Mom2Mom Podcast

Stephanie Sinclair
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

We are on a mission to make the journey of motherhood a little less overwhelming. During these episodes you will hear stories of triumph, heartache, and hope. You will hear time-tested tips and tricks shared by moms, a variety of birth stories that will resonate with all birthing families, and advice from professionals who have dedicated their teachings to pregnancy, birth, and moms. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. 

  1. Aug 3

    53 | How to Prepare Body for Labor: What Your Nervous System Wants You to Know

    How to prepare your body for labor is not about doing every single thing the internet tells you to do. It is about knowing what actually helps. In this episode, we're talking with Dr. ShaRhae Matousek, a prenatal and perinatal chiropractor, about what it really looks like to get your body, mind, and home ready for labor and postpartum. We get into why so much birth prep information can leave you feeling more overwhelmed instead of less, and what to focus on instead. We also talk about the nervous system's role in labor, and why feeling safe matters just as much as any physical prep. What you'll hear: Why your nervous system runs the whole show during labor, and how calming it down can actually help labor progressWhat the Webster technique is and how prenatal chiropractic care supports pelvic balanceWhy common tension patterns (think: that right hip that always aches) show up during pregnancy, and simple ways to notice and shift themHow to build a birth team that covers your bases, from your doula to your chiropractor to your pelvic floor therapistWhy letting go of a rigid birth plan, and using tools like affirmation cards, can help you feel steadier when things shiftDr. ShaRhae Matousek is a chiropractor and owner of Real Health Chiropractic in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She holds a fellowship in pediatrics and obstetrics through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and is Webster certified. Links for this episode: Real Health Chiropractic: https://www.realhealthclinic.com/Childbirth Education Videos: https://www.how2mom.com/product/childbirth-class-on-demand/Motherhood Affirmation Cards: https://www.how2mom.com/product/motherhood-affirmation-cards/ Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  2. Jul 13

    52 | What Support Actually Looks Like in the OR when you Have a Doula for C-Sections

    Doula support for a c-section is one of the most misunderstood parts of what we do, and this episode is here to change that. In this episode, we're talking about what belly birth support actually looks like from the inside. Stephanie sits down with How2Mom client Lynley to walk through Betty's birth story, from induction leading to c-section, to the OR, to that first skin-to-skin moment. It's honest, it's warm, and it's a really good reminder that every birth deserves support, no matter how it unfolds. What you'll hear: Why having a doula in the OR meant Lynley's husband could be fully present instead of trying to play every role at onceWhat a family centered c-section actually looks like, including options most parents don't know to ask forHow a doula supports the nervous system during surgery, from explaining the tugging sensations to massage during the shakesWhat it felt like to go from induction to c-section, and why having a familiar face made all the difference when things moved fastWhy a belly birth doesn't have to mean trauma, and what it looks like when it feels empowering insteadLynley is a recipe developer and content creator at Fit Foodie Finds (fitfoodiefinds.com).  Links for this episode: Birth doula services: https://www.how2mom.com/birth-doulaDigital Birth Affirmation Cards: https://www.how2mom.com/product/digital-birth-affirmation-cards/Fit Foodie Finds: https://fitfoodiefinds.comThank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  3. Jun 29

    51 | Pushing Positions for Labor: Why the Hospital Bed Isn't Your Only Option

    Most of us picture pushing the same way: flat on our back, feet in stirrups, someone counting to ten. That's one option, but it's not the only one. Not even close. In this episode, we're talking about pushing positions for labor and why where you push matters just as much as how you push. From squatting and hands and knees to sideline pushing, closed knee pushing, and small modifications that can change everything when you're on your back, there's a lot of room to work with your body instead of against it. We're walking through: Why gravity, movement, and balance shape what happens in birthHow back-lying became the standard (and why it isn't always the most effective)Upright options like squatting, kneeling, and forward leaningHow sideline pushing supports rest and rotation, even with an epiduralWhy your body often knows what to do before your mind catches upWhether you're planning an unmedicated birth, working with an epidural, or somewhere in between, knowing your options helps you feel more grounded heading into birth. There's no one right way to push. There's only what feels right in your body, in that moment. Resources mentioned in this episode: Spinning Babies → https://www.spinningbabies.comGilligan's Guide → https://www.gilligansguide.comBody Ready Method → https://bodyreadymethod.comBlog:  View our Childbirth Ed Course: https://www.how2mom.com/courses-and-events/childbirth-class-online-and-in-person/  Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  4. Jun 15

    50 | Natural Ways to Progress Labor: What Helps, What Doesn't, and What the Internet Gets Wrong

    Natural ways to progress labor are one of the most searched topics as a due date gets closer, and also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, we're talking about what actually supports your body during labor and what tends to work against it. We're not handing you a roadmap, because labor doesn't work that way. What we can give you are real, tangible things we see make a difference for the moms we support every day. What you'll hear: Why movement matters more than any specific position, and what "intentional movement" actually looks like in the roomWhat to do in early labor before contractions get intense (rest, hydration, and fueling your body like the marathon it is)How the peanut ball and counter pressure during labor fit into a flexible coping planWhy patience is one of the most underrated labor tools, and how to actually practice it in the momentA rapid-fire reality check on popular labor hacks, including dates, raspberry leaf tea, and walkingBlog: Natural Ways to Progress Labor | How2Mom Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  5. Jun 1

    49 | What Happens When Your Water Breaks: Pros, Cons, and the BRAIN Framework We Use

    What happens when your water breaks is one of the most common questions we get as doulas, and the answer rarely matches the Hollywood version. In this episode, we're talking through both sides of the water breaking conversation. The one where your water releases on its own at home, and the one where your provider suggests breaking it for you. Both come with options, and both deserve real information instead of the rush-to-the-hospital panic we've been taught to expect. What you'll hear: What to actually do if your water breaks at home, including how to assess the fluid and when to call your providerThe 24-hour clock conversation, why it's evolved since our parents' generation, and what evidence-based birth has to say about itHow we protect physiological birth after your water releases, from limiting vaginal exams to building oxytocinWhen a provider may suggest breaking your water (called AROM, or artificial rupture of membranes), and the real risks and benefits to weigh before saying yesThe BRAIN acronym we walk every How2Mom client through when they're making a decision in the momentMentioned in this episode: Evidence-Based Birth article on Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM): PROM-Handout.pdf  Our recent episode on oxytocin: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3l790j5k4WVmffMdG1CzS0?si=d0f608c6ee2641f2 Childbirth Education Course: https://www.how2mom.com/courses-and-events/childbirth-class-online-and-in-person/Birth Doula Services — How2Mom | Birth Doula Services in the Twin Cities Childbirth Ed Course — How2Mom | Birth Support, Online Birthing Classes, Resources for New Moms Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  6. May 18

    48 | Why Your Birth Story Matters: Pride, Grief, and Everything In-Between

    Your baby is here, and in a lot of ways that moment can feel like the finish line. But the story of how they got here, how it felt, what it asked of you, lives on long after the birth. This is why your birth story matters. In this episode, we're talking about the full weight of a birth experience. The pride. The grief. The moments that surprised you. The comments that landed wrong. The pieces you're still making sense of weeks, months, or years later. And we're making space for all of it, because every story deserves to be heard. We're walking through: Why a birth story shapes you long past the day it happenedHow both pride and grief can live in the same storyWhy "at least the baby is healthy" misses what a mom is actually asking forWhat trauma can look like in a birth that "went fine" on paperHow to hold space for a friend who is sharing her story with youDifferent ways to process your own story, from journaling to sharing in communityWhether your story is one you've told a hundred times or one you've never said out loud, you deserve the space to process it however you need to. If you want to share yours with us, we'd be honored to hear it. You can email us anytime. Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  7. May 4

    47 | The Real Difference Between Oxytocin and Pitocin & its Impact on your Birth

    When people hear the word Pitocin, it often gets described as "synthetic oxytocin," so it's easy to assume the two are basically the same thing. They're not, and that distinction matters more than most of us realize. In this episode, we're walking through what oxytocin actually does during labor, why it's so much more than the "love hormone" nickname, and how Pitocin works differently in the body even though it's chemically similar. We talk about the labor feedback loop, why environment plays such a huge role in how things progress, and why induced labor can sometimes feel more intense than spontaneous labor. We also cover the postpartum side of Pitocin, which can feel a little confusing at first. Why is the same medication used to start contractions also given to stop bleeding after birth? We break it down so it actually makes sense. This isn't about judging birth choices or saying one path is better than another. It's about understanding what's happening in your body so you can feel more grounded in whatever your birth looks like. Stephanie also shares the story of how her daughter Mackenzie helped move her from early labor into active labor with the twins, a real-life example of oxytocin in action. Birth Doula Services - How2Mom | Birth Doula Services in the Twin Cities Childbirth Ed Course - How2Mom | Birth Support, Online Birthing Classes, Resources for New Moms Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

  8. Apr 20

    46 | Placenta Encapsulation: What It Actually Is, Why Moms Are Choosing It, and What to Do If It's Not for You

    If your first reaction to "placenta encapsulation" is a hard no, we get it. Stephanie had the same reaction 13 years ago. But stay with us, because by the end of this episode, a lot of moms find themselves thinking: okay, this actually makes sense. In this episode, Stephanie and Nikki break down what placenta encapsulation really is, how the process works, and the top five reasons moms are choosing it as part of their postpartum recovery. We talk about what the research does and doesn't say, what nutrients the placenta contains, and why timing matters so much in those first few days. Stephanie also shares her own experience and how encapsulation played a role in her milk coming in. We also cover what to do if encapsulation isn't your thing. From burial to donation to cadaver dog training (yes, really), there are more options for your placenta than you might think. This one is all about giving you the information so you can decide what feels right for your body and your postpartum journey. No pressure. Just options. Thank you so much for listening to the Mom2Mom Podcast! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! Join the email list to be notified when episodes go live HERE!  Please also make sure  to comment, share and subscribe!  xoxo, Stephanie Let's Connect: Website (how2mom.com) Instagram (@how2mom) Facebook (@how2mom) TikTok (@how.2.mom) Twitter (@how_2_mom) Linkedin (@how2mom) Pinterest (@how2mom) YouTube (@how2mom)

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

We are on a mission to make the journey of motherhood a little less overwhelming. During these episodes you will hear stories of triumph, heartache, and hope. You will hear time-tested tips and tricks shared by moms, a variety of birth stories that will resonate with all birthing families, and advice from professionals who have dedicated their teachings to pregnancy, birth, and moms. Here, you will find encouragement, support and community. We are your community. And we’re so happy to have you! This podcast is meant to empower women and bring the community together through storytelling and education. 

Information

  • Creator
    Stephanie Sinclair
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mom2Mom Podcast
  • Show Website
    Mom2Mom Podcast

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