Podcast
The Be Well Baby Podcast
Hosted by Dr. Emily Spaeth · EN
The questions you're asking—answered.
- What should I really be asking my doctor during pregnancy?
- How can I balance trusting my intuition and following medical advice?
- What if things don’t go as planned—how do I stay grounded?
- What’s the difference between pain and suffering during labor?
- What really happens after birth—the part no one talks about?
- Will my body ever be the same?
- When should my baby roll, crawl, or sit—and when should I stop Googling it?
- Should breastfeeding be painful—or is that a sign something’s off?
- How do I return to work without losing myself—or my career identity?
- How do we find intimacy again when I’m touched out and exhausted?
- How do I stay connected to joy and possibility, even when pregnancy or postpartum feels hard?
- Who am I now that I’m someone’s mother?
These are the things nobody tells you about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum...
Treat your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum like grad school—because you deserve to be completely prepared.
On The Be Well Baby Podcast, we ask all the hard questions of your providers so you don't have to figure this out alone. Hosted by Dr. Emily Spaeth: a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and certified trauma-informed professional who trains other providers, this isn't your typical pregnancy podcast.
From posture in pregnancy to feeding your baby to baby development to postpartum recovery, pelvic floor health, sex after birth, and navigating your career and identity; we dive deep into the topics nobody talks about openly—until now.
You'll discover what high-achieving women actually need to know about pregnancy, birth, and the fourth trimester. No fluff. No surprises. Just the evidence-based information, honest conversations, and real preparation that helps you feel confident, capable, and genuinely ready for this pivotal season of your life.
Whether you just found out you're pregnant, you're planning to return to work, navigating matrescence, or managing the incredible changes ahead, this is your space to get prepared, feel supported, and maybe even know more than your doctor does.
Ready to approach this season with intention?
- Follow @bewellbabypdx on Instagram Facebook and TikTok
- Join our community in the Beyond Birth Blueprint
- Join our email list - Notes from the Nest - for updates and free stuff!
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Twins, Birth Trauma, and The Fourth Trimester with Dr. Daniella Sinay
Mar 1801:03:27Tap to summarizeDr. Emily sits down with her friend and colleague Dr. Daniella Sinay, a physical therapist who works both in the hospital setting and for Be Well Baby, for one of the most honest conversations this podcast has ever had. Daniella shares her journey through multiple miscarriages, a twin pregnancy, and how surviving it completely transformed the way she shows up for her patients and their families.Before becoming a mom, Daniella thought she understood what her patients were going through. She was empathetic, skilled, and thorough. But walking through her own fertility loss, a preeclampsia diagnosis at 37 weeks, an emergency C-section, a postpartum hemorrhage, and all complications of her postpartum experience: the lived experience of being the patient.In this episode, Daniella and Emily talk about:What it really feels like to "just know" something is wrong in your body — and why that's a clinical sign worth taking seriouslyThe moment Daniella underwent surgery with minimal sedation just to get back to her twins fasterWhy being medically literate in your own birth can actually work against youTriple feeding twins for 12 weeks postpartum — and what finally gave her permission to let goThe one thing she now says to every single family she meets in the hospitalWhy family-centered care isn't just a buzzword — it's the whole pointNormalizing formula, traumatic births, and the long road of processing an experience that didn't look anything like you plannedThis one is raw, real, and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from having lived it. Whether you're a clinician, a parent who's been through something hard, or someone who just needs to hear that healing takes time — this episode is for you.Resources: Postpartum Support International (PSI)Perinatal mental health therapyBaby Blues ConnectionBe Well Baby Support Group (in person support in Portland)Beyond Birth Blueprint (online support)Your Host: Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum. She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving.Our mission is to fundamentally shift what healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters!
Transcribe →The Pelvic Floor Episode All Pregnant People Need to Hear with The Vagina Whisperer Dr. Sara Reardon
Mar 1100:54:35Tap to summarizeIf you've ever been told to "just do your kegels," or walked out of your six-week visit feeling “cleared for everything” but still not quite right you’re in the right place.Get your Postpartum Essentials Guide!In this episode, we cover:What your pelvic floor is actually doing trimester by trimesterWhy symptoms you're told will resolve after birth often don'tKegels: when they help and when they can make things worsePerineal massage — what actually works and what doesn'tCoached vs. patient-led pushing and why it mattersThe first 72 hours postpartum: what to expect and what to doWhy the 6-week clearance is wildly inadequateWhen to see a pelvic floor PT — and why pregnancy is the right time to startWhat partners can actually do to helpThe takeaway: You don't have to wait until something is wrong to pay attention to your pelvic floor. The earlier you build awareness and support, the more resourced you'll feel.Dr. Emily sits down with Dr. Sara Reardon, The Vagina Whisperer. Sara is a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist, widely known as The Vagina Whisperer on Instagram and TikTok. She is the creator of The V-Hive App, an online pelvic floor workout app for pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, painful sex, and pelvic floor strengthening. Sara has been featured in The Washington Post, Time Magazine, NPR, Harper’s Bazaar, The Today Show, and numerous other podcasts, publications, and professional conferences for her advocacy and educational work as pelvic floor physical therapist. She is a TED presenter on Rethinking Postpartum Care and the author of the national bestselling book, FLOORED: A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage. Resources: 7 day free trial: V-Hive App Book: FLOORED: A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and StageOnline ConsultationsPostpartum Essentials Guide: Free Resource!Follow Sara Reardon on Social Media! InstagramTikTokYoutube FacebookMore About Your Host Dr. Emily Spaeth: Emily is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving.
Transcribe →Matrescence: Why You Don't Feel Like Yourself Postpartum with Emily Sferra
Mar 400:52:39Tap to summarizeDid you feel completely blindsided by who you became after having a baby — even though you planned for it, prepared for it, and wanted it more than anything? There's a word for that. In this episode, I sit down with acupuncturist and herbalist Emily Sferra of Perennial Health Acupuncture to talk about matrescence — the profound physical, psychological, and identity transformation that happens when you become a mother.Emily is someone I instantly clicked with—and I mean that literally! We bonded the moment we introduced ourselves to each other as “Emily S”. What I appreciate most about Emily Sferra is that she embodies something I'm deeply committed to: the understanding that true healthcare has to be holistic, and it has to feel like genuine care.She earned her Doctorate in Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health & Science, with specialized training in Five Element Acupuncture. But what sets her apart isn't just her credentials—it's her philosophy. Emily offers Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine with a dedicated focus on the mental-emotional aspects of wellbeing. She gets it: our bodies and our minds aren't separate systems. They're intricately connected, and when we resource them appropriately, they have an innate capacity to heal.What I've experienced firsthand is that her treatments actually feel different because she's thought deeply about what holistic healthcare should be. You walk into her space and you don't just receive a service—you feel welcomed, supported, resourced, and genuinely cared for. In a field where so much healthcare feels transactional, that matters enormously. I can't wait for you to hear her perspective on how we can approach perinatal wellness with this same depth and heart.In this episode, we cover:What matrescence is and why naming it mattersWhy even the most prepared parents feel blindsided by the postpartum transitionHow Chinese medicine has honored the postpartum body for thousands of years — including the sacred 40-day windowWhat it means to be "qi and blood deficient" after birth and why it makes you more vulnerableFive element acupuncture and how it treats root causes, not just symptomsWhy bounce back culture is actively harmfulWhat "being resourced" really looks like for a new parentHow to start trusting your intuition again instead of outsourcing itEmily Sferra's own postpartum experience — and what she'd do differentlyThe takeaway: You are not behind. You are not broken. You are becoming.Connect with Emily Sferra: perennialhealthacupuncture.comMore About Your Host Dr. Emily:Emily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum. She also created the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving.Our mission is to fundamentally shift healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters!
Transcribe →Conflicting Advice and the Truth About Tongue Ties with Melissa Cole
Feb 2501:04:54Tap to summarizeIf you've ever felt confused, dismissed, or completely overwhelmed trying to navigate a tongue tie diagnosis — this episode is for you.I sat down with Melissa Cole, MS, IBCLC, PMH-C, and founder of Luna Lactation and Wellness, to have one of the most honest and nuanced conversations I've heard on this topic. Melissa brings over two decades of clinical experience, published research, and a deeply mindful approach to infant feeding that I think every parent and provider needs to hear.We cover what a tongue tie actually is and why it happens, why families are getting such wildly different answers from different providers, and what a truly personalized approach to assessment and aftercare actually looks like in practice. We also talk about the emotional toll that feeding challenges take on the whole family.This conversation will give you clarity, validation, and a much better sense of what questions to ask and what red flags to watch for.Connect with Melissa! Luna Lactation & Wellness WebsiteInstagram#lunalactationResources from Be Well Baby! ICAPBuild Your Nest Postpartum Workbook by Kestral GatesOura Ring (10% off sleep and recovery tracking)Ninni Co. Pacifier (code: BEWELLBABY for 10% off)Online Birth & Postpartum Education: Beyond Birth Blueprint Keywords: tongue tie, frenulum, frenectomy, tongue tie release, tongue tie overdiagnosed, poor latch, tongue tie controversy, tongue tie aftercare, tongue tie wound care, infant oral motor, baby reflux, postpartum mental health, lactation consultant, breastfeeding support, what is a tongue tie in babies, signs my baby has a tongue tie, should I get my baby's tongue tie released, tongue tie aftercare how oftenAbout Dr. EmilyEmily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum. She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving.Our mission is to fundamentally shift what healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters!
Transcribe →Consent with Babies: Turning Diaper Changes, Carseats, and Touch Into Collaboration with Dr. Emily
Feb 1800:30:59Tap to summarizeWhat if your baby isn’t “fussy” or “colicky”—what if they’re trying to tell you something? In this episode, I reframe how we think about consent with babies, showing you that even newborns can participate in what happens to their bodies.From diaper changes to baths to touch, slowing down and reading your baby’s cues can transform daily routines into moments of trust, safety, and connection.I share real-life examples from my own parenting, including a sweet conversation with my son Hank about pull-ups and boundaries, to show that consent isn’t about perfection—it’s about participation, curiosity, and listening.By the end of this episode, you’ll understand:Why babies’ nervous systems react to touch and unpredictabilityHow to turn diaper changes, baths, and feeding into collaborative experiencesSigns your baby is saying “yes” or “no”How respecting your baby’s communication can build trust, interoception, and emotional regulationWhy consent starts at the changing table, not adolescenceWhether you’re a parent, caregiver, or soon-to-be parent, this episode will help you slow down, notice, and engage with your baby in ways that matter—because they’ve been talking to you the whole time.Resources & Links:Oura Ring (10% off sleep and recovery tracking)Ninni Co. Pacifier (code: BEWELLBABY for 10% off)Online Birth & Postpartum Education: Beyond Birth Blueprint About Dr. EmilyEmily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby in Portland, Oregon. With extensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy, she leads a team providing home-based health care for families navigating the tricky parts of pregnancy and postpartum. She also hosts the Beyond Birth Blueprint, an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to support, resources, and connection. Emily is also a mother of three and passionate about helping families move from surviving to thriving.Our mission is to fundamentally shift what healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by leaving a review! Every review matters!
Transcribe →
Newborn Sleep Tips Rooted in Brain Development with Camilla Rae
Feb 1101:15:54Tap to summarizeWhat if your baby's sleep isn't a problem to fix—but a process to support?Camilla Rae is the founder of Full Circle Baby—a full spectrum doula, newborn care specialist, and sleep consultant with 20+ years supporting more than 1,800 families. She's not here to "fix" your baby's sleep. She sees sleep as a developmental process rooted in nervous system regulation, attachment, and helping babies become fully embodied.We get into what actually helps: what's happening during those 3am wake-ups, why "regressions" are signs of progress, and what you can do tonight that honors your baby's development.We cover:The biggest misconception about newborn sleepWhat it means to support sleep rather than train itPractical strategies you can start using nowIf you've ever spiraled down a sleep training rabbit hole at 2am—this one's for you.BONUS: Camilla and I discuss her work collecting placentas for training search and rescue dogs! It's a beautiful and heart wrenching backstory.Resources: Free Consult with CamillaDonate your placentaSearch & RescuePortland Monthly Article!Oura Ring (10% off sleep and recovery tracking)Hatch Baby Sleep LampNinni Co. Pacifier (code: BEWELLBABY for 10% off)Beyond Birth Blueprint Parenting “Approaches”: RIE, Montessori, WaldorfTopics: Topics: newborn sleep, 4 month sleep regression, sleep training, developmental sleep, responsive sleep, gentle sleep, nervous system regulation, infant attachment, Camilla Rae, Full Circle Baby, sleep consultant.About Your HostEmily Spaeth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and founder of Be Well Baby™. She has expensive NICU experience and training in craniosacral therapy. Emily leads a team of professionals elevating perinatal healthcare in Portland, Oregon. She also created an online birth and postpartum educational community available to families across the country—so no matter where you are, you have access to expert support, resources, education, and connection. Our mission is to reimagine what healthcare could look like for pregnancy, postpartum, and babies. Please help us spread the word by sharing an episode or leaving a review! Every review matters!
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