This episode is a full circle moment as I sit down with Midwife Bianca Weaver who I first met during the hardest days of my recurrent miscarriage journey. When I called my OB office emergency line during my second pregnancy loss, Bianca was the provider who answered. It was the weekend, the office was closed and she told me she’d meet me there on Sunday morning for an ultrasound. Unfortunately she had to break the news to me that our 11 week baby was measuring small and there was no heartbeat. It was a devastating moment. I was alone, as my husband was with our 2.5 year old at home, but being with an empathetic and warm provider made me feel anything but alone. I can still remember Bianca’s hug, words of true understanding and welcomed encouragement for next steps.
I knew right away that Bianca was a special provider who had the unique lens of experience and expertise when it came to the challenges of fertility and conceiving. We kept in touch and while she was not on call when I had my double rainbow baby, I did get to see her for a few of my prenatal visits. I am so excited to get to share her knowledge and inspiration in this emotional and powerful Mind Body Mother episode.
Bianca shares her story of an accidental pregnancy while using natural family planning that resulted in a miscarriage followed by an eventual long road of infertility, continued miscarriages, chemical pregnancies, fertility drugs, IUI, IVF and an Ectopic pregnancy resulting in emergency surgery. She details her holistic approach to infertility combining ideas from the popular book “It Starts with the Egg”, receiving acupuncture, taking supplements and ridding her house of toxic plastics. She also opens up about the difficult to hear medical advice to lose weight before IVF and her journey on Weight Watchers to losing 35 pounds. All of which led to getting a regular cycle back before IVF after irregular ongoing bleeding.
Bianca is not afraid to get into specifics like who her doctors were (helpful if you’re in Louisville!), what meds she was taking, details of her fertility treatments and more. She explains the play by play of her miscarriages and Ectopic pregnancy including the emergency procedure resulting in an oopherectomy (removing her ovary and tube).
There was no way I was going to pass up a chance to get her Midwife expertise on conception (especially after losses), pregnancy, labor and birth. I ask her the difference between a Midwife and OB and the different kinds of Midwives and their respective training, misconceptions people have about midwives and her labor “secrets” She gives us her tips on stalled labor and fetal malpositioning with her go to resource Spinning babies.
If you love hearing inspiring stories and actionable advice on all things infertility, pregnancy loss, TTC, labor and birth, this episode is right up your alley! Whether you have been through any of this before, are going through it now or are curious to learn more and perhaps support a family member/friend through it, this episode is for you!
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice.
