Jillian and her partner Danny share the story of the birth of their fraternal twin boys. Jill recounts a pregnancy full of unexpected twists — from the surprising discovery of twins, to a sprained ankle, a short cervix scare at 28 weeks, and modified bedrest — while drawing support from local twin families in Astoria and other community resources. She describes going into spontaneous labor at 37 weeks and 5 days, delivering both boys vaginally in a remarkably swift 10-hour labor, including a mid-delivery move from the OR back to a labor and delivery suite where she could have a bit closer to the kind of birth she had hoped for. The episode also covers a brief but emotionally intense NICU stay for Owen, the logistical complexity of caring for one baby at home and one in the hospital, the couple's tandem breastfeeding journey with twins, the invaluable support of their postpartum doula, and Danny's candid reflections on being his partner's primary support person in the delivery room — including a very large 2-in-1-ish placenta that almost didn't fit in its container.

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In this episode, professional dancer and voiceover artist Elisa Toro Franky shares her transformative birth journey with a depth and poetic beauty that makes this conversation truly special. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Elisa brings her unique perspective as a performer to the birthing experience, drawing profound connections between dance and labor.

Elisa opens up about her conception journey, including navigating two early miscarriages with wisdom and grace, and how she reframed those experiences to move forward with hope rather than fear. She discusses the intersection of dance and pregnancy, how carrying Luna changed her movement practice, and the vital importance of listening to your body with the same attention dancers bring to their craft.

The heart of the episode explores Elisa's birth story—from declining induction twice while trusting her intuition, to her decision-making around accepting gentle interventions when she felt ready, to the powerful moment of a very quick pushing stage before meeting baby Luna. She shares candidly about finding her birth team at NYU Langone, working with doula Regina, and the great support of having her mother present from Colombia for over two months postpartum.

Throughout the conversation, Elisa weaves in themes of courage, intuition, surrender, and transformation. She speaks eloquently about "becoming the wave" during contractions, navigating the liminal space between her former and new identity, and the essential role of movement and cultural connection in her pregnancy and recovery journey.

This episode will resonate with anyone preparing for birth, especially those interested in the mind-body connection, the power of trusting your intuition, and the transformative nature of becoming a parent.

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In this episode, it's Karen Yi’s and Kristofer Rios's turn to share their story. As a public radio journalist and a producer of documentaries, they both crave education and information and it shows in their birth choices. They share all about challenges of infertility and advocating for better medical care, to the smart decision to hire a doula and the fast-paced reality of labor. They discuss the importance of building a supportive team, the unexpected moments that shaped their birth story, and the lessons they learned about surrender, resilience, self-compassion and patience with partner and baby.

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