Ep 290: Birth With Power! – A New Name, A Bigger Mission

Nicole Rankins (00:00.658)

This is it. The start of a new era all about pregnancy and birth is now birth with power because birth isn't just something that happens to you. You can take charge and step into your power. In this episode, I'm sharing why I made this change, what it means for you and what's coming next.

including the Birth with Power Pathway, my brand new framework that will get you all the way ready to trust your power and take charge of your birth. Keep listening. You do not want to miss this.

Nicole Rankins (00:48.152)

Welcome to the birth with power podcast where knowledge is power and power transforms birth. I'm Dr. Nicole Callaway-Rankins, mom of two and practicing board certified OB-GYN with over 20 years of experience and nearly 2000 births attended. I've seen firsthand how the hospital system can leave women feeling unheard and uncertain, but that doesn't have to be your story.

Here you'll get the knowledge, support and strategies to take charge of your birth experience so you can walk into the hospital feeling calm, confident and empowered. Note this podcast is for educational purposes only and it's not a substitute for medical advice. See the full disclaimer at drnaclomeragins.com forward slash disclaimer. Now let's get to it.

Hello there. Welcome to another episode of the podcast. This is episode number 290 and I am so glad you are spending some of your time with me today. This episode is a special episode as it's the first episode under my new name, Birth With Power. my goodness. It feels so good to finally be able to say that. Now, if you've been listening for a while, you know this podcast used to be called

all about pregnancy and birth. But today marks a new beginning, a new name, and a new level of impact. This show is now Birth with Power, and I want to share exactly why I made this change, what it means for you, and what's coming next. This episode is going to be a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at this evolution, why I knew it was time to shift.

how this new direction serves you even better, and how I'm about to take your birth preparation to a whole new level. Because birth with power isn't just a name. It is a statement, it is a mindset, it is a movement. So let's talk about it. So first things first, why did I change the name?

Nicole Rankins (03:00.162)

Well, for years, this podcast has been focused on giving you the best information about pregnancy and birth. And that ain't changing. I'm still be here to give you the evidence-based guidance, real talk and everything you need to feel prepared for birth. But here's what I realized. Birth isn't just about having information. It's about feeling powerful in your choices. I have worked with

thousands of women. And I've seen over and over again that when you feel powerful in your birth experience, when you know what to expect, when you feel prepared, when you have the right support, you walk into your birth and walk away from your birth with confidence. That's what I want for you. I don't want you to just get through labor. I want you to feel

great about how you gave birth to look back and say, I made the best choices for myself. I felt in charge despite what was happening around me, despite if things didn't go exactly as I anticipated. I felt powerful. That's why this podcast is now Birth with Power, because that's what I want for

you. So what can you expect from birth with power? What's changing? Well, of course, as I said, some things will still be the same. This will still be your go-to place for birth education, expert interviews, real birth stories, and the honest, no BS guidance you expect from me. But I am doubling down on helping you step into your power when it comes to birth.

There will be more practical tools for making birth decisions with confidence. There will be more real talk about what it takes to have an empowered birth, whether that's an unmedicated birth, whether that's with an epidural, whether that's a cesarean birth. There will be more stories and strategies to help you feel calm, help you feel confident, help you feel empowered. And something I am.

Nicole Rankins (05:22.05)

really excited about is that this month in April, I am walking you through parts of the Birth with Power pathway, an incredible framework I've created that will give you everything you need to prepare for a hospital birth with confidence. This is a brand new way to approach birth prep, and I cannot wait to share it with you. And in May,

I will be officially launching the Birth with Power Pathway as my new signature online childbirth education class. So if you're pregnant, especially if this is your first baby, this is the time to not miss a single episode because I'm about to lay the foundation for a birth experience that leaves you feeling strong, informed, and empowered.

Now let me take a second and share with you about why this shift is so personal to me. I have been a doctor in OB-GYN for over 20 years. I have been in thousands of rooms when women give birth. And I have seen it all, the good, the beautiful, the challenging, and the heartbreaking.

One thing I have learned for sure through all of these years of experiences is that how you feel about your birth matters. I've seen women walk away from birth feeling strong, feeling calm, feeling proud. And I've also seen women walk away from their birth feeling traumatized, feeling unheard, feeling disrespected.

And that's why I do what I do and why I keep striving to do it better and better and better. Because the way things unfold during your birth, the knowledge you have, the support you receive, it doesn't just impact the day your baby is born. It impacts how you feel about yourself as a mother. It

Nicole Rankins (07:42.698)

impacts how you enter postpartum, it can really stick with you throughout your life. And I want you to know that you deserve respectful, evidence-based, empowering care. You deserve to be an active participant in your birth experience. So that's why birth with power exists. Because knowledge is great, but knowing what to do with that knowledge, that is power.

Now, before I go, let me tell you what's coming up next on the podcast. I'm so excited. We're going to get into the birth with power pathway, starting with the mindset shifts that will completely change how you approach birth. Because here's the thing, a calm mind creates a confident birth. And I'm going to tell you how to get that calm mind through the mama mindset.

Then throughout April, you'll be learning about your circle of support and how to build your best birth team. You'll learn what you need to know about hospital policies and procedures, and you'll learn the birth blueprint. You'll also learn a little bit about those birth bumps, things that can come and get in your way during the birth experience, OK?

And of course there will still be the expert interviews and burst stories that you've come to love. But with even deeper insights from me, I ain't holding anything back. Okay. and by the way, some of these episodes will only be on Thursdays. Thursday episodes are bonus episodes only for podcast subscribers. The only way to know about those Thursday episodes is to subscribe to

the podcast, I don't mention them on social media, so be sure that you are subscribed. Now all of this is leading up to the official launch of the Birth with Power Pathway Childbirth Education Class in May. So, so, so excited about that. And if you want to stay in the loop about exactly when the course will be available, you definitely better be on my email list. You can join my email list at

Nicole Rankins (10:05.218)

drnicholemrenkins.com forward slash email. I have a brand new email newsletter. It's called the Birth with Power Brief. And each week in the Birth with Power Brief, you get a birth tip, which is a practical, insightful tip that will help you feel more prepared. It may be something like a mindset shift. It may be a strategy or a key fact related to pregnancy, birth or postpartum.

There's a did you know section, which is just a little surprising fun or myth busting fact about pregnancy, birth or postpartum. And then there's the take one small step section where every week you will get a simple actionable step in your inbox to make birth prep easier. It may be a journaling prompt. It may be a question to ask your doctor. It may be a little mini challenge.

So again, hop on my email list at drnicholerankins.com forward slash email, because trust me, you do not want to miss any of this content. You can also follow me on Instagram at drnicholerankins. I'll be doing a lot more video content there. And if you're a birth professional, you're a doctor or a nurse, midwife, doula, physical therapist, lactation consultant,

Definitely follow me on LinkedIn, Dr. Nicole Rankins, as that's where I'll be sharing more content to help drive system change in our maternal healthcare system. All right, so that is it for this episode. Thank you for being here with me, for trusting me to guide you through this journey, and for being part of this new era of Birth with Power. If you are excited about what's coming here,

What I would love for you to do is share this with a friend because every pregnant woman deserves to feel informed and empowered. Also be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode, including those Thursday bonus episodes for podcast subscribers only. And you're gonna love the new weekly email newsletter, The Birth with Power Brief. So hop on that email list to drnicholerinkins.com forward slash email. And then do me.

Nicole Rankins (12:26.568)

One last favor, come on back next week and remember to trust your power and take charge of your birth.