobirthing, placenta painting, the messy reality of "the plan" versus what labor actually gives you, and how her faith carried her through the scariest hours of her postpartum recovery. More from Labor Lauren: Follow her on Instagram @labor.lauren Grab her Free Third Trimester Prayer Journal Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Labor Lauren's Birth Story07:24 Infertility and Miscarriage11:49 Post-Due Date Spiral14:03 Balloon Catheter & Early Labor21:54 Nurse Mode at the Hospital26:51 Epidural28:28 Water Break To Pushing30:08 Birth Moment And Joy31:13 Placenta Painting33:38 Hematoma Emergency37:42 Breast Pumping While Unconscious43:07 Humility For Care Teams About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  4. Aug 24

    Simple Birth Prep for Both of You: How to Truly Feel Prepped for Birth with The Baby Chick | Episode 66

    Today I’m welcoming Nina Spears - founder and CEO of Baby Chick, author of The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy, and honestly, a bit of a unicorn in this space. She's a certified baby planner, birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, newborn care educator, infant massage instructor, and perinatal nutrition expert. Over the past 15 years she's supported more than 800 families in person and thousands more online. We get into it all - the mental load that sneaks up on you the second you see that positive test, why bringing your partner into the decision-making early (not after you're both exhausted) changes everything, and the very practical ways partners can actually show up during pregnancy instead of just feeling helpless on the sidelines. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% We also talked about something I think about constantly: how to take in information without drowning in it, and why finding a few trusted voices matters so much more than trying to listen to everyone. Nina got real about the stuff nobody prepares you for - how birth is so much more mental than physical, how much you lean on your people (yes, even your nurse) more than you expect, and how lonely postpartum can feel even when you're surrounded by support. If you've ever felt like you're supposed to have it all figured out before baby even arrives, this episode is your permission slip to slow down, ask for help, and trust your own intuition along the way. More from Nina Spears: Baby-Chick.com The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy Checkout her podcast: Chick Chat Follow her on Instagram @thebabychick Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Simple Birth Prep with Nina Spears07:05 The Pregnancy Mental Load12:47 Partner Tips That Help23:49 Avoiding Information Overload29:53 Mental Side of Labor33:43 How to Prep Mentally45:43 Postpartum Support Plan About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  5. Aug 17

    You’re Scared of Birth – Now What? Understanding Birth Fear & How to Work Through It | Episode 65

    Hey friends! Today I wanted to sit down and talk about something I know so many of you are wrestling with - the connection between fear and your labor. If you've ever seen those posts online that say things like "labor isn't painful, you're just scared," I want to meet you in that confusion, because I've felt it too, even with everything I know. I'm breaking down the actual physiology behind the fear-tension-pain cycle - what's really happening in your body when anxiety creeps in before or during labor, and why it's not as simple as those posts make it sound. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% But this isn't just the science - I wanted this episode to feel really practical. I'm walking you through exactly what to do with the fears you already have: how to turn them into a plan instead of letting them grow in the dark, why separating "possible" from "probable" is such a game-changer for your mindset, and how trusting your body's design (and your own breath!) can completely shift how you move through birth. My hope is you walk away from this one not trying to eliminate every fear before labor starts, but knowing exactly what to do with the ones you've got. More from this episode: Listen to episode 07: Is Pain Free Birth Real, Should You Want it, and Can You Do It? Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Understanding Birth Fears05:25 Fear Tension Pain Cycle08:41 How Fear Affects Labor10:30 Turn Fears Into Plans13:49 Possible Versus Probable16:52 Your Body Can Do This18:32 Practical Tools20:30 Reframes And Breathing About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  6. Aug 10

    Fast, Unmedicated Third Birth Story with Baby Born in Ambulance with Gestational Diabetes Nurse | Episode 64

    You guys, I have been dying to share this one with you. Sara - our gestational diabetes nurse from episode 16 - is back, and this time she's telling me her third birth story, which might be one of the wildest I've ever heard. This mama had two calm, controlled, epidural-at-the-right-moment hospital births under her belt, and she was so sure baby number three would follow the same script that she scheduled a wax, a mani-pedi, and acupuncture on what turned out to be the day she went into labor. Less than two hours after her water broke, she was pushing in the back of an ambulance, surrounded by four volunteer EMTs, delivering completely unmedicated - something she never planned for. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% What gets me about this story isn't just the chaos - it's what it says about how unpredictable birth really is, even for someone who lives and breathes labor and delivery for a living. Sara spent the whole ambulance ride in denial, convinced she couldn't possibly be that far along. This episode is such a beautiful reminder that no amount of professional expertise or birth-plan certainty can fully prepare you for what your body decides to do, and that having an educated, attentive support system isn't optional - it's everything. More from Sara Alayev, MSN, RN: Find Sara on Instagram:@gestational.diabetes.nurseCheckout the GDM Nurse Membership Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Sara’s Birth Story05:07 Births One and Two09:30 Planning Baby Three12:44 Labor Begins22:38 EMTs Arrive Fast25:25 Crowning in Ambulance28:40 Baby Out and Warming33:34 Hospital Arrival41:07 Epidural Takeaways43:21 Processing Fast Birth45:58 Education and Coping Tools49:12 Where to Find Sara About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  7. Aug 3

    Baby Sleep: Truths, Myths & Figuring Out What Works (with That Sleep Doc) | Episode 63

    This week I'm joined by Dr. Sujay Kansagra - you probably know him as That Sleep Doc, where he's built a following of 700K+ across social media. He's a professor at Duke and director of their Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program, he's authored five books (including My Child Won't Sleep), and he even invented a smart crib mattress along the way. His expertise spans sleep disorders across every age, from infants through adults, and he brought all of that knowledge into this conversation with total ease and zero judgment. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% Here's what we got into: How to spot credible sleep info online- what to look for (and watch out for) in a space with no real regulationLate-pregnancy sleep struggles- what's actually going on (iron, sleep apnea, caffeine metabolism) and when to loop in your OBGYNThe 0–6 week newborn phase- why it's normal for this stretch to feel like chaos, and the small routines that can helpSafe sleep, realistically- what to do when your baby won't sleep anywhere but on you, and the safest way to handle those exhausted middle-of-the-night momentsSleep myths, rapid-fire- "sleep begets sleep," "never wake a sleeping baby," "wake windows," "nursing to sleep is a crutch," and what the actual sleep science says about eachWhat "sleeping through the night" really means- (hint: there's no official definition, and the number you're picturing is made up) If you've ever felt like everyone else has figured out sleep and you're just surviving - this one's your permission slip to relax the rules a little. More from Dr. Sujay Kansagra: Check out the Lullabee Smart Crib Mattress Grab his book: My Child Won’t Sleep Follow @ThatSleep Doc on Instagram, TikTok, FaceBook, & YouTube Checkout Dr. Jade Wu More from this episode: Listen to episode 54: What I Wish I Knew About Baby Sleep Before they Were Born (from a mom of 4) Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 Baby Sleep with That Sleep Doc09:49 Pregnancy Sleep Troubleshooting13:40 Zero to Six Weeks Normal15:11 Early Routines and Tools19:39 Safe Sleep Versus Reality27:20 Sleep Begets Sleep29:37 Wake a Sleeping Baby31:40 Sleep Drive and Caffeine33:19 Wake Windows and Cues42:51 Define Sleeping Through the Night About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

  8. Jul 27

    11 Insider Tips for an Unmedicated Hospital Birth — from a Labor Nurse & Mom Who Has Done It 4x | Episode 62

    Okay, if you're hoping for an unmedicated hospital birth, this one's for you. I'm pulling back the curtain and giving you my 11 insider tips - the real, practical stuff I've learned both as a labor nurse and from having four unmedicated hospital births myself. We're talking about everything from how to build the right care team before you even go into labor, to why knowledge really is power when it comes to navigating a system that isn't always designed with unmedicated birth in mind, to the mental game that I think matters more than almost anything else. I get into physical prep, staying home as long as you safely can, having someone who can speak up for you when you can't speak for yourself, and so much more. These tips are about giving you the confidence, the knowledge, and the team you need to go after the birth you're hoping for. Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20% Mentioned in this episode: Listen to episode 10: The Emotional Signposts of Labor (an Episode for Every Birth Partner to Hear)Listen to my birth story’s:Episode 01,Episode 13, &Episode 40Listen to episode 37: Is it Real Labor: Braxton Hicks Contractions, False Labor & Prodromal LaborListen to episode 38: You're Contracting! When Do You Go to the Hospital?Listen to episode 50: Birth Plans vs. Birth Vibes: Real-Life Tips for Hospital Birth That Feels Good with Jen Hamilton Helpful Timestamps: 00:00 11 Tips for an Unmedicated Birth07:24 Tip 1 Choosing Your Care Team10:46 Tip 2 Know All the Paths12:50 Tip 3 Get Physical15:31 Tip 4 Mental Strength17:59 Tip 5 Stay Home Longer21:17 Tip 6 Choose Your Advocate23:12 Tip 7 Expect Interruptions26:00 Tip 8 Understand Labor Stages28:04 Tip 9 Comfort Toolbox30:50 Tip 10 Keep Moving32:57 Tip 11 Know How to Chill About your host: Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK Disclaimer Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link

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What if your best motherhood choices aren’t my best motherhood choices? Each week on Lo & Behold, we’re leaning into that real, messy, necessary question as we navigate all the choices you’ll find yourself making in pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and modern motherhood. Hosted by Lo Mansfield — former labor and postpartum nurse, certified lactation counselor, mom and RN behind The Labor Mama, and real life mama of four — this show is your judgment-free space to explore all the options in front of you. Whether you’re navigating a birth plan, wondering about labor induction methods, worried about breastfeeding challenges, or figuring out how to advocate for yourself or your littles, you’re not alone here. On Lo & Behold, we’re cutting through the noise of the motherhood space and ditching the black-and-white takes. Each episode, Lo brings her years of experience in maternity care, lactation support, and real-life motherhood straight to your earbuds — through candid insights from her own successes and mistakes, expert interviews, and other real mom and dad story shares you’ll actually relate to. Each week, you’ll find relatable, honest stories and reflections that help you make intuition-led, evidence-informed decisions in your own birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and motherhood stories — with zero shame and zero slant. Because your best story is the one that feels right to you — and no one else gets to tell you what that is. If you’re craving confidence, clarity, friendship, and a space that says “you get to choose” and “I trust you,” this podcast is for you. Whether you’re pregnant with your first baby, planning a hospital birth, or knee-deep in the chaos of raising toddlers and raising babies, grab your coffee, your electrolytes, or your raspberry leaf tea, hit play, and let’s chase down your best story — together.