The Be Well Baby Podcast

Dr. Emily Spaeth
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Medicine

The questions you're asking—answered. What should I really be asking my doctor during pregnancy?How can I balance trusting my intuition and following medical advice?What if things don’t go as planned—how do I stay grounded?What’s the difference between pain and suffering during labor?What really happens after birth—the part no one talks about?Will my body ever be the same?When should my baby roll, crawl, or sit—and when should I stop Googling it?Should breastfeeding be painful—or is that a sign something’s off?How do I return to work without losing myself—or my career identity?How do we find intimacy again when I’m touched out and exhausted?How do I stay connected to joy and possibility, even when pregnancy or postpartum feels hard?Who am I now that I’m someone’s mother? These are the things nobody tells you about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum... Treat your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum like grad school—because you deserve to be completely prepared. On The Be Well Baby Podcast, we ask all the hard questions of your providers so you don't have to figure this out alone. Hosted by Dr. Emily Spaeth: a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and certified trauma-informed professional who trains other providers, this isn't your typical pregnancy podcast. From posture in pregnancy to feeding your baby to baby development to postpartum recovery, pelvic floor health, sex after birth, and navigating your career and identity; we dive deep into the topics nobody talks about openly—until now. You'll discover what high-achieving women actually need to know about pregnancy, birth, and the fourth trimester. No fluff. No surprises. Just the evidence-based information, honest conversations, and real preparation that helps you feel confident, capable, and genuinely ready for this pivotal season of your life. Whether you just found out you're pregnant, you're planning to return to work, navigating matrescence, or managing the incredible changes ahead, this is your space to get prepared, feel supported, and maybe even know more than your doctor does. Ready to approach this season with intention? Follow @bewellbabypdx on Instagram Facebook and TikTokJoin our community in the Beyond Birth Blueprint Join our email list - Notes from the Nest - for updates and free stuff!

  1. 3d ago

    Consent, Cues, and Conscious Touch with Babies: The Perfect Child Podcast Takeover with Belinda Tung

    What if your baby has been communicating with you all along — and you just needed the tools to hear them? In this episode, Dr. Emily sits down with Belinda on the Perfect Child Podcast to talk about one of her favorite (and most misunderstood) topics: consent with babies. From the NICU to the changing table, Dr. Emily breaks down what infant communication actually looks like, why slowing down transforms your caregiving, and how small everyday rituals build the foundation for a deeply connected relationship with your child. In this episode you'll learn: Why babies are whole, fully-present humans from the very beginning — and what Dr. Emily witnessed working with 23-weekers in the NICU that solidified this for herHow to read your baby's body language: the cues that say this is too much vs. I'm readyWhat a finger splay, an arched back, and a full-body wiggle are actually communicatingWhy "gaining consent" from a newborn looks different than it does from a 6-month-old — and how to approach bothThe surprising benefits of infant massage (digestion, weight gain, brain development, bonding — and one story about a tumor caught early because of a daily massage routine)How to use deep pressure touch, slow movement, and oil to make massage more effectiveWhy babies cannot self-soothe — and what co-regulation actually requires of youDr. Emily's approach to the dreaded diaper change wrestling match (hint: you don't have to hold them down)How sign language gives babies a voice before they have words — and what Dr. Emily's 7-year-old still communicates across a crowded gymWhat it really means to advocate for your baby in the hospital, at family gatherings, and with well-meaning grandparents who want to hold your newborn Resources mentioned: Beyond Birth Blueprint https://www.bewellbaby.org/beyond-birthBirth Partner Course (inside Beyond Birth)Infant massage mini course + video library (also inside Beyond Birth!)ASL classes (also inside Beyond Birth) The Perfect Child Podcast! https://www.perfectchild.org/about We have restructured Beyond Birth so that you can access it so easily.  I can’t wait to meet you on the inside!  Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, childbirth educator, and founder of Be Well Baby® in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum.  She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving. Our mission is to fundamentally shift healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters! If this episode helped you, please send it to someone who's pregnant, postpartum, or supporting someone through birth. Thank you for being here. 🤍

    59 min

  2. Jun 10

    Colic Isn't Real! Here's Why Your Baby Is Actually Uncomfortable With Pediatrician Dr. Kirin Palmer

    Colic isn't real! I will die on that hill. This week Dr. Emily Spaeth brings you Dr. Kirin Palmer, a pediatrician, functional medicine practitioner, and founder of Pure Joy Pediatrics in the Portland metro area in Oregon. Through her work in clinic and through her digital class, she helps expectant parents understand how maternal health during pregnancy can influence their baby’s digestion, immune system, and long-term wellness. They talk about the one thing most pediatricians aren't yet doing: putting the gut microbiome at the center of newborn care. If your baby has struggled with reflux, colic, eczema, gassy uncomfortable feeds, weird-colored poops, or just a general sense that something is off with no answers… this episode is for you. We use the terms mother, mom & birthing person interchangeably in this episode. 🌈 In this episode, we cover: Why your microbiome as a pregnant person is your baby's literal starting pointWhat actually happens in a newborn's gut in the first hours of life (hint: it's a clean canvas, and what you paint on it matters)The real reason so many babies are diagnosed with "colic" and "reflux"Why vaginal delivery and breastfeeding matter for gut health, and what to do if neither was possible for youHow antibiotics during pregnancy (for UTIs, GBS, and more) affect your baby's microbiome — and how to recoverWhat microbiome testing looks like, and when Dr. Palmer recommends itThe cascade of interventions: swallow studies, MRIs, NG tubes, hospital admissions… that all could be prevented with early gut supportWhy not all probiotics are created equal, and why single-strain OTC probiotics often don't workWhat healthy newborn poop looks like and why poop color and consistency absolutely matter, no matter what social media saysDr. Palmer's Tiny Tummies program and how microbiome support is changing outcomes for families Resources mentioned: Pure Joy Pediatrics: www.purejoypediatrics.comDr. Kirin Palmer on Instagram: @purejoypediatrics and @kirinpalmermdNinni Co Pacifier — code BEWELLBABY for 10% off Beyond Birth Blueprint membership (Nest, Bloom, Thrive): [bewellbaby.org/beyond-birth]Book a consult with the Be Well Baby team: [bewellbaby.org/book-now] Everything on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. More About Your Host Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, childbirth educator, and founder of Be Well Baby® in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum.  She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving. If you’ve read this far… please leave us a review :) It helps spread the word more thank you could ever know. Love, Em

    49 min

  3. Jun 3

    Demystifying Induction & Cesarean with OB Hospitalist Dr. Jennifer Lincoln

    One in three births in the US starts with an induction. Another one in three is a cesarean. And yet most people walk into those experiences confused, scared, or feeling like the decision just happened to them. This episode is here to change that. Dr. Jennifer Lincoln is a board-certified OBGYN, OB hospitalist in Portland, Oregon, and one of the most trusted voices in evidence-based birth education online. She's the author of the brand-new The Birth Book: An OBGYN's Guide to Demystifying Labor and Delivery (out March 2026) and has spent her career making sure people walk into birth feeling informed — not afraid. Emily and Jennifer have the honest, warm, non-judgmental conversation that so many people wish they could have with their own provider. Nothing is sugarcoated, and nothing is left out. In this episode: Why social media birth content is often the worst-case scenarioWhat an induction actually looks like, step by step (hint: it can take days, and that's normal)The ARRIVE Trial:  what it actually showed, what it didn't, and the critical caveat almost nobody mentionsHow to know when to trust a provider's recommendation vs. when to ask more questions (and the magic questions to ask)The truth about Pitocin, hemorrhage risk, and why the uterus gets tiredAdvanced maternal age: what the data actually says and when age alone is a reason for inductionA walk through what happens in the OR from the moment the C-section decision is made to when you're sewn back upWhy cesarean recovery is a full year, not six weeks, and what to do differentlyThe fundal massage nobody warns you aboutPostpartum mental health after an unexpected cesarean — what to watch for and why Jennifer brings it up in the discharge conversation Resources mentioned: 📖 The Birth Book by Dr. Jennifer Lincoln — available wherever books are sold (audiobook available, read by Dr. Lincoln herself)Dr. Jennifer Lincoln online: drjenniferlincoln.comFollow Dr. Lincoln: @drjenniferlincoln on Instagram and TikTok📍 Live event: Dr. Lincoln's book signing, June 14th, 4:15 PM at Vancouver Community Library, hosted by Childbirth Allies! Click the link or search "Childbirth Allies Jennifer Lincoln" on Eventbrite to register!The Ninni pacifier — use code BEWELLBABY for 10% off  Helpful framework from this episode: The BRAIN acronym for decision-making in labor:  B — Benefits  R — Risks  A — Alternatives  I — Intuition  N — Nothing (what if we wait?)  Connect with Be Well Baby: 📲 Instagram: @BeWellBabyPDX 🌐 bewellbaby.org More About Your Host Dr. Emily Spaeth, PT, DPT, IBCLC, is the founder of Be Well Baby® in Portland, Oregon. She leads a team specializing in home visits for the trickiest perinatal cases. She also mentors perinatal providers navigating complex clinical work. Mom of 3, passionate about helping families and clinicians move from surviving to thriving.

    1h 2m

  4. May 27

    Bacterial Vaginosis, Cervical Lips, & Nuchal Cords, Oh My! Lessons From My Three Home Births

    This week, we're flipping the script. My doula, Alison Akan of the BirthLinked YouTube channel, sits down with me to talk through all three of my birth experiences, and nothing is off limits. I went into each birth with more knowledge than the last, and somehow that made things both easier and harder. We talk about what it's like to plan for a home birth and end up in the hospital, what it means to truly surrender in labor, and why knowing too much can sometimes work against you. Alison's passion for birth began in her teens in Sweden, where she went on to study medical assisting with a goal of midwifery. She supported her first birth at 22 in a high-risk labor and delivery unit in Lund, and brings experience from over 300 births to every family she serves. After returning to the USA in 2017, she became a certified birth doula and hasn't looked back. Alison is deeply committed to evidence-based education, helping expectant parents understand their options and move from fear to excitement. Her goal is for every client to look back on their birth as empowering, even when it doesn't go as planned. Alison always says that it's a true honor to be invited into such a sacred space, and that reverence is at the heart of everything she does. BIRTH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwSlgH3B1Do&list=PLbvrHEJRpfbj4TdUGNNcGPYJ6Dr67KTW8 In this episode we cover: How my first birth started with a yoga class in San Francisco — in DependsUndiagnosed bacterial vaginosis, prelabor rupture of membranes, and a four-day labor that ended in a hospital transferWhat actually happens to your psoas muscles in labor — and why an epidural was the best clinical decision I madeMy second birth: swift, an uneventful nuchal cord with baby still en caulDeciding to have a third child on a hard parenting day — and what my partner said that made the decision for usAsynclitism, cervical lips, a birth tub filled with buckets, and a placenta that went rogueWhat my husband was most afraid of — and it wasn't pushing the baby out! People + Events Mentioned: Alison Akan: [BirthLinked YouTube Channel]Angela Truby: Glow Midwifery [midwife]Tami Lynn Kent / Holistic Pelvic Care™Katie Kanda Beyond Birth Community Calls Birth Prep. But Better. (https://www.bewellbaby.org/birth-prep-but-better) Want to keep the conversation going? Join me most Tuesdays at 10am PST/1pm EST/7pm in Sweden! Beyond Birth

    1h 19m

  5. May 20

    The Word for What's Exhausting You: System-Keeping™ with Stassi Chaillé

    Have you ever fallen into bed completely exhausted — only to lie there wide awake, running through everything you forgot to do, respond to, or organize? That bone-tired exhaustion that doesn't let you rest? There's actually a name for what's happening, and this week's guest coined it. Stassi Chaillé, LPC is a therapist, educator, and founder of System-Keeping™ — the first framework to name the root cause of women's self-abandonment. With dual master's degrees from Columbia University in Culturally Oppressive Systems and Psychological Counseling, Stassi coined System-Keeping™ to describe the invisible, anticipatory labor women perform to keep families, workplaces, marriages, and entire economies functioning — labor that was never consented to, never credited, and designed to be impossible to stop. Through her monthly masterclass, private liberation container, and writing, Stassi works with high-functioning women who can't understand why burnout interventions keep failing — until they see that the system requiring their self-abandonment is still intact. System-Keeping™ is why. Once a woman understands she was conditioned into this, the question stops being what's wrong with me and becomes what was I trained to carry. By the end of our conversation, you'll see your life differently. We promise. We cover:  What System-Keeping™ is — and why "mental load" doesn't tell the whole story The three-part triangle: conditioning, invisible contracts, and the nervous system loopHow System-Keeping™ shows up physically in your body — and what the research says The self-abandonment at the center of it all What one realistic first shift looks like when you're ready to start putting something down Events mentioned: Stassi's System Keeping™ Masterclass on the last Thursday of every month → Sign Up Here Book a 1:1 30 minute consult with Stassi here! 🪺Birth Prep. But Better. with Dr. Emily May 30th at New Mom School® → https://www.bewellbaby.org/birth-prep-but-better 🎼 A Notion, A Scream! Choir Concert - May 31st in Portland!  About Dr. Emily:  Emily is on a mission to change the way we prepare for the chapter of welcoming a baby into our homes. Emily is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the founder of Be Well Baby® — a multidisciplinary in-home practice in Portland, Oregon serving families from pregnancy through the early years with baby. She's also a mom of three, and creator of the online educational community the Beyond Birth Blueprint.

    48 min

  6. May 13

    Preparing Your Pet for Baby: Training Tips, Body Language & Postpartum Grace with Mckenna Neale

    Bringing a new baby home is one of the biggest transitions your family will ever navigate — and that includes every member of your household, including your four-legged ones. In this episode, Emily sits down with McKenna Neale, certified veterinary technician, behavioral specialist, and fellow new mom, to talk about everything you need to know about preparing your pets for a new baby. Mckenna shares her own experience as a pit bull mom who delivered her daughter a month early and had to scramble to find care for her dog — and how that shaped the advice she now gives families every day through her work at Dove Lewis Emergency Medicine and the Oregon Humane Society. In this episode, we cover: Whether animals can actually sense pregnancy (and what the science says about their incredible sense of smell)Simple, low-effort ways to begin preparing your pet during pregnancy — starting as early as you wantWhy playing YouTube baby sounds might be the most underrated thing you can do right nowThe "place" command and other foundational training tips that will save your sanity postpartumHow to think about your home environment before baby arrives — baby gates, playpens, sleeping arrangements, and moreWhat a safe, low-stress baby introduction looks like for dogs (including McKenna's own story)Cat-specific guidance for a species that plays by entirely different rulesThe body language cues most pet owners completely miss — licking, whale eye, whisker position, tail tension, and moreThe emotional reality of postpartum pet relationships, including the grief of feeling disconnected from an animal you loveHow babies raised around pets benefit developmentally and immunologicallyThe beauty of watching your child and your pet grow up together Resources mentioned: Oregon Humane Society community classes: oregonhumane.orgRover gift cards (registry idea!)Frozen Kongs and licky mats for enrichmentYouTube baby sounds for desensitization trainingConnect with Mckenna: Mckenna generously said you are welcome to email her any questions and she will try to send you in the right direction! Email her here: mdrasye@gmail.com Your Host Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum.  She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving. Our mission is to fundamentally shift healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters!

    1h 8m

  7. May 6

    Isolation Is a Health Risk: Rebuilding Community for New Moms with Liberty Planck

    What if the most powerful thing you could do for your new baby had nothing to do with a product, a schedule, or anything you saw on TikTok,  and everything to do with a room full of other moms who just get it? Today I'm sitting down with Liberty Planck, owner of New Mom School® in Lake Oswego, Oregon and mom of three, who channeled her background in experience design and her own deeply isolating postpartum season into building something truly special for families. New Mom School® is a franchise with locations all over the country.  We cover a lot of ground in this one — and honestly, it went places I didn't expect. Liberty is thoughtful, funny, and refreshingly honest about the gap between the village we think we're building and the one we actually have to show up for. We use "mom" and “mother” throughout this conversation because it reflects the language of our guest and her community, but we see and welcome every birthing person, non-binary parent, and family structure here, and so does New Mom School® Lake Oswego!  In this episode, we talk about: Why isolation is one of the biggest risk factors for new moms and babies — and how New Mom School® was born out of Liberty's own pandemic postpartum experienceThe "education meets support meets community" model that makes New Mom School® different from just a mom groupHow to give parents real clinical information without undermining their confidence as caregiversWhat actually happens in a room full of postpartum women when a pelvic floor PT, lactation consultant, or infant development specialist walks inWhy the floor is the cheapest baby toy you own (and how Liberty's third baby became her most capable gross motor kid because of it)The hidden gift of the New Mom School® model — and why showing up to class doesn't automatically mean you have a villageWhat it really takes to build friendships as a new mom, and why the pandemic made all of this harderBirth as a great equalizer, and why age, background, and parenting philosophy don't matter as much as being in the same seasonThe beauty of alloparenting — and why your baby doesn't just need you, they need a whole cast of safe, loving adults This conversation is for you whether you're currently pregnant, postpartum, a provider who works with families, or just someone who cares deeply about how we support mothers in this culture. Resources mentioned: Find a New Mom School® near you: newmomschool.comLocal to Portland? New Mom School® Lake Oswego is right off the freeway and draws families from Vancouver, Happy Valley, Bethany, and beyond💸 Use code BEWELL50 for $50 off your first cohort🍼 Providers: reach out to Liberty directly to get pamphlets and referral cards for your patientsFollow New Mom School® Lake Oswego on Instagram Your Host: Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby® in Portland, Oregon. bewellbaby.org

    1h 7m

  8. Apr 29

    Why Pregnancy Is the Best Time to Build a Movement Habit with Dr. Emily Spaeth

    Movement during pregnancy isn't just safe — it's one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself, your baby, and yes, even your grandchildren. In this episode, Dr. Emily dives deep into the science of exercise during pregnancy, habit formation, and the fascinating brain changes that make pregnancy one of the most important windows for building the identity you want to carry into parenthood. In this episode: The evidence-backed benefits of exercise during pregnancy, from reduced gestational diabetes risk to shorter active labor and faster postpartum recoveryHow your baby's cardiovascular development is influenced by your movementIntergenerational epigenetics — why the choices you make right now are part of your grandchildren's biological storyThe landmark 2016 Nature Neuroscience study on gray matter changes in pregnancy and what it actually means for your brainThe neuroscience of mental rehearsal and why visualizing your habit in vivid detail is not manifesting — it's motor learningImplementation intentions: why "I am someone who moves their body during pregnancy" outperforms "I want to exercise more" every time Action step from this episode: Pick one movement. Make it small and doable. Put it on your calendar. Name yourself as someone who does it. That's the whole assignment. Resources mentioned: Episode 2 with Barb Buckner Suarez on mommy brain and gray matter changesEpisode 20 with Emily Sferra on matrescenceBeyond Birth Blueprint — bewellbaby.orgFlourish Center Friday sessions (Portland locals!)Ninni pacifier — use code BEWELLBABY for 10% off Connect with Be Well Baby:  bewellbaby.org@bewellbabypdx on Instagram Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum.  She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving. Our mission is to fundamentally shift healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters!

    28 min
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The questions you're asking—answered. What should I really be asking my doctor during pregnancy?How can I balance trusting my intuition and following medical advice?What if things don’t go as planned—how do I stay grounded?What’s the difference between pain and suffering during labor?What really happens after birth—the part no one talks about?Will my body ever be the same?When should my baby roll, crawl, or sit—and when should I stop Googling it?Should breastfeeding be painful—or is that a sign something’s off?How do I return to work without losing myself—or my career identity?How do we find intimacy again when I’m touched out and exhausted?How do I stay connected to joy and possibility, even when pregnancy or postpartum feels hard?Who am I now that I’m someone’s mother? These are the things nobody tells you about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum... Treat your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum like grad school—because you deserve to be completely prepared. On The Be Well Baby Podcast, we ask all the hard questions of your providers so you don't have to figure this out alone. Hosted by Dr. Emily Spaeth: a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and certified trauma-informed professional who trains other providers, this isn't your typical pregnancy podcast. From posture in pregnancy to feeding your baby to baby development to postpartum recovery, pelvic floor health, sex after birth, and navigating your career and identity; we dive deep into the topics nobody talks about openly—until now. You'll discover what high-achieving women actually need to know about pregnancy, birth, and the fourth trimester. No fluff. No surprises. Just the evidence-based information, honest conversations, and real preparation that helps you feel confident, capable, and genuinely ready for this pivotal season of your life. Whether you just found out you're pregnant, you're planning to return to work, navigating matrescence, or managing the incredible changes ahead, this is your space to get prepared, feel supported, and maybe even know more than your doctor does. Ready to approach this season with intention? Follow @bewellbabypdx on Instagram Facebook and TikTokJoin our community in the Beyond Birth Blueprint Join our email list - Notes from the Nest - for updates and free stuff!

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Emily Spaeth
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dr. Emily Spaeth