Lo & Behold | Pregnancy, Birth, Motherhood

I sit down with my dear friend and student Michelle, a stay-at-home mama to two little girls (just 13 months apart!), and now expecting her third baby girl in January. We dive deep into her journey, from the quick excitement and early losses that stole that first-pregnancy bliss, and the tender miscarriage of her son Peter at 12 weeks. We get into her experiences with her pregnancies and the birth stories of her two daughters.
We chat postpartum realities too - the baby blues, nursing wins and pains, tandem feeding challenges, and navigating it all amid a house flood and GDM diagnosis - plus how faith, family support, and a bigger age gap this time around have her buzzing with anticipation for another empowering birth. If you're navigating pregnancies, losses, or the wild ride of close-together kiddos, this one's full of grace, giggles, and real-talk encouragement!
More from Michelle Robins:
Connect with Michelle on Instagram @therobinsthriftednest
Helpful Timestamps:
02:39 Michelle's First Pregnancy and Birth Story
12:43 Navigating Postpartum Challenges
14:54 Surprise Second Pregnancy
18:54 Unexpected Diagnosis and Holiday Challenges
19:59 Preparing for an Unmedicated Birth
20:53 Labor Begins Amidst Chaos
22:07 A Fast and Furious Delivery
27:11 Postpartum Challenges and Nursing Struggles
30:03 Pregnancy Loss and Healing
32:25 Expecting Baby Number Three
34:09 Resources and Support for New Moms

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!
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Today I’m taking you through the whirlwind of the first 1-2 hours after birth. Whether you've just pushed out your baby vaginally or are planning a cesarean, there's so much happening in these ecstatic, hazy moments, from skin-to-skin bliss to essential checks and choices. I want you to feel empowered, not overwhelmed, so you can advocate for what you want while soaking in that newborn magic.
We start right after baby arrives: the relief, possible shaking (totally normal and hormonal!), Apgar scores to gauge baby's transition, and delayed cord clamping (plus how cord blood banking fits in). Then, we cover what’s happening during this third-stage of labor, like Pitocin to prevent bleeding, placenta delivery (usually 15-30 minutes), and any tear repairs. Moving into the fourth stage, I explain fundal checks versus assessments, the golden hour's many skin-to-skin benefits (stress reduction, temp regulation, bonding, oxytocin boost, and breastfeeding support), that first magical breastfeed with colostrum, postpartum meds for pain and stool softening, getting up to pee (tips included!), and newborn procedures like assessments, eye ointment, vitamin K, and hep B vaccine. This is your roadmap to informed consent - nothing here has to be decided on the spot. My hope? You leave these hours feeling knowledgeable, blissful, and deeply connected.
Mentioned in this episode:
Grab My Free Third Trimester Pack - Birth Plan included!
Your Body, Your Birth Course

Helpful Timestamps:
01:23 The First Hours After Birth: What to Expect
03:43 Understanding the Third and Fourth Stages of Labor
05:28 Immediate Post-Birth Procedures and Choices
10:08 The Golden Hour
13:35 Placenta Delivery and Pitocin Use
18:21 Fundal Assessments & Checks
21:58 Benefits of Skin-to-Skin
27:12 Postpartum Pain Management
33:52 Newborn Assessments and Procedures
36:52 Transition to Postpartum Care

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

Join The Breastfeeding Blueprint: www.labormama.com/breastfeeding & use the code PODCAST to save 20%
In this episode of Lo & Behold, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Meenal Lele, the founder and CEO of Lil Mixins, who's been at the forefront of making early allergen introduction straightforward and empowering for families. As a mom who's navigated the wild world of food allergies with her own son, Meenal breaks down the latest research in a way that's clear, reassuring, and totally relatable - perfect for expectant parents or those in the thick of those early months and years. We dove into the nerves around introducing allergens, why timing matters, and how simple tools like Lil Mixins' powders can make it less daunting, all while tying in the bigger picture of gut health, barriers, and holistic wellness. If you're prepping for solids or just want to feel more confident in these choices, this convo is a game-changer.
Helpful Timestamps:
01:23 Introducing Today's Guest: Meenal from LilMix-Ins
02:56 Meenal's Journey and Expertise
09:44 The Complexity of Allergies and Nutrition
14:43 Practical Tips for Allergen Introduction
23:09 Facing Parenting Fears
26:01 Understanding Allergies and Immune System
31:42 Global Allergy Trends
34:27 Introducing Allergens to Babies
39:11 Hope and Progress in Allergy Management
40:30 Final Thoughts and Resources

More from Meenal Lele:
Visit LilMixins.com and checkout her resources!
Grab her book: The Baby & The Biome
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!
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Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20%
If you've ever found yourself Googling "when should my baby roll over?" or stressing about tummy time, this one's for you. In this episode, I sat down with the incredible Dr. KC Rickerd, a pediatric physical therapist with nearly 15 years of experience specializing in the development of babies from birth to three years old, wife and mama to three, and founder of Milestones and Motherhood - where she helps parents ditch the worry and enjoy the journey.
In this conversation, we discuss early baby milestones and development, the importance of free floor time, and how to worry less while enjoying more. Dr. KC also breaks down the myths and realities of milestones, the role of baby containers, and why crawling is a crucial milestone to monitor. Tune into this episode for practical tips to foster your child's development without feeling overwhelmed.
What’s inside this episode:
Baseline Knowledge is Power:Get familiar with milestone ranges to avoid unnecessary worry. Most babies figure it out with free floor time and exploration.
Mini Stones Matter:Don't fixate on the big ones only, like rolling or walking - celebrate the building blocks.
Containers in Moderation:Use them when needed, but balance with tummy time and play to support development.
Trust Your Intuition:If something feels off, advocate early. But if your baby is progressing on their own norm, give yourself grace.

More from Dr. KC Rickerd, PT, DPT:
Use code TLM for 10% offcoursesand 20% offthe complete bundle.
VisitMilestonesAndMotherhood.com
Listen to theMore Than Milestones Podcast
Grab Milestones & Motherhood Freebies
Follow her on Instagram:@milestones.and.motherhood

Helpful Timestamps:
01:23 Introducing Dr. KC Rickerd
06:19 Navigating Baby Milestones
12:49 The Role of Baby Containers
21:15 Understanding Milestone Checklists
25:35 The Importance of Mini Milestones
28:08 Concerns About Crawling and Development
30:49 Trusting Your Parental Intuition
36:09 Practical Tips for...

Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20%
Hello, hello, friends! In this heartfelt episode of Lo & Behold, I sit down with Hannah, one of my amazing birth course students and a military mama who's navigated some seriously wild twists on her path to motherhood. She opens up about her fertility journey - think IVF rollercoasters, repeated early miscarriages after Clomid and methotrexate, and the emotional gut-punch of late implantations that just didn't stick. Then, we dive into her two birth stories: the first a grueling multi-day induction at a military hospital, marked by intense cramping from Cytotec and a Cook's catheter, a traumatic scalp stimulation, and finally welcoming her son after an hour-and-a-half of pushing (with some accidental lat workouts thrown in!). We touch on her raw postpartum struggles too - bonding challenges, mastitis, high lipase milk, and granulation tissue. It's real, it's messy, and it's a reminder that there's no "best" way through any of this.
Fast-forward to baby number two, and Hannah's second induction is like night and day - empowered choices at a civilian hospital, gentle providers who actually listened, a quick progression with Pitocin and water breaking leading to fetal ejection reflex, and a smoother postpartum with better breastfeeding prep and therapy healing those first-birth scars. I love how Hannah pulls wisdom from her first experience, leaning into education and advocating like a boss.
Helpful Timestamps:
01:24 Birth Story Day: Meet Hannah
02:04 Hannah's Journey to Pregnancy
08:14 IVF and Pregnancy Success
10:46 Labor and Delivery Challenges
24:09 Her First Birth Experience: A Quiet Arrival
25:41 Postpartum Challenges: Breastfeeding Struggles
26:34 Hospital Stay and Recovery
29:40 Second Pregnancy and IVF Journey
31:04 A Better Birth Experience
40:08 Postpartum Reflections and Future Plans
44:48 Resources and Recommendations

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...