At 26 weeks pregnant Amanda was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and faced an uphill battle to keep her birth aligned with evidenced based interventions. GDM was managed with strict diet but came with added anxiety and increasing distrust of providers. At 36 weeks prodromal labor started with contractions taking place nightly 10-6 minutes apart. Early labor lasted for days starting at 39 weeks with active labor kicking off immediately following Amandas water breaking. Amanda’s daughter Lily was born only 3 hours after her water breaking at 39+3 in the hospital with the support of her husband, Doula, and staff. Birth was followed by an emotional and painful postpartum recovery that included her dad’s lung transplant 7 days postpartum.Â
Amanda Barker Bio
Amanda Barker lives in Texarkana, Texas with her husband, Cary, and daughter, Lily (1). They also have two cats and a dog that are deeply loved by the family esp Lily. Connect with her on Facebook or Instagram @AEW7633
Resources
- Fertility Friend app for cycle tracking
- The Birth Hour
- Expectful app for hypnobirthing, lactation help, and meditation.
- Kelly Mom
- The miles circuit
- Fit4mom
- Karrie_locher on Instagram for pumping and breastfeeding content.
- Aeroflow
- Four States Doula, Jaimee Hunter
Baby Tula
This episode is sponsored by Baby Tula. Baby Tula creates unique and expressive carriers that help parents keep doing what they love while connecting with their little ones. Baby carriers are so much more than a parenting tool! When you wear your baby, you support the emotional, social, and physical well-being of your baby as well as your own! With a variety of unique prints, small batch and handwoven fabrics, inclusive sizing, and carriers for older babies too, you can find a carrier that’s distinctly you! You can use the code BIRTHHOUR at BabyTula.com and BabyTula.Co.UK.
