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MEET OUR GUEST:
Jen McLellan is a published author and founder of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy blog. She helps women navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs her way through the adventures of motherhood. Jen has grown a community of over 178,000 via the Plus Mommy Facebook page. Her work has been featured in major publications such as Yahoo Shine, Huffington Post, Everyday Feminism, and International Doula. She authored My Plus Size Pregnancy Guide and co-wrote the Amazon bestseller, The Peachie Moms Guide to Body Love for Moms. Jen is also a childbirth educator, skilled patient advocate, professional speaker, wife, and mother to a charismatic 7-year-old.
Find Jen Online:
https://plussizebirth.com
https://plusmommy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/plusmommyblog
https://www.instagram.com/plusmommy/
https://www.pinterest.com/plusmommy/
https://twitter.com/plusmommy
Pluz Size Pregnancy Bundle
https://plussizebirth.com/my-plus-size-pregnancy-bundle/
TRANSITION TO MOTHERHOOD:
Seven years ago, Jen discovered that she is pregnant. Upon browsing the internet, she read about various medical conditions that made her feel devastated instead of being excited of her pregnancy. It was hard for her to find positive information about being plus-size pregnant online.
Jen shared about her experience of hiring a doula and how she was very grateful for making that decision. According to her, her doula was the first person who validated and supported her with realizing her size really didn’t prohibit her from having a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Jen talks about how she had a completely healthy pregnancy. She started to develop a new relationship with her body as well as during this time. Because of that, she decided to tell her story. Overall, Jen summarizes her transition to motherhood is also her journey to becoming a birth professional and really doing advocacy for people of size around pregnancies and beyond.
EPISODE SUMMARY:
- Jen talks about how she started her blog Plus Size Mommy Memoirs — from being a blog about her experiences to a movement about empowering plus size women to seek size-friendly care and pursue the pregnancy and birth they want.
- As a childbirth educator, Jen not educates moms but also birth professionals, especially for doulas and midwives. She works to break down the increased risk and how they can help people to learn about the risk but not in a biased and scary way.
- Jen talks about the possibility of developing gestational diabetes for plus-size women, pre-eclampsia, bigger baby, and also the possibility of giving a cesarean birth.
- After six and a half years, Jen found out that there are 3 keys for helping people to have a healthy pregnancy when they are plus-size (hint: They’re similar to what a non-plus size women would do!):
> Eat nutritious foods.
> To be physically active in whatever way that they can be possibly able to be active.
> To connect with the size-friendly care provider.
- When Jen was asked about the things a plus-size pregnant woman can do to start embracing and feeling good about her pregnancy:
a. Finding a good care.
b. Hiring a doula and learning what a doula is.
c. Start connecting to a size-friendly dietitian.
d. Being physically active.
PRODUCT:
- Jen has a free guide- resource that she puts together on questions to ask, a list of size-friendly care providers like doulas, midwives, and OBs. https://plussizebirth.com/subscribe/
- Midwifery Model of Care — a women-centered care. https://mana.org/about-midwives/midwifery-model
RESOURCE:
- Association for Size Diversity and Health https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/
- Dietitians for Body Confidence – founded by Rebecca Scritchfield and Leslie Schilling. http://www.rd4bc.com/
