Simple Birth Prep for Both of You: How to Truly Feel Prepped for Birth with The Baby Chick | Episode 66

Today I’m welcoming Nina Spears - founder and CEO of Baby Chick, author of *The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy*, and honestly, a bit of a unicorn in this space. She's a certified baby planner, birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, newborn care educator, infant massage instructor, and perinatal nutrition expert. Over the past 15 years she's supported more than 800 families in person and thousands more online. We get into it all - the mental load that sneaks up on you the second you see that positive test, why bringing your partner into the decision-making *early* (not after you're both exhausted) changes everything, and the very practical ways partners can actually show up during pregnancy instead of just feeling helpless on the sidelines. **Join YBYB: www.thelabormama.com/birth & use the code PODCAST to save 20%** We also talked about something I think about constantly: how to take in information without drowning in it, and why finding a few trusted voices matters so much more than trying to listen to everyone. Nina got real about the stuff nobody prepares you for - how birth is so much more mental than physical, how much you lean on your people (yes, even your nurse) more than you expect, and how lonely postpartum can feel even when you're surrounded by support. If you've ever felt like you're supposed to have it all figured out before baby even arrives, this episode is your permission slip to slow down, ask for help, and trust your own intuition along the way. ***More from Nina Spears:*** Baby-Chick.com The Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy Checkout her podcast: Chick Chat Follow her on Instagram @thebabychick ***Helpful Timestamps:*** - 00:00 Simple Birth Prep with Nina Spears - 07:05 The Pregnancy Mental Load - 12:47 Partner Tips That Help - 23:49 Avoiding Information Overload - 29:53 Mental Side of Labor - 33:43 How to Prep Mentally - 45:43 Postpartum Support Plan ***About your host:*** !🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama. For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold\_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here. For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen! **!👉🏼 A request:** If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️ Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOK ***Disclaimer*** Opinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here. Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love. **Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services** Mentioned in this episode: YBYB 20% off ad link