All About Pregnancy & Birth

Dr. Nicole C. Rankins
  • 4.8 (625)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
All About Pregnancy & Birth

You're not alone in your uncertainty about this monumental life stage of pregnancy and birth. If you’re ready to replace the overwhelm of late-night Googling with expert conversations and stories of strength and positivity from women just like you — join us on the top-rated All About Pregnancy & Birth podcast. The All About Pregnancy & Birth podcast is your place for supportive, evidence-based information from Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins, an OB/GYN physician who’s been in practice for over 20 years and has helped nearly 2000 babies into this world. You’ll also learn from innovative experts and hear stories of strength and resilience from parents and moms-to-be experiencing the same overwhelm and excitement as you.

  1. JAN 21

    Ep #289: New Year, New Vision: Reflection, Rest, and a Special Gift

    In this episode, I'm sharing important updates about the podcast and a special opportunity for expectant mamas! I'm also reflecting on my wishes for pregnancy and birth and the importance of empowerment and support for women. Plus I announce a limited-time sale for The Birth Preparation Course to help you feel confident and prepared for your childbirth experience. It's the lowest price EVER for the course! Grab it here! Takeaways It's important to take breaks to recharge.Hear my 10 wishes that reflect my hopes for every pregnant woman.I express my gratitude for the engagement from you.Take ownership of your birthing experience.The Birth Preparation Course is available at it's lowest price ever! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    10 min

  2. JAN 7

    Ep 288: 10 Wishes for Pregnancy, Birth, and Maternal Health Inspired by Metta Meditation

    Get empowering pregnancy and birth tips delivered to your inbox each week! Join my email list here! It’s 2025! In this first episode of the year, I’m sharing 10 wishes for pregnancy, birth, and maternal health inspired by metta meditation, a practice rooted in cultivating goodwill and compassion. I learned about this beautiful practice from Aditi Shah, a Peloton meditation instructor, and today we’re adapting it to reflect on pregnancy, birth, and maternal health through 10 loving-kindness wishes. These wishes are heartfelt hopes for a better, safer, and more equitable world for parents, babies, and families. As you explore them, I encourage you to approach them with an open heart—whether for yourself, someone you know, or for all mothers and families. Carry these wishes with you as affirmations, reminders, or moments of pause in your day. Let’s start 2025 with kindness and care. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:Why feeling safe and supported is essential during pregnancy and birthWhat respectful and compassionate care looks likeHow access to resources helps families thrive during pregnancy and parenthoodWhat parents need to feel empowered in their decisionsHow patience and care contribute to physical and emotional healing after birthWhat we can do to eliminate inequities in maternal and infant health outcomesWhich experiences help cultivate joy and connectionHow helping birth workers helps familiesWhy prioritizing mental health during pregnancy and parenthood is essentialHow childbirth education transforms the pregnancy and birth experience-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode288 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    27 min

  3. 12/31/2024

    Ep 287: Top Episodes of 2024!

    Get more great info to help you have an empowered pregnancy and birth by joining my email list here! It’s that time of year again: I’m recapping the most downloaded episodes of 2024. Think of this as a kind of greatest hits or playlist - a perfect place for you to start if you’re new to the podcast. If you don’t see your favorite episode on this list, remember that earlier episodes have more downloads simply because they’ve been available longer, not because they’re less valuable! We’re closing out the year with over 435,000 downloads in 2024 and the total lifetime downloads are up to 2.6 million! I so appreciate each and every one of you who puts me in your ears and trusts me to help you through your pregnancy and birth experience. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:How to tell when it’s time to go to the hospitalWhat changes can happen to the body postpartumWhether or not you can have a period while you’re pregnantWhich conditions are screened for in prenatal testsWhat colostrum is and why it’s importantHow to plan for a safer childbirth experienceWhich mental health conditions are common during pregnancyHow feeding patterns influence your baby’s sleepHow a hospital birth can feel joyful and relaxingWhat the difference is between pain and suffering during laborWhat a VBAC is and how to prepare for oneHow much caffeine is safe during pregnancyHow pregnancy can affect intimacy-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode287 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    27 min

  4. 12/24/2024

    Ep 286: Preparing for the Marathon Of Pregnancy with Amy Keifer from Expecting and Empowered

    Stay in the know by joining my email list! I know you want to exercise during pregnancy, but what are you supposed to do and how do you do it safely? Amy Keifer from Expecting and Empowered is here to answer that question and more! After starting her personal training career working with pregnant clients, she realized there were a ton of misconceptions still floating around about exercising during pregnancy. That’s why she and her sister created their thriving maternal fitness community. As a registered nurse, doula, personal trainer, and having gone through three unmedicated births, Amy offers invaluable firsthand insight.  This is a great conversation and I know you’re going to find it incredibly valuable. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:Whether you should start strength training during pregnancyHow you can start exercising during pregnancyWhat the benefits are of exercise during pregnancyWhat coping techniques Amy recommends for managing pain during laborHow can movement and labor rituals help you manage contractionsHow water, like a tub or shower, can help alleviate labor painWhy it’s important to understand the stages of labor and what to expect during eachWhy you should take time to familiarize yourself with your birthing optionsWho should be on your support team and what roles they can play during laborWhat are the benefits of practicing breathwork and mindfulness for labor prep-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode286 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    46 min

  5. 12/17/2024

    Ep 285: Gina’s Birth Story - When a Physician Has A Birth Related Injury

    What happens when you’re a physician and you experience a childbirth-related injury? Are you treated any differently? Today’s guest experienced exactly that and you’re going to hear her unique perspective. Gina is an ophthalmology resident who had a birth complication that left her paralyzed in one leg. She has regained her mobility but this very rare injury still has lasting effects. Despite being a physician herself, Gina faced dismissiveness from her medical team. In fact, one nurse even told her people with more medical backing actually get worse care because they have “more knowledge.” You don’t always know ahead of time when you’ll need to advocate for yourself. It is an absolute must that you are ready to do so. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What caused Dr. Gina Yu’s rare postpartum nerve injuryWhat her team initially thought caused the injury versus what tests revealedHow positional adjustments during labor could prevent nerve damageWhat steps she took to regain mobility after paralysisHow she balanced recovery with caring for her newbornHow support systems played a critical role in her recoveryHow gratitude helped her cope with trauma and uncertaintyWhy postpartum challenges often go overlooked in healthcareHow her injury changed her perspective on patient care -- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode285 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    57 min

  6. 12/10/2024

    Ep 284: Keeping an Open Mind with Infant Craniosacral Therapist Meaghan Beames

    When exploring ‘alternative’ therapies, it’s crucial to understand the training and qualifications of practitioners. Although licensure and certification aren’t guarantees, they certainly help give you some assurance that the person is trained and capable. This week’s guest, Meaghan Beames, is a Registered Massage Therapist and Craniosacral Therapist who teaches perinatal professionals how to incorporate CST into their practices. Now, I will be honest, I was a little hesitant about this episode. While craniosacral therapy is offered at many mainstream big institutions like the Cleveland Clinic, Duke, or Harvard, some folks say that craniosacral therapy is pseudoscience and it's relatively new in pregnancy and infants. But I ultimately decided that this is important information to share. I learned a lot and you will too. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What craniosacral therapy is and how it worksWhich pregnancy and infant conditions craniosacral therapy can help withHow craniosacral therapy works and which areas of the body it targetsHow many sessions are typically recommendedWhat to look for in a craniosacral therapist What research says about the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode284 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    40 min

  7. 12/03/2024

    Ep 283: Alexa’s Birth Story - A Routine Checkup With a Surprise Ending

    I’ve said it many times: the only predictable thing about birth is that it’s unpredictable. But you can absolutely navigate that unpredictability by being prepared - which is exactly what Alexa did. After what she calls a “smooth pregnancy,” things took some surprising twists and turns which ended in a cesarean birth. At 35 weeks, her husband noticed she was unusually swollen and urged her to visit the doctor. What was supposed to be a checkup turned into delivery day! It was determined that she actually did have preeclampsia and, though at first she hoped she would be able to spend a couple more weeks on bed rest waiting, her baby had different plans. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:Why being pregnant alongside friends made a difference for AlexaWhen she decided to start looking for a doula and how she made her decisionHow Alexa and her family initially reacted to her swelling /// What signs of swelling Alexa experienced before her diagnosisWhat steps her husband took after noticing her swellingWhy Alexa was hospitalized after her checkupWhen Alexa learned her baby was breech and how it changed the birth planWhat factors led to Alexa’s C-sectionWhat it was like giving birth where her husband worksWhat challenges Alexa faced during recoveryWhich support systems helped Alexa through postpartum depression -- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode283 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    56 min

  8. 11/26/2024

    Ep 282: Gestational Diabetes - Understanding and Managing It For A Healthy Pregnancy

    Did you know that almost one in ten pregnancies in the United States is affected by gestational diabetes? While that might sound scary, the good news is that with the right information and care, people with gestational diabetes will most likely have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. When it’s time to be screened, don’t focus on “passing” the test. If you have gestational diabetes, you want to know so you can treat it effectively. Many people can manage it with dietary changes so don’t stress too much if you don’t get the results you want. Just take the test - then manage the results with confidence. Listen to this episode to help you! In this Episode, You’ll Learn About:What gestational diabetes is and how common it isWhat complications it can pose for parent and babyHow glucose tests are used in diagnosisHow pregnancy hormones can affect blood sugar levelsHow GDM is treated: both with and without medicationHow it affects pregnancy and birth managementWhat its lasting effects can be-- Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode282 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Make a Birth Plan the Right Way Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    40 min
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Trailer

4.8
out of 5
625 Ratings

About

You're not alone in your uncertainty about this monumental life stage of pregnancy and birth. If you’re ready to replace the overwhelm of late-night Googling with expert conversations and stories of strength and positivity from women just like you — join us on the top-rated All About Pregnancy & Birth podcast. The All About Pregnancy & Birth podcast is your place for supportive, evidence-based information from Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins, an OB/GYN physician who’s been in practice for over 20 years and has helped nearly 2000 babies into this world. You’ll also learn from innovative experts and hear stories of strength and resilience from parents and moms-to-be experiencing the same overwhelm and excitement as you.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Nicole C. Rankins
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    361
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    All About Pregnancy & Birth

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