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.
Are Vaginal Exams Really Necessary? What the Evidence Says
Your doctor or midwife may suggest a vaginal exam in the weeks leading up to your due date or during labor. These exams have become…
Q&A: More Questions About Tylenol (Acetaminophen) in Pregnancy
There is an in-depth episode on the Safety of Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and Other OTC Medications During Pregnancy. Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter analgesic for pain relief…
Flu Vaccine in Pregnancy: Evidence-Based Risks and Benefits
The flu is a contagious disease caused by the influenza virus. In most healthy adults, flu symptoms are typically mild and resolve within about a…
The Safety of Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and Other OTC Medications During Pregnancy
Acetaminophen, best known by the brand name Tylenol, is an ingredient in over 600 over-the-counter medicines. This has long been considered the safest choice for…
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Protecting Your Baby From RSV, Maternal Vaccine vs. Infant Monoclonal Antibodies
Overview RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus, a common respiratory virus that usually causes upper respiratory illness with mild, cold-like symptoms. For some groups, like…
Q&A: Should Family Get Vaccinated Before Visiting Your Newborn?
Overview Vaccines can be a complex and controversial topic, especially for new parents. This episode answers a listener’s question about whether family members and visitors…
Tdap Vaccine During Pregnancy: Research on Safety and Effectiveness
Overview Tdap is an inactivated vaccine that protects you against three different illnesses: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Pertussis is commonly known as whooping cough. The Tdap…
Q&A: Is It Possible to “Pop” Something While Bending Over During Pregnancy?
Overview You’re not alone if you’ve ever worried about your baby’s safety while performing everyday movements. Pregnancy is a time filled with questions and concerns;…
The Truth About Protein in Pregnancy and Supplementing with Protein Powder
Overview Protein does more than build muscle mass. Protein is necessary to structure, function, and regulate virtually all tissues in your body. You can imagine…
Q&A: The Evidence on Choline and How to Prepare for Precipitous Labor
Overview In this episode, we explore two questions. First, we break down the role of choline in pregnancy, including its benefits for fetal brain development….
Navigating Pregnancy Nutrition on a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet
Overview You have increased nutrient needs during pregnancy, and maintaining a balanced diet is essential for you and your baby. There is no denying that…
Navigating Labor and Birth: Your Roadmap from Start to Finish
Overview Every labor and birth experience is unique, but most follow a familiar journey. This episode guides you step by step from the onset of…
Your Pregnancy Timeline
Overview Review your pregnancy timeline from conception until your baby is born. This article overviews how your baby develops, what changes your body goes through,…
Expert Tips to Prepare Your Dog for a New Baby
Overview When your baby arrives, the last thing you want to deal with is troubleshooting issues with your dog adjusting to your new baby. The…
The Top 5 Reasons Moms Stop Breastfeeding Early
Overview New mothers go into breastfeeding with the best intentions. Unfortunately, many run into issues that make breastfeeding difficult or impossible. By six months, three…
The Key to Maintaining and Increasing Milk Supply
Overview Milk supply is the number one reason mothers quit breastfeeding early or supplement with infant formula. The first line of defense for maintaining or…
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
Are Vaginal Exams Really Necessary? What the Evidence Says
Your doctor or midwife may suggest a vaginal exam in the weeks leading up to your due date or during labor. These exams have become…
Q&A: More Questions About Tylenol (Acetaminophen) in Pregnancy
There is an in-depth episode on the Safety of Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and Other OTC Medications During Pregnancy. Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter analgesic for pain relief…
Flu Vaccine in Pregnancy: Evidence-Based Risks and Benefits
The flu is a contagious disease caused by the influenza virus. In most healthy adults, flu symptoms are typically mild and resolve within about a…
The Safety of Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and Other OTC Medications During Pregnancy
Acetaminophen, best known by the brand name Tylenol, is an ingredient in over 600 over-the-counter medicines. This has long been considered the safest choice for…
Non-Medical Pain Management Options for Labor
Labor can be intense, but you have many alternatives to cope with pain beyond the medical options your doctor or midwife offers. You can use…
Q&A: Tips for When Prenatal Appointments Feel Rushed
You only get a limited amount of time with your doctor or midwife during prenatal appointments, and a lot needs to be covered over nine…
Medical Pain Management Options for Labor
Labor involves hard work, and pain is part of the process. The good news is that you have many options to manage pain, as long…
Understanding Natural Birth and How to Prepare for an Unmedicated Birth
Unmedicated birth can offer many benefits, but it also involves real challenges that need preparation, planning, and support. In this episode, you’ll discover why some…
Q&A: Is It Safe to Get a Manicure or Pedicure While Pregnant?
Getting a manicure or pedicure can be a relaxing way to treat yourself, but many people wonder if it’s safe during pregnancy. This episode looks…
Reframe Your Perspective on Labor Pain
Labor and birth are powerful, life-changing experiences, and pain is often one of the biggest concerns for expecting parents. In this episode, we reframe your…
Q&A: What the Evidence Reveals About Pregnancy Dreams
Vivid, emotional, and sometimes unsettling dreams are a common experience during pregnancy. This episode explores how sleep cycles function and why we dream. Learn why…
Understanding Your Options and Choosing the Right Formula
More than 75% of babies will get infant formula in the first year. Choosing a formula can feel overwhelming, with countless brands, ingredients, and claims…
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…