Ep. 446: 4 Key Terms That Can Change How You Push Your Baby Out Solocast with HeHe Stewart

In this solo episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe breaks down four key terms every pregnant person should understand before pushing begins. Inspired by a listener question, she unpacks what’s actually happening physiologically when your body starts bearing down and why the pushing stage is often misunderstood inside modern birth culture.

HeHe explains the Early Pushing Urge (EPU), what it can feel like, and the two common schools of thought around responding to it. She also breaks down the difference between the Ferguson reflex and the fetal ejection reflex, two terms often confused online but very different in practice. Plus, she shares why reaching 10 centimeters does not automatically mean it is time to start pushing.

You’ll also learn about laboring down, how passive descent can sometimes create a more effective pushing phase, signs transition may be happening without a cervical exam, and what research says about delayed pushing, active pushing time, postpartum outcomes, and baby safety.

If you want to walk into labor understanding your options, trusting your body, and knowing that pushing is more nuanced than “count to ten and hold your breath,” this episode is for you.

Timestamps

00:00 Mothers Day Offer 03:45 Podcast Topic Pushing 05:28 Early Pushing Urge 09:00 Ferguson Reflex Explained 11:49 When To Start Pushing 14:56 Fetal Ejection Reflex 16:24 My Birth FER Surprise 21:58 Advocacy Scripts Promo 25:22 Laboring Down Basics 30:48 Passive Vs Active Pushing 33:41 Laboring Down Research 41:09 Wrap Up And Resources 42:35 Outro And Subscribe

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/

BIRTH EDUCATION:

Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

LINKS MENTIONED:

Hear HeHe’s birth story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noh5eFpCFcs

Check out the Secret Sauce to Pushing here: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/SSP

Data on Laboring Down and The Early Pushing Urge:

https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/02/approaches-to-limit-intervention-during-labor-and-birth

https://www.lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/new-research-states-laboring-down-with-an-epidural-shows-no-benefits

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-birthing-positions/

https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(21)00708-0/fulltext

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009124.pub3/full

For a breakdown of the data, be sure to download The Birth Lounge App.