Embracing the Unexpected: Alex Wachelka's Third Birth Journey

When Alex Wachelka predicted her third baby would arrive on December 15th—despite professionals insisting otherwise—her intuition was right. But the path to that moment wasn’t easy.

After two very different births—one at a birth center and one rapid home birth—Alex expected another fast delivery. Instead, she faced twelve hours of annoying, spaced-out contractions that woke her up every 10 minutes. It wasn’t until she voiced her frustration to her husband that everything shifted. In releasing her fears and feeling truly supported, her labor transformed—and her baby arrived just one hour later, exactly on the date she predicted.

In this episode, Alex shares her third birth story and how it deepened her belief in the mind-body connection. She also talks about her work as an IBCLC and certified nutrition coach, helping moms with everything from breastfeeding challenges to postpartum recovery through programs like her “Boob Ease” mastitis support and “Baby’s First Year” coaching.

Whether you’re preparing for birth or navigating motherhood, this conversation is a powerful reminder to trust your body, trust your instincts, and lean into support.

Connect with Alex here: https://motherhoodbloomslactation.com/

Order the Juice Plus supplements we talked about here:
🇨🇦 Canada → alexwachelka.juiceplus.com
🇺🇸 U.S. → kellyhof.juiceplus.com

Listen to Alex's Lactation Land Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/lactation-land-podcast/id1670469213

Join the Bump & Beyond Online Community for moms & moms-to-be!

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Kelly Hof: Labor Nurse + Birth Coach
Basically, I'm your birth bestie! With me as your coach, you will tell fear to take a hike!

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcoming Back Alex Wichelka
• 2:16 The Beginning of the Labor Journey
• 5:55 Labor Intensifies: The Turning Point
• 9:58 The Birth Moment: Meeting Baby Boy
• 17:11 Releasing Fears for Natural Birth
• 24:07 When Kids Meet Childbirth
• 32:55 Nutrition Meets Lactation Consulting
• 42:29 New Programs for Supporting Moms
• 49:44 Final Thoughts and Community Information

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:28

Hello, today I'm so excited to welcome back my friend, business partner and fellow mom advocate, alex Wichelka. Alex is now a mom of three, an international board-certified lactation consultant and a certified nutrition coach. Her passion for supporting moms began after the birth of her first baby and has only grown stronger with each birth experience. And has only grown stronger with each birth experience. In this episode, alex shares the raw, real and beautiful stories of how her third child entered the world and how those experiences shaped her calling to walk alongside other moms in their own journeys. Alex and I partnered together to bring moms trusted nutritional support inside our Bump and Beyond online community, where we focus on empowering moms and moms-to-be with resources that nourish both body and mind. If you'd like to work with Alex or learn more about her services, visit motherhoodbloomslactationcom. Hi Alex, welcome and thank you so much for joining me today.

Speaker 2: 1:28

Thank you, kelly, I'm excited to be here.

Speaker 1: 1:30

I'm super excited to hear this birth story because I haven't heard the full story and I was listening to the episode that we did a couple years ago. Was it already? Yes, wow, yeah, season one, episode two, where you share your first two birth stories. So, just to recap, you can go back and listen to the whole thing. But your first birth was at the birth center and the second birth was at home and it was a precipitous labor and the midwife barely got there on time. Yeah, to the point where the midwife said, hey, probably ought to have the next birth at home as well, because you won't have time to get to the hospital. How'd that prediction go?

Speaker 2: 2:16

So it was the complete opposite. It was a very long labor, a very different birth than what I had experienced before. So his due date was December the 9th and I had an appointment scheduled for December the 10th and I was like I'll see you next week, like I'll see you when, because I knew I was like I don't think he's coming on the 9th. And so when I went in on the 10th, they had offered me the opportunity for a stretch and sweep. And because I did want to have a home birth and we had the conversation of, like the pros and the cons and you know, wanting to have that, that home birth, it felt like a good decision for me. So I thought let's do the membrane sweep. And when the midwife did that, I found out I was only two centimeters dilated, barely like not a face, no cervical changes, and I was like, well, okay, I know he's not coming out anyways. Um, I just had this feeling that it was going to be another week after. But she did it anyways, or just as best as she could, and I just went on my way. I had no cramping, no, like literally no discharge, experienced nothing from that stretch and sweep. And so by Wednesday, thursday they had let me know actually when I left that appointment, like they'll try and give me a call, try and get me in for a second sweep if I wanted it, because we had already had the post-dates ultrasounds booked for December 16th and I was hoping I didn't get to that point. And so I had a prescription from my naturopath for some things to just support my body through the process, and I was noticing by the Thursday, friday, I was starting to now lose some of the mucus plug and I was like, okay, like we're progressing here. And so at this point it's Saturday, saturday morning, and I'm talking to my husband and we're like the kids, should we get them out of the house, like the older two, I just had this feeling that he was coming on December 15th, so the due date was the 9th, because it's right near Christmas and everyone would ask me about Christmas and I'd be like I'm only going to have a 10 day old. And I just had this number of 10 day old in my head and I was like like the 15th feels like the day, and so I was like maybe we should. They can go to their grandparents' house, we can have that opportunity for for like the last moment. Before you know, we have another newborn in the family and so he was out dropping them off and I get a call from midwives. They're like we can see you if you can come in like the next 30 minutes and we can give you another sweep. I was like I'm coming, they don't, they're not far from me. So I was like I'm coming. And so that Saturday afternoon we had another sweep and at that point I was four centimeters dilated and I think it was 65% effaced. And they're like this is, you know, totally normal. You're a third time mom. But there were cervical changes and I was like, okay, I was feeling good about that.

Speaker 2: 4:59

And then when I got back home I informed my husband and we decided we'll go out for supper and so we're out for dinner. And I started to have cramping. So this is like six o'clock now and I'm like, okay, it's not contractions, but it's cramping. I was like we might be getting progress, things are moving. It's really easy to just kind of keep going about my evening because it's just cramps. We get home, we're like, okay, let's watch a movie. I'm just like rolling around on the birth ball because I'm like this baby is going to be coming soon and it's still cramping.

Speaker 2: 5:26

Nothing is consistent and it's like 10 o'clock at this point, like you know, we've had our whole evening and I was like, okay, this baby's probably coming. It's the 14th already. I feel like he's coming on the 15th. I need some rest. So I said to my husband I'm going to go to bed, she's going to go to the bathroom first. I'm going to go upstairs, and when I went to the bathroom this was like 10, 10, 15, I had bloody show. So I was like, okay, Like I was so excited because I was like this means the baby is coming soon, hopefully. I was like, okay, like I'm going to go lay down and get some rest.

Speaker 2: 5:56

And by 11 o'clock I'm woken up with a contraction.

Speaker 2: 6:00

I can talk through it, I can still lay in my bed, but I know that it's a contraction and I was like, okay, like I'm going to try and get some rest now.

Speaker 2: 6:07

And then by about midnight, I've been having contractions about every 10 minutes. By about midnight I've been having contractions about every 10 minutes and they're only about 30 to 45 seconds because I wasn't able to sleep through them. So I did start to time them and then I was like OK, they're not that long, they are far apart, there's no rush to do anything right now. So I get up to go to the bathroom again and my husband hears me he has not even slept at this point I don't know if it was like nerves or what and so he comes to check on me and I was like this is what's going on. My words were we're probably going to have a baby in the next four to five hours. He's like okay, so he lays down with me and then it's 1am and two and three and four, and I am still having contractions every 10 minutes and they're lasting 30 to 45 seconds.

Speaker 2: 6:48

And I was like okay, I've never experienced this before, because with both of them my firstborn, my water broke, just a slow trickle and labor was like 16 hours away. And with my second, my waters broke and within 10 minutes I was in hard labor and he came fast. So I was like this is really strange. I was trying to get as much sleep as I could. I was in the shower for a little bit, I made myself some peanut butter toast, I had some things to drink and I just, I just tried to rest. But then it's 5am and six and seven and I was like I'm going to call the midwives. I didn't want to disturb them Cause I was like I just wanted reassurance. So I was like I've never experienced this before, like should I be concerned? Like the baby's still moving. I was doing kick counts, like everything is fine, and I call her and she's like I told you, and I was like I start laughing because she had said to me that my third could be a wild card, that he, the baby, could come fast, like my second or this baby could take their time. I was like okay, and so her recommendations were just have some Gravol, have some Tylenol, try and rest. Call us if anything changes.

Speaker 2: 7:55

So at that point I think I had let my mom know, like hey, since midnight I've basically, you know, been having contractions, but nothing is changing. And then I let my mother-in-law know, because she had her older too. I was like, can they stay there a little bit longer? I'm certain this baby's coming today, but I don't know when. And she's like, of course, no problem. So then I just tried to lay back down and it was like eight, nine, 10, like continuous every 10 minutes, 30 to 45 seconds. And I'm trying to eat as much as I can. I don't have a big appetite at this point. I'm trying to drink water and stay hydrated, but I am growing mentally fatigued. At this point I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know what to expect. I know I wanted to have this baby at home, but I am, I'm getting tired and I'm trying to keep myself comfortable.

Speaker 2: 8:42

And it was about noon. So now we're 13 hours since that first contraction and I was talking to my husband and I was like I think I'm done. I was like I think mentally. I was like I was like there's so much in me right now. That's like I know I can do this. I've given birth to two babies before. But there's a part of me that's just like oh my God, just go get me the tiniest little dose of Pitocin and boom, we're in high gear and this baby will come.

Speaker 2: 9:12

And it was really interesting for me to look back on it because, as I'm saying this, he's watching me and he's watching my body language shift and he now notices that I'm on all fours on the floor and that's like the labor position I choose. And he just gets out his phone and he starts to time and he's saying to me Alex, you know you want to have a home birth. You can do this. What do you need from me? I'm here with you and you know that you don't want the Pitocin drip in the hospital. And I was like, I know, but I'm just, I was fatigued at that point mentally and it was literally that conversation with him and, like him, noticing that shift in my body language, that next contraction was four minutes and then it was one minute long.

Speaker 2: 9:55

And then it was four minutes and it was one minute long and I was like, okay, we're finally, the baby is going to be here and he goes. I'm not waiting an hour, right, that 4-1-1 rule he's like based on the timing of our second born. He's like I'm calling midwives at like 35 or 40 more minutes of this and I was like, okay, I think at this point it was like 30 minutes and he can. He's seeing my body language shift and I go, I need to get in the shower, and that's what I've done with the last two. When transition hits and he's like I'm calling them, like we are not risking this again. And so I managed to make my way into the bathroom and he is on the phone with the midwives and I'm in there, like I'm in the tub. I'm on all fours.

Speaker 2: 10:32

Now I'm having contractions. They're every four minutes, they're one minute long, like they're strong and intense and I'm using the water, the hydrotherapy, to help me through it. And he's on the phone with them and he's like they said that they can come in 12 minutes. I was like, perfect, like they're really near, they're they want to know if you feel any pressure in your bum. And in that exact moment I was like right now, like he's like okay, they're coming. And so I was like, thankfully, they're only 12 minutes away.

Speaker 2: 11:00

And so he gets me some juice and I just keep laboring in the shower and the midwives get there and she has the Doppler and she asks cause she can check on baby. And baby's doing totally fine and heart rate's good and there's no concerns. And she's like okay, I'm going to go get set up. So she's down the hall getting set up in the room and I'm just laboring in the tub and I start to feel this weird pressure and I'm saying it's weird because I've never felt it before and it felt like something was stretching and elongating inside me and then boom, my water broke. So I think it was the water sack, the bag. I like felt it come down almost and then just burst open and my water's released. And again, I had never experienced that before. It was very different with the other two releasing before and I just shout like my water broke.

Speaker 2: 11:46

And then there was a little bit of blood in which for me to see that I'm like it didn't look anything unusual. I was like this isn't normal. But I call out. I was like there's blood, like I'm like it's not, because then my husband's like head pops in. I'm like it's normal. But I'm like get the midwife. So she comes in, does another Doppler check, baby's totally fine. And she's like okay, where do you want to give birth? And I'm like literally on the verge of giving birth to this baby. I'm just like I don't know, like wherever. She's like, alex, I think we need to get you out of the tub. And so, again, I'm not sitting in the tub like planning a water birth. I'm on all fours with the shower on my back for pain management.

Speaker 2: 12:23

Yeah, and she's like we need to get you out of here. I'm like, oh my gosh, like this happened with my firstborn. I was like, okay, so we wait for the contraction to end. She grabs one arm. My husband reaches out. I like grab his arms and I'm just like fully supported on his body and the two of them. She throws a towel over my back, helped me walk down the hall into my bedroom to give birth to the baby, because our tub is just not big Like the bathroom. She just it wasn't an ideal spot.

Speaker 2: 12:51

So we're now at I don't know what time it was, it's sometime after one o'clock. He started timing just after 12. They were at our house within that hour, but for me this is like 13 hours labor and it's like I'm I'm tired and I'm like on the verge of crowning. And they're like, okay, walk down the hall and I get in my room and she's like, okay, do you want to give birth on all all fours? Because that's how I was positioned in the tub. I was like, yes, she's like okay, awesome. So she helps me get up onto the bed and she encourages me to reach up onto my headboard, just so I'm in a bit of a better position. And at that point she's literally like you can push, like push however you need to, because, like he's on the verge of coming. And so I gave the first push and she's like okay, that was like, that's really great, but I need you to do it harder next time. She's like, okay, like I know I can do this. And so I gave another one or two pushes and his head was born. Wow, and I was like okay, and it was really strange feeling because I could feel him moving. So his head's born, but his body's still in the birth canal. And he's like, like I was like, is that the midwife Like? And literally my midwife goes, oh, this baby's trying to get out. And I was like I have never, also never experienced this before.

Speaker 2: 14:07

And so she says to me, because of the position that I'm in, she's like, okay, this next push, like this baby's coming. And I keep saying he, because we had a boy, but we did not know at the time of birth the sex of the baby. So she's like need you to push again when? When the baby's going to be born, I'm going to pass him through your legs up to your chest. So I was like okay, so I'm just holding onto the headboard and she's like okay, you know, push again, however you need to. And I gave like another one or two really good pushes and out he comes and I hear her say she something? She's like oh, she's here, and I and I think I made this space Cause like I just felt like I was like it's a bully, and I remember looking at my husband, I'm like, wait, what Huh?

Speaker 2: 14:55

And she like passes the baby up to me and I'm just like, oh my God, like we did it, buddy, like we did it. And then I he was like kind of all just consumed with like he's finally here. I'm so tired. And then the midwife was wanting to kind of suction him a bit and then he was on my chest and then they had taken him because his sounds were not super great, so he had a lot of mucus. And then I was like, did you say she what? And they're like no, it's a boy. Or my husband said it was a boy. It's kind of foggy at that point, but it was just like I cannot believe how long this labor was compared to what I had experienced before 12 hours before it finally picked up. And then I was at the point of being just so tired.

Speaker 1: 15:27

Yeah, I feel like there's a trend, there's a thread coming through all of these and I can see the pattern because I talked to you before your birth and I know there were some concerns that were stressing you out and we talked about some of them. But I'm going to say the thread that I see and then we can go back and talk about that. So what I see is when some of the concerns or the fears were lifted, oxytocin was able, the natural oxytocin was able to come. So when you were talking to your husband, you like got the weight off your chest about like I just want to go to the hospital. You're like, you released that right, I just want to get the Pitocin germ, I want to get this over with. And you felt hurt. Not just that, he heard you, you felt hurt and he also understood your true wishes and he verbalized them.

Speaker 1: 16:10

I imagine you like, because I remember when we talked, when you had that release, and I remember that just like sigh, when the burden of the fear was released, and I could just imagine you in that birth having that like sigh of relief and then suddenly having that long contraction because the cortisol was, you know, offline by then, and then the natural oxytocin was like, okay, here we come, and you had that contraction and it put you in a natural labor, which is all you really needed, it for centimeters.

Speaker 1: 16:43

You, you know, you just just needed that natural oxytocin. And then there was another point he said that he wasn't going to wait an hour to call the midwife, and you said that you needed to go to the shower, and that was the next step. Like he recognized the points from the last labor, he also validated your fears and helped you release them by saying I see you and this is possible. Yes, we can do these things, these fear responses, like we can go to the hospital and get that Pitocin if that's going to make you feel better. But I also believe in you because I've seen you do this and I know this isn't what you want. So maybe let's explore the option of continuing, and then, yes, I support you if that doesn't work. And to have all of that stress released, I feel like is what ultimately led the labor to be able to continue in the right pattern.

Speaker 2: 17:35

Yeah, absolutely, because it was a lot of the, when I was saying like one and two and three and four, like, and the hours just kept passing, he was with me and it was just like do you need a drink? Like are you okay? And that was the sort of extent of like what was going on, like we were both just trying to rest, and I think it was yeah, once I expressed like I just can't do this anymore, it's like I just I'm like part of me wants you to just take me to the hospital. And he's like no, I know that's not what you want. And then right, then my body's like here we go. Yeah, that moment of relief.

Speaker 1: 19:03

Yeah, so in preparation we talked about a month before your due date.

Speaker 1: 19:13

I feel like there's a thread among the concerns that you've had and that was feeling safe, so feeling like you can release your fears essentially, and one of the fears that you had was I'm going to need my husband If my kids are dead. It's going to be a challenge, and so you did end up going in labor at night, like you anticipated you would. But your concern previously was you'd go into labor at night and you'd have this really fast labor where your kids were there and you felt like your husband would be torn between taking care of you and taking care of the kids. And do you want to talk about that concern and like what we kind of came up with together to figure out how to release that and make that no longer a fear?

Speaker 2: 19:55

Yeah, so it was really. I mean, the coaching session with you was invaluable because you helped me realize like maybe this isn't a problem at all, maybe it's okay if the kids are home and just having some more resources for me on that, because, yeah, I had a lot of stress around that because my husband has been like my doula in a sense, just because the way that it worked out with my first birth, it just he was so helpful. That was like I made him through each of these labors. I had a lot of stress around the fact that we had two little kids and they have never seen birth before and I think it's important that they understand birth. But part of me was like what are they? How are they going to feel? Are they just not going to understand? Like they're not gonna have any empathy for me and they're just like I need this. And so I was like will this cause more stress on me because I won't have my husband? And so you really helped me see, first of all, they can be a part of it. They could be there, and there was a few options that we can make that happen, and the one that we ended up choosing was to have my oldest, who's five, involved with the sort of labor prep part of things.

Speaker 2: 21:00

And that mommy helper box is a really amazing idea. We just took like a cardboard box and he put construction paper all over it and he like colored on it and I said you know, mommy's going to need some stuff before the baby comes and it's like you know it's a hard work to bring the baby into the world and mommy's going to get really thirsty and kind of hungry and and so he decorated this box for me. And then we went shopping together and we got the coconut water and the orange juice and granola bars and he put them in the box. And because of just the way that things unfolded and me having that stretch and sweep in the afternoon and kind of just deciding for the weekend to have the children at my in-laws in case the baby were to come, I obviously had the support of my husband and the kids were not home.

Speaker 2: 21:44

But because of their involvement, when they got home and they met their little brother, one of the first questions was like, did you need the helper box? And he saw it on the nightstand beside me and even for that first week or so postpartum he like restocked it for me. He's like mommy, do you need any more juice, do you need any more granola bars in there? And so I don't think I would have come up with that on my own or even like found it in like a Google search. So that was really, really helpful to have that conversation with you and know that, hey, if they are home it's okay, and to have someone else like bring someone else on board so that I could have my husband, but then also have that other plan of like let's get them involved.

Speaker 1: 22:25

Yeah, and it's not necessarily for everyone and it wasn't necessarily plan A either, and I think a big part of when I'm talking to moms that are about to have a second or third and they're concerned about that, a big part of getting over that is just recognizing that it can be an amazing experience either way and that it just takes a very simple gesture of getting them to focus on how to help, versus getting them to focus on what's going on with you and understanding that you're going to be okay and that you need this space to be able to do this hard work to get their sibling into the world, and that they can be very helpful and they could be an integral part of that. And we always want to do it in age appropriate ways, and so for your son's age group, it was very helpful to have snacks, but that every family is different, so the solution would be different for other people. But I just I love that that was something that you guys were able to do. I think it's adorable that he was able to like decorate the box and go shopping with you, like you took it to another level. I love that.

Speaker 1: 23:35

It's just so beautiful to be able to get your kids involved, because I think as a society lately we have felt like we need to shield our children from what is happening. When it's a natural phenomenon, it's not something that should be feared and especially if, in your case, where it's you've done it twice before, it's low risk. I mean, I get it if you were in the hospital and you had high risk stuff or you're on medication and there was some concern for your health or the baby's health, maybe that's when we protect them. But we've so medicalized birth and gotten to the point where it's something that we need to fear, that we need to protect and shield from that. We've forgotten that it can just be an amazing experience if you have your kids involved.

Speaker 1: 24:17

And honestly, two years ago I probably would not have said that, but since then, interviewing moms that have had beautiful experiences with their children involved and having a couple of really amazing births at the hospital where the kids were there, we don't have to fear that and I think it's so amazing that you had all of that prepared. And then I love the thread of those obstacles, those fears that were coming up, where, once you felt seen, heard and safe, you were able to release and allow your natural oxytocin to take over and move forward. I also love that you predicted the due date.

Speaker 2: 24:50

I just had. Yeah, so there was based on my cycle, which I know they don't like to go by that his due date was the 13th and I totally understand why they don't accept that as like's the due date. But for my cycle it was the 13th. The very first ultrasound estimated the due date at the 16th and then, because of how large the baby was, they said, oh no, no, the due date is the 9th.

Speaker 1: 25:14

I was like.

Speaker 2: 25:16

That doesn't make sense you just told me the ultrasound says it's the 16th and so the baby was just very long, I guess, at that point. And then they were like oh no, no, it's the ninth. So they backed it up literally a whole week. So I was like the ninth feels early for me and then even just like intuitively, I was like the ninth, it's not the ninth, and I just kept like because he was coming at Christmas and on my husband's side of the family the Christmas tradition is Christmas Eve and then my family is Christmas Day, like everyone Christmas Eve, and then my family's Christmas day, like everyone, was like what are you doing? Are you going to be here? Right? They had all the questions because we're going to have a newborn and my body was like but you're only going to have a 10 day old.

Speaker 2: 25:53

I was like that means it's the 15th and I just felt like it was the 15th and whether or not the sweep is what made it be the 15th, I don't know, because obviously that is an intervention in and of itself. I didn't just let my body go to whatever day it needed to because, as I was saying, it was a decision that felt right for me, based on me wanting to give birth at home. But yeah, I just was like it just feels like the 15th, and then that's the middle of the afternoon, but it was the 15th.

Speaker 1: 26:16

Yeah, I think there's two sides to that right. You know when you likely got pregnant. Right, you were there.

Speaker 2: 26:23

Yes, he was planned. It took a little, like it was, we know yeah you remember.

Speaker 1: 26:30

Also, I feel like your brain is prepared to do a thing on the date that makes sense to you, right? And so you're not going to really let go until that happens. And when it starts, when everything starts to feel aligned and safe, then your hormones can kick in and you can do the thing right.

Speaker 1: 29:03

So you're walking around four centimeters for a bit. I mean, it was just a matter of feeling safe in your body to be able to, and also the baby has to be fully developed and ready to come. But I think that part of what happens when moms know when their due date was is that there's just all those factors coming together. You know when you made the baby, you know when you feel safe having the baby and the safety and the logic coming together. I think you know it's your intuition and logic coming together essentially because most of the time, unless it's like an induction or something, most of the times I feel like moms are right.

Speaker 1: 29:42

So there have been some new developments since your last interview. So before, in your last interview, you were talking about how you went from you were in the nutrition space and then decided to get trained to be a lactation consultant and you've kind of come full circle since then and you're back in the nutrition space but also lactation. So can you tell me a little bit about how that happened? Because, like I knew, but I don't know the full story, I like kind of watched it happen, but I want the behind the scenes now.

Speaker 2: 30:13

Yeah, it really. It really is full circle, because I spent so. My bachelor's is nutraceutical science and then I spent seven years working in and around the health and wellness industry, just in different roles, and it was becoming a mom and breastfeeding my first baby for the first time. That led me to become a lactation consultant. And then several years of working with pregnant and postpartum moms.

Speaker 2: 30:39

I was using the knowledge I already had in nutrition, kind of without realizing it at times, but then I also just started to notice themes. A lot of the moms were iron deficient and that was noted during pregnancy and there really wasn't much talk besides like here's a supplement. A lot of the moms were experiencing issues with their thyroid, postpartum or issues with milk supply that were connected back to thyroid or other hormonal things or blood sugar concerns. A lot of the moms I work with were struggling with supply and a lot of it. You know we did the lactation stuff to remedy it, but then I was suggesting nutritional supports that were also supporting them and even also growing and birthing three babies myself like that's a nutritional toll on the body and so seeing this and going through it myself, I just felt because this is also just who I am like. I need to know that little bit more just so I can really support my clients to the absolute best of my abilities.

Speaker 2: 31:37

And that's when I decided to go deeper into nutrition and I completed a certificate in perinatal nutrition specifically. So it went through preconception, conception, nutrition for after loss, nutrition for a typical pregnancy and then also multiples vegetarian pregnancies. We went really in depth and then all through the postpartum period as well nutrition for healing, and it just aligned really well with what I was already doing in lactation. But then it gave me that little bit extra that I could support my lactation clients and then also work with moms who just want that extra nutrition support, like someone during pregnancy or postpartum, and so it kind of came from my work as a lactation consultant.

Speaker 1: 32:23

That's really amazing because you had the knowledge right. So then, what is it? A nutrition coach or a nutrition certificate?

Speaker 2: 32:30

I have a certificate, and so I use it as like sort of consulting coaching Got it Okay.

Speaker 1: 32:40

So it wasn't like an actual like coaching. Coaching like learning the mindset stuff. It was the how to have the nutrition that's appropriate for each stage. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 32:45

There was the health, behavior and mindset aspect, because of who it was taught by. That was her background is like in behavior change, and so there is part of that too, because it's all about. It's like it's nutrition for real life as well, because that's the other thing. It's like you're in the bathroom vomiting because you have morning sickness and your doctor's like eat a balanced diet, so all I can eat is crackers right now and sour candies Right. So we have to meet them where they're at and you can't I can't just come in and be like oh, we're going to make smoothies every day and have this, and it's like that's not going to work.

Speaker 1: 33:21

I don't have the energy or the physical ability. Yeah, that's amazing because that describes my pregnancies. Like to a T. It was crackers and either Jolly Ranchers or Leavenheads or whatever. I couldn't even do the ginger because I couldn't stomach the taste. It was just. I just had so many aversions. So it's amazing to be able to reach people where they're at and I love too that you've brought in supplements that help give the nutrition. It's not just vitamins. You give the nutrition where sometimes actually preparing the food and doing the thing is hard. I love the supplements that you've chosen that actually provide fruits and vegetables and whole food nutrition. Can you talk a little bit more about why that was important to you and how that helps meet moms where they're at?

Speaker 2: 34:04

Yeah, it was. So it all came from me starting to take them myself. So I was in my third trimester, I was running out of room, right, everything moved, you know. All the organs moved around and the baby was big and my stomach was being pushed off to the side and I just I didn't have a lot of room at each meal and I knew at this point the value of fruits and vegetables and quality nutrition, but to sit down and eat that much food, I just didn't have the space for it. And so then I was like I want to make sure that I'm getting what I need, so that my baby can get what they need, because I think even my own experience, but also seeing clients we're always like my baby, my baby, my baby. But then we ought to remember that pregnancy is also at our expense. We've got to make sure we're nurturing our body as well, and so I had come across these supplements, whole food products really it's. It's whole food. That was 30 different fruits and veggies in capsule form to just bridge that gap.

Speaker 2: 35:02

So it was going to help me bridge the gap between what I was actually eating and the high number of fruits and vegetables I was supposed to eat in a day. And so I began taking that in my third trimester as my safety net, just to make sure I and baby were getting what we needed. And then I chose to continue that throughout postpartum because, again, life with a newborn, as you know and everyone listening knows it's hard to sit down and usually our consumption of fruits and veggies goes down because we're trying to grab like quick things. Even if we pre-made some stuff, it might not always have right.

Speaker 2: 35:35

If it's like an energy ball, there's not all these fruits and veggies in there, like it's still quality nutrition. But so I chose to continue taking them throughout postpartum. And that's where I thought, if I'm doing this and I see the value in this, like I could, I'm sure there's someone else out there who's going to see that same value and I decided to start sharing that with my clients and just say like, hey, this is what I took because, you know, in addition to nutrition first and my food first, I found this helpful. Yeah, and it's just it's. It's also with my background and your background. You understand this. What does the evidence say? Where's the research Like, show me that this is?

Speaker 2: 36:10

safe and effective and it's actually going to work and it's there, so yeah absolutely.

Speaker 1: 36:16

Yeah, I can't argue with the trials that they've done. And what's interesting too is this is a supplement that I took in college because my parents bought it for me. And then I stopped because I was in that stage of life where I can't afford anything, right. And then I saw that you were doing it. I met some other friends that were doing it and I was likeules, but I'm always taking supplements. So I'm like there's so many capsules. There's only so many I can take. Is what I'm trying to say. I love that there's options. So I'm not going to lie.

Speaker 1: 36:44

I take the kids gummies most of the time. But when I'm actually able to prepare my life, when I have a moment to sit down and make a smoothie, then I love the. And do you guys have that yet in Canada? The powder, the powder yeah, virgin, no, not yet. Yeah, can't wait till you get it. So when I saw that you were doing it, I was like I got to try. I got to try the powder and I love both of them.

Speaker 1: 37:03

But, quite frankly, when I'm looking at how much energy I put into my own nutrition which I feel like I eat well and I'm very meticulous about what I bring to work to eat, but I just don't always have the energy to make the smoothie and I can't always swallow a pill. And, like you said, we need to meet, we need to be very honest with what we're emotionally capable of. You know, sometimes it just feels like so much of a drain. But you still have that desire to be healthy and I love that these supplements make it easier. So I just I love how full circle you have come.

Speaker 1: 37:38

You've done a whole lot with the nutrition aspect, with the supplement aspect, and you've done a whole lot of new things with your lactation. You've got a bunch of new programs. Can you talk about what inspired some of these new programs? I know that there is the pregnancy program, so you can prepare for lactation after pregnancy, and then you have the postpartum program and you have a couple I saw a couple more that you're adding and there's lots of different ways that people can access you the pre-made programs or the one-to-one. You had a group going.

Speaker 2: 38:05

Yeah, so things have kind of evolved over the years and I have. So I still have the breastfeeding before baby program, so that's the prenatal one you want to take. That between 28 and 34 weeks pregnant is what I recommend, so you have time to kind of digest it all and your partner can get in on it. So that's self-paced or you can choose to work with me one-on-one and kind of do something similar. But that has been around, that one's been around for a little while. And then what I did was it was just a few months ago and what I did was it was just a few months ago. I released Boob.

Speaker 2: 38:37

Ease is what it's called E-A-S-E, which is treating plug ducts and mastitis at home, because the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine a few years ago changed the protocols of how we treat it because it's actually on the spectrum of inflammation and it was how to approach that inflammation, which is the complete opposite of all of the advice that was online with guide you through kind of how to find the root cause yourself and how to address the inflammation.

Speaker 2: 39:23

And then I had taught so many classes and so many workshops over the years and I see so many clients on such a spectrum. That's what I love about private practice is that I'm not just seeing the dyad, you know, for the first two days after birth. I can see them at six months, at seven months, when they're weaning, at 18 months. And what I decided to do was literally take all of that and put it into baby's first year. So it's a group program. I've had it for a while. I've just recently renamed it and spruced it up, but that's where you can work with me inside the group and that's to basically take you from baby's first year, from first drop to last, kind of guide you along the way, because there's really big milestones that affect your breastfeeding journey, things like going back to work and starting pumping and bottle feeding or starting solids and things that can shift your milk supply, like your period coming back, for example, and then just being there to support you all the way through whenever you decide to wean your baby.

Speaker 1: 40:16

Yeah, man, I wish I'd have that. I mean, you can know what you know, like I did lactation conferences and took classes and did all sorts of stuff, but that was only scratching the surface. It's having somebody to troubleshoot with you is so valuable, because I just remember texting some of my lactation consultant friends and be like why is my supply down now? Like this doesn't make sense, or why is he eating so much now? And just all these little nuances that you don't think of. You think it's so straightforward.

Speaker 1: 40:43

When you're breastfeeding there's so many things that can just come up to change your physiology and it can be really frustrating, absolutely. I have a quick question and it's not related necessarily to this podcast. It just came up because I sent your link to one of my friends who did not enjoy breastfeeding and she said that she stopped and I asked her was it a choice because it wasn't for you, or was it a choice because it was hard? I don't remember how I worded it. I tried to find out if it was like giving up in frustration or giving up because it truly wasn't something that she wanted to do. And she said I just it wasn't for me, I didn't enjoy it. And then I tried pumping and I didn't enjoy that either and I was like, yeah, if you don't enjoy breastfeeding, the pumping is even worse. So the struggle for someone who's decided that breastfeeding isn't for them is trying to decrease the milk supply, which can be incredibly challenging. Is that something you address in boobies?

Speaker 2: 41:38

Not directly Okay, Because it's more for those wanting to continue breastfeeding and how to work through mastitis, plug ducts and engorgement specifically. That's more addressed one-on-one and so whatever moment you are in your lactation journey also will determine how quickly we can or how slowly we need to reduce your milk supplies so that you can avoid mastitis and plug ducts, so that's more of a like individualized plan.

Speaker 1: 42:06

Yes, that's not something you can get from a class. Well, good, I'm glad I sat her to the lake, because I was like I'm not sure if she has a class or like how to handle that, because I was like I'm not good with that, which is that you just validated the fact that I'm not good with that, because I was like, yeah, that sounds complicated. Was there anything else that we get to?

Speaker 2: 42:35

support moms.

Speaker 1: 42:36

Yeah, I love it. Before we go and I do want to bring up our community I want to know. So I asked you this last time and I'm going to ask you again and see if the answer is different. If you could go back and talk to yourself at any point in this journey, now that you've done this three times, what would you? Where would you go? What? What time in your?

Speaker 2: 42:58

journey would you go to and what would you want to tell yourself? All that keeps coming through my head and I feel like I'd have to listen back to the episode to know if I said this exact same thing again, because I might have is trust, the process. Those are the words that I'm kind of hearing right now, and I think I'm hearing them in respect to, specifically, the situations around my second and third pregnancy and births, because this was also conversations that we've had before, both on and off the podcast of my desires for low intervention, unmedicatedicated vaginal deliveries and the pressures of the medical system trying to ensure that I have a healthy baby. And I think it was just like there was a lot through my second pregnancy where I felt like I wasn't being listened to and ultimately everything unfolded as I wanted, but there was a lot of like stress, like so much stress in that pregnancy. And then with my third, I felt less pressure because I had the same midwives again.

Speaker 2: 43:52

So they, they knew like, okay, alex's low intervention, but even still having the post-dates ultrasounds on the calendar, even though in my heart I knew the 15th was his birth, it was like, okay, but the 16th is the post-dates. I'm like what are the post-dates going to say? I'm like, oh my gosh. What are they going to say? I'm like, oh my gosh, what are they going to tell me about my placenta? And I think it's just trust the process. Like, obviously my brain wants to go like what could all the possible outcomes be? But that's what I'm hearing right now is just trust the process.

Speaker 1: 44:18

Yeah, it's such a challenge to let go and just let nature do what nature does, because we just don't live in that kind of society anymore and we're not supported in that way anymore. Everybody wants to plan it and so it's. Even if someone's not giving you pressure, even if they are just saying, okay, well, just in case, that feels like pressure, it's hard. I don't think anybody's doing it because they mean to, but it's different from if we're all just living in this community and everybody was, you know, taking care of each other's baby, and so somebody goes into labor and we're just there normalizing everything and helping them through it, and then we have the baby and we move on. You know that's not what happens. We have to plan our days, we have to go to work, we have to get FMLA, we have to do well, maybe in Canada it's called something different, it's just it's too much, and that can really make it so that you're not in tune to your body, which I love that. Yeah, there was stress, but you were able to remove that and still be in tune with your body during this process, which I think is just amazing.

Speaker 1: 45:12

And before we go, if you would like to join Alex and I in Bump and Beyond online community we would love to have you. Alex shares Motherhood, blooms, lactation, her nutrition. I share my nutrition, my prenatal coaching and my podcast, and we have so many other moms that come in and share their services and products that are all meant to help moms and moms to be. It's called Bump and Beyond and you can get there at wwwfacebookcom backslash groups, backslash bump and beyond, like bump and, as in Nancy, beyond, and I'm going to put that in the show notes. But please join us. We have a lot of fun in our community. We're very supportive. We try to give as much value and information and shout outs to new moms as much as we can. So hope to see you there and go visit Alex.

Speaker 1: 46:03

Oh, there's one other thing. Alex has a podcast. If you want to learn more about Alex, get to know her a little bit more. If you're kind of shy about reaching out, go listen to the Lactation Land podcast. You will learn a lot about what Alex does, what she's about. You'll get to know her and then might feel like you just absolutely need to reach out. After that. I think, honestly, everything you're doing is so amazing. I don't know how you do it all with three kids, but it's awesome, thank you. Thank you so much for joining.