The Nourished CEO Podcast

What impact might your subconscious beliefs have on your health and the health of your clients? What about your business? Today’s guest explains how, as health coaches and practitioners, we can help ourselves and our clients get better results by addressing and reprograming these beliefs.   About Megan Blacksmith Megan Blacksmith (Health Coach, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner) and Dr. Alex Golden (M.D.) are the co-founders of Zesty Ginger, a company founded on the principles of compassionate transformation. They help women restore optimal health through a combination of functional medicine, mindset, and subconscious reprogramming.  With over ten years of personal health struggles overlooked by conventional medicine, such as chronic pain and endometriosis for Dr. Alex, and Megan’s postpartum health crash and anxiety, they vow to make medicine and health easier to navigate. They believe that when we consider health from the perspective of the mind, body, heart, AND soul, we allow ourselves to resolve our fragmentation. The fragmentation results from living in a world that breaks us down into categories and addresses problems by organ systems. Instead, healing comes from wholeness.   The Connection Between Beliefs, Actions, and Results Throughout this episode, Megan speaks to why actions will often fall short if they are not backed up by our thoughts and beliefs. This partially explains why clients who just want to be told what to do often struggle the most. Instead, Megan explains how to help clients best by aligning your advice with their own intuitions and feelings. This means helping people slow down to better listen to what their body is telling them. This can be an uncomfortable process. Yet, it will help them understand what parts are important to them and help align the program with their beliefs for improved results.   The Strategy of Shifting Subconscious Belief Systems Not everyone is naturally good at reframing beliefs. To help, Megan suggests modeling off of someone’s strategies who has already accomplished what you’re after. When you surround yourself with strategies and ideas you want to achieve for yourself, they can come to you more naturally. She also advises reframing your thoughts to focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. The subconscious mind hears your thoughts and takes them on. If you only speak to yourself in the negatives, your subconscious will take those on. Instead, by rewording your goals as positives, you’ll better be able to discover the path to success. How could investing in yourself benefit your clients? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode How Megan discovered the connection between mindset and health [4:30] Helping clients by supporting their decision-making process rather than just telling them what to do [11:30] The strategy behind shifting subconscious belief systems [30:40] What you learn about yourself by observing those around you [44:00]   Quotes “People were able to do the same things they were already doing, maybe the same protocol and foods, and start to get results. It really did seem like magic.” [11:17] “We need to be totally clear in our role [as coaches] and totally clear on our stuff, meaning any fears or triggers we have.” [23:00] “Perception is projection…. What you’re seeing outside of you is what you have inside of you.” [46:53] “When you get into the quantum physics of it and what the brain is physically wired to do and why it starts to become so obvious as to why you would care about this.” [1:01:23]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Get your FREE Profit Planning Workbook! Find Megan Blacksmith online Coaches Connect Masterclass Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

As a business owner, I can take time off and don’t need permission from anyone. On the flip side, I don’t have the security of other jobs. These two facts became very apparent when I took maternity leave recently. Today, I want to talk about what I did as a business owner to prepare for maternity leave in a way that didn’t leave me with a financial burden.   Advanced Preparation and Understanding To prepare for maternity leave, I started by making a budget. How much money would I need to cover my expenses and pay myself and any employees for at least three months? How much more would I have to sell to ensure that the business doesn’t lose money while I’m away? This requires really knowing your numbers so you can make informed decisions.   Once I knew the budget, I was able to plan my promotional calendar. This let me set specific financial goals to ensure that I sold what I needed to before my leave. This will let you know what to focus on as you prepare for your leave.   Working with a team and batching your work Next, I passed some specific responsibilities on to my team. This was something we did gradually over the course of several months so that everyone was ready once my leave began. Knowing that the business was in good hands while I was away was a huge relief. The fourth thing I did before the leave was batching three months of podcast content. I didn’t want to take a break from the podcast but I also didn’t want to be recording during my leave. That’s why I pre-recorded weeks of episodes so my team could release them on schedule.   What I would do differently next time Now that I’ve gone on maternity leave, I have a good idea of what I would do differently next time. For starters, I would slow my reentry to work. Part of me was eager to get back to work and it can be hard to say no to things. Now that I know how tired I can be after birth, I would definitely get back into work more gradually. I would also like to build something in my business that can be sold without my involvement. If I can sell high-ticket passive evergreen products, I’ll be able to step back even more and know my business will continue to thrive during an absence. How have you prepared your business for an extended absence? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode Determining how much money you need for a maternity leave [6:00] Selling what you need to ahead of time [13:00] Passing responsibilities over to your team [24:00] Batching content in advance of a leave [32:00] The importance of a slow return to work [38:50] Creating products that will sell without your involvement [47:45]   Quotes “You shouldn't just be guessing at what you need because that’s going to cause constant questioning if you have enough.” [10:10] “It gave me so much more confidence leading into the birth knowing the company’s finances were covered for at least 8 to 10 weeks postpartum without making any additional sales.” [18:28] “You live and learn. Now I know that in the future I need to protect my energy more.” [45:58]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Sign up for the Practice Better Training! Evolved Finance Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman & Mark C. Winters Traction by Gino Wickman Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

Every business could run more efficiently. A project management tool is one way to do this. Really, no matter where you are in your business, these tools will help take so much off your plate so that you can work where you are needed best. Today, we’re speaking with a real expert on how project management tools can level up your business.   About Kaci Ackerman Kaci went from dental office manager to being furloughed due to covid to running a six-figure business in less than two years. Kaci is a Certified Business Manager and ClickUp expert. Kaci has helped over 500 business owners streamline their businesses with ClickUp. She saves CEOs 10 hours a week and increases their profit by 25% with a robust and automated ClickUp system. Some fun facts, Kaci is the queen of typos and truth bombs, a lover of stouts and porters, a Netflix binger, a sports fan, a bike rider, and friends obsessed.   Using Project Management Software Before Your Business Has Grown Even if you’re in business by yourself, a project management tool still has its place. Kaci stresses the importance of building in the systems now that you’d want for your business later on when it’s bigger. By setting up project management systems now, you’ll be better positioned for your growth when it occurs. And for the time being, this software will still help you stay organized and on top of tasks. It will keep priorities front of mind and help you keep track of all the minutiae of business much more comprehensively than pen and paper would.   The Many Uses of Project Management Tools No matter the size of your business, project management software is crucial. Kaci describes some of the common applications of these tools. This ranges from personal reminders, scheduling help, follow-ups with potential clients, and so much more.  I’ll admit that these programs can look a bit overwhelming at first. However, it’s a lot less overwhelming than running a business without them. It’s worth learning so that you can save time and spend that time on what will really grow your business rather than the nitty-gritty functions of everyday operations. How have project management tools helped your business grow? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode How project management tools let you place your focus where it is needed the most [7:00] The usefulness of these tools for solopreneurs [12:30] Some of the common uses of project management software [23:45] How to decide which system is best for you and your business [38:50]   Quotes “Build systems for where you want to be, not where you are right now.” [13:19] “It is pretty well-known that most clients need like five to eight follow-ups before they say yes. So if you think they’re ghosting you or not going to work with you, it may not be true.” [36:11] “If you want to start treating yourself as a CEO and your business as a business, not a side hustle, these systems should be a priority.” [38:38]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Sign up for the Practice Better Training! Find Kaci Ackerman online Follow Kaci on Instagram | Facebook Get your FREE ClickUp Roadmap ClickUp Monday Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman & Mark C. Winters Traction by Gino Wickman Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

A lot of people assume that memory problems happen as we age. That doesn’t have to be the case. There’s a lot that you can start doing now to keep your mind healthy into your later years. Today’s guest is here to tell you how she runs a successful business helping people keep their minds sharp!   About Francine Waskavitz Francine is a Speech-Language Pathologist and an integrative nutrition coach with a passion for helping seniors and older adults maximize their long-term memory and cognitive health. She has always been a bit of an old soul. Francine thinks that's what draws her to work with the older crowd. She feels at home with them! Francine has spent the last 10 years as an SLP working with the 55 and older crowd in care centers around the Carolinas. She truly believes that even though she is the one leading the therapies during that time, she learns even more from her clients than they do from her.   It’s Never Too Early to Address Memory Loss Francine explains why memory loss is never normal. Sure, memory will likely change as we age. However, your regular ability to easily recollect things should not be ignored. Francine works hard to dismantle the myth that memory loss and aging must necessarily go together. Francine wants people to seek help as soon as they realize that their memory is getting worse. It’s not something to just write off. Early intervention can go a long way to reducing larger problems down the road.   Building and Growing a Health Business We also get into how Francine built a successful business around memory coaching. Much of this she credits to the Nutrition Business Accelerator. Although she is a Speech Language Pathologist, not a dietitian, Francine says she still found a huge amount of value in the program. She learned that building a process around moving clients from a problem to a solution through mindset-building is a winning formula. With this, she has grown her business and plans to take it even further. Have you noticed changes to your memory? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode What it means to be a memory health coach and how to know if you need one [4:10] Tools and strategies that will help build and improve your cognitive reserve [14:20] How your mindset is at the forefront of memory work [22:45] How Francine structures her business for success [27:45] Growing a business around helping your ideal client [41:00]   Quotes “Acknowledging those changes when they show up now can prevent some of those things from occurring later because these problems have a way of showing up and getting louder.” [10:09] “It sort of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for people in their 40s and 50s questioning their memory because stress can really hurt memory and memory problems are stressful.” [21:16] “My number one goal is to make these changes for people that can carry over into their lives so that they’re experiencing these changes that are sustainable and approachable.” [34:15]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Sign up for the Nutrition Business Accelerator! Find Francine Waskavitz online Follow Francine on Facebook | Instagram Get Francine’s FREE Starter Guide Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

I want to sell in a way that feels comfortable and authentic. I bet you do too. But how can you do that effectively in a virtual setting? Today, I’m speaking to the person who taught me his formula for selling through speaking about how to do just that.   About Colin Boyd Colin Boyd is an international speaker, trainer, and coach. He’s been running his Speaking business since 2017. Originally from Australia, he moved in 2017 with his wife of 16 years, Sarah, and two little toddlers to Newport Beach, California. He primarily now runs his flagship program Sell From Stage Academy which helps people turn every presentation into a money-making machine. He coaches some of the biggest names in the industry including Amy Porterfield, James Wedmore, and Carrie Green to name a few, and thousands of other speakers and coaches to sell from the stage (without being pushy and slimy). He is a CSP, Accredited ICF Coach, holds a Bachelor of Commerce and certifications in Behavioral DISC profiling and Neurolinguistic Programming.   Don’t Teach Your Audience Too Much There are several common mistakes when creating webinars and courses with a pitch in mind. Colin warns us that the biggest of these is overteaching. By not providing too much information upfront, your potential client won’t feel overwhelmed when it’s time for them to decide whether or not to sign up for more. This can be a challenge. It takes vulnerability to get in front of an audience. We often compensate by over-demonstrating our expertise. Colin cautions us to avoid this by saving the meaty content for the course itself. Strike a balance between providing information and leading the audience to make a decision.   The Money is the Motivator We all have an offer. But some people have hang-ups when it comes to asking money for it. Colin explains why charging for what you do is an important and good part of the process. It represents a motivator on their part to see the results of your offer. Colin wants you to think of it this way: the money you ask your audience for is a sign of their motivation. They don’t need the information. It probably already exists somewhere for free. What they need is you. You’re the one who organizes the knowledge and creates systems for it to lead them to success. What challenges do you face when making a pitch? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode What led Colin to coach entrepreneurs [8:30] Why you shouldn’t teach too much before a pitch [12:10] Creating value that isn’t information-based [15:50] How the money people invest with you leads them to better results [22:30] The challenge of teaching within your expertise [31:20] What entrepreneurs will get from Colin’s program [37:10]   Quotes “Don’t over-teach. People get too much into the details when teaching on a webinar, especially if they want to make a pitch or offer.” [13:08] “Money is a key currency that creates motivation to accelerate the result that your offer brings.” [24:44] “The free stuff is still an important part of the journey, but the paid stuff is usually where you get your results.” [27:19]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Join the Sell From the Stage Academy Find Colin Boyd online Follow Colin on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Free Live Training “SELL FROM WEBINARS & LIVE STAGES TRAINING SERIES” SSA Waitlist Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

Failing is a part of doing business. We all fail from time to time but we are not failures. Today, I want to talk about what happens when things don’t go as planned as an entrepreneur. We’re taking the shame out of failing so that you can fail successfully in business.   Set Goals That You May Not Reach Often we feel like failures when we don’t reach a goal we’ve set for ourselves. But setting easily achievable goals isn’t the solution. Doing so will limit the extent of achievement you could possibly achieve.  For instance, when it comes to revenue targets, we often set goals based on past achievements. When we do this, we restrict our potential to profit even more. Doing so could trap you in a state of mediocrity. When we reach higher, we push ourselves to improve, even if we fall short of that goal.   Be Open About Failure We often think that these failures are indicative of our own abilities. When we don’t openly discuss these failures, it’s easy to think that it’s not something everyone experiences. That’s why I think it’s crucial to start normalizing failure and make it something we talk about without shame. This isn’t to say that we won’t ever feel frustrated or disappointed. But regret isn’t helpful. Instead, these are opportunities to examine what happened so that we can learn from it and do something different next time.   What We Can Learn After Failing When we experience failure, it’s really easy to believe at the moment that this is indicative of your future in business. Don’t catastrophize these kinds of things! In my experience, some of my biggest disappointments have been some of the best things to happen to me. They have shown me where to pivot and get my business better aligned with where I truly want it to be. What has the fear of failure been holding you back from doing? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode Why we need to set goals we may not reach [2:20] The importance of discussing failures as entrepreneurs [9:00] Why you are not defined by failure [22:30] Practicing the mindset of being okay with failure [33:00]   Quotes “When you’re setting goals based on past experience, you might be limiting what’s possible for you in the future because you’re afraid to set a goal you may not hit.” [7:49] “That [failure] was a situation that helped me see that the path I was on was not the right path for me.” [26:00] “If you’re not taking risks on a regular basis in your business, then you’re probably not getting the kind of results you want to get.” [34:24]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Get the free Profit Planning Workbook! Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative   Related Episodes Episode 70 - What I Learned From My Biggest Business Failure

If you’ve had mastitis before, you know how terrible it can be. If you haven’t, there are some things you might want to do to avoid it if you’re ever going to be breastfeeding.  But this episode isn’t about mastitis itself. Instead, I want to talk about what it taught me about running an online business. It really is an example of how there’s always something to be gleaned from any experience, good or bad.   The Value of a Niche The first lesson that I learned from all this was how valuable it is to work within a niche. When I was lying in bed dealing with the symptoms of mastitis, I was desperate for a solution. So I bought a course all about healing from mastitis.  This got me to realize that having very specific expertise that solves a very specific problem places you in a position where people will be willing to buy from you with less effort on your part. Often, we want to stay broad with what we offer clients. But this experience drove home the importance of having something specific that you solve and clients are ready to buy.   Getting Out of Your Business So It Can Grow The second lesson I learned was that I need to structure my business so that it can run smoothly without me. There was a lot that I wanted to get done the week that I was sick. A lot of it had to be put on hold. However, I am so thankful to my team who were able to get the time-sensitive aspects done without me.  We have goals for our businesses. While I was sick, I realized that you can actually hold your own business back from hitting those goals when the unexpected occurs. Being able to build systems, delegate, and automate can help you avoid this pitfall.   The Importance of Your Village Finally, I came to understand the importance of having people you can call on for help when the need arises. For me, that began with my husband and mother who were able to watch our baby when I wasn’t able. I believe that being able to rest when I needed to allowed me to heal faster and get back to work sooner than I might have otherwise. Beyond this, there was also my online village of health experts. Many of them shared wonderful advice and resources that reminded me that we can all lend a helping hand, no matter how trivial it may seem. Finding solidarity and empathy makes a huge difference when faced with a challenge. Where can you turn for support when you need it the most? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode Laura’s experience with mastitis [1:40] Finding a specific niche to help your clients [6:30] Getting out of your business so it can grow [18:40] The importance of having a village [33:30]   Quotes “I definitely noticed some things during this time, good and bad, that informed not only how I’m approaching my own business, but also how I’m coaching my clients who are growing their online health and nutrition businesses.” [6:07] “This is really the ideal business model to have where you have such a specific problem that you solve and such a high pain-point problem that people will buy from you even if you just came across them minutes ago.” [9:30] “It’s definitely been a crash course in surrender and adaptation in the last three months and I know it’s going to continue and get more challenging. But I think it’s a good challenge.” [33:06] “The time that I spend cultivating relationships is so important at those times that I need somebody to literally be there in person for me.” [37:14]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Get the free Profit Planning Workbook! Your Two Jugs | Mastitis Treatment Professionals Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

Are you standing up for what you believe when it comes to nutrition, wellness, and health? I know that many health entrepreneurs are nervous to stray from what they learned in school or the recommendations of their professional organizations. However, in order to best help our clients, we may sometimes need to go an unorthodox route. Today’s guest is here to discuss how to move past this fear so that we can be of the most service to those who need us.   About Annette Presley Annette Presley is a registered dietitian of over 30 years, certified Functional Nutritionist, certified Theta Healer, author, speaker, and creator of the REVIVE Method. After discovering that the diet advice she'd learned as a dietitian was contributing to chronic disease, Annette changed course to learn about Functional Nutrition and Nutrigenomics (how nutrition impacts genetic expression), and the Root Cause Protocol. Now Annette helps women get to the root of their health issues so they can stop feeling like crap and get their life and their joy back.   The Art of Asking Questions and Finding Answers In this episode, Annette describes how early in her career she was called out for teaching what was at the time counter to established practice. Time has since vindicated her beliefs and she learned a lesson in the importance of maintaining her sense of professional integrity.  Through all this, Annette has come to understand that science is the art of questioning everything. Look into things. Trust your instincts, but verify them. Most of all, Annette wants us to be fearless in the face of potential criticism from those toeing the line of established practice.   How Being an Entrepreneur Helps Us Chart Our Own Path One example of Annette’s unorthodox practice and beliefs centers on iodine. Although past animal studies have shown a link between iodine intake and hypothyroidism, Annette saw that the study’s conclusions did not match the study’s data. Exploring the issue further, she found that iodine can actually have numerous health benefits.  This leads us to the advantage of being an entrepreneur in the health space. We have the freedom to chart our own path - to research what interests us and apply the results for the benefit of our clients. This goes beyond just making money. It’s about really helping people. Have you ever found yourself questioning accepted beliefs in your field? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode Lessons Annette learned about staying true to her beliefs [5:00] Why skepticism is an integral part of science [13:20] Dealing with the criticism that may come with following your conscience [20:10] How examining beliefs around the health impacts of iodine indicates the importance of questioning established practices [33:30] The freedoms that come with being a health entrepreneur [45:00]   Quotes “I didn’t care what the truth was, I just wanted to make sure that what I was teaching was the truth.” [12:25] “Science is all about asking questions and challenging answers. If we can’t do that, then it’s a religion, not science.” [13:46] “I believe the truth is such that it is perfectly fine answering questions and debating. It’s when we don’t have the truth that we want to shut everything down. The truth can overcome a lie but a lie can never overcome the truth.” [36:53]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Sign up for the Practice Better training! Find Annette Presley online Follow Annette on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest 5 Things Your Doctor Isn't Testing For (that are preventing you from feeling great) Know Your Fats by Mary G. Enig, Ph.D Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

This episode is part 2 of the 2-part episode about my daughter Vera's birth. Listen to last week’s episode of the first part if you haven’t had the chance yet. Despite all the advance preparation for this birth, things did not immediately go quite as planned. So, if you’re thinking about having a baby, I hope you can learn from my experience.   A Somewhat Chaotic Arrival at the Hospital Our story resumes as we were arriving at the hospital while contractions were in full swing. Despite some confusion getting in and a brief scare when my water broke full of meconium, I found myself ready to start pushing within minutes. Nearly an hour later, I was totally exhausted. But Vera had still not arrived. Remembering some positioning strategies I had studied, I moved into some different positions. I believe that this helped open things up and made it easier and quicker for Vera to arrive. At one point while pushing, I finally felt Vera’s head come out. A moment later and she was all the way out.   Reflections on a Natural Birth Over the following days and weeks, I was still in a decent amount of pain. Even given that, I feel very strongly that avoiding medication helped me bond better with my child, and get breast-feeding established, and I’m very glad I did it that way. Perhaps more than anything else, this experience taught me how to find a balance between trusting my own intuition and knowing when to ask for help. While I felt as prepared as I could be for this birth, I know that I could not have done it all on my own. How did you prepare for birth? How did the preparation help you and what came as a surprise? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode A chaotic arrival at the hospital [3:45] Finding the right position to push [12:15] Putting my research into action and advocating for what I needed to do [20:00] Vera finally arrives [29:20] Reflections on an unmedicated birth experience [35:15]   Quotes “You can do as much preparation as possible and you can’t be fully prepared for what’s going to happen.” [2:45] “There was such a big difference between the pushing on my back versus the pushing on my knees. It was like night and day.” [27:19] “There’s a balance in my life that I need to learn how to hit between knowing what’s right and doing what I think is right and following my intuition and also letting people help me.” [38:06]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Join the Nutrition Business Accelerator waitlist! Pain-Free Birth The Naked Doula Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

I’m back from maternity leave and I sure have a story to tell you all! To help tell you about it, I’ve brought on my husband Josh. We want to share the story of our child’s birth and what we learned from its challenges. Throughout the birth experience, Josh and I discovered a lot about ourselves and our relationship.    Preparation and Planning in Action No matter how much I prepared and read up on labor, I found that nothing could fully prepare me for the experience itself. It was my goal to have a natural birth. So when contractions started, I did all I could to have it go as smoothly as I could. I discuss some of the relaxation techniques I tried as well as some interesting and natural methods for moving the process along until Vera could be born. As someone who likes to be in control, this whole process was an exercise in recognizing what I could and couldn’t do.   Making Some Questionable Choices One thing we learned through this experience is that you can make questionable decisions during labor. In fact, I gave Josh permission to head out to a softball game while I was waiting through the contractions. It may have seemed okay at the time, but in retrospect, it was probably not the right thing to do. This whole experience taught us a lot about best-laid plans, what happens when it’s time to put them into action, and proper communication during stressful situations. Josh and I hope you enjoy this episode and tune in again next week to hear its conclusion! How does your birth story compare? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode What happened when the contractions began [3:00] Managing my mindset during the birth process [12:00] When communication between partners is put to the test [19:45] Preparing for the ride to the hospital [33:30]   Quotes “Labor is a very energy-intensive experience, but the recommendation not to eat is questionable as far as if it’s actually beneficial for women, especially if you’re not going in for a c-section.” [7:12] “I was thinking that this could literally be day one of three of having this experience. From a mindset experience, I was mentally preparing myself to go a really long time and manage it as best I could.” [15:17] “If you’ve had a baby maybe you know what this feels like. If you haven’t, I don’t know if you can even imagine it.” [34:45]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I’ll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Join the Nutrition Business Accelerator™  waitlist! Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative