Type 1 Diabetes + Breastfeeding for 3 | Meredith’s Birth Stories

Type 1 Diabetes + Breastfeeding for 3 | Meredith’s Birth Stories

Author: Emily Lau October 21, 2025 Duration: 1:30:27

This week I’m joined by my amazing friend Meredith, who is a type 1 diabetic mom who breastfed three babies (one of them not even her own!) for over six months! What makes that even more incredible is that she once wasn’t sure if she’d be able to have children at all.

In this episode, Meredith opens up about how diabetes has shaped her motherhood journey, her difficult first delivery that led to her daughter’s dislocated shoulder, a NICU stay, and a fourth-degree tear (!!), and how her second birth, a planned C-section, brought a much more positive experience in contrast.


Meredith’s episode is a reminder that you are more capable than you think and that you are strong enough to feel scared but to do it anyway. 


Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes


Chapters:

00:00:00 - Meet Meredith

00:11:18 - 1st Pregnancy: Slow Fertility, Wonderful Endocrinologist, & Big Baby

00:26:29 - 1st Labor: Spotty Epidural, 4th Degree Tear, & Dislocated Shoulder

00:38:03 - 1st Postpartum: NICU Stay & Breastfeeding Success

00:59:09 - 2nd Pregnancy: Struggling to Find Supportive Doctors

01:08:26 - 2nd Labor: Scheduled Positive C-Section

01:11:21 - 2nd Postpartum: Changes in Milk Production, Milk Sharing, & 2 Under 2 Haze 

01:25:34 - To My Pre-Mom Self…





Hosted by Emily Lau, The Labor Line offers a space where the profound, messy, and surprisingly funny realities of bringing a child into the world are shared without polish. Emily, who has long been fascinated by birth stories, began this podcast as an expectant mother seeking genuine conversations beyond the textbooks. Each episode is built from candid talks with her community of mom friends, where they unpack everything from the first signs of labor to the unpredictable weeks that follow. You’ll hear the full spectrum of experiences-the anxiety of unexpected complications, the raw emotion of feeding challenges, the triumph of a swift delivery, and those bizarre, laugh-out-loud moments that happen only in a hospital room. This isn't a how-to guide but a collection of human voices reminding you that you're not alone on this journey. By focusing on personal narratives, the podcast connects listeners to the cultural and relational shifts that define parenthood, all through the lens of honest storytelling. Tune in for weekly episodes that normalize the complexities of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum life, offering both solidarity and a much-needed dose of humor.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 32

The Labor Line
Podcast Episodes
SURPRISE! I'm Pregnant!! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my lifelong friend Lauren, who had 3 unique birth experiences that all informed one another. From a positive introduction into motherhood with her first, to a mentally difficult…
Surrendering to Birth + Peaceful C-Section | Mariah’s Birth Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Successful IUI + Positive Pregnancy | Annika’s Birth Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:56
This week, I’m joined by my friend from home, Annika, who is such a kind and resilient person.After wrestling with several chronic health issues in her early twenties, Annika shares her winding road to mom-hood, includin…
Empowering Birth + Comforting Community | Anahi's Birth Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:12
This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my college friend, Anahi, who’s a true girl’s girl and all-around gem.She shares what it was like emotionally adjusting to pregnancy, how she and her husband tackled labor as a…
Big Babies + ZTTK Diagnosis | Becca's Birth Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:49
This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my sister-friend Becca, the kind of mom who brings light, laughter, and a roll-with-the-punches attitude to everything life (and birth) throws at her.She walks us through her 10…
Hospital Fiascos + Hip Dysplasia | Lindsy's Birth Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:46
This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my powerhouse of a mom-friend, Lindsy, who brings the kind of raw, beautiful honesty that this podcast is all about.After a smooth pregnancy, things took a wild turn: her OB com…