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The Mamamoon Podcast

From Belly to Baby

If you're expecting your first, second or third child, by now you've probably realized how much information is out there about growing, birthing and caring for your baby! We know it can be pretty overwhelming. The Mamamoon Podcast is here to help! In each episode, we interview birth and postpartum professionals and get them to share their wisdom, tips and tricks for pregnancy and birth to postpartum, baby care and parenthood. We're Kasia and Nina, both moms and founders of Mamamoon Retreats. Coming out of our own pregnancies, we have made it our mission to empower parents-to-be to have a smooth and beautiful pregnancy, birth and transition into their new lives as parents. We're with you from belly to baby!

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Podcast Episodes

Episode 17 -  

Mamamoon's Positive Birth Stories: A birth like a beautiful speed train. Natalie shares her story

Beautiful birth stories help future moms to believe in themselves and the amazing ability of their bodies. 

Natalie started to prepare for birth and motherhood even before she became pregnant. Her spiritual and holistic approach to pregnancy, birth and parenthood is a true inspiration for every mom-to-be. 
When little Mira decided to join her mom and dad outside her mom's womb a little earlier than expected, Natalie's and Kelvin's original birth plan went out the window, and all three had to come to terms with a birth that would be different than expected. 

In this episode, Natalie shares her amazing birth story. 

  • How she prepared holistically for pregnancy, birth and parenthood, even before she became pregnant

  • How she helped herself during pregnancy with non-negotiable self-care routines and practice

  • How she learned to trust her mind, spirit and body 

  • How being grounded and prepared helped to deal when the birth happened differently than planned

  • How baby Mira decided to give her mom a speed train birth

  • How Natalie managed to stay relaxed, calm and focused even during the more challenging and tiring moments of birth

  • How Kelvin was by her side, boosting their oxytocin at every step of the way

Episode 9 -  

What is HypnoBirthing?

HypnoBirthing has become incredibly popular in many countries around the world as a method to help moms-to-be to understand and fully trust their bodies and minds, and those of their babies during the birthing process.

HypnoBirthing as a birth preparation helps future moms and their birthing partners, how specific movements, massages, relaxation exercises, visualizations can help to create a smooth and beautiful birthing experience.
By understanding their body's design and the process it goes through during labor, future moms gain trust and confidence in their body, work with their bodies during labor instead of resisting, and learn to release and relax during birth.

At the same time, there's still a lot of myths, prejudices and misinformation around HypnoBirthing out there.

In this podcast episode, Kasia Pokrop, HypnoBirthing Practitioner, Prenatal Yoga Teacher, founder of Seventh Series and co-founder of Mamamoon explains the concepts and science behind HypnoBirthing, tells you what to expect, when to get into it, how to make it work for you, and why no baby should be born without HypnoBirthing techniques.

Episode 10 -  

The benefits and risks of home birth, Part 1

While home births are completely normal in the Netherlands, only less than 1% of babies in other European countries are born at naturally home. 

At the same time, bringing your baby into this world in the most relaxed and beautiful way possible, is doubtlessly the easiest an environment where you feel completely comfortable and at home. 
And so, where do you feel more safe, comfortable, and relaxed than in your own home? 
In this episode, with the help of midwives Iris Rapolder and Felicitas Henkel of www.hausgeburt-darmstadt.de we bust some myths about having your baby at home: 
* Why and when should I consider a home birth?

* Is it dangerous for me or my baby?

* Is it messy?

* Who will support me?

* How do I find and choose a midwife

 

and many more questions around home birth answered in this first of two episodes with Iris and Feli. 

Episode 11 -  

Practical tips to prepare for Home Birth

If you're considering to have your baby at home, preparing for your home birth can seem scary and overwhelming.
In this part 2 of our Home Birth podcast episodes, we continue to talk to German midwives Iris Rapolder and Felicitas Henkel from www.hausgeburt-darmstadt.de about the practicalities of having your baby at home.
Listen to this episode to get all their practical knowledge and tips around how to prepare for home birth.
Questions we answer are:

  • What kind of equipment do I need?

  • Will it be messy?

  • Can I have a pool or a birth stool?

  • What about cleaning up?

  • How can I create the most beautiful birthing environment possible and why does that help me?

Episode 12 -  

Mamamoon's Positive Birth Stories: Brittany + Declan

Powerful birth stories help future moms to believe in themselves and the amazing ability of their bodies.

We've all heard enough about scary and traumatic birth stories, and while they need to be told so we can make things better, what moms-to-be really need to hear when they prepare for birth are the amazing, beautiful, strong and roaring birth stories.

  • Birth stories that make you believe in your body, your baby and yourself.

  • Birth stories that show you just how strong and powerful you will be when your moment comes.

  • Birth stories that make you, future mom, look forward to the moment when you'll bring your baby into this world.

Our Mamamoon mom Brittany shares with us the amazing story of how she brought baby Declan George into this world.

Learn about:

  • How Brittany prepared for birth and parenthood

  • How she trusted her intuition

  • How she built her birth team

  • How her partner was the best birth support she could wish for

Episode 13 -  

Prenatal Yoga: How it helps through your pregnancy

Pregnancy comes with massive changes for moms-to-be and processing, adopting and integrating can be a challenge.
Prenatal yoga, its exercises but also its philosophies are designed to help moms-to-be not only prepare for labor and birth on a physical, mental and spiritual level but prepare for parenthood just as well.
In this episode, we're particularly proud to talk to Kirsteen Ruffell from Birthlight Yoga. She is an experienced Yoga Tutor and Senior Teacher in the UK. As such she's not only an icon in the world of prenatal yoga but also training the new generations of Prenatal yoga teachers. In this episode, we're getting Kirsteen to talk and clarify why and how prenatal yoga helps you throughout your pregnancy.

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Topics we cover:

  • Can I practice yoga during pregnancy?

  • What are the benefits of Prenatal Yoga during pregnancy?

  • Are there risks of practicing yoga during pregnancy?

  • What if I didn’t practice yoga regularly or even at all previously?

  • As an experienced practitioner, can I continue with my practice?

  • What can I do in my first, second and third trimester and what can I focus on?

  • When can I start going back to yoga after birth?

Episode 14 -  

Mamamoon's Positive Birth Stories: Johanna + Atilla

Home Birth is still a topic with lots of myths and fears being spread about it. We've all heard enough about scary and traumatic birth stories, and while they need to be told so we can make things better, what moms-to-be really need to hear when they prepare for birth are the amazing, beautiful, strong and roaring birth stories.

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Johanna and Atilla welcomed their little son to our world at home, and we're excited that they agreed to share their birth story.

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The day that little Oscar was born went completely differently than they had planned. In their birth story they share how they prepared for home birth, and how all the knowledge and information they had enabled them to stay calm and relaxed during labor and birth at home - even when Oscar decided to be ready to be born much quicker than they anticipated.

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A beautiful, inspiring birth story about a couple forming a great birthing and parenting team, a grandma that caught her grand child as he was born, and a midwife that was experienced enough to let the family manage this labor together.

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In this episode, get tips and tricks about

  • how to prepare for birth as a couple

  • why knowing all the details of pregnancy and labor help both mom and dad to be to be in control

  • how to prepare for birth at home

  • how to stay relaxed even if everything goes differently than expected

Episode 11 -  

Practical tips to prepare for Home Birth

If you're considering to have your baby at home, preparing for your home birth can seem scary and overwhelming.
In this part 2 of our Home Birth podcast episodes, we continue to talk to German midwives Iris Rapolder and Felicitas Henkel from www.hausgeburt-darmstadt.de about the practicalities of having your baby at home.
Listen to this episode to get all their practical knowledge and tips around how to prepare for home birth.
Questions we answer are:

  • What kind of equipment do I need?

  • Will it be messy?

  • Can I have a pool or a birth stool?

  • What about cleaning up?

  • How can I create the most beautiful birthing environment possible and why does that help me?

Episode 12 -  

Mamamoon's Positive Birth Stories: Brittany + Declan

Powerful birth stories help future moms to believe in themselves and the amazing ability of their bodies.

We've all heard enough about scary and traumatic birth stories, and while they need to be told so we can make things better, what moms-to-be really need to hear when they prepare for birth are the amazing, beautiful, strong and roaring birth stories.

  • Birth stories that make you believe in your body, your baby and yourself.

  • Birth stories that show you just how strong and powerful you will be when your moment comes.

  • Birth stories that make you, future mom, look forward to the moment when you'll bring your baby into this world.

Our Mamamoon mom Brittany shares with us the amazing story of how she brought baby Declan George into this world.

Learn about:

  • How Brittany prepared for birth and parenthood

  • How she trusted her intuition

  • How she built her birth team

  • How her partner was the best birth support she could wish for

Episode 11 -  

Practical tips to prepare for Home Birth

If you're considering to have your baby at home, preparing for your home birth can seem scary and overwhelming.
In this part 2 of our Home Birth podcast episodes, we continue to talk to German midwives Iris Rapolder and Felicitas Henkel from www.hausgeburt-darmstadt.de about the practicalities of having your baby at home.
Listen to this episode to get all their practical knowledge and tips around how to prepare for home birth.
Questions we answer are:

  • What kind of equipment do I need?

  • Will it be messy?

  • Can I have a pool or a birth stool?

  • What about cleaning up?

  • How can I create the most beautiful birthing environment possible and why does that help me?

Episode 12 -  

Mamamoon's Positive Birth Stories: Brittany + Declan

Powerful birth stories help future moms to believe in themselves and the amazing ability of their bodies.

We've all heard enough about scary and traumatic birth stories, and while they need to be told so we can make things better, what moms-to-be really need to hear when they prepare for birth are the amazing, beautiful, strong and roaring birth stories.

  • Birth stories that make you believe in your body, your baby and yourself.

  • Birth stories that show you just how strong and powerful you will be when your moment comes.

  • Birth stories that make you, future mom, look forward to the moment when you'll bring your baby into this world.

Our Mamamoon mom Brittany shares with us the amazing story of how she brought baby Declan George into this world.

Learn about:

  • How Brittany prepared for birth and parenthood

  • How she trusted her intuition

  • How she built her birth team

  • How her partner was the best birth support she could wish for

Episode 15 -  

Breastfeeding - beautiful, yet often challenging

Breastfeeding is as much a beautiful and amazing way of feeding your child as it can be a challenging and confusing topic for new moms.

It doesn't help that every culture knows different recommendations, advice and myths around breastfeeding.

What to eat and not to eat, how to feed, when to feed, where to feed. Bottle yes or no, formula yes or no - and is there actually such a thing as confusing your child with a pacifier?

Marieke van Luin, Breastfeeding Consultant and Coach at Mamma Minds helps us to bust some myths and get some good advice for you on the table. Her passion and energy to support new moms is amazing - you're definitely gonna wanna listen to her stories.

Her most important advice: Take care of yourself, go easy on yourself and ask for help!

In this episode, we're all about:

  • nutrition when breastfeeding

  • what to do to stimulate milk production

  • what to do when you have too much milk

  • formula yes or no?

  • bottles and pacifiers - how to handle them

  • going back to work while still breastfeeding

  • why relaxing and taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do to make your breastfeeding journey an amazing one

Episode 16 -  

Mamamoon's Positive Birth Stories: The ultimate birth tent

Beautiful birth stories help future moms to believe in themselves and the amazing ability of their bodies. They need to be told much more!

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Hannah created the ultimate birth tent to bring her baby into this world.

Due to the Covid pandemic, her baby's dad wasn't able to be by their side during birth, so she decided to honor his Indian background by building herself a birth tent out of Indian saris - a cocoon that made her feel powerful, safe and comfortable to welcome her baby in.

She shares with us the amazing story of her home birth, assisted by her mom and sister, and the beautiful ladies from Hausgeburt Darmstadt.

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In this episode, learn how:

  • It really takes a village to raise a child

  • Your birth environment can give you all the power and confidence you need

  • You can create a true cocoon for your postpartum period

Episode 7 -  

"Kraamzorg" or What does a Postpartum Nurse do?

The Dutch concept of "Kraamzorg" means that moms are fully taken care of in the first 10 days after giving birth by a maternity or postpartum nurse.
This professional maternity care provider, or "help-mum", stays with the families in those first days.
Unfortunately, on most other countries, parents-to-be are pretty much on their own in the days and weeks after coming home with their newborn. In those countries, fresh moms and dads need to organize their tribe like in the old days.
We talked to Delphine from aide-maman-amsterdam.nl who explains the concept of "Kraamzorg" to us, and gives loads of tipps about how to organize your tribe for those mums out there who are not in the Netherlands and don't benefit from "Kraamzorg".
If you're preparing to have a baby, this one is for you!

Episode 8 -  

What are Rebozos and what can you do with them? 

Rebozos are beautiful, traditional Mexican scarves worn and used by Mexican women throughout their whole life.

During pregnancy, labor and birth they are used to give moms-to-be comfort and relief through gentle movements and massages. As midwives, doulas or even partners give future moms to be gentle rebozo massages, they form a deep connection and help her through pain and discomfort of pregnancy and labor. But how to use rebozos, where to buy them, what to look out for - and are there any risks anyways?

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Thea and Mirjam from rebozo.nl have pioneered the introduction of rebozos in European midwifery and are explaining us all about rebozos and how to use them.

Episode 5 -  

What is a Doula and what does she do?

If you're pregnant and are preparing for birth, you might have heard the term "Doula" more than once by now. But what does a doula actually do? How does a doula support you during birth and how does she work with a midwife or your partner? How do you find and choose your doula? 

We wanted to know, and so we decided to interview Ombretta Dettori from Ayu Doula Amsterdam. Amongst many other things, Ombretta is a yoga teacher, ayurvedic practitioner, and a trained doula. 
She sheds some light on doulas for us, and gives you an idea for the best baby shower gift ever along the way!

Episode 6 -  

Postpartum Self-care and Recovery

When we prepare for birth, too often the preparation centers around birth only when actually, much of the massive shift of becoming a parent only occurs during the Fourth Trimester. 

We're talking to Women's Health Specialist and Massage Therapist Mirjam from Gentle Beginnings and Postpartum Massage Nederland about how postpartum should be a time for new moms to be cherished and honored, and what we can do to support them in that transformation into motherhood. Postpartum care and recovery treatments like massages, vaginal steaming, belly binding, rebozo techniques or moxa treatments are helping not only with physical recovery but also with mental adjustment to the changes in your life. 
And if you're looking for a truly thoughtful and helpful baby shower gift for mom-to-be, make sure to listen in! 

Episode 3 -  

Essential Oils during Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum

More and more often, also midwives and doulas recommend the use of essential oils (future) moms to treat pregnancy ailments and even for baby care. Even school medicine recognizes the positive effects certain essentials oils can have during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. 

Health and Fitness Coach Sabrina Notarnicola answers a lot of our questions around essentials oils, so tune in and learn all about the wisdom of plant medicine and how it can help you during pregnancy. Find out what you can do about typical pregnancy ailments like heartburn, constipation, sleeplessness or back pains or headaches. 

Episode 4 -  

Better Baby Sleep through Gentle Sleep Coaching

After being born, babies still need to learn how to sleep, and their need for rest and their sleep rhythm change with every development step they make.
For parents, this is often one of the hardest things about being a parent.

In this episode of our podcast, we talk to sleep coach Ola from Tiny Sleepyhead about how babies learn to sleep, what influences their sleep and what moms and dads can do to help their babies fall asleep and sleep through the night.

Ola is a certified Gentle Sleep Coach, focusing on sleep coaching methods that put baby's and parents' needs first. She coaches families through the first years when sleep seems to be an all-impacting topic.

Episode 1 -  

Baby Wearing 101 - Why, How and What to look for in Carriers + Wraps

If, how and when to carry your baby in a carrier, wrap or ring sling is a topic most parents are confronted with. We're talking to Zyanya, mom of two, babywearing consultant and founder of www.adaptingtolove.com about the pros and cons of carrying your child, the role of oxytocin, the involvement of dads, how to choose your carrier and many more tips and tricks for parents-to-be who are looking to wear their baby in a carrier or wrap.

Episode 2 -  

Acupuncture for Pregnancy and Birth

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Acupuncture is a practice from Traditional Chinese Medicine that is gaining popularity in Western countries, too. It has countless benefits for pregnant women, too, and can be done during the entire pregnancy to alleviate pregnancy ailments and prepare for a smooth birthing experience. Often, though, expecting moms only find out about the benefits of acupuncture when their baby is overdue and moms are looking for a way to get labor going. Together with acupuncturist Corinne Laan, we're taking a deeper look into acupuncture for pregnancy and birth, explain the way it works, and what its benefits are during your journey from Belly to Baby. 

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