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In a recent episode of Healthful Woman, “Jodi’s Story, Part One: My First Two Births,” Dr. Fox talks with Jodi Nussbaum, RN, BSN, IBCLC, about the challenges she faced during her first two pregnancies. She shares her pregnancy journey and story of facing potential complications like a nuchal translucency test indicating chromosomal abnormalities, navigating genetic screening as an Ashkenazi Jew, and dealing with a breech baby and Rh-negative blood type issues during delivery. This episode is filled with helpful information for pregnant women navigating similar concerns related to general health and pregnancy complications.

About Jodi

Jodi Nussbaum, RN, BSN, IBCLC, is a postpartum nurse and lactation consultant in Seattle. Jodi began listening to The Healthful Woman podcast and realized the importance of sharing her positive birth story, especially to support other mothers’ mental health and overall wellness.

Jodi’s First Pregnancy

Jodi’s first pregnancy started normally, but things changed during her 12-week scan when a nuchal translucency test showed a concerning measurement. That, paired with genetic testing as an Ashkenazi Jew, led to many follow-up appointments and stress. She and her husband were told they both carried the same mutation for a condition called congenital adrenal hyperplasia but were not told until much later that it was a mild form with little risk to their baby. Jodi explains, “You would wish that the genetic counselor would’ve known because when we went to speak with the genetic counselor about it, they counseled us about the severe type, and they had the results.”

During this pregnancy, Jodi learned that her baby was breech, with it’s feet where a baby’s head typically is and that she had not received a RhoGAM shot due to a missed detail during a switch in providers. She eventually received the shot, and their baby had flipped at 38 weeks. Despite her health concerns, she had a healthy delivery without an epidural at 41 weeks.

Jodi’s Second Pregnancy

Jodi’s second pregnancy occurred during the stressful time of the COVID-19 pandemic while she was working at the hospital and helping her husband open a restaurant. This time, she switched providers mid-pregnancy again after feeling like her care was being overlooked. Fluid levels were borderline, an ultrasound showed a small brain cyst, and her doctor kept pushing for an early induction with no clear reason. Jodi went into labor at 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant, determined to deliver naturally. Jodi shared, “My hope of having this epidural-free natural birth, I think, suddenly I just realized that, like, I had still not had time to process having this baby, and to think about being his mom, and I couldn’t do it in the intensity of the contractions.” During labor, she decided to receive an epidural for her pain levels and to process having another baby and was comfortable within 15 minutes. When the baby’s heart rate started to drop, the doctor suggested that they may have to give birth through a C-section. She suggested a vacuum, and they delivered another healthy baby.

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about Jodi’s pregnancy and birth experiences and want to hear about her third pregnancy, listen to the Healthful Woman podcast. Contact Carnegie Women’s Health in New York by completing the online contact form to schedule a women’s wellness, GYN service, or family planning appointment. For your pregnancy care needs, please contact Maternal Fetal Medicine Associates (MFM Associates) through their online contact form.

Carnegie Imaging for Women blogs are intended for educational purposes only and do not replace certified professional care. Medical conditions vary and change frequently. Please ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding your condition to receive a proper diagnosis or risk analysis. Thank you!