This month on Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat, join host Chloe Belk and author Leah Outten as she shares her story of open adoption from the birth mother's point of view.

Leah is the author of The Sixteenth Year, a birth mother in a fully open adoption, and a mother of five whom she parents with her husband. She is a speaker and passionate advocate in the adoption community.

Leah shares her story as God guided her through it, from finding out she was pregnant as a teen, to making an adoption plan, to her relationship with her daughter over twenty years later. Listen in as Leah shares the beauty and difficulties in her journey and resources to support birth mothers.

• 00:32: Leah's Introduction

• 1:47: Emotions She Felt as She Found Out She Was Pregnant

• 3:44: Her Decision to Place for Open Adoption

• 8:45: Did she face any pressure in her decision-making process?

• 11:00: "Leah Shower"

• 15:16: "Soda Bottle" Analogy for Grief

• 17:08: How Her Community Made her Feel Supported

• 19:10: What beauty and difficulty has come as a result of her open adoption?

• 23:59: How She Hoped for the Best with Her Relationship with Her Daughter and Protected Her Heart

• 27:14: Would you recommend writing a letter to your child during your pregnancy?

• 29:45: Resources for Adoption

• 33:18: Leah's "Why" for Serving in the Adoption Community

Resources mentioned:

Get Leah's book, The Sixteenth Year: https://www.amazon.com/Sixteenth-Year-Open-Adoption-Memoir/dp/1645900509

The Ampersand Initiative: https://www.theampersandinitiative.com/

Leah's devotional for birth moms, Flourishing Hope: Birth Mom Edition: A Devotional for Birth Moms Growing in Unexpected Places: https://amzn.to/4rfXzKu

Leah's devotional for women facing unplanned pregnancies, Flourishing Hope: A 30-Day Devotional for Pregnant Women in Unexpected Places: https://amzn.to/3LW0doL

Holly Chandler is on staff at The Pregnancy Network and a great friend of Chloe, host of Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. Join Holly and Chloe as they discuss their breastfeeding journeys, the difficulties they faced, and how to process your breastfeeding journey not going as planned.

• 00:42: Holly's Introduction

• 1:27: Holly's Journey with Breastfeeding Both of Her Kids

• 20:32: Emotions Surrounding Breastfeeding Struggles

• 23:43: Misconceptions About Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding

• 29:28: Holly's Advice for the Breastfeeding Mom Who is Struggling

• 31:30: How Holly's Experience Impacts Her Encouragement for Other Moms

• 33:28: Holly's "Why" for Serving at The Pregnancy Network

Make an Appointment for Lactation Services at The Pregnancy Network:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfuENvdJR9CwpbMGH2yGwL1cBEbMiV5BLJDX3CiNMDFFhm1Kw/viewform

Additional Resources Mentioned:

How to Overcome Formula Feeding Guilt Article: - https://www.momwell.com/blog/overcoming-formula-feeding-guilt

The Formula Mom Instagram Page -

https://www.instagram.com/theformulamom/?hl=en

Amanda Somers joins host Chloe Belk to discuss the ins and outs of newborn care. Amanda is a faithful volunteer at The Pregnancy Network for our Pregnancy 101 class. Tune in as she tackles topics like must-have baby items, infant illness, car seat safety, and more.

In a hurry? Skip to the section that's most relevant to you.

0:30: Amanda's Introduction

1:35: How to Prepare Before Baby Comes

4:08: Must-Have Baby Items

6:53 Need-to-Know Information about Newborns

10:52: Signs to Watch for When Baby Gets Sick

14:51: Burns, Water Safety, and Falls

19:15: Car Seat Safety

21:51: Amanda's Why

Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Site:

https://www.safeguilford.com/

Join host Chloe for a solo episode all about the positive "just wait" experiences of motherhood. It's no secret that new moms get a lot of unsolicited advice, and unfortunately, a lot of it leans negatively. We want to change that. Tune in as Chloe lists and explains some of the best experiences you have to look forward to on your motherhood journey, from one mom to another.

Resources Mentioned:

Labor and Delivery, Breastfeeding, and More | S1E5: Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat

https://youtu.be/qCEVA1bHKXM?si=gIRHfa5R8M1FWgNr

Preparing For Your Hospital Birth | S2E4: Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat

https://youtu.be/1uXculwB98U?si=XuiNe6_shHcTy80w

Lauren Myers is a NICU nurse and staff nurse at The Pregnancy Network. A Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat veteran, she joins host Chloe Belk to share her story with pregnancy and postpartum mental health.

Tune in as she shares her experience with prenatal OCD, seeking healing through counseling and medication, encouragement for parents with babies in the NICU, and more.

• 00:30: Lauren's Introduction and Trigger Warning

• 1:22: What Lauren was Experiencing that Led to Her Diagnosis

• 11:57: A Note on the Postpartum Mental Health Screening

• 14:31: Lauren's Process in Seeking Help

• 22:38: How Long it Took for Lauren to Start Feeling Better

• 24:28: A Quick Tip to Prepare for Postpartum

• 25:49: Symptoms of Postpartum Depression vs. Baby Blues

• 28:47: Lauren's Advice for Someone Struggling During Pregnancy or Postpartum

• 31:01: Lauren's Wisdom for NICU Parents

• 35:56: Closing Thoughts on Mental Health

• 36:45: Lauren's "Why"

Kyndle Connell joins host Chloe Belk to discuss "What to Expect When You're Postpartum". Kyndle is a mother-baby nurse and a faithful volunteer at The Pregnancy Network.

Tune in as she tackles topics like what to expect directly after giving birth, what the hospital provides for postpartum recovery, common misconceptions about postpartum, underutilized resources, and more.

• 00:41: Kyndle's Introduction

• 1:08: How Kyndle Got into Mother-Baby Nursing

• 2:17: Her Favorite Part of Her Job

• 3:36: What Happens Right After Birth

• 6:22: How Long You Can Expect to Be in The Hospital After Delivery

• 8:27: What The Hospital Provides for Postpartum Recovery

• 10:21: Misconceptions about Postpartum Recovery

• 15:46: How Her Work as a Nurse Impacts Her Work at The Pregnancy Network

• 19:48: Kyndle's Advice for Women Who are Scared to Give Birth

• 23:06: Underutilized Resources for Postpartum Women

• 24:12: Kyndle's "Why"

Resources Mentioned:

WIC Episode: https://youtu.be/62hazv43izo?si=wRZBG638Bo-2OaWj

Sarah Dove is the Executive Director of Arms of Grace Pregnancy Resource Center in Burlington. She shares her inspiring story of finding healing after experiencing unplanned pregnancies and abortion. Her recovery journey set her on a path to serve others and make an impact through volunteering, and later found a new pregnancy resource center she now leads in Burlington, NC.

Sarah encourages that God can redeem in beautiful ways: "You may think you're fine. You can be fine, or you can be out of this world amazing. God's abundance is for all of us."

In a hurry? Skip to the section that's most relevant to you.

00:00 Podcast Begins

2:20: When Sarah first shared her story publicly

2:55 Sarah shares her story and the circumstances that led to her unplanned pregnancies

5:33: "'No one can know' - that's the overwhelming voice that I heard."

8:45: Encouragement from her partner, "It's okay we can do this."

10:05: First encouragment to start a pregnancy resource center

10:30: Began volunteering at The Pregnancy Network and began attending recovery program

11:30: Encouragement that if the Holy Spirit guides you to share your story, pray into that

12:15 - Recovery experience "Catapulted me into even understanding that I had a testimony.

12:49 - Forgiving herself

14:04 - What her healing journey looked like; "healing kickstarted with abortion recovery."

15:16 - Sharing her story with her mom, "God is a God of redemption, and he will be in every detail of that redemption."

16:31: "Now you're free."

18:13: "My volunteer journey was my healing journey."

19:39: Sidewalk advocacy

21:10 "Healing doesn't end, it just keeps going."

21:52 - Process of opening new pregnancy resource center in Burlington, NC

26:49 - If you have experienced abortion, there is help.

27:45 - "Life brings upon life…you will find freedom and life."

28:35 - "You may think you're fine. You can be fine, or you can be out of this world amazing. God's abundance is for all of us."

In this episode of Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat, we're diving into the essential do's and don'ts of pregnancy to help you navigate this exciting journey with confidence. We'll break down important steps like taking prenatal vitamins, eating protein-rich meals, staying active, and getting enough rest, as well as the importance of finding the right prenatal care. We'll also cover key things to avoid, such as alcohol, raw meats, and excessive caffeine, to ensure both you and your baby stay healthy. Tune in for practical tips and expert advice on how to have a safe and successful pregnancy!