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: When Is the Right Time to Get Pregnant?
This episode answers a listener’s question about how to know when the time is right to have a baby. Whether you are thinking about your…
Mastering the Basics of Breastfeeding
Many new moms expect breastfeeding to come naturally. For most, it takes time, practice, and support. Despite strong evidence in favor of breastfeeding, many parents…
Q&A: Do You Really Need to Stop Using Retinol During Pregnancy?
Retinol is a vitamin A compound and one of the most effective ingredients in skincare. But with powerful results come potential side effects, especially during…
The Complete Guide to Packing Your Birth Bag
If you went into labor and arrived at the hospital or birth center with absolutely nothing packed, it would not be the end of the…
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Guide to Breast Changes During Pregnancy and Lactation
Overview During the nine months of pregnancy, your body undergoes more changes than at any other time in your life. Your breasts, in particular, will…
Is Any Amount of Alcohol Safe During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?
There are many common questions about alcohol when trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Does drinking alcohol make it more challenging to get pregnant?…
How Much Caffeine Is Safe During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?
Overview Caffeine is a psychoactive drug because it changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness. Caffeine is a central nervous…
Effective Treatments for Constipation During Pregnancy
Overview You may be completely regular as far as going to the bathroom before getting pregnant, and then suddenly, you are stopped up and have…
Why Birth Plans Fail
Overview A birth plan is much more than a piece of paper you hand to your care provider. A birth plan is a process you…
Your Partner’s Role in Supporting You in Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond
Overview Most aspects of having a baby rest solely on the mother. One of the biggest things I hear from partners during pregnancy, labor, and…
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…
Overcoming Fear and Anxiety to Go into Birth with Confidence
Overview All expectant mothers experience some level of anxiety or fear about the unpredictability of labor. Not only can it be stressful to have anxiety…
Choosing the Best Pediatrician for Your Baby
Overview A pediatrician is the primary care provider for your child from birth through early adulthood. They offer crucial support in monitoring growth, administering immunizations,…
Tips to Advocate for Yourself with Your Doctor or Midwife
Overview Fifty years ago, you went to the doctor, and whatever they told you was the correct answer. They were the experts and the gatekeepers…
5 Tips to Maximize Every Prenatal Appointment
Overview You see a midwife or OBGYN because they are the experts in prenatal care, pregnancy, and birth. They are trained to identify risks, ensure…
Choosing (or Changing) Your Doctor or Midwife
Overview Your care provider is the cornerstone of your prenatal care and birth experience. You will work with this expert resource throughout pregnancy to make…
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: When Is the Right Time to Get Pregnant?
This episode answers a listener’s question about how to know when the time is right to have a baby. Whether you are thinking about your…
Mastering the Basics of Breastfeeding
Many new moms expect breastfeeding to come naturally. For most, it takes time, practice, and support. Despite strong evidence in favor of breastfeeding, many parents…
Q&A: Do You Really Need to Stop Using Retinol During Pregnancy?
Retinol is a vitamin A compound and one of the most effective ingredients in skincare. But with powerful results come potential side effects, especially during…
The Complete Guide to Packing Your Birth Bag
If you went into labor and arrived at the hospital or birth center with absolutely nothing packed, it would not be the end of the…
Heat Exposure During Pregnancy, What’s Safe and What to Avoid
This episode explores how various sources of heat exposure can impact your core temperature and your baby during pregnancy. Get evidence-based information on everything from…
Q&A: What to Know Before Buying a Home Doppler to Hear Your Baby’s Heartbeat
Many expecting parents consider using a home Doppler to listen to their baby’s heartbeat between prenatal appointments. While this can seem like a simple way…
Your Guide to Traveling While Pregnant
Traveling during pregnancy can be completely safe and even enjoyable with the right preparation. Whether you are planning a road trip, boarding a plane, or…
Q&A: Should We Find Out the Sex of Our Baby?
Although most parents choose to find out their baby’s sex before birth, it is always an option to wait and make it a surprise. Several…
Labor Signs and the Start of Labor
As you near the end of your pregnancy, the anticipation of labor can bring a mix of excitement and anxiety. You may be wondering exactly…
Q&A: Deciding When to Share Your Pregnancy at Work
Pregnancy is an exciting and life-changing time, but it can also bring uncertainty about how it will impact your career. For many expecting moms, sharing…
Pregnancy Crash Course for Dads and Partners
Most of what people know about having a baby comes from movies or what they have heard from friends. That is not enough to prepare…
Q&A: How to Deal with a Stuffy Nose During Pregnancy
Many pregnancy symptoms are temporary and often brushed off as something you simply have to deal with until your baby arrives. However, even minor symptoms…
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…