The MamasteFit Podcast

Certified nurse midwife Roxanne explains common skin changes in pregnancy caused by hormonal shifts, increased blood volume, and a growing belly, including hyperpigmentation (melasma, linea nigra), vascular changes (spider veins, varicose veins), and stretch marks. She shares practical tips like daily SPF and sun protection for darkening, and compression socks, avoiding prolonged standing/crossing legs, walking, and massage to support circulation. For stretch marks, she notes there’s no evidence that creams prevent them during pregnancy and retinoids aren’t recommended until postpartum; causes are multifactorial (genetics, collagen, hydration, baby size/weight gain). Roxanne also reviews pregnancy itching and rashes: PUPPP (third trimester, spares belly button), atopic eruption (first/second trimester, widespread), and more concerning conditions needing evaluation—ICP (itching palms/soles), pemphigoid gestationis (starts at belly button; risks for baby), and rare pustular psoriasis with systemic symptoms—advising viewers to contact their provider for assessment and treatment options.

Watch our video about ICP here: https://youtu.be/uzZz2KuZDAU

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:01 Why Skin Changes Happen
01:44 Hyperpigmentation and Melasma
02:40 Spider and Varicose Veins
03:48 Stretch Marks Truths
06:18 Common Changes Recap
07:15 Itching and PUPPP Rash
08:57 Atopic Eruption Explained
09:53 Red Flags and Serious Rashes
13:45 Final Recap and Next Steps

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🎉 Grab Your Copy of Training for Two → https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH
Your go-to guide for prenatal fitness, birth prep, and postpartum recovery.

👇 Start Preparing for Birth Today
📥 Download our free Birth Prep Circuit Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit
📥 Grab our free Pelvic Floor Prep Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor/
Learn how to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor to support a smoother labor and pushing phase.

💻 Explore Our Online Programs:
Whether you're pregnant or postpartum—we’ve got you covered with expert-led fitness and education:
🏋🏻‍♀️ Prenatal & Postpartum Fitness Programs
🎓 Childbirth + Postpartum Education Courses
→ https://mamastefit.com

🤱 Just Had a Baby?
📥 Grab our free Postpartum Core Workouts → https://mamastefit.kit.com/core
Start reconnecting with your core and feeling strong again—safely and confidently.

———

📲 Follow Us on Instagram for Daily Tips + BTS
https://instagram.com/mamastefit

———

✨ Shop Our Favorites:
⚡️ Electrolytes we love → https://drinklmnt.com/mamaste
🌿 Supplements we trust – 20% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://thisisneeded.com/ginaandroxanne
👖 Maternity clothing we actually wear – 10% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500
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Certified nurse midwife Roxanne explains placenta previa—when the placenta covers or sits very close to the cervix (complete, partial, or low-lying)—usually found at the 18–22 week anatomy scan. While it can show up in 10–30% of pregnancies early on, most resolve as the uterus grows (about 90–95% for low-lying/partial and ~70% for complete), with follow-up ultrasounds commonly around 28, 32, and sometimes 36 weeks to decide delivery plans. The big concern is sudden, painless, often heavy bleeding from placental shearing, which can mean hospitalization, earlier delivery, and often a C-section if it persists at term, plus higher hemorrhage risk. Management includes pelvic rest (no vaginal insertion) and individualized activity limits—especially if bleeding occurs—with aerobic exercise generally avoided and lighter/moderate, more anaerobic options discussed with your provider.

00:00 Placenta Previa Explained
01:04 Diagnosis and Odds
01:42 Types and Resolution
02:44 Why It Matters Bleeding
04:26 Monitoring and Delivery Plan
05:59 Pelvic Rest Basics
06:54 Exercise and Activity Limits
09:53 Safe Movement Guidelines
11:10 Recap Key Takeaways
14:40 Coping and Next Steps
15:09 Subscribe and Resources

————

🎉 Grab Your Copy of Training for Two → https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH
Your go-to guide for prenatal fitness, birth prep, and postpartum recovery.

👇 Start Preparing for Birth Today
📥 Download our free Birth Prep Circuit Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit
📥 Grab our free Pelvic Floor Prep Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor/
Learn how to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor to support a smoother labor and pushing phase.

💻 Explore Our Online Programs:
Whether you're pregnant or postpartum—we’ve got you covered with expert-led fitness and education:
🏋🏻‍♀️ Prenatal & Postpartum Fitness Programs
🎓 Childbirth + Postpartum Education Courses
→ https://mamastefit.com

🤱 Just Had a Baby?
📥 Grab our free Postpartum Core Workouts → https://mamastefit.kit.com/core
Start reconnecting with your core and feeling strong again—safely and confidently.

———

📲 Follow Us on Instagram for Daily Tips + BTS
https://instagram.com/mamastefit

———

✨ Shop Our Favorites:
⚡️ Electrolytes we love → https://drinklmnt.com/mamaste
🌿 Supplements we trust – 20% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://thisisneeded.com/ginaandroxanne
👖 Maternity clothing we actually wear – 10% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500
——

Roxanne breaks down Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) —a pregnancy-specific liver condition (about 2–3% of pregnancies) where bile acids build up in the bloodstream, often causing intense itching on palms/soles with no rash. She reviews other possible symptoms (jaundice, dark urine, light stools, fatigue, right upper quadrant pain), how diagnosis is made with symptoms plus bile acid labs (and sometimes liver enzymes), and how treatment depends on bile acid levels. Roxanne discusses options such as meds to lower bile acids and improve itching, fetal monitoring (NSTs/BPPs), and sometimes induction as early as 36 weeks—especially if bile acids are over 100. She explains baby risks (preterm birth, respiratory distress, stillbirth), including stillbirth rates. ICP usually resolves after birth but can recur (40–60%).

Links for non stress test and biophysical profile breakdowns:

NST: https://youtu.be/Bl-Q-GBHGLE
BPP: https://youtu.be/r-holR0V4u0

00:00 Welcome and Overview
00:16 Meet the Hosts
01:04 ICP Symptoms and Why It Matters
01:29 What ICP Is in the Liver
02:15 Risks for Mom and Baby
03:32 Other Signs and Diagnosis
04:22 Treatment and Monitoring Plan
05:24 Bile Acid Levels and Induction Timing
06:49 Stillbirth Risk Numbers Explained
09:08 Quick ICP Recap
11:20 After Birth and Future Pregnancies
11:59 Questions, Course, and Wrap-Up

————
Get Your Copy of Training for Two on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH

📧 Download our free birth prep circuit guide with six exercises to prepare your body for birth: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit/

Prepare for your birth with MamasteFit:

💻 Online Childbirth Education Courses
🏋🏻‍♀️ Online Prenatal Fitness Programming
🧘‍♀️ Prepare Your Pelvic Floor for Birth Course

Explore our prep for birth courses: https://mamastefit.com/prenatal-support
3rd Trimester Specific Prep Courses: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/third-trimester/

-------
Freebies to Support Your Postpartum:
📩 Join our free early postpartum recovery course: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/early-postpartum-recovery/

—-
Recover after birth and return to fitness with MamasteFit: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/postpartum/

💻 Postpartum Education Courses
🏋🏻‍♀️ Postpartum Fitness Programs

——

Follow Us on IG at https://instagram.com/mamastefit

—— 

****Freebies*****

Early postpartum recovery course: 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/early-postpartum-recovery-guide/ 

Postpartum sample: 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/postpartum-fitness-guide/

Prenatal Sample: 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prenatal-fitness-program-guide/

Pelvic Floor 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor/

Birth Prep for Labor Guide 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-labor-guide/

Birth Partner Guide 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/birth-partner-guide/

Birth Plan 
https://mamastefit.com/freebies/birth-plan-guide/

Gina (perinatal fitness trainer and doula) and Roxanne (certified nurse midwife) break down what labor & delivery nurses do versus midwives, OBs, and some family medicine providers, including who typically handles low- vs high-risk care and which interventions midwives can’t do. They explain why some people choose midwives versus OBs, and note midwives can provide full-spectrum women’s health care. Roxanne outlines three midwife paths—CPM (apprenticeship plus education/exam; licensing varies by state), CM (non-nurse bachelor’s plus grad midwifery; limited states), and CNM (nursing degree to grad midwifery, boards, state licensure, collaboration requirements). They discuss clinical hour/birth requirements, costs, licensing logistics, and how Roxanne used ROTC and the GI Bill to pay for school, then end with a top tip: attend births (even on YouTube) to see if the calling is real.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup
01:17 Feeling Called to Midwifery
02:40 Nurse vs Midwife vs OB
07:15 Choosing Midwife or OB
13:06 Midwives Beyond Birth Care
14:54 Three Midwife Types Overview
15:47 CPM Path and Licensure
17:57 Unlicensed CPM Tradeoffs
22:13 Certified Midwife Route
24:19 CNM Training and Nursing Paths
29:06 Midwifery School Format and Clinicals
33:16 Clinical Skills and Birth Requirements
39:02 Clinical Volume Matters
40:04 Choosing the Right Provider
41:40 Certification Exam Reality
45:20 State Licensure and Reciprocity
48:46 Midwife Training Pathway
50:48 Costs and Barriers
52:52 Military Funding Options
58:49 Paying for Grad School
01:03:53 Labor and Delivery Nursing Route
01:06:08 Best Tip Attend Births
01:09:23 Wrap Up and Resources

————
Get Your Copy of Training for Two on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH

📧 Download our free birth prep circuit guide with six exercises to prepare your body for birth: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit/

Prepare for your birth with MamasteFit:

💻 Online Childbirth Education Courses
🏋🏻‍♀️ Online Prenatal Fitness Programming
🧘‍♀️ Prepare Your Pelvic Floor for Birth Course

Explore our prep for birth courses: https://mamastefit.com/prenatal-support
3rd Trimester Specific Prep Courses: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/third-trimester/

-------
Freebies to Support Your Postpartum:
📩 Join our free early postpartum recovery course: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/early-postpartum-recovery/

—-
Recover after birth and return to fitness with MamasteFit: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/postpartum/

💻 Postpartum Education Courses
🏋🏻‍♀️ Postpartum Fitness Programs

——

Follow Us on IG at https://instagram.com/mamastefit

On this episode of The MamasteFit Podcast: Birth Stories, Gina (perinatal fitness trainer and doula) and Roxanne (certified nurse midwife) interview Destiny about her two births. Her first ending with an unplanned C-section in 2024 after laboring to 10 cm, pushing 1.5 hours, spiking a fever with concern for infection, and baby’s sustained high heart rate. Her second, a much faster VBAC just three weeks ago! For baby #2, Destiny had planned a repeat C-section because he was breech for weeks—until a last-minute ultrasound showed he’d flipped head-down, leading to a TOLAC with Pitocin, lots of movement (wireless monitors!), sudden transition, and a 15-minute unmedicated push. She shares postpartum comparisons, the importance of understanding why a C-section happened, limiting room “spectators,” and that unmedicated stitches plus a 45-minute intern tutorial is not the vibe.00:00 Podcast Welcome00:39 Meet The Hosts01:30 Destiny Joins01:41 First Birth Prep02:39 Late Pregnancy Recap04:13 Labor Begins05:18 Admitted And Monitored07:53 Epidural And Slowdown09:45 Pushing And C Section Call15:12 Recovery And Anxiety15:51 Second Birth Goals16:24 Breech Surprise Flip19:11 Tolac Induction Starts21:27 Pitocin And Hospital Checks22:22 Pitocin Starts Slow23:12 Hip Opening Moves24:17 Supportive Care Team25:27 Station Zero Progress27:49 Epidural Decision Talk28:58 Transition Hits Hard30:18 Chaotic Rapid Delivery34:11 Postpartum Recovery Win35:33 Advice After C Section38:41 Fast Labor Lessons40:58 Sutures and Boundaries42:31 Wrap Up and Resources____________🎉 Grab Your Copy of Training for Two → https://amzn.to/3VOTdwHYour go-to guide for prenatal fitness, birth prep, and postpartum recovery.👇 Start Preparing for Birth Today📥 Download our free Birth Prep Circuit Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit📥 Grab our free Pelvic Floor Prep Guide → https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor/Learn how to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor to support a smoother labor and pushing phase.💻 Explore Our Online Programs:Whether you're pregnant or postpartum—we’ve got you covered with expert-led fitness and education:🏋🏻‍♀️ Prenatal & Postpartum Fitness Programs🎓 Childbirth + Postpartum Education Courses→ https://mamastefit.com🤱 Just Had a Baby?📥 Grab our free Postpartum Core Workouts → https://mamastefit.kit.com/coreStart reconnecting with your core and feeling strong again—safely and confidently.———📲 Follow Us on Instagram for Daily Tips + BTShttps://instagram.com/mamastefit———✨ Shop Our Favorites:⚡️ Electrolytes we love → https://drinklmnt.com/mamaste🌿 Supplements we trust – 20% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://thisisneeded.com/ginaandroxanne👖 Maternity clothing we actually wear – 10% off with code MAMASTEFIT → https://rstr.co/lovesteady/3500