Dr. Lauren’s Pregnancy Journey

Our amazing Golden Family Chiropractic leader Dr. Lauren Golden is having her first baby! Since she spends so much time serving other new moms, we asked her to share how pregnancy has gone for her. 

Here’s her very honest and relatable account of expecting a new baby and what about her medical knowledge and background she has put into practice for herself throughout the past nine months.

If you’re planning on getting pregnant or are pregnant, this interview is sure to help you.

Did you do anything in particular to prepare for pregnancy before becoming pregnant?

No I didn’t. Honestly, this pregnancy was a big surprise to us. We got engaged, and the next day I found out I was pregnant. There were a lot of emotions involved - good and bad. I was so overwhelmed. As a “type A planner,” it was hard for me to have those super excited emotions about this pregnancy. This was not in my plan. I wanted to better prepare my body for pregnancy. I truly believe my morning sickness was very much related to the fact that my body wasn’t fully prepared to have a baby. 

I also felt this huge sense of guilt. I love everything about pregnancy and birth! To not have that excitement initially over the pregnancy made me spiral into a small bout of depression. Don’t get me wrong, I am so excited for her to be here and I love her so much. But at that moment, everyone was trying to push happiness and excitement on me. All I wanted was to be engaged and plan my wedding, and I knew that was not my main priority anymore. It took me a little while to come around to the idea of being pregnant not on my “timeline,” but what I realize now is that everything happens for a reason. I was meant to be this little girl's mom and I am beyond happy and blessed to have her!

You give pregnant women treatment and advice all the time, but it must be interesting to be the one who is pregnant. What services or knowledge have you been able to apply to your own pregnancy?

It is extremely hard to take my own advice. I realized that really fast. I love my patients so much, and I want to be there for them as much as I can, but I learned really early on that I also need to make sure I take a rest and give my body grace - just like I recommend to my patients all the time. I get adjusted as frequently as I can, and that has made me so grateful for chiropractic care, even more than I already was. 

I don’t know how some women get through their pregnancies without chiropractic care, because I know I wouldn’t feel as good as I do without it.

Has anything you mentioned in the previous question made a significant difference for you? Was anything surprising or different than you expected when you applied it to yourself?

Chiropractic care has made a significant difference in my pregnancy. 

Hiring a doula and having a super awesome birth team was different than I anticipated. I always talk to my patients about doulas and I was unsure if I wanted one during my home birth. But as I get closer and closer, I couldn’t be more happy that I have this amazing birth team by my side. I feel prepared, supported, and have no doubt that I can do this. 

How has being pregnant yourself helped you relate more with patients?

I have a better sense of what my patients are truly feeling. Going through the fatigue, morning sickness, nausea, tender breasts, back pain, round ligament pain, I feel like I am better able to pinpoint their pains and help. Not only that, but all of the good things like the kicks, the sense of amazement at our bodies’ ability to build a baby, talking about birth and our own journeys. It not only helps me to better care for them, but also relate to them on this extremely special level and build those personal relationships that are very important to me.

Have you experienced any particular symptoms at any point in your pregnancy? If so, what has helped to give you relief?

• Morning sickness: Acupressure, eating an adequate amount of protein, chiropractic care, and drinking hot tea

• Fatigue: Accepting that this is how it is, letting my body sleep and doing what it needs to do, really giving myself the grace and the permission to slow down

• Back Pain: Honestly, I felt most of my back pain in my first trimester. Chiropractic care and baths were truly what helped me.

• Depression/Anxiety: I had a lot of emotions at the beginning of my pregnancy. Journaling and letting myself feel all the things was what helped get me through.

• Breech Baby: Chiropractic care, spinning babies exercises, dealing with my emotional block, and talking to the baby. 

How are you preparing for labor?

• Chiropractic care to make sure that I can be as prepared for birth as I can.

• Childbirth education classes- this is a must! Even for someone who knows a lot about labor and delivery. 

• Hired a bomb ass birth team - midwife, doula, and birth photographer

• Visualization. Every day I talk to my baby about our journey of birth and rebirth. I visualize what I want my birth to look like, feel like, what I am hearing, all of it. 

• Reading! I am reading everything, but all positive birth stories, books and more to take away the fear of labor and get excited about this new stage in my life. 

What does your birth plan include?

I decided to do non-traditional care. I hired a homebirth midwife and plan to do a homebirth with my midwife, her apprentice, my doula, partner, and childbirth photographer. I want to do as little intervention as possible. I only had one ultrasound at 20 weeks and did some bloodwork to test for some specific different levels but other than that, that’s all I’ve done on the medical side of this birth. I plan to birth at home in my bathtub.

What has been the most fun and exciting thing about expecting your new baby?

I LOVE growing this sweet girl in my belly! It is the most amazing experience!

Do you care to reveal gender, name, or any other details?

We’re having a girl and naming her Brynlee Morgan Bowker.

Have you received any pregnancy advice you disagree with or you felt didn’t apply to you?

I feel like a lot of the advice I have received doesn’t apply to me since I am planning a very different type of birth that most people aren’t used to. 

What is your general plan for being out of office after having the baby?

Once I go into labor, I will shut the office down for one week. Paige will still be there to answer the phone and make sure all questions get answered. After that, Dr. Nathan (my awesome husband) will be covering for me until I return - hopefully in about four weeks or so after baby! 

Be on the lookout though, because if I feel good enough, I may make surprise visits into the office to see my patients. I am going to miss everyone so much!

Anything else you want to share about your pregnancy journey, interesting/funny stories, hopes/plans?

I can’t wait to share my birth story and I look forward to introducing Brynlee to all my patients very soon! She will be in the office with me when I come back from maternity leave, so get ready for baby snuggles when you come in for an adjustment!