260. What No One Tells You About Labor and Delivery (From an OB-GYN)

Honeydew Me

Cassandra Anderson

Self-improvement, Education, Sexuality, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 533 Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2026

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode, we’re sitting down with Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, OB-GYN and OB hospitalist, to talk about birth in the only way we know how... with a whole lot of honesty and oversharing. So many people go into labor thinking they know what to expect… and then everything feels confusing, fast, or completely different than what they had planned. We talk about what’s actually normal, how decisions get made in the moment, and how to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed by it all. We Cover: What “normal labor” actually looks like (and why it’s more flexible than you think). Breaking down the stages of labor, timelines, and variations so you understand what’s typical, what’s not, and why there’s a wide range of normal when it comes to childbirth. How to advocate for yourself during labor and delivery in a medical system that can feel overwhelming. What informed consent really means, how to ask questions, and how to feel more in control of your birth experience even in high-pressure or emergency situations. The biggest myths about birth and pregnancy on social media (and what’s actually evidence-based). Separating fear-based narratives and misinformation from real medical guidance so you can make decisions rooted in facts, not that random TikTok you saw while doom scrolling. Your options during labor: inductions, C-sections, epidurals, and everything in between. A clear, judgment-free breakdown of common interventions, what they involve, and how to decide what’s right for you and your body. What happens when things don’t go according to plan (and how to navigate unexpected outcomes). Understanding complications, emergency scenarios, and how to mentally and emotionally prepare for the unpredictable nature of birth. How to approach decision-making when labor isn’t progressing as expected. Exploring how providers assess labor in real time, what “not progressing” actually means, and how to stay informed instead of rushed or pressured. Why so many people still feel unprepared for birth (even after doing all the research). How overwhelming information, lack of clear guidance, and mixed messaging can still leave you feeling unsure going into labor. Connect with Dr. Lincoln by buying "The Birth Book" and following her in Instagram. Learn more about 1:1 coaching HERE!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Get Honeydew Me Merch HERE!⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Ready to launch your business? Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
0:04.8	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business with easy customizable themes that let you build your brand.
0:12.5	Marketing tools that get your products out there. Integrated shipping solutions that actually save you time.
0:17.5	From startups to scaleups, online, in person, and on the go.
0:22.0	Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you.
0:24.5	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
0:30.3	One in a million, you're a jam shine when the light girl's dim.
0:34.4	See, one, two, three, four, three, two, one. Because no one can do it, like we do it, like we do it. Say one, two, three, four, three, two,
0:37.5	one.
0:38.3	Hello and welcome back
0:39.8	we do it like we do it, like we do it, like we do it, like we do it, like we do it. All of the. And I'm Cass and this is our podcast where we talk about sex, relationships,
0:55.3	mental health, all of the things that just don't work out the way that we thought that they
1:00.5	would. They aren't this like natural, easy, simple thing. You're not just born good at them.
1:06.2	And so we wanted to create a space where we can bring attention to that, be a little bit fucking honest because it feels like nobody wants to be.
1:15.1	And yeah, just a safe place to explore how we can create a really good sex life, a really
1:21.0	good relationship, while still constantly fumbling.
1:25.9	Fumbling the ball. Absolutely.
1:29.0	That's a sports metaphor if you guys didn't catch that.
1:32.8	If you didn't catch that ball.
1:33.9	If you didn't catch that ball.
1:35.8	If you didn't field that one.
1:36.9	You'll get a lot of those here at Honeydumie.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Cassandra Anderson, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Cassandra Anderson and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.