Ep. 361: Q+A with HeHe from IG DM's: due dates, flying while pregnant, informed decisions, and more!

Ep. 361: Q+A with HeHe from IG DM's: due dates, flying while pregnant, informed decisions, and more!

Author: HeHe Stewart July 9, 2025 Duration: 47:03
Join us in this solo-cast of the Birth Lounge podcast where HeHe dives into a Q&A from her instagram community!  In this episode, she is addressing some of your most pressing questions about pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Topics covered include the differences between 'on paper' and actual pregnancy weeks, the nuances of cervical checks and how to decline them, navigating anxiety and nutrition during early pregnancy, how to handle airport security while pregnant, and the intricacies of declining certain medical procedures like membrane sweeps and scheduled C-sections. HeHe also shares essential tips on dealing with family visits to newborns and addressing the impact of GBS testing and breech births. Don't miss this episode to help ensure a healthy and autonomous pregnancy and birthing experience. 00:00 Introduction and Zero Tolerance Policy 00:56 Welcome to the Birth Lounge Podcast 01:24 How to Get Your Questions Answered 03:15 Understanding Pregnancy Weeks 05:59 Declining Cervical Checks 11:42 Coping with Pregnancy Anxiety and Weight Loss 14:14 Traveling While Pregnant 18:11 Declining a Scheduled C-Section for Breech Baby 22:44 Managing Weight Monitoring During Prenatal Visits 26:57 Group B Strep Testing Concerns 30:57 Membrane Sweeps: Risks and Benefits 32:04 Setting Boundaries for Newborn Visits 36:05 Addressing Concerns About VBAC 45:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts INSTAGRAM: Connect with HeHe on IG    BIRTH EDUCATION: Join The Birth Lounge here for judgment-free childbirth education that prepares you for an informed birth and how to confidently navigate hospital policy to have a trauma-free labor experience!   Download The Birth Lounge App for birth & postpartum prep delivered straight to your phone!   LINKS MENTIONED: Pushing Freebie: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pushing   Secret Sauce to Pushing Course: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/secretsaucetopushing   GBS information: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/groupbstrep/   Membrane Sweep, Ep. 268: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5V41R8PDhH2Kia48mdqdub?si=kz6gtEh6SJGIGOz_pT1j6w&nd=1&dlsi=7b03c32c4cd24188   Radiation when Flying:  https://www.cdc.gov/radiation-health/data-research/facts-stats/air-travel.html https://www.tsa.gov/videos/travel-tips-pregnant-travelers https://www.epa.gov/radtown/radiation-and-airport-security-scanning https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC153688/ https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/flying-and-health https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/air-travel-exposes-you-to-radiation-how-much-health-risk-comes-with-it/   Don't weigh me cards: https://more-love.org/product/dont-weigh-me-cards-postage/  

Hosted by birth and newborn expert HeHe Stewart, The Birth Lounge Podcast creates a thoughtful conversation around the many paths through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. This podcast moves beyond simplistic advice to explore the wide spectrum of normal experiences, offering evidence-based insights alongside real stories from parents. HeHe, who founded Tranquility by HeHe Maternity Concierge, guides these discussions with a blend of professional knowledge and deep empathy, aiming to demystify the process and empower your choices. Each episode serves as a gathering place-a safe space where clinical expertise meets lived experience, covering topics that span education, family dynamics, physical fitness, holistic health, and parenting young children. You’ll find a supportive resource here, one that acknowledges the variables and nuances of bringing a child into the world and navigating the postpartum chapter. Tune in for honest dialogues that honor different perspectives, providing companionship and reliable information for your own journey. The goal is to leave you feeling more prepared, less alone, and confident in your unique path through parenthood, all within the supportive community of this podcast.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 432

The Birth Lounge Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 146: What to know about Inductions with Becca Helie, CNM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:49
Inductions are one of the most common interventions when it comes to birthing a baby. Some people welcome inductions, and some want to avoid it at all cost! Today, I am joined by Certified Nurse Midwife, Becca Helie, to…
Ep. 145: Friday Free Talk: Must-Have Breastfeeding Tools [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:31
Today I am sharing the 7 tools that will change your breastfeeding life! Feeding your baby can be tough--cracked nipples, mastitis, clogged ducts, over supply, undersupply! This list goes on and on! The tools I share in…
Ep 144: A Vote for Better Postpartum Care with Skyler Jacobs, CNM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:25
In today's episode, HeHe is joined by Certified Nurse Midwife, Skyler Jacobs, to discuss how the current US postpartum care schedule sorely fails birthing people in getting them appropriate support after having a baby! S…
Ep. 143: Friday Free Talk: The 'Magic Words' in Birth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:32
I recently attended a birth where the provider was forcibly suggesting that my client allow for an IV hep-lock to be placed. The issue arose when my client asked if there was any medical reason to have the IV placed at t…
Ep. 142: The Beginning of Homebirth with Katelyn Fusco [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:55
Let’s rewind the clock—and I means AGES— I want to talk about how we used to birth—before we moved it to hospitals. Lets go all the way back to how physiological birth is expected to work. Today, Katelyn Fusco, Host of H…
Ep. 141: Friday Free Talk: The Bishop Score [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:12
Today is all about inductions and how to know if you are a 'good candidate' for one. HeHe is diving into a tool that the women's health field uses to rate a a pregnant person’s cervix in order to determine their readines…
Ep. 139: Friday Free Talk: When Nurses Perpetuate the Patriarchy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:43
Inside The Birth Lounge, HeHe does a weekly group prenatal visit with our members! We chat about all things pregnancy, planning for birth, and preparing for postpartum. This week's episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast is…
Ep. 138: The Truth about Exercise in Pregnancy with Kayla Mehr [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
Today’s guest is a dear friend of mine and a fitness expert specializing in prenatal and postnatal corrective exercise! Kayla Mehr, Founder of Your Fit Mom, is joining HeHe in an episode that is getting down and dirty ab…
Ep 137: Friday Free Talk, When "Checking In" Hinders the Process [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:03
When people check in with us, it's generally done with good intention, but sometimes "checking in" can do more harm than good! There are multiple places in women's health and birth work where this rings true! When it com…