Expecting? We have Been Expecting You
Hello! I’m Vanessa Merten, and I’ve been supporting expecting moms and partners with evidence-based information and resources to healthily and safely navigate pregnancy, birth, and newborn parenting since 2015.
With hundreds of episodes of the Pregnancy Podcast, involving thousands of hours of research, I’ve created tons of valuable content for you. To make things easier, I recommend you start with the following.
The last year of Pregnancy Podcast episodes is free and available wherever you listen to audio.
Q&A: Can I Color My Hair While Pregnant?
Overview Explore the research on hair dye exposure during pregnancy and get a break down of what the evidence really says about risks to your…
How Age Affects Pregnancy: Facts, Myths, and What Really Matters
Overview From a biological perspective, there’s a limited window for getting pregnant, spanning from reproductive age through menopause. While that offers many years of opportunity,…
Q&A: Tips to Prepare for Breastfeeding Before Your Baby Arrives
Overview Breastfeeding can feel intimidating, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before. While it’s a natural process, it doesn’t always come easily. With the…
The Evidence on Nutrition and Trending Diets During Pregnancy
Overview Whatever your long-term health or weight goals, your top priority during pregnancy is keeping yourself and your baby healthy. Nutrition plays a key role,…
Ready for a Premium experience? Pregnancy Podcast Premium members have access to a private subscriber feed with access to the entire back catalog of episodes with no advertisements.
Already a Premium member? Login here.
Preventing and Treating Bug Bites During Pregnancy
Overview With warmer weather comes more insects and the potential for bug bites. As with any topic, pregnancy adds an additional layer of concern about…
Optimal Labor Positions for a Shorter and Easier Birth
Overview For most of human history, a mother in labor was free to move around and change positions at will, with the most common positions…
Your Options for the Third Stage of Labor
Overview The third stage of labor starts after your baby is born and ends with birthing the placenta. Even after your beautiful baby is born…
Can Eating Dates Naturally Induce Labor and Shorten Duration?
Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree. While dates are high in sugar, they also contain nutrients like fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, and…
Prenatal Yoga, Recommendations and What to Avoid
Overview Many studies demonstrate the benefits of yoga during pregnancy, from reducing time in labor to improving newborn outcomes. The American College of Obstetricians and…
Strength Training and Lifting Weights During Pregnancy
Overview Research has firmly established that strength and resistance training benefits physical and mental health. Lifting weights may be the first thing that comes to…
Cardio Exercise During Pregnancy (Running, Walking, Swimming, and more)
Overview Cardio is any workout in which you elevate your heart rate. Many exercises fall under the umbrella of cardio. This includes walking, hiking, running,…
Fourth Trimester Planning Ahead
Overview The most significant adjustment period is the first three months after your baby is born. In reality, recovering from birth takes longer for many…
Fourth Trimester What to Expect
Overview During pregnancy, you focus on your health, baby, and planning for birth. Many expecting moms often overlook what happens after birth and what they…
Second Trimester Overview
Overview Weeks 13 to 27 of your pregnancy tend to be the favorite period for many expecting moms. This article covers everything you need to…
First Trimester Overview
Overview The first 12 weeks of your pregnancy are the most significant adjustment period. This article covers everything you need to know to navigate the…
Getting Sick During Pregnancy (Colds, Flu, and COVID-19)
Overview Pregnancy affects every system in your body, including your immune system. It is so important to take care of your health when you are…
Your birth plan is more than a document you hand out when you go into labor. Creating and writing your birth plan is a great way to get really clear on the birth experience you want. Here are some resources to help you along the way.
See Vanessa's Birth Plan
Want a copy of my birth plan? Although my preferences may not be right for you, you can use my birth plan as an example of how yours can be structured and worded. Click here to get a copy.
Episodes on Creating Your Birth Plan
Q&A: Can I Color My Hair While Pregnant?
Overview Explore the research on hair dye exposure during pregnancy and get a break down of what the evidence really says about risks to your…
How Age Affects Pregnancy: Facts, Myths, and What Really Matters
Overview From a biological perspective, there’s a limited window for getting pregnant, spanning from reproductive age through menopause. While that offers many years of opportunity,…
Q&A: Tips to Prepare for Breastfeeding Before Your Baby Arrives
Overview Breastfeeding can feel intimidating, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before. While it’s a natural process, it doesn’t always come easily. With the…
The Evidence on Nutrition and Trending Diets During Pregnancy
Overview Whatever your long-term health or weight goals, your top priority during pregnancy is keeping yourself and your baby healthy. Nutrition plays a key role,…
Q&A: What Actually Works to Prevent Tearing During Birth?
Overview During the second (pushing) stage of labor, your perineum stretches as your baby is born. More than half of first-time mothers experience some degree…
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Baby Name
Overview A name is something your child will carry with them for life. It is a reflection of identity, culture, and sometimes family history. With…
Q&A: Should You Worry About Sleeping on Your Back
Overview Sleep is essential for your health, especially during pregnancy, but the changes that come with pregnancy can make quality rest more challenging. To add…
Optimizing Your Birth Environment for a Better Labor Experience
Overview Oxytocin is the key hormone that drives labor, and the fewer stress hormones released during birth, the better your labor can progress. Creating a…
Q&A: Sorting Through Conflicting Advice on Pregnancy Workouts
Overview Exercise during pregnancy is evidence-based to reduce the risk of certain complications, support healthy weight gain, alleviate common pregnancy discomforts, and improve mental well-being….
How to Prevent and Treat UTIs During Pregnancy
Overview Pregnancy brings many changes to your body, including hormone changes and how your urinary system functions. These changes can increase the risk of developing…
Q&A: Should You Avoid Eating During Labor
Overview Eating during labor is a topic with conflicting advice. In this episode, we respond to a listener whose doctor advised against eating during labor,…
Is Cord Blood Banking Worth It?
Overview Cord blood banking is a complex and often confusing topic. Advertisements for cord blood banking are everywhere when you are pregnant. Is it really…
A Step by Step Guide to Creating and Writing Your Birth Plan
This book walks you through step-by-step, showing you exactly how to create a birth plan that will lay the foundation for the birth experience you want. You will find short sections with evidence-based information to help you decide your preferences from starting labor until you are home with your baby. There are sample plans for everything from home birth to a planned cesarean and everything in between, so this book has you covered no matter what type of birth you are planning. Plus, the master template includes everything you could include in your birth plan, and it is super quick and easy to customize to fit your preferences.
More information on the book, including a preview, can be found here.
The 40 Weeks podcast has a short five-minute episode for each week of pregnancy. Learn what is going on with your body and your baby each week, plus get a tip for your partner. Available everywhere you listen to audio.
Weeks 1-2
Welcome to weeks one and two of your pregnancy. Listen Now You measure pregnancy in the weeks leading up to the birth of your baby….
Week 3
Welcome to week 3. This is the week of ovulation and fertilization. Listen Now Baby Week three is really when the journey of your baby…
Week 4
Welcome to week 4. 36 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby is the size of a poppy seed this week. Believe it or…
Week 5
Welcome to week 5. 35 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby This week your poppy seed-sized baby has grown to about the size of an…
Week 6
Welcome to week 6. 34 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little apple seed-sized baby has grown to be about the size of a…
Week 7
Welcome to week 7. 33 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little sweat pea is now the size of a small blueberry. They measure…
Week 8
Welcome to week 8. You are 20% of the way there! Listen Now Baby At about .6 inches (1.6 cm), your baby has graduated from…
Week 9
Welcome to week 9. 31 more weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby has graduated from an embryo and is now officially called a…
Week 10
Welcome to week 10. 30 more weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little grape-sized baby has grown to the size of a kumquat this…
Week 11
Welcome to week 11. 29 more weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little kumquat-sized baby is roughly the size of a strawberry this week….
Week 12
Welcome to week 12, the last week of the first trimester. 28 more weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little strawberry-sized baby is now…
Week 13
Welcome to week 13. This is the start of the second trimester. Listen Now Baby Your little plum is now about the size of a…
Week 14
Welcome to week 14. 26 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby This week your little lemon is now about the size of a peach. From…
Week 15
Welcome to week 15. 25 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby peach grows in week 15 to about the size of an apple….
Week 16
Welcome to week 16 and the end of your fourth month. 24 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little apple is growing, and this…
Week 17
Welcome to week 17. 23 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your avocado-sized baby is growing this week to the size of a pear. Your…
Week 18
Welcome to week 18. 22 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your pear-sized baby is growing to about the size of a bell pepper this…
Week 19
Welcome to week 19. 21 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little bell pepper is growing to about the size of a mango this…
Week 20
Welcome to week 20. You are halfway there! Listen Now Baby This week your baby’s growth rate accelerates. Your little mango is growing to about…
Week 21
Welcome to week 21 and the second half of your pregnancy. 19 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little sweet potato is growing to…
Week 22
Welcome to week 22. 18 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your banana-sized baby is growing to the size of a papaya this week. Your…
Week 23
Welcome to week 23. 17 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your little papaya-sized baby is getting bigger this week and will be about the…
Week 24
Welcome to week 24. 16 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby is growing from a grapefruit last week to the size of an…
Week 25
Welcome to week 25. 15 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby is growing from an ear of corn last week to the size…
Week 26
Welcome to week 26. 14 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Last week your baby was the size of an acorn squash. This week they…
Week 27
Welcome to week 27. This is the last week of the second trimester. 13 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby that was the…
Week 28
Welcome to week 28, the start of the final and third trimester. Listen Now Baby Your baby that was the size of a cabbage last…
Week 29
Welcome to week 29. Only 11 weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby eggplant is growing this week to the size of a cauliflower….
Week 30
Welcome to week 30. You are 75% of the way there! Listen Now Baby Your little cauliflower-sized baby is growing this week to the size…
Week 31
Welcome to week 31. Only nine weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your broccoli-sized baby is growing this week and is about the size of…
Week 32
Welcome to week 32. Only eight weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your asparagus-sized baby is growing to about the size of a cantaloupe. Your…
Week 33
Welcome to week 33. Only seven weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your cantaloupe-sized baby is growing to about the size of a butternut squash….
Week 34
Welcome to week 34. Only six weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby was as big as a butternut squash last week and is…
Week 35
Welcome to week 35. Only five weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby is growing from the size of a pineapple last week to…
Week 36
Welcome to week 36. Only one more month to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby is growing from a spaghetti squash to about the size…
Week 37
Welcome to week 37. Only three weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby was the size of a bunch of romaine lettuce and is…
Week 38
Welcome to week 38. Only two weeks to go! Listen Now Baby Your baby, who was as big as a canary melon, is growing to…
Week 39
Welcome to week 39. Only one more week to go! Listen Now Baby Your mini watermelon-sized baby is almost ready to make its debut into…
Week 40
Welcome to week 40. Your due date is here! Congratulations, you are almost there. Listen Now Baby Your baby was about the size of a…
Week 41
If you are still pregnant, welcome to week 41. You get to meet your baby any day now. Listen Now Baby Do not stress out…
Week 42
Welcome to week 42 and the last week of your pregnancy. Listen Now Baby It looks like your baby wants to take its time getting…