Tend and Befriend
Tend & Befriend – The Podcast for Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond Hosted by Deborah the Doula, a birth professional with over 20 years of experience, Tend & Befriend is your go-to source for evidence-based insights, real birth stories, and expert advice. After two decades in the birth world, I’ve learned a thing or two—and I want to make sure you have access to that knowledge. Join me as we dive into the topics that matter most during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Whether you're preparing for labor, navigating new motherhood, or reflecting on your own birth journey, you'll find support, wisdom, and connection in every episode. Let’s learn, laugh, and grow—together. 💛 Listen now!
Episodes
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A powerful home birth story highlighting the incredible strength of women and the sacred honor of supporting birthing families. Doula Debra shares her evolving approach to home birth support and the beautiful outcome of a recent birth where connection, trust and protecting oxytocin flow created magic.
• Creating deeper connections with birthing families before labor ...
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There's a life-changing moment when a woman transforms into a mother – regardless of whether she always knew motherhood was her path. This raw, honest conversation with art therapist Ainsley Winter reveals her journey from uncertainty about motherhood to an empowered hospital birth experience.
Ainsley's story dismantles the false dichotomy between medicated...
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We explore epidurals in childbirth, examining what they are, their risks, and why unmedicated birth options deserve equal consideration in your birth plan.
• Epidurals are regional anesthesia using local anesthetics and opioids to block pain signals from the waist down
• Research shows epidurals can slow labor progression, especially during the pushing phase...
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Postpartum bleeding, or lochia, is your body's natural healing process as your uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size. We explore the science behind this important recovery phase and what every new mother should know about supporting her body during this time.
• Uterus shrinks from watermelon to pear size in about six weeks after delivery
• Lochia progress...
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Episode Title: How to Boost Milk Supply Naturally
Welcome back to Tend and Befriend! I’m your host Deborah—mom, doula, health professional, and your biggest cheerleader on this journey through pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about a topic I hear all the time from breastfeeding moms: how to naturally boost your milk supply. Whether you’re...
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Let's talk about the one childbirth fear that keeps many expectant mothers up at night – pooping during labor. As a doula, massage therapist, and mother of two, I've witnessed firsthand how this perfectly natural bodily function creates unnecessary anxiety for birthing people everywhere.
The science is straightforward: when you're pushing your baby out...
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We dive deep into the evidence behind aspirin use during pregnancy, examining why fertility clinics recommend it and how to weigh the risks and benefits of this common intervention. The podcast explores low-dose aspirin's role in improving blood flow to the placenta, potentially preventing complications for mothers with specific risk factors.
• Low-dose aspirin ...
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Pregnancy should be a time of joy and anticipation, but for the 80% of expectant mothers who experience morning sickness, it can feel like an endless battle against nausea and discomfort. What if small, strategic changes to your daily routine could make those symptoms more manageable?
Drawing on evidence from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, ...
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We dive deep into common breastfeeding misconceptions that leave mothers feeling confused and inadequate, providing evidence-based facts to empower new parents on their feeding journey. The episode tackles seven persistent myths about breastfeeding and offers practical guidance for navigating challenges with confidence.
• Breastfeeding is a learned skill, not an inst...
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Ever wondered if "pregnancy brain" is real science or just a convenient excuse for misplaced keys and forgotten appointments? The fascinating truth lies somewhere in between, and it's more remarkable than you might think.
Pregnancy triggers measurable changes in your brain's structure, particularly in areas related to social cognition and emotiona...
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Today, we're tackling a big topic: Why do medical professionals often refer to Pitocin as oxytocin? What are the risks and benefits? And why is Pitocin being overused in so many hospital births? Let’s break it all down.
🌿 In this episode, we cover:
✔️ The role of natural oxytocin in labor, bonding, and breastfeeding
✔️ How Pitocin is different & why it doesn’...
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Step into the world of childbirth realities with Tend and Befriend as we unpack the truthful nuances surrounding the event of water breaking. Many of us can recall memorable moments from beloved television shows where a woman's water dramatically breaks in a public setting, igniting chaos and urgency. However, this depiction is often far from the truth. In our latest epi...
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Join us in this special episode as I walk you through Jacobsons Relaxation. This technique can help anyone manage stress, and alleviate discomfort, especially mothers in the delivery room.
1:49 - Introduction & Disclaimer
4:07 - Jacobsons Relaxation
23:52 - Closing
Blog
Labor & Birth Course
🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befrie...
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Today we are answering questions that you asked us through our social media accounts!!
Join me today as we discuss a couple of these topics:
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea,
Options for flipping a breech baby,
When to start tracking fetal Kick,
Massage do's & donts.
What is a mucus plug and what should I watch for?
Two very painful ...
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I peed on the stick and Its positive, I am pregnant!
What are my first steps to take? How does this all work?
Do I call the OB?
Do I call the Family Doctor?
Do I scream it from the mountain tops?
I am not sure I am ready for this..
I dont know what my options are..
There are so many feelings and emotions attached to finding out y...
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Ever wonder how some women manage not to worry about finances during their maternity leave? I know how they did it.... they hired Alynn Godfroy from Godfroy financial.
How did she enjoy her maternity leave without financial burden, the same way she is now enjoying her life, raising her baby boy Austin and making time for herself, her husband and her family life w...
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Friends sometimes divulge things to each other what we wouldnt dare admit to anyone else!
Jaclyn and I have been friends for alot of years, we laugh about each others faults and the stupid things that run through our minds as women, wives & especially as Mothers!
NOTE - We are friends and this conversation is not how we feel as professionals, we ...
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Ever get all the balls in your life rolling smoothly, only to have them all go crashing to the ground?
Yeah me too!
Here's what the %#@* happened to all of the balls I was juggling last year!!
Please join us today as I have a very vulnerable conversation with one of my closest friends about life, injury, mental illness & loss.
While this story is about fai...
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Ever wondered what the process is like to discharge your OBGYN? Listen to Casey tell her story of having difficulty with the rules at her OBGYN's office during the pandemic and what steps she took to get the birth she wanted. Casey is a fireball about her views on the pandemic and the guidelines involved at our local hospital during birth.. she feels like everyone sho...
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Can you imagine travelling all over the world teaching and mastering your craft? Thats exactly what Renee Meloche from Jelly Fish Pilates in Tecumseh Ontario did before deciding to settle down here in Windsor, Essex County and open her own studio.
Renee started her journey with Pilates in 1997 and has a full certification with STOTT Pilates, and has travelled all ...
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