Me Becoming Mom

Like many women, fitness expert and Instagram star Emily Skye had a detailed birth plan going into her second delivery. But not all births go according to plan. On this episode of Me Becoming Mom, Skye describes (in amazing detail) to host Zoë Ruderman what it was like to unexpectedly give birth to her son Izaac at home, with no doctor, on a playmat, with her older daughter Mia climbing on her. The influencer also shares how her relationship with her body changed after childbirth and explains that she’s thankful for her “saggy tummy.” Then, we speak to midwives Sarah McClure and Charli Zarosinski about planned home births and how that experience differs from a hospital delivery.

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In 2018, Sen. Tammy Duckworth became the first senator to give birth while in office. She has become one of the most prominent voices for moms on Capitol Hill, shining a spotlight on issues like paid leave after pregnancy loss and childbirth issues facing mothers who are veterans. After losing both her legs in the Iraq War, Sen. Duckworth’s plan to start a family was delayed by her extensive recovery. In this episode of Me Becoming Mom, the mother of two shares with host Zoë Ruderman her experience of becoming a mom late in life, IVF that required four years of four shots a day, working through her own pregnancy loss, and why she believes it’s “inhumane” to not give women time off after a miscarriage.

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“Top Chef” host, writer and activist Padma Lakshmi spent most of her adult life trying not to get pregnant. But then she was diagnosed with severe endometriosis that, according to her doctor, would make it nearly impossible for her to have a baby naturally. Years later, and much to Padma’s surprise, she became pregnant with her daughter Krishna. But Padma’s pregnancy was far from easy. She had placenta previa, a serious condition that led to her being on bedrest for the entire third trimester, and she was forced to deal with international attention about who the father was. On this episode of Me Becoming Mom, Padma opens up to host Zoë Ruderman about it all — and of course we talk pregnancy cravings!

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Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix was prepared to have a low-intervention childbirth when, at 32 weeks, she was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia. The 7-time gold medalist was rushed to the hospital, where she experienced what she calls “the scariest two days of my life” culminating in an emergency c-section. Felix takes host Zoë Ruderman through her journey, including why she hid her pregnancy from her sponsor and continued to compete while pregnant, how her brother wondered if he was coming to see his niece be born or his sister pass away, what it was like to be separated from daughter Camryn immediately after surgery and their harrowing two-month NICU stay which also meant they’d spend Christmas in the hospital. The athlete also talks about her new partnership with Anthem to help spread the message of how our environment and circumstances impact our health.

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Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler always wanted to be a mom. But a multiple sclerosis diagnosis left her wondering whether she could manage parenting along with a chronic illness. The mother of two tells host Zoë Ruderman how MS affected her pregnancies and taught her how to surrender and accept what she couldn’t control. In fact, her first-born son Beau inspired her to publicly reveal the disease she had been hiding for years. The 'Sopranos' alum also opens up about her unique delivery room experiences that were more like a "party," surrounded by best friends and complete with music. We then unpack the ultimate birthing playlist, designed to help alleviate the difficulties of labor.

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