In this episode, I chat with my good friend and fellow mama, Ali Levine.  Ali is truly such a light in my life, so I’m excited to share her with you all!  She is the host of two podcasts, Things We Are Too Lazy to Blog About and Striptd Down with Ali Levine.  She is also a stylist and personality on Bravo’s TV show, Stripped.  Now, she has struck a balance between work life and mama life, which is so inspiring to me.   Ali and I’s friendship really blossomed when she asked me to be her doula.  Her birth experience is definitely one I’ll never forget! We share all the details here, from the birthing center, to the hospital, and once her baby was born.  We also talk about misconceptions toward pregnancy and motherhood. It’s not always this beautiful, magical time we see in the movies. Ali describes her struggle with postpartum depression and feeling like a “failure” as a mom.  No one can fully prepare you for these challenges, so it’s nice to have mom friends to lean on. Episode highlights:  Symptoms with pregnancy Castor oil to induce labor The difference between a birth plan vs. birth preferences Doulas and midwives Family boundaries during birth and early motherhood Nursing and lactation consultants How to navigate postpartum depression: therapy, meditation, mindfulness, and social media breaks