If you’re a partner, best friend, grandma, or future parent, this episode gives you the exact setup checklist, gift ideas, and feeding–sleep rules that prevent those brutal first-week meltdowns.

Not pregnant? Perfect. This is the ultimate baby prep playbook for anyone who loves or supports a new mom. In this episode, Hillary and Erica share how to go from baby shower to setup without the chaos—including practical systems, simple gear organization tips, and the stress-reducing feeding–sleep foundations that help every new family find rhythm from day one.

Whether you’re expecting, helping someone who is, or just planning ahead, you’ll walk away with actionable, real-life advice on what to buy, what to skip, and how to prepare for a smoother postpartum transition (no guesswork, no overwhelm).

Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.

Erica (32 weeks!) and Hillary kick things off with a bump update, a baby-shower wardrobe saga, and a funny “am I late…or pregnant?!” moment—then OB-GYN Dr. Kate White joins to walk first-time moms through Labor & Delivery 101.

We cover:

• Stages of labor in plain English (what Braxton Hicks really are, and the 5-1-1 rule)
• When to head to the hospital vs. when it’s okay to wait
• Pain management options: preparing for unmedicated birth, when to ask for an epidural, what “too late” actually means, and non-pharmacologic tools (showers, TENS, nitrous where available)
• Induction 101: Bishop score basics, ARRIVE trial takeaways, and cervical-ripening methods (Cervidil/misoprostol, Foley bulb, Dilapan, membrane rupture, Pitocin)
• Water breaking myths: why it doesn’t always mean sprinting to L&D (and when it does)
• Rapid-fire truths: delayed cord clamping (how long is actually helpful), eating during labor (what’s smart), and whether you can still move with an epidural
• What to ask on your hospital tour: anesthesia availability, epidural timing policies, nitrous/TENS access, birth bars/balls, and shower use
• Reassurance for anxious moms: how to voice fears, why flexibility is your secret superpower, and keeping the main goal—healthy mom, healthy baby—front and center

Guest: Dr. Kate White, OB-GYN, Lowcountry OB/GYN (Charleston, SC) — co-host of the podcast Heads & Tails.

Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

Summary: Erica opens with a candid check-in (plus a surprise cameo from her husband, Nate) before welcoming licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Alice Pickering. Together with Hillary, they normalize the emotional highs and lows of new motherhood—baby blues vs. postpartum depression/anxiety, identity shifts, sleep and feeding stress, and practical ways to protect mental health in the fourth trimester.

• Postpartum Support International (find trained providers): https://postpartum.net
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  Alice Pickering, PsyD: dralicepsyd.com
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  Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

  
  
  
  
  
• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.

Summary: Hillary and Erica unpack EMFs, 5G worries, and the crowded market of baby monitors—audio, wearables, and video—so moms can pick gear that supports intuition instead of anxiety. Hillary shares why sound + room temperature are her must-haves, when a wearable (like a pulse-ox sock) can be useful, and how video feeds can sometimes spike stress.

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• EMFs 101 (light touch) and practical ways to reduce exposure
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• Pros/cons of audio, wearable, and video monitors
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• When vitals tracking helps (illness/specific scenarios)
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• Why video can increase hyper-vigilance—and how to set boundaries
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• A simple decision checklist to choose the right monitor for you
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• Bonus tip: using an “OK-to-Wake” clock for toddlers
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• 00:46 — EMFs & 5G anxieties: keeping perspective
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• 00:54 — Low-tech audio monitors (sound + room temp)
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• 00:56 — Wearables (e.g., pulse-ox socks): when they help
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• 01:03 — Video monitors: benefits vs. anxiety triggers
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• 01:15 — Decision checklist & healthy tech boundaries
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• 01:16 — “OK-to-Wake” clock basics
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• 01:19 — Key takeaways
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• The Invisible Rainbow (book): https://amzn.to/4mGefrW
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• Wearable pulse-ox “dream sock”: https://amzn.to/45PADI8
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• “OK-to-Wake” toddler clock: https://amzn.to/3UQQMrN
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• Baby Settler Sleep Bundle: https://www.babysettler.com/the-baby-sleep-bundle/
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• Body-Well EMF device: (mentioned; no link)
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Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.

  
  

Navigating vaccines can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Hillary and Erica unpack common questions around infant immunizations, how the schedule is structured, and practical ways to make informed decisions for your family—without fear or confusion.

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• Why vaccines are part of many families’ health plans
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• How the standard vaccination schedule is structured in the first year
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• Tips to prep for vaccine appointments (comfort measures, timing, aftercare)
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• Common parent concerns and how to evaluate evidence
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• How to have informed, collaborative conversations with your pediatrician
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Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.

In this episode, Hillary and Erica dive into the realities of returning to work while navigating pumping and maintaining your milk supply. They cover everything from choosing the right pump setup, to flange sizing, to safely storing milk during the workday. Hillary shares actionable tips she gives her one-on-one clients, including how to structure a pumping schedule, what to replace and when, and how to balance nursing with pumping. They also talk about the emotional side of going back to work and how moms can protect both their supply and their mental health.

Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.

In this powerful conversation, Hillary and Erica talk with Brooke Vaughn, WHNP, all about why postpartum often feels so hard—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Brooke is the founder of The Women’s Health Company, a boutique hormone clinic that offers high-touch, root-cause care for women who feel dismissed or overlooked by traditional providers.

We’re covering everything from hormone shifts and adrenal fatigue to insulin resistance, progesterone, and how GLP-1 meds like Ozempic and Mounjaro are showing up in postpartum care. This episode is your permission slip to dig deeper into your health—even if your labs are “normal.”

Brooke Vaughn, WHNP is a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner and the founder of The Women’s Health Company. She helps women uncover the root cause of hormone imbalances and persistent postpartum symptoms through personalized, extended visits and lab testing that goes beyond the basics.

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• Website
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• @thewomenshealthcompany on Instagram
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• The Women's Health Company on Facebook
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"You don’t have to live with feeling ‘off.’ You deserve to feel fully well. If your body is whispering that something’s wrong, don’t wait for it to scream." – Brooke Vaughn

Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.

https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?code=HSADLER10&_saasquatch=HSADLER10

Episode 15: What No One Tells You About Postpartum Health (Even 3 Years Later)

In this episode of The Early-Momming Podcast, Hillary opens up about her three-year postpartum health journey. From managing hormonal imbalances to adjusting lifestyle choices, she dives deep into what she's learned about taking care of herself after baby number four.

Join Hillary and Erica as they discuss:

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• The challenges of postpartum recovery three years after giving birth
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• How sleep, nutrition, and exercise affect hormonal balance
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• Why lab work is key to uncovering root causes of fatigue and imbalance
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• Hillary’s experience with GLP-1 medication and its impact on weight and stress
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• The emotional and physical struggles of trying to feel like yourself again
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• The shift in focus to longevity and staying strong for your kids
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Resources Mentioned:

Get clear on the feeding–sleep loop and next steps: https://babysettler.com

• Visit Baby Settler
• 
  
• Follow @babysettler on Instagram
• 
  
• Follow @earlymommingpodcast on Instagram
• 
  
  
  

  Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  
  
  

  About Hillary: Hillary is a board-certified lactation consultant, masters-level registered nurse, author of Babies Made Simple, mom of four, and the founder/lead consultant at Baby Settler located in Charleston, SC (virtually worldwide).
  
  

  Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.