PregActive Podcast Kerryn Boyle

What to Expect at the Six Week Check When Pregnant
Postpartum can be very overwhelming. Those first six weeks with a newborn can feel like an absolute whirlwind. Your mind and body are still adjusting and there are hormones racing through you like crazy. Plus, you’re tired. Really tired.

And then it’s time for your six week check.

To help you go in with some insight, I interviewed OBYGN Dr Suzana Kotevska on what to expect at the six week check.

Below are the topics we covered, but listen to the full episode for in depth discussions and what you need to know.

Discussing the birth
Discussing the birth is a big thing, and can be quite emotional for some women. But it’s an important part of you helping to assess their postpartum recovery.

Mental Health
Mental Health is a big topic, especially postpartum. You mentioned this is compulsory for the health care professional to ask. Are there set questions you need to cover?

Wounds Checking
C-section wounds and perineum tears and episiotomy wounds

Diastasis Recti Discussion on what’s normal and what’s not. Often doctors will not actually check Diastasis unless they are trained and experienced in this. It is often best to book in with a Women’s Health Physiotherapist.

Contraception and plans for future pregnancies At 6 weeks post-birth many women aren’t thinking about giving birth again so soon, but it’s an important topic to talk about

Cervical Screening Test if she is due for one. Questions the woman is to ask.

Not every Doctor goes through in detail like you do, as you’re an OBYGN and often women go to their GP for their six week check. What are some questions you would encourage women to ask their Doctor at the six week check?

Birthing with Confidence Podcast
When you think of birth, do you immediately think of pain? Do you think of a negative experience? Well then you need to listen to this amazing interview I had with Rhea Dempsey.

Not only is Rhea a childbirth educator, doula, author, speaker and birth advocate, she is a forward thinker with it comes to childbirth.

She advocates for normal physiological birth, and as we talk about the different type of pain, and birth being a very functional pain compared to a pathological pain.

Rhea encourages women to explore and reflect on what they want from the pregnancy and birthing experience and provides guidance about how to navigate the ‘maternity system’ and the birthing process and their journey into an empowered motherhood.

She’s real and honest and has a holistic and woman-centred approach.

Her aim is to prepare women who want a normal physiological birth to become what she calls ‘savvy willing woman’.

As we talk about surrounding yourself with the right supportive team who can help you through your ‘crisis of confidence’

Rhea identifies distinct pain attitudes in the pregnant woman and also in the practitioners working with birthing women, and how all of this affects the possibility of the woman having a normal physiological birth.

Natural Ways to Bring on Labour Podcast
Look, let’s be honest. Getting to the pointy end of third trimester can bring on a lot of emotions for many women, especially about whether they will ‘easily’ go into spontaneous labour.

It’s a complete unknown as to the actual day your baby will give you signals that they are ready to descend, and for some women the stress and worry is just too much.

Inductions and planned C-sections are a new way to bring that day forward, and in some medical reasons it’s necessary for health of Mother and / or baby.

But for many women wanting to go into spontaneous labour, they’re actually wanting to avoid the medical interventions mentioned above and try for something a little bit more natural.

Acupuncture has been high on the list when it comes to ‘natural ways to bring on labour’ and I so naturally, I wanted to interview Rachael West, a highly sort after health care professional with so much knowledge and passion.

As I ask Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist, Rachael West all about how she helps women prepare for birth, naturally.

YouTube Labour Video >

Early Parenting Tips for Those Newborn Weeks
Those first newborn weeks can certainly seem overwhelming, when you’re in the thick of it, but also as a pregnant woman awaiting that time. It certainly is life changing, but in a good way!

These little humans are reliant on you and they are growing at a rapid rate. They are trying their little best to communicate, but sometimes it doesn't always seem clear what they want. Sometimes a bum change, sometimes to be fed, maybe it's just a cuddle.

As I interview Pinky McKay who is one of Australia's most recognised and respected breastfeeding and early parenting experts.

Pinky specializes in gentle parenting styles that honour mothers' natural instincts to respond to their babies, which is just golden, and in today's society with external pressures, for many new Mothers self-doubt easily creeps in.

As we chat together, Pinky shares some useful tips to help best prepare you for those newborn weeks. As Pinky says, 'support is essential for all new mothers and the professionals who work with them - by lifting each other, women thrive, mothers can reach their breastfeeding goals and families can enjoy a gentle, connected beginning.'

Join us for a beautiful chat all about those newborn weeks.

Pinky McKay is one of Australia’s most recognised and respected breastfeeding experts. In addition to being a wonderful Mother of five (plus a Grandmother), she’s an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and best-selling author. Pinky has a passion to share tips and resources with mothers and mothers-to-be to help them find their feet and thrive in their motherhood journey.

You can find more about Pinky at https://www.pinkymckay.com/ 

Pelvic Floor Assessment Podcast
Pregnant or postpartum and not sure if you are doing your pelvic floor exercises right? You're not alone. So many women are unsure if they really are 'lifting and squeezing'. Having a weak pelvic floor or an overactive pelvic floor may cause you to pee your pants.

And no one wants that embarrassing moment. As we discuss everything involved in a Pelvic Floor Assessment with Women's Health Physiotherapist Beth Scott, and why it's so important for women to see their Women's Health Physiotherapist to check just how their pelvic floor is!

Discover Tips for Mood and Mindset in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Discover Tips for Mood and Mindset in Pregnancy and Postpartum as we talk with Psychologist Rebecca Black. Acknowledging the struggle is often the first step, but as Mothers we often minimise our own needs and prioritise others. This doesn't have to be the case.

Listen up as we give practical, simple, mini-moments of self-care that you can slip into your day and feel fresher and rejuvenated from.