Podcasts about certified professional midwife

It's all too common—women being rushed into surgery at the very sight or even assumption of meconium in conventional hospital settings. Add to that the pressure many women face to deliver before 40 weeks, based on general risks that may not even apply to them personally.In today's episode, we're sitting down with Dr. Vijaya Krishnan, Certified Professional Midwife and founder of Sanctum Natural Birth Center, a pioneering autonomous midwifery-led birth center in India. With over 18 years of experience, Dr. Vijaya brings insight into what truly matters when it comes to safe, individualized care.We unpack:What meconium really means—when it's normal, and when it's not.How meconium is approached at different stages of labor.Can meconium be detected on an ultrasound?Is artificially breaking the water helpful to check for or speed things up?Why shared responsibility between provider and parents changes everything.How preparation, education, and continuity of care impact outcomes.Book Recommendations by Dr Vijaya:Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and Spiritual Midwifery – by Ina May GaskinReclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage – by Dr. Rachel Reed ( My addition)Connect with Dr. Vijaya:

Special Announcement from EBB! If you're an experienced birth worker or health care professional and you're interested in becoming an Evidence Based Birth Instructor, applications for 2025 are opening soon for a limited time only!   Podcast listeners who are interested in becoming an EBB Instructor are invited to join us for a live Q & A session on Wednesday, May 28 at 1:00 PM EDT.    We'll be answering your questions about who is eligible to apply, what the application process looks like, and the support and training you'll receive as an EBB Instructor.   Whether you're thinking about teaching the EBB Childbirth Class or leading EBB Pro Workshops, this is a your opportunity to learn more. Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send the replay straight to your inbox. Just head to ebbirth.com/instructor to attend.    Want to listen to a few podcast episodes about being an EBB Instructor? EBB 310: Joyce Dykema, EBB Instructor & Doula, talks about teaching the EBB Comfort Measures for L & D Nurses Workshop! EBB 222: Jen Anderson, Nurse, Doula, and EBB Instructor, breaks down for us how she tailors her EBB Childbirth Class to high-risk birthing families EBB 226: Dana Patterson, Doula & EBB Instructor, joins her client Mandy on-air to talk about serving as both her client's doula and childbirth educator!  EBB 252: Leslie Green, Doula & EBB Instructor, explains how the EBB Childbirth Class has advanced her ability to advocate for her clients EBB 283: EBB Instructors Tania Silva Meléndez, Doula, and Tamara Trinidad González, Certified Professional Midwife, share how they use EBB Instructor resources in Puerto Rico. 

In 2018, Amanda Chandler became the first licenced black Certified Professional Midwife in the state of Indiana, and in 2020 the first in Kentucky. Amanda is a trailblazer, nature lover, and birth geek extraordinaire. In this episode we talk about how closing rural hospitals' OB units impacts her work as a community midwife, her path to midwifery, career trajectory, challenging state policies, and so much more. I could think of no better way to celebrate Black Maternal Health Week than celebrating with the brilliant Amanda Chandler CPM. 

HeHe is joined by Amanda, a certified professional and licensed midwife in Mississippi, to discuss the challenges and intricacies of maternity care in a state with high birth-related statistics but limited healthcare options. They explore the current state of midwifery in Mississippi, including the types of midwives, their credentials, and the lack of state regulations. Amanda shares her experiences and insights into providing holistic, client-focused care, the importance of informed consent, and the benefits of potential state licensure for midwives. They also delve into the logistics of home births, handling emergencies, and the process of hospital transfers. The conversation highlights the need for improved healthcare access and the integration of midwives into the broader healthcare system to address Mississippi's maternal and infant mortality rates.   Challenges of Maternity Care in Mississippi Understanding Midwifery Credentials Certified Nurse Midwives vs. Certified Professional Midwives Regulations and Licensure Issues The Importance of Asking the Right Questions The Role of Doulas and Certification Challenges Benefits and Controversies of Licensure Handling Emergencies and Transfers Lab Work and Postpartum Care Informed Consent and Vitamin K Options Respecting Parental Autonomy in Healthcare Decisions Challenges in Hospital Systems and Provider Autonomy Navigating Hospital Transfers Advocating for Yourself in the Hospital Legislation and Midwifery in Mississippi   Guest Bio: While supporting her sister during labor and delivery in 2012, Amanda knew for certain that God was calling her to the ministry of birth work. In early 2014, she began serving families professionally during the childbearing years as a DONA Certified Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator.   In July of 2017, Amanda began the  process of becoming a Certified Professional Midwife with the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). From 2018-2022, she  worked as a Student Midwife in an apprenticeship with Jennifer Green, CPM of Organic HomeBirth in Colorado Springs. After completing the Midwife To Be academic program, fulfilling all of the Clinical Requirements, and passing the NARM exam, she earned the designation of Certified Professional Midwife in May of 2022.  Amanda considers it an honor to walk with families through pregnancy, childbirth, and into parenthood.    Amanda has been married to her husband Jason for 20 years, and she homeschools their five children.   INSTAGRAM: Connect with HeHe on IG  Connect with Amanda on IG  Connect with HeHe on YouTube BIRTH EDUCATION: Join The Birth Lounge here for judgment-free childbirth education that prepares you for an informed birth and how to confidently navigate hospital policy to have a trauma-free labor experience!   Download The Birth Lounge App for birth & postpartum prep delivered straight to your phone!   LINKS MENTIONED: https://www.hattiesburgmidwifery.com/

Nurses Out Loud with Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN – The U.S. leads the world in cesarean sections, with 33% of births ending in surgery. Maggie Leo, a Certified Professional Midwife, shares insights on the benefits of home birth, the importance of understanding the physiological birth process, and how a holistic approach to prenatal care can lead to better outcomes for both mothers and babies.

Nurses Out Loud with Melissa Schreibfeder, BSN, RN – The U.S. leads the world in cesarean sections, with 33% of births ending in surgery. Maggie Leo, a Certified Professional Midwife, shares insights on the benefits of home birth, the importance of understanding the physiological birth process, and how a holistic approach to prenatal care can lead to better outcomes for both mothers and babies.

April Kline is a Certified Professional Midwife, educator and speaker, helping people heal and thrive in private sessions, both in-person and remote, utilizing techniques including trauma resolution, craniosacral therapy, trigger point, myofascial manipulation, somatoemotional release, meditation, nutritional support and whole-person listening. Together April and Garrett cover April's journey to midwifery, and rewrite Garrett's birth story with Decklen as April walks us through ways we can flip our trauma story to one with empowered language. Learn more about how to move through fear around giving birth, and somatoemotional release! April's Website Instagram: @love_aprilkline THE WELL - Book your in-person or remote session! _____________ @kozekozemama on TikTok ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Purchase Nip Gloss ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or Pre-Order the kozēpee peecup (for ovulation and pregnancy testing) with code THANKYOU20 Want commission + discounts to kozēkozē products? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to be an affiliate and kozēkozē insider :) Sign-up for the kozēkozē newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *********** Connect with our host on IG: @garrettnwood Follow kozēkozē on IG: @kozekozemama Podcast Instagram for details on past guests: @kozekozepodcast If you like Garrett's voice, check out her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠meditations here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email garrett: garrettkusmierz@kozekoze.com

We have a special surprise interview with Doran Richards. Doran is a Certified Professional Midwife serving women and their families through maternity, birth, and postpartum. She also is the author of a curriculum for girls titled Maidens by His Design. She is also the author of The Blessings of Maidenhood, Maternity & Menopause: Celebrating God's Incredible Design for Women.   She is a speaker and has been to several international locations where she has used her gifts and passion for holistic women's health. She is also a Shepherd for the Northeast Region for Holy Yoga Instructors. Her yoga training includes Trauma, Pre/Post Natal, and Yin. She holds a Masters in her yoga certifications.  www.blessinggodsway.com www.holyyogasv.com www.gracemidwifery.com

In this episode, Megan Prichard provides deep insights into the profound honor she feels in assisting women through childbirth and the critical support needed during the postpartum period. She shares valuable advice for massage therapists on assessing conditions like diastasis recti, and offering relief for breastfeeding-related strain.  Megan also delves into the importance of addressing taboo subjects in women's health and her unique approach to holistic care, which combines somatic work, myofascial release, and trauma-focused therapy. We explore the concept of rebirth sessions for mothers and babies, a delicate process aimed at physical and emotional healing.  Join us as we discuss Megan's journey from registered nurse to midwife, and the pivotal role of creating safe spaces for women to heal and thrive. This episode is a serious and heartfelt exploration of the physical and emotional complexities of childbirth and postpartum care, providing essential knowledge and empathy for both practitioners and mothers alike.    In this episode, Julie and Megan discuss:  The Joy of Midwifery  Advice for Massage Therapy Professionals  Techniques for Postpartum Care  Training and Certification in Midwifery    Resources mentioned in this episode:  KeKino Healing Institute    More about Megan Prichard  Megan Prichard is a dedicated healthcare professional with a holistic approach. With 15 years of experience in the field, Megan has been instrumental in bringing a comprehensive perspective to healthcare. Beginning her career as a Registered Nurse in 2008, Megan specialized in caring for newborns and pediatric patients. However, after the birth of her first son in 2012, she felt a strong calling towards birth work. This led her to dive deeper into natural health modalities, recognizing their significant impact on healthcare. Motivated by her passion, Megan pursued further studies and became a Certified Professional Midwife. Currently, Megan serves birthing families in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma as a practicing midwife. Drawing from her extensive knowledge and expertise, she provides compassionate care and support throughout the entire birthing process. In her quest to enhance her ability to aid women and families, Megan recognized the importance of incorporating bodywork into her practice. As a therapist at Ke Kino, she specializes in pre & post pregnancy, bodywork for mothers and babies, and intrapelvic attunement along with women's and family care. Intrapelvic attunement involves the utilization of gentle internal bodywork techniques to align the pelvic floor, both physically and energetically. This approach is available to women in all stages of life, providing them with a safe and sacred healing experience. Megan is commitment to holistic healthcare, coupled with her dedication to helping others, sets her apart in her field. By integrating her expertise in midwifery, bodywork, and natural health modalities, she strives to empower women and families to achieve optimal wellness and to birth with power through a myriad of techniques such as:  ● Midwifery ● Pre and Post Pregnancy Care ● Pediatric Bodywork ● Intrapelvic Attunement 

February 7, 2024 - For today's episode, we are highlighting one of our favorite home birth podcast episodes with the replay of a 2020 conversation with student midwife, Isis Rose, about her very own home birth. If you are inspired during this listen, please support Isis in her midwifery journey! She is currently accepting support via her GoFundMe page and Venmo.  ----- In this episode I talk with Isis Rose, a full spectrum doula, home birth mom, certified lactation counselor, and placenta encapsulation specialist. She lives in Urbana, Illinois. Isis is starting midwifery school in July, with plans to become a Certified Professional Midwife, and she's a member of the Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives. Isis co-hosts the Homecoming Podcast alongside Chae Pounds, which launched in 2018 to tell stories of Black families who give birth at home. Isis and I discuss her birth story, including her unique approach to prenatal care, and hemorrhaging she experienced immediately after her home birth. We also talk about the ongoing advocacy work seeking licensure for CPMs in Illinois, and the latest research on the safety of home birth in the U.S. Content Warning: Black maternal mortality, postpartum hemorrhage, infant death, stillbirth ----- Ways to support Isis through her midwifery journey: Follow her: www.instagram.com/urbanamidwife   GoFundMe Link:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-isiss-final-year-of-midwifery-school Isis also accepts funds to go towards midwifery school via Venmo @isis-rose (since GoFundMe takes a percentage of each donation).   Midwifery Supplies Registry Link:  https://www.myregistry.com/wishlist/isis-rose-urbana-il/2754220/giftlist   Isis Rose, MA, CLC Buy Me a Coffee Student Midwife and Doula   Co-Founder and Executive Director at BIPOC for Better Birth   Isis A. Rose, Birth and Postpartum Services www.isisarosebirth.com   Homecoming Podcast: Black Home Birth Stories www.homecomingpodcast.com     For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Esther McCant, founder and CEO of Metro Mommy Agency, opened up about her five pregnancies, which included a miscarriage that would push her to self-advocate with her medical provider.Esther's first pregnancy happened within the first few months of her marriage. Six weeks later, she learned that she had a blighted ovum and her provider prepared her to miscarry. She had the choice to let the ovum pass or go to the hospital for a DNC. She stayed home as long as she could but eventually went to the hospital. Esther recalled the doctor taking quite a while to see her, and when she did she insisted that Esther still needed a DNC even though everything had passed. She felt threatened by the doctor about the potential that she could bleed out. This interaction helped Esther to trust herself. She chose to leave and go home. The grieving process started; she became pregnant again within a few months. The hospital miscarriage experience led her to want to explore other birthing options. Her sister-in-law invited her to  her calming water birth; which helped her see a new vision. Esther found a midwife who resonated with her and a doula who could support her choices. The midwife was able to support her in a birthing center.Walking around the neighborhood of the birthing center helped move her labor along. Their family started to arrive and became overwhelmed. The midwife asked some of the family members to leave to clear the space. Her mother stayed and it was after the birth and looking at pictures from her doula that she was able to see the relationship she had with her mother in a different light. Her mother, who had only given birth surgically,  had an opportunity to bring healing for herself as she fed Esther and cared for her during her labor. Baby would arrive with a nuchal hand and in the OP position by squatting.The third pregnancy brought on changes that would impact her nutrition, wellness, and the birthing environment she desired; which included a water birth.  Feminine energy filled the birthing space by inviting her sisters-in-law. Her son's birth was challenging as she had back labor. She regrets not getting chiropractic care and having a doula this time. Postpartum was filled with engaging with other women as opposed to the more isolating experience she had after her first birth.They had moved from Florida to Alabama, and the difference in provider options was vastly different. In Florida, Esther could have a Certified Professional Midwife, a Certified Nurse Midwife, or a Licensed Midwife deliver her baby. Unfortunately, Alabama did not have those options at the time in 2014. Alabama has terrible birth outcomes and race relations. She could only deliver with a midwife if an obstetrician was present during the labor and delivery.  Esther felt low during the pregnancy because they were living with her parents and living paycheck to paycheck. Esther decided to leave the state when she was ready to give birth. She provided much of her prenatal care until she found a midwife in Tennessee. Her midwife helped her be more proactive about her health and nutrition; including lowering toxins in their environment and skin care. Postpartum preparation was top of mind as she would be traveling to give birth.When Esther thought she was in labor they made the two-and-a-half-hour trek to Chattanooga to no avail as the baby was not ready. They turned the trip into a babymoon and would make the trip again a couple of days later. Esther and her husband brought the kids along to meet up with her family who would care for them. They didn't make it there on time due to a flat tire problem. Esther gave birth within 6 hours of leaving their home and although she felt distracted by having the other children there and wondering where her family was. Esther's Haitian roots welcomed the Haitian bath, teas, and essential oils, and started the restoration process with her mother coming to support her.When Esther had her fourth son, she was a trained birth doula. She envisioned a waterbirth with her partner,  two midwives, and two doulas present. The birth and pregnancy were heavy in dealing with the ongoing race issues in our country and the experiences of Black men and boys. Giving herself space to release those feelings during long labor allowed her to relax in her body and give birth smoothly. Her vision would come true as she delivered her son in a haze of joy.Adding value to herself and the clients she serves now catapulted Esther to take a deep and intentional dive into more doula training and become a Certified Lactation Counselor. Additionally, she serves other doulas in the country as a mentor in birth work and business. Resources: Metro Mommy Agency | serving women with support and education to navigate through their journey into motherhood

Are you eager to tackle health issues such as ear infections, fevers, splinters and such, using natural remedies? If you desire natural wellness but need more practical and specific instructions on what to use and what works, then this podcast episode is perfect for you. Our guest today, Jessica Bingaman from Blooming Generations is coming back on the show and we'll delve into natural solutions found within your own home or that are readily available at your local grocery store. Whether you have a little one with symptoms, or simply want to build a natural medicine cabinet instead of relying on medications, Jessica has the knowledge to guide you. She is wise beyond her years, having worn many hats throughout her life. She is a Certified Professional Midwife, a La Leche League Leader, a teacher of traditional remedies, a homeschooler, a raptor rehabilitator, and was even a restaurant owner. Jessica is a seasoned multitasker ready to share her wealth of knowledge and experiences with you. Join us and you'll be amazed to discover surprising natural remedies, plus you'll learn how and when it's best to use them! Connect with Jess on Facebook & Instagram  Hear Jessica's interview "Parenting Through The Teenage Years" on Epsiode #16 of this Podcast!   **Stay informed by subscribing to the 'Know Better | Do Better' Newsletter.  Receive exclusive guest notifications and special content available only to our subscribers. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE NOW!  Connect with Autumn on Instagram Facebook TikTok Discover the 'Know Better | Do Better' Storefront on Amazon!    

In today's episode we deal with the difficult topic of pregnancy loss. Rebekah shares many important insights about dealing with loss at different stages of pregnancy. Rebekah Mustaleski is a Certified Professional Midwife with Roots & Wings Midwifery in Knoxville, TN, where Rebekah promotes evidence-based maternity care for families seeking an out of hospital delivery. She is working to improve maternal outcomes during the childbearing year and to promote a sustainable business model for midwifery practices across the country. Rebekah is owner and woman-in-charge of Roots & Wings Midwifery and the Maternal Compression Director for Motif Medical. Outside of work, she loves to read, drink coffee, and have all sorts of adventures with her 4 kids, 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 10 chickens. Today's episode is sponsored by Tempdrop. Tempdrop makes fertility awareness accessible to all women - even if you don't have regular cycles or sleeping patterns. Save 10% when you use code FertilityFriday  at check out! Today's episode is sponsored by the Fertility Awareness Mastery Mentorship program, class of 2023!  Early-bird registration is officially open for next year's class of 2023. Will you be joining us? Click here to register now! [powerpress] Topics discussed in today's episode: Rebekah's menstrual cycle history What lead Rebekah to Fertility Awareness Method into her practice How common miscarriages are among women Why pregnancy loss is not often talked about What can we pregnancy when miscarriages happen early Different stages of pregnancy loss How to deal with pregnancy loss and miscarriages Connect with Rebekah: You can connect with Rebekah on her Facebook, Instagram and on her website. Resources mentioned: The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook Fertility Awareness Mastery Online Self-Study Program Related podcasts & blog posts: FFP 386 | Fertility Challenges & Recurrent Miscarriage | Gluten Intolerance, Celiac & Fertility | Justine Bold FFP 375 | MTHFR, Folic Acid, Fertility, and Miscarriage | Summer Replay Series | Diane Keddy FFP 324 | Overcoming Fertility Challenges  |  Overcoming Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss & Stillbirth | Christine McAlister FFP 102 | Abortion, Menstrual Extraction | Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, Still Birth | Molly Dutton-Kenny Join the community! Follow Fertility Friday on Instagram! Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! Fertility Awareness Mastery Mentorship Program (FAMM) This episode is sponsored by FAMM! Are you a women's health practitioner looking for a solid way to incorporate comprehensive fertility awareness chart analysis into your practice? If yes, FAMM is the program you've been waiting for. Click here to apply now!

Frances Coleman, Andie Wyrick, and Jaelin Stickels – Nutrition and Placenta Health FRANCES COLEMAN, MPH, LM, CPM   Mrs. Coleman is owner of Full Circle Family Services in Houston, Texas. In addition to being a Certified Professional Midwife, she holds a … Continue reading →

Episode 22:32 Being Pregnant Is NOT A Disease (So Why Does The Alabama Department of Public Health Treat It As One?) A woman should have the right to decide the type of health care she wants. Especially during pregnancy. A right to receive care from a medical doctor OR a Certified Professional Midwife. In the state of Alabama that right was only granted to women five years ago (2017). Now this right is being threatened. Not because of poor quality of care. Not because of poor outcomes. Not because of any complaints against midwives. Instead, the right for women in Alabama to choose a Certified Professional Midwife is being threatened by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Why? Nobody knows. But we can make some pretty good guesses. On this episode we sit down with Jessica Smith, president of the Alabama Birth Coalition, to discuss how the Alabama Department of Public Health is trying to keep women from having access to optimal care during pregnancy and delivery.  We discuss the long and hard battle women in Alabama have faced in trying to obtain health care rights… the progress that was made leading up to a law being passed to give women those rights… and how those rights are now being threatened by the very organization that should be defending them. Please give this episode a good listen as it is not only about the health care rights of pregnant women, it's about the rights of ALL people who live in Alabama. Thanks! ————— Want to learn more? Continue the conversation regarding this episode, and all future episodes, by signing up for our daily emails. Simply visit: GetHealthyAlabama.com  Once there, download the “Symptom Survey” and you will automatically added to our email list. ———————- Also, if you haven't already, we'd appreciate it if you'd subscribe to the podcast, leave a comment and give us a rating. (Thanks!!!) On Facebook? Connect with us at Facebook.com/GetHealthyAlabama   * This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. Please consult with your health care provider before making any health-related changes.

The Combat Midwife weighs in on natural vs. hospital child birth, circumcision and more... Jessica served in the armed forces as a medic and has been teaching the Midwife art since 2004. Mickey and Jessica go deep into child birth history and current practices today. Jessica Arno is a Certified Professional Midwife, Paramedic, & EMS educator. You can follow her on Instagram at @combatmidwife or check-out CombatMidwife.com. ► Support Carry Trainer RELATED PODCASTS: Who will carry the Torch of Liberty? | Higher Line Podcast #180 Food Myths, Fads and Lies, What You Need to Know | Higher Line Podcast #170 Scared of Needles? | Higher Line Podcast #168   --- Music Attributions: Intro - "3rd Eye Blimp" by Otis McDonald Outro - "I Want More" by Silent Partner The Carry Trainer Higher Line Podcast is available on iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Stitcher and most importantly CarryTrainer.com.

In today's episode we talk about intuition with Certified Professional Midwife, Reiki Master-Teacher, Licensed Massage Therapist, and visual artist (who designed this year's beautiful Tend Her 2.0 journal cover), Monica ...

It just so happens that I've helped thousands of women to address HPV over the past 22+ years, and I'm here to share what I've learned with you.     Your doctor may have told you…     -HPV (especially the high risk types) can cause cancer  -HPV can go away (negative on a test) on its own within 2 years (90% do)  -Come back in 6-12 months to do another pap and see if it's still there  -If HPV remains or if it causes abnormal cells, your doctor will offer medical procedures to remove the cells (or part of your cervix and/or your uterus)    What your doctor likely did NOT tell you…   -Removing the abnormal cells (or cancer) doesn't kill the virus – abnormal cells can recur  -Repeat procedures can increase risk of miscarriage and other issues  -There is no pharmaceutical/medical treatment to kill HPV  -Most all of us have been exposed to it – that's part of being a sexually active human  -Stress and stressing about HPV makes you more susceptible to HPV  -There are effective treatments for HPV and to get it to negative on your test results  -Your cervix can heal and grow new healthy cells after abnormal cells are removed  -It's possible for HPV to go to negative and stay negative    -    And what your doctor may have told you that I have found only makes you more stressed:    It's your fault for being exposed to HPV by having sex    You are human. Humans have sex. Humans get exposed to HPV (and other microbes, and emotions, and energies) when having sex.     Whether HPV exposure causes abnormal cells or cancer is completely related to your susceptibility to the virus.     What I do is teach you to understand what is making you susceptible to the HPV virus, and then what to do to change that situation.     -   And it's NOT just about taking a whole bunch of AHCC! Yes, AHCC is a mushroom extract that has been studied and shows effectiveness at improving immune function again viruses. However, I don't suggest putting all your strategy on one supplement. And I don't suggest taking a whole bunch of supplements for the rest of your life either. That's not the point.    -    The point is…     -Stress exposure (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, energetic, chemical, toxins) causes imbalances in your body  -Those imbalances may include imbalanced hormones, nutrient levels, neurotransmitter levels, digestion, gut bacteria, vaginal bacteria, mindset, self-talk, energy, prioritization, etc.   -When we are imbalanced due to stress, we become susceptible to the effects of HPV (and other viruses)  -We need to look at you as an individual, figure out what is out of balance, and rebalance it (all).     -    Important notes:     -If you have cancer cells, they must be treated by an oncologist  -If HPV is testing positive (whether abnormal cells or not) you can take steps now to prevent it from causing abnormal cells (again)  -It is important that you go back for a pap/colpo in the recommended time frame to make sure the protocol you are following is effective for you    My protocol is different because it…    -Puts the focus on you and what makes you unique  -Helps you prioritize yourself   -Puts you in the driver's seat of your health and future  -Gives your body what it needs to rebalance  -Fends off HPV because you become healthy  -Teaches you what your body needs in order to stay healthy going forward  -Takes the focus off of exposure and puts the focus on what you can do to heal    -    It's important that you know that my protocol…    -Involves diet changes and nutrients using clinical nutrition doses because I'm a Clinical Nutritionist  -Involves diet, herbs, homeopathy, peptides and other natural approaches because I'm a Naturopathic Doctor (licensed in AZ, CA, WA and CT) and Certified Professional Midwife  -Teaches you about testing that is not available in the regular doctor's office or lab so that we can determine what your body needs in order to heal  -Addresses your whole body, not just your cervix or vagina  -Addresses your whole self, not just the physical level  -Has been used by thousands of women successfully    -   However, if you only follow my protocol partially, or you make modifications based on what you do or don't want to do, then the success rate decreases.     My protocol requires that you…     -Are willing to look at yourself, your patterns, and what makes you susceptible to HPV  -Are willing to be with your feelings, fears, and process them  -Are willing to prioritize yourself in terms of time, emotionally, and financially  -Put your focus on healing, knowing yourself, and changing what is making you susceptible     -   Sign up for my 5 days to Heal HPV Workshop – it is free and the next workshop begins July 18th    https://drdoni.lpages.co/free-live-5-day-online-workshop/     -   When you sign up, you'll get access to sign up for a 10-minute call with me where I'll review your pap/colpo results and provide my impressions.     I offer several ways to access my protocol…     Say Goodbye to HPV 12-week online program with 2 live group calls per month    https://drdoni.lpages.co/hpv-12-week-program/     -    Work with me one-on-one in a consultation program which includes testing and follow up sessions. Start here: https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/   Or a combination of the two – HPV Priority Solution. Find information on this page: https://drdoni.lpages.co/hpv-12-week-program/     -   Connect with Dr. Doni:    Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON   Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON   YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND   Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW     -   Books and Resources:    Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576   Stress Warrior Book (FREE)  HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR      Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE)  HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR     7-day Stress Reset (FREE)  HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET     HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE)  HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/     -   Personalized Solutions:    If you'd like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH     To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni's Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES   Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Darlene Scrivner Darlene Scrivner is a Certified Professional Midwife who holds both state and nationally recognized licenses and has been in private practice since 1992. She continued her education with EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) training in 1997. She remains current … Continue reading →

Tiffany Townsend is a Certified Professional Midwife, connected to her ancestral land and roots. Her early experiences with her Abuela, an OBGYN in the Dominican, had her involved with birth early in her life. As a young Mom herself, she saw first hand how many misconceptions and misunderstandings there were in the birth world, and committed herself to educating herself through the birth and raising of her first four children.Through the misconceptions, myths and pure ignorance about Black people and pregnancy and breastfeeding, Tiffany's commitment to providing holistic support became paramount. She is proud to say that she is the first Black CPM in West Michigan - but we'll talk about the importance and unspoken weight of what that means to Tiffany today.  She celebrates uniqueness and aims to create comfort through authenticity and by offering heart-filled humanity, medical, physiological, emotional, spiritual support. -----Shout Out: @doctor_midwife Tiffany on Instagram: @delaflormidwifery Tiffany's Website: www.delaflormidwifery.comNPR Article: "Black midwives and doulas in Michigan work to improve maternal and infant health" Row House Publishing on Instagram: @rowhousepubPodcast Transcriptions Available: www.rowhousepublishing.com/podcast ​​Learn more about Row House Publishing and our mission to Raise the Volume on Voices That Matter™: http://rowhousepublishing.com Original Book Stoop theme: anonymousCover art: Danielle Pioli (https://www.daniellepioli.com)

Midwifery is an art. One in which Stephanie Mitchell, is well versed. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife and founder of Birth Sanctuary Gainesville On this episode Stephanie talks about practicing midwifery, representation in the field, the ludicrous legal hoops Alabama has set up for midwives and rural reproductive healthcare. We also talk about Birth Sanctuary Gainesville, Alabama's first freestanding birth center. The Who's that Lady (from History)? is Margaret Charles Smith, the midwife who "who never lost a mother, and rarely lost a baby". The Things That Pissed Us Off are Instagram/Social Media and a constant dripping in a wall. Resources: The Birth Sanctuary Gainesville IG: @birthsanctuary , @doctor_midwife

Individualization!One of my favorite things to do is educate both my clients and healthcare providers about fitness in the perinatal period. There is so much that needs to change so much about the way we approach this discussion in the clinical setting. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all and often times it is brief, inaccurate, and instills fear in the people who are trying to get moving or who want to stay moving. My guest today is Rachel Mast. She is a Certified Professional Midwife at the New Beginnings Birthing Center in Meridian, Idaho. Rachel is a gymnast, a crossfitter, and also does jujitsu- Competitively! She is a CFL2 and a P&PA coach herself. Note: Rachel and I start off discussing her experience with hyperemesis and a bit about the very special practice that she works in which is a mixed practice of CNMs and CPMs. Guest: Rachel MastResourcesPelvic GuruFor consumers: International Directory of providers and fitness professionalsFor professionals: Amazing continuing ed and resources includingThe Female Athlete Level 1 and level 2 with Antony Lo- who I mention anytime I talk about fitness. Follow him @physiodetective on IGPregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism (Brianna Battles): Education for professionals and pregnant and postpartum people(Article) Morning Chalk up: From pregnancy to podium, the Queen of Iceland returnsBirth It Up By Leisel Teen, Mommy Labor Nurse, check out her podcast, episode #74 to hear our conversationOnline Childbirth Education. Choose the program that is right for you! Pop Up Courses for people with Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and professionalsSupport the show

Joyce Kimball has been the Owner and Primary Midwife of Joyce Kimball Birth Services, a full-service childbearing-year care service started in 2000. Prior to Birth Services, Joyce spent 15 years working in Human Resources for Massachusetts corporations. After the home birth of her second child, she completed the apprenticeship process to certify and practice as a Certified Professional Midwife. Joyce holds an MBA, a Certificate in Midwifery, an Associate's Degree in Nursing and a Registered Nurse's license.Joyce practices as a homebirth midwife, birth doula, childbirth educator, birth counselor, and belly caster. She is active in the Massachusetts birth community - answering many questions on the MassDoula email list, connecting families with appropriate childbearing-year services, serving in various capacities with the MA trade organization - Massachusetts Midwives Alliance, precepting student midwives, nurses, and doulas, and talking with anyone and everyone about birth, supporting birth choice and reproductive justice. When she is not doing birth work, she's listening to podcasts, at the gym or spending time with her family and friends eating, talking, listening, dancing, laughing, sharing and eating dark chocolate.Connect with Joyce:https://birthservices.net/Resources:La Leche League: https://www.llli.org/maternal mortality rates: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8055191/https://www.statista.com/statistics/1240400/maternal-mortality-rates-worldwide-by-country/mother + baby health:https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/health-of-women-and-children/measure/IMR_MCH/state/ALL

HeHe sits down to chat with Tatiana Koontz- Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, monitrice (advanced birth doula), postpartum doula, placenta encapsulator, and childbirth educator. Tatiana owns a home birth practice in San Diego, CA. Tatiana and HeHe have PLENTY in common as birth workers, but today they are connecting on their shared experiences as birth workers without children or personal birth experience.  Tatiana has devoted her life to birth and postpartum work since she trained as a doula in 2006 and has been privileged to walk with hundreds of families on parts of their special journeys. She has a deep love for postpartum support, helping families transition as they integrate their babies and overcome challenges. Tatiana has a passion for birth options, informed consent, improving connections within families, and aiding them in building their community both before and after birth.  Tatiana is a dog lover that is fluent in Spanish after living in South America for several years. She loves to travel whenever possible, watch movies outdoors, and enjoy the sunshine.   Follow along with Tatiana: https://www.birthwavesmidwifery.com/ Facebook or Instagram

Cheryl is Certified Professional Midwife in Colorado and owner of Your Thriving Pregnancy (links below). Cheryl shares her journey and career path that has now culminated into starting Your Thriving Pregnancy, a fantastic online resource for pregnant families! Listen to hear more! Links: This is the link to the app and the Your Thriving Pregnancy Roadmap: Free 5 week Challenge: http://onelink.to/yourthrivingpreg (This link will take them to the web, Apple, or Google Play Store depending on their device) They can also find out more about us here: https://yourthrivingpregnancy.com/ Instagram: Your Thriving Pregnancy (@yourthrivingpregnancy) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook: Your Thriving Pregnancy | Facebook

Advocates for this law hope this will create more birthing options and regulation. Reset checks in with a Certified Professional Midwife about why licensure wasn't previously available, what impact this law will have and a Certified Nurse Midwife about equity.

Jessica is a Certified Professional Midwife in Anchorage, Alaska and co-founder of the Pacific Birth Institute created to train birth assistance. This episode IS about Jessica's journey, or her call to midwifery, but also about the dynamics of midwifery education and salary, some of the thoughts behind maternal mortality and morbidity and lots about community birth care. (there are a few curse words in here, just a few...in case you need to know that) Links below mentioned in the show: https://pacificbirthinstitute.com/ Use the code “JOURNEY “ for 10% off! https://www.facebook.com/pacificbirthinstitute https://www.instagram.com/pacificbirthinstitute/?hl=en

Deidre DeGrado is a wife, mother, and Certified Professional Midwife practicing in the Wichita Kansas area. Deidre shares her calling to midwifery with a passionate and powerful story. She has been in the world of midwifery for over 30 years! 

On this week's episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility. Sophia Pavia is a solo host as her co-host Caitlin Johnson has given birth to a baby boy! Stay tuned for Caitlin's birth story in a future episode. This week's guest is Rachel Mast who is an Idaho Licensed Midwife and Certified Professional Midwife. She graduated from Birthwise Midwifery School in 2012 after completing her clinical training at New Beginnings Birth Center. Today Sophia and Rachel discuss the Transitioning from Fertility to Maternity Care. They also discuss exactly what a midwife brings to the table for maternity care. They discuss the differences between traditional hospital care vs homebirths or births with a midwife. Rachel and Sophia also discuss how to make the most informed decision regarding your maternity care, the importance of weighing your personal pros and cons.  They also give excellent advice on how to find the right midwife for you and important questions to ask to ensure they are a good fit for you and your partner.  

“What if it is better than you ever imagined?“ This is the counter idea and affirmation to the question “What if something bad happens?” which is a common question we hear a lot when our clients talk to us about home birth. Home birth is an opportunity to experience your true potential and witness not only your baby being born but yourself as a new woman being born and this experience can set the stage for the rest of your life!We are so excited to have Rachel Hart on our show to share about her journey into midwifery and what she does to help support birthing people in their unique path to giving birth. Rachel Hart wears many hats, she is an incredibly gifted and hard working mother to 5 children. She is a Certified Professional Midwife providing support for home births. In this episode, we talk about all things home birth, midwifery, the safety of home birth, known risks, and how she handles issues in the rare event they arise. She also shares her top tips and resources for having a safe, healthy, and empowering home birth experience. This episode provides a sneak peak into the life of a midwife and home birth. Even if you have never considered home birth as an option for your birth, this is a great episode full of helpful information. Our goal is to share this conversation with you so that you can feel more empowered and confident to make decisions that align with your ultimate desires for your birth.The resources mentioned in this episode are listed below:Mama Natural Pregnancy Guide by Genevieve HowlandConnect with Rachel Hart, CPM:Website: Birthing Way Homebirth Midwifery Care Facebook Group: Birthing Way FamiliesInstagram: Birthing Way MidwiferyBe sure to listen to part 2 of this conversation airing next week where we talk with Rachel Hart about her life coaching business, ReConnected to Life, which focuses on educating about self-care and redefining what it means to be self-centered through quarterly workshop, retreats, private coaching, community spotlights, and so much more! You don't want to miss it!This podcast was created from a desire to share conversations and interviews about topics from pregnancy and birth to motherhood and the importance of a healthy body and mind through it all.  Our goal is to bring you fun, interesting, and helpful conversations that excite you and make you want to learn more.If you like what you are hearing and you don't want to miss our newest episodes, be sure and hit subscribe. Your support is greatly appreciated.Follow us on Instagram:Aligned BirthDisclaimerThe information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating.  Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.  This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast.  The podcast hosts take no money from affiliate links provided in the show notes. Podcast Editing by: Chris Godfrey of Godfrey SoundMusic: "Freedom” by Roa

We are back in Maine this week with the kind of guest that made me start this podcast in the first place!Acadia Gantz is an ultrarunner and running coach with the all around best Instagram handle I've ever heard - she's also a certified professional midwife practicing in the Bridgton area with Sacopee Midwives, so she's on social media @TrailRunningBabyCatcher. It didn't take much arm twisting for me to want to talk with her, because really, how awesome is that?!?Acadia started trail running about 5 years ago to dissipate some of the stress from the midwifery program she had come to Maine for, and proved to be quite the overachiever, moving quickly through the marathon distance and taking on increasingly longer ultra distances. But honestly, the whole midwife/home birth thing was so interesting, we barely scratch the surface of her athletic achievements.I hope you'll find this conversation as fascinating and informative as I did. Even if you're like me and the ship has most definitely sailed on your childbearing  years, Acadia's advice about listening to your body and becoming your own healthcare advocate is still worth hearing and heeding.You can follow Acadia @trailrunningbabycatcher on Instagram, and if you're looking for guidance as you meld together your family planning and race planning worlds, you'll want to check her out @canyonwren_coaching or canyonwrencoaching.com.All the fun links:The Business of Being Born (film)Midwives College of UtahWhat is a doula?Certified Professional Midwife vs. Certified Nurse MidwifeSacopee Midwives (on Instagram)Run for the Hills Run Club on Facebook, IGPondicherry Park (Bridgton, ME)Spandits Bandit HeadbandTuff Mutt Waist Leash

Annnnd we're back!!! Sorry for the unexpected break but had to take a moment to make it legit. I'm officially a BlerdDad!!! And on this episode we give thanks and chat with the person that helped our birthing vision become reality. Ryann Morales has been attending births since 2012 and has been to over 750 births. She graduated from Birthwise Midwifery School and became a Certified Professional Midwife in 2017 and attends births in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Ryann attends births as a home birth midwife and also provides doula support for home and hospital births.. She provides DC-area families with an intimate, tailored experience. Ryann pronounces her name [ryan], like the boy's name (her mom named her after the old soap opera, Ryan's Hope, and Ryann suspects the extra “n” was added just to make it confusing). She lives in Alexandria with her husband, three kids, dog, mother in law, and tia (auntie). In her free time, Ryann enjoys hiking, skiing, paddleboarding, CrossFit, and running—often with her kids. We will talk home births and babies. You won't want to miss this one!!! Watch The Blerd Dad Podcast LIVE! Mondays at 8:15PM EST on Facebook: @levelupcomedydc Twitch: @levelupcomedy Twitter: @GinnyMac25. . Got an intereseting perspective on parenting? Want to nerd out about fatherhood? Need to vent about these damn children? Drop us a line at bookings@levelupcomedy .com . #blerddad #blerd #blerdlife #podcast #blerdpodcast #blerddadpodcast #TeamLevelUp #nerdy #BLERDS #dad #dadlife #newdad #newdadlife #comedy #funnydad #levelupcomedy #glennlawrence #fatherhood #blackdads #blackfathers #comedy #parenting #parentingtips #comedian #content #theymademewearit #birthing #Midwife #doula #homebirth #delraymidwifery #birth #baby #babies --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode, Karen Strange shares insight into the transition all humans make when they are born. She takes us through the baby’s journey during labor and birth and describes how each baby shares their story, once mom and baby are back together. Karen gives practical tips to slow ourselves to match the baby’s pace and tools to communicate with newborns. Sometimes births don’t go as planned. That’s part of life. Luckily, integration is embedded in the sequence of birth (or we wouldn’t have survived for millenia). Karen explains how to facilitate integration and repair, especially when things don’t go as planned. Resources:  Link for preview of my Teachable course  resuscitation-of-the-newborn.teachable.com/p/irn-peek https://karenstrange.com BIOS Being one of the longest practicing American Academy of Pediatrics/Neonatal Resuscitation Program instructors, Karen Strange is truly a neonatal resuscitation guru.  Karen Strange became a midwife in 1988 in Texas and a Certified Professional Midwife in 1996. She teaches what birth professionals need to know to help, assist, and respond to a baby who isn’t breathing or breathing well, regardless of equipment and location of birth, while providing care in the least traumatic way.  Having taught over 10,000 learners, worldwide, Karen has been featured at global conferences, courses, lectures and podcasts. She is the creator and instructor of the workshop, and now online course, Integrative Resuscitation of the Newborn. Karen specializes in debriefing with birth professionals after complications, like a resuscitation, giving her a bird’s eye view of what tends to go well and what gets missed when it comes to responding during an emergency.  Karen has a deep passion for sharing the baby’s experience of birth and teaching practical tools to birth professionals and parents that support bonding and connection, before, during and after birth. Karen’s unique ‘baby’s experience lens’ gives practitioners a brand new perspective, and enables them to make quick decisions and take appropriate actions, while providing trauma-free care.

Astrid is a Certified Professional Midwife practicing midwifery in the paradise community of SteamBoat Springs, CO. She also is a teacher of herbal medicine and has a Women's Herbal Gathering retreat coming up very soon (see links below). Astrid shares her journey to midwifery and how herbal medicine plays a role in her every day life and practice as a midwife. Astrid's website: www.astridgrove.com Link to the Herbal Women's Retreat: www.redearthherbalgathering.com For cottonroot bark tincture: https://www.wishgardenherbs.com

Have YOU heard of little c antibodies? Sarah gives us information and inspiration as she shares her story with this rare condition. She fought for the redemptive home birth of her dreams while caring for herself and taking the highest precautions for her baby. Sarah built the supportive birth team she didn't have the first time around and made birthing choices that helped her feel the most in control. Her HBAC with a nuchal hand was a whirlwind and a story we know you'll love!Additional linksThe VBAC Link on InstagramHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsMamasteFit Childbirth EducationFull transcriptNote: All transcripts are edited to correct grammar, false starts, and filler words. Julie: Welcome to The VBAC Link podcast. This is Julie and Meagan here with you today and we are really excited about our guest today. I was just reading her bio, and then I was reading a little bit about her and her births, and then I had this “Aha!” moment. I am like, “Wait a minute. Are you the one that we were talking to before you had your baby?” And she was like, “Yes, I was.”And so, we have this really fun story, kind of a little established relationship I guess, before the birth and after the birth. It is always fun to be able to talk to people that have reached out to us before they have their baby and then hear from them after they have their baby. I am so excited to hear the full story.But before I tell you what made her story stand out to me, I'm going to read a little bit of her bio that I thought was really cute. If you can hear my three-year-old in the background, she escaped from quarantine upstairs. My husband will come down soon and rescue me from her.But Sarah‘s bio is really, really cute. She said she is a working mom of two tiny humans and two not-so-tiny cats. She has a quirky sense of humor and an affinity for superhero movies. That's where I was like, “Okay.” We have got to talk about this because superhero movies-- I really love superhero movies now, but before I got married, I didn't even know the difference between Batman and Superman. Now I know and I have a very strong opinion about Batman. We won't go into that though. But I married a geek and he is all about the superheroes, and the comic books, and everything. And so, I've come to really love the superhero movies and all of those things. It's a sentimental part of my life. So that made me really happy. She's part of the American Sign Language community. Her oldest is hard of hearing, so everybody in her family is learning American Sign Language. That is really neat. When I was younger, I was obsessed with sign language. I went to a class and I had a book I was learning and teaching my brother and sister how to do all the signs and stuff like that, but I haven't done any of that for-- oh my gosh, it has been way more than 20 years which really makes me feel old to say that. But anyway, the part of her story that-- actually, before we do that, should we do a Review of the Week, Meagan?Review of the WeekMeagan: Sure. Sure.Julie: Yeah. Let's do a Review of the Week and then we will talk about the part of her story that made me excited. Yeah, go ahead.Meagan: OK. This is from Jacqueline Lee and she was on Instagram. She said, “Just found you and will be keeping you. Hoping to VBAC with our second babe whenever they come along. I would love to share my stories when that time comes. I have been listening to your podcast and love how informative and diverse they are. Our first was born in Paraguay when we were teaching. She was breech and so I had a C-section. Hoping for a vertex baby to be able to have a VBAC, but I did labor with our first until an 8. It was a wild story full of funny cultural differences and language barriers.”I love that. I remember when she wrote us that we were like, “Oh, you're so sweet. Can we put you on our review?” And she was like, “Yes, please do.” We are so excited that she was able to share her review and we hope that when the time comes, she will be able to rock her VBAC and have an amazing story and then hopefully, one day, be on the podcast as well.Julie: That's awesome. I am excited. It just makes me happy when people come full circle and share they were listening to the podcast and then share their stories on the podcast. That is fun because we have been doing this VBAC Link thing for-- oh my gosh, it will be three years in May. It's really fun because when we first started out, I was literally stalking hashtags on Instagram to find people who had a VBAC to share their stories on the podcast. Now we have way more submissions than we can even record. And to have people who started out with us before they even got pregnant and listening to the podcast, and taking our courses, and sharing their story, it all is just really exciting to me.Sarah's storyJulie: All right. Let me tell you. This is the thing that you have all been waiting for. I know you have been holding your breath for the last few minutes just waiting to see what could possibly get me so excited about her story. And it's little c antibodies. If you don't know what that means, you are not the only one because Sarah reached out to us on Instagram Messenger, I think it was, asking if we had heard of any VBAC stories or VBAC information about how to VBAC with little c antibodies and Maegan and I were like, “What are little c antibodies?”Meagan: Yeah. I remember because I thought, “Isn't there a big C?”Julie: Yeah. Big C and little c. Meagan: But I've only heard of big.Julie: And we are like, “Is that a capital? Is that like a capitalized? What is a big C? What is a little c?” So we dug in and we found some research on it. It's really an interesting thing because it's not something that you hear about very often, but we are going to learn a lot about it in this episode. And before I go any more into telling how excited I am to hear the story, we should probably actually hear the story. So Sarah, why don't you go ahead and share your stories with us?Sarah: Hello. Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me. So obviously, being a VBAC mom, I had a first child that was born via Cesarean. She was supposed to be a birth center baby and I was just having all kinds of trouble with back labor and not being able to cope with everything. I don't think I did as well preparing for her birth and it was a lot. I felt very overwhelmed and I think my husband was doing the best he could, but looking back, I keep saying, I really wish I would've had some doula support there. I think that's one of my biggest regrets. I actually ended up transferring to the birth center about halfway through my pregnancy because I knew I wanted something that was a little bit less hospital-y. Hospitals make me nervous and it's just kind of how I am. Unfortunately, I did make that call. I think it was one of those 2:00 a.m., overwhelmed, not dilating any, and then going to the hospital. It was a lot.So I labored pretty much all day. I got an epidural and then I didn't have a very great supportive doctor. He just came in and he was like, “Oh, this is what we are going to do” and “Oh, I broke your water by the way. It already happened.” So just not a lot of consent. Things like that that I know now that I want and need as a mom, and as a mom in labor for sure. Once it came down to it, I think I pushed for about three hours and the doctor was like, “Well, baby is stuck. We are going to do a C-section now.” I didn't get a whole lot of information about what that meant or what that would mean for me moving forward. It was just kind of happening in that moment.I even remember the anesthesiologist. God bless her. She was amazing. She was the only person that was walking me through what was going on, helping me stay calm, and she goes, “Well, the doc is going to put some pressure to make sure you are numb.” And the doc goes, “Oh, I've already started cutting.” So like I said, I just didn't have a really great experience with my first being born. And then on top of that coming home, I didn't know how to care for myself postpartum. We had a lot of family stuff going on so I didn't have any family support, and then I ended up developing both postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression that went undiagnosed for probably about three months before I realized that I needed to start reaching out and getting help.As a result of that, I started looking around-- so that was about five years ago. I started looking around to the birth community as a whole to see what information was out there. I found out what a VBAC was and that's how I found you guys. It was just in the process of finding out what my resources were. Moving forward to the start of the pandemic last year. I found out I was pregnant and then a few days after that, my work went to remote, so I was working from home in my first trimester with a four-year-old. It was nonsense. It was about as fun as it sounds. I always say, “I love my kid and I love my job, but I do not like it when they go together.”So I knew I wanted to find a different kind of provider. I started looking around in my area and I found a midwife that would support a home birth. One of my first questions to her was, “Do you support VBACs?” She said, “Absolutely.” And she said it just like that. “Absolutely.” We had a wonderful conversation just talking me through how many VBACs she has been a part of through the years. A lot of my first visits were on the phone and everything was weird and everybody was working remote. I told her I was concerned because I had a couple of miscarriages and she was like, “No problem. We can be proactive and let's monitor your blood levels.” During one of those first rounds of bloodwork, we found out about the little c antibodies. I almost immediately called her and I am like, “What is this? Does this mean I can't have my home birth? Am I going to have to go back to the hospital?” Honestly, I was kind of freaking out and she said, “Listen. Let me do some homework and we are going to see what that means.”She decided that we wanted to make sure we were checking on this very well. So I drove-- I am down in Fort Myers. I drove up to Tampa General and that is about a 3-3.5 hour drive and I talked to a specialist. So she is a geneticist. I don't know. She does stuff with blood work. So I sat down with this lady and she is going through it. The best way that I can describe what she was trying to tell me is, “Your blood cells have different facets on them kind of like a diamond. It's similar to the Rh. Normally when we hear about blood stuff and a pregnant mama, it is that Rh factor. So that, we have heard of. That is fine, but this is a different part of that same cell, but a different facet.”It was very confusing to be quite honest. But she explained that when they test my blood, they are looking for those antibodies because my husband has an antigen. So he has got something on one of his blood cells that my blood cells don't like and as a result, my body creates these antibodies to try to attack it and the really crazy thing is it's almost exclusive to VBAC moms or second-time moms, but more commonly VBAC moms because when they were doing the incision, some of baby's blood, some of my blood may have crossed over and that would cause my body to start reacting even way back five years ago when my first daughter was born. It was crazy. Just the thought that that's been in my body this whole time and I didn't know about it. So that was kind of cool but kind of scary.She said that the levels that they found were very low. And it's just-- you know, “you have got a very low level of this kind of antibody that is freaking out on your baby, so we are going to keep an eye on it and as your pregnancy progresses, if it starts to rise, if that level starts to get more concentrated in your blood, then we are going to have to have a deeper discussion about getting baby out sooner and maybe not going to full-term. Are we going to have to have baby before 40 weeks? I don't know. We will keep an eye on it.” That sort of thing.So every time I went to a visit with my midwife, we had to do a blood draw. It was annoying, but ultimately, throughout my entire pregnancy, that level never changed for me. So thankfully it wasn't anything that I had to really do anything about, but it was always that little worry in the back of my mind. It was just frustrating because I had such an uneventful pregnancy before and I just wanted that again especially in the middle of a pandemic. Everything is freaking out in the world, why can't I just have an easy pregnancy? Then, we go in for the midway through ultrasound. I went back up to Tampa General. My wife here recommended it because she always says, “If there's anything to find, they're really good. They are going to be the ones to catch it.” Tampa General is one of the best hospitals in the state and their maternal-fetal medicine is top-notch, so I felt good about going up there. I've got family up there anyway, so we just made a visit out of it. While we were there for the ultrasound, obviously, I have to go in by myself because COVID. And so, my poor husband is out in the parking lot with the one bar of Wi-Fi signal trying to do a Zoom meeting with me to be able to see or hear anything. He's got a few minutes to see or talk to me and then they had a rule about how we can't record and we can't have the phone or a video through the whole visit. It was kind of crazy.So for the most part, I am in there by myself. I am trying to communicate with my husband on a weird connection and it was frustrating. But anyway, so during the first 20-week ultrasound, they go, “Well, we are looking and we are not seeing that other kidney on baby,” and I go, “Okay.” The doctor was very reassuring and he said, “Well, it could be in a weird spot. It could be that we are just not seeing it because baby is in a weird position, so we are going to have you come back in a month.” I was, again, just frustrated because we are in this crazy thing and just-- really? Why me? Why my baby? Why all the stuff? So we made plans to come back in a month. But I definitely know at that point I needed two things. Number one, I needed to check in with my mental health counselor. She specializes in mom stuff, birth-related things, mom-related things. She is awesome. And so, I was able to talk to her and talk through some of the things that were going on. And then number two, I knew that I needed a doula. Why on earth I waited so long, I have no idea, but I did find my doula around the 20-week mark. She was able to start checking in with me every week because I knew that if I was going into a birth that potentially had any kind of complications, I needed all the support that I could get. I followed up with them as much as I could as much as I needed to and tried to identify in myself if I felt like I was stressing out too much or if I was letting things overtake my mind too much just to know to check in with my doula, check in with my counselor, and I think that made a big difference trying to manage things throughout pregnancy. We even got a plan in place so if we did have to transfer to a hospital, having a backpack that I could keep in my closet. We talked about, “If it is in your closet, you don't even have to look at it, but that piece in the back of your mind that knows it is there will feel good about that and you won't be so stressed.” I am very glad that I did that. It really helped and I was able to have that calm reassurance. So as I am going through, I get to the end of pregnancy. We are still monitoring this little c blood thing, and we still can't find a kidney on baby, and on top of that, now I am measuring ahead. At 36 weeks, I was measuring around 42 or 43 weeks, so I went on a low-carb, low-sugar diet. It may have been before 36 weeks. It felt like a lifetime of no sugar and no carbs. When you're pregnant, all you want is pizza and you can't have it and props to all the mamas that do have gestational diabetes because that is so hard and thankfully, I didn't have gestational diabetes. I just had to eat like I did. Baby kept growing and growing and growing, and we were worried that if baby was going to be too big if there was going to be a sugar thing on top of everything else, that could be a problem. We wanted to make sure that the fluid levels in my uterus were good because that could mean that the kidney is working or not working depending upon what's going on there. So my midwife and I really started having some conversations about, “Do we want to go past that due date?” Legally, it's maybe measuring a certain size, like in the state of Florida if the baby is too big, she is not able to do a home birth for me. So I was freaking out, calling my therapist, doing all of the things. I spent the week of Thanksgiving in acupuncture, pumping, doing my Spinning Babies®, walking the curb, doing the whole list of things. I must have spent at least a good hour of my pregnancy upside down on my couch, I think.Meagan: Oh my gosh. How much did the baby have to measure up before they disqualified you? Do you remember?Sarah: I don't remember. I want to say it was 10 pounds.Meagan: Wow.Sarah: But I think that's if they measured on an ultrasound and she tries to do as few ultrasounds as she can because she very firmly believes your body is not going to make a baby that is too big for you, you know?Meagan: Yeah, Mhmm.Sarah: She supported me as much as she could, but because we had to monitor all of these other things, it was like, “Oh great. Now, we are finding out too much.”Meagan: I know, yeah.Sarah: Yeah. So Thanksgiving, we are doing all the things. That put me at 39 weeks. We had talked about doing the famous midwives brew. I took that on, I think it was Monday night of that first week after Thanksgiving and I started having contractions, getting all excited, and then everything completely fizzled out. I was like, “No!” But at least my body was doing something which felt good because before, with my older daughter, we went two weeks beyond. Nothing was happening. I thought I was going to be pregnant forever. You know, all that stuff. So I was like, “All right. Well, at least my body is gearing up for something.” Later that week, I started noticing I was leaking a little bit and I wasn't, you know, is it pee? Is it amniotic fluid? The world may never know, but thankfully, my midwife has a way to find out with that little stick thing. And so, she was like, “Check the stick. See if it is amniotic fluid. We talked about doing a lift and tuck. Apparently, in addition to everything else, I have a weird-shaped uterus that has a forward tilt which is probably why my first daughter was in such a terrible position, and I had back labor because she wasn't able to move into a good position. But I know that now. So one more chiropractor visit, one more visit to the acupuncturist, and the midwife said, “Let's see what is going on, but if you have more leaking, let me know.” That was Thursday. Yeah. So Thursday, I had my visit with my midwife. We talked about all of that and then that night, I had a little bit more leaking and she said, “Okay. Is it a little? Is it a lot?” I was like, “It is just a little.” And she goes, “Okay. We are going to have you try the brew one more time. Definitely call me because now that we have confirmed that your waters have started rupturing, we are on a time clock in terms of having the best chance for a VBAC. We don't want to have a long leak and drain out all the fluid, and then get you into a bad spot where baby can't maneuver.” So we did our last-minute chores, made sure my daughter had a bag packed. I went to bed as soon as I could. That night, around 11:30 or so, I woke up with contractions. I'm excited, trying to stay calm, use the bathroom, got my heating pad out. I was trying really hard to hold off on all of my pain management stuff just because before, I didn't have anything and now I didn't want to waste it all at the very beginning because I had a 30-hour labor the first time around and that's what I was gearing up for. My brain was telling me, “You are going to have a 30-hour labor. It's going to be long. Hold off as long as you can.” So I went back to sleep and I woke up a few hours later, around 2:00, and I felt a pop and a gush. My water definitely had broken. That was weird because I didn't have that the first time. Like I said, the doctor broke my water the first time around. So I was like, “All right. I've got to clean this up.” I'm trying to let my husband sleep and be quiet, but I am stumbling around because I'm having contractions and it is dark. I'm tripping on things. And so, I get to the bathroom and I'm trying to get settled, and then I'm like, “Oh yeah, the lift and tuck.” So I am having to lift on my belly and tuck my pelvis through every contraction. Normally, I think they recommend that you have someone else do that. It is very uncomfortable. It hurts, but I knew after those conversations with my midwife after talking to my chiropractor, they were like, “This is going to be what you need to do to help.” So I had that in mind and I felt the minute she shifted, the second that she shifted into position. It was crazy. I am like, “Okay. Now we are going.” It was around that time that things really picked up and I yelled out to my husband, I am like, “Get up.” And so, he wakes up and he was fumbling around in the dark. I think he knocked something over. But he calls the doula and she was like, “All right. I am on my way.”And then, he called the midwife. Because my contractions were not, I think-- what is the formula? It is 4-1-1. So four minutes apart, one minute long, one minute-- I don't remember. Whatever her thing was. It wasn't quite to that point. She said, “Keep me posted, but we are going to observe her for a little longer and keep me posted. I've got my stuff ready. I can be on my way.” She's on standby. So he is coming over and he's like, “All right. You have to get out of the bathroom,” because our bathroom is this narrow tunnel. There is a wall on one side and I think I'm stuck on the other side. It's just long, so no one could have gone behind me really well or anything. He was like, “You have got to get out of here,” and I was like, “I don't want to.” So he is trying to push me out of the bathroom a little bit and I was able to crawl out in between contractions. I made it to the foot of our bed and I just camped out there. I was like, “This is as far as I can make it.” He was like, “You're fine.”So then, my doula arrived. At this point, I have no clue what the actual timeline is, but I know she got there pretty quickly, my doula did. She starts helping put up the birth pool and get the hose set up. She's checking on me and he's checking on me. I remember she came in and she's doing hip compressions and I'm trying to move around a little bit. I think mostly I was on all fours and I was just swaying my hips. I tried getting up where my forearms were resting on the bed and I am like, “Nope. I can't do that.”I just was doing my best to keep on keeping on and using that low breath, or the low “ahhhh”-- the voice thing that they tell you to do. That was super helpful because just doing that, I knew-- and after taking, because I took three classes all in all. I did The VBAC Link course, I did another one with Mamastefit. She was on here at some point, I think, last year and she was talking about the physiology of birth. Her class is really good.Meagan: Mhmm. We love Gina. We love her.Julie: Yes. We love her.Sarah: Gina, her stuff is really good. Anybody who wants to know the physiology of what your body is doing, her course really nails that. And then, I did another course in-person with my doula service. Theirs was Birthing From Within based. She talked about the vocalizations, and movements, and things like that, but one of the things that really stuck with me was contractions are going to be a minute. It's not going to be five minutes. It's not going to be ten minutes. You can get through a minute. You can do that. We practiced holding the ice in your hand for a minute. Being able to practice that and having it in my head was so realistic. I think it really helped me mentally as I'm in the moment trying to go through. I remember I was trying so hard to talk to my doula because I don't think I wanted her-- she was rubbing my back or something and I don't even think I could tell her, “I don't like that.” I was so in the zone. At one point, I did manage to tell her, “I feel like pushing.” I was so scared because, with my daughter, my oldest, I felt like pushing, but I was not anywhere near ready to push which apparently, again, was a sign of being in the wrong position. I was scared that that was happening again.She said, “Okay. Well, where is the midwife? Hubby was like, “She told me to follow up and that was an hour ago.” So we call the midwife, she's on the phone, and then in the middle of that phone call, I go, “I think there is something in between my legs.” Tara, my doula, Tara comes over and she goes, “Yep. There is baby's head.”Julie: Oh my gosh!Meagan: Oh my heck!Sarah: Yeah.Julie: What?!Sarah: And so, I am like, “Okay.” She puts the midwife on speakerphone. My midwife is literally in her van coming my way and she goes, “Okay, so what is Sarah doing? What position is she in? What do you see?” And so, my doula takes over as the unofficial person in charge. I remember my husband telling me later, he was like, “I wanted to catch the baby, but Tara said ‘No.'”Meagan: Oh really?Sarah: Because she has been to several births. She ended up-- I think two weeks before that, one of the other moms that she supported, the same thing happened where the baby was born before the same midwife got there, so she caught that baby too.Meagan: Oh my gosh.Julie: Oh my gosh.Sarah: She is amazing. I love her. She's just an amazing person and she took over so well. But she comes over and my husband at least thought to turn on his camera on his phone so we have this very dark video, but she coached me through it. I hear my midwife on the phone going, “All right. She can push.” And so then, Tara's like, “Well, push, push, push, push and my baby shot out like a little torpedo. She was so fast. Her hand was up by her face, so I had an unassisted VBAC, HBAC because I was at home, with a nuchal hand. I just roared her out like a fierce lion mama. It was great. I remember the first thing I said was, “I eff-ing did it.”Julie: That is awesome. Sarah: The feeling of such relief after so much worry, and so much planning, and so much, just all of it coming to fruition in this weird moment at 5:30 in the morning and my poor midwife wasn't even there. There she was. I turned around and I started to look at her and I go, “Wait. What is it? It's a girl!” And so, I got to be the one this time to say that she was a girl and that was so important to me, but I didn't know it was until that moment. You know?Julie: Yeah. Aww.Meagan: I love it.Sarah: Yeah. After that, they tried to get me up on the bed and we are trying to get my placenta out. It kind of got stuck. So my midwife is trying to tell my doula, “All right. Give her some traction. Let's try nipple stimulation. What's going on here?” I was losing a lot of blood. It was probably 45 minutes later, so I had lost a significant amount of blood. I have a couple of pictures of me and baby and I am looking pasty in those pictures. When my midwife got there, she started going to work really quickly and she had her team. It was like a whirlwind of people doing stuff. It was awesome. I know at one point they were trying to figure out where they could hang an IV bag and I'm like, “There is a hanger right there and there's a flashlight behind the TV.” Like, I am directing things that are happening in my house. How I was so with it, I have no idea. They quickly decided that I needed some more support than they could give just because of how much time had passed, so they did end up calling an ambulance which, prior to all of the prep work that I had done with my therapist, I will tell you that that very well would have given me some major anxiety attack before. But I was able to roll with it. EMS got me up, got me downstairs, got me outside. They asked me questions. I somehow remembered my husband‘s telephone number at some point during all of that which I don't think I know that right now. So the fact that I knew that after I had lost half my blood volume was kind of a miracle. The hospital did have to go in and manually remove my placenta which was awful. I think that was worse than giving birth. I remember in all of that, I looked over at a nurse and I said, “I need you to tell me what's going on because that's going to keep me calm.” The fact that I was with it enough to be able to ask for that was pretty cool, but the fact that I knew that I needed that, again, because of all the prep work that I had done with my therapist mentally and emotionally. Knowing that I had somebody that could walk me through what was going on just helped so incredibly much. They got me patched up. They got some blood in me and I was able to tell them, “Hey, I have this little c thing. You might want to know about that when you are matching my blood type.” The doctor was able to verify all of that with my medical records and make sure that I got the most specified blood for my needs to help me get back up to speed. So that was really cool because I knew that having that information and being able to provide that to the doctor on a whim, I know that made a difference in me being able to recover quickly because it was just going to help. You know? Whether it made a huge difference physically to me, I don't know, but I think mentally it was like, “I am empowered and I have information about my body and about myself.” That was cool.So, second-degree tear. Three units of blood. I stayed at the hospital for a few days. But she came like a little whirlwind and she is the coolest kid let me tell ya.Homebirth midwivesJulie: I love that so much. There are so many things I want to highlight in your story besides the cool little c antibody educational piece. But I want to speak a little bit about home birth because people are afraid of home birth. It's definitely not for everybody, but there's a misunderstanding that midwives don't have as much medical knowledge and there's a higher chance that your baby will die, or you will die, or hemorrhage like in your case, right? You were hemorrhaging and I just want you to know that as a doula, and it sounds like your midwife and doula did the same thing, but as a doula, I have seen home birth transfers. These midwives that have attended hundreds and hundreds, and sometimes thousands of home births, are very in tune, and very on point, and very, very particular about all of the details around birth. It was really funny because when you were telling your story with the nuchal hand and then after birth, you were losing a lot of blood and they called the ambulance and everything, I attended a birth just like that, except the midwife got there before the baby was born, a couple of years ago. It wasn't even two or three minutes after the baby was born, the midwife was like, “Let's get EMS on the phone.” She was putting pressure inside and outside of the mom's uterus to stop the bleeding and then the ambulance got there. I was arranging for her son to go another way and then her husband was arranging things. It was just so seamless, and the midwife was so calm, and we transferred care. It was the same thing. The doctor had to go inside and manually remove the placenta, and then she had to have two D&Cs, actually two more in the coming weeks to get the rest of her placenta out. I guess the best way to describe it from my point of view is beautiful chaos. It was an emergency, but man, this midwife was just so skilled and trained. They don't take chances. They are highly educated. They have, depending on if they are a CPM, a Certified Professional Midwife, or a licensed midwife, and you can be both in some states, they carry the same drugs like Methergine and Pitocin to stop bleeding. They carry antibiotics to administer if you are GBS positive. They have IV fluids that they can do. They are so trained and skilled that if an emergency happens, they are going to be able to transfer your care to the hospital. They're going to know the things that they need to do to help you before you get to the hospital. Guess what else? There's this really cool system, I forget what the acronym is, but as a student midwife, I am familiar with all these things. But there's this information database where midwives can share their information with the hospital they are transferring to while they are en route to the hospital. They're on the phone with the hospital so that when you get there, the hospital is ready to receive you and they don't have to ask any questions. They just pick up where the homebirth midwife left off. I think that's just something that people don't really realize happens. They think, “Oh my gosh. If there is an emergency, we are going to die when we're at home.” Granted, in extremely rare cases, things like that do happen just like they happen in the hospital, but at no higher rate as far as maternal and infant death goes. So I think that's really important to note. I wanted to spotlight that because, well, nobody wants a home birth transfer whether before or after the baby is born. When there are emergencies these homebirth midwives are amazing. They are amazing.Sarah: Yes. That was something that I had talked to her in-depth about before because I had such anxiety with the hospital. I remember at one point, I think it was when she came for my home check-up visit at however far along in the pregnancy and I said, “Hey. I am really nervous about if we have to transfer to the hospital, but I know that if I need to, I trust you on that. I am not going to ask to go to the hospital,” because I had asked when I was at the birth center with my oldest daughter. I transferred because I wanted to because I was having trouble and I wanted an epidural. So I wanted to make it clear to her to say, “If I'm going to transfer it is because I know that you need me to transfer.” I am putting that trust in her and she said all the same things that you just said. She was like, “Well, we have this and we have that, but if we need to transfer, I have that on speed dial,” kind of thing. I am sure no matter what state you're in, there are all kinds of rules and regulations and whatnot, but just being able to trust your provider whether it is a home birth midwife or a doctor in a hospital. If you can trust the person that you are literally placing your life in their hands to have them make sure that you are okay, I think that's key too.Julie: Yeah. I agree. I think most importantly is birthing with a provider In a location where you feel comfortable with and having the trust in them and having conversations like that with your midwife or your doctor whether you are in or out of the hospital. I think that those are all important conversations. Meagan, you have just been letting me ramble on over here. Do you want to jump in?Meagan: No. I am in agreeance with everything. Something for me is like, I really wanted a home birth, but my husband didn't feel comfortable with the idea of home birth. I think that can be a hard thing too. The mom feels comfortable birthing at one place, but the partner doesn't feel comfortable with them birthing at the other place. I think, sometimes, that can make it a hard situation, right? And so, I just loved so much that you didn't-- one, that you didn't have to feel that way, but even with my situation, in the end, we really just came down to it. I gave him all the education and facts on it and he was like, “Oh okay. Yeah. I think that would be fine.” And then after we had a VBAC, I had a similar situation. We didn't find my blood.Sarah: Hmm.Meagan: Yeah. Neither externally nor internally, weirdly enough. But I lost half of my body's blood after my birth. I passed out a couple of times. It was really interesting.Sarah: It's a weird feeling.Meagan: It is a really strange feeling. I remember waking up, I am like, “Why am I on the floor again?” And everyone is like, “Well, it's because you passed out again.” But even after all of that is said and done, my husband was like, “You know, if we are having another one,” which we are not, “I wouldn't do it any other way and we would totally do it at home.” And so, it is just so interesting to see how that experience changed his perspective on where we birth, you know? So, I don't know. I just love that you had an educated doula and that you had the midwife on the phone. I loved all of it. And you know what? I actually don't think I knew that Cesarean moms were at higher risk for the c.Sarah: I think it's just because there's a higher chance of the blood passing through into-- cross-contamination they said.Meagan: Yeah, which totally makes sense.Sarah: Yeah. It can totally happen with a vaginal delivery as well if there is a tear or something like that, but it's a lot more common for a—Meagan: -- a Cesarean.Sarah: Not that it is common, to begin with, let's be real. I have a weird blood thing to go with my weird unicorn kid that only has one kidney, and my other weird unicorn kid that can't hear well, and my husband who has weird blood. So, yeah. We're a family of unicorns.Julie: Unique. You're not weird. You're unique. I like it.Sarah: Unicorns. I have two girls. There are unicorns everywhere.Julie: Oh yes. Yes, yes, yes.Sarah: Everywhere.Meagan: I love it.Julie: That is amazing. Well, wow. We are so grateful that you shared your story with us today. It was so fun to come full circle from our admin texting us. She was like, “Have you heard of little c?” I was like, “A little c? Is that like Big C?” But like, being kind of sarcastic because sometimes we hear some crazy things and she was like, “No, really. Little C antibodies?” And Meagan was like, “I've heard of Big C.” I was major impressed with Meagan because I hadn't even heard of that. And so, it was just so fun to have that conversation in our memory and then have you come on the podcast and share. Yeah. It was just really neat to have you. Thank you so much.Meagan: Yes.Sarah: Definitely. Hopefully, if there's another mom out there that has something like that, she'll feel less alone.Julie: Yes. We are putting it in our title so that if anyone searches for it, they will find it.Sarah: There we go. Perfect.ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Head over to thevbaclink.com/share and submit your story. For all things VBAC, including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Julie and Meagan's bios, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“When intuition hits you that loudly and clearly, it’s definitely not something to ignore." - Cheryl Furer Cheryl and I met at a vegan restaurant in Salt Lake City years ago and became friends while sharing dessert. We are still in contact and I continue to be amazed by her story, wisdom and talents. In this episode, we talk about everything from the importance of learning accurate histories of race in America, rediscovering her own sexuality and sensuality through pole dancing and her journey to becoming a midwife as part of her justice and healing work. For over 20 years Cheryl has studied nutrition, herbs, supplements, coaching and wellness.  She is a Certified Professional Midwife, Certified Homeopath, and Integrative Health Coach. And my friend! Taped in Dec 2020

So many people have chosen to forgo the hospital for childbirth because of Covid… but what happens when you’re planning an out of hospital birth and test positive for covid…at 37 weeks?     That’s what happened to Kate, and it was quite a difficult time for her, as you’ll see.  But you’ll also see that Kate’s quite resourceful, and her experience certainly makes for an action-packed episode.   In fact, topics covered in this episode include: teen pregnancy, a forced induction, unexpected pregnancy, testing covid positive at 37 weeks, birth center births and becoming a midwife   Before we get into this incredible story, I’d love to take a moment to thank our reviewer of the week, KianaMichelleR. And I just have to say, that review was so deeply touching to me, Kiana.  Thank you for such a kind and specific compliment, it truly meant so much to me.  And, it’s a great opportunity for me to just stop and say thank you to all of you for listening.  I know sometimes it’s weird, and podcasts seem like a one way relationship, but I feel like I know you guys, too.  And I genuinely care about you.  So thank you for making this such a lovely space.  Kiana, if you’ll email me at katelyn@myhappyhomebirth.com I'd love to send you Happy Homebirth podcast sticker.   And hey, if you get a moment, would you head over to apple podcasts to leave a *hopefully* 5 star rating, and maybe even a review?  It’s a free, easy way to support the show and make sure this information gets into the ears of other mothers who would benefit from it.   Okay, that’s good for now.  Let’s get into the good part.    Please remember the opinions of my guests may not necessarily reflect my own and vice versa, and neither one of us are medical professionals, so continue to see your doctor, midwife, or if you're like me, your chiropractor.   Show Notes At 16, Kate decided to get pregnant.  The relationship disintegrated during the pregnancy, but her mother was great support. She didn’t get great childbirth education for that birth.   She did her best to breastfeed her first, but she’d never seen anyone nurse before.  The breastfeeding relationship lasted 6 weeks.   With her second pregnancy, she waited until she was in a good relationship (5 years later) before becoming pregnant.     Wanted a girl but didn’t want to know the gender, but the ultrasound tech accidentally gave away that it was a boy at 15 weeks.   She was in pre-nursing school at this time.   At 37 weeks, she had one high blood pressure reading, so they recommended induction.  She was only 1 cm dilated and baby at -3 station, yet they broke her water.  Luckily, there were no complications.   2 hours later she was complete.  The nurse told her to do a practice push, and the baby began crowning.  The nurse shoved her legs together and told her not to push.  She waited 10-15 minutes for the Dr to come in from a C-section.   She’d asked for delayed cord clamping, but the Dr. Clamped it immediately after birth.     The nursing staff made the baby take formula because he had jaundice, and she was incredibly disappointed with that.   Went back to work at 4 weeks postpartum.   10 months postpartum, she jokingly took an ovulation test with a friend— it was such a strong positive, that she worried that the HCG was high meaning she was actually pregnant.  She took 3 pregnancy tests.   Her husband had just told her that he didn’t want more kids— so she was terrified when she found out that she was actually pregnant.   One month later she found out that she’d been accepted into nursing school.   Kate used podcasts, especially Happy Homebirth, to prepare for her pregnancy.  She couldn’t go to a childbirth education program in person because of covid, so this was her form of preparation and even almost “hypnosis”   With all that was going on, and her inability to start nursing school in August, she began looking into schooling to become a Certified Professional Midwife.     At 37 weeks, they found out that her husband was positive for covid.  Kate tested negative at that time.  She was absolutely crushed and frustrated.  She knew she wouldn’t be able to go to the birth center for 10 days.   Her midwife advised her that if she were to go into labor within the next 10 days that she go to the hospital— which Kate was not willing to do.   She searched high and low, and finally found a midwife who agreed that she would attend her birth at home if she went into labor within the next 10 days.  That night she started having contractions and was concerned that it was time.  The midwife told her to take a shower and see how things went-  Luckily the contractions calmed down and she stayed pregnant.   On Oct 8th she had some minor contractions, but she didn’t think much of them because of the previous false alarm.   Decided to go to the birth center that evening to get checked.  When she arrived, another mother was there having a decently long labor.  She was in the birth room Kate had wanted!   Kate laid on the peanut ball for several contractions, and suddenly she was in very active labor.   Kate got in the birth pool at 9 cm, and she soon began to push.  She only pushed 3 times,    She remembers that her husband said something to the baby, and the baby looked up at him directly.   Kate loved the fact that her birth team completely respected her wishes.     She did a cord burning, which she loved so that all could be involved.   She loved the fact that while she was settling down, she could hear a mother in the next room beginning to push.   Instagram: Katedecker99   School is going great for her, and she now works at the birth center where she had her baby.   Episode Roundup:   Stress has a physiological effect, as Kate discussed when she went through her covid scare at 37 weeks.  She began having contractions and the like.  This is just a small example of why it’s so important for us to mitigate that stress whenever possible.  Obviously, Kate couldn’t control the situation around her… but sometimes, a hot shower will do just the thing! Isn’t it so neat to hear stories that have such an unexpected twist?  The fact that Kate went to the birth center assuming she’d head home soon… hops on a peanut ball, and suddenly she’s ready to push out a baby!  Our bodies are just amazing. And finally, we need more midwives.  I’m so excited that Kate is working towards joining the ranks, and if you’re out there wondering if birth work might be right for you… this is me saying, hey!  If you’re feeling called, try it out.  We need you! Okay my friends, that’s all I’ve got for you for now.  I’ll see you back here next week.

In this episode "What Even is a Midwife?", host Donna Truong speaks with Tiffany Carter Skillings CPM talk about what responsibilities midwives have, what is it like to be a midwife, midwife training and education, what are the pros and cons of a homebirth, the differences between a midwife vs. doula, and more!Tiffany Carter Skillings has graduated from Birthwise Midwifery School in 2013 and has been a Certified Professional Midwife for 8 years. In addition to being a CPM, she also is a Certified Lactation Counselor and Certified Breastfeeding Specialist. She has her own practice in Yarmouth, ME called Two Rivers Lactation and Midwifery Clinic. Not only that, but she also is a faculty member of the Birthwide Midwifery School where she teaches the next generation of midwives.Find Tiffany on:Two Rivers Lactation and Midwifery School https://www.tworiverslactation.com/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TiffanyCarterSkillingsCPMIBCLCRLC/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tworiverslactation/LinkedIn bit.ly/3pDH5uPAnd, don't forget to follow us on Instagram!

This is the second part of my conversation with Rachelle Garcia Seliga is a Mother, Wife, and Certified Professional Midwife, with 18 years of experience working within the realms of holistic women’s health care. She is the Creator and Director of INNATE Traditions Postpartum Care Trainings; which offer a framework of postpartum wellness to birth and health care providers worldwide. Rachelle is Co-Founder of Starseed Root School of Traditional Healing, a revillaging project and educational center in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. All of Rachelle’s work is dedicated to midwifing a cultural shift – honoring our innate wisdom, personal authority, and the sanctity of Life. Read full show notes at www.soulmamajourney.com/podcast Follow me on Instagram @soulmamacoach

In this episode, Becky shares what it’s like to work with a midwife, how the pandemic has impacted birth and answers some of the most common questions she gets from clients. Before becoming a Certified Professional Midwife, Becky worked as a Certified Doula through CBI and as an office and hospital nurse for 17 years, with 16 of those years being for an OB/GYN.

Rachelle Garcia Seliga is a Mother, Wife, and Certified Professional Midwife, with 18 years of experience working within the realms of holistic women’s health care. She is the Creator and Director of INNATE Traditions Postpartum Care Trainings; which offer a framework of postpartum wellness to birth and health care providers worldwide. All of Rachelle’s work is dedicated to midwifing a cultural shift – honoring our innate wisdom, personal authority, and the sanctity of Life. In the first part of our conversation, we speak about why balance is unrealistic, why postpartum pathology is a valid response to lack of community and ways we can begin to really mother the mother. Follow me on Instagram @soulmamacoach Full show notes on my website www.soulmamajourney.com/podcast

Self development can mean different things to different people. Generally, it's about taking steps to better yourself such as learning new skills, overcoming bad habits, developing capabilities, or making efforts towards self-fulfillment either through formal or informal studies. In today's episode, you'll meet Rachel who's on the path of self-development through her studies to become a Certified Professional Midwife.Show Notes:Your goals should be in alignment with your Personal Vision - your long term vision of your best self and life.Break down epic-sized goals into milestones, to help create your roadmap to achieving it incrementally over time.As you start working towards achieving earlier milestones, you will learn more and get feedback to help refine that roadmap to keep moving forward.Let go of being a perfectionist, it's better to make progress than get frozen waiting for things to be perfect. They never will be.Visit http://www.agileselfdevelopment.com and click "Free Guide" in the top menu to start creating your own personal vision statement.Interested in starting your own podcast? ​Take a Podcasting Course from Wit & Wire  like I did! Please note the podcasting course is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.You can also visit Rachel's Etsy store where she offers homemade herbal products to promote well-being: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchandWitchHerbs

Christina Jemine is a loving, dedicated mother, and Certified Professional Midwife, and Licensed Midwife. She has been serving in the field of maternal-child health for over 10 years and has been caring for mothers & babies all of her life. She is also the founder and CEO of Black Sisters Birth Academy and a children's book author. Her book is titled My Mommy Makes Milk.  Christina is a woman of faith, and on part 1, we discuss her predestined journey into midwifery, having courage to take a leap of faith & start something new, and the importance of finding the right midwife that matches your energy and fulfills your needs.  "God knows your journey. Don't doubt & don't give up hope. Wherever he wants you to be, you will be! Even if he has to open up a new door for you." Christina Jemine You can find Christina on IG @blacksistersmidwifery and online at https://www.blacksistersmidwifery.com/     

Joni Stone is a homebirth midwife of twenty years. After studying neuroscience in undergrad, she earned a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Spirituality from Columbia. Her work explored the physical changes our brains go through in becoming mothers, and how these changes are akin to the same brain changes that occur after an intense life experience, which may result in spiritual enlightenment. In this episode, she explains the five factors in enlightenment, raises the possibility that traumatic birth may interfere with having those types of experiences, and discusses simple yet powerful techniques for both awareness and healing.* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please subscribe and share with your pregnant and postpartum friends.Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To join our monthly newsletter, text "downtobirth" to 22828.You can sign up for Cynthia's HypnoBirthing classes as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cynthiaovergard)

Acadia is a Certified Professional Midwife, run coach and ultrarunner living in Western Maine. She answers listener questions including how to prepare your body for pregnancy, if running will affect fertility, and how to safely continue running once pregnant. And of course we talk extensively about how to handle the general public when they offer unsolicited advice. More from me @hilsport55  Find Acadia @trailrunningbabycatcher  Thank you SO MUCH for everyone who has supported the podcast at Patreon! Help us to keep hearing from these badass ladies here.

In our very first guest episode, Denise explains how a fear of pregnancy and labor as a younger woman evolved into a strong desire to give birth at home. The dedicated educator shares how even a planned pregnancy can be a major game changer. Armed with resources she was able to determine what she did and did not want for her delivery. We hear how sisterhood, yoga, and dance also helped prepare Denise for childbirth. With a supportive husband by her side she was one step closer to having the birth she desired. Stick around until the end of the episode to get some of his insight. Despite some annoying pregnancy symptoms Denise was able to have the birth she envisioned. After Denise's episode had already been recorded the midwife that attended her second birth (not shared in this episode), Claudia Booker transitioned (2/19/2020). Claudia Booker was a Certified Professional Midwife at Birthing Hands Midwifery and Birth Services. She was well respected and loved by so many. She believed firmly in the importance of black birthing women being supported by other black women. Denise shares a dedication to the beloved memory of a phenomenal woman.  Resources mentioned in the episode: Business of Being Born (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thebusinessofbeingborn2/248173698) Holistic Parenting from the Pan Afrikan Perspective. While the book is no longer being printed, you can watch an interview with the author here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_IJ5ckYOYo ROOTEAD-- https://rootead.org/ "Rootead Enrichment Center offers healing arts and birthwork programs  that are diverse, inclusive, anti-racist and trauma informed. In order  to be equitable, all services offered through the Enrichment Center are  available at low-to-no cost.". Claudia Booker's Legacy-- https://www.birthinghands.net/

Welcome to another episode of Truthzilla! This week, we talk to Cynthia Luxford, a retired Licensed Direct Entry Midwife and a Certified Professional Midwife. Here's a quick fact: the United States spends $80 billion a year on childbirth, and out of the 20 richest countries in the world, we are 20th in infant mortality. Why is that? Could it have anything to do with the "cascade of interventions" that happens at a hospital? Could it be the complete lack of personalized treatment during childbirth in a hospital? Could it be that most babies are born between 9 and 5, Monday through Friday; a typical doctor's work schedule? Today we dive into the idea of natural home birth versus hospital birth. Hop on the Truth Train and let's ride! 

In this episode of La Verdad Duele Podcast, our guest Carmen Mojica, a Certified Professional Midwife discussed with the host the conversations that should take place before one decides to become a parent such as establishing relationships with mental health professionals, financial stability, intentional research, building a support system, and the impact of inter-generational traumas within family structure. The conversation covers the differences between a gynecologist, ob-gyn, obstetricians, and midwifery. Ms. Mojica also talks about giving birth at a birth center, hospital, or at home which of these fits once respective scenarios. Take a listen and share. Our Social Media (IG): @laverdadduelepod Join Our Listserv: LVD Podcast Listserv Guest Carmen Mojica's IG @ semidiosa.negra Guest Carmen Mojica's website: https://www.thesewatersrundeep.com/ Book Resources: "the complete book of pregnancy and childbirth" by Sheila Kitzinger "Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition" by Lily Nichols     

Season 1 Episode 5 features an interview with Carmen Mojica. We discuss her journey into birthwork and motherhood, the history and current practice of midwifery, and what it will take to achieve birth justice in the Bronx and in New York City. Carmen Mojica Bio:Carmen Mojica CPM, LM CLC is an Afro-Dominicana born and raised in the Bronx. She is a midwife, mother, writer and reproductive health activist. The focus of her work is on the empowerment of women and people of the African Diaspora, specifically discussing the Afro-Latina identity. She utilizes her experience as a midwife to raise awareness on maternal and infant health for women, highlighting the disparities in the healthcare system in the United States for women of color. She is a cofounder of Bronx Rebirth and Progress.References During the Episode:Donate to Bronx Rebirth and Progress via PayPal and through their registry on TargetPregnancy and Postpartum in the time of COVID-19: NYC Resources[Book] Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy and Childbirth edited by Julia Oparah and Alicia Bonaparte[Book] Killing the Black Body by Dorothy Roberts[Book] Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington[Book] Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First by Marsden WagnerTypes of midwives: Certified Midwife, Certified Nurse Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, Certifying institutions: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)Robert Woods Johnson Foundation's County Health Rankings and Road MapsQuestions to Consider After the Episode:How can we make midwifery more accessible in our City, namely Certified Nurse Midwives? What are ways our City can provide resources for people to give birth outside of hospitals? This can be in people's homes and in birthing centers.How can we shift conversations that focus solely on maternal mortality to take a look at the broad scope of how maternal healthcare is not serving the needs of pregnant and birthing people overall?Created and Hosted by Taja LindleyProduced by Colored Girls HustleMusic, Soundscape and Audio Engineering by Emma AlabasterSupport our work on Patreon or make a one-time payment via PayPalFor more information visit BirthJustice.nyc This podcast is made possible, in part, by the Narrative Power Stipend - a grant funded by Forward Together for members of Echoing Ida.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/TajaLindley)

In this episode, my friend Gail, the founder of Spinning Babies®, comes back a second time to talk inductions, VBACs, belly mapping, and more! Click here to listen to part 1! Here are the questions we go over!  Inductions are becoming more and more the common thing (at least here in the US) -first off, what are you thoughts on inductions, and how can we still incorporate Spinning Babies methodologies during an induced labor? For moms who plan to VBAC - are there any differences, and/or special considerations you recommend for these moms? Let’s talk about Belly Mapping! (I know this is something you guys coined!) What is Belly Mapping? Any last tips for moms? SPONSOR: This episode was sponsored by Spinning Babies! The word “Spinning” in Spinning Babies® means how babies move through the pelvis to find the most space to come down. What makes birth easier for baby is what makes birth easier for Mom.  Our Spinning Babies® mission is to make physiological birth more accessible to birthing people and providers alike. For instance, we believe that being head down is only half the story. How baby’s head enters the top of the pelvis correlates with length of labor and ease of labor. When facing forward a first baby may not be able to rotate for a day or two. We offer daily activities to add comfort in pregnancy now and ease in labor later.   The Daily Essentials video is the easiest way to learn the habits and moves. Starting in mid-pregnancy is ideal.  The Parent Class video or an in-person Parent Class for late pregnancy. The Parent Class video has lots of labor tips and techniques for comfort and also to help labor stay on track to help avoid cesareans simply because baby’s not aiming into the pelvis.  Does your doctor or midwife require baby to be head down before labor? Do they do cesarean birth for all breeches? Are you pregnant and hoping to avoid surgery? Then the Helping Your Breech Baby Turn eBook is for you. Prepare for an easier childbirth with this eBook, a self-directed 6-day program for pregnant parents with a breech baby developed by a Certified Professional Midwife. Listeners of Mommy Nurse Labor podcast can use the code MOMMY15 on the Spinning Babies® online shop for 15% off your purchase of the Helping Your Breech Baby Turn eBook. Belly Mapping Workbook Pregnancy Week-Week Pages

Join us as we talk about birth with Dina Shea-Fraize, CPM. Dina will share her perspective on how preparation and the experiences of labor and birth are not only physical but also emotional and even spiritual.

In this episode I talk with Isis Rose, a full spectrum doula, home birth mom, certified lactation counselor, and placenta encapsulation specialist. She lives in Urbana, Illinois. Isis is starting midwifery school in July, with plans to become a Certified Professional Midwife, and she’s a member of the Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives. Isis co-hosts the Homecoming Podcast alongside Chae Pounds, which launched in 2018 to tell stories of Black families who give birth at home. Isis and I discuss her birth story, including her unique approach to prenatal care, and hemorrhaging she experienced immediately after her home birth. We also talk about the ongoing advocacy work seeking licensure for CPMs in Illinois, and the latest research on the safety of home birth in the U.S. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this latest episode of the Listening to Midwives series, Michelle has a conversation with Jae Rowan and Rhione Zeixchel, owners of Sanctuary Birthing. If you are a fellow birth worker, get ready to hear some of the names of some of the icons in our birth world being mentioned as they share their 60+ years of combined experience as midwives. Rhione and Jae remind pregnant women that their birth can be in their hands if they receive respect, consideration, and informed choice. Women can take back birth. Yet, they caution not to be naive and think you will be handed it, because you will not… not with this current medical system. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle back to soak up the wisdom of these sage birth keepers and the brilliant project they are up to now. “Your body talks to you. I think that in our really, really fast paced media oriented, screen oriented culture we stop listening or maybe we never learned to listen. And yet, every pregnant woman, her body will start to talk to her almost from the beginning. ... It's an important thing. Start listening to your body. Your body is talking to you.”— Jae Rowan “I would hope that each woman before, during pregnancy would take some time. Take some time to be still, sink in, connect with a deeper layer underneath all the mind chatter. Just even 5 minutes. Begin making time. Start listening. Because I believe that that inner knowing can inform us in the BEST possible way from this day on. And your baby is counting on it. It can change your baby's life. And it can change the world, one baby at a time in that way.”— Rhione Zeixchel About Jae Rowan: Jae, Certified Professional Midwife, and Oregon Licensed Midwife began her study of midwifery in 1985. She has attended 100's of births over the last 31 years. Her path as a woman and mother has been intertwined with her study of yoga, midwifery, parenting, and communication, skills that she brings to the care she provides to families. Jae learned that pregnancy and birth are normal and natural processes from her grandmother, who birthed 13 children at home. Jae believes that the way we bond to our baby during pregnancy and the way we birth set a foundation for the life of our child, and for our life as a mother. She offers Arvigo Mayan Abdominal Massage sessions along with personalized prenatal, birth preparation and early parenting coaching. About Rhione Zeixchel: Rhione, Oregon licensed midwife, has attended hundreds of births since 1981. As an apprentice-trained midwife, she has been privileged to learn from many teachers in the wise-woman tradition. Rhione utilizes the benefits of homeopathic medicine and intuition-based practices she describes as “deep listening” to the unborn. Certain key tenets guide Rhione's love of this work: knowing that the natural birth process is innately healing; understanding newborn babies as fully conscious beings in little bodies; and believing that a woman's way to natural birth is paved with her own listening and trusting. Mothers' own ecstatic birthing stories inspired her to become certified in HypnoBirthing in 2001. With midwife friend Jae Rowan, she co-created Three Sisters Midwifery in 2012. Connect with Jae & Rhione: Website:  sanctuarybirthing.com Facebook: Sanctuary Birthing Instagram:  @sanctuarybirthing Free Resource:  Sanctuary Birthing Workbook   Connect with Michelle Smith: Website: BirthEaseServices.com Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast Instagram: @ birtheasemichellesmith YouTube: Birth Ease LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith Pinterest: Birth Ease Show: Birth Ease

Join us as we discuss your legal and human rights related to pregnancy, birth and parenting. Our guest is Joyce Kimball, a seasoned homebirth midwife as well as experienced birth doula, childbirth educator, homecare nurse and advocate for families.

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive with Certified Professional Midwife, Gayle Eckey to explore all things pregnancy, labor, and birth. Learn the difference between types of midwives, how commonplace midwifery is in other parts of the world, how to choose the best prenatal care for yourself, how to find the best place to birth (home, birth center, hospital) and how to deal with family members that may not be on board.  Make sure to listen through the end for specific advice for dads-to-be!CONNECT WITH US:Email: fiercelyholistic@gmail.comPodcast: @thefiercelyholisticpodcastCiara: @orautritionKristen: @nhhnutritionGayle Eckey: @moontide_communitybirth 

Learn all about what it takes to become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), the skills they possess, and whether or not this kind of midwife might be the best fit for you.  --- https://hearthandhomemidwifery.com 

Back in late February, before all of our lives changed due to a global pandemic, I had the distinct pleasure of talking to Tehmina Islam. She is a Madison based Certified Professional Midwife with a strong passion for consent centered care. We recorded the following conversation, which touched on many things including her unique style of treating pregnant people, their bodies, and their babies. You can find out more about Tehmina and her services at accessmidwiferywi.org. 

Kim Pekin, CPM is an owner of TWO birth centers in Northern Virginia. Listen to her journey of midwifery, motherhood and midwifery. Kim is also a board member of NARM and explains some of the intricacies of CPM licensing. Take a listen to this wonderful, informative interview

This week we dive more into midwives; discussing the Certified Professional Midwife role with Ray Rachlin, CPM.  We'll discuss what drew Ray to this work, the niche they've carved for themselves in the homebirth world in Philadelphia, and the challenges and hopes for the future for CPMs.Support the show (https://www.paypal.me/yourbirthpartners)

Youtube version : https://youtu.be/4pdhV5Y_9as https://motherflytribe.myshopify.com Corina is a Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, and Registered Nurse with 20 years of experience in the field of maternity and newborn care. As a mother of three and founder of Bellymama Midwifery, a private midwifery practice providing compassionate, woman-centered maternity care, Corina knows firsthand the universal struggle that women face in trying to balance motherhood with their careers, their own self-care and their desires for impact and contribution.

In this episode, my friend Carly shares her VBAC experience after having two c-sections, and finding a great provider who was supportive of her wishes! Carly's Birth Story: Carly's first 2 births were 19 months apart and very similar. Healthy pregnancies, in labor on her own before her due date, pushing for a while, then resulting in a c-section due to failure to progress from baby's posterior position. For baby #3, Carly's original OBGYN told her they would no longer support attempting a VBAC after 2 c-sections in a row so she began searching for a provider who would evaluate her 3rd pregnancy on its own merits, not simply because of doctor liability. After finding a doctor who was supportive of Carly's wishes, she was confident about her 3rd pregnancy. At 9 weeks pregnant, Carly experienced a major subchorionic hemorrhage that she was told could result in a miscarriage. Bleeding lasted on and off for roughly 2 weeks and an ultrasound showed that the hemorrhage encompassed more than 50% of her uterine wall. Thankfully, after bed rest, pelvic rest, and no lifting, a followup ultrasound revealed the hemorrhage had dissolved and baby was perfectly healthy! Carly went into labor around 9am in the morning 2 days before her due date. She headed to the hospital wondering how this 3rd birth would end up! After laboring for about 5 hours at the hospital she was ready to push! While pushing for about a half hour, Carly was remembering how she had been to this point before and still ended in a c-section so didn't want to get her hopes too up. But during a contraction while closing her eyes to push as hard as she could she heard her doctor say words she'll never forget: "open your eyes and look at your baby!" Baby Jude came out a happy, healthy, quiet little 7lb 13oz bundle. Everyone in the room was ELATED knowing the previous birth history. Now she wants to share her story more because she struggled to find support and positive stories from other experiences of vaginal births after 2 c-sections.   You can find Carly on social media here:   Website: www.debtfreemom.co Instagram: www.instagram.com/debtfree.mom SPONSOR: This episode was sponsored by Spinning Babies! The word "Spinning" in Spinning Babies® means how babies move through the pelvis to find the most space to come down. What makes birth easier for baby is what makes birth easier for Mom.  Our Spinning Babies® mission is to make physiological birth more accessible to birthing people and providers alike. For instance, we believe that being head down is only half the story. How baby's head enters the top of the pelvis correlates with length of labor and ease of labor. When facing forward a first baby may not be able to rotate for a day or two. We offer daily activities to add comfort in pregnancy now and ease in labor later.   The Daily Essentials video is the easiest way to learn the habits and moves. Starting in mid-pregnancy is ideal.  The Parent Class video or an in-person Parent Class for late pregnancy. The Parent Class video has lots of labor tips and techniques for comfort and also to help labor stay on track to help avoid cesareans simply because baby's not aiming into the pelvis.  Does your doctor or midwife require baby to be head down before labor? Do they do cesarean birth for all breeches? Are you pregnant and hoping to avoid surgery? Then the Helping Your Breech Baby Turn eBook is for you. Prepare for an easier childbirth with this eBook, a self-directed 6-day program for pregnant parents with a breech baby developed by a Certified Professional Midwife. Listeners of Mommy Nurse Labor podcast can use the code mommy15 on the Spinning Babies® online shop for 15% off your purchase of the Helping Your Breech Baby Turn eBook.

On this episode, Sue chats with Doran Richards! Doran's love and passion is helping women see that all phases and cycles of womanhood are blessings to us, God’s way. She has created resources and tools to help women embrace how our Creator has fearfully & wonderfully made their bodies. She is a Certified Professional Midwife serving women and their families through maternity, birth, and postpartum. She also is the author of a curriculum for girls titled Maidens by His Design. She is a speaker and has been to several international locations where she has used her gifts and passion for holistic women’s health. She is also a Shepherd for the Northeast Region for Holy Yoga Instructors. Her yoga training includes: Trauma, Pre/Post Natal, and Yin. She holds a Masters in her yoga certifications.--

In this Premiere episode of Bellies, Baby & Birth, Certified Professional Midwife, Laura Correia joins Amy to talk about the importance of post-partum care for all moms. Episode Highlights;• What is true informed consent? • Gaps in post-partum care in the USA and how we can do better.• What ideal post-partum care can and should look like and what we're doing to help bridge that gap.• How to help women thrive!About Laura: Laura Correia is a Certified Professional Midwife and has been licensed to practice in Arizona since 2015. She works with clients from prenatal care through 6 weeks postpartum. Laura is the Treasurer of the only midwife organization in Arizona, the Arizona Association of Midwives, and has been asked to speak at both Arizona State University and Arizona Christian University on midwifery care and homebirth options. She is blessed to live with her best friend and husband, John, and is mother to 4 kids and 2 kids-in-law. Among her favorite things are: babies, Jesus, and coffee (not necessarily in that order).

In this episode we'll be speaking with Midwife Nicole Pegher about important questions to ask a midwife during an interview. The list of questions can be found here: https://growingslower.com/47-questions-i-should-have-asked-my/   Nicole Cisneros Pegher is a Certified Professional Midwife and a graduate of Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton, Maine, an MEAS Institution. Nicole established South Shore Homebirth & Women’s Wellness in 2015, and has since served scores of families across the South Shore and Cape Cod region. Prior to opening her practice, Nicole spent the summer of 2014 in the Philippines, serving as a midwife in a high-risk, high-volume birth center, and honing her ability to manage complications as they arise in out-of-hospital settings. She has also worked in the Amish community of Pennsylvania, attending birth by gaslight. "If there is one thing that these experiences have taught me,” Nicole says, "it’s that birth is a universal language. No matter a women’s race, religion, sexual orientation or cultural background, women deserve to be respected and supported in birth. It is my honor to be a midwife."

Have you ever considered what it would be like to give birth as intimately as possible?  This certainly may look different for different people.  For example—for me, giving birth as intimately as possible meant having just my husband and best friend/apprentice in the room with me for the majority of my labor, with the rest of my birth team filing in at the very end.  For Shayla and others, this means giving birth completely alone—with just their family at home.  Many people call this unassisted childbirth, or freebirth.  Although I personally love and respect midwifery and the comfort of having a Certified Professional Midwife attend my births, it’s important to acknowledge and recognize that that’s not the only way people choose to give birth at home.  I also find it important to not that unassisted childbirth is legal in all 50 states—whereas the legality for CPMs to attend homebirths varies from state to state.  Annoying? Yes.  But true. Today we speak with Shayla, who has experienced a vast array when it comes to childbirth.  From giving birth at her mother-in-law’s house (a feat in and of itself) to a hospital, to home alone, she’s done it all (and with grace, I might add!).    In the beginning (you’ll get this pun later), Shayla decided to have a homebirth with her first child.  She did this because she didn’t want to deal with the pressures and protocols of the hospital.  Shayla knew she wanted to give birth naturally, and she felt that hospital staff would make her labor more difficult.  She found a student midwife to act as her care provider.    At that time, Shayla knew no one who was giving birth at home.  She’d become more natural in many ways—from learning how to cure a toothache, to fertility support, and now in relation to homebirth.   She went on to have her second baby at home, too, though home had moved from Mississippi to Phoenix, Arizona.    With her third baby, Shayla ended up using a Certified Nurse Midwife in the hospital.  She discusses the lack of African American midwives, and how finding one can be very difficult.  We discussed the fact that Sistamidwife has a directory for these providers.   Although she was able to give birth naturally in the hospital, Shayla acknowledges the difficulty she experienced.  With so many people coming in and out, it was difficult for her to get into the groove of labor.  She found it frustrating that she’d have to have “tiny arguments” with the staff about what she knew she needed for her body.   With her fourth child, she maintained relationship with her CNM.  She went to prenatals regularly, though all the while she planned to give birth to her baby alone with her family at home, assuming she remained healthy. Fortunately, Shayla did remain healthy and confident.    She gave birth to baby #4 on the floor in her front room after her children had gone to bed.  She said that once she began pushing, baby came so fast that her husband almost missed catching him!  Speaking of her husband, Shayla discusses how supportive he was, and how he has always thought she’d be a great candidate for a “freebirth”.   Mentions In this Episode:   Spinning Babies Sista Midwife Sista Girl Midwifery (North Charleston, SC Liberated Birth Movement    Keep up with Shayla:   Website Instagram Facebook Blog   Help out the show: Leave a review on iTunes for a chance to be the reviewer of the week– you’ll be sent a Happy Homebirth sticker if selected! Take a screenshot listening to this episode and add it to your Instagram stories tagging @happyhomebirthpodcast.  We’ll add you to ours and give you a shout out! Support through joining the Patreon community.  Receive tons of exclusive offers as a show contributor!  

“But I would say a lot of intuitive knowing; a lot of deep knowing has sort of been lost. And so it's helpful to remember and to plug back into how we came into being and what is really embedded in our sequence. Because from there are the tools for healing.”     Karen Strange is a Certified Professional Midwife and an instructor at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Basically, her job is to educate midwifes about the latest techniques in birthing children. She also founded a workshop on neonatal resuscitation. But, why would there be an instructor for neonatal resuscitation in a podcast for families with addiction? Well, let our guest tell you the secret around your birth.   To know how to proceed, one must know where he came from. Karen’s words above give a glimpse of why this topic is essential. An individual’s personality is shaped as soon as we breathe life. Learn how one’s conception and birth has a bearing on one’s predisposition to addiction. And even if many unplanned events happened around this time where we didn’t have control, find out how ‘repair’ can still be done in order to attain this elusive healing. Today’s episode will bring you back to your memory that only your infant self can remember.   Get the show notes, transcription and resources mentioned at    http://thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/   Highlights: 04:59 An instructor for Neonatal Resuscitation in a Family with Addiction Podcast 10:53 How the Mother’s Emotional World Shapes Personality 17:33 Two Layers of Support- Essential for Healthy Neonatal Development 22:59 Our Implicit Memory 27:30 Repair of the Unplannned 30:33 The Birth Sequence 37:29 The Pacing Where Healing Occurs 46:20 Aware of How We Are In the Inside

A Certified Professional Midwife talks about fertility, birth options, and more with September Burton from the Colorado Fertility Conference --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cofertilityconference/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cofertilityconference/support

In this episode I chat with Rosemary Loperena, a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) from Aguadilla, PR. Rosemary attended and graduated from Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, OR after first spending 10 years working as an Industrial Engineer. She felt her call to Midwifery while completing her training to become a Licensed Massage Therapist and Doula. Rosemary offers so much wisdom in this episode about navigating birth, particularly in Puerto Rico. She even provides us with a list of resources for childbirth classes, doula services, midwifery care and midwifery education across the island. We dove into how she juggled making an income while in school, working at four different midwifery practices in order to gain all the skills she needed to take the NARM exam, her upcoming trip to Haiti with Mama Baby Haiti, and the tension she feels in serving her beloved community in Puerto Rico and the Latin community in Portland, Oregon. You can support the midwives and mothers giving birth in Haiti on the Mama Baby Haiti website and support Rosemary's trip to Haiti here: https://www.gofundme.com/help-rose-loperena-serve-pregnant-woman-in-haiti. Rosemary is currently enjoying the ocean back home in Puerto Rico, specifically Crashboat Beach, which is a gorgeous strip of coast on the western side of the island, with turquoise blue water and an uber fresh fish shop right on the sand. She's also been into gardening, sleeping (birthworkers, you know!), knitting, playing pingpong, and reading Diana Gabaldon's, The Fiery Cross. You can connect with Rosemary on Facebook and email here at roseloperena@yahoo.com. Links & Resources from the Episode: 1. Debbie Diaz, CPM Escuela Dar a Luz https://escueladaraluz.com 2. Zayelit Budet Meléndez, Childbirth Educator San Juan, PR 3. Mujeres Ayudando Madres (MAM) Child Ed and many other services in the San Juan area http://mujeresayudandomadres.com 4. Heidi Hernández, CNM Childbirth Educator and Midwife in Moca https://www.facebook.com/casaarje/ 5. Gina Dacosta Rivera, CPM Midwife & Childbirth Educator in Manati: GROW Pregnancy & Parenting Center https://www.facebook.com/pg/GrowPPC/about/?ref=page_internal 6. Zally Santos Child Ed and Breastfeeding Support Umanize on FB 7. Yarilis García Ramos, Certified Professional Midwife in Caguas & San Juan, PR https://www.facebook.com/doula.bebe 8. Mumu Marianne Charline, Partera in Cidra, PR https://www.facebook.com/parteramumu/ Would you like to be a guest on the podcast? Email me here and tell me where you live and what you're up to: hello@anjelicamalone.com. You can also connect with me on Instagram or my website www.anjelicamalone.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/anjelica-malone/message

Affectionately dubbed ‘The Combat Midwife’ by the over 10,000 US Army combat medics she has taught throughout the years, Jess, a Certified Professional Midwife, Paramedic, & EMS educator, joins the podcast this week to share tales of catching babies & teaching US service members the best in pre-hospital casualty care.   Follow Jess on instagram @combatmidwife Subscribe, rate, & review Antidotes, Stories in Medicine wherever you listen to podcasts!   Follow us on social media for updates & join our facebook group for exclusive content Facebook www.facebook.com/antidotespodcast/ Instagram www.instagram.com/antidotespodcast/ Twitter @antidotespod Follow Christine on Twitter @christinethenp   Have a story of your own you would like read on the podcast or want to be interviewed by Christine? Send us an email at antidotespodcast@gmail.com Original Music for Antidotes, Stories in Medicine created by fellow Army Medic Peter Hopkins Check out more of Pete’s music on social media at   https://www.petesingsthings.com/ www.instagram.com/pete_sings_things/ www.youtube.com/channel/UCiEniWAPraur5nmlGa2JcVw/videos www.facebook.com/pete.sings.things/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not meant to provide medical advice. Always consult with your own health care professional. Names, locations, times & any other potentially identifying information about cases discussed have been changed to protect privacy.

Jeanne talks about the home versus hospital debate and interviews Certified Professional Midwife, Maria Chowdhury, CPM about home birth and Birthsong Botanicals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conversation with Texas midwife Meredith Braudaway, CPM, LM. We talk about the PEP midwifery training process, how she came to midwifery, her relationships with other midwives, addressing maternal mortality & racism in healthcare, opening Birth and Wellness Center of Arlington, her hurdles and triumphs along the way, and what she's currently loving. You can connect with Meredith at birthandwellnesscenter.com and at @birtharlington on Instagram. Connect with me, Anjelica Malone at anjelicamalone.com and on Instagram at @anjelicamalone. Know a midwife I should interview? Have them email me here: hello(at)anjelicamalone.com. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/anjelica-malone/message

Families Seeking Wellness: Proactive and preventative prenatal care expert that is hands on help for families to have the birth they desire! How does our lifestyle affect birth?   Bio: Heather McCullough, CPM is a midwife and Faculty Educator for CAPPA in 3 programs - Certified Labor Doula (CAPPA), Certified Postpartum Doula (CAPPA) Certified Lactation Educator (CAPPA). She is also a Certified Hypnobabies Instructor, Birthing From Within Mentor, as well as an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor and Professional Member. Heather is also a student of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is a Certified Educator in Acupressure for Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum.   As an educator and midwife for nearly 25 years, she regularly presents to both expecting parents and professionals on current childbirth research. A passionate, experienced, and innovative birth provider for over 25 years, Heather began this work when she was 19. Initially going to pre-med to become an OB-Gyn, she was re-directed to Midwifery and became a Certified Professional Midwife. Heather practiced midwifery in Portland, Oregon. After moving back to the midwest, Heather settled in Chicago, Illinois. As of this writing, Illinois does not offer a license for CPMs. She therefore works as a Doula, Monitrice, and Childbirth Educator, and has supported over 1,400 families.   As owner of 312Doulas.com & HMBirth.com, she has a thriving labor support business Chicagoland, while teaching classes and in-services for families, doulas, and educators.   To make an appointment, call  773.528.8485 or go to CommunityChiropractic.net 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E Chicago, IL 60657   To learn more about Dr. Maj, go to drmaj.com/bundle to receive the digital copy of her book & speaker’s books and resources will be delivered right to your inbox.

Proactive and preventative prenatal care expert that is hands on help for families to have the birth they desire! How does our lifestyle affect birth?   Bio: Heather McCullough, CPM is a midwife and Faculty Educator for CAPPA in 3 programs - Certified Labor Doula (CAPPA), Certified Postpartum Doula (CAPPA) Certified Lactation Educator (CAPPA). She is also a Certified Hypnobabies Instructor, Birthing From Within Mentor, as well as an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor and Professional Member. Heather is also a student of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is a Certified Educator in Acupressure for Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum.   As an educator and midwife for nearly 25 years, she regularly presents to both expecting parents and professionals on current childbirth research. A passionate, experienced, and innovative birth provider for over 25 years, Heather began this work when she was 19. Initially going to pre-med to become an OB-Gyn, she was re-directed to Midwifery and became a Certified Professional Midwife. Heather practiced midwifery in Portland, Oregon. After moving back to the midwest, Heather settled in Chicago, Illinois. As of this writing, Illinois does not offer a license for CPMs. She therefore works as a Doula, Monitrice, and Childbirth Educator, and has supported over 1,400 families.   As owner of 312Doulas.com & HMBirth.com, she has a thriving labor support business Chicagoland, while teaching classes and in-services for families, doulas, and educators.   To make an appointment, call  773.528.8485 or go to CommunityChiropractic.net 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E Chicago, IL 60657   To learn more about Dr. Maj, go to drmaj.com/bundle to receive the digital copy of her book & speaker’s books and resources will be delivered right to your inbox.

Join Zenma as we interview Allison Dougherty, a Certified Professional Midwife within the St. Louis area. Together we chat tips and tools to support mama and baby through pregnancy, labor/delivery and postpartum. Links from the episode: Allison Dougherty at Nurtured Nest Midwifery https://www.facebook.com/nurturednestmidwifery/

Gina Gerboth on The MindMill Podcast Gina Gerboth is a Professional Midwife, Certified Lactation Consultant, and Childbirth Educator.   Today we are with Gina Gerboth; Professional Midwife, Certified Lactation Consultant, and childbirth educator.  Gina is an absolute wealth of knowledge, and has been on the front lines of natural birth advocacy for decades.  Her career as a birth worker has brought her all over the world, where she has absorbed a global view of birthing techniques and surrounding cultural norms.  In this episode, Gina and I discuss the array of options and common pitfalls that new parents face when first becoming pregnant.  We also dive into the life of a birth worker and where birthing professions are heading.  I found this interview fascinating and am so grateful to Gina for providing her insight and time.  So lets get into it, the MindMill Podcast with Gina Gerboth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OpRC0J26_Y&t=1s SHOWNOTES Gina's Bio Gina Gerboth, MPH, RM, CPM, IBCLC is a Certified Professional Midwife (registered in the state of Colorado) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, living in Denver. She has a home birth practice and is also core faculty at Midwives College of Utah. She is married to her high school sweetheart, and is the mother of three sons, two of whom were born at home. When not busy with her practice, teaching, family, or other responsibilities, she enjoys knitting, reading, watching too too much tv, yoga, and long walks on the beach (okay, long walks anyway…). www.midwifegina.com 720-588-4462 gina@midwifegina.com Gina Gerboth on The MindMill Podcast Thanks so much for listening to The MindMill Podcast! For all MindMill Episodes Click Here!  Support The MindMill Podcast. LEAVE A REVIEW!

In this episode we are joined by the women of Welcoming Dawn Midwifery Olympia McCutchan and Tracy Lough Olympia McCutchan is a California Licensed Midwife and a Certified Professional Midwife. Additionally, she is a Wilderness First Responder, Reiki 1 certified, a student herbalist and mid-level Spanish speaker. She is a mother or two children, both born at home with the care of Midwives. She teaches Holistic childbirth education classes and will begin teaching Health classes for children and young adults in the Fall 2018. Her studies have taken her from University in Santa Cruz, CA to a Midwifery apprenticeship in Bristol, Vermont, to a Midwifery clinical residency in El Paso, Texas. Returning to her childhood home of Humboldt County, she has brought midwifery care to both town and rural areas of the county. In total, she has attended over 190 births. Tracy Lough, LM, CPM, is a local home birth midwife with Welcoming Dawn Midwifery. She is owner of the “Birth Yurt” located in Fieldbrook, CA. Tracy meets each birth experience with gentleness, respect and safety while supporting the mother and family's needs and wishes. She was inspired by her own birthing experiences with midwives and has been able to provide a high standard of pregnancy care coupled with a more caring, personal and intimate birth experience. She feels welcomed in as a guest for each birth to ensure mother and baby's safety or is able to provide doula support at the hospital if that is the safest place for a baby to arrive. Tracy offers affordable care because she believes low-risk pregnancies often achieve the best outcome with home birth and every women desiring to have their baby at home with a midwife should have that option. In addition to her midwifery practice, Tracy is able to provide Craniosacral Therapy for mothers and babies, teaches hypnobirthing, offers placenta encapsulation and runs a Waldorf-Inspired Outdoor Nature Preschool on her homestead.

In the U.S., 45.5% of women reported a traumatic birth according to the DSM-IV ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and the Listening To Mother’s III Survey, which includes more than 1500 women, exposed 56% of the participants met the criteria for depression postpartum.(4) These numbers are huge and frightening. Given the vast number of women experience some level of birth trauma, it is vital the new mother finds the support she needs to recover from this experience. In this very important episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Certified Professional Midwife, acclaimed author and speaker Nancy Wainer.  Nancy has been working with the birthing community for over 3 decades and brings deep insight into the healing process many women face after a disappointing or traumatic birth. This conversation is a must hear for any birthing person, new parent, support person or birth worker. In this episode:  What brought Nancy to her path as a midwife. The impact one’s personal view of birth has on an upcoming birth. Traumatic birth – what does that mean? Statistics/data on the frequency of traumatic birth. The “typical” grieving process after a disappointing birth. How the support system and posse aid the new parent in this recovery. Some ways Nancy has assist a woman grieving from a traumatic or disappointing birth. Ways to rebuild her self esteem and empowerment. Ways a person with a prior traumatic birth can prepare for another pregnancy and birth. What birth workers can do to help right after a traumatic birth. What birth workers do to help support a mother having another baby after a traumatic birth About Nancy: Nancy Wainer, CPM, is an internationally known childbirth writer and speaker who coined the term VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean—pronounced “vee-back”), now used all over the world. Her landmark book, Silent Knife: Cesarean Prevention and Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (1983), won critical acclaim. It was chosen as the best book in the field of Health and Medicine by the American Library Association in 1983 and was called “the bible of cesarean prevention” by The Wall Street Journal. Her book Open Season: A Survival Guide for Natural Childbirth and VBAC in the 90s (1991) was touted by Informed Birth and Parenting as “the only book that tells the truth about childbirth in the United States (It fairly sizzles in your hands…).” She is currently working on her third book, titled Birthquake: A Childbirth Book for Strong Women and Women Who Want to Be Strong. Ms. Wainer has a homebirth practice. She studied midwifery at The Birth Center in Dearborn, Michigan, at Casa de Nacimiento in El Paso, Texas, and with the International School of Midwifery in Kingston, Jamaica. She then completed a two-year apprenticeship in Boston. She taught midwifery students for the Massachusetts Basic and Advanced Midwifery courses and was a preceptor for Hands of Light Midwifery Training. She trains student/apprentice midwives. She is a certified doula and was a La Leche League leader for many years. She is the director of Birth Day, which provides midwifery care, childbirth education and labor support for pregnant women. Ms. Wainer has three grown children and lives in the Boston area. http://www.birthdaymidwifery.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are a family who has struggled with getting pregnant or are in a same-sex relationship, the conversation of surrogacy may have come up. There are so many parts to the surrogacy journey that you may not know where to start. Susan Taylor of Taylor Made Midwifery has joined us to talk about her experience as a surrogate and walks us through the process of finding or becoming a surrogate. About Susan Susan Taylor is a Certified Professional Midwife and Licensed Midwife serving the DFW area. She specializes in VBACs, waterbirth, and surrogacy. She is also the Surrogate Outreach and Support Coordinator for Family Source Consultants. As a two time Gestational Surrogate, Susan enjoys meeting with aspiring surrogates and potential Intended Parents and educating the community on Gestational Surrogacy. Susan is especially passionate about helping LGBTQ families either through midwifery care or surrogacy. Her most recent surrogate baby was for a same sex couple in Spain. Outside of work, Susan is married to her best friend, Chris, and they have four children who keep them very busy. When she’s not catching babies or helping create families through surrogacy, she can be found volunteering with the high school band, where her son is a percussionist, or cheering on her cheerleading daughter or watching her youngest sons master karate. Follow Susan www.taylormademidwifery.com Www.familysourcesurrogacy.com Men Having Babies: www.menhavingbabies.org If you would like to link my most recent surrogacy birth film: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wX0xz4cx6IY

Sarah Moore is a Certified Professional Midwife. We talked to her about her own story of going through the conventional birth process with her first 2 children, the changes that happened for her to choose to have a home birth for her third, and the path that brought her to becoming a midwife herself. She also has some great thoughts on breast feeding. Sarah is also really cool. You will enjoy this. The Restoring Human Podcast is brought to you by Great River Family Chiropractic. Visit http://www.greatriverfamilychiropractic.com/restoringhuman/ to receive a FREE chiropractic consultation.

In today's podcast, we talk about the types of different home birth midwives in the U.S. This podcast will prep you to attend the free public webinar all about the evidence on home birth. To register for the webinar (only available through May 8, 2018), visit https://ebbirth.com/homebirthwebinar To learn more about the EBB Professional Membership, visit https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/ and visit EBB PDF library here:  http://evidencebasedbirthacademy.com/dashboard/pdf-library/   Here are the references we used to create today's podcast: American College of Nurse Midwives (2017). Comparison of Certified Nurse-Midwives, Certified Midwives, Certified Professional Midwives. Accessed online April 4, 2018. Available at: http://www.midwife.org/index.asp?bid=59&cat=12&button=Search&rec=254 The Big Push for Midwives (2018). CPMs Legal Status by State. Accessed online April 4, 2018. Available at: http://pushformidwives.nationbuilder.com/cpms_legal_status_by_state MacDorman, M. F. and Declercq, E. (2016). "Trends and Characteristics of United States Out-of-Hospital Births 2004-2014: New Information on Risk Status and Access to Care." Birth 43(2): 116-124. Click here. Midwives Alliance of North America (2016). About Midwives: Types of Midwives. Accessed online April 4, 2018. Available at: https://mana.org/about-midwives/types-of-midwife. Marzalik, P. R., Feltham, K. J., Jefferson, K., et al. (2018). "Midwifery education in the U.S. - Certified Nurse-Midwife, Certified Midwife and Certified Professional Midwife." Midwifery 60: 9-12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29471175

Emily Stevenson offers inclusive care for all families and individuals, including fertility, conception, prenatal, homebirth, postpartum, lactation and doula services. Emily offers her services not just as a Certified Professional Midwife but as a Queer Certified Professional Midwife. She recently worked with Haitian midwives at the MamaBaby Haiti Birth Center. Prior to becoming a midwife, Emily spent several years as a doula and trained in emergency medical services.  Pregnant persons have a right to be treated with respect and dignity during labor and child birth.  This is especially important to LGBTQ families that also exist outside cisgender and heteronormative worldviews. LGBTQ families might have a hard time within the healthcare system because of seemingly simple things like the language we use when taking a history, lack of social support, and discrimination from providers and other healthcare staff.  Midwives often meet people at their most vulnerable. A young woman may be coming in for her first annual exam, or a pregnant woman is coming in for prenatal care. Women come from different walks of life, and Midwives strive to give compassionate care to everyone.

If you freeze, shy away from, feel numb or disconnected from pleasure, this episode is for you.   In episode 11, April Kline and I talk about how we can explode our blocks to pleasure simply by connecting and listening to our body.   As a body worker, April points out that we are conditioned to stray away from what doesn't feel good in the body as much as we stray from what does feel good.   We've all been taught that our bodies are something to be ashamed of, to fear, to not trust…that the body's pleasure is sinful even. But in today's conversation, we explore the alternative view – what if the body is a portal to everything we ever wanted? What if pleasure ultimately leads us to our highest good?   We discuss why it is that we're terrified of our own multiorgasmic potential and ecstatic nature and how our powerful sexual nature is a threat to society. We discuss why we freeze instead of flow and how completing stress cycles can help us get past our own blocks to pleasure.   April is an intuitive bodyworker with an extensive background in therapeutic massage, Craniosacral Therapy, SomatoEmotional Release, birth trauma release, Therapeutic Touch and Myofascial Release. She has studied with the Upledger Institute, the Ohashi Shiatsu Institute and is also a Reiki Master and Teacher. April is certified in prenatal massage, newborn and infant massage and is a Certified Professional Midwife and Doula.   She teaches at the Midwives College of Utah in the undergrad and graduate departments and wrote and runs inBalance, a 28-day program that helps people balance their hormones which can help heal their guts, remove brain fog, reduce systemic inflammation, find their ideal weight and regain energy and vitality.   April truly believes that health is wealth. She practices what she preaches by purposefully nourishing herself everyday with healthy food, daily prayer/meditation, regular massage and doing work that she loves.   Mentions:   Peter Levine Clarissa Pinkola Estes – Women Who Run With the Wolves   You can find and connect with April at: www.aprilkline.com   Sign up for my free online training, 5 Days to Exquisite Connected Sex for Couples at bit.ly/Connectedsex

Guest:  Karen Strange is a Certified Professional Midwife, American Academy of Pediatrics/Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor. In this episode, we will cover: In pregnancy, you are not just building a body. You are developing your baby’s brain, nervous system and temperament How to slow and down regulate your own nervous system so that your baby is not exposed to prolonged stress in-utero The importance of the “breast crawl” immediately after birth and how it helps heal birth trauma (for both your baby and you) Resources mentioned in the conversation: Karen Strange’s website: KarenStrange.com Link to her “Simple Tools for Mothers” article Link to the webinar about the Breast Crawl (use discount code: DRJAY for 50% off) About Karen Strange: Karen H. Strange is a Certified Professional Midwife (1996), American Academy of Pediatrics/Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor (1992). Karen is founder of the Integrative Resuscitation of the Newborn workshop, which includes the physiology of newborn transition, evidence-based studies having to do with neonatal resuscitation, and the “When, Why and How” to provide neonatal resuscitation in the least traumatic way. She is known for her emphasis on the baby's experience of birth and tools for healing when things do not go as planned. Karen has done over 900 hours of debrief/case reviews with birth professionals regarding resuscitation and constantly updates her material with new information. She has taught over 8,500 people worldwide. Karen recently released a new webinar series as well as video clips and resources all available on her website, KarenStrange.com.

On Episode 143 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, co-hosts Tesi and Leslie dig back into the archives for an interview with Tara Livesay, a native Minnesotan who has spent the last 10 years living with her family in Haiti. Tara is a mother (by birth and adoption), Certified Professional Midwife, blogger, and advocate for sustainable change throughout the developing world. She and the team at Heartline Ministries spend their days empowering, educating, and encouraging women in Haiti through relational midwifery and a focus on keeping first families together. Tesi and Leslie loved the time spent with Tara and were blown away by her vulnerability, bravery, and extraordinarily good humor. Listeners will enjoy hearing Tara's fascinating tales of worth, wisdom, and a life well-lived (in Haiti!)... and may even be inspired to think about social change and the ways that they can make waves in their own small corner of the world. For complete Show Notes, visit the MBD website.

 You walk into the frozen custard shop and are immediately overwhelmed by the choices. There is cherry chocolate chunk. There is cherry chunky mocha. There is mocha frappe and also plain old strawberry and vanilla. But who chooses vanilla? That would be madness. Instead, you have to find a way to sort through the seventy-five taste-bud exploding flavors.  There is no real organization of the flavors, but to make a clear decision you must somehow organize them in your head. So you sort them. Flavors with chocolate. You like chocolate, so you decide to look at those flavors. They have chocolate fudge chunk, or german chocolate, or maybe even just plain old chocolate. But that's beside the point, because you just noticed a vanilla gummy bear flavor. Who puts gummy bears in their ice cream? Doesn't that make the gummy bears hard and less, well, gummy? It kind of defeats the purpose of the candy, because part of the joy of the gummy bear is the texture itself. Its texture changes when exposed to extreme temperatures. At higher temperatures, the gummy bears melt, and at lower temperatures the gummy bears harden. Such a mad, mad world we live in. Why were you here again and why is that person staring at you while holding a tiny pink spoon? Oh, that's right. Josh was desperately trying to create a metaphor that could let an audience relate to what it feels like to know absolutely nothing about childbirth and being thrust into a medical system built to extract your child from you or your partner's womb. You can walk into a hospital one day and come out with a child the next. Really, they just let you take them home. You do not know what decisions to make at the hospital. You do not know what your rights are. You do not even know if they have seventy-five flavors of frozen yogurt at this hospital. This could be a problem. Luckily there are people like Jen Jester called "Doulas". They educate and advocate and oh so much more for their clients while they are preparing for and going through the process of childbirth. About our Guest:   Jen Jester of Birth Wisely Doula Services – and in the near future, midwifery services! Jen Jester is an experienced doula that has served over 300 St. Louis families over the last 13 years. Jen is currently finishing her Bachelor of Science in Midwifery, and hopes to earn her Certified Professional Midwife credential early next year. Previously, she served families as a certified childbirth educator for 6 years. Jen understands that few experiences can be as empowering and rewarding as realizing your body's full potential to bring life into the world. Jen’s clients receive customized care, and are encouraged to make informed decisions based upon their unique labor experience in the hospital, birth center, or home. Jen believes that a birthing family, during the preparation for and process of giving birth, deserve emotional and physical support, guidance, choice, advocacy, and respect.   About Us: Angela Skurtu is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an AASECT certified sex therapist. She is a published author, with her second book releasing in February. We are now livestreaming episodes on youtube a week before the podcast episodes come out. If you just can't wait to listen, the livestream goes out a week before the podcast releases. Check us out at our new YouTube Channel. Visit us at: www.aboutsexpodcast.com Get marriage therapy and sex therapy in the St Louis area with Angela Skurtu LMFT M.Ed, a Licensed Marriage and Sex therapist at: www.therapistinstlouis.com Also, we have facebooks and twitters and all that stuff, but if you read this far i seriously doubt you have time to read any more. Facebook: Angela Skurtu LMFT, M. Ed, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Joshua Skurtu   Get marriage therapy and sex therapy in the St Louis area with Angela Skurtu LMFT M.Ed, a Licensed Marriage and Sex therapist at: www.therapistinstlouis.com Also, we have facebooks and twitters and all that stuff, but if you read this far i seriously doubt you have time to read any more. Facebook: Angela Skurtu LMFT, M. Ed, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Joshua Skurtu

Alayna Spratley of The Nurturing Root's Ohio office chats with us about the importance of building a birth team that supports the birth you want to have. Topics include: OB vs. midwife, hospital vs. home birth, doulas, chiropractic & more.  Delivering Strength Podcast | Real talk about pregnancy, birth and postpartum health. | www.deliveringstrength.com  Show Notes: 1:10 – Introduction to today’s topic 1:40 – Introduction to Alayna Spratley of The Nurturing Root 4:05 – How does someone determine where to birth and what are our options here in NEO? How does someone pick the right thing for them? 6:55 – When you’re in those locations, who are the different types of practitioners? (Obstetrician in a hospital setting, Certified Nurse Midwife in a hospital setting, or Direct Entry Midwife or Certified Professional Midwife at home) 7:52 – Prenatal care for each of these providers 9:37 – Prenatal care providers vs birth care providers 10:32 – Midwifery assistants 11:20 – Who else can/should be at your birth? 12:35 – What is a doula? 13:55 – How much do doulas cost in Northeast Ohio? 15:23 – Questions to ask doulas when interviewing? 17:45 – Where is the best place to find doulas? Cleveland Natural Parenting – Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ClevelandNaturalParenting/ doulamatch.net 19:45 – Other care providers to consider as part of your birth team Chiropractors 23:33 – Massage therapist 27:15 – Acupuncturist 30:35 – Preparing your birth partner for birth 34:35 – Are doulas becoming more popular in Northeast Ohio? 35:50 – Benefits of a doula 37:56 – Doulas for medicated vs unmedicated 39:40 – Doulas at home vs in hospitals 41:30 – How are you Delivering Strength to the community? 42:25 – About The Nurturing Root Website – thenurturingrootohio.com Power Provider directory Facebook – facebook.com/thenurturingroot Instagram – instagram.com/thenurturingroot 44:15  – Find Us Online: Website – www.deliveringstrength.com Facebook – www.facebook.com/deliveringstrength Instagram – www.instagram.com/deliveringstrength Facebook Community - www.facebook.com/groups/DeliveringStrength/

Today I so enjoyed chatting with local midwife, Chelsea Fredlund.  Chelsea is a Licensed Midwife and Certified Professional Midwife at Placerville Midwifery. Her practice offers full-scale midwifery care for women who choose to birth at home, including prenatal visits, home birth, and postpartum visits. She also offers Birthing from Within childbirth education classes for clients and other families planning a natural childbirth in or out of the hospital.  She is mom to one 4 ½ year old girl named Mariah and currently lives in Placerville, CA with her daughter and husband. In her episode we chat about: How nice it can be to come in and out of birth work while parenting young kids Having her partner home for 3 months after birth Her process of going from being a doula to a midwife in recent years The importance of nutrition and exercise during pregnancy Nursing challenging Shifting your lifestyle around sleep A "good" baby is not a sleepy baby The difference between midwifery (particularly home birth midwifery) care and hospital care Ways that you can use a midwife both for prenatal and postpartum, even if you plan to birth in a hospital The importance of emotional support around your own parenting decisions during postpartum Be ready to shift expectations! This episode of the postpartum Podcast is sponsored by ICON UNDIES. Did you know that 1 in 3 women experience little bladder leaks when they run, jump, sneeze, or laugh? This is especially true for new moms. But because of Icon, You don't have to worry!  Their undies feel like a regular, beautiful pair of underwear, but can hold up to 6 teaspoons of liquid without the bulky, bunchy plasticy feel of a pantyliner.  Icon is also offering listeners of the podcast $5 off your order with code postpartum at checkout.  *** As always, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on iTunes here. Your reviews really help the show out because they allow it to be more visible so that we can reach more moms.  Do you shop on Amazon?  Use this link and do your shopping as you always would and the show will get a teeny tiny kickback.  The podcast is also sponsored by Audible.com.  To get your FREE audiobook and 30-day trial, please go tohttp://www.audibletrial.com/postpartum    You can also support the show by becoming a patron on Patreon.  No donation is too small, for as little as $1 per episode, you can make a huge difference for the show.  Click here to learn more.  Thank you SO much for your support!

Join Jeanne Madrid, Certified Professional Midwife and Mildred M. Tassone, Certified in Google Analytics and a part of several Google Partner programs. Website for References for Mark and Jeanne: bit.ly/madridwebsite Donate to Mark: bit.ly/markdonations Website for Mildred: mildredtassone.com Facebook.com  

Guest: Rachelle Garcia Seliga, mother, wife and Certified Professional Midwife whose work is dedicated to midwifing a cultural shift that honors our innate wisdom, personal authority and the sanctity of Life. She is the creator of INNATE Postpartum Care; a Certification Training for birth and health care professionals based upon postpartum physiology and the primal continuum. In this episode, we will cover: how similar the 40 days of ritual post-partum care across the world is and how it can be incorporated into this day and age how the loss of the ceremonious recognition of the woman's transition into motherhood contributes to post-partum depression how women need the traditions of midwifery care and ceremonial work to come back in western prenatal and post-partum care for healthier birth and healthier family life Resources mentioned in the conversation: Rachelle's website: www.InnateTraditions.com Bio: About Rachelle Garcia Seliga Rachelle Garcia Seliga, is a mother, wife and Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Rachelle's work is dedicated to midwifing a cultural shift that honors our innate wisdom, personal authority and the sanctity of Life.   Rachelle sees women as the Soul of the people, and so she works with women with the understanding that healthy, thriving women mean healthy, thriving families, communities and world. She has a holistic well-woman care practice where she offers preventative and curative care to women, and she is the creator of INNATE Postpartum Care; a Certification Training for birth and health care professionals based upon postpartum physiology and the primal continuum. www.InnateTraditions.com

On Episode 35 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, co-hosts Tesi and Leslie interview Tara Livesay, a native Minnesotan who has spent the last 10 years living with her family in Haiti. Tara is a mother (by birth and adoption), Certified Professional Midwife, blogger, and advocate for sustainable change throughout the developing world. She and the team at Heartline Ministries spend their days empowering, educating, and encouraging women in Haiti through relational midwifery and a focus on keeping first families together. Tesi and Leslie loved the time spent with Tara and were blown away by her vulnerability, bravery, and extraordinarily good humor. Listeners will enjoy hearing Tara's fascinating tales of worth, wisdom, and a life well-lived (in Haiti!) ... and may even be inspired to think about social change and the ways that they can make waves in their own small corner of the world. For complete Show Notes, head to www.mamabeardarespodcast.com.

Kathi has been a practicing midwife since 1992 and a Certified Professional Midwife since 1997. She is the founder of Dance of Life Midwifery and has served on the board of the Michigan Midwives Association for many years (six years as president) and is a member of the international organization Midwives Alliance. Kathi has 3 grown daughters […] The post Kathi Mulder, Dance of Life Midwifery appeared first on Fulfillament Stories.

Anjelica Malone is a Certified Professional Midwife, Clinical Herbalist, and Certified Lactation Educator Counselor. This former third culture kid (TCK), is currently raising two bilingual TCKs with her husband Brett. Her global upbringing has deeply influenced her philosophy on family, work, and parenting. Her passion for birthwork began in 2010 while serving as a mentor in New York to pregnant refugee women. In this episode, you will certainly how her mobile childhood prepared for a mobile adult life. Anjelica shares the differences she's noticed living in Europe, the U.S. and U.S. territories. You'll hear why she and her family now call Puerto Rico home and the work that she's doing with her business, Sol Midwifery and Wellness , a homebirth, lactation, and botanical medicine practice.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-global-chatter/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Rachelle Garcia Seliga is a Mother, Wife and Certified Professional Midwife, with 18 years experience working within the realms of holistic women's health care. She is the creator and director of INNATE Postpartum Care Trainings; a system of postpartum education for birth and health care providers rooted in the truth that: Maternal Health is Foundational to Humanity's Health. Rachelle is Co-Founder of Starseed Root School of Traditional Healing, a revillaging project and educational center in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. All of Rachelle's work is dedicated to midwifing a cultural shift of Thriving Life. Rachelle is a wealth of knowledge and there is no way to encapsulate her work in just one interview. I felt very called to connect with her on her feelings through this active portal of change we all find ourselves in (COVID/ Awakening). To hear more of her incredible back story and life’s journey please go listen to two of my favorite womens’ podcasts – Medicine Stories ~ with Amber Magnolia Hill, Episode #61 ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/61-revillaging-maternal-cultural-planetary-wellness/id1317478907?i=1000461484470 ) and MagaMama Podcast ~ with Kimberly Ann Johnson 2 ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep93-rachelle-garcia-seliga-on-birth-postpartum-death/id1286485146?i=1000471110208 ) Episodes found on April 8, 2019 & April 10, 2020. Her Innate Postpartum Care Online Training ( https://www.innatetraditions.com/ ) sign-up ends July 26th so please look into her training soon if you are called to delve deeply into this training for the Fall. “The dysfunction and disharmony within our human environments is manifesting through the vulnerable bodies of postpartum women. In fact it is through the bodies of mothers that humanity is being alerted to the urgency of our collective need for change.” In this episode of Mother the Mother: * What it looks like to normalize the emotions that mothers’ face * Panic and fear in the collective & moving toward a healed reality * Trusting your internal guidance and dropping the need to be liked * How to become aware and begin healing ancestral trauma * Words of wisdom for pregnant and postpartum mommas * Teaching your children about body awareness & modeling self-respect Follow Rachelle: * innatetraditions.com ( http://www.innatetraditions.com ) * IG: @innatetraditions ( https://www.instagram.com/innatetraditions/?hl=en ) * Listen: Medicine Stories with Amber Magnolia Hill, Episode #61 ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/61-revillaging-maternal-cultural-planetary-wellness/id1317478907?i=1000461484470 ) ; MagaMama Podcast with Kimberly Ann Johnson Ep 93 ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep93-rachelle-garcia-seliga-on-birth-postpartum-death/id1286485146?i=1000471110208 ) This show is produced by Soulfire Productions ( http://soulfireproductionsco.com/ )