Podcasts about Midwife

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. It’s been a few weeks since I recorded a live episode, and here I am. Now, I don’t have any particular Gnostic insights for you today. However, I do have some interesting news to share and a very strange experience I had a couple of days ago. So, let’s start with the news. One of the reasons I don’t have a new episode for you this week, in particular a philosophical episode, is because I’ve been working on a stage play called A Midwife’s Trial. I wrote this play about 15 years ago, and I pulled it out of the drawer a couple weeks ago and decided to polish it and get it on its feet. I went with a friend to a little theater a few weeks ago, and they were putting on 12 Angry Men. Now, if you’ve never seen the movie 12 Angry Men, the original, there’s a newer movie, really bad, but the old classic movie starring Henry Fonda and 11 other very well-known actors of the black and white movie era—it’s a great movie. You should see it. It’s the story of the jurors in a deliberation room. They’ve just watched a trial, and they’re in the deliberation room. The entire movie or play takes place around the deliberation table, and they are the 12 Angry Men, the jury. My play is also a trial story, but it’s the trial side of it, so it makes like a nice bookend to 12 Angry Men. So, that’s why it reminded me to get my play back out and try it again. I had sent it around to play festivals and whatnot about 15 years ago. It made one final round, but didn’t win any prizes, so I put it away. It’s based upon my doctoral dissertation, The Trial of a California Midwife, and it is an enactment of actual trial testimony from a couple of midwives, an obstetrician, and then the two attorneys, one for the prosecution and one for the defense, and of course the judge. Those are all the characters. And then it cuts back and forth to a reenactment of this difficult birth that is the subject of the trial. So, it’s a very interesting play. I think it’s fascinating personally, and I’m hoping that audiences will too. I went ahead and contacted the creative director of the theater where I watched 12 Angry Men, and he says, yeah, sounds good. We’ll get you on the schedule for August. So, now it looks like I’m going to have a stage play staged in the town of Phoenix, Oregon. It’s between Ashland and Medford in southern Oregon. I’m going to produce and direct the play myself, which means that for the first time in my theater experience, I will have the power of casting, which is very exciting as well. Anyway, so that’s a little piece of exciting news for me, but it’s been taking up my mind and it’s been taking up my writing time. So, that’s my excuse for not having any new Gnostic Insights episodes for you. And if you live in the southern Oregon area or northern California, I do hope you will come and see the play. I’m also in the process of having the Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth children’s book turned into an animated video. That’s very exciting. I got together with a fellow on LinkedIn, and he’s done a great job of animating these still pictures that are in the children’s book. So, we’re in the final polishing stage of that also. That should be available before too long on YouTube or wherever I can figure out it should go. Logos Falls What I mainly want to tell you about today is a very strange experience I had this week, day before yesterday. In November, my insurance coverage changed, and my primary care provider was not going to be covered by the insurance company that I had been with. So, I had to look for a new primary care provider, and it just so happens I don’t live very far from the VA hospital in White City, Oregon. It used to be an Army base in World War II, and then they changed it into a Veterans Administration hospital. And, by the way, part of the reason I linked into them, is because I actually live in one of the barracks from White City. My historic home is two parts. Half of the house is an 1875 farmhouse. That’s a two-story farmhouse, and I rent out that part of the house as an Airbnb rental, and it can accommodate parties of six pretty easily. The other side of my house is a set of Army barracks that were stuck onto the farmhouse around 1949, after the war was over, and White City was disassembling itself as an Army base, and people bought the old barracks as scrap lumber. So, the man that lived in my house in the 1940s bought two Army barracks and stuck them on the side of this farmhouse, and I live in one of those Army barracks. The other barracks is the garage. I like living in the barracks. It’s a very nice space, very cabin-y feeling, built in the 1930s, all local wood. So, I signed up with the VA to be my primary care physicians, and I have to tell you, very nice people. I’ve been to a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, and a primary care person there at the VA over the last couple of months. All three of them from other countries. That’s kind of funny to me. From Bulgaria, from Sri Lanka, and I didn’t even ask where the acupuncturist is from, but he sounds Eastern European. Very nice people and very competent care providers. Well, anyway, back to the weird part of the story. Day before yesterday, I went out to White City, my first appointment with their chiropractor. The VA hospital complex there, is made up of old two-story brick buildings. I think they probably replaced what must have been earlier wooden buildings when World War II was going on, and so these are really boring-looking boxes of brick buildings, two-story boxes, and they’re all right near each other and connected by corridors or breezeways. My appointment was in the upper floor of building 209, but you enter through the lower floor of 201, and there are like eight buildings you’ve got to get through to get to 209, and they’re all connected. That’s the way you get to building 209. The parking lot’s in front of building 201. So, I had brought a book with me, a library book, a very good library book that I’m enjoying reading that my brother Bill had recommended. He’s loving it. It’s called Culpability, and it’s about a car crash and who was at fault. Very well written and philosophical at the same time, and it includes AI and all kinds of stuff, self-driving automobiles and whatnot. So, I wanted to bring the book with me to read in the waiting room. Not that I’ve ever had to wait, because here’s the peculiar thing about this VA facility that I’ve been going to—I seem to be the only patient. It’s like I’m in one of those Reddit spaces called Mall World or Liminal Spaces, if any of you have ever been into any of those types of Reddit discussion groups, because there’s hardly any patients. Then the only people I see as I’m walking, and it takes, honestly, it takes about 20 minutes or a half hour to get from where I walk in to get back there to the chiropractor’s office. Maybe I saw three patients in all of that time. Corridor after corridor after corridor with empty waiting rooms, and the only people you see is glancing into office rooms, on the right and left, where people are working at their computers on whatever the heck they’re working on, because I never see patients there. It’s very strange. So, that in itself is very much like this place called Liminal Space or Mall World on Reddit. Anyway, I had brought my dog. He was waiting for me in the car. He’s a small dog, and so he has basically a high chair set up in the passenger seat, and he sits there to be able to see out the window as we drive along. Well, I know he likes to get in the driver’s seat and lay down when I’m doing errands and out of the car, so I set my book down on the roof of the car and straightened out a towel on the driver’s seat, and then I went into the building. Now, I lost the book somewhere. It’s a library book. I lost a library book. I don’t know if I left it on the roof of the car or if somewhere between 201 and 209. I did use a ladies room, and it had a couple of stalls in there, and it had a window with windowsill. I didn’t want to leave my purse out there on the windowsill, but I didn’t mind leaving the library book on the windowsill, so I took the purse into the stall with me, and then I came out. And by the time I got to the chiropractor’s office—of course, I was the only patient there—I didn’t have the book anymore. At first I thought I’d left it on the roof of the car when I was straightening the towel for the dog, so I said to the corpsman who was helping the chiropractor, oh darn, I left my book on the roof of the car. I hope nobody steals it. When the appointment was over and I made my long way back to the car, there was no book on the roof of the car, so either someone had stolen it, I figured, or I had left it in the bathroom on the windowsill instead. I wasn’t sure whether I left it on… I know I set it on the roof of the car, but perhaps I picked it up and took it into the bathroom. So I went back into the building and attempted to retrace my steps between 201 and 209 to look for, first, the stairwell I had taken—and that’s another thing that figures in these liminal spaces stories–stairwells. The stairwell I had taken from the first floor to the second floor in one of those buildings, I don’t know which one, had yellow daisies. It was a yellow flower motif painted on the stairwell walls. All of the stairwells have different motifs. So I was looking for the yellow stairwell that I took to the second floor and I couldn’t find it. So I went back and forth all this time looking for that yellow stairwell, couldn’t find it, and I’m passing through these empty hallways, and when I say there were very few patients, the weird thing about White City VA, of course, is that it seems that most of the patients that I’ve seen there are Vietnam or Korean veterans because they’re very elderly and usually in wheelchairs or walkers. I myself am not a spring chicken, but I can walk pretty good. Well, anyway, so that’s the other weird thing about it. The only people you see are elderly. So I’m looking for the yellow stairwell. I can’t find it, and I opened all those doors. I could not find the right ladies room, either, and I, of course, didn’t see the book. So I spent probably an hour and a half combing the hallways of 201-209 looking for a stairwell I couldn’t find and looking for a restroom I couldn’t find and looking for this book that I lost. But here’s the weird thing about the whole experience—I mean, I spent all this time—it was just like a dream. I do have a repetitive dream where I’m searching for something that I can’t find. So I thought to myself, oh my god, this is just like my dream, only it was for real. And it’s true. I couldn’t find it. Here’s how I would characterize it: I lost an object day before yesterday in a very confusing place in a room that I could not locate accessed by a stairwell that apparently doesn’t exist. So that was one weird experience. I wanted to share that with you for some reason. I figured, oh no, this is really going to trigger my dream, but I haven’t had that dream in the last two days. I just had the actual experience. If this prompts anything in you, please share it with us. I’d love to hear back from you. God bless us all, and onward and upward.

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. It’s been a few weeks since I recorded a live episode, and here I am. Now, I don’t have any particular Gnostic insights for you today. However, I do have some interesting news to share and a very strange experience I had a couple of days ago. So, let’s start with the news. One of the reasons I don’t have a new episode for you this week, in particular a philosophical episode, is because I’ve been working on a stage play called A Midwife’s Trial. I wrote this play about 15 years ago, and I pulled it out of the drawer a couple weeks ago and decided to polish it and get it on its feet. I went with a friend to a little theater a few weeks ago, and they were putting on 12 Angry Men. Now, if you’ve never seen the movie 12 Angry Men, the original, there’s a newer movie, really bad, but the old classic movie starring Henry Fonda and 11 other very well-known actors of the black and white movie era—it’s a great movie. You should see it. It’s the story of the jurors in a deliberation room. They’ve just watched a trial, and they’re in the deliberation room. The entire movie or play takes place around the deliberation table, and they are the 12 Angry Men, the jury. My play is also a trial story, but it’s the trial side of it, so it makes like a nice bookend to 12 Angry Men. So, that’s why it reminded me to get my play back out and try it again. I had sent it around to play festivals and whatnot about 15 years ago. It made one final round, but didn’t win any prizes, so I put it away. It’s based upon my doctoral dissertation, The Trial of a California Midwife, and it is an enactment of actual trial testimony from a couple of midwives, an obstetrician, and then the two attorneys, one for the prosecution and one for the defense, and of course the judge. Those are all the characters. And then it cuts back and forth to a reenactment of this difficult birth that is the subject of the trial. So, it’s a very interesting play. I think it’s fascinating personally, and I’m hoping that audiences will too. I went ahead and contacted the creative director of the theater where I watched 12 Angry Men, and he says, yeah, sounds good. We’ll get you on the schedule for August. So, now it looks like I’m going to have a stage play staged in the town of Phoenix, Oregon. It’s between Ashland and Medford in southern Oregon. I’m going to produce and direct the play myself, which means that for the first time in my theater experience, I will have the power of casting, which is very exciting as well. Anyway, so that’s a little piece of exciting news for me, but it’s been taking up my mind and it’s been taking up my writing time. So, that’s my excuse for not having any new Gnostic Insights episodes for you. And if you live in the southern Oregon area or northern California, I do hope you will come and see the play. I’m also in the process of having the Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth children’s book turned into an animated video. That’s very exciting. I got together with a fellow on LinkedIn, and he’s done a great job of animating these still pictures that are in the children’s book. So, we’re in the final polishing stage of that also. That should be available before too long on YouTube or wherever I can figure out it should go. Logos Falls What I mainly want to tell you about today is a very strange experience I had this week, day before yesterday. In November, my insurance coverage changed, and my primary care provider was not going to be covered by the insurance company that I had been with. So, I had to look for a new primary care provider, and it just so happens I don’t live very far from the VA hospital in White City, Oregon. It used to be an Army base in World War II, and then they changed it into a Veterans Administration hospital. And, by the way, part of the reason I linked into them, is because I actually live in one of the barracks from White City. My historic home is two parts. Half of the house is an 1875 farmhouse. That’s a two-story farmhouse, and I rent out that part of the house as an Airbnb rental, and it can accommodate parties of six pretty easily. The other side of my house is a set of Army barracks that were stuck onto the farmhouse around 1949, after the war was over, and White City was disassembling itself as an Army base, and people bought the old barracks as scrap lumber. So, the man that lived in my house in the 1940s bought two Army barracks and stuck them on the side of this farmhouse, and I live in one of those Army barracks. The other barracks is the garage. I like living in the barracks. It’s a very nice space, very cabin-y feeling, built in the 1930s, all local wood. So, I signed up with the VA to be my primary care physicians, and I have to tell you, very nice people. I’ve been to a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, and a primary care person there at the VA over the last couple of months. All three of them from other countries. That’s kind of funny to me. From Bulgaria, from Sri Lanka, and I didn’t even ask where the acupuncturist is from, but he sounds Eastern European. Very nice people and very competent care providers. Well, anyway, back to the weird part of the story. Day before yesterday, I went out to White City, my first appointment with their chiropractor. The VA hospital complex there, is made up of old two-story brick buildings. I think they probably replaced what must have been earlier wooden buildings when World War II was going on, and so these are really boring-looking boxes of brick buildings, two-story boxes, and they’re all right near each other and connected by corridors or breezeways. My appointment was in the upper floor of building 209, but you enter through the lower floor of 201, and there are like eight buildings you’ve got to get through to get to 209, and they’re all connected. That’s the way you get to building 209. The parking lot’s in front of building 201. So, I had brought a book with me, a library book, a very good library book that I’m enjoying reading that my brother Bill had recommended. He’s loving it. It’s called Culpability, and it’s about a car crash and who was at fault. Very well written and philosophical at the same time, and it includes AI and all kinds of stuff, self-driving automobiles and whatnot. So, I wanted to bring the book with me to read in the waiting room. Not that I’ve ever had to wait, because here’s the peculiar thing about this VA facility that I’ve been going to—I seem to be the only patient. It’s like I’m in one of those Reddit spaces called Mall World or Liminal Spaces, if any of you have ever been into any of those types of Reddit discussion groups, because there’s hardly any patients. Then the only people I see as I’m walking, and it takes, honestly, it takes about 20 minutes or a half hour to get from where I walk in to get back there to the chiropractor’s office. Maybe I saw three patients in all of that time. Corridor after corridor after corridor with empty waiting rooms, and the only people you see is glancing into office rooms, on the right and left, where people are working at their computers on whatever the heck they’re working on, because I never see patients there. It’s very strange. So, that in itself is very much like this place called Liminal Space or Mall World on Reddit. Anyway, I had brought my dog. He was waiting for me in the car. He’s a small dog, and so he has basically a high chair set up in the passenger seat, and he sits there to be able to see out the window as we drive along. Well, I know he likes to get in the driver’s seat and lay down when I’m doing errands and out of the car, so I set my book down on the roof of the car and straightened out a towel on the driver’s seat, and then I went into the building. Now, I lost the book somewhere. It’s a library book. I lost a library book. I don’t know if I left it on the roof of the car or if somewhere between 201 and 209. I did use a ladies room, and it had a couple of stalls in there, and it had a window with windowsill. I didn’t want to leave my purse out there on the windowsill, but I didn’t mind leaving the library book on the windowsill, so I took the purse into the stall with me, and then I came out. And by the time I got to the chiropractor’s office—of course, I was the only patient there—I didn’t have the book anymore. At first I thought I’d left it on the roof of the car when I was straightening the towel for the dog, so I said to the corpsman who was helping the chiropractor, oh darn, I left my book on the roof of the car. I hope nobody steals it. When the appointment was over and I made my long way back to the car, there was no book on the roof of the car, so either someone had stolen it, I figured, or I had left it in the bathroom on the windowsill instead. I wasn’t sure whether I left it on… I know I set it on the roof of the car, but perhaps I picked it up and took it into the bathroom. So I went back into the building and attempted to retrace my steps between 201 and 209 to look for, first, the stairwell I had taken—and that’s another thing that figures in these liminal spaces stories–stairwells. The stairwell I had taken from the first floor to the second floor in one of those buildings, I don’t know which one, had yellow daisies. It was a yellow flower motif painted on the stairwell walls. All of the stairwells have different motifs. So I was looking for the yellow stairwell that I took to the second floor and I couldn’t find it. So I went back and forth all this time looking for that yellow stairwell, couldn’t find it, and I’m passing through these empty hallways, and when I say there were very few patients, the weird thing about White City VA, of course, is that it seems that most of the patients that I’ve seen there are Vietnam or Korean veterans because they’re very elderly and usually in wheelchairs or walkers. I myself am not a spring chicken, but I can walk pretty good. Well, anyway, so that’s the other weird thing about it. The only people you see are elderly. So I’m looking for the yellow stairwell. I can’t find it, and I opened all those doors. I could not find the right ladies room, either, and I, of course, didn’t see the book. So I spent probably an hour and a half combing the hallways of 201-209 looking for a stairwell I couldn’t find and looking for a restroom I couldn’t find and looking for this book that I lost. But here’s the weird thing about the whole experience—I mean, I spent all this time—it was just like a dream. I do have a repetitive dream where I’m searching for something that I can’t find. So I thought to myself, oh my god, this is just like my dream, only it was for real. And it’s true. I couldn’t find it. Here’s how I would characterize it: I lost an object day before yesterday in a very confusing place in a room that I could not locate accessed by a stairwell that apparently doesn’t exist. So that was one weird experience. I wanted to share that with you for some reason. I figured, oh no, this is really going to trigger my dream, but I haven’t had that dream in the last two days. I just had the actual experience. If this prompts anything in you, please share it with us. I’d love to hear back from you. God bless us all, and onward and upward.

Those who hope to honor God and advance Jesus' Kingdom face powerful opposition from spiritual, physical, and psychological enemies. Successful launching and long term fruitfulness depends on recognizing and, in dependence on the Holy Spirit, waging war against those enemies.

Today's episode with Halley Kim explores the intersection of birth, power, and the Divine. Moving away from the "God in control" narrative, we dive into feminist theology, spiritual trauma, and the midwifery model of "power with." It's time to stop waiting to be saved and start realizing that the power to bring forth new life—and a new world—has been within us all along.

Send us a textIn today's episode, Hannah shares her deeply personal journey through three very different birth experiences. Originally from the United States, Hannah is a midwife and PhD candidate who now lives in Switzerland. She worked as a midwife in Australia, where she also had her children.Based on her experiences as a midwife, Hannah had planned to birth her babies at home. After a medically necessary termination at over 20 weeks in her first pregnancy, her first baby was born in hospital. She speaks openly about the birth, the grief that followed, and giving birth in circumstances she had not planned for.Hannah later went on to birth her second and third babies at home. Her second birth unfolded over five days, while her third was the complete opposite.Support the show@homebirthstoriesaustralia Support the show by buying us a coffee! Please be advised that this podcast may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.The information, statistics, and research presented in this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. All information discussed can be found online and is provided in the links in the show notes. It is always recommended to conduct your own research and make informed decisions. We advise you to discuss any topics or concerns with your healthcare provider. While we strive to incorporate the most up-to-date research in our episodes, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information discussed on the show.

In this recorded presentation for the American Hypnosis Association, Dr. Sally McNally dives into the powerful role hypnosis can play in childbirth. Learn how hypnosis can help reduce fear, manage pain, and support a calmer, more confident birth experience. A valuable watch for expectant parents, doulas, midwives, and anyone curious about hypnosis and birth.

Medical missionaries often feel powerful emotional burden from moral injury, and it is a leading cause of departure from the mission field. But we have learned proven methods of preventing and dealing with moral injury. Use God’s powerful methods to protect yourself and your team, and to grow in wisdom and spirit!

Josie, a midwife from the Central Coast of New South Wales, shares her remarkable birth story that beautifully illustrates how positive birth experiences can unfold even when plans change. Working at Gosford Hospital and living with her husband Fergus (a paramedic) and their golden retriever Maggie, Josie takes us through her journey from conception to welcoming seven-month-old Murphy.Today's episode is brought to you by Mini + Me's revolutionary new Mama Bites – the world's first 6-in-1 functional snack designed specifically for the incredible demands of motherhood. As any new mum knows, nourishing yourself while caring for your little one can feel impossible. That's where Mama Bites comes in – thoughtfully formulated to support you through every aspect of your postpartum journey.Each delicious bite delivers six essential benefits: feeding support with galactagogue foods like flaxseeds and almonds, duct function support with sunflower lecithin, gut and vaginal health through maternal probiotics, immune support with clinically researched Wellmune beta-glucan, structural support with collagen peptides for your hair, skin and nails, and energy support through a maternal vitamin complex – all without stimulants or added sugar.Whether you're breastfeeding, pumping, or simply recovering from birth and navigating sleep deprivation, Mama Bites provides the nutritional support your body craves as part of a balanced diet.Ready to nourish yourself the way you deserve? Visit Mini + Me today and use code "ABS15" for 15% off sitewide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ashley Farmer to discuss the life and legacy of Queen Mother Audley Moore—an organizer, theorist, and political visionary who helped shape the very foundations of modern Black nationalism and the contemporary reparations movement. Though she was, as our guest writes, "one of the most important activists and theorists of the twentieth century," Mother Moore's figure has been largely confined to a handful of photographs and passing references, even as her ideas reverberate across generations. Dr. Farmer discusses how if Rosa Parks is remembered as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, then Queen Mother Moore should be understood as someone who midwifed the political traditions of Black radical nationalism. Farmer traces Moore's extraordinary life, which spanned nearly the entire twentieth century—from the aftermath of Reconstruction to the rise and fall of Jim and Jane Crow, all the way until the late 1990s. Like Du Bois, her longevity allowed her to inhabit multiple political worlds, sometimes in tension with one another. We discuss how her early experiences in Jim/Jane Crow Louisiana, witnessing lynch mobs and growing up in a family shaped by both slavery and free Black community life, forged her political consciousness. We also explore the radical sisterhood she shared with Eloise and Loretta, women who were themselves deeply involved in Black liberation struggles and who helped shape Moore's earliest political actions. The conversation moves westward as they examine Moore's migration to Los Angeles, where the promise of escape from Southern racial terror collided with the realities of redlining, discrimination, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Southern California. We look at how these conditions transformed LA into a hotbed of Black nationalist organizing—and how this period pushed Moore toward Chicago and eventually Harlem, where her political life would take on new dimensions. A portion of the discussion centers on the state's surveillance of Moore. Targeted first by HUAC and later by the FBI's Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO), Moore amassed thousands of pages of government files—documents that reveal both the threat she posed to the racial order and the broader pattern of state repression directed at Black radical women. Dr. Farmer analyzed thousands of these files and discusses some of what she discovered in them.  Dr. Ashley D. Farmer is a historian of black women's history, intellectual history, and radical politics. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Departments of History and African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to this book, she is the author of Remaking Black Power: How Black Women Transformed an Era.  If you like what we do and want to support our ability to have more conversations like this. Please consider becoming a patron. You can do so for as little as a 1 Dollar a month. Now, here is Dr. Farmer discussing her book Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore Related conversations: "Attica Is an Ongoing Structure of Revolt" - Orisanmi Burton on Tip of the Spear, Black Radicalism, Prison Rebellion, and the Long Attica Revolt Free the Land! Edward Onaci on the History of the Republic of New Afrika Black Scare / Red Scare 2025 with Charisse Burden-Stelly "The Shadow of the Plantation" - Eugene Puryear on The Black Belt Thesis: A Reader  

Send us a textIn this episode, I'm joined by Fenja, who shares her freebirth story with honesty, depth, and clarity.At a time when freebirth is being widely discussed — and often misunderstood — Fenja's experience offers a grounded and much-needed perspective on what informed, conscious birth preparation can look like.Fenja speaks openly about the extensive work she did during pregnancy: building physiological understanding, engaging in emotional and mental preparation, and developing a deep trust in her body and decision-making. Her choices were not made lightly. They were rooted in knowledge, reflection, and personal responsibility.During her pregnancy, Fenja chose to hire a doula — not as someone to direct her birth, but as optional, woman-led support. When labour unfolded, she recognised that what she needed most was solitude and privacy, and she chose not to call her doula to the birth. This decision was hers alone, made in the moment, based on what felt right in her body and nervous system.With recent media coverage and coroner's reports attempting to suggest that doulas are influencing women to make unsafe decisions, Fenja's story provides an important counterpoint. It clearly demonstrates that women are capable of making informed, autonomous decisions about their own births, and that doulas do not make decisions for women — they support them, when and if that support is wanted.This episode is not about persuading anyone to freebirth.It is about respecting women's capacity to prepare deeply, think critically, and choose consciously.Fenja's story is thoughtful, grounded, and a deep reminder that birth choices cannot be reduced to headlines or assumptions.You can find Fenja and her work at helikraft.co.ukOn Instagram @heilkraftosteopathyIf you love the podcast and would like to support it, then please use the link to 'buy me a coffee' - https://bmc.link/sallyannberesfordIf you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online bookseller or visit Amazon:-Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner - click here:-https://bit.ly/LabourofloveThe Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9dfPregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth' - Black and White version https://amzn.to/3CvJXmOPregnancy Journal for 'The Art of Giving Birth'- Colour version https://amzn.to/3GknbPFYou can find all my classes and courses on my website - www.sallyannberesford.co.uk Follow me on Instagram @theultimatebirthpartner Book a 1-2-1 session with Sallyann - https://linktr.ee/SallyannBeresford Please remember that the information shared with you in this episode is solely based on my own personal experiences as a doula and the private opinions of my guests, based on their own experiences. Any recommendations made may not be suitable for ...

I never thought I would hear birth compared to fighting… but honestly, it might be one of my favorite analogies ever.In this episode, I'm joined by Madie — a professional fighter, dog trainer, and mom — who shares how she approached pregnancy and birth with the same mindset she brings to fight camp: strategy, mental strength, and trust in her mind and body.We talk about what it's like to navigate pregnancy when you can't workout, how she chose the right midwife, and how she learned to make intuitive decisions in labor — including whether or not to get the epidural, and how to trust her body's need for movement. I absolutely loved this conversation and the way Madie reframes birth as something you can actually train for, mentally and emotionally, not just physically. Here are some highlights from the episode: • How Madie went from professional fighter to first-time (& second-time) mom...who still fights btw! • What it was like mentally to not be able to fight or workout during pregnancy • How she chose her midwife and what to do if you're second-guessing your provider • The truth about pregnancy weight gain and why it wasn't actually a problem • Why she calls birth a “nine-month fight camp” • How she used visualization, meditation, movement, and My Essential Birth to prepare• Why she actually wanted cervical checks  • How intuitive position changes helped her baby move into a better position • How My Essential Birth supported her through pregnancy and labor • Her best advice for moms (and dads… especially dads

Learn all about Midwife Toads and the interesting features they have that makes them different from other amphibians!

Welcome to Awakening Aphrodite — the podcast that helps you reconnect with your feminine energy, reclaim your vitality, and live in harmony with your body, mind, and spirit.In each episode, holistic health expert Amy Fournier shares inspiring conversations with expert guests, blending ancient wisdom and modern science to offer practical tools that help you thrive in today's fast-paced world.Featured Guest: Dr. Enolia Harris PedroDr. Enolia Harris Pedro is a respected Grandmother, Elder, and Modern-Day Medicine Woman who carries the wisdom of both ancient traditions and modern wellness practices. With decades of experience in energy medicine and holistic healing, her life's work is dedicated to guiding others toward balance, vitality, and self-mastery.Products Mentioned in This EpisodeShop Amy's curated favorite products (with discounts!):

Welcome to Awakening Aphrodite — the podcast that helps you reconnect with your feminine energy, reclaim your vitality, and live in harmony with your body, mind, and spirit.In each episode, holistic health expert Amy Fournier shares inspiring conversations with expert guests, blending ancient wisdom and modern science to offer practical tools that help you thrive in today's fast-paced world.Featured Guest: Dr. Enolia Harris PedroDr. Enolia Harris Pedro is a respected Grandmother, Elder, and Modern-Day Medicine Woman who carries the wisdom of both ancient traditions and modern wellness practices. With decades of experience in energy medicine and holistic healing, her life's work is dedicated to guiding others toward balance, vitality, and self-mastery.Products Mentioned in This EpisodeShop Amy's curated favorite products (with discounts!):

Welcome to Awakening Aphrodite — the podcast that helps you reconnect with your feminine energy, reclaim your vitality, and live in harmony with your body, mind, and spirit.In each episode, holistic health expert Amy Fournier shares inspiring conversations with expert guests, blending ancient wisdom and modern science to offer practical tools that help you thrive in today's fast-paced world.Featured Guest: Dr. Enolia Harris PedroDr. Enolia Harris Pedro is a respected Grandmother, Elder, and Modern-Day Medicine Woman who carries the wisdom of both ancient traditions and modern wellness practices. With decades of experience in energy medicine and holistic healing, her life's work is dedicated to guiding others toward balance, vitality, and self-mastery.Products Mentioned in This EpisodeShop Amy's curated favorite products (with discounts!):

We live in a world that rewards speed, productivity, and quick fixes, but healing doesn't move at that pace. The soul speaks a different language. One that is slower, messier, and far more courageous. In this episode, we explore what it actually means to begin the healing journey — not as a linear path toward improvement, but as a winding, nonlinear process we return to again and again. Drawing from clinical experience and personal reflection, I explore four common internal responses that often arise when healing begins to stir: “It's too hard.” “It's not necessary.” “I don't know how.” “It's not possible for me.” Rather than obstacles, these responses are compassionate entry points. Places shaped by survival, pain, and longing. This episode invites a gentler posture toward yourself and toward God: not having to be ready, but simply willing. Thought-provoking questions: “Healing is far messier and far more complicated than we expect. It's nonlinear. It isn't a single moment of breakthrough, but a spiraling journey we return to again and again throughout our lives.” - Taylor Joy Murray “Real change only happens when we are willing to go the long way round—a longer, more arduous, more inward, and more prayerful route.” - Sue Monk Kidd “More often than not, I'm learning that God's presence in healing looks less like a Rescuer and more like a Midwife.” - Taylor Joy Murray Get Faith & Feeling's weekly resource email Watch this episode on YouTube Grab a copy of my book Stop Saying I'm Fine Connect with me on my website Find me on Instagram @__taylorjoy__ Key words: healing journey, befriending yourself, self compassion, curiosity, self awareness, emotional wounds, emotional regulation, spiritual formation, wisdom, spiritual integration, spiritual maturity, emotional health, personal growth

I am so excited to share with you my chat! Amanda Lancaster is an amazing woman. The goal was to chat about her new book "A Time to be Born" but there was so much more to the conversation!  "A Time to be Born" - Book Heritage Homestead - Her Community Amanda Lancaster - Her Website Amanda Lancaster - Facebook Want Homeschool Help? Not sure where to start or what to do next? Set up a consultation with me at https://www.rootedinfaithfamilyfarmlife.com/homeschool...   Join my Brand New Podcast Subscription at https://www.rootedinfaithfamilyfarmlife.com/.../Rooted-In...   Grab our 2026 Rooted In Planner - https://www.rootedinfaithfamilyfarmlife.com/sto.../search...   Check out our Podcast Friends! www.mypillow.com They have the most amazing slippers! I am not joking when I say these will change your day! Make sure to use the code ROOTEDIN for up to 66% off your purchases! You won't regret it!   For all your breastfeeding accessible clothing needs check out https://www.nursingqueen.com/?ref=rootedin   For all your deodorant and lotion needs I love https://toupsandco.com/lindsayspurrier and use the code ROOTED10 for a discount!   www.greenmountaindiapers.com use the code ROOTEDPFW10 - For your cloth diapering needs!   Hair, Skin and Wellness Products - www.lindsayspurrier.mymonat.com   Homeschool Materials from Christian Books at https://www.christianbook.com/page/homeschool?   Bible Recap Text - https://amzn.to/3LgO8Ih   Some of the above links are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you use them. As always, that you for your support of this podcast and in turn our family! Love, Lindsay Spurrier

After New York's Mayor Zohran Mamdani floated the idea of introducing a baby box scheme to his city, the Scottish government sent him one of theirs. But, should we have one in Ireland?Joining Seán to discuss is Helena Tubridy, former Midwife and Fertility Coach.

Send us a textReady to land a midwifery job that actually fits your philosophy, pace, and life? We open up about our own first-job journeys—what went right, what we'd change, and how each step shaped our expectations. From researching practice models to reading culture, we walk through the practical prep that matters most: knowing how the team truly functions, how midwives share call, and how collaboration shows up when the unit gets busy.We also get tactical about interviewing without sounding scripted. You'll hear simple ways to show your value as a new grad, even without L&D experience: bring a lean portfolio, summarize your clinical sites and numbers, and frame weaknesses as active growth plans. We share the questions that reveal the soul of a practice—what a clinic day really looks like, how decisions are made, and where midwives can train in procedures like first assist, colpos, or circumcisions. We also address the productivity myth, explaining how OB-heavy roles unlock revenue capacity across the team while improving access and experience.Career seasons don't always unfold on your timeline, and that's okay. We talk about handling rejection as redirection, running mock interviews with mentors, and keeping notes on what bothers you so you can ask sharper questions next time. If you want a job that respects physiologic birth and evidence, values your voice, and gives you room to grow, this conversation will help you get there.#DreamCatch #BabyCatchers #MidwifeLife #NewGradMidwife #MidwivesSupportMidwives #MidwiferyCareers @growmidwives 

If you're pregnant right now, chances are your mornings—or really, your entire day—feel like a constant battle with nausea.

Today, I am joined by Jessica Arno, The Combat Midwife, to discuss keeping women and children alive when you can't just drive to the hospital. More that that, we will discuss how building these skills is a foundation for improving health even if you CAN drive to the hospital.  Sponsors AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN DiscountMylarBags.com Resources https://combatmidwife.com/ https://livingfreeintennessee.com/

Why are so many parents refusing to register birth certificates for their kids? The answer might shock you.

This week, Bronagh and Cara are wrapping up warm, rewiring their wardrobes and resetting for a calmer, more stylish 2026. It's all about finding joy in the clothes you already own, making fashion feel easy again, and laughing through the chaos of school runs, cold snaps and coat cupboard meltdowns.We cover:Why Bronagh sent her new Abercrombie tracksuit back… twiceTop tips for school shoes, thermals and vintage findsThe leopard print coat that's breaking the internet (and the bank)Jewellery you'll never take offRed Gazelles, charity shop hats and the art of layeringHow to style your wardrobe when you're not styling your lifeAnd… an impassioned deep dive on Call the Midwife (with zero apologies)It's real talk, real clothes, and real chaos—as always. Put the kettle on, pull on a big coat, and come reset with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this new series, Everyday Heroes, Leah invites us to look beyond biblical “heroes” we already know and toward the quiet courage of everyday people who resist violence and preserve life. Centering the story of the midwives Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus, the sermon explores how faithfulness can take the form of moral courage, sacred skill, and strategic resistance.

The death of a Black midwife following complications from giving birth has renewed difficult questions surrounding inequities in Black maternal health care. Black women are still three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The death of a Black midwife following complications from giving birth has renewed difficult questions surrounding inequities in Black maternal health care. Black women are still three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

BE WARNED: It's LuAnna, and this podcast contains honest, upfront opinions, rants, bants and general explicit content. But you know you love it!It's time to get TOTALLY EXTRA. Extra chat, extra rants, extra bants, extra stories, nonsense and more.On this week's Totally Extra: A mum who's a bit too close for comfort, Anna's alternative name, showing your fanny to your midwife by accident, first snogs & omegle memories,.Remember, if you want to get in touch you can:Email us at luanna@everythingluanna.com OR drop us a WhatsApp on our NEW NUMBER: 07521564640Please review Global's Privacy Policy: https://global.com/legal/privacy-policy/

Ep. 27 | The Naturopathic Midwife - Michele Sayball by Sofia Scheuerman

This is Episode 80 of To Etherea and Beyond - Drone Daze Echo. The show broadcasts on Harrogate Community Radio at 9am this Sunday 18th January and is then available via the station's Listen Again button, and everywhere else here: https://ssyncc.com/toethereaandbeyond The show features music by: Oral Habit, Thomas Feiner, ,Aleksi Perälä, Rena Jones, Nadia Struiwigh, Turtle, Landhouse, Chris Zippel, Jimmy Whoo, Lomboy, Daniel Avery, Art School Girlfriend, Talking Violet, Teen Daze, Melody's Echo Chamber, Whitelands, Ouai Stéphane, Pictish Trail, Bill Janovitz, shallowdaze, Fainting Dreams, Midwife, Allison Lorenzen, Anna von Hausswolff, Ulver, Tortoise, Sloe Noon, This Will Destroy You https://harrogatecommunityradio.online/shows/to-etherea-and-beyond/ This show is syndicated & distributed exclusively by Syndicast. If you are a radio station interested in airing the show or would like to distribute your podcast / radio show please register here: https://syndicast.co.uk/distribution/registration

Get ready to challenge the dominant narrative around birth in this deeply inspiring conversation with Australian midwife, researcher, and rebel, Dr. Melanie Jackson — host of The Great Birth Rebellion podcast. Melanie joins Debra Pascali‑Bonaro for a heartfelt and provocative exploration of what happens when we choose to birth outside the system — and within our power. Together, they unpack why more families are stepping away from institutional birth, how true midwifery care transforms outcomes, and how bliss, laughter, and joy can ripple through even the most intense moments of labor. Melanie shares intimate stories from her own births — one long and slow, the other fast, powerful, and joyfully filled with laughter — and offers profound wisdom about matrescence, physiological birth, and how honoring women's autonomy creates safer, more pleasurable births for everyone. In this episode you'll hear: The bliss and laughter that surprised Melanie in her second home birth What matrescence means and why it matters in understanding the transformation to motherhood Why "birth outside the system" can be the safest, most aligned choice for some families The evidence behind continuity of midwifery care — and why it should be the universal standard How pleasure, joy, and oxytocin weave through both sex and birth The global movement of rebellious midwives creating change from within Episode Highlights 2:44 — Melanie shares her journey into midwifery and the concept of "Matrescence." 5:07 — Melanie describes her two very different birth experiences. 13:12 — Discussion of "The Great Birth Rebellion" and its origins as a podcast. 14:25 — The importance of evidence-based maternity care and the role of midwives. 17:03 — Exploring the connection between birth, pleasure, and sexuality. 18:15 — The power of oxytocin and the potential for joy and bonding in birth. 19:00 — Where to find Melanie online and her offerings for midwives and parents. About Melanie Jackson: Dr. Melanie Jackson is a private midwife, researcher, mentor, and host of The Great Birth Rebellion podcast. With a PhD in midwifery on "Birth Outside the System," she is reshaping how midwives and mothers understand evidence, power, and physiology in birth. Through The Assembly and Convergence of Rebellious Midwives, she mentors practitioners and uplifts the profession with passion and purpose. Connect with Melanie:Website: melaniethemidwife.com Instagram: @melaniethemidwife TikTok: @melaniethemidwife Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgYNzASpo0UbzyzRkNb-s-w Podcast: The Great Birth Rebellion Connect with Debra:Website: https://www.orgasmicbirth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth X: https://twitter.com/OrgasmicBirth YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/OrgasmicBirth1 Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@orgasmicbirth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471  ------- Pleasure isn't a luxury, It's your birthright Discover the secret to a Safe, Sensual & Empowering Birth Experience Pleasurable Birth Essentials is your toolkit for a birth that's as safe as it is sensual, as evidence-based as it is soulful. This is not your average childbirth class. This is a revolution—a journey designed for mamas who trust their bodies and their minds. Here, pleasure isn't an afterthought – it's foundational. Evidence isn't dry – it's empowering. Community isn't optional – it's essential. You deserve a birth that honors your strength, your sensuality, and your sovereignty. https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/pleasurable-birth-essentials/ 

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a medical revolution was afoot. Alanna Skuse ventures into the bustling medical marketplace of Renaissance England – a world of travelling surgeons, prosthetics craftsmen, faith healers and snake oil merchants. Can Alanna convince you to join her in just 15 minutes?Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy the book (UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubBuy the book (US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy the book (UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubBuy the book (US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pusch Ridge Christian Academy (AZ) Director of Percussion Activities and Tuscon-based Freelancer Liz Soflin stops by to talk about her PASIC50 performance of Stuart Saunders Smith's “By Language Embellished, I…” (04:30), her career in Arizona and more about her freelancing and college teaching (15:30), growing up in Michigan, her beginnings in percussion, and getting involved and drama club and acting (26:35), her undergrad years at the University of Central Michigan and learning from Andrew Spencer (37:00), her masters years at UT-Knoxville and learning from a variety of teachers (46:40), going to the University of Arizona for her doctorate, learning from Norman Weinberg, and establishing her connections with Stuart Saunders Smith (55:40), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments about being a woman in the percussion field, the Tuscon Saguaros, the movies Jaws and Cats, a lot of great books, midwestern food, being a Karaoke DJ, and the Museum of Modern Art in NYC (01:10:40).Finishing with a Rave on Lenny Wilkens' 2000 book Unguarded: My Forty Years Surviving in the N.B.A. (01:40:40).Liz Soflin Links:Liz Soflin's Black Swamp Percussion pageLiz Soflin's Instagram pagePrevious Podcast Guests mentioned:Nathan Daughtrey in 2021Andy Bliss in 2023Norman Weinberg in 2017Ivan Trevino in 2022Other Links:Stuart Saunders SmithLolita - Vladimir Nabokov“Peeping Tom” - Dan SennSierra Vista SymphonyThe Curious Savage - John PatrickLady Windermere's Fan - Oscar WildeAndrew SpencerDavid GillinghamDave Hollinden“Limerick Daydreams” - Nathan Daughtrey“Chameleon Music” - Dan Welcher“Crown of Thorns” - David Maslanka“Niagara Falls” - Michael DaughertyNief-NorfJohn MackeyMorris PalterMatthew BurtnerThreads - Paul Lansky“Bloom” - Ivan Trevino“Songs I-IX” - Stuard Saunders SmithCall the Midwife trailer“Three Winter Carols” - Stuart Saunders Smith“The Authors” - Stuart Saunders Smith“To the Earth” - Frederick RzewskiTucson SaguarosJaws (50th Anniversary) trailerThe Stand - Stephen KingThe Running Man - Stephen KingThe Running Man (1987) trailerCreativity Inc. - Ed CatmullThe Great Gatsby - F. Scott FitzgeraldThe Outsiders - S.E. HintonBig Magic - Elizabeth GilbertWriting Poetry from the Inside Out - Sandford LyneOn Writing - Stephen King“Separate Ways” - Journey“Me and Bobby McGee” - Janis JoplinEugene NovotneyThe Museum of Modern Art (NYC)“The Starry Night” - Vincent van GoghRaves:Unguarded - Lenny Wilkens (with Terry Pluto)

Dive into decision support tools and management options for primary care mental health conditions that often stump the primary care clinician.

What is a call? How does a person know if God is calling them to mission service? Join in a discussion as these and other questions are addressed.

France's largest Braille publisher struggles to continue producing embossed books in the digital age. Researchers delve into people's guts with a large-scale study on the French population's microbiome. And Louise Bourgeois, the French midwife who in 1609 became the first woman in Europe to publish a book about medicine. As France marks 200 years since Louis Braille invented his system of raised dots allowing blind people to read by touch, we visit the country's only remaining Braille printing house. At the CTEB in Toulouse, a team of 12 staff and mainly blind volunteers transcribe more than 200 books each year for both adults and children, along with bank statements, brochures and other documents. Despite extremely high production costs, the centre sells its books at the same price as the originals to ensure equal access. Now deeply in debt, it's calling for state aid to survive – arguing that, even in the age of digital Braille and audio books, turning a page is important in learning to read. (Listen @3'15'') Scientists are increasingly convinced that the trillions of bacteria living in the human digestive system also contribute to health and wellbeing. Le French Gut is a large-scale study intended to track the connection between the microbiome and disease. Launched in 2023, it aims to recruit 100,000 French participants, to contribute samples and fill out health and diet questionnaires. Now the scientists are looking to get more children on board. Project director Patrick Vega shows the lab and biobank where the bacteria are being analysed, and talks about the discoveries in the gut that could help predict or even cure diseases. (Listen @21'20'') Seventeenth-century French midwife Louise Bourgeois, the first woman in Europe to publish a medical book, was a pioneer in women's health at a time when only men were allowed to be doctors and women delivered babies according to tradition, not science. (Listen @14'45'') Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani. Spotlight on France is a podcast from Radio France International. Find us on rfienglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or your favourite podcast app (pod.link/1573769878).

Can you imagine having only about 10 contractions and your baby being born?! This is seriously the BEST birth story!In this unforgettable (and honestly unbelievable) birth story, My Essential Birth students Ashley & Bryan Worley share their second birth experience — from preparing for pregnancy while parenting a toddler, to doing deep mental work for birth, to a labor that went from “hmm, maybe something's happening” to baby in arms in less than about 10 contractions

This week's Difference Maker is Star August Ali, one of the state's few Black Certified Professional Midwives, who is working to address racial disparities in maternal health.

As a midwife with a graduate certificate in perinatal mental health, Shannon thought she was prepared for pregnancy and birth. However, her experience taught her that professional knowledge doesn't shield you from the profound emotional and physical challenges of becoming a mother. Her candid discussion about perinatal anxiety, the impact of her eating disorder history, and her breastfeeding journey with breast implants and suspected insufficient glandular tissue makes this episode essential listening for anyone supporting women through pregnancy and early motherhood.Shannon's two birth stories - both beautiful home births in her converted studio space - showcase the power of trusting your body, excellent midwifery care, and the importance of mental health support throughout the perinatal period.Today's episode is brought to you by Bare Mum and their thoughtfully curated Breast Care Kit.Every breastfeeding journey comes with its unique challenges - from those tender early days with sore nipples to managing unexpected leakage. That's where Bare Mum's midwife-approved Breast Care Kit becomes your trusted companion.This comprehensive kit offers practical and effective solutions to the common discomforts that come with breastfeeding. Whether you're preparing for your little one's arrival or supporting a new mum in your life, this care kit has all the essentials to nurture and protect during this precious time.What makes it even better? It's ready to go straight into your hospital bag, taking one thing off your preparation list. And if you're looking for the perfect gift for a new mum, this kit shows you truly understand what she needs during those early breastfeeding days.As a special treat for our listeners, you can enjoy 15% off your Breast Care Kit with the code ABS2025 at checkout.Because every mother deserves comfort and support on her breastfeeding journey - Bare Mum's Breast Care Kit, midwife approved and mother tested. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 25 | The Nurse and Midwife - Roxanne Estes by Sofia Scheuerman

Mary Magdalene Journey Now Open! (Until Dec 31.) → Enter the sacred feminine and rebirth yourself through this Solstice–New Moon portal. → Details here This week's astrology (Dec 15–21) delivers one of 2025's most powerful portals: the New Moon in Sagittarius on the Galactic Center. Consciousness accelerates, timelines bend, and the future you begins to land now. We dive into the activations of Hecate the Midwife, the Divine Child (Horus), and the rare approach of 3I Atlas—all converging into a once-in-a-lifetime rebirth window. If you're feeling pressure, expansion, or the call into a higher destiny, you're not imagining it. This is a threshold. A birth portal. A consciousness eruption. Episode Highlights New Moon in Sagittarius on Dec 19: A galactic rebirth point + the ignition of 2026 energy Hecate on the Galactic Center: Midwife of the New Human + future-timeline openings Divine Child (Horus) Activation: Masculine–feminine union codes awakening in real time 3I Atlas Close Approach: Cosmic symbolism + what this comet awakens in you

Audley Moore mentored Malcolm X, popularized reparations for African Americans in a 1963 essay, and advanced the cause of Black women in both the Black nationalist and civil rights movements. She rubbed elbows with the Mandelas, Jessie Jackson, and Rosa Parks. Once a household name in the mid-20th century, she has fallen out of the history books, despite a career of organizing and activism that spanned a century, her artifacts lost and her archives scattered. But more than 100 years after Moore's birth and 28 years after her death, Ashley D. Farmer has written the first biography of Moore, Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore. Farmer brings together a decade of research spanning oral history, archival work from Louisiana to New York City, and, of course, reams of FBI documents to paint the fullest picture of this icon's life to date.Go beyond the episode:Ashley D. Farmer's Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley MooreSpeaking of neglected Black figures: read Harriet A. Washington's Winter 2026 cover story on Rudolph Fisher, Harlem Renaissance manTune in every (other) week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek and sponsored by the Phi Beta Kappa Society.Subscribe: iTunes/Apple • Amazon • Google • Acast • PandoraHave suggestions for projects you'd like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this solo transmission, I name something I've been witnessing for a long time in the birth space: the birth world is completely out of control!What was once a simple, instinctual axis of natural birth vs medical birth has now fractured into multiple layers with brands, ideologies and Instagram philosophies.In this episode, I strip away the noise and bring us back to the TRUE foundation of Birth.And how, when we try to domesticate her, intellectualise her, or control her - we create the chaos we're currently drowning in.I also speak to the nine-year cycle we're moving through collectively - a cycle of exposure, collapse, and cosmic housekeeping - and why this moment of breakdown in the “birth world” is not a mistake, but a clearing. A return.I also explore:Why the “freebirth vs medical birth” war is a distractionWhy the unfolding of birth absolutely matters - and why some will act as though it doesntThe birth world as chaos, fragmentation and marketplaceThe misogynistic and biblical roots of “you get the birth you needed”What “the birth world” actually is - and why it's irrelevant to birthThe myth of providing choice for modern womenThis episode is for you if…You feel disillusioned or confused by the current “birth world” and all its sides, methods and opinions.You've sensed that birth is being pulled further and further away from what it truly is - and you can't unsee it.You're ready to move beyond camps, labels and strategies - and nd return to the raw, uncontaminated truth of birth.

This birth story is such a beautiful reminder that preparation, prayer, and unwavering partner support can truly transform the labor experience. In this episode, Kaitlyn and her husband Kale share their faith-filled home birth journey — from unexpected pregnancy challenges and prenatal depression to the incredible moment Kale caught their baby in the birth tub.You'll hear the raw realities of third-trimester pain, mental health struggles, intentional birth prep as a couple, and the powerful role prayer played when their birth took an unexpected turn. This episode is packed with encouragement for moms preparing their bodies and minds for birth — and for dads learning how to show up with strength and confidence when it matters most.This was such a meaningful birth story to record, and I truly hope you absolutely love it.Here's some highlights from the episode: • Unexpected pregnancy symptoms and fears surrounding possible cholestasis • The reality of severe third-trimester pain and prenatal depression • How Kaitlyn chose a home birth and found the right midwife • How they prepared for labor together as a couple • What labor looked like from both the mom and dad perspective • Natural pain relief methods used during home labor • The moment Kale caught their baby • A delayed placenta and the powerful role prayer played • What it was like emotionally for both of them to experience a home birth • Their best advice for expectant moms and dads preparing for birthThis episode is a beautiful reminder that birth is not just a physical experience — it's emotional, spiritual, relational, and transformational. Whether you're planning a home birth, a hospital birth, or trying to figure out each of your roles during pregnancy and birth, this is the perfect episode for moms AND dads! ❤️ Don't forget to RATE & FOLLOW the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast! Leave a Review! ⭐️ Here's how >> On Apple Podcasts Find “Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy” podcast Select “Ratings and Reviews” Click the stars! Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved! On Spotify Find "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" podcast Click the 3 dots "..." Select "Rate podcast" Click the stars and write a quick review! FOLLOW "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier! Here's how to do it in just 2 seconds: On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page. On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show titles Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: hello@myessentialbirth.com. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

Send us a textYour prenatal care should feel calm, respectful, and evidence-based—yet many of us hit a point where advice from a provider doesn't match what we've learned or what our gut is telling us. That moment is disorienting. We break down why it feels so heavy, how to get grounded fast, and the practical steps to find alignment without burning bridges.We start by naming the emotional waves that follow a shaken trust: fear that you're missing something, grief for the relationship you thought you had, and the stress of choices you didn't expect to make late in pregnancy. From there, we anchor to ACOG standards—the baseline for safe, evidence-based care—and highlight five clear red flags: recommendations that don't align with guidance, dismissive responses to questions, a tone shift toward rigidity near your due date, inconsistent information inside a group practice, and that loud, unsettled intuition after appointments.You'll get simple, powerful scripts to slow things down in the room: ask for the medical reasoning, whether the advice is individualized or a policy, and whether there's time to think before deciding. We talk through the “middle space” between staying and switching—how to sit with your feelings, confirm the guideline, and plan one focused follow-up conversation that can restore trust or confirm misalignment. If a switch becomes the right move, we share how parents successfully transition even late in pregnancy, how to transfer records smoothly, and how to reframe the change as moving toward the birth experience you want and deserve.By the end, you'll trust your intuition as data, know how to compare recommendations to ACOG guidance, and feel confident seeking a second opinion or a new provider when needed. If this helped, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us which question you'll bring to your next prenatal visit. Coaching offerKelly Hof: Labor Nurse + Birth CoachBasically, I'm your birth bestie! With me as your coach, you will tell fear to take a hike!Support the showConnect with Kelly at kellyhof.com Join the Bump & Beyond Online Community!https://www.facebook.com/groups/bumpnbeyondGrab The Book of Hormones on Amazon!Medical Disclaimer:This podcast is intended as a safe space for women to share their birth experiences. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Each woman's medical course of action is individual and may not appropriately transfer to another similar situation. Please speak to your medical provider before making any medical decisions. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that evidence based practice evolves as our knowledge of science improves. To the best of my ability I will attempt to present the most current ACOG and AWHONN recommendations at the time the podcast is recorded, but that may not necessarily reflect the best practices at the time the podcast is heard. Additionally, guests sharing their stories have the right to autonomy in their medical decisions, and may share their choice to go against current practice recommendations. I intend to hold space for people to share their decisions. I will attempt to share the current recommendations so that my audience is informed, but it is up to each individual to choose what is best for them.

I launched the Kickstarter for my novel project The Midwife and the Medic, my first novel. I wanted to go behind the scenes of the Kickstarter project for you. If you've never done a Kickstarter before or are a noob at it, you should be able to get some great tips from this podcast for yours.   https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/drdavidpowers/the-midwife-and-the-medic-a-duty-to-act   If you know anyone else that might be interested, please let them know. I'm planning on doing something special for folks who refer others. For every dollar funded from your referrals, I'll gift you that amount in rewards. In other words, if your contacts fund the project by $1,000, I'll give you all the rewards up to the $1,000 level. Let me know if you're interested in being a referral partner, and I'll send you a unique referral link.   --- Click here to change your life- http://eepurl.com/gy5T3T   Hit me up for a one-on-one brainstorming session- https://militaryimagesproject.com/products/brainstorming-session-1-hour    Check out my Linktree for different ways to rock your world! https://linktr.ee/ruggeddad    Check out the sweet Hyper X mic I'm using. https://amzn.to/41AF4px    Check out my best-selling books: Rapid Skill Development 101- https://amzn.to/3J0oDJ0 Streams of Income with Ryan Reger- https://amzn.to/3SDhDHg Strangest Secret Challenge- https://amzn.to/3xiJmVO This page contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy one of the products on this page, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you!) This doesn't affect our opinions or our reviews. Everything we do is to benefit you as the reader, so all of our reviews are as honest and unbiased as possible. #passiveincome #sidehustle #cryptocurrency #richlife

Send us a textPostpartum providers, the PPD and exhaustion your clients face are direct outcomes of the medicalized birth model. Renowned OB-turned-advocate Dr. Stu Fischbein joins us to expose why standard practices (like the "six-week checkup") create pervasive obstetrical trauma. This episode cuts through the noise to reveal the root cause of the postpartum crisis and shows you how to fight for the holistic care your clients deserve.Check out this episode on the blog HEREKey time stamps: 01:44: Dr. Stu's unique perspective: 28 years in hospital OB vs. 12+ years in home birth04:52: OB residency teaches providers to view pregnancy as an illness08:00: The hospital model is designed for efficiency and profit11:48: The "see you in six weeks" model is driven by financial reimbursement15:04: The medical system separates mother and baby as two entities20:50: The economic and societal benefit of paid parental leave23:44: subsidizing midwifery care for a year is an important social change26:40: Why women must not abdicate responsibility for their birth care29:44: Obstetrical abuse behaviors are similar to domestic abuse35:07: Obstetrical trauma makes postpartum recovery more difficult. 38:40: cognitive dissonance that prevents doctors from seeing the problem. 44:45: Why families cannot rely on the system for postpartum support. 46:00: The critical role of the husband in defending the mother48:38: Why medicine ignores what it can't quantify or bill for 50:40: The danger of licensing doulas and regulating quality. 54:17: Why midwifery schools are becoming medicalized Connect with Dr. StuStuart James Fischbein MD is a published author of the book “Fearless Pregnancy, Wisdom & Reassurance from a Doctor, A Midwife and A Mom” and peer-reviewed papers Homebirth with an Obstetrician, A Series of 135 Out of Hospital Births, Breech Birth at Home and Twin Home Birth. He spent 28 years assisting women with hospital birthing and, then for the next 12+ years, was a homebirth obstetrician who worked directly with midwives.  He now lectures globally, advocating for informed consent and reteaching breech & twin birth skills. Host of the weekly Birthing Instincts Podcast with Blyss Young. Website | IG  NEXT STEPS:

What would you do if your baby came so fast… there was no time to make it to the hospital?In this unforgettable, heart-melting birth story, My Essential Birth Mama Karlen shares her journey with us through a challenging pregnancy, an unexpected early labor after planning for induction, and a completely unplanned roadside birth with only her husband by her side. From the moment she realized, “I'm doing this right now,” to the incredible birth that follows, I know you're going to love this birth story as much as I do!!I absolutely loved chatting with Karlen and walking through her birth story with her. As a clinical psychologist, she shares how her mindset, preparation, and deep trust in her body supported her through one of the most intense experiences of her life. This episode is a PROOF that birth doesn't have to go according to plan to be empowering and unforgettable. I promise, this is an episode you do not want to miss! In fact, maybe play it over and over again as you come up to your birth!Here's some deets from the episode: • How Karlen navigated a challenging pregnancy and a late diagnosis of cholestasis • What midwifery care looked like for her • The daily habits, mindset work, and preparation that set her up for success and gave her a birth she loves! • What happened when labor began earlier than expected • The moment she realized her baby was coming FAST • How her husband supported her through a roadside birth with no medical staff present • What it was like emotionally to process a birth no one could have planned • How her background in psychology shaped her birth experience • Her most powerful advice for both moms and birth partners ✨ Don't forget to FOLLOW the show so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier! Here's how to do it in just 2 seconds: On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page. On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show title. Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: hello@myessentialbirth.com. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

Send us a textMidwife and mother of two, Sophia Henderson, host of the Born Wild podcast, joins us to tell the story of her children's births – and how a chiropractor may have saved her newborn daughter's life.In her first pregnancy, Sophia navigated weeks of unexplained bleeding, chose home birth as a student midwife, and after giving birth learned her son had no anal opening and would ultimately be diagnosed with VACTERL association. She describes what it means to care for a medically complex baby, how quickly those diagnoses unfold after birth, and how that first year reshaped her understanding of risk, normalcy, and surgical intervention.Just as her son's medical journey was unfolding when he was just a few months old, Sophia found herself pregnant again—depleted, caring for a fragile infant, and facing new legal restrictions in California that removed home birth as an option. She entered the hospital as a confident midwife who expected to advocate for herself, only to discover how difficult it is to hold onto intuition when confronted with pressure around breech, preterm labor, and surgery.After her daughter's premature birth, Sophia and her husband were told the baby's lungs had collapsed, that there was “nothing more they could do,” and that she was unlikely to survive or at best, would require oxygen all her life. A desperate post to Facebook caught the attention of a chiropractor, who responded that she could see the issue and restore the baby to wellness. Her treatment was performed quietly after being snuck into the hospital, and led to a recovery so dramatic that it reframed Sophia's entire understanding of newborn physiology and the role of chiropractic care.Born Wild Midwifery********** Needed

Host Natalie Grueninger welcomes Dr Alanna Skuse to Talking Tudors to explore medicine in Renaissance England. They discuss humoral theory, the medical hierarchy of physicians, surgeons, apothecaries and midwives, and the lively marketplace of practitioners including itinerant bone-setters and domestic healers. The episode highlights women's roles in care, real patient cases, early regulation of medical practice, and Alanna's book 'The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack' — practical insights into how people sought treatment and survived in the Renaissance. NOT SHAKESPEARE LECTURES https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/not-shakespeare-elizabethan-and-jacobean-popular-theatre VISIT DR SKUSE'S WEBSITE https://www.dralannaskuse.co.uk/ Find out more about your host at https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!

Across generations, birth workers have held space for families with skill, love, and deep purpose. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker talks with Elder Midwife Charlotte Shilo-Goudeau, a licensed Certified Professional Midwife from Louisiana, and Chanté Perryman, Director of Programs at Evidence Based Birth®, certified doula, and student midwife. Together, they explore what it means to embrace the dual calling of doula work and midwifery and how both roles are acts of service, advocacy, and healing.   Elder Charlotte shares her journey from personal loss to becoming one of only a few Black midwives in Louisiana, carrying forward the wisdom of generations. Chanté reflects on how her experiences as a doula shaped her path into midwifery and her vision for compassionate, individualized care. They remind us that titles may change, but the heart of this work remains the same: being present, being of service, and being called to birth.   (03:46) How Chanté's Birth Experience Inspired Her to Become a Doula (05:42) Elder Charlotte's Journey from Stillbirth to Midwifery as a Calling (10:59) How Doula Work Shapes Midwifery Care and Philosophy (14:34) Serving Underserved Communities as One of Four Black Midwives in Louisiana (19:01) Shifting from Midwife to Doula During Hospital Transfers (24:08) Chanté's Perspective on Identity, Service, and Humility in Birth Work (28:40) Micro vs. Macro Advocacy: Supporting Families and Legislative Change (37:29) Navigating Hospital Restrictions During the Pandemic (42:57) Lessons from Midwifery School (45:30) Advice for Those Considering Doula or Midwifery Paths   Resources Follow Chanté on Instagram: @babydreamsmc Connect with Ms. Charlotte: midwifecharlotte.com Connect with an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor: directory.evidencebasedbirth.com Learn more about the National Perinatal Task Force: perinataltaskforce.com Visit the Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery: commonsensemidwifery.org Check out the Kentucky Birth Coalition: kentuckyhomebirthcoalition.com Visit the Mercy In Action College of Midwifery: mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu   For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.